Currently, 22 balloons, 7 balloonicles, 28 clown crews, 11 marching bands, 11 performance groups, and 28 performers are confirmed for this year’s parade! The Ronald McDonald balloon and new character balloons, included Minnie Mouse, Extraordinary Noorah & The Elf on the Shelf, .Bluey, Snoopy, Pikachu, SpongeBob character balloons of Spider-Man and Goku from “Dragon Ball Z.”
Film
TIFF’s Unleashes a Demonic Hugh Grant in Heretic
There stands a house, one of many that I saw at TIFF, isolated and foreboding, sending chills down my spine and into my gut. There is a tension and tightness in these types of films and their reactive character dynamic, a framing that hasn’t always sat so well with me. Yet, over the course of ten days, Frontmezzjunkies saw ten films at the Toronto International Film Festival. And many of them scared the bejesus out of me, so just in time for Halloween, here is the one that shook me to my core, making me question my senses, knowing full well that ‘scary’ has never been my go-to.
Heretic starts with the most intriguing contemplative discussion between two young women, played impressively by Sophie Thatcher (“Yellowjackets“) and Chloe East (“The Fabelmans“). These two, dressed tight, prissy, and conservatively, talk cautiously about sex, porn, and condoms, in a way that feels progressive yet defensive, as if they know they shouldn’t, but just can’t help themselves. They also carry a desire to trust one another with thoughts that don’t exactly fit their formed personas. They walk, pushing their bikes alongside them, until it is revealed, quite abruptly, that the two are Mormon evangelists tasked with converting the curious over to their fold.
Today’s appointment is with an older reclusive man who greets them at the door with a smile and a twinkle in his eye that masks something far different than what these two know what to do with. That doorway is the threshold we must walk through in ‘A Quiet Place‘ duo Scott Beck and Bryan Woods’ feature film, “Heretic” which I saw the first weekend at the Toronto International Film Festival, and although I was thrilled to see the actor Hugh Grant (“Four Weddings and a Funeral“; “Love, Actually“) bite in so deeply to his wife’s blueberry pie filled with deception and religious contemplation, I wasn’t quite ready for the tense cat and mouse game of faith and belief that is hiding behind that twinkle and that locked door.
Utterly compelling and intriguing, Heretic is wrapped in a three-character formulation that works its sinister magic like a board game gone dark. Grant’s cerebral theologian, Mr. Reed shivers with a certain tightness and excitement that makes more and more sense the deeper we go down the stairways of belief or disbelief. The challenge is laid out before them, after an overly long, drawn out, yet intense conversation about faith and religion, that sometimes falters and slides itself out like a serpent looking for its prey to play with.
Scott Beck and Bryan Woods’s screenplay does a fairly good job keeping us tuned in to the sharpness of the horror that lies behind those locked doors, feeding us nibbles of pie and intellectual rhetoric that fire up the thoughts and fears that live inside these two women. Sparring smartly with two young Mormon evangelists, Grant doesn’t fail the formula, keeping us captive in his eager eyes. “Do you believe?” he asks them as they stare forward wondering what the hell they have walked openly into, and we join them in their tense silence.
The two actresses, and their compelling different qualities, lock us in with them and make us feel their fear-based nervousness build into something powerful and intense. Pulled along intently by cinematographer Chung-hoon Chung’s (“Last Night in Soho“) dark and sinister visuals, Heretic is imbued with a formula and creativity that works its dark magic on our senses, and as played with by Grant and his convincing villain, we hold on to the bike key tightly, hoping we get to use it one more time in our grand butterfly escape.
See the trailer here.
This December offers a diverse lineup, of films from heart-pounding action to heartfelt dramas and nostalgic reimaginings. Whether you’re into superheroes, historical narratives, or thought-provoking indie films, there’s something for everyone to enjoy in theaters.
December 6
Y2K: Disaster comedy movie directed by Kyle Mooney in his directorial debut. Based on the Year 2000 … Y2K, Eli (Jaeden Martell) and Danny (Julian Dennison), two loser friends who crash a high school party on New Year’s Eve 1999, where Eli gets closer to his crush, Laura (Rachel Zegler). However, right at midnight, a bug causes all technology to come to life and turn against humanity, causing chaos and destruction everywhere. Also are Lachlan Watson, Mason Gooding, Alicia Silverstone, Eduardo Franco, and more.
