deerstalker
https://www.themarysue.com/one-battle-after-another-leonardo-dicaprio-trailer/
Leonardo DiCaprio is in the new Paul Thomas Anderson film One Battle After Another. The film is loosely based on the 1990 novel Vineland from Thomas Pynchon. Vineland makes a point about Ronald Reagan and is a story about a political life. Keep this in mind.
The trailer dropped today and gave us a bit more insight into Anderson’s take on the story. From the trailer, it is very clearly about a “rebellion” and pushing back on the government. They say as much in the trailer. So if you weren’t aware of what the novel was about, the trailer clues you in. Still, let us go on.
Leonardo DiCaprio is in the new Paul Thomas Anderson film One Battle After Another. The film is loosely based on the 1990 novel Vineland from Thomas Pynchon. Vineland makes a point about Ronald Reagan and is a story about a political life. Keep this in mind.
The trailer dropped today and gave us a bit more insight into Anderson’s take on the story. From the trailer, it is very clearly about a “rebellion” and pushing back on the government. They say as much in the trailer. So if you weren’t aware of what the novel was about, the trailer clues you in. Still, let us go on.
In episode six of Daredevil: Born Again, after waiting five whole episodes, Matt Murdock puts on the Daredevil costume again at long last. And he has very good reason to do so. Here’s what happened in the sixth episode of Born Again, “Excessive Force.”
The Serial Killer/Artist Muse Takes Another Victim
We open with more BB Reports, with candid interviews with a New York graffiti artist, who talks about getting a bad rap in the wake of Muse’s art all over the city’s buildings. Another guy talks about how a friend of his caught a new vigilante saving people using a sword, earning him the nickname “the Swordsman.” Marvel Comics fans may know that back in the ‘70s, there was an Avenger named the Swordsman, who actually married Guardians of the Galaxy’s Mantis. (Don’t hold your breath for that to happen in the MCU.) More on him later. Near a rundown part of the docks, a sanitation worker finds the body of a young man with his eyes gouged out, with blood dripping out of each socket, as if painted on. The latest “masterpiece” from the graffiti artist/masked serial killer called Muse.
Matt Murdock, Still a Good Catholic Boy
In his apartment, Matt prays while holding Foggy’s funeral card, dwelling on his recent losses. Not only is he thinking of Foggy, but also Hector Ayala. He also thinks about how good it felt to put on a mask and kick some bad guy ass, and you can’t help but wonder if he’s really asking God’s help in keeping his promise to not return to being Daredevil. Heather Glenn (Margarita Levieva) seems genuinely surprised Matt still prays, and he tells her that while he’s given it up before, he always comes back to his Catholic faith. She tells him she’s working on a new book, exploring the psychology of vigilantes. She tries to get Matt’s insights on it, as he knows the Punisher and Daredevil. (One of those he knows extremely well.) For obvious reasons, Matt doesn’t seem too keen on the whole thing.
Mayor Fisk’s Criminal Past Keeps Coming Back to Bite Him
At the mayor’s office, Wilson Fisk (Vincent D’Onofrio) has an “unscheduled visitor,” and it’s Luca (Patrick Murney), head of one of the five families. He isn’t happy having to pay $1.8 million to a rival mafia family, especially as he never got the diamond from the bank robbery in the previous episode. All of this is to pay restitution for the killing at Red Hook, and Fisk reminds him he must follow orders. Luca tells Fisk he can “shove that 1.8 up his ass.” Fisk informs him that 1.8 has now turned into 2.8 million. The 1.8 goes to fellow mafia boss Victor, and the rest goes to him directly. Luca spits out “You’re out of the game, old man. Stay out of it.” This clearly gets very under Wilson’s skin big time, and he’s ready to pop. The mayor is giving way to the mob boss inside of him.
The next morning, a New York City sanitation worker who has been tasked with getting rid of Muse’s various murals around the city, reveals that after a chemical analysis, he discovered that the paint was so stubborn to come off because it’s made partially from human blood. Fisk now realizes there’s a serial killer at large, and he has to be the one to take care of it. He adamantly doesn’t want the police to reveal there’s a killer on the loose, mainly because it makes him look bad. Even though alerting the public could literally save lives. Once again, Fisk is only thinking of himself and how he looks.
White Tiger’s Niece Calls Matt Out (And She’s Right)
At Murdock & McDuffie, Hector Ayala’s niece Angela (Camila Rodriguez) comes to see Matt. Angela informs Matt that her uncle was investigating missing people, and died before he could find them. She tells Matt someone needs to finish her uncle’s investigation. She’s pieced together that the missing vanished near the old Q Line, which was shut down years earlier. Matt says he’s just a lawyer, she needs to go to the police for help. Angela reminds him that cops killed her uncle, and she’s never going to them for help. When Matt asks “What do you want me to do about it?” Angela retorts with “How about literally anything?” She leaves Matt’s office, realizing she’s on her own. This is one more punch in the gut for Matt, who knows that as Daredevil, he absolutely can do something about it, but has chosen not to.
