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15 Netflix TV Shows That Were Canceled Or Are Ending In 2020

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There’s always a sour taste left in one fan bases collective mouths once they were the most dreaded word imaginable popping up on their internet feed: your favorite show is canceled. With the world in a perpetual state of panic and lockdown, people have become ravenous for quality streaming content and the masters of Netflix’s original programming have learned pretty quickly which ones are grade A meat and which ones are doomed to crumble away as leftovers stuffed in the back of the fridge. No one likes it when their favorite thing in the world gets discontinued; everyone has a show like that at some point in their lives. Accept it or deny it, here’s what ending from Netflix in 2020

  1. The Crown (ending after 6th season)
  2. The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina the teenage witch (final 8 episodes premiering end of this year)
  3. Dead to me (ending with season 3)
  4. Ozark (4th season will be it’s last but due to the Coronavirus, unclear when it will air)
  5. Lucifer (5th seasons airs August 2020 but a 6th and final season produced by Netflix will come at an undisclosed time)
  6. Astronomy Club (canceled 6 months after its first season aired)
  7. Turn up Charlie (premiered March 2019, failed ratings canned this show in April 2020 after one season)
  8. V Wars (The first season aired December 2019, canceled in March 2020)
  9. Spinning Out (canceled 2 months after it premiered in December 2019)
  10. Messiah (This controversial show premiered December 2019 and was then axed in March 2020)
  11. October Faction (this comic book horror series was canceled after one season)
  12. AJ and the Queen (A dramedy series made by Ru Paul, canceled 2 months after its January 2020 premiere)
  13. Atypical (A fairly popular series premiering in 2017, its final 10 episodes will air sometime in 2021)
  14. Insatiable (controversial series, canceled after its second season; announced on Valentine’s day)
  15. Soundtrack (canceled late January 2020 after one season which premiered a month earlier)

A New Netflix Rom-Com Is About To Drop Soon And It’s Perfect For Everyone In Isolation

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The current global lockdown caused by the coronavirus has everyone stuck inside their houses so what better way to cope with the isolation than to start getting up to speed on the latest romantic movies and TV shows in Netflix right?

If you’re a fan of rom-com then you’re in luck because Netflix has something special coming up for you.

A new romantic film called “Love Wedding Repeat” is about to be released by Netflix and it stars Sam Claflin and Olivia Munn. They’re joined by a notable cast that includes Joel Fry (Game of Thrones), Eleanor Tomlinson (Poldark), Jack Farthing (Poldark). Freida Pinto (Slumdog Millionaire) and comedian Aisling Bea.

The film revolves around Jack (Sam Claflin) who tries his best to make it through his little sister’s wedding without any hiccups. Unfortunately, chaos eventually ensues created by ex-girlfriends, jealous rivals, and even party crashers.

Jack himself is focused on getting a second shot with Dina (Olivia Munn), the “one who got away” years ago. As he tries to maintain peace within the wedding guests, Jack also attempts to finally make things work with Dina.

BUT…. there’s actually a big twist in Love Wedding Repeat: each wedding day scenario takes place in an alternate universe, which generates a new outcome depending on Jack’s every decision. Cool huh?

Love Wedding Repeat premieres on Netflix on April 10th and we can’t wait – check out the trailer below:

5 Important Tips For Aspiring Talents Looking To Break Into The Entertainment Industry In 2020

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Image via Shutterstock / lassedesignen

Here’s something most people aren’t aware of – talent alone is actually not enough to make you succeed in the entertainment industry. Besides being talented, if you want to succeed in the entertainment industry you also need monetary investment, the right connections, dedication, persistence as well as a great deal of planning.

Now here are top five tips for aspiring artists, models and actors looking to break into the entertainment industry.

1. Think smart

In business, we call it strategy. In acting, we call it “attack.” In every other aspect of life, we call it a plan. If you want to succeed, you need to be clear in what you want to achieve in your career. Be smart. Plan smart. Create goals and objectives that are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-based.

First of all, you wouldn’t want to be wading in an ocean of all sorts of dreams of other aspiring artists, without you first having a definite idea what you are aiming at. You need to specify goals (either long-term or short-term) that can be quantified as doable. These goals should also likewise be pertinent to your career and should also be set to be achieved at a particular time.

If you want to move forward with your career then you need to be smart. Plan ahead and think smart.

2. Network your way to stardom

No one really got anywhere in their career by just doing his/her own thing without anyone’s help. Over the process of building careers, personal as well as business networks are likewise built. You will need the right agents, managers, and producers to help you out on your way to success and be the shining star that you are meant to be.

Can you think of any actor who did not go through personal connections or contacts before actually getting into the spotlight? I bet you can’t even name one!

As you meet people in your quest to stardom, make sure that you keep in constant contact with them—even the most insignificant people you meet. You will never know who these people are related to unless you have already built a steady relationship with them.

Keeping a calling card will also come handy from time to time. Make sure yours had been printed legibly and with the exact details. Always hand them over to people any time there’s an opportunity.