Oh, Canada: A drama based on the 2021 novel Foregone, by Russell Banks. Directed by Paul Schrader. This is the story of Leonard Fife (Richard Gere and Jacob Elordi), a terminally ill writer and filmmaker who agrees to share the truth and lies of his life and career with documentary filmmakers Malcolm (Michael Imperioli) and Diana (Victoria Hill).
The Six Triple Eight: A historical drama highlighting the all-Black, all-female WWII battalion that changed the U.S. Army postal service starring Oprah Winfrey and Kerry Washington, directed by Tyler Perry
Nightbitch: A black comedy body horror movie written and directed by Marielle Heller. Based on the 2021 novel of the same name by Rachel Yoder. A artist and stay-at-home mother (Amy Adams) looking for something new in her life. One day, she discovers some physical changes in herself, such as fur and sharper teeth, and it turns out that she sometimes transforms into a dog, giving her an unexpected and strange escape from daily (human) life. Also starring in Nightbitch are Scoot McNairy, Zoë Chao, Jessica Harper, Mary Holland, and Ella Thomas.
December 13
The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim: Set 183 years before Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings trilogy, The War of the Rohirrim tells the story of Helm Hammerhand (voiced by Brian Cox), a legendary king of Rohan. Hammerhand and his family defend their kingdom against an army of Dunlendings, led by Wulf, while his daughter, Héra, leads the resistance against the enemy, and Hammerhand goes on to be the namesake of the stronghold Helm’s Deep.
Kraven the Hunter: Action-packed origin story of how and why one of Marvel’s most iconic villains came to be. Aaron Taylor-Johnson plays Kraven, a man whose complex relationship with his ruthless father, Nikolai Kravinoff (Russell Crowe), starts him down a path of vengeance with brutal consequences, motivating him to become not only the greatest hunter in the world, but also one of its most feared. Also starring Ariana DeBose Fred Hechinger Alessandro Nivola and Christopher Abbott.
Dirty Angels: From Martin Campbell, director of Casino Royale, comes this tense action-thriller. When a group of schoolgirls is taken hostage in Afghanistan, an American soldier named Jake (Eva Green) joins an all-women commando unit to liberate them. The plan: Gain the trust of the terrorists by posing as members of a relief organization. But double-crosses, tragedies, and the ghosts of Jake’s past complicate the rescue in this do-or-die mission. With Maria Bakalova, Ruby Rose, and Jojo T. Gibbs.
Nickel Boys: Two young African American men navigate the harrowing trials of reform school in Florida. A poignant narrative of systemic racism, adapted from Colson Whitehead’s Pulitzer-winning novel.Starring: Brandon Wilson, Ethan Herisse, Hamish Linklater.
December 20
Mufasa: The Lion King: Directed by Barry Jenkins and done in the same photorealistic animation as the 2019 remake of The Lion King, Mufasa: The Lion King takes viewers back to the Pride Lands of Tanzania as Rafiki (John Kani) tells the origin story of Mufasa (Aaron Pierre) and Taka (Kelvin Harrison Jr.). The orphan Mufasa befriends young Prince Taka and is adopted by his family, and they become very close, just like brothers.
The Brutalist: An epic historical drama co-written and directed by Brady Corbet. The Brutalist tells the story of László Tóth (Adrien Brody), a Hungarian-Jewish architect and Holocaust survivor who escapes to America to rebuild his life and career. Tóth settles in Pennsylvania, where he meets Harrison Lee Van Buren (Guy Pearce), a wealthy industrialist who recognizes Tóth’s talent. Together they embark on their most ambitious project, which takes them to monumental heights and devastating lows. Also Felicity Jones, Joe Alwyn, Alessandro Nivola, and Jonathan Hyde.
Nosferatu: A gothic horror film and a remake of the 1922 German Expressionist film of the same name by F. W. Murnau, an unofficial adaptation of Bram Stoker’s 1897 novel Dracula. Directed by Robert Eggers, Nosferatu follows Ellen Hutter (Lily-Rose Depp), a young woman married to Thomas Hutter (Nicholas Hoult), who is sent on a business trip to Transylvania to meet Count Orlok (Bill Skarsgård).