Muse Takes Two More Victims
Police Chief Gallo informs Mayor Fisk that the DNA profiles show that Muse’s paint involves at least 60 different victims. This constitutes a major failure on the part of the mayor’s office, and his promise to keep the city safe. That night, two female fans approach Muse as he paints another mural, and he attacks and kills both women. Gouging their eyes out, he leaves their bodies for the police to find. Knowing that his “art” has caught the attention of the authorities, he’s flaunting it now.
Daredevil: Born Again’s Mini-Hawkeye Crossover
Wilson informs Vanessa (Ayelet Zurer) that Luca came to visit him in his office, showing him disrespect. The whole thing is an emasculating reminder that his wife was better at being a criminal Kingpin than he ever was. Later, at a fundraising gala, Fisk meets with many of the old money families of New York, whom he needs for their financial support for his redevelopment plans. Among the attendees is Jack Duquesne (Tony Dalton), who Marvel fans might remember from Hawkeye. He was Kate Bishop’s mother’s rich boyfriend, who put his sword fighting skills to good use in that series’ final episode. Now we know since the events of that series, he’s continued being a vigilante, as properly become the Swordsman. He makes vague threats to Fisk at the party, suggesting that without the elites and their money, he’s nothing. Another blow to Wilson’s fragile ego.
Matt Murdock Learns About New York’s New Serial Killer
Cherry the P.I. (Clark Johnson) visits Matt in his office, and tells him that although it’s not public knowledge yet, there’s a new serial killer in the city. In fact, it’s a murderer with as many as 60 victims. Cherry tries to beg Matt to let this one go, and let the police handle it. But Matt knows he can’t sit idly by while innocents are dying. That same night, at the mayor’s party, Daniel Blake (Michael Gandolfini) pulls Fisk aside and shows him the bodies of the two new Muse victims. Muse left them right under one of his art pieces, taunting the police, who he now knows are on to him.
Mayor Fisk Creates His Own Private Militia
In the mayor’s office, Police Chief Gallo (Michael Gaston) begs Fisk for more officers to take down Muse. Instead, Fisk tells him he’s to put together a special task force, made of cops hand selected by him. The chief realizes that every cop in this task force that Wilson wants is corrupt. Or at the very least, has had major discipline issues. Fisk offers to oversee this task force personally, and the next morning, he meets with them. He tells them all they are now founding members of his anti-vigilante task force, and “this city is yours.” He riles them up, essentially giving them impunity to act outside the law to find Muse.
The Devil of Hell’s Kitchen Returns at Last
At the old train tracks, Angela goes searching for the killer, not even realizing it’s Muse. As Matt does research on the abandoned train tracks online, Angela’s aunt call him. She tells him that Angela has gone missing, and not knowing where else to turn. Matt struggles with what to do next, and calls 911…before hanging up the phone and saying “F*** it.” He gets the Daredevil costume out at last, and heads to the train tracks where Angela went missing. Muse has already caught her, and takes her unconscious body to his lair. He lays her out on a table, and we see the hanging bodies of several of his other victims
Daredevil vs. Muse (Round 1?)
He begins to drain Angela of blood. Not long after, Muse hears something approaching, and we see Daredevil come out of the shadows and beat the crap out of him. Still, Matt is a little rusty at the vigilante game, and Muse holds his own. Whoever this serial killer really is, he’s clearly well-trained in fighting, if he can keep up with Daredevil. This fight happens while Angela is being slowly bled to death. Matt finally chokes Muse long enough for him to pass out, just as Angela’s heart stops. He chooses to revive Angela and lets Muse get away, despite knowing that Muse will kill others now that he’s escaped. But he can’t allow himself to let Angela die.
Fisk Pummels His Prisoner, Reverting to Type
Fisk goes down to his basement where he has Vanessa’s lover Adam locked up. He comes down with an ax, giving us serious Jack Torrance in The Shining vibes. Wilson says that he thinks Vanessa would want him to let Adam go, but he doesn’t think he can. He throws Adam the ax, giving him a chance to defend himself. In a rage, Adam attacks Fisk with the ax, but the mayor easily overpowers him. Fisk throws Adam around the room, and pummels him, right in front of his beloved painting “Rabbit in a Snowstorm.” Fisk begins screaming “Mine!!” Which we assume is a reference to Vanessa. At the same time, a few miles apart, both Fisk and Murdock give in to their true selves. Fisk is a brutal, territorial animal, and Matt is the heroic yet perpetually rage-filled man.