3. Leverage the power of the internet

Consider those people who were discovered through their video uploads via YouTube. Perhaps, you can also leverage on this social media platform as well as other online platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, LinkedIn, etc. to meet other people who might be able to help your career in the future.

Did you know that Justin Bieber grew up in a small town, and that he didn’t have an agent or any valid connections? He actually only started uploading videos on YouTube for his friends and family who couldn’t make it to his singing competitions, Someone important came across his videos though and liked his voice and voila – Bieber fever was born!

4. Promote yourself

Your first follower is yourself. If you believe in yourself and you are passionate in what you can do then others will catch on and they will inevitably share that same belief with others they come in contact with. It’ll be a ripple effect. Once a portion of water is activated it will set the surrounding water to create the same action.

Preparing your personal portfolio will come in handy any time. Just make sure that the data you include are updated, including the headshots. You should always stick to the truth. Your portfolio may be customised to how you think agents or directors might want to see in it, however the truth will always come out in the end so just be accurate and honest.

Think about Zac Efron who started by auditioning for the Disney Channel movie “High School Musical.” All he did was turn up at the auditions and promote himself and now look at what he has accomplished: High School Musical 1/2/3, 17 Again, Hairspray…The list goes on!

5. Take Charge

Let your passion drive you to your way to stardom. Invest in yourself and commit to learning and mastering your craft. If you’re an actor perhaps you can check out acting workshops or organizations who offer trainings and seminars. You can even start with your local theatre. If there’s any available role you think you are able to perform, audition. Once you’ve appeared in a few performances, you’ll have the experience needed to get an agent’s attention that may be able to find other related jobs for you. A number of stage actors work in commercials, TV and movies, so your theatre colleagues will be able to advise you, and even recommend agents who may be able to help you.

If you’re a model you can always start by doing things for free to get your foot in the door. Start doing portfolio shoots with legitimate photographers and start getting involved in various runway events even if initially it’s for free to get exposure and you never know – someone important might spot you and give you the break you’ve been waiting for.

If you’re an aspiring artist you always can start with the best and easiest social media platform out there – YouTube. Start uploading videos and start making appearances in various events even if there’s no talent fee in the beginning because you’ll never know who will be on these events. You need to start somewhere to get somewhere right?

Building a career is a process, as much as becoming one in a million and shining the brightest. Start with tip number one and then proceed with the other tips. This will pave the way for your next stop over—success!

“Joker” Movie Review: Is It Worth Your Time And Money??

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Rating: 5/5 Stars

DC has been circling the cinematic port-o-john drain for some time now. While blockbuster success stories like “Shazam” and “Wonder Woman” have certainly raised some dollars and new fan bases, all the dark brooding and more intense edge they proclaimed was one of their strongest suits has yet to rear its gritty head…until now. Todd Phillips, director of “The Hangover” films decided to break the mold and attempt a new, daring, disturbing standalone take on one of the most classic and legendary supervillains in comic book history, The Joker. Having zero connections to any previous Joker or Batman incarnation, “Joker” is a wild take of a film that hits all too close to home for many people and finally gives me hope that DC could be good again.

Arthur Fleck (Joaquin Phoenix) is a failed comedian and a failed human being; slumming through his broken life at a dead-end job as a party clown in Gotham City. As society mistreats and demeans him, along with his own mother (Frances Conroy) and TV hero (Robert De Niro), Arthur’s life spirals out of control and quickly descends to the madness that changes everything he knows and is as a person. Taking on the persona of “The Joker,” Fleck plans to make an impact on society, an impact so bloody and destructive that the people will never forget who he is, what he’s done and what he is about to inspire the people of Gotham to become.

It would be grossly unfair to call “Joker” an origin film. This is a film unlike any you’ve seen before, an alternative take on a comic book character that speaks to people on a level that is painfully all too real in all the best ways imaginable. This take on this iconic character puts people’s empathy and sympathy squarely on the clown prince of crime’s shoulders; something no other cinematic adaption has been able to come close to accomplishing. “Joker” reminds us of the people suffering not only under the discrimination of high society and perceived “norms” of the world, but also the insufficiently funded mental health treatment system that hit this reviewer a lot harder than I expected it would. It’s a depressing representation but accurate as well.

The violence displayed is never glorified or justified here, if anything, the brutality of it shows how heavy murder impacts a person, which is something most films gloss over when you have action sequences piling up off-screen body counts. In a lot of ways, “Joker” feels like a cautionary tale to the world; reminding us how discarded people feel like they have nothing and no one in their lives and are willing to do anything to get people to give a damn about them, even murder. Phoenix truly transforms into the character; physically and emotionally. He presents the Joker in a way that he is neither inherently evil nor is he a tragic hero. He’s written and portrayed not as a character but more as a whole, full living human being and it is truly remarkable.

The film cleverly blurs the line between reality and Arthur’s own personal fantasized reality, putting into question everything he does and everything that happens; constantly keeping you guessing about whose reality is a worse place to live in. Robert De Niro is perfectly cast as a Johnny Carson like talk show host, inspiring and infuriating Arthur throughout the film; leading to a climactic final act that will leave everyone (inside and outside of the film) horrifically shocked. Despite not being connected to any previous DC film or Batman film, I applaud the interwoven minor references to Bruce Wayne and feel they add a bit of framework to Arthur’s journey and feel more like necessary components than shoehorned Easter eggs.