December 25
Babygirl: An erotic thriller written and directed by Halina Reijn. Babygirl follows Romy (Nicole Kidman), a high-ranking CEO, and Samuel (Harris Dickinson), an intern at Romy’s company. Despite being married and having two children, Romy embarks on a forbidden romance with Samuel, who is significantly younger but also completely different from any relationship she has had before, leading them to explore the complexities of power dynamics and sexuality. Also starring are Antonio Banderas, Sophie Wilde, Esther McGregor, Vaugh Reilly, and Gaite Jansen.
A Complete Unknown: The story of 19-year-old Minnesota musician Bob Dylan (Timothée Chalamet) and his rise as a folk singer, including his groundbreaking performance at the Newport Folk Festival in 1965. Also starring are Edward Norton, Elle Fanning, Boyd Holbrook, Dan Fogler, Scoot McNairy, and many more.
Better Man: Retells the life of British pop star Robbie Williams but with a bizarre twist: Williams is portrayed by an animated chimpanzee (which he voices). If nothing else, it won’t be like all the other biopics.
These films offer a rich mix of genres, from gripping dramas and historical narratives to animated spectacles and action-packed blockbusters. December 2024 promises to be a cinematic treat for every kind of moviegoer!
Every year people panic to find the perfect gift. We at T2C have been collecting idea’s all year long to bring you the perfect gift guide at all price levels. When you’re at the end of your rope trying to find the perfect Christmas present this year, come to this guide for some great suggestions.
One of the biggest trends this year is the movie Wicked. If you are looking for something inexpensive that will last the whole year long, why not try an ornament. Not only can you hang them on your Christmas tree, but they look great on door knobs, or hanging on the wall for you to see all year long.
Here are my favorites:
This stain glass one is $14.95 There are other styles and colors, but this is my favorite.
For a personalized touch you can inscribe this ornament for $11.99.
To add some bling, you can’t miss with just a $1.99 price tag. Just think you could do a whole tree this way.
Perfect for friends at $6.99
and last but not least for $9.99 more choices that are sure to please
G.H. Harding
PARADE NOTES — With Billy Porter kicking off the parade in heels singing “Ease On Down the Road,” it was very much a Broadway-themed event this year; reportedly their 100th event. Next up was a song from the cast of Hell’s Kitchen; Death Becomes Her and The Outsiders. In past parade kick-offs, the producer from Macy’s would cut the ribbon, this year, that didn’t happen. I don’t know if it was because the current creative Will Coss scared some people with his erratic visual look, but whatever. this was a smart move.
Will Coss
The parade this year featured 17 giant characters balloons and 22 floats and assorted performers like Jennifer Hudson, Dan & Shay, Idina Menzel, Kylie Minogue, and Jimmy Fallon and The Roots. Hudson was great, but all these years later from her American Idol appearance (20 years!), she still seems somewhat directionless. Sure, she’s a afternoon-talk show host, but should be more in line as an Adele-level type performer. Strange for sure.
And, yes, as the parade was on NBC, the Wicked-promo-train continued with Cynthia Erivo gifting host Hoda Kotb with flowers (for her imminent departure) and formally introducing Mr. Claus. Wonder if the promo will be as intense for Wicked/Part 2 next year?
Santa Claus, who was called the Taylor Swift of Thanksgiving, by the New York Times, appeared as usual at the end. And yes, the holidays are now upon us.
THREE-FIFTY-THREE AT YELLOWSTONE — The third episode of Yellowstone’s Season 5, Part B was just terrific. Once again starting with a flashback, it soon moved to present day and began with John Dutton’s apparent suicide being recast as a possible murder. A scene with Kayce and the medical examiner ended with her apologizing for not catching some tell-tale signs. And Kayce replied, you were meant to miss it.
Rip wasn’t in this one at all, but Beth more than carried it all. Kayce did eventually see Jamie and set in motion the issues for the two brothers to deal with fir thee final episodes of this season.
The scrip was tightly written and ended with the death of a somewhat major character this season. No question, Yellowstone is back.
