Howard Stern has stepped into the controversy surrounding Sydney Sweeney‘s sports-betting ad, dismissing the backlash from female athletes who accused the campaign of sexualizing women in sports.

The actress has faced widespread criticism over the Novig commercial, but the shock jock is defending her nude display and questioning why anyone would be offended by it.

The controversy comes as Sydney Sweeney continues to attract intense attention for her advertising choices, while Howard Stern himself faces criticism over major changes to his long-running radio show.

Howard Stern Dismisses Sydney Sweeney’s Ads Backlash

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Stern addressed the controversy during a recent episode of “The Howard Stern Show,” making clear that he did not understand why the commercial had generated such outrage.

He praised Sweeney’s appearance and argued that she was simply promoting a gambling platform. “I watched that TV commercial. Who the f-ck is bothered by that?” Stern said in a video clip shared online.

The Novig campaign featured Sweeney appearing with little clothing while various props were used to cover her body as she referenced different sports.

The campaign has since become the subject of criticism from athletes who believe it reduces women’s participation in sport to their physical appearance.

Stern, however, saw little reason for the reaction, saying: “I mean, she’s representing a gambling website, and I’m like, ‘This is great.’” He added, “I think she’s attractive.”

Stern’s co-host, Robin Quivers, pointed out that the backlash was coming particularly from female athletes who objected to the way Sweeney’s campaign portrayed women and sports.

“‘Her going around half-naked will ruin sports.’ No, maybe you betting on sports will ruin sports,” Howard said, hitting back at the critics.

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Stern’s comments have since divided his listeners, with some agreeing with his defense of Sweeney, while others argued he was “missing the point” of the backlash.

One Instagram user wrote, “Howard, I’ve loved you for a long time, but you’re dropping the ball on this one, baby.”

Another said, “Howard, missing the point: Ask a professional female athlete, have one on your show, she’ll break it down for you.”

“I think the point is…. women are tired of seeing women sell their sexuality for money,” a third stated in response to Stern.

“Marketing women’s bodies to men, like this, makes all women less safe,” another person noted, while a fifth said, “If they gave me Sirius for Free, I would not listen! I’m DONE!!!

One more critic said,”‘Who’s actually bothered by that?’ I don’t know, maybe women who are sick of being seen as sexual objects and would like to be taken seriously for once?”

However, an individual who agreed with the comedian’s comments noted, “I’m 100% with Howard on this. The gambling is the problem, not the advertising.”

Female Athletes Pushed Back Against Sydney Sweeney’s Ad

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The advertisement has prompted criticism from several prominent female athletes, who argued that women in sport should be recognized for their athletic ability, dedication and achievements rather than being presented primarily through their appearance.

Four-time Olympic swimming gold medalist Ariarne Titmus was among the most outspoken critics, describing the campaign as deeply frustrating and questioning why the sexualization of women’s bodies remains part of sports marketing.

“How do we live in a world where monetizing a woman’s body and sexualizing women’s sport is still a thing?” she wrote on Instagram.

British sprinter Amy Hunt also used a post-race interview to highlight the physical demands and sacrifices involved in being a female athlete.

Gymnast Gracie Kramer helped inspire a wider response from athletes by sharing footage of women competing and training alongside the message, “this is what a woman in sport looks like.”

Other athletes subsequently joined the conversation, turning the backlash into a broader discussion about how female athletes are portrayed publicly.

Sydney Sweeney Has Received Some Support Amid The Backlash

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While a number of athletes condemned the campaign, Sweeney has also received support from people who viewed the advertisement as an expression of confidence and femininity rather than an attack on women’s sports.

Former professional golfer Paige Spiranac appeared to weigh in through social media, posting a series of images from her own life involving golf, fitness and leisure.

When a fan suggested that Spiranac had effectively responded to critics accusing Sweeney of “killing women’s sports,” the 33-year-old golfer responded with a playful remark defending women’s confidence and sexuality.

She later followed up with “just golf,” jokingly echoing the “just sports” slogan used in Sweeney’s controversial Novig campaign.

Her response was widely interpreted as a playful defense of women being comfortable with their appearance while participating in sports.

Howard Stern’s Defense Of Sydney Sweeney Comes As His Own Show Faces a Major Shake-Up

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Stern’s backing of Sweeney comes at a time when his own media operation is undergoing significant changes.

His long-running SiriusXM program has been reduced to one live show each Monday, with an adapted 90-minute version released on HBO Max every Thursday, after layoffs that impacted at least 50 staffers.

SiriusXM officially confirmed the new format ahead of the September 14 return.

The revamped format has also sparked criticism among some longtime listeners, with complaints appearing online about the condensed HBO Max version and the decision to reduce Stern’s live output.

One Reddit user bluntly described the new program as “unwatchable!” while others questioned the appeal of watching an edited version of a show they already hear on SiriusXM.

The changes have also affected SiriusXM’s channel lineup. Howard 101, the channel that carried Stern-related archival programming, was handed over to Andy Cohen’s Radio Andy after the shock jock reduced his responsibilities.

The transition was confirmed publicly, with Stern saying he wanted to scale back to a single weekly radio show.

Despite the criticism surrounding the changes, Stern appeared unfazed when he returned from his summer break on September 14.

Addressing the negative attention surrounding him, he said, “If you think I’m a scumbag, you’re probably right.”

Hayden Panettiere‘s ex Wladimir Klitschko has filed for temporary guardianship of their daughter, Kaya, following the actress’ death.

According to court documents obtained by Us, Klitschko, 50, submitted paperwork on September 24 to be the temporary guardian over Kaya’s estate. Kaya, 11, is the sole inheritor of her late mother’s estate following Panettiere’s death in August.

Since Kaya is a minor, the court can “appoint a guardian of Kaya’s estate who would then succeed to Kaya’s priority” while Panettiere’s estate is in probate. Klitschko asked the court to be named the guardian so he can “have standing to file” and “nominate a proposed administrator” on his daughter’s behalf in order to “protect” her rights to Panettiere’s estates.

“It is urgent and essential that Wladimir be immediately appointed Temporary Guardian of Kaya’s Estate, to afford Wladimir the necessary standing to file Hayden’s Probate Petition, and the power to nominate a proposed Administrator of Hayden’s Estate,” the docs read. “Without an immediate appointment for these purposes, there is a high probability that property belonging to Hayden’s Estate may be lost, damaged or dissipated before a duly appointed personal representative can be in place to protect it. This directly and adversely affects Kaya, as she is the sole heir entitled to the entirety of Hayden’s probate estate.”

Related: Hayden Panettiere’s Ex Wladimir Klitschko Marks Her Birthday After Death

Hayden Panettiere’s former fiancé, Wladimir Klitschko, offered an emotional tribute on what would have been the late actress’ 37th birthday. “Today is Hayden’s birthday. Instead of celebrating the way we had planned, today we celebrate her life, her spirit, and the love she brought into this world,” Klitschko, 50, wrote via Instagram on Friday, August […]

The filing claimed that some of Panettiere’s items, including “designer clothing and accessories” and “jewelry” have been temporarily relocated from her Los Angeles home amid the ongoing investigation into the actress’ death.

“There is no personal representative currently authorized to safeguard the interests of Hayden’s Estate in connection with the investigation, including the return of estate property once it is no longer needed by investigators,” the docs read.

Us has reached out to Klitschko for comment.

TMZ was first to report.

Panettiere and Klitschko dated on and off before getting engaged in 2013. The pair welcomed Kaya the following year. In 2018, Panettiere and Klitschko called off the engagement and ended their relationship. That same year, she relinquished custody of Kaya to the former professional boxer. While they were no longer together, the pair coparented Kaya as she resided with Klitschko in Ukraine.

Related: Hayden Panettiere Was ‘Vulnerable’ After Custody Decision, Estranged Mom Says

Hayden Panettiere’s estranged mom is opening up about how the late actress allegedly felt after relinquishing full custody of her daughter. “The situation with Hayden and [Wladimir Klitschko] and their daughter, that was a very difficult period for her,” Lesley Vogel said during a sit-down interview that aired on Good Morning America Monday, August 24. […]

Panettiere died on August 16. She was 36. Following the news of her death, Klitschko paid tribute to his late ex.

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“Our family going through a time of profound shock and grief. … Hayden was, although no longer my partner, an important part of my life and the mother of our daughter, Kaya,” the retired athlete wrote via Instagram last month. “She built an incredible career through immense talent, while also facing the darker sides of a very demanding industry. Nothing will erase the times we shared or the place she had in our lives.”