“The Dark Knight” was egregiously ignored at just about every award show and category (save for a posthumous award for Heath Ledger’s performance as the Joker), so if there was ever a chance at a comic book movie that deserves to win some golden recognition, it’s “Joker.” This is a film unlike any other film I can think of, a warped take into the human mind that makes you feel a plethora of emotions and perceptions on this highly divisive character. “Joker” is a must-see film, a truly visionary piece of filmmaking that will raise questions and spark conversations for years to come.

“Between Two Ferns” Movie Review: Is It Worth Your Money??

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Rating: 2 and ½ out of 4 Stars

As “Saturday Night Live” will tell you, making movies out of skits is not a terribly smart business decision. With the exception of “Wayne’s World,” every film based off a skit like “Night at the Roxbury,” “The Ladies Man” and “Superstar” has been a disastrous failure with both audiences and box office grosses. Will Ferrell’s “Funny or Die” network has accumulated a great deal of talent, sketches, and recognition that they produce high-quality comedy in small, short video bursts that keep them relevant without becoming oversaturated or longwinded. Zach Galifianakis has a show called “Between two ferns,” a short comedic interview series where he awkwardly talks to and insults celebrity stars in this offbeat “Funny or Die” original series.

The film naturally follows Zach wanting more than his dinky little public access interview show currently offers. When a disaster demolishes the set and forces Will Ferrell to rethink Zach’s worth. Ferrell challenges Zack to complete 10 episodes with 10 different celebrities on the road to meet a deadline and if he pulls it off, he’ll receive his own network show. Now Zach is on the road meeting big name celebrities like Benedict Cumberbatch, Paul Rudd, Brie Larson, Peter Dinklage and others trying to save his weird and awkward show.

It’s kind of hard to review a movie based on a show like this, truth be told, it’s even weirder to understand HOW someone can even MAKE a movie out of an interview talk show skit like this. Luckily, “Between two ferns: the movie” manages to keep what made it funny and great consistent, plentiful and it doesn’t try and make a weird story or emotional journey to the extent of previous skit based films have attempted. In a lot of ways, the movie plays like you’re watching a bunch of “Between two ferns” episodes back to back; watching one celebrity get awkwardly roasted and then immediately jumping right into the next one. It doesn’t sound like you could fill a movie out of that but it does and it helps that the writing and comedic timing of everyone involved is spot on and is some of the best the “Two ferns” show has ever produced.

The story involving Zach and his crew going around meeting random celebrities in unusual places even helps add to the humor of new, unpredictable situations like one involving John Legend and Chrissy Tiegen and a visit to Peter Dinklage’s house. There is a wraparound story involving a student documentary crew filming and following Zach and his staff around but it doesn’t go anywhere and the same can be said of Zach’s crew. Similar to “Borat,” there are small roles with characters to try to fill in supporting roles in-between the interviews. They don’t really develop the characters to any extent so they serve more like funny commercial breaks before Zack gets weird with the next guest.

It’s hard to cite this as a criticism as I didn’t want or expect anything more than just lots of hilarious interviews with big-name stars, and on that front, they definitely delivered. But as a film with an overall structure, it misses a golden opportunity to explore more humorous chances and scenes with Zach’s crew. Their introduction was hysterical, it felt like an R rated version of “The Office” and if they had more of that quality sprinkled throughout the rest of the crew’s scenes, this film would have been even funnier than it could have imagined.

All in all, “Between two ferns: the movie” actually DOES work as a movie. It’s got a great cast of stars with impeccable comedic delivery and writing; it keeps what works and sticks to its strong suits from start to finish. The cast could have been used a bit more creatively and doubled up the comedic potential but overall, whether your familiar with the skit series or not, this is a comedic gem you don’t want to miss.

The Trailer For The Next ‘Fast & Furious’ Movie Called ‘F9’ Is Finally Here And It Looks AWESOME

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The Fast and Furious family is back and this is the ninth installment in the Fast and Furious franchise.

The trailer shows Dominic Toretto (Vin Diesel) and Letty Ortiz (Michelle Rodriguez) attempting to raise Toretto’s son Brian (named after the late Paul Walker’s character) – but all hell breaks loose when Dom’s brother Jacob (John Cena) turns up to create havoc as the main villain in this movie.

Check out the trailer below courtesy of Universal:

“Frozen 2″ Movie Review: Is It Worth Your Money??

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Rating: 4/5 Stars

I remember seeing “Frozen” for the first time when it first came to theaters. I knew next to nothing about it thanks to very few witnessed advertisements so I went in mostly blind and was very pleased to see how everything played out. It was a beautiful, wonderful, elegantly scored film that felt like a real return to Disney’s classic film quality levels. Imagine my surprise at how quickly the film evolved into a massive phenomenon and then, Disney taking a whopping 6-year gap before finally putting out the sequel. Needless to say, the hype surrounding “Frozen” was obscenely high and left a great deal to live up to for “Frozen 2” to match.