Chuck Scarborough
SHORT TAKES — Terrific Thanksgiving photo from Dave Mason on social media; recovering nicely. Bravo! … NBC’s Chuck Scarborough formally stepping away from the anchor desk at NBC after 50 years! Known him for years, exemplary gentlemen. Thanks for your good work. Check this out: https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/chuck-scarborough-semi-retirement-wnbc-new-york/6006471/… Goodbye to Smith’s bar in hell’s Kitchen after a 70-year run. Great spot. Check this out from W42: https://w42st.com/post/smiths-bar-a-70-year-hells-kitchen-staple-replaced-by-cannabis-dispensary/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=W42ST.nyc&utm_campaign=eb1c553421-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2024_11_27_12_59&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_-eb1c553421-415903117…
Kjersti Long
Kjersti Long in NYC next week for meetings. Stay tuned …
With some time during the break, I finally watched Alien Romulus. The RogerEbert.com review said it had many call-backs to the first two Alien movies and, boy did it ever. I mean from the Alien-bursting out of someone’s chest, to a new synthetic who seemed to have the same face as Ash (if you remember him). Also, the denture cast looked like the cast of Stranger Things. I don’t think one of the actors was older than 30. It had a very, very basic plot and was terrifically disturbing. The only good part for me was the ending, when the alien appeared to transform into the bald-headed alien from the sequel Prometheus. Methinks after one too many sequels, they should just let this baby be. Here’s the Ebert-link: https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/alien-romulus-film-review-2024 …
Micky Dolenz with Bruce Morrow (Paul Undersinger)
Micky Dolenz called into Bruce Morrow’s WABC show Saturday night. Dolenz was at the NorthEast Comic Con with his sister Coco (and Michael Des Barres) during the weekend … HAPPY BDAY Woody Allen; Felix Cavaliere; and Bill Nieves … And RIP Bleecker Bob Plotnik (https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/03/obituaries/robert-plotnik-bleecker-bob-dead.html).
NAMES IN THE NEWS — Jeremy Long; Joy Collingbourne; Adam Pollock; Ridley Scottt; Tom & Lisa Cuddy; Paul Friedman; Jane Blunkell; Steve Walter; Monica Lynch; Thomas Silverman; Scott Anderson; Stephanie Shepherd; Herb Rosen; Juggy Gayles; Eddie O’Loughlin; Jodi Ritzen; Don Johnson; Tom Selleck; Matt D. Silverman; Amanda Naylor; Roger Clark; Alison Martino; and CHIP!
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G.H. Harding
ANOTHER DOC? — Eight Days A Week or Beatles ’64. Take your pic. There’s no bigger Beatle-fan than I, but is the Scorsese-Beatles doc really all that different than what’s come before? In September I got an advance copy of the John Lennon Mind Games book and was excited to see it. I opened it up and 98% of what I saw and read, I had read and seen before.
I think the most interesting thing about the Scorsese/Beatles doc is that it’s running, on the same channel, as the Elton John-doc Never Too Late.
Now, I’m not knocking any of these docs, but there was such a rush to announce them and produce them two years ago, now that they’re coming out, we have to ask were they really ever needed? A doc on The Average White Band maybe not, or Allee Willis, but certainly one on Nicky Hopkins; The Beach Boys; and Billy Preston were well deserved.
I also think it’s interesting to observe that most of them are going straight to the streaming channels bypassing the big screen..
I just watched an AP -interview with Ringo Starr and he said he spied on the internet, a comment about the new doc saying What! Another doc!
There’s just too many.
Madonna’s Sky — (Via Deadline) Madonna is the latest pop icon to be spotlighted for a documentary.
Sky has greenlit a feature on the American singer from At Home with the Furys producer Optomen, which will “chart Madonna’s rise to become the biggest female pop icon in history,” it said. With rare footage, unseen photos and intimate interviews with family, friends and collaborators – some of whom have never spoken in a documentary before – Becoming Madonna will show a new side to the singer, starting with her as a professional dancer in the late 70’s and ending in 1992 as she transformed through the decades.
Hayley Reynolds, Sky’s Acting Director of Documentaries and Factual, said: “Since her debut in the 80’s, Madonna has been a powerhouse in pop music and carved the way for many of today’s most popular artists. This film brings a fresh perspective on an enduring icon and we’re thrilled to be working alongside Optomen to bring her story to Sky audiences.” A wealth of other singers and bands have been charted by premium doc crews of late including Robbie Williams, Take That and Boyzone.