Earlier this month, Panettiere’s cause of death was officially revealed. According to a report from the Greenville County Coroner’s Office, Panettiere died from the “toxic effects of fentanyl, 4-ANPP, Alprazolam, Methocarbamol, and Quetiapine.” Her death was determined to be accidental.

A rep for the actress told Us at the time, “The investigation is still ongoing and the case is complex.”

Days of Our Lives spoilers for the next 2 weeks starting September 28th stun with Marlena Evans (Deidre Hall) freaked out over this baby news and confronting somebody who probably knows the truth. Plus, Sarah Horton (Linsey Godfrey) is terrified that she could lose everything.

Also, the weeks of September 28th through October 9th, we’re gonna have Johnny DiMera (Carson Boatman) confessing, Theo Carver (Tyler Joseph Andrews) venting, and some pot brownies when people were expecting non-medicated baked goods. Let’s dive right into it.

Days of our Lives Spoilers: Marlena in a Panic

Monday, September 28th, on Days of Our Lives. Marlena begs Steve Johnson (Stephen Nichols) to keep this shocking secret between the two of them. Picking up from Friday’s episode, Marlena reads Dominic Marino’s birth certificate and sees that she and Stefano DiMera (Joseph Mascolo) are listed as his parents. Marlena needs to process before telling anybody else. And we’ve got Sarah freaking out as she tells Xander Cook (Paul Telfer) and Brady Black (Eric Martsolf) that she just got truly awful news.

This is about the complaints against her and the lawsuit that’s tied to Destiny’s death. Xander promises to be there for Sarah and Brady’s also on board to help Sarah. Of course, there is little doubt that EJ DiMera (Dan Feuerriegel) is behind the complaint filed against Sarah. And EJ is likely the one who had Destiny’s records manipulated because he and Rita Lesley (Maggie Carney) still have hospital credentials until they’re officially booted. Dr. Wilhelm Rolf (Richard Wharton) does, too.

DOOL Spoilers: Sarah in Trouble

And now Melinda Trask (Tina Huang) is repping Destiny’s family. EJ might have pushed Melinda in their direction to sue Sarah. And Melinda is planning to hold a public press conference about the wrongful death suit. Xander wants to stop all this for Sarah and will risk everything to help her. Joy Wesley (AlexAnn Hopkins)’s plan to cheat the nerve conduction study begins to go sideways. She asked her doctor, dad, Craig Wesley (Kevin Spirtas) to send her some muscle relaxers and she lied about the reason, but Joy’s not home to get her mail.

So, we’ll see who brings it. Maybe it’s delivered to the pub and somebody comes over. If they rattle it, it’s going to sound like pills. There may be questions. Paulina Price (Jackée Harry) listens as Theo worries. This could be about his anxiety over what Johnny is doing at DiMera Enterprises with the pharma stuff, or it may be about Gabi Hernandez‘s (Cherie Jimenez) job offer. And Theo is also feeling guilty for crushing on married Stephanie Johnson (Abigail Klein) and almost kissing her.

Days Spoilers: Philip & Leo Plot

Tuesday, September 29th on Days of Our Lives. Philip Kiriakis (John-Paul Lavoisier) and Leo Stark (Greg Rikaart) come up with a plan. And this may be about the counterfeit Gabi Chic bags because Philip and Leo are in a hallway and they find something in a plastic bag and it looks like some Gabi Chic merch and they are wondering what the heck they found. Xander faces off with his sworn enemy, EJ. And I’m sure it’s because Xander’s livid about EJ’s personal and professional attacks on Sarah.

Xander vows to prove it’s all a setup. Chanel Dupree (Raven Bowens) has a proposition for Gabi and I’m wondering if it is personal or professional. If you recall, Chanel’s bakery, Sweet Bits, is in the old Gabi Chic store location. Johnny makes efforts to atone. He wants to make things right for all the dirty dealings he’s done to help cover up EJ’s mess. But is Johnny gonna go down for it? And would EJ let Johnny go down for a mess that was made on EJ’s watch?

George continues to be a real problem. But we could see Johnny playing dirty himself. Maybe he throws George under the same proverbial bus. This week, Johnny makes a phone call as Chanel listens presumably to EJ. And Johnny demands to know if he is behind this lawsuit. Cat Greene (AnnaLynne McCord) tells Rafe about her new plan, but it sounds perilous. Cat confronted EJ and she quit her job and walked out. I suspect Cat wants to see if EJ is going to chase after her because if he does, Cat will know she’s got EJ hooked. And Cat may convert their relationship from professional to personal to get what she wants.

DOOL Spoilers: Tate Confronts Mason

Wednesday, September 30th, on Days of Our Lives, Leo has Lani Price (Sal Stowers) and Holly Jonas (Ashley Puzemis) on his first podcast episode of Stark Raving Mad. That same day, Eli Grant is pressing Lani to think about what she wants to do next. And if Paulina got Lani a governor’s pardon, that should clear the path for her job prospects. Holly’s feeling guilty and struggling. Sounds like this ties back to the whole Sophia Choi (Rachel Boyd) mess. And related to that drama, Tate Black (Leo Howard) has a run-in with Mason Whitfield (Brandon Butler).

I expect him to confront him about Holly. And of course, she thinks Mason’s the one who sent her the weird text, but Arianna Horton (Vico Escorcia) thinks she’s bonkers. Tate may make some threats, but Mason seems like a nice yet troubled guy. Kate Roberts (Lauren Koslow) is not happy that her son Philip is risking triggering his addiction by gambling again.

Then on Thursday, October 1st, on Days of Our Lives we see Brady supporting Marlena and vowing that he won’t breathe a word about her secret to anybody. Philip confesses to Maggie Horton (Suzanne Rogers) and I wonder if Philip did more gambling. And we’ve got Steve discussing his latest theory and it’s likely about Dominic, possibly how it all ties into the Stefano mystery. Melinda publicly accuses Sarah of wrongful death in Destiny’s case. And Joy takes a huge risk maybe with those muscle relaxers her dad sent her.

Days of our Lives Spoilers: EJ In a Bad Place

Friday, October 2nd, on Days of Our Lives, EJ is increasingly frustrated after Cat quit. We all know she was trying to manipulate him into trusting her. So, EJ opens up to Rita Craig, which is ironic since she now seems loyal to Dominic. And this week, Marlena corners Rita and says, “You got to tell me the truth about Dominic Marino.” And Marlena asks Rita, “Is he my son?” Also, Johnny comes clean to his ex-stepdad, Rafe.

But exactly what does Johnny confess to? Chanel said she didn’t want a baby shower, but Paulina is doing it anyway. Julie Williams (Susan Seaforth Hayes) is hosting at her house. Marlena, Sydney DiMera (Sydney Malakeh), Lani, and Abe Carver (James Reynolds) are there, too. And he’s cracking up when Chanel opens a baby onesie that says, “If I refuse a nap, is that resisting a rest?” At the shower, Julie has alone time with Marlena and is encouraging her.

But will Marlena tell her the terrible truth about her new son, Dominic, who she doesn’t even remember? Also, when everybody gets giggly, Chanel asks Lani, “Why are they all laughing so hard?” I expect that Paulina grabbed up the pot brownies that were made for Chanel. And that may be why Sydney makes a startling blunder.

Days Spoilers: Rita Hiding the Truth

Then the week of October 5th through the 9th on Days of Our Lives. Rita definitely knows more about Dominic Marino than she is letting on. Roman Brady (Josh Taylor) and Kate may suspect something is up with Marlena and I wonder if she will tell Roman and Kate what happened because they were on the island at the same time. Marlena may ask Tate, “Please don’t hassle Mason.” But Holly soon gets more creepy texts and she is certain Mason’s behind them even though Ari says, “Nope, not happening.” EJ doubles down and pushes back on Xander and keeps targeting Sarah. Johnny will have to face the music for talking to Rafe.

Philip and Leo crack the counterfeit bag case very soon. Leo and Javi Hernandez (Jacob Martinez) are going to be out on a 2nd date, hopefully better than the last date. And Philip is still waiting on that gambling money to come in so he can pay off EJ’s exorbitant loan.

But the question is, can he save Titan or does something bad happen to drain the cash or maybe delay the cash beyond the deadline for the loan? Chad DiMera (Connor Floyd) and Belle Black (Martha Madison) may get another clue. Steve’s got that theory. He’s working and I suspect Dominic keeps playing his game until he sweeps into Salem to stun Marlena and the DiMeras.

Chrisean Rock was sporting Blueface‘s chain while out and about with him after recently saying that she was considering legal action against him.