Our story takes us back to Arendelle where Elsa (Idina Menzel) enjoys a peaceful reign as queen until she starts hearing a strange voice calling her to the enchanted forest; outside of the kingdom. Desperate to find answers to the origins of her powers, Elsa ventures into the forest along with her sister Anna (Kristen Bell) and friends Kristoff (Jonathon Gruff) Olaf (Josh Gad) and Sven the reindeer. What the group discovers is a new side to the sister’s parents, the king, and queen, and how their ties to the magic world are far more complicated and dangerous than Ana or Elsa ever imagined.

Topping a juggernaut like the original “Frozen” is no easy task for any sequel, thankfully, “Frozen 2” doesn’t just try to merely copy its original formula and instead treats the film’s story just like it treats its characters: allowing them to age. “Frozen 2” has grown up in every aspect compared to its “sister” movie; everything from the themes, morals, drama, music, and conflicts have all escalated into much bigger and more mature elements that I don’t think anyone was expecting. Gone are the catchy, Disney pop-ish musical numbers that can be easily lip-synched on sing-along CD albums and are now deeper, more emotionally meaningful songs that resonate with personal growth and the changes that come with age. Even Olaf, the goofy lovable snowman, sings about how he hopes he will be wiser when he grows older.

This new approach certainly appeals to the older audience members and it helps that most of the story really focuses on the character’s core motivations and developments. This maybe Elsa’s journey but there are so many other pivotal moments and lives involved here, it feels like everyone’s invested in this and the dangers and environments they encounters measure up accordingly with each bigger moment. The new environment expands the world of “Frozen” with new creatures, new mythology, and lore and it’s gorgeously rendered with spellbindingly beautiful computer effects and graphics. The world has never looked so wondrous before.

Kristen Bell and Indina Menzel truly go above and beyond their emotional capacities. Their bond and ties are truly tested here, pushing them to the limits and still managing epic songs that elevate Bell and Menzel’s talents to new heights. Sadly though, the music never becomes memorable or catchy enough that you’d want to say buy the soundtrack and listen to it over and over again like the first film. The songs are beautiful and expertly scored but just doesn’t make it replay value, with the exception, of course, being Kristoff’s song; a hilarious 80’s power ballad tune that is hilarious to watch and even better to listen to. Its high time Kristoff got a real song this time around.

However, “Frozen 2” suffers from a few flaws; ones that are actually quite identical to the ones afflicting “Ralph Breaks the Internet.” Namely, “Frozen 2” delivers slim to zero new characters. The ones they do introduce are so paper thin and barely on screen, they feel more like cameos than proper roles. Another problem is nothing that new is brought to the table. Much like how “Ralph 2” just explored new levels of the same relationship we knew about before, “Frozen 2” gives us a few new neat tidbits about Elsa and her parents but it’s largely the same old story with just a few lessons about growing up. Kristoff’s relationship with Ana is one of the best new expanded storylines they’ve had but even that was handled fumblingly at times.

Overall, “Frozen 2” is a gorgeous, well-matured film that doesn’t try to be another kid’s movie and be something deeper and richer with heart and depth. The lack of new characters is disappointing and the rehashing of similar relationship problems/cues is unfortunate, but all in all, this is a beautiful movie that does take a few risks and tries something more adult-oriented and it works on many levels even if not all the way through every time.

“Countdown” Movie Review: Is It Worth Your Money??

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Rating: 3/5 Stars

Movies, as well-intended or crafted as they can be, often rely on simple elements or gimmicks to rack in the audiences and those gimmicks come in all kinds of different styles: big-name actors, clever concepts, gore, special effects, brand recognition; etc. Horror movies have often relied on gimmicks to deliver a monster/ghost story or slasher flick that delivers something unique enough to make people want to see it. Having a movie about a killer phone app like “Countdown” sounds silly, absurd and pretty dumb just on face value alone. However, while this movie isn’t anything truly great it IS something new…it’s just that most people won’t believe it.

Quinn Harris (Elizabeth Lail) an aspiring nurse who meets a patient who informs her there is an app that supposedly tells you exactly how long you have left to live. Naturally, she doesn’t believe the app really work, Quinn’s patient dies and she learns the danger is real and her countdown time says she will die in 3 days. Now she must unravel the secret behind this deadly app, find out where it came from and most importantly, find out how to stop it before her time runs out and she meets her destined fate as another victim to this bizarre phone app.

This is one of the few instances where I come across a movie I know next to nothing about, and by that I mean I saw barely any trailers, clips or even advertisement whatsoever. I was taking a risk on a movie that sounded dead on arrival with such desperate attention-seeking story about a phone app that essentially kills you. However, the more I watched the movie the more I learned this wasn’t anything quite that hokey and that there was actual thought put into the movie’s story; such as establishing rules, mythology and how this app’s functions play out with the characters.

