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JORDAN PEELE

20 Black filmmakers who have changed Hollywood in the last century

These films used Black stereotypes about poverty and drug abuse to put Black actors at the center of the action. While Black filmmakers are more prevalent and celebrated in Hollywood in the 21st century, there's still a lot of work to be done. The meta-documentary, as it has come to be called, featured a documentary, a documentary about a documentary and a documentary that documented a documentary about a documentary. Parks became Hollywood's first major Black director, bringing the iconic "Shaft" to theaters in 1971. "Get Out" was nominated for four Oscars, including best picture, best director, best actor and best screenplay.

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John Boyega isn't going to 'take the money and shush'

This year, Boyega has made it clear he doesn't feel that way, that he isn’t going to bite his tongue. The five-film series is playing on the BBC in the U.K. and on Amazon Prime in the U.S.; “Red, White and Blue” will debut Dec. 4 on Amazon. In the true story, Boyega plays Leroy Logan, an aspiring research scientist who gives up the lab to join the overwhelmingly white London police force in the 1980s. “Red, White and Blue” puts Boyega front and center and wrestles with many of the social issues -- race, change, belonging -- that he is grappling with, too. Since Boyega’s comments about “Star Wars,” he’s received a supportive phone call from producer Kathleen Kennedy that Boyega has described as frank and transparent.

Second City comedy theater for sale, 2nd time in 60 years

CHICAGO – Chicago’s Second City comedy theater — where performers including Bill Murray, Steve Carell and Jordan Peele honed their skills — has been put up for sale. In a statement released Tuesday, co-owner Andrew Alexander said a sale presents the opportunity for Second City to succeed well into the future. Privately held throughout its 61-year history, Second City suspended all its shows and classes in early March until further notice due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Second City is co-owned by Alexander and D’Arcy Stuart, although its president, Steve Johnston, also has a small equity share. The theater was sold once before in the years after Bernie Sahlins, Howard Alk and Paul Sills launched the comedy theater in 1959.

Shock, grief, and gratitude after death of Chadwick Boseman

God bless Chadwick Boseman. Denzel Washington, via a statement. During the premiere party for Black Panther, Chadwick reminded me of something. My friend and fellow Bison Chadwick Boseman was brilliant, kind, learned, and humble. We are devastated by the tragic loss of Chadwick Boseman. From Black Panther to Da 5 Bloods, Chadwick Boseman brought strength and light to the screen, every time. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, via Twitter.

'The Hunt' pits Red vs Blue in a violent, bipartisan farce

This image released by Universal Pictures shows Betty Gilpin in a scene from "The Hunt." (Patti Perret/Universal Pictures via AP)NEW YORK, N.Y. – Last fall, the violent satire “The Hunt” became ensnarled by some of the very politics it so playfully parodies. Universal Pictures pulled “The Hunt” from release after a series of deadly shootings and wave of right-wing criticism, including from President Trump. It’s a heightened, bipartisan farce that puts the red-vs-blue vitriol of social media into a bloody action-movie blender. “We were living through a version of what happens in ‘The Hunt,’ in a way,” says Zobel.

The original movies of 2019 that won at Disney-dominated box office

Original movies, like Jordan Peele's "Us" and Quentin Tarantino's "Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood," pulled in big money at the domestic box office. The top 10 highest domestic-grossing original movies in 2019 out-earned the top 10 in 2018 by roughly $50 million. Original movies have to be really goodWithout the built-in marketing of a sequel, or a larger character universe, word of mouth is incredibly important for original movies. A-list Hollywood stars still sellThe top 10 domestic-selling original movies of 2019 are riddled with stars. Streaming is loaded with original content, so if original movies want to peacock, they need to be brighter than ever.

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Fake videos could be the next big problem in the 2020 elections

"Deepfake" videos could be an even bigger problem in 2020. Experts warn that deepfakes can weaponize false information and, because of the ease of creating fake content, videos can be made and distributed promptly, allowing fake videos to reach millions in seconds. 2020 electionsPaul Barrett, adjunct professor of law at New York University, explained that there are two ways deepfake videos could affect elections. Domestic disinformationIt currently is not a federal crime in the U.S. to create fake videos. In response, Facebook and Microsoft promised to collaborate with top universities across the country and create a large database of fake videos to study detection methods.

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