There were rumors floating around last week that Madonna was shopping her now-defunct movie (written with Diablo Cody) to streaming channels. From what I know, and I do know a lot, it’s still a good idea. However, if Madonna is behind the camera, I wonder just how far she’ll go in revealing the truth! Take 112 West 72nd Street or 610 Broome Street, both in NYC, for instance.
Stay tuned.
SHORT TAKES — In restaurants news Landry’s, who own The Palm restaurants; Morton’s; Mastro’s; Del Frisco’s and the Bubba Gump eateries, just bought Keens Steakhouse in NYC.
Tilman Fertitta
What will owner Tilman Fertitta do with all these steakhouses? Fertitta is known to be a tad outlandish (he also owns the Houston Rockets), but really, some of these names will have to close.The Palm at one point had 4 outposts in NYC, now just one. Man, he does love steak, right? Stay tuned …
Christopher Meloni
Law & Order: Organized Crime with Christopher Meloni, just lost its sixth show runner in five seasons and they’ve been relocated to the Peacock streaming-channel. Sad. Methinks this season is the last for the show …
Rod Stewart
And just in: Rod Stewart will play the coveted “Legend” slot at the 2025 Glastonbury Festival, joining an impressive roster of previous “legends” – from Paul McCartney and The Rolling Stones to James Brown and David Bowie – who performed at “tea time” on Sunday at the famed British music fest. Saying: “I’m absolutely thrilled to announce that I’ll be playing @glastofest 2025!,” Stewart posted on Instagram “After all these years, I’m proud and ready and more than able to take the stage again to pleasure and titillate my friends at Glastonbury in June. I’ll see you there!” … We’re back next week – HAPPY THANKSGIVING.
NAMES IN THE NEWS — Tom & Lisa Cuddy; Stuart Shabman; Joe Nolan; Bill Evans; Storm Field; Frank Field; Pete Bennett; Allan Steckler; Fred Goodman; Lee Jeske; Phil DiMauro; Roman Kozak; Joe Lynch; Melinda Newman; Richard Johnson; Lisa (Tutti Frutti) Lillien; Bruce Haring; Donald Johnson; Brett Winterble; and BELLA!
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Thanksgiving is looking rather wet and chilly. If you are headed to The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, you will definitely want to bring a raincoat and layers.
The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade takes place from 8:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. Thursday starting on the Upper West Side and continuing to Herald Square. The good news is winds are expected to be less than 10 miles an hour, so the balloons can fly. The Thanksgiving Day parade balloons cannot fly if maximum sustained winds are 23 miles per hour or greater, or if gusts exceed 34 miles per hour.
The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade airs on NBC beginning at 8:30 a.m. EST with hosts “TODAY’s” Hoda Kotb, Savannah Guthrie and Al Roker. The parade will also stream online on Peacock, NBC’s streaming app. A Spanish language broadcast will simultaneously air on Telemundo.
There will be 34 different floats at this year’s parade — including “Sesame Street,” LEGO, “Dora the Explorer,” Disney Cruise Line, Haribo “Wednesday” and “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.”
The lineup for this year’s parade will see Cynthia Erivo take center stage, as well as Broadway star Idina Menzel. Here’s the 28 performers you can look forward to seeing on screen: Jennifer Hudson, Lea Salonga, The Temptations Alex Warren, Billy Porter, Bishop Briggs, Chlöe, Coco Jones, Dan + Shay, Dasha, Joey McIntyre, Jonathan Bennett, Kylie Cantrall, Kylie Minogue, Liza Colón-Zayas, Loud Luxury, Natti Natasha, Rachel Platten, The Roots, The War and Treaty, Tom Kenny, T-Pain and Walker Hayes.
Also look for the current Broadway shows: The Outsiders, Death Becomes Her, Hell’s Kitchen, Oh, Mary!’ s Cole Escola, Chicago’s Ariana Madix and Sebastián Yatra, & Juliet’s Charli D’Amelio, the Radio City Rockettes and the Riverdance tour.
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