Unlike “The Ring” where everyone who watches a cursed videotape dies, “Countdown” doesn’t automatically give everyone who downloads it a short-lived life clock. Some people download it and say they will live another 40 years, others download it and it says they will die in 24 hours. There is a system and demonic lore to this concept, which is already light years more fleshed out than I expected this movie to ever be. The cast tries everything from exploring phone technicians and even demonic exorcists to free themselves of their rapidly approaching deaths and it provides ample and effective tension to go along with the bone-chilling scares that follow.

The demon figure itself is actually scary and even gave me a few frights here and there. Unfortunately, the cast doesn’t carry enough thought and background padding like the story received. Everyone in here plays dime-a-dozen roles, relying on tired old clichés about whiny siblings, inappropriate male figures and the same old backstory you’ve heard and seen done better a million times. “Countdown” works better as a mystery thriller than a thought-provoking perspective on fate, destiny and changing your future or even as a horror movie sometimes. You’re more interested in learning the ins and outs of this app’s origins and functions than you are the cast it’s terrorizing.

The cast is just too weak and generic. You don’t care who dies or who doesn’t because no one feels like a real person and no one is acting like they are a real person either. The buildup and payoff overall do serve a satisfying enough purpose even when the cast and the film’s flimsy attempt at humor fails at almost every chance it has. While the plot’s material leaves it wide open for sequels, I can’t for the life of me seeing the need to go see another one and feel all that could be said and done here was already over and done with.

Overall, “Countdown” has a bland cast with weakly written characters and average level acting. You don’t care or invest enough to be emotionally involved in their fates. The plot and the overall story behind the killer phone app is more interesting and thought out than expected and in the end, I feel that makes the movie decent enough to give a watch. It may sound dumb but “Countdown” has more brains behind it than I think most people give it credit for.

Meet All The Winners From The 2019 AACTA Awards

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The AACTA Awards (formerly the AFI Awards) have honoured screen excellence in Australia for over 60 years since the first AFI Awards were held in 1958. Held annually in Sydney in recognition and celebration of Australia’s highest achievements in film and television, the AACTA Awards present over 55 awards across two major ceremonies.

The winners have finally been announced in the 2019 AACTA Awards last Wednesday night and Total Control was the big winner in Drama, winning Drama Series, Lead Actress and Supporting Actress awards. Australian Survivor, Love it or List it Australia, Old People’s Home for 4-Year-Olds, Robbie Hood and Lego Masters were also winners along with The Letdown which won two awards for Best Comedy and Best Comedy Performance. Below are the rest of the winners in the 2019 AACTA Awards (the winners are in bold):

BEST LEAD ACTOR IN A TELEVISION DRAMA

Patrick Brammall GLITCH
Bryan Brown BLOOM
Ewen Leslie THE CRY
Sam Reid LAMBS OF GOD
Scott Ryan MR INBETWEEN

BEST LEAD ACTRESS IN A TELEVISION DRAMA

Jenna Coleman THE CRY
Essie Davis LAMBS OF GOD
Ann Dowd LAMBS OF GOD
Anna Torv SECRET CITY: UNDER THE EAGLE
Deborah Mailman TOTAL CONTROL

BEST GUEST OR SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A TELEVISION DRAMA

Kate Box LES NORTON
Rachel Griffiths TOTAL CONTROL
Asher Keddie THE CRY
Brooke Satchwell MR INBETWEEN
Jacki Weaver BLOOM

BEST GUEST OR SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A TELEVISION DRAMA

Damon Herriman LAMBS OF GOD
Damon Herriman MR INBETWEEN
Ewen Leslie FIGHTING SEASON
John Stanton BLOOM
Richard Roxburgh THE HUNTING

BEST ENTERTAINMENT PROGRAM

AUSTRALIAN NINJA WARRIOR
AUSTRALIA’S GOT TALENT
HARD QUIZ
THE MASKED SINGER
LEGO® MASTERS AUSTRALIA

BEST DOCUMENTARY OR FACTUAL PROGRAM

AUSTRALIA IN COLOUR
EMPLOYABLE ME
EXPOSED: THE CASE OF KELI LANE
GATWICK – THE LAST CHANCE HOTEL
OLD PEOPLE’S HOME FOR 4-YEAR-OLDS

BEST TELEFEATURE OR MINISERIES

THE CRY
FIGHTING SEASON
THE HUNTING
ON THE ROPES
LAMBS OF GOD

BEST PERFORMANCE IN A TELEVISION COMEDY

Celia Pacquola ROSEHAVEN
Celia Pacquola UTOPIA
Rob Sitch UTOPIA
Miranda Tapsell GET KRACK!N
Alison Bell THE LETDOWN