RELATED: Congrats! Chrisean Rock Celebrates With Junior & Her Mom After Winning Professional Boxing Debut (PHOTOS + VIDEOS)

Chrisean Rock Dons Blueface’s Chain While Out With Him After Recently Saying She Was Considering Legal Action Against Him

On Monday, September 28, Blueface took to his Instagram Story to share a clip of Chrisean Rock riding by his side in a black truck. In the clip, Rock donned his chain while also wearing his rings. As the clip rolled, Blue asked her if her neck was hurting, and she declined.

“No. I’m bigger than the program,” she insisted. “That’s what’s going on.”

Peep the clip below.

To note, in a subsequent Story post, Blueface reposted a tweet he shared, which read, “If she ain’t gone by the time I get home I hope she can fight real good…”

If she ain’t gone by the time I get home I hope she can fight real good🤷🏽‍♂️

— blueface (@bluefacebleedem) September 28, 2026

Social Media Reacts To Her Sporting Blueface’s Chain

Folks immediately reacted to Chrisean Rock riding alongside Blueface and wearing his chain in TSR Teens’ comment section.

More On Chrisean Rock Recently Saying She Was Considering Legal Action Against Him

As The Shade Room previously reported, earlier this week, Chrisean Rock took to a livestream to respond to Adam22 saying her son, Chrisean Jr., has fetal alcohol syndrome. However, instead of only sharing words for Adam 22, she explained that she feels some people are only comfortable speaking negatively about her son because of Blueface. Ultimately, she shared that she’s considering putting Blueface on child support as a consequence for his treatment of them.

RELATED: Chrisean Rock Threatens Legal Action Against Adam22 & Blueface As She Shuts Down Claims About Her Son (VIDEOS)

People discover a movie with 200,000 Letterboxd logs and act like they’ve pulled the only surviving print from a basement in Prague. No sir/ma’am. This is the list about actually forgotten movies. And to niche it down, forgotten adventure movies. These are different. They are the movies people vaguely remember liking, the ones that somehow slipped out of everyday conversation while lesser franchise entries got sequels, reboots, legacy sequels, and commemorative popcorn buckets.

Put one back on and the reaction is usually the same. Wait, why did we stop talking about this? That is the beautiful part. There is no homework attached. No cinematic universe to refresh, no mythology wiki required, no promise that “it gets good in the sequel.” Let’s get started.

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‘The Rocketeer’ (1991)

Image via Buena Vista Pictures Distribution

This movie is set against 1930s Hollywood. The Rocketeer turns that into a beautifully old-fashioned scramble involving the FBI, Nazis, mobsters, movie stars, and Cliff’s girlfriend Jenny (Jennifer Connelly) getting pulled directly into the mess. Pilot Cliff Secord (Billy Campbell) finds an experimental jetpack hidden by gangsters and, because this is exactly the sort of decision an adventure hero should make, eventually straps the thing onto his back.

What is so easy to love now is how sincere the whole thing is. Cliff is not trying to become a superhero brand. He wants to fly, save Jenny, and survive people who understand the rocket far better than he does. Neville Sinclair (Timothy Dalton) is especially fun once his polished movie-star persona starts cracking and the Nazi plot underneath it comes into view. Then the finale heads to the Griffith Observatory and a burning zeppelin because apparently the movie decided subtlety had already done enough. Disney had the bones of a franchise sitting right there. We got one movie. At least it is a terrific one.

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‘The Adventures of Tintin’ (2011)

Image via Paramount Pictures

The Adventures of Tintin takes maybe ten minutes to start moving and then spends the rest of its runtime behaving like stopping would be personally offensive. Tintin (Jamie Bell) buys a model ship at a market and immediately attracts enough unwanted attention to realize he has purchased more than a decoration. Hidden inside is a clue connected to the Unicorn, a legendary vessel, a lost fortune, and the family history of Captain Haddock (Andy Serkis).

Captain Haddock is the secret weapon because he turns exposition into chaos simply by being incapable of experiencing anything quietly. Snowy repeatedly solves problems before the humans do. And the Bagghar chase is still ridiculous in the best possible way, with Tintin racing through collapsing streets while a falcon, a motorcycle, a tank, a hotel, and multiple pieces of the same clue somehow keep colliding in one continuous set piece. The motion-capture faces remain divisive, fair enough. The adventure underneath them is absolutely alive. The real crime is that Steven Spielberg and Peter Jackson never got to turn this into the series it obviously wanted to become.

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‘The Count of Monte Cristo’ (2002)

Image via Touchstone Pictures

This film’s title always reminds me of the c*** of Monte Cristo reference from Succession. Nonetheless, this is about Edmond Dantès (Jim Caviezel) beginning with a promising life, a woman he loves, and enough trust in his closest friend to miss the betrayal coming straight at him. Fernand Mondego (Guy Pearce) helps frame him for treason, Edmond is thrown into the brutal Château d’If, and years disappear before another prisoner gives him the education, purpose, and information he needs to become someone entirely different. The Count of Monte Cristo then delivers the part revenge stories live or die on. Edmond gets out.

From there, the pleasure is almost indecent. He finds the treasure of Spada, rebuilds himself as the mysterious Count, enters Parisian society dripping money and confidence, and begins moving the people who destroyed him into position without announcing why. Jim Caviezel’s Edmond has the right haunted restraint after prison, while Fernand becomes the sort of villain you cannot wait to watch realize that the universe has kept receipts. Alexandre Dumas’ novel is far more sprawling, but this adaptation understands exactly what a two-hour adventure needs. Betrayal, escape, reinvention, revenge. Sometimes the classics were onto something.

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‘Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World’ (2003)

Image via Universal Pictures

Captain Jack Aubrey (Russell Crowe) is commanding HMS Surprise during the Napoleonic Wars when a larger, faster French privateer begins hunting his ship across the Pacific. That is essentially the whole engine of Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World, and it is enough because the movie makes life aboard that ship so specific that every damaged mast, cannon blast, sick sailor, and change in the wind feels important.

The first attack comes through fog before the crew can properly see what is hitting them, and from that point the sea never feels remotely safe. Aubrey has to decide how aggressively to pursue an enemy that may simply be better equipped, while ship surgeon Stephen Maturin (Paul Bettany) keeps reminding him that the world contains things worth studying beyond warfare. Their friendship gives the movie warmth without softening either man. And when the crew eventually disguises the Surprise as a whaling vessel to lure the enemy close, you feel how much practical knowledge has gone into earning that move. This should have launched a decade of naval adventures. Instead, we got one nearly perfect one and have been complaining ever since.

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‘The Mask of Zorro’ (1998)

Image via Sony Pictures Releasing

Don Diego de la Vega (Anthony Hopkins) loses everything after his final victory as Zorro, including his wife, his freedom, and his infant daughter Elena. Twenty years later, he finds Alejandro Murrieta (Antonio Banderas), a reckless bandit with his own reason to hate Captain Harrison Love (Matt Letscher), and decides this angry young man might be useful if he can first teach him how to hold a sword without embarrassing everyone involved. The Mask of Zorro has barely assembled those pieces before the chemistry starts doing half the work.

Alejandro trying to behave like an aristocrat after years of outlaw life is funny because Antonio Banderas never loses the character’s rough edges. Elena (Catherine Zeta-Jones) matches him immediately, especially in the famous sword fight where flirting and fencing become basically the same activity. Anthony Hopkins’ older Zorro gives the story something deeper, since training Alejandro is tied to a daughter who has grown up believing another man is her father. Then the movie gives you horses, mines, explosions, revenge, secret identities, and actual swashbuckling without a trace of embarrassment. This is what people mean when they say movies used to have charm. Put it on. Ten minutes later, the cape starts making sense again.

If you missed out on the Toronto International Film Festival, you’re in luck! We returned to the festival this year with Collider’s Media Studio, presented by Campari and The Cayman Islands, where our own Steve Weintraub and Perri Nemiroff had the pleasure of sitting down with filmmakers and stars of some of the event’s most exciting titles.

Every year, creatives and celebrities hit the streets of Toronto to celebrate independent filmmaking, championing everything from intimate stories from across the globe to upcoming series for streaming giants, like Netflix’s Below, starring Josh Hartnett and Stranger Things alum Charlie Heaton. It’s an opportunity for the forces behind the movies and shows to highlight the unsung heroes, the tireless work that goes on behind the scenes, and to sing the praises of projects that may get overlooked among Hollywood blockbusters.

This year, Collider spoke with the teams behind nearly 50 upcoming movies and series, including Liam Neeson for The Lost Children of Tuam, Amanda Seyfried and Tim Blake Nelson for the drama The Life and Deaths of Wilson Shedd, and Mike Flanagan for Prime Video’s Stephen King adaptation series, Carrie. Below, we’ve rounded up a number of interviews for movies like Alpha Gang, Kick On, Le Faux Soir, Krux, Paradise Lost, The Stunt Driver, writer-director Alexandra Pechman’s Magazine, Gail, Vintage Violence, and Whatcha Want. Check them out.

