The Sanderson Sisters return in Hocus Pocus 2, teaser trailer released
The Hocus Pocus producer, Adam Shankman, announced that Hocus Pocus 2 will be available to stream on Disney+ in the fall, along with the Hocus Pocus 2 trailer and the creation of an official Hocus Pocus Disney Instagram page on Tuesday.
Roanoke moviemaker shoots short film in and around the Star City
ROANOKE, Va. – The Star City isn’t necessarily known for movie stars, but an aspiring filmmaker from Roanoke decided to capture his hometown on camera. Michael Fleming directed the short thriller film “Parallax,” which premiered at the Grandin Theatre earlier this month. Fleming shot the nine-minute film on a $300 budget in the Roanoke area, mostly at the Shell gas station on Electric Road near Tanglewood Mall. This was Fleming’s first film, and he is now submitting his movie to several film festivals. “You don’t see very many films being made in Roanoke, even short films,” Fleming said.
New this week: 'Soul,' a Tom Hanks film & 'Bridgerton' on TV
This image released by Disney-Pixar shows the character 22, voiced by Tina Fey, left, and Joe Gardner, voiced by Jamie Foxx, in a scene from the animated film "Soul." But with more than half of U.S. theaters closed, two of the biggest movies of the year — “Soul” and “Wonder Woman 1984” — will be going straight to streaming. — Also arriving Christmas Day is “Wonder Woman 1984,” Patty Jenkins' sequel to her barrier-breaking 2017 film. With Gal Gadot returning, “Wonder Woman 1984” fast-forwards from 1918 to the “greed is good” decade. — AP Entertainment Writer Mark Kennedy___Catch up on AP’s entertainment coverage here: https://apnews.com/apf-entertainment.
Hallmark premieres its first LGBTQ holiday movie with a gay lead couple
The Hallmark Channel is known for its cheesy but heartwarming Christmas movies. This year, the channel decided to diversify its casts by featuring its first openly gay lead couple. “I’m proud of everyone at Hallmark Channel for making the holiday table bigger and more welcoming and warmer this year,” Bennett told NBC News. The Hallmark Channel vowed in July to put more LGBTQ representation in its content following criticism that the movies lacked diversity. Back in August, the channel showed its first same-sex wedding in the movie “Wedding Every Weekend.”“The Christmas House” premiered on Nov. 22.
AMC allowing movie lovers to rent a theatre all to yourself
Starting at $99, movie lovers can rent out a whole auditorium at AMC Theatres to watch a movie. Anyone who wants to rent out a theatre can go to AMC’s website and fill out an online request form. In the form, you need to specify what movie you’d like to watch, the date you want to go and what AMC location you want to rent from. Prices vary from what movie you’d like to watch. Some of the available movies cost between $149-$349, excluding class, but most movies cost $99.
Director brings Lifetime movie shoot back to his hometown of Roanoke
ROANOKE, Va. – The streets of Roanoke are a backdrop for a made-for-TV movie and one local native has the vision for it all. On Friday night, film crews shot at the Wells Fargo Tower Plaza for a movie that will air on Lifetime. “The Weekend” is a thriller about a young black woman abducted for her organs to be sold on the black market. Director Dylan Vox is a 2000 graduate of Roanoke County’s Cave Spring High School. This is his second movie shot in the Star City, and he said he’s proud to show off his hometown.
Freeform’s ‘31 Nights of Halloween’ schedule is out, and it’s about to be spook-tacular
The best part about Halloween might be dressing up in a silly costume and loading up on pounds of your favorite candy, but for some, it’s all about watching endless hours of Halloween movies. That’s why Freeform is the hottest channel to visit during the month of October, because it has its annual “31 Nights of Halloween," and the network finally released its schedule of movies. The month-long marathon kicks off with the unofficial best Halloween movie ever created, “Hocus Pocus,” which stars Bette Midler, Kathy Najimy and Sarah Jessica Parker. Even though the film came out almost 30 years ago, millennials everywhere have given it a second life due to the nostalgia factor. Other classic Halloween films you’ll be able to watch include both “Addams Family” movies, “Beetlejuice,” “Ghostbusters” and “Casper.”Freeform didn’t forget about the kids.