BEST ONLINE DRAMA OR COMEDY

AUNTY DONNA
CONTENT
KOALA MAN
OVER AND OUT
ROBBIE HOOD

BEST FACTUAL ENTERTAINMENT PROGRAM

BODY HACK
GOGGLEBOX AUSTRALIA
GRUEN
WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE
YOU CAN’T ASK THAT

BEST DOCUMENTARY

THE EULOGY
THE FINAL QUARTER
IN MY BLOOD IT RUNS
MYSTIFY MICHAEL HUTCHENCE
THE AUSTRALIAN DREAM

LONGFORD LYELL AWARD

Sam Neill

BYRON KENNEDY AWARD

P.J. Voeten

BEST DRAMA SERIES

BLOOM
MR INBETWEEN
SECRET CITY: UNDER THE EAGLE
WENTWORTH
TOTAL CONTROL

BEST COMEDY PROGRAM

FRAYED
ROSEHAVEN
SAMMY J
UTOPIA
THE LETDOWN

BEST LIFESTYLE PROGRAM

DESTINATION FLAVOUR CHINA
GRAND DESIGNS AUSTRALIA
THE GREAT AUSTRALIAN BAKE OFF
SELLING HOUSES AUSTRALIA
LOVE IT OR LIST IT AUSTRALIA

BEST REALITY SERIES

THE BLOCK
MARRIED AT FIRST SIGHT
MASTERCHEF
MY KITCHEN RULES
AUSTRALIAN SURVIVOR: CHAMPIONS V CONTENDERS

BEST CHILDREN’S PROGRAM

DROP DEAD WEIRD
HARDBALL
THE INBESTIGATORS
THE UNLISTED A
BLUEY

BEST SPORTS ENTERTAINMENT PROGRAM

AFL 360
BOUNCE
ON THE COUCH
SUNDAY NIGHT WITH MATTY JOHNS
THE FRONT BAR

BEST SPORTS COVERAGE

2018/19 SEVEN’S SUMMER OF CRICKET – Seven Network
AFL 2019 – Foxtel – Fox Sports
THE AUSTRALIAN OPEN 2019 – Nine Network
STATE OF ORIGIN – Nine Network
TEST CRICKET LIVE ON FOX – Foxtel – Fox Sports

BEST DIRECTION IN A TELEVISION DRAMA OR COMEDY

THE LETDOWN (Episode 2 – The Dilemma) Sarah Scheller, Alison Bell – Giant Dwarf (ABC)
THE HUNTING (Episode 3 – #shittyboys) Ana Kokkinos – Closer Productions (SBS)
TOTAL CONTROL (Episode 3) Rachel Perkins – Blackfella Films (ABC)
LAMBS OF GOD (Episode 1 – The Devil Into Paradise) Jeffrey Walker – Lingo Pictures (Foxtel – Showcase)

BEST DIRECTION IN NONFICTION TELEVISION

AUSTRALIAN SURVIVOR: CHAMPIONS V CONTENDERS (Episode 1) Richard Franc – Endemol Shine Australia (Network Ten)
BODY HACK (Episode 1 – Gaza Frontlines) Jeff Siberry – Essential Media Group (Network Ten)
EMPLOYABLE ME (Episode 1– Eric, Kathleen & Paul) Cian O’Clery – Northern Pictures (ABC)
DESTINATION FLAVOUR CHINA (Episode 1 – Beijing) Olivia Hoopmann – SBS (SBS)

BEST SCREENPLAY IN TELEVISION

THE CRY (Episode 2) Jacquelin Perske – Synchronicity Films in association with December Media (ABC)
LAMBS OF GOD (Episode 1 – The Devil Into Paradise) Sarah Lambert – Lingo Pictures (Foxtel – Showcase)
UTOPIA (Episode 2 – Working With Children) Santo Cilauro, Tom Gleisner, Rob Sitch – Working Dog Productions (ABC)
THE HUNTING (Episode 3 – #shittyboys) Matthew Cormack, Niki Aken – Closer Productions (SBS)

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY IN TELEVISION

THE CRY (Episode 2) Sam Chiplin – Synchronicity Films in association with December Media (ABC)
DESTINATION FLAVOUR CHINA (Episode 1 – Beijing) Gilbert Farkas – SBS (SBS)
SECRET CITY: UNDER THE EAGLE (Episode 1 – Run Little Rabbit) Mark Wareham – Matchbox Pictures (Foxtel – Showcase)
LAMBS OF GOD (Episode 1 – The Devil Into Paradise) Don McAlpine – Lingo Pictures (Foxtel – Showcase)

BEST EDITING IN TELEVISION

LAMBS OF GOD (Episode 1 – The Devil Into Paradise) Deborah Peart – Lingo Pictures (Foxtel – Showcase)
TOTAL CONTROL (Episode 3) Deborah Peart – Blackfella Films (ABC)
THE UNLISTED (Episode 1) Mat Evans – Aquarius Films in association with Buster Productions (ABCME)
THE CRY (Episode 2) Alastair Reid – Synchronicity Films in association with December Media (ABC)

BEST SOUND IN TELEVISION

BODY HACK (Episode 1 – Gaza Frontlines) Damian Jory – Essential Media Group (Network Ten)
FRAYED (Episode 1) Mark Cornish, Ralph Ortner – Merman Television, Guesswork Television (ABC)
TOTAL CONTROL (Episode 3) Nick Emond, Dane Cody, Luke Mynott, Wes Chew – Blackfella Films (ABC)
LAMBS OF GOD (Episode 1 – The Devil Into Paradise) Nick Emond, Stephen Smith, Paul Devescovi, Mia Stewart – Lingo Pictures 