This Band’s Documentary Isn’t About the Band — It’s About Their Biggest Fan

“This is the first film I’ve ever seen that examines that relationship.”

Music, like the films and series TIFF celebrates every year, is one of life’s greatest pleasures and has the ability to transcend social barriers. Some believe music is healing, and it can bridge generations. In Michael Maxxis’s (Puppy Love) documentary, Gail, the power of music is exemplified by one superfan, Gail Lichtman, a woman who’s dedicated much of her time to celebrating the Canadian rock band Our Lady Peace.

The film documents Gail’s preparation ahead of Our Lady Peace’s 30th anniversary cross-country tour. We watch as the subway station agent encounters others throughout NYC, imparting her decades’ worth of knowledge and admiration for the band to anyone who will lend an ear. The documentary allows us to tag along for Gail’s journey from Saskatoon, into meet-and-greets with the band, all the way to their final show in Halifax.

When approached about commemorating the band’s 30th anniversary with a documentary, Our Lady Peace’s lead singer, Raine Maida, had other plans:

“I was throwing up in my mouth thinking about doing a rock doc, so this was turning the cameras around on Gail. And to be honest, Gail’s followed us for 30 years; it was about time we followed her.”

During this interview with Weintraub, executive producer Jason Reitman (Saturday Night), Maxxis, and Maida sit down for a conversation about why Our Lady Peace’s documentary centers on superfan Gail’s life, how the doc helped change their perspectives on fandom, and how the film’s narrative emerged naturally throughout production. Reitman also teases more Ghostbusters in development and the status of the Westwood Village Theater. You can watch the full conversation below, with time codes provided.

• 00:34 – The Gail crew share their favorite movie theater seats.
• 01:29 – Jason Reitman discusses the Westwood Village Theater’s renovation and 2028 reopening.
• 03:00 – What Is Michael Maxxis’ Gail?
• 03:29 – Maxxis and Raine Maida explain why the documentary focuses on a fan rather than the band.
• 04:08 – Maida and Maxxis reflect on how making the film changed their perspectives on fandom.
• 05:44 – Maida praises Maxxis for understanding Gail and creating a trusting environment that allowed her to open up.
• 06:08 – Reitman discusses his connection to Gail through his own experiences as a devoted music fan.
• 07:56 – Maxxis also discusses experiencing fandom from the other side and how that informed the documentary.
• 09:05 – Maxxis discusses how the documentary’s narrative and voiceover emerged naturally.
• 10:25 – Maida and Maxxis on preserving authenticity in the editing process and how Gail’s natural drama shaped the film.
• 11:16 – Reitman compares Gail’s relationship with the band to the way fans connect their identities to movies and characters.
• 12:38 – Maida and Reitman imagine the ideal Our Lady Peace concert for Gail.
• 13:09 – Maida shares the personal connections between bands and fans.
• 14:42 – The crew reflects on fandom as an escape from everyday life.
• 17:35 – Maida discusses the challenges of touring now.
• 19:26 – Reitman shares his future plans, including Ghostbusters development.

‘Spree’ Director Continues to Explore the Dangers of the Digital World in ‘Vintage Violence’

Cole Sprouse stars as a live-streaming urban explorer in Eugene Kotlyarenko’s new thriller.

Vintage Violence is an action-comedy from Eugene Kotlyarenko (Spree) that was hand-picked this year by TIFF’s Next Wave Committee as a film for the next generation. It stars Cole Sprouse (Lisa Frankenstein) and Kiko Mizuhara (Norwegian Wood), and celebrated its world premiere as part of Midnight Madness.

Vintage Violence is a mixed-media feature about disgraced live-streamer and urban explorer Carter (Sprouse), who stumbles across a cache of vintage denim. When one of his followers, Izumi (Mizuhara), lures him to Japan for a business venture, Carter finds himself embroiled in a deceitful scheme that involves a boyfriend in debt and the Yakuza, dragging all parties into the criminal underworld.

While talking with Nemiroff, Kotlyarenko reflects on his 2020 live-streaming horror, Spree, starring Stranger Things breakout Joe Keery, and the sinister way people’s relationships with the digital world have evolved since.

“I think everyone kind of became Kirk Kunkle in a way, sadly. When that movie came out, I think there were a lot of teenagers who related to it, and then now everyone’s become those teenagers.

But for me, what was interesting here was the phenomenon of meeting people online, getting to know someone virtually, and then what happens when you meet in real life? That’s really kind of the question the film asks. Maybe you develop a chemistry on the web or DMing or something — then what happens when people meet? Sparks fly, but all sorts of crazy shit happens, too.”

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Sprouse and Mizuhara join Kotlyarenko at the Collider Media Studio to discuss the unusual ideas and accounts that inspired Vintage Violence. The team shares their own favorite Instagram accounts, and Mizuhara reveals how eerily similar she is to her character, Izumi. Sprouse also teases reuniting with Lisa Frankenstein’s Kathryn Newton for Roxy Sorkin’s feature directorial debut, Hot Year, and Mizuhara talks about collaborating with Charli xcx and Takashi Miike for their upcoming film. Check it all out in the video below, with time codes provided.

• 00:37 – What Is Vintage Violence About?
• 01:13 – Eugene Kotlyarenko Explains the Unexpected Idea That Inspired Vintage Violence
• 02:12 – Cole Sprouse’s Favorite Instagram Account Turns Trash Into Art
• 03:09 – Kiko Mizuhara Recommends Tokyo’s Shibuya Meltdown
• 04:14 – Sprouse on His Massive Mask Collection From Around the World
• 05:15 – Why Mizuhara Stopped Collecting Vintage Clothes and Memorabilia
• 05:45 – Kotlyarenko Shares His Obsession With Rare Movie Magazines
• 06:43 – Mizuhara on Why Her Character Felt So Relatable
• 07:56 – How Kotlyarenko Found the Perfect Actor for Izumi’s Character
• 08:45 – Sprouse’s Urban Exploring Past Drew Him to Vintage Violence
• 09:51 – How Kotlyarenko’s Editors Helped Shape Vintage Violence
• 11:36 – Online Relationships Inspired Vintage Violence
• 12:38 – Kotlyarenko Hopes More Filmmakers Explore Modern Life
• 12:52 – Sprouse Praises Roxy Sorkin’s Distinctive Filmmaking Voice on Hot Year
• 14:39 – Mizuhara Teases Her Unique Collaboration With Takashi Miike and Charli xcx

Mina Shum’s New Dance Film Is an “Uplifting Diatribe Against the Patriarchy”

“It is a joyful, joyful film.”

Writer and director Mina Shum (Meditation Park) returned to TIFF this year with the world premiere of her latest drama, Whatcha Want, starring Isabella Wei (Bridgerton) and Ming-Na Wen (Mulan).

In the movie, Wei stars as Yin, a Japanese immigrant settling into her new hometown in Vancouver, where she spends a great deal of time alone. Her new husband, BT (Hugh Tran), has been in Hong Kong for five months, claiming to be under extreme pressure with work, while Yin toils away with her older friend, Mary (Wen), who advises her to enjoy her life of privilege, frequenting spas and shopping. But despite her seemingly perfect life, Yin longs for something more, and rediscovers her passion for dancing when she joins a dance class across the street.

At the Collider Media Studio, Weintraub had the privilege of speaking with Shum, Wei, and Wen about how Whatcha Want tells a joyful story of discovery, while examining and exposing a serious issue in a cathartic way. Shum tells Collider:

“It’s funny, you shoot the film, you start editing, and then it becomes its own beast, as you know. Immediately, right away, I was like, “This is a dance film. This is a pop song.” Because it could go either way. We could just concentrate on the very sad story of these people’s lives and how oppressed these women are in their seeming luxury, right? Or it becomes about the journey out of that life, which is really what the film started pointing me to once we got all the editing together. It is a joyful, joyful film — that’s also a damning exposé on patriarchy, basically.”

Wen and Wei also explore the history of their characters’ friendships, with Wen explaining how she came to see a new side to her character, and Wei discussing the training she went through for her dance numbers. Find out more about the movie in the video below, with time codes provided.

