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You don’t have to be in the Oval Office to continue leading! Former President Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama have won an Academy Award for the film American Factory according to Variety.

American Factory is the first project that was developed under the Obamas’ production company, Higher Ground. The movie won the Academy Award for best documentary feature. It was the first film in collaboration with streaming giant Netflix.

The project was completed by filmmakers Steven Bognar, Julia Eichert, and Jeff Eichert and it followed the story of an Ohio factory after it was reopened by a Chinese billionaire.

The Obamas congratulated the team via both of their Twitter accounts after the announcement of the award.

Congrats to Julia and Steven, the filmmakers behind American Factory, for telling such a complex, moving story about the very human consequences of wrenching economic change. Glad to see two talented and downright good people take home the Oscar for Higher Ground’s first release. https://t.co/W4AZ68iWoY

— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) February 10, 2020

Congrats to Julia, Steven, and the whole crew on winning Best Documentary for #AmericanFactory, Higher Ground’s first release! So glad to see their heart and honesty recognized—because the best stories are rarely tidy or perfect. But that’s where the truth so often lies. https://t.co/qtdNEw9H3f

— Michelle Obama (@MichelleObama) February 10, 2020

Participant Media was also a producer on the film. Participant CEO David Linde said in a statement, “We are deeply humbled and grateful to the Academy for this exciting honor. At Participant, we believe that storytelling has the ever-important opportunity to spark positive social change in our world today. We are incredibly proud of American Factory, and congratulate Steve, Julia, Jeff and our friends and colleagues at Netflix and Higher Ground for helping us shed light on these important issues worldwide and here at home.”

Back in 2018, Netflix announced it had made an exclusive multiyear deal with the Obamas to produce films and other projects for the media giant.

Source: Gilbert Carrasquillo / Getty

People feel strongly about Jeannie Mai and Jeezy as a couple. People really love them together or would rather not see them out and about. That’s par for the course when it comes to celebrity couples. But recently their race—or more specifically Jeannie’s race has made the commentary about their union even more interesting.

Recently on “The Real,” Jeannie Mai shared some of the more hurtful things people have said about the two of them together during New York Fashion Week.

“When Jeezy and I were in Fashion Week just recently and there were pictures posted, I saw in the comments on other blogs, a couple times of like, ‘Don’t be catching that Corona, Jeezy.’ or ‘She got that Corona that latched him in.’ And that’s so hurtful because there are people that are actually dying from this. And I actually heard that there are schools that are considering to quarantine Asian kids because they just want to keep it safe. This is real life out there. So, I just want to say this, ‘We know that misinformation coupled with fear leads to xenophobia. And xenophobia is a deep-rooted fear against foreigners. So we just got to do better and know that when it comes to yourself, educate yourself so that you don’t give life to fears and misunderstandings.”

Since the announcement of the virus, we might have come across various jokes on our timelines but the real-world, real-life implications of those “jokes” are harmful. The notion of quarantining Asian communities is not a new one in this country. The U.S. did this to the Japanese-American community during Pearl Harbor– the attack that set off World War II. We don’t need to repeat that ugly history. And Black people, who love a joke—but have also been the greatest victims of oppression, worldwide, should be more considerate and conscious.

Although the so-called “Dark Universe” reboot of the classic monsters might be dead as a shared universe concept, Universal isn’t dropping development on individual films based on their iconic creature features. One of the proposed films from the Dark Universe was a remake of The Bride of Frankenstein, starring Angelina Jolie in the title role. The film never came to pass, and seemed to die on the vine. But according to a report coming from Variety, there just might be some undead life in this film yet.

Universal Pictures

According to the report, producer Amy Pascal, who recently left Sony and moved over to Universal last year, is championing the Bride of Frankenstein remake as one of her first projects. Jurassic Park and Spider-Man screenwriter David Koepp is someone she has approached about writing the script, and she has also seemingly tried to enlist Sam Raimi to direct. But it seems Marvel Studios snagged Raimi for Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness first. The original director for Bride was said to be Bill Condon, who was making Beauty and the Beast at the time. He has since moved on to direct other projects.

But what about Angelina Jolie? According to the report, she’s still interested in the role. But the big difference between the old Dark Universe and the newer remakes is that they seem to be going for a much lower budget this time around. The upcoming Invisible Man starring Elizabeth Moss is being made on a shoestring budget, for only $7 million. This almost guarantees a profit for the studio. But how do you get an A-list actor like Angelina Jolie to star in a low-budget horror movie? It’s not impossible, but it seems unlikely given her Oscar winner status.

Universal Pictures

Whether or not Jolie does star in the upcoming film, in the case of the Bride, Universal should definitely lean into the classic look from the 1936 movie by James Whale. Although Elsa Lanchester only appeared on-screen for a handful of minutes towards the very end of the film, her face became instantly iconic. Over eight decades later, the skunk striped hairdo and the flowing white gown have been the subject of Halloween decorations and costumes, along with some incredible cosplay. You get Jolie or another well-known actress in that look for your marketing, and you possibly have a Maleficent-sized hit on your hands.