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE IN TELEVISION

THE CRY (Episode 2) Lorne Balfe – Synchronicity Films in association with December Media (ABC)
FRAYED (Episode 1) Bryony Marks – Merman Television, Guesswork Television (ABC)
THE UNLISTED (Episode 1) Diego Baldenweg, Nora Baldenweg, Lionel Vincent Baldenweg – Aquarius Films in association with Buster Productions (ABCME)
LAMBS OF GOD (Episode 1 – The Devil Into Paradise) Bryony Marks – Lingo Pictures (Foxtel – Showcase)

BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN IN TELEVISION

FRAYED (Episode 1) Fiona Donovan – Merman Television, Guesswork Television (ABC)
THE LETDOWN (Episode 2 – The Dilemma) Roslyn Durnford – Giant Dwarf (ABC)
SECRET CITY: UNDER THE EAGLE (Episode 1 – Run Little Rabbit) Elizabeth Mary Moore – Matchbox Pictures (Foxtel – Showcase)
LAMBS OF GOD (Episode 1 – The Devil Into Paradise) Chris Kennedy – Lingo Pictures (Foxtel – Showcase)

BEST COSTUME DESIGN IN TELEVISION

FRAYED (Episode 1) Nina Edwards – Merman Television, Guesswork Television (ABC)
LES NORTON (Episode 1 – You Wouldn’t Be Dead For Quids) Jenny Miles – Roadshow Rough Diamond (ABC)
THE MASKED SINGER (Episode 1 – Face Off 1) Tim Chappel – Warner Bros (Network Ten)
LAMBS OF GOD (Episode 1 – The Devil Into Paradise) Xanthe Heubel – Lingo Pictures (Foxtel – Showcase)

Subscription Television

BEST FEMALE PRESENTER

Maggie Beer THE GREAT AUSTRALIAN BAKE OFF
Shaynna Blaze SELLING HOUSES AUSTRALIA
Claire Hooper THE GREAT AUSTRALIAN BAKE OFF
Margaret Pomeranz SCREEN
Yvonne Sampson – LEAGUE LIFE, FOX LEAGUE GAME DAY HOSTING

BEST MALE PRESENTER

Graeme Blundell SCREEN
Ron Iddles RON IDDLES: THE GOOD COP – CJZ
Matty Johns SUNDAY NIGHT WITH MATTY JOHNS, THE MATTY JOHNS PODCAST
Peter Maddison GRAND DESIGNS AUSTRALIA
Andrew Winter SELLING HOUSES AUSTRALIA & LOVE IT OR LIST IT AUSTRALIA

BEST FEMALE NEW TALENT

Usha Cornish BLOOM
Paulene Gibson WENTWORTH
Emma Lancaster LAMBS OF GOD
Yvonne Rae LAMBS OF GOD
Asha Boswarva LAMBS OF GOD

BEST MALE NEW TALENT

Frederick du Rietz SECRET CITY: UNDER THE EAGLE
Fletcher Kennedy SECRET CITY: UNDER THE EAGLE
Diesel La Torraca LAMBS OF GOD
Chris Alosio FIGHTING SEASON

Documentary

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY IN A DOCUMENTARY

100 DAYS TO VICTORY (Episode 1 – The Spring Offensive) Torstein Dyrting – Electric Pictures (Foxtel – History)
FINKE: THERE AND BACK Dylan River, Shane Mulcahy, Peter Beeh – Brindle Films
IN MY BLOOD IT RUNS Maya Newell – Closer Productions
MAGICAL LAND OF OZ (Episode 1 – Oceans) Paul Bell, Dan Proud, Jon Shaw – Northern Pictures, Oxford Scientific Films (ABC)

BEST EDITING IN A DOCUMENTARY

THE CULT OF THE FAMILY (Episode 1 – Unseen, Unheard, Unknown) Bill Murphy – Big Stories (ABC)
EXPOSED: THE CASE OF KELI LANE (Episode 1 – Truth and Lies) Lile Judickas – ABC (ABC)
MYSTIFY MICHAEL HUTCHENCE Richard Lowenstein, Lynn-Maree Milburn, Tayler Martin – Ghost Pictures
THE FINAL QUARTER Sally Fryer – Shark Island Productions

BEST SOUND IN A DOCUMENTARY

DEFEND, CONSERVE, PROTECT Chris Goodes – Revolution Pictures
DON’T STOP THE MUSIC Nicholas Dunlop – Artemis Media (ABC)
MYSTIFY MICHAEL HUTCHENCE Robert Mackenzie, Mick Boraso, Simon Rosenberg, LynnMaree Milburn – Ghost Pictures
100 DAYS TO VICTORY (Episode 1 – The Spring Offensive) Ric Curtin, Xoe Baird, Laurie Chlanda – Electric Pictures (Foxtel – History)