• 00:34 – What is Whatcha Want about?
• 01:18 – Ming-Na Wen and Isabella Wei discuss what drew them to the project.
• 03:12 – Wei trained with choreographer Megan Lawson to prep for the film’s dance sequences.
• 04:44 – Wen and Wei explore the history and dynamics of their characters’ friendship.
• 06:36 – Shum discusses shaping the film into a joyful story about women breaking free from patriarchy.
• 08:00 – Wei, Shum, and Wen explain how dance allows characters to express themselves, reclaim their bodies, and experience freedom.
• 10:28 – Wen, Shum, and Wei reveal their favorite seats in a movie theater.
• 11:12 – The trio answers a series of questions about their favorite movies, bands, and more!

‘Alpha Gang’ Directors on Their 10-Year Journey to Make This Wild Alien Biker Gang Movie

The Zellner Brothers also highlight their out-of-this-world cast.

Sometimes it takes an outsider’s perspective to truly appreciate the things we take for granted. In Alpha Gang, a new sci-fi from filmmaking brothers writer and co-director David Zellner and co-director Nathan Zellner (Sasquatch Sunset), a bizarre group of aliens invade Earth on a mission to conquer, but are blindsided when they fall victim to a human plague.

Starring an ensemble cast, Alpha Gang introduces us to an alien crew made up of Doona Bae (Rebel Moon), Lily-Rose Depp (Nosferatu), Kelvin Harrison Jr. (Mufasa: The Lion King), Léa Seydoux (Dune: Part Two), Riley Keough (Jay Kelly), and Dave Bautista (Guardians of the Galaxy). On an assignment to conquer Earth, this team disguises themselves as a 1950s biker gang, ready to take over, when they’re struck by human emotions, experiencing joy, sadness, intimacy, and art, taking in the beauty of the world around them, effectively collapsing their plans for takeover. The movie also stars Academy Award winner Cate Blanchett and Chris Pine.

At TIFF, Nemiroff sat down with the Zellner Brothers and stars Depp and Harrison Jr. to chat about the film’s 10-year evolution and casting the perfect all-star ensemble. Particularly, David Zellner pinpoints the element that gave this project the fuel it needed to finally get off the ground:

“What was so integral to the success or failure of this was the cast, because it’s an ensemble in the truest sense. They’re together most of the time, and we wanted people from all over the world, and different backgrounds and everything, and having the right combination was…was essential, and we really lucked out in that regard.”

As for just how ambitious Alpha Gang is, Nathan Zellner explains the inspiration behind the movie’s everything-but-the-kitchen-sink approach:

“David and I grew up big fans of ’70s and ’80s action movies, and so we wanted to make our version of an action movie and throw in every single toy — like, we have tanks and bazookas, and everything as kids growing up that we loved about those types of films. Like, ‘Let’s just see how much of that we can put in this one.’”

Depp and Harrison Jr. also discuss the joy on set, crafting their characters, and Blanchett’s performance, they spotlight the craftsmanship of their team, and Harrison Jr. compares his role as Beetee in The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping to Jeffrey Wright’s OG performance.

• 00:42 – What is Alpha Gang About?
• 01:25 – The Zellner Brothers Discuss the Film’s Evolution and Finding the Perfect Ensemble
• 02:19 – Nathan Zellner Reveals the Qualities They Wanted When Casting Alpha Gang
• 03:19 – Lily-Rose Depp and Kelvin Harrison Jr. on Discovering Their Characters
• 05:17 – The Cast Recalls the Dance Party That Brought the Ensemble Together
• 05:54 – Harrison Jr. and Depp Discuss Their Unique Contributions to the Film
• 06:52 – Depp Describes the Instant Connection and Shared Creative Energy on Set
• 08:04 – Harrison Jr. Found Freedom in the Cast’s Different Acting Processes
• 10:08 – The Zellner Brothers Let the Cast Explore Their Characters
• 10:34 – The Filmmakers Highlight the Cast’s Sincerity, Humor, and Childlike Logic
• 13:25 – Depp and Harrison Jr. on the Joy of Dancing on Set and Cate Blanchett’s Performance
• 15:46 – David Zellner Reflects on Seeing His Longtime Vision Come to Life
• 16:30 – Nathan Zellner Discusses Building Their Own ‘70s/‘80s Action Movie
• 17:12 – They Highlight the Craftsmanship Behind the Film’s Costumes and Locations
• 19:29 – Harrison Jr. Discusses Playing Beetee in The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping

‘Magazine’ Captures Print Culture on the Cusp of the Digital Age

“The party was ending.”

In writer-director Alexandra Pechman’s feature directorial debut, Magazine, aspiring poet Nora (Bonjour Tristesse’s Lily McInerny) finds herself in the heart of New York City’s literary scene in the early 2010s. Set 15 years ago, the film explores the cliquish microcosm and politics of the time from an intern’s overwhelmed but mesmerized point of view.

In Magazine, Nora leaves her hometown in Arizona behind for the chance of a lifetime. She’s beginning an internship with Platen, a tastemaking literary journal, where she’ll be tasked with the mundane — slush-pile submissions, coffee runs, and the ilk. Understandably, Nora feels out of place and alienated amongst her new peers, but her anxieties are softened by her crush on associate editor Thomas (Joshuah Melnick), who navigates the office politics with ease. While surviving these workplace complexities, however, Nora soon comes to understand Platen publisher Mickey’s (Jake Lacy) sage advice: always know when to leave the party.

At TIFF, Weintraub spoke with Pechman about the decades’ worth of experience, plus her friends’ accounts, that went into realizing Magazine. When asked specifically about the weight behind “leaving the party,” Pechman explained:

“This was an amalgamation of a lot of different memories and things that I overheard or read. I think that the party was ending in that era. It definitely isn’t meant to be about an era of journalism that was a heyday, or of magazines that was a heyday, but that there were people holding on and trying to stay at the party the way it had always been, for better or for worse.

Obviously there are things that I miss about the world of print magazines being dominant, but as you can see from the movie, there were also parts of this culture that needed to change — and some of the people at the fictional Platen magazine holding onto those moorings should maybe leave that party.”

She goes on to discuss the philosophy that rings through to the film’s themes, how the workplace and culture have actually changed since 2011, and why McInerny’s casting was essential. Check out all of this and more on Pechman’s future projects, like The Murderous Miss Highsmith, in the video below, with time codes provided.

• 00:43 – Alexandra Pechman shares her preferred movie theater spot.
• 01:19 – What is Magazine about?
• 01:42 – Decades working in magazines and friends’ experiences inspired the film.
• 02:25 – Pechman explains why 2011 was the perfect setting for Magazine.
• 04:07 – “Know when to leave the party” reflects the changing magazine industry and outdated workplace cultures.
• 05:14 – Remote work and clearer workplace boundaries have changed the office culture depicted in the film.
• 06:16 – Casting Lily McInerny as Nora early was essential.
• 07:49 – Editor Blair McClendon’s understanding of the magazine world helped shape the film’s tone.
• 09:03 – Nostalgia for 2011 influenced the editing process.
• 09:53 – Pechman talks Whit Stillman’s filmos and discusses their influence on Magazine.
• 11:45 – Magazine explores the blurred boundaries between friendship, romance, and work.
• 13:26 – Pechman reminisces about beloved gathering places for coworkers.
• 13:52 – Pechman shares the biggest lessons learned from making her first feature.
• 15:28 – Pechman faced challenges with cutting the film’s production design and unused fictional magazine materials.
• 16:21 – Pechman reveals what she kept from set.
• 16:30 – Pechman confirms The Murderous Miss Highsmith is finished and cast, with hopes to make it in the future.

Ed Helms and Jay Baruchel on Bringing Ken Carter’s Incredible True Story to Screen

Helms also revisits The Office, and Baruchel teases the next season of Reacher.

Writer-director Michael Dowse’s (Stuber) new action comedy, The Stunt Driver, is inspired by a true story from the golden age of stunts in the 1970s. The movie reunites the filmmaker with Jay Baruchel (Goon), who stars as “The Mad Canadian,” stunt driver Ken Carter, as he prepares to pull off an impossible feat.

Even among his death-defying peers, Carter was a singular force within the stunt community. Behind the wheel, he often risked his life for epic stunts, and his career was set to culminate in a historic jump designed to send him careening across a mile-wide length of the St. Lawrence River in a rocket-powered Lincoln Continental.

At TIFF, where The Stunt Driver premiered as part of the fest’s Special Presentations category, Weintraub had the chance to sit down with Dowse, Baruchel, and Ed Helms, who plays Carter’s car designer and technician, Dick Keller. In addition to the making of, Baruchel reveals how he got involved as the lead of the sports dramedy:

“For me, it goes back sort of to like 20-some-odd years ago, and he and I started kind of becoming friends. We were building the movie Goon, and we were having conversations about like, ‘If you could do anything, what would you do?’ And Dowse told me, ‘I would love to do a scripted feature version of the documentary Devil at Your Heels,’ which is an NFB movie that I was ashamed I hadn’t seen. I watched it, fell in love with it, and knew that my friend would make an awesome movie one day, and I put that aside.