The Bride of Frankenstein isn’t the only classic Universal Studios Monster that they are looking to find new life in. In addition to the upcoming remake of The Invisible Man, a Dark Army film is also in the works, with Paul Feig attached to direct. The film will reportedly feature several characters from the Universal Monsters library. So this could be something akin to a modern version of The Monster Squad. Given their iconic status at the studio, it is wise for Universal to try to find some way to make those concepts work in a modern context. Hopefully with this new approach, Frankenstein’s bride will then finally come alive again at last.

Featured Image: Universal Pictures

The post BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN Remake May Have Found New Life appeared first on Nerdist.

Recently I was talking to the only other person I know who loves Altered Carbon, and we were trying to figure out why the slick, trippy, violent, and fascinating cyberpunk Netflix show didn’t seem to make a big splash in pop culture.

I mean this was cool-looking, but what?

We agreed that the marketing around season 1 was confusing and, perhaps, unappetizing. Posters blanketed NYC showing bodies that appeared to be freeze-dried. (The latest poster featured above, with Anthony Mackie’s face a crumbling edifice, is, uh, also odd). All in all, it’s difficult to explain what Altered Carbon is about, since it takes place in a distant tech-drenched future where a person’s consciousness can be downloaded into a new body, and people seem to fight a whole lot, and a sentient A.I. hotel themed after Edgar Allan Poe became the coolest character of the lot. At least in this future the filthy rich are still consistently and reliably awful!

But the show itself is great. Altered Carbon is based on the books by Richard K. Morgan, and anyone who loves science fiction deserves to give this series a shot; mystery fans will also find a lot to like here. Season 2 is finally almost upon us, and instead of Suicide Squad’s Joel Kinnaman as soldier-turned-private investigator Takeshi Kovacs, we have the love of your life and mine, Steve Rogers’ choice to be Captain America, one Mr. Anthony Mackie. I cannot wait to see Mackie in action as Kovacs’ new “sleeve” and where he should always be, which is in the leading role.

Here’s the official synopsis:

In Altered Carbon, society is transformed by new technology: consciousness can be digitized; human bodies are interchangeable; death is no longer permanent.

Season Two begins 30 years after the epic conclusion of Season One, and finds Takeshi Kovacs (Anthony Mackie), the lone surviving soldier of a group of elite interstellar warriors, continuing his centuries old quest to find his lost love Quellcrist Falconer (Renée Elise Goldsberry). After decades of planet-hopping and searching the galaxy, Kovacs is recruited back to his home planet of Harlan’s World with the promise of finding Quell. Haunted by his past and responsible for investigating a series of brutal murders, Kovacs is stunned to discover his new mission to solve the crime and his pursuit to find Quell are one and the same. With the help of his loyal A.I. Poe (Chris Conner), Kovacs must now partner with new allies to outwit his enemies and find the truth: Who is Quellcrist Falconer?

Also exciting is that we’ll see some sort of reunion with the incredible revolutionary (or is she???) Quellcrist Falconer (Renée Elise Goldsberry—that’s Angelica Schuyler to you), and Poe (Chris Conner) returns!!! How??? I don’t care! In a world of clones, re-sleeved consciousness, and rich people who live forever, I can have my A.I. friend restored.

You must watch season 2 of Altered Carbon for the always-exceptional Anthony Mackie, but also know that Chris Conner is back as my favorite character on TV—a badass A.I. of Edgar Allan Poe—and now he’s running around in a red mock neck suit. Please watch Altered Carbon. pic.twitter.com/wax8l5BqNi

— Kaila Hale-Stern (@kailahalestern) February 11, 2020

Altered Carbon season 2 hits Netflix on February 27th, 2020. Watch it! Tell your friends! Tell your enemies!

(image: Netflix)

What else did we spy with our little eyes?

• “Trump’s latest rally stunts are designed to get you to surrender” (via WaPo)

• “They’re addressing a problem that just

  does

  exist.”

  South Dakota was on the brink of passing a bill that would do reprehensible harm to trans & non-binary kids, and several states are now on the same path.

  Here’s what’s really at stake for trans & non-binary youth. pic.twitter.com/PQjYfIocQ9

  — Human Rights Campaign (@HRC) February 11, 2020

• A new movie adaptation of Porgy & Bess? (via Deadline)
• Rian Johnson called The Rise of Skywalker “a really special experience” (via Comicbookmovie)

• here’s margaret atwood riding an electric scooter pic.twitter.com/N9EzBNwiGK

  — Hannah Jane Parkinson (@ladyhaja) February 10, 2020

What did you see today?

Knives Out, Gems Uncut, Mysteries? Unsolved. https://t.co/wFXET82aZc

— The Mary Sue (@TheMarySue) February 11, 2020

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