Netflix (US) is adding a collection of five classic Alfred Hitchcock films to its streaming service on June 1st, 2024. The article highlights this as a significant addition for cinephiles.

The films included are:

1. Psycho (1960): Famous for its shocking twists and the iconic shower scene.
2. Vertigo (1958): Known for its psychological depth, stunning visuals, and pioneering camera techniques.
3. The Birds (1963): A chilling horror film where birds inexplicably turn violent against humanity.
4. Rear Window (1954): A masterclass in suspense focusing on voyeurism and paranoia.
5. Marnie (1964): A psychological thriller exploring trauma and compulsion.

The article celebrates the arrival of these influential works from the "Master of Suspense," noting their enduring legacy and offering a brief description of each film's premise and significance. It positions this as a great opportunity for both longtime fans and newcomers to experience Hitchcock's cinematic genius.

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The upcoming live-action Minecraft movie, directed by Jared Hess, will officially feature the "Chicken Jockey" – a baby zombie riding a chicken, a specific and quirky enemy from the game. Hess confirmed this detail in an interview, indicating that the film adaptation will embrace the game's inherent weirdness and unique mechanics.

The article highlights this reveal as significant, suggesting the movie won't shy away from the source material's stranger elements. It also reaffirms that Jack Black is playing the main character, Steve. The film marks a reunion between Hess and Black, who previously worked together on Nacho Libre, hinting at a potentially comedic and distinct tone for the Minecraft adaptation.

Hess acknowledged the challenge of adapting a game without a fixed narrative but expressed excitement about bringing its world to life, aiming to avoid the "uncanny valley" effect sometimes seen in game-to-film adaptations. The inclusion of the Chicken Jockey is presented as a positive sign for fans hoping the movie captures Minecraft's specific charm and silliness.

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Nicolas Cage's new film, "The Surfer," directed by Lorcan Finnegan, premiered to acclaim (including a reported seven-minute standing ovation) at the Cannes Film Festival.

In the interview, Cage describes the film as an "existential nightmare." He plays a man returning to his idyllic childhood beach in Australia with his teenage son, intending to surf. However, he's aggressively humiliated and exiled from the beach by a territorial gang of local surfers. Instead of leaving, the character stubbornly stays, living out of his car and descending into a primal, almost animalistic state as he refuses to relinquish his claim to the spot.

Cage discusses tapping into something raw and deeply rooted for the performance, comparing the character's defense of his territory to animal behavior, referencing influences like "Jaws" (for its territorial themes) and "Apocalypse Now" (for the descent into madness). He sees the character's journey as a form of "primal scream therapy" stemming from profound humiliation.

He emphasizes the importance of making the character's extreme transformation feel earned and somewhat relatable, despite its intensity. The film explores themes of territoriality, toxic masculinity, belonging, and the consequences of humiliation. Cage praises director Lorcan Finnegan's vision and enjoyed the challenge of this unique, intense role, which fits into his recent run of acclaimed performances in distinctive genre films.

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The Nerdist article explores potential post-credits scenes for the upcoming MCU film Thunderbolts, emphasizing that these are speculations since the movie is not yet released. The core idea is that these scenes will likely set up future MCU projects, characters, or conflicts, as is tradition.

Key possibilities discussed include:

1. The Fate and Future of Sentry: A scene could tease Sentry's survival after the film's events, potentially hinting at his transformation into the villainous Void, his recruitment into a different team (like the Dark Avengers), or even connecting his origins to the upcoming Fantastic Four movie.
2. Val's True Agenda: Contessa Valentina Allegra de Fontaine's motivations remain mysterious. A scene might reveal more about her larger plans, potentially linking her to shadowy organizations or showing her manipulating events for her own gain, possibly assembling the Dark Avengers rather than just the Thunderbolts.
3. Individual Character Arcs: Scenes could focus on where key members like Bucky Barnes or Yelena Belova go next. Will Bucky find peace or reconcile with Sam Wilson? Will Yelena step into a leadership role or pursue her own path?
4. Connecting to Since Thunderbolts follows CA:BNW, a scene might deal with the fallout from that film, possibly involving President Ross (played by Harrison Ford) or setting up further conflict related to the new Captain America.
5. Introducing a Bigger Threat: A classic post-credits move is teasing the next major villain or cosmic event. This could range from Doctor Doom (linking to Fantastic Four) to other long-rumored characters or threats that necessitate the Thunderbolts or another team-up.
6. Comic Book Twists: The article suggests the MCU could adapt classic Thunderbolts comic twists, such as revealing a hidden agenda, a betrayal within the team, or that the team's mission isn't what it seems.

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The Nerdist article ranks Bucky Barnes' various hairstyles throughout his appearances in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), arguing that his hair evolution often mirrors his character arc, mental state, and circumstances.