What happens now that Daredevil is back on the city streets? Will Fisk blow another gasket? And will Daredevil catch Muse and stop more murders? We’ll find out as Daredevil: Born Again continues its first season.
The post DAREDEVIL: BORN AGAIN Season 1, Episode 6 Recap, New Revelations from “Excessive Force” appeared first on Nerdist.
The Woman in the Yard is an upcoming Blumhouse horror film directed by Jaume Collet-Serra and written by Sam Stefanak. The film follows Ramona (Danielle Deadwyler), a grieving mother recovering from a devastating car accident that killed her husband (Russell Hornsby). As she and her children try to rebuild their lives in a rural farmhouse, a mysterious woman dressed in black (Okwui Okpokwasili) begins appearing in their yard, slowly encroaching on their home with seemingly sinister intentions.
Black Girl Nerds had the opportunity to visit the set of The Woman in the Yard and chat with actor Russell Hornsby along with a small group of journalists with an inside look of what his character has to offer and how his role impacts Ramona’s journey throughout this film.
In the story of The Woman in the Yard, we learn that Ramona is dealing with the post-traumatic stress of a recent accident she was in involving her husband, played by Hornsby. Ramona survives the accident but is paralyzed; tragically her husband does not. During our interview with Hornsby, we can only assume what we do learn or know of his character is through flashbacks inserted throughout the film.
Marriages can be complicated and the question is what kind of relationship does Ramona have with her husband? Hornsby says, “I think with any marriage or any relationship it starts off with good intentions. Love is there. My feeling is, having been married for almost 17 years, problems start when the kids come.” He laughs.
Ramona’s kids are the anchors to her story as she’s dealing with the aftermath of this incident. She has two children. Peyton Jackson plays Taylor, her 14-year old son, and Estella Kahiha plays Annie, her six-year-old daughter. As the family grieves and tries to move on, they become increasingly threatened by the eerie presence of a mysterious woman in their yard.
According to Hornsby, he also describes how David and Ramona have different goals when it comes to what their wants and needs are out of life. “Both Ramona and David had their collective dream and their individual dream. Ramona being an artist of sorts and doing her thing, and David being this architect. Seemingly we see that David’s dream has been fulfilled, and Ramona is somewhat deferred. And it’s obviously, seemingly not panning out,” he says.
Hornsby further describes Danielle Deadwyler’s character Ramona as someone “not being fulfilled,” despite moving out to the country and living in a place that is seemingly peaceful. When we meet his character he comes with a “bottle of frustration,” which indicates a pattern of Ramona carrying this sense of feeling unsatisfied and unfulfilled even during her marriage to David. And although David feels he has been a true partner and has been there to help, he says that Ramona “feels differently.”
When it came to the production of the Universal Pictures film The Woman in the Yard and specifically the script, for Russell Hornsby, what reeled him in to this project was the opportunity to work with Danielle Deadwyler and producer Stephanie Allain. Danielle Deadwyler has had a stellar career these past few years with projects in films such as The Piano Lesson, 40 Acres, and Till, and Stephanie Allain is notable producer who worked on Hustle & Flow, Exhibiting Forgiveness, and another Blumhouse horror flick The Exorcist: Believer.
“I thought it was a great script for Danielle. I think that she is an actor of the first order. Exceedingly talented, very bright, what I like to call an actor’s actor. Obviously, Stephanie having her history with being a producer of some wonderful and iconic films, historically and I just wanted to be a part of it and lend my talents however I could. As I said to them when we got on the Zoom, “You had me from hello.” And it was really just that, as with the opportunity to work with both these women and and I had been really appreciating and respecting Danielle’s work from afar, and just really been a fan of hers,” Hornsby says.
This is Russell Hornsby’s first Blumhouse production and he’s happy to be a part of the family. He recalled a scene that takes place at a restaurant, which made this experience one of the most memorable and unique productions he’s worked on, when he was instructed by director Jaume Collet-Serra to do a few pages of dialogue. But instead of reading it off of the page, Jaume told Russell to “play.” Both Hornsby and Deadwyler improvised their scene, and he recalled that moment as being “special.”
Although Hornsby didn’t read any specific horror books to prep for this role when asked while shooting if there were any books that fit tonally with this film, he compared it with Stephen King’s Misery. “The idea of being trapped, that’s what comes up in my head,” he adds. He also says Alice in Wonderland and The Wizard of Oz. Adding in the concept of what’s down is up and what’s up is down. And the fact that… we’re not in Kansas anymore.
The Woman in the Yard premieres in theaters March 28, 2025.
This interview was edited and condensed for clarity.
The post Inside ‘The Woman in the Yard’: Russell Hornsby’s Role Revealed appeared first on Black Girl Nerds.