Then, across oceans of time, Dowse said, ‘I wrote a script, and I think actually it’s timed out. You’re the right age to play Carter.’ Never once did I ever think that I would be him; I was just excited to see my friend make an awesome movie. All the better that he wanted me to do it. Then I read the script, and it was sincerely better than I could have ever hoped. So much so that, like, at page 45, I texted him and lied and said I’d finished it and loved it and let’s do it. That’s how much I loved it. And then at that point on, I just became a huge Ken Carter nerd.”

In this interview, which you can watch below, the trio discusses the research that went into the film and the archival footage used, plus shooting on a mix of film and digital for the visual aesthetic, and Baruchel and Helms discuss learning about their real-life counterparts. Helms also comments on the lasting impact of The Office, and Baruchel teases the heaviest season of Reacher is still to come. Check out the full conversation, with time codes provided below.

• 00:35 – Ed Helms explains his three-year strategy to appear in as many TIFF films as possible.
• 00:58 – The Stunt Driver crew share their favorite movie theater spots.
• 01:30 – The trio answers a series of questions, like their favorite concessions, go-to karaoke songs, and more!
• 04:15 – What is The Stunt Driver about?
• 04:49 – Dowse explains how archival footage made the stunt affordable and gave the film a distinctive cinematic style.
• 06:00 – Baruchel on discovering Carter’s story, while Helms connects with Carter’s stunt culture and larger-than-life story.
• 08:16 – Dowse discusses using 16mm, 35mm, and digital formats to create the film’s visual texture and integrate archival footage.
• 09:06 – Dowse explains how the documentary crew’s presence determined the format and coverage of each scene.
• 10:26 – Baruchel explains how Carter’s bravado grew from his fear, difficult upbringing, and need to prove himself through dangerous stunts.
• 12:13 – Helms reflects on The Office‘s enduring popularity and impact.
• 14:42 – Baruchel says the upcoming season of Reacher is the show’s heaviest.

‘Paradise Lost’ Director Yeon Sang-ho Says AI Made His Sci-Fi Feel “Really Realistic”

“The reality has really caught up.”

From the director of Train to Busan, Yeon Sang-ho returns to the big screen with a modern-day exploration of trauma in his science fiction thriller Paradise Lost. The film premiered at TIFF, where the filmmaker and stars stopped by the Collider Media Studio to discuss the inspiration for and making of the movie with Weintraub.

From Yeon and co-writer Oh Seong-eun, Paradise Lost follows grieving mother Ryu (Kim Hyun-joo) after a busload of children, including her son, vanishes without a trace. In an attempt to cope with her loss, Ryu tries a new tech company’s augmented reality glasses that allow her to simulate interactions with her missing son. But when her son (Bae Hyun-sung) returns years later, Ryu faces a disturbing reality that shatters the angelic memories she’s clung to in his absence.

In this interview, Yeon discusses rapidly progressing AI technology that lies at the heart of Paradise Lost, and how reality has advanced to the point that the film is that much more frightening and poignant. He says:

“When I first came up with this idea of the film, the world hadn’t really reached the point of that technology; it was not advanced as much, so it was really difficult to imagine in a way. But as time passed, the reality has really caught up, and it became a really realistic idea, as well. So, with the film I wanted to explore the idea of this perfect paradise that was brought through the AI and the instability of human nature, and how this reflects the human identity as a whole.”

Stars Kim and Bae also share details on developing their characters and which scenes were the most emotionally challenging. Bae also talks about taking on his first leading role and what’s next for him. You can check out the full conversation in the video below, with time codes provided.

• 01:04 – What is Yeon Sang-ho’s Paradise Lost about?
• 01:45 – Yeon discusses AI technology’s growing realism and its reflection of human identity.
• 02:52 – Kim Hyun-joo explains her approach to portraying a mother torn between two children.
• 03:57 – Bae Hyun-sung is an unpredictable character who brings chaos into his mother’s life.
• 04:30 – Filming the final scene was the most emotionally difficult for Kim.
• 05:05 – Bae discusses challenging himself with a darker character in his feature leading debut.
• 05:50 – Yeon praises his collaborative crew and their shared passion for filmmaking.
• 08:15 – Kim describes the comfortable atmosphere of reuniting with Yeon.
• 08:52 – Bae discusses the excitement and anxiety of filming challenging scenes.

‘Krux’ Director on the True History That Inspired His Harrowing WWII Drama

Tony Vahl and Jella Haase also comment on fear, misinformation, and why the movie feels so relevant today.

For her debut feature film, Krux, writer and director Tony Vahl delivers a poignant look at the cost of being on the wrong side of history. The drama World premiered at TIFF this year, where Weintraub spoke with Vahl and star Jella Haase (Kleo) on the impactful story and the behind-the-scenes making of the film.

In Krux, it’s the final days of World War II, and the Soviets are making their way west through what remains of the Third Reich. Rumors of their brutality have spread among the villages, and those left behind — women, children, the elderly, and men deemed unfit for service — carry on, working toward some semblance of normalcy. But as the army draws nearer and the bodies begin to pile up around them, hysteria mounts when orders are given to leave no Germans alive for the approaching Russians.

In this interview, Vahl and Haase drop by the Collider Media Studio to discuss the real-life tragedy that inspired Vahl to make the film, finding her interpretation of the events that took place, and the dark truths she uncovered while researching for the movie. She shares the personal inspiration with Weintraub, explaining:

“It starts with my grandmother, to be honest, because she told me when I was a little child about corpses floating down the river, and this picture never let me go. Years later, I found a book from Florian Huber, who wrote 10 years ago about the suicide wave. He was the first historian, because it was taboo, since 10 years ago when people started to speak about this issue.”

Haase also shares the difficulties of portraying a character like Greta, and the pair highlight the parallels with today’s world. Vahl warns:

“The movie is about fear of the unknown and about what we believe. It’s happened in the past, but so many of the ideas inside are totally present. We have manipulation, we have fake news. It’s about the questions: What do we believe, who do we trust, and how easy is it to follow the crowd? Instead, use your own moral compass and listen to your own voice. I think that’s connected to our times, and because we can connect, it’s more emotional. It’s not that far away from us.”

Finally, Haase leaves us with a sobering thought, comparing the world to the village in the film:

“Fear is universal. Nowadays we have a feeling that a certain kind of defined or undefined danger is drawing ever closer and is really advancing, unstoppable — whether it’s named as an AI or climate change. The people in the village in that movie seem to be paralyzed, but I guess it’s what we are, as well. Because if we really would face the danger in detail, we would have to fight against it every day, whether it’s A.I., as I said, or climate change, or also the rise of fascism. I don’t think we do enough, do we? It’s easier to look at the past or to watch the past with quite some distance and blame the people, but I guess the next generation might blame us, as well.”

You can watch the full conversation in the video below, with time codes provided.

• 00:35 – Tony Vahl explains the premise of Krux and why she had to make it.
• 02:00 – Jella Haase discusses the overwhelming atmosphere of the script and the shocking opening scenes.
• 02:32 – Vahl explains finding her interpretation of the story and her devastating research through diaries of the time.
• 03:27 – Vahl and Haase discuss the film’s themes of fear and manipulation, and the parallels to the modern world.
• 08:04 – Greta’s journey from silence to questioning demonstrates the power of language.
• 08:35 – Vahl discusses the editing process, working with Nikodem Chabior, and changes made.
• 10:48 – The Krux duo reveals their favorite movie theater seats.
• 11:09 – They also answer a series of questions, from their favorite failure to their favorite movie theaters.

The True Story of How Resistance Fighters Fought the Nazis With 50,000 Fake Newspapers

“We always think about sabotaging bombs and all that stuff.”

At TIFF, the Special Presentations program offers a selection of features from leading international filmmakers. This year, Belgian writer and director Michaël R. Roskam (Bullhead, Black Bird) world-premiered his historical thriller, Le Faux Soir, at the festival, where Weintraub had the opportunity to sit and discuss the film with him and stars Arieh Worthalter (The Goldman Case) and Mara Taquin (The Specials).

Le Faux Soir is inspired by an act of heroism in Nazi-occupied Brussels in 1943. In the film, a group of resistance fighters, the Independent Front, uses the Germans’ propaganda against them by creating and distributing a spoof of the newspaper, Le Soir. This prank is anything but harmless, as those who are captured are almost guaranteed execution, and the group must work with unexpected allies to tackle setbacks and risks. Roskam explains the film’s premise:

“The film is based on a true story. It’s 1943. We’re in Belgium. The Nazis have occupied most of Europe and Belgium, as well. Le Soir, the Evening Post, is a journal, the most well-read journal of Belgium, and has been confiscated by the Nazis to be integrated in their propaganda machine, promoting fascism and all kinds of weird ideas.