The ranking, from worst to best, is as follows:

1. Worst (#7): The Falcon and the Winter Soldier (Beginning): Described as "Grief Hair," this long, messy, unkempt look reflects his trauma, isolation, and depression at the start of the series.
2. #6: Captain America: The Winter Soldier: While iconic, the long, often greasy hair represents his time as the brainwashed, controlled Hydra assassin, lacking agency.
3. #5: Avengers: Infinity War / Endgame: The "Wakandan Bucky" look is slightly cleaner and often tied back, showing progress and healing during his time in Wakanda, but still long.
4. #4: Captain America: Civil War: A transitional, mid-length "Fugitive Follicles" style reflecting his status on the run, slightly more managed than the full Winter Soldier look.
5. #3: The Falcon and the Winter Soldier (End): Dubbed "Therapy Hair," this shorter, cleaner, styled cut signifies his healing, effort towards recovery, and acceptance of his partnership with Sam Wilson.
6. #2: Captain America: The First Avenger (Howling Commando): The clean, short, 1940s military cut represents Bucky as a hero, Sgt. Barnes, fighting alongside Steve Rogers.
7. Best (#1): Captain America: The First Avenger (Pre-Serum/Date Night): Considered peak Bucky, this dapper, charming, perfectly styled 1940s look represents Bucky before the trauma, showcasing his original personality and charisma.

In essence, the article uses Bucky's haircuts as a visual timeline of his journey from a charming soldier to a brainwashed assassin, a fugitive, a recovering individual, and finally, someone actively working through his trauma and finding a new identity. The "best" hair corresponds to his original self, while the "worst" reflects his lowest point.

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The article explores the potential significance of the upcoming Thunderbolts movie within the larger narrative arc leading to Avengers: Doomsday (previously known as Avengers: The Kang Dynasty).

Key points discussed:

1. Team Composition and Purpose: Thunderbolts features a team of anti-heroes and former villains (like Yelena Belova, Bucky Barnes, U.S. Agent, Taskmaster, Red Guardian, Ghost, and potentially Sentry) assembled by Valentina Allegra de Fontaine. The article speculates their mission might involve tackling threats deemed too messy or politically sensitive for the Avengers.
2. Connection to Kang/Multiversal Threats: A central theory is that the Thunderbolts might be specifically tasked with dealing with a Kang variant or a consequence of the Multiversal Saga. Their morally ambiguous methods could make them uniquely suited (or dangerously unsuited) for such a task.
3. Setting the Stage for The article suggests Thunderbolts won't be a self-contained story. Instead, its events are likely crucial setup for Avengers: Doomsday. The Thunderbolts' actions, whether successful, failed, or resulting in unintended consequences (especially with potentially volatile members like Sentry), could directly lead to or significantly escalate the crisis the Avengers will face.
4. Potential Catalysts for Disaster: Rather than solving a problem, the Thunderbolts might inadvertently cause or worsen the situation. Their potentially flawed mission or internal conflicts could unleash the very "doomsday" scenario hinted at in the Avengers title.
5. MCU Narrative Integration: Ultimately, the article positions Thunderbolts as a key bridge film, using its unique team dynamic and likely morally grey storyline to establish major stakes and plot points that will culminate in the next major Avengers crossover event. It suggests the film will have significant repercussions for the wider MCU.

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The article speculates on the likelihood of character deaths in the upcoming MCU film Thunderbolts. Drawing parallels to the high-stakes, often fatal missions of DC's Suicide Squad, the piece argues that the nature of the Thunderbolts team—composed of anti-heroes and former villains—makes character deaths highly probable to establish genuine consequences and differentiate them from teams like the Avengers.

The author suggests that characters like Taskmaster (less emotionally developed), Ghost (whose unstable condition provides narrative justification), Red Guardian (potential for heroic sacrifice), and U.S. Agent (whose volatile nature could lead to his demise) are more likely candidates for death.

Conversely, characters like Yelena Belova (positioned as the new Black Widow with significant future potential) and Bucky Barnes (long-standing character with an ongoing arc) are considered less likely to be killed off. Contessa Valentina Allegra de Fontaine, as the team's assembler, is also deemed unlikely to die.

Ultimately, the article concludes that while nothing is certain, the premise of the Thunderbolts strongly suggests that at least one member of the team is likely to die to underscore the danger and expendable nature often associated with such government-assembled squads of morally ambiguous figures.

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Director Luca Guadagnino (known for Call Me By Your Name, Suspiria) confirmed that his planned Sgt. Rock movie for DC Studios is no longer happening.

Key points from the article:

1. Cancellation: Guadagnino stated the project is not moving forward under the new DC Studios leadership of James Gunn and Peter Safran.
2. Potential Casting: He revealed that Colin Farrell was being considered for a role in the film, though likely not as Sgt. Rock himself.
3. Director's Vision: Guadagnino envisioned the film as an "anti-war" story. His take might have deviated significantly from the comics, potentially focusing on a different group of characters instead of Sgt. Rock's Easy Company, and possibly even being set outside of World War II.
4. Reason for Cancellation: The cancellation appears to stem from the restructuring and new creative direction at DC Studios under Gunn and Safran, who are building a cohesive DC Universe (DCU). Guadagnino implied his vision likely didn't align with their plans.
5. Character Context: Sgt. Rock is a classic DC Comics character, a gritty World War II infantry NCO leading Easy Company, known for his grounded, non-superpowered war stories.

Visit https://nerdist.com/article/dc-studios-sgt-rock-movie-canceled-luca-guadagnino-colin-farrell/ to read or listen to the article.

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