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE IN A DOCUMENTARY

THE CULT OF THE FAMILY (Episode 1 – Unseen, Unheard, Unknown) Amanda Brown – Big Stories (ABC)
THE LEUNIG FRAGMENTS Luke Altmann – Film Camp
MARTHA: A PICTURE STORY Adit Gauchan, Vincent Goodyer – Projector Films
2040 Bryony Marks – GoodThing Productions

Casting

BEST CASTING PRESENTED BY CASTING NETWORKS

HOTEL MUMBAI Ann Fay, Leigh Pickford, Trishaan Sarkar – Hotel Mumbai Double Guess Productions
THE KING Des Hamilton, Francine Maisler – Plan B Entertainment, Porchlight Films, A Yoki Inc, Blue-Tongue Films
TOTAL CONTROL Anousha Zarkesh – Blackfella Films (ABC)
THE NIGHTINGALE Nikki Barrett – Causeway Films, Made Up Stories

Hair & Make-Up

BEST HAIR AND MAKEUP

THE KING Alessandro Bertolazzi – Plan B Entertainment, Porchlight Films, A Yoki Inc, BlueTongue Films
NEKROTRONIC Angela Conte, Paul Katte, Nick Nicolaou, Rosemary Saffioti – Hopscotch Features, Guerrilla Films
LAMBS OF GOD Zeljka Stanin, Paul Pattison, Cheryl Williams – Lingo Pictures (Foxtel – Showcase)

“Doctor Sleep” Movie Review: Is It Worth Your Money??

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Rating: 4/5 Stars

Of all of Stephen King’s adapted works, none was as impactful and iconic as Stanley Kubrik’s creative approach to “The Shining.” Though heavily different from King’s original source material, Kubrik’s inventive filmmaking style and Jack Nicholson’s unforgettable performance cemented the movie in cinematic history and still holds up to this day. The idea of a sequel (book or film form) sounds like an absurd and impossible task to accomplish, however, Mike Flanagan who had stellar success directing “Oculus,” “Ouija: Origin of Evil,” and Netflix’s “Haunting of Hill House” TV series; proves to be up to the task of adapting King’s spinoff/sequel to “The Shining” entitled “Doctor Sleep.”

Set decades after the horrific events of the Overlook hotel incident, Danny Torrance (Ewan McGregor) had suffered from alcoholism, depression and horrific nightmares of the ghosts that still haunt him (literally and figuratively). He travels around trying to find purpose in his life and finds a new talent using his “shining” powers helping dying patients in a hospital. He stumbles across a group of beings who siphon the shining off kids as “steam” in order to live forever. When a young girl (Kyliegh Curran) possesses the strongest shining Danny has ever sense, Rose the Hat (Rebecca Ferguson) leads the immortals after the girl and now Danny has to use his gifts to save her life and stop the evil before it takes more young lives.

Following Danny’s life, after “The Shining” is not only an interesting story approach, it’s also the most sensible considering how the original film ended. What’s surprisingly satisfying about “Doctor Sleep” is how it crafts its own story and fleshes out its own characters so well that even with the earmarks of “The Shining” being present during its 2 and a half hour running time; it never feels boring or like it’s relying too much on callbacks for its core material. Both Danny and Rose get equal amounts of screen time; alternating back and forth between the two and learning more and more about their lives, their beliefs and how they use their powers for themselves and towards others. Everyone gets a chance to shine (pun intended) and the world and story building feels stronger/better for it.

Ewan McGregor isn’t my first choice for playing an adult Danny Torrance but he clearly proves he was the BEST choice. McGregor beautifully displays the broken, aching misery that someone like Danny would naturally experience considering what happened to him. You feel for his struggle and applaud his noble acts to help others even while struggling to help himself; both of which are presented in raw, intense performances from McGregor throughout the film. Ferguson plays a delightfully charismatic and wicked villain as Rose the Hat. She truly feels like a real life King character brought to life with her mannerisms and twisted motivations. Her group serves as excellent villains and provides a variety of intense and terrifying challenges to our heroes.

The callbacks to “The Shining” mostly work, but at times they do fail to feel like a properly connected sequel should when the film makes the unfortunate mistake of re-creating key scenes from “The Shining” with different actors. Sometimes it’s not really noticeable like with the excellent casting of Carl Lumbly as Dick Hallorahn and Alex Essoe as Wendy Torrance, other times (like Jack Torrance essentially), it’s hard not to cringe a little at the poor imitation. I will say though the film’s climax brings the story full circle back to the Overlook Hotel in a sequence that is chilling, intense, horrific and satisfying on every possible level. I won’t say how everything plays out but I will say that whether you are a fan of the film or the book, this movie’s grand finale will please people all across the board.

Overall, aside from a few weak imitations of key “Shining” scenes, “Doctor Sleep” is a masterfully crafted successor that manages to stand on its own two legs; using its connections to the previous film as winks and clever nods rather than leaning on them like crutches. McGregor and Ferguson are perfectly portrayed, written and developed along with everyone else involved. This is a worthy continuation of King’s story and manages to be its own beast without leeching off the original’s coattails. It’s a lengthy sequel but one that definitely does the books and the film justice and of course, quality.

Image Source: Screenshot from Warner Bros. Pictures YouTube Channel