At the same time, there was resistance. Resistance, we always think about sabotaging bombs and all that stuff, but there’s also something like hidden press, we call it. It’s their way of trying to inform the people with another version than the version they’re reading every day, Le Soir, which is French for evening — it’s an evening post.

So they come up with this crazy idea for the 11th of November, which is truce, but a forbidden holiday by the Nazis, of course, because they lost. So they come up with this crazy idea, ‘What if we steal back our newspaper and we tell the the people the truth about things?’ But then again, they come to another idea, and they push the idea and said, ‘What if we do it satirical and make fun at the same time?’ And they did it. They started to print their own version, and on November 9th, 1943, 50,000 fake issues of the evening post, Le Soir, were sold in Brussels, and the people were laughing, giving them hope, and optimistic about the outcome of that terrible time.”

In this interview, Roskam, Worthalter, and Taquin discuss transforming their familiar Brussels into a WWII-era set and the emotional impact of the film’s script. They talk about the surreal atmosphere with the Nazi soldiers marching through town, and how the movie highlights everyday, ordinary people who make up a resistance. Check out all of this and move in the full interview, with time codes provided below.

• 00:36 – The Le Faux Soir crew share their favorite movie theater seats.
• 01:31 – Michaël R. Roskam explains how the film tells the true story of Belgium’s underground newspaper resistance during World War II.
• 03:19 – Roskam discusses the film’s themes of freedom of speech, resistance, and the power of humor against oppression.
• 04:23 – Mara Taquin and Arieh Worthalter discuss what drew them to the story.
• 06:00 – Roskam discusses the film’s heist structure and the risks of speaking out and reflects on the importance of remembering the past.
• 08:05 – Roskam shares a story about their Nazi actors rehearsing in Brussels in pink safety vests.
• 09:53 – Worthalter recalls moments of levity and struggling to not laugh on set.
• 11:34 – Taquin reflects on seeing their familiar Brussels transformed into a World War II setting.
• 13:00 – Roskam on his editing process, seeking honest feedback, and making changes.
• 14:27 – Taquin discusses being moved by the finished film and its portrayal of ordinary people working as resistance fighters.
• 16:05 – Worthalter says the film surprised him with its emotional impact.
• 16:40 – Roskam on honoring the real-life resistance fighters with the film.

‘Kick On’ Director Reveals How They Shot Over 1,000 Setups in 22 Days

“We just really love that momentum, and that kind of energy is in the final film.”

As part of TIFF’s Midnight Madness, Australian director Nick Kozakis (Godless: The Eastfield Exorcism) took the TIFF audience on an ultraviolent night of debauchery in Kick On. While at the fest, Kozakis and the film’s stars stopped by Collider’s media studio to chat with Weintraub about the script, the horror thriller’s brutal violence, and the making of the movie.

While caring for her sick younger sister, Eden (Markella Kavenagh) is convinced by her friends to take a night off and party with them. Before their night can end, the group decides to keep things rolling by seeking out Ray (Nikolai Nikolaeff), a drug-dealing mobster’s son, whose den is located at the top of a high-rise in a dangerous Melbourne neighborhood. Here, their evening of revelry descends into a maddening paranoid spiral after one rash decision.

During their conversation with Weintraub, Kozakis, Kavenagh, Nikolaeff, and Ras-Samuel (Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes), who plays Drew in the movie, chat about their bloody, chaotic 22-day shoot, and in particular, pulling off over 1,000 setups. Kozakis reveals:

“Our schedule was so tight. We had timelines to be considerate for, so we did 21, 22 days, I think it was, of shooting, 1,536 setups, which is intense. I come from a music video background, so it’s all I know, just to keep going. The first day we shot was like 113 setups…We had two cameras. It was intense. We just really love that momentum, and that kind of energy is in the final film, as you’ve seen. Sometimes we only had the one-take wonder kind of thing.”

They also detail the wildest sequences they were the most nervous to tackle and their own wildest nights out. Don’t miss all the details from the full conversation in the video below, with time codes provided.

• 00:44 – The cast reveals their favorite movie theater seats, from the center to the back row.
• 01:11 – The Kick On team answers questions to get to know them, like what people misunderstand about their jobs to their favorite movie theaters.
• 06:19 – Nick Kozakis explains what Kick On is about and the films that inspired it.
• 07:20 – The cast explains the Australian meaning of “kick on.”
• 08:11 – The Kick On stars discuss their characters in the film and why they wanted to join the movie.
• 11:46 – They discuss the bloody set on set and the challenges of maintaining the carnage throughout the film.
• 14:51 – Filming intense action and violence on a tight schedule presented unique challenges.
• 15:33 – Kozakis reveals the film was shot in just 22 days with over 1,000 setups.
• 16:56 – The stars share their own wildest nights out.
• 18:37 – Kozakis reveals that a real-life party actually inspired Kick On.
• 20:12 – The Kick On crew divulge the scenes they were most nervous to film and why.

Don’t miss even more of Collider’s coverage of TIFF, from interviews to movie reviews!

Brandy and others are reacting after Ray J said his liver and his heart are messed up, and he still hasn’t “got it checked.”

RELATED: Awww! Internet Users Are Talkin’ About Chris Brown’s Affection For Jada Wallace Following Clip Of Them At Ray J’s Boxing Match (WATCH)

Ray J Says His Liver & Heart Are Messed Up & He Still Hasn’t “Got It Checked”

During the early hours of Monday, September 28, Ray J took to his Instagram to share a clip, apparently from one of his recent livestreams. In the clip, he explained that his liver and heart are “f****d up.”

“I just — I wake up, and I know it,” he continued. “I still don’t give a f**k. I still haven’t went and got it checked. Eventually, like, n****s is gon’ die. What else is gon’ happen? The ambulance is gon’ come, and hopefully we make it through. But if we die, n****s will be like, ‘It’s about time. We was waiting.’”

Furthermore, he captioned the clip, “W’s in the chat for #RAYHAB“

Brandy Reacts Alongside Social Media After Ray J Said His Liver & Heart Are Messed Up & He Still Hasn’t “Got It Checked”

Brandy slid in Ray J’s comment section with a few words for her brother.

“You’re fine Bro!!! I am gonna continue to help take care of you. 🩶🩶🩶♾️♾️♾️
🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽,” she wrote.

Furthermore, the reactions to Ray continued in The Shade Room’s comment section.

The Singer Recently Made Headlines Amid His Concerning Health

As The Shade Room previously reported, Ray J was admitted to the hospital in January. Subsequently, he revealed that his heart was not functioning at full capacity, and doctors allegedly told him he had months to live. By February, Raj sparked concern when footage showed him performing with a chest patch and apparent blood running from his eyes, per The Shade Room.

Despite skepticism, his team maintained his declining health, and his mom confirmed his claims. Despite all of this, Ray J has turned heads, getting knocked out in the boxing ring, expressing indifference about his participation, and even taking part in another boxing match against Orlando Brown.

RELATED: Hit It First! Ray J Wins Boxing Match Against Orlando Brown & Social Media Has Thoughts (VIDEOS)

Just two years after premiering her directorial debut, The Deb, at the Toronto International Film Festival, Rebel Wilson is back with another musical comedy. But while The Deb, which earned largely positive reviews, was adapted from a stage show, her new directorial feature, Girl Group, has an original screenplay written by Wilson. That change likely doesn’t explain the difference between the two films, but this time around, the jokes feel heavily recycled, the characters never really take shape, and the music doesn’t exactly fill in that missing spark.

Even with appreciated and gasp-worthy appearances by Melanie C from the Spice Girls and Shaznay Lewis of All Saints, there’s surprisingly little to get excited about in Girl Group. Having watched the film at its world premiere in Toronto this September, I noticed how scarce the laughter was from the audience, too. For a film built to bring the house down with comedy and a bubblegum pop style that some of us genuinely miss, the silence said plenty.

What Is ‘Girl Group’ About?

Image via Julie Edwards/Future Image/Cover Images

In addition to directing and writing Girl Group, Wilson plays Tassie Young, a former teenage pop star who left her group Gurlfriends for a solo career that never really took off. When it’s announced that the group is getting back together, Tassie feels it’s the perfect time to reconnect with the girls — but discovers from her manager Gabriella (Jennifer Coolidge) that her former bandmates have replaced her with a new singer, played by Nicole Scherzinger. Threading in a bit of stereotype, Tassie takes the news pretty hard, and a DUI soon lands her in court-ordered community service at a Los Angeles youth center run by an awkward yet encouraging mentor named Ken (Randall Park).