What to watch this weekend: ‘Pen15,’ ‘Ratched’ and more
Thinking that you’ve dried up the old Netflix cue when it comes to new shows and movies to watch? Here are a few suggestions if you’re looking for something new to watch this weekend. It kind of resembles another Netflix competition show, “Nailed It," in which amateur bakers are encouraged to just do their best. ‘Great British Baking Show’The tent is back, the tent is back! ‘American Barbecue Showdown’If you’re a fan of “Great British Baking Show,” then “American Barbecue Showdown” will be right up your alley.
‘Hocus Pocus’ coming to Christiansburg’s drive-in theater
CHRISTIANSBURG, Va. – The Sanderson Sisters are returning to the big screen! The 1993 Halloween-classic film will be playing at Christiansburg’s Starlite Drive-In Theater on Oct. 2 and 3. There will be one showing each night at 8:30 p.m.Gates open at 6:45 p.m. If you can’t make it out either night, don’t be too bummed. If you have Disney+ you can watch the 96-minute film wherever you are.
Dirty Dancing sequel with Jennifer Grey confirmed by Lionsgate CEO
Fans of “Dirty Dancing” are in for a treat. Lionsgate CEO Jon Feltheimer confirmed there will be a new “Dirty Dancing” movie starring Jennifer Grey, who played Baby in the 1987 original, Deadline reported. Grey is also executive producing the movie, according to Deadline. Officials haven’t said yet when the new “Dirty Dancing” movie will premiere. Parts of the original “Dirty Dancing” were filmed at Mountain Lake Lodge in Giles County.
Walmart transforming 160 parking lots into drive-in movie theaters
ROANOKE, Va. – Imaging enjoying your popcorn while watching a movie on the big screen... in a Walmart parking lot. Walmart is transforming 160 of its store parking lots into contact-free drive-in movie theaters where people can safely gather to watch movies. Walmart is partnering with Tribeca Drive-in to make this happen. Starting in August, the drive-in tour will run through October. The company plans to make more information available at https://walmartdrive-in.com/ as the date approaches.
What you need to know before streaming ‘Hamilton’ on Disney+ over the weekend
Since there’s likely to be a good chunk of people who will watch “Hamilton” over the weekend who’ve probably never seen it before, here is a quick rundown of what you need to know before experiencing the phenomenon. The “Hamilton” on Disney+ is a filmed version of the show, not a movie. It’s easy to call the version of “Hamilton” coming out on Disney+ a movie, but technically, it’s the stage version, filmed. An actual movie version of “Hamilton” will probably happen eventually, but this is a great way to really capture the magic of the stage version of the show. And because the people at Disney are incredibly smart, free trials of the streaming service have ended, so if you want to watch, you’re going to have to sign up.
Do you have what it takes? Submit a short film to the Black Life Film Fest
Now more than ever it’s so important to lift up and amplify black artists and creators, which is why a new film festival was created to do just that. The inaugural Black Life Film Fest will take place Sept. 5, and luckily for people who are interested in watching the selected films, the film festival will happen virtually, from the comfort of your home. Swirl Films and Mansa Productions are producing the festival, and the people there are asking for short film submissions that fit any kind of category. From documentaries and comedies to drama or animation -- as long as the film shows the black experience, it is eligible for submission. To find out more information about how you can submit your short film, or just general details pertaining to the new festival, you can visit the website here.
Watch Frozen II at Salem Civic Center lot turned drive-in theater
SALEM, Va. A parking lot behind the Salem Civic Center will transform into a drive-in movie theater on Friday night. The Salem Parks and Recreation Department is hosting Frozen II.Gates open at 7:30 p.m. and the move will begin at dusk, around 9 p.m. Admission is free and the parking lot is limited to 50% capacity. Cars will face the entrance of Salem Memorial Ballpark, lined up in every other parking spot to ensure proper social distancing. Organizers ask guests to practice common sense social distancing and wear face coverings when theyre outside of their vehicles.
These movies, shows and documentaries about race should be required viewing
Netflix‘13th’Directed by Ava DuVernay (she’ll come up again in this list), the documentary shows you how America changed after the 13th Amendment, which abolished slavery, but also kickstarted the prison boom in America. ‘Moonlight’This Oscar-winning picture tells the story of a young black gay man living in Miami. chronicles the Central Park Five, a group of young black teenagers who were wrongfully convicted of a crime they didn’t commit. The documentary tells the story of the days of protests, unrest and riots that followed. It’s a great film that shows how two different groups of people can react to fatal police shootings.
Local movie theater to hold weekly drive-in movies
LYNCHBURG, Va. Venue Cinemas in Lynchburg will soon hold weekly drive-in movies in their parking lot. According to their Facebook, they are still working out some of the details. They say as of now, they plan to show movies Fridays and Saturdays. Depending on the response they could add more days.
You should revisit these 11 movie franchises while quarantined
Luckily for us, there are tons of films that have gone on to become major movie franchises, with sequel after sequel bringing back some of the most beloved characters of all time. So, if you want to take a break from binging “The Office” for the 10th time and want to dig in to some classics, consider watching these movie franchises from front to back. ‘Star Wars’Writer and director George Lucas created a movie about a team of rebels fighting evil in a galaxy far, far away, and it’s gone on to become one of the most influential movie franchises of all time. ‘Toy Story’A lot of the movie franchises are for teens and adults, but the “Toy Story” movies are great because the entire family can enjoy them. ‘Marvel’Anyone who has gone to see a Marvel movie knows that there are a ton of them.
Finished ‘Tiger King’? 5 over-the-top things to watch next
Will anything ever compare to the antics of Joe Exotic, Doc Antle or Carole Baskin, of “Tiger King” fame? But we have to assume you’ve finished the show by now, which leads us to this next question: What will you watch next? The following five recommendations seem to be just as crazy as “Tiger King” -- not necessarily the same brand of crazy, but on par when it comes to unbelievability, like, “How can this possibly be real?”(OK, and from the sounds of it, No. 5 miiiiight be the same genre as “Tiger King.”)Anyway, to compile this list, we asked around and brainstormed ourselves. I’ll never get those two hours back.”Those weren’t exactly ringing endorsements, but we thought it was worth a mention.
What to watch on Netflix with your kids: 7 fresh ideas
We asked around for some of the best parent-endorsed picks when it comes to Netflix offerings. So, not only are you providing good entertainment for your kids, but you’re instilling a love of classic rock, as well. Although this one isn’t new or new to Netflix, we were surprised just how many parents hadn’t seen this one yet. "Masha and the Bear""My kids think this is the funniest show ever," one father of three said. I’m not suggesting you plop your kids down in front of a screen all day -- or even every day.
You can watch these new movies from the comfort of your couch
Thanks to the power of video on demand with streaming services Amazon Prime and Apple TV, most of the movies that planned on hitting theaters during this time are now available to watch from the comfort of your own couch. The movie tells a story of a modern world run by mythical creatures who use magic to do amazing things. ‘Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker’The final installment of the “Star Wars” movies already hit theaters around the holidays, but it’s now available to buy digitally so you can watch it at home. Since the rest of the “Star Wars” movies are on Disney+, we wouldn’t be surprised to see it pop up there soon. It’s a psychological thriller that probably isn’t for everyone, but it is available to purchase and watch at home.
Oscars 2020: Pick your winners!
Awards season is in full swing as the 92nd annual Academy Awards take place this weekend. Leading with the most Oscar nominations is “Joker,” with 11 nominations in total. “The Irishman,” “1917” and “Once Upon a Time...in Hollywood” each received 10 nominations. What or who do you think will win? Let us know what you think in the comments or by voting in the polls below.
These 7 Disney villain deaths are oddly the most satisfying and savage of all time
We’re going over seven Disney villain deaths that we think are the worst, and we want you to choose which one you think tops them all. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs - 1937 (Walt Disney Animation Studios)1. The Little Mermaid - 1989 (Walt Disney Animation Studios)2. The Hunchback of Notre Dame - 1996 (Walt Disney Animation Studios)3. RELATED: Take your love for Disney villains on the goWe took care of the hard part.
Movies to see (or not) this July 4th
The pursuit of happiness is right there in the Declaration of Independence. So on this Independence Day has our critic David Edelstein found happiness at the movies? He reports on the latest offerings, including "Independence Day: Resurgence," "Free State of Jones," "The Legend of Tarzan" and "The BFG."
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