Ken assigns her to coach a group of young girls who want to make it in the music industry: Tyler (Chabely Ponce), Kiah (Daniela Couso), La La (Lilah Pate), Henrietta (Mia Kaplan), Bailey (Bailey Stender), and Pippin (Ana Yi Puig). While the dynamic of the group gets off to a bumpy start and the girls clash with Tassie’s style, they soon form a bond through their shared love of music. Eventually calling themselves Xplode, they enter a competition where they’re up against the Cream Team — a group that includes Bailey’s older sister Jess, played by Loren Gray. Cream Team’s mentor, Miss Candy (Jamie–Lee O’Donnell), is determined to win, especially since she has a rather dark connection to Tassie. But as the stakes get higher and Wilson’s character begins to view the girls as her ticket back to stardom, coaching the group also begins to mean deciding whether she cares more about their future or her own.

From start to finish, you can see there’s a deeply affecting story in here somewhere, especially when we watch flashbacks with Tassie’s own mentor from high school, Mrs. Bowmaker (Sally Hawkins), coming in as the maternal support she so badly needs. But Girl Group races through those relationships in pursuit of the next big gag or musical number, never taking shape into a feel-good movie reminiscent of Wilson’s previous work in Pitch Perfect. Instead, it takes that underdog story we all so easily love and struggles across its 96 minutes to make these girls feel like real people within it.

‘Girl Group’s Writing Keeps Recycling the Same Jokes

Image via TIFF 2026

Before getting into the heart of Girl Group, it’s important to know what a film like this could have meant for pop-loving viewers, young and old. As someone who grew up on the Spice Girls, All Saints, Billie Piper, Atomic Kitten, Samantha Mumba, you name it — that whole wave of British pop felt like a world you could sincerely belong to. Girl Group, in the most fun way, borrows the look of that era and its music, but never really gets at why that world meant so much to the young girls and boys who grew up with it. It skips quickly from Gurlfriends’ past to Tassie’s present, using nostalgia just to set up another underdog competition.

On top of that, Wilson’s script rarely finds its own comedic rhythm. Tassie has the outsized confidence and bad judgment of many characters that Wilson has played well before, but there’s little here that makes those qualities surprising. And the unnecessary gross-out humor is an especially telling example of a tone and writing disconnect. For a film that doesn’t exactly rely on crude humor, one joke brings Bridesmaids immediately to mind, without the buildup or character work that made that film’s outrageous moments land. Girl Group even mentions Pitch Perfect by name, drawing attention to its familiar group of unlikely singers and rivals, but as the competition gives the movie a destination, the young performers have too little room to develop distinct personalities or a bond worth rooting for.

I was also bothered by the gap between the film’s message and its jokes. It wants to celebrate girls supporting one another and resisting the music industry’s narrow expectations, yet Henrietta and even Bailey’s size becomes an easy source of humor. Sure, you can argue the film is seen through Tassie’s eyes, but those tones feel especially misguided in a story about young women trying to define themselves on their own terms. The script could have made sharper jokes about the pressure to look and act a certain way as a pop star. But instead, it falls back on the very assumptions it claims to question. By the finale, its message of empowerment barely feels earned.

‘Girl Group’s Cast Gives It a Few Bright Spots

Image via Warner Bros

With a cast packed full of singers and very funny people, Girl Group should be a good time even when the story hits some familiar notes. Thankfully, there are a few bright spots that allow it to feel that way. The young women playing the members of Xplode bring energy to the musical numbers and are genuinely fun to watch, though the script gives them little room to stand out as individuals. Scherzinger seems to enjoy playing Tassie’s replacement, who we only know as “Popstar,” even if the character is basically just a plot device who exists just to get a reaction out of Tassie. Seeing Melanie C and Lewis was a particular pleasure, but I only wish the movie had more moments that felt as exciting. While Robbie Williams’ wife and former X-Factor panelist Ayda Field shows up as a reporter, these additions simply exist for show-and-tell.

Meanwhile, Park brings an easy warmth to Ken, the youth center director; his humor feels natural in a movie where so many jokes are trying too hard. Coolidge is fun to watch here in a role that’s a bit more tempered and relied upon as the voice of reason, compared to the unfair role she’s sometimes pigeonholed into. But O’Donnell is the best as Miss Candy. The Derry Girls star throws herself brilliantly into the rival coach’s competitive streak, giving every scene she’s in that sharp comic snap that Girl Group is missing, and playing to the outrageous comedy it so badly wants to be.

Wilson works hard to keep everything afloat, but Tassie gives her little room to play. Her confidence and willingness to look foolish have served her well before, but this time around, the film repeats those beats without giving her much of a foundation. The story moves through Tassie’s setbacks so quickly that even Wilson sometimes seems unconvinced by the emotional turns it asks her to make. And while Park and O’Donnell can make individual scenes funny, neither they nor the young cast can carry a film that gives each of them so little to build on. This is what makes Girl Group so disappointing: It has the performers, the music, and a premise with room for a funny comeback story, yet its best moments are too scattered to make it worth seeking out.

By Robert Scucci
| Published 17 seconds ago

If you’re looking for the kind of edgelord comedy that your eighth-grade self would love unapologetically, look no further than 2015’s Helen Keller Vs. Nightwolves. It’s the most absurd thing you’ll find on Tubi today, and it will make you a better person for watching it. Not because you finally found out where you should draw the line when it comes to offensive humor, but in the same way that Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter does, in the sense that real historical figures are used to tell a completely ridiculous revenge story, so it should teach you no to take anything too seriously.

This one will stick with you for days, not because it’s disturbing or thematically enthralling. It will stick with you, especially if you’re artistically inclined, because it makes it very clear that all you need in life is the willpower to force yourself through whatever project you find yourself involved in, knowing full well that people like me will actively seek it out on free streaming at one point or another.

Logically, Helen Keller Vs. Nightwolves makes absolutely no sense whatsoever. The “rules” that are established aren’t even guidelines. They simply exist to be laughed at, and that’s half the fun. If you were to make a drinking game out of this one, you’d most certainly need your stomach pumped.

Does Anne Sullivan Know About This?

Helen Keller Vs. Nightwolves takes the historical figure you learned about in elementary school and asks the question absolutely nobody was asking: what if Helen Keller had to fight a pack of vicious Nightwolves? And yes, the movie commits to that premise with considerably more enthusiasm than anybody could reasonably expect.

The story follows a young Helen Keller (Jessie Wiseman), whose family is terrorized by the Nightwolves, leaving Helen without her sight or hearing. Anne Sullivan (Alanna Ubach) eventually enters the picture and teaches Helen how to communicate, putting her on the path toward eventually becoming the older Helen Keller (Lin Shaye), who has some unfinished business with the monsters responsible for ruining her life.

Barry Bostwick also shows up as Jonathan because, at this point, why the hell wouldn’t he? There’s considerably more going on, but explaining much beyond that feels almost counterproductive. You already know whether you’re willing to follow this movie wherever the hell it wants to go.

Meant To Break All The Rules

What’s most perplexing about Helen Keller Vs. Nightwolves is just how little it cares about its own lore. Helen Keller is able to interpret speech so long as she can read lips through her hands. Then suddenly she can also communicate through upside-down drinking glasses placed strategically on a table because of their vibrations. Then suddenly (again), without any rhyme or reason, Helen Keller is capable of carrying on full conversations without any of these things.

When fictional filmmaker St. James St. James (Ross Patterson) breaks the fourth wall to explain exactly what’s happening, you’ll be reminded of how much he sounds like Phil Hartman’s portrayal of Troy McClure of The Simpsons fame, but not nearly as charismatic. The biggest bummer about Helen Keller Vs. Nightwolves is the fact that it reminded me that Phil Hartman is dead, which, if I’m being entirely honest here, really bummed me out.

As much as St. James St. James’ participation in Helen Keller Vs. Nightwolves bummed me out, I was reminded of how magical it is to be alive, for being alive’s sake. This is not a good movie. It’s the cinematic equivalent of your best friend from middle school never growing up and trying to be as offensive as possible whenever they get the opportunity to.

The unhinged humor found in this film outweighs the cringe factor, though, for reasons that I still cannot reasonably articulate, which makes Helen Keller Vs. Nightwolves worth your time if you’re just looking for a little over an hour to kill and don’t care how the means justify the ends.

As of this writing, you can stream Helen Keller Vs. Nightwolves for free on Tubi.

HELEN KELLER VS. NIGHTWOLVES SCORE