Entertainment
Oscars 2022: Will Smith vs. Chris Rock through the eyes of a Times photographer
Veteran Los Angeles Instances photographer Myung J. Chun was on task on the 94th Oscars on Sunday, capturing the present with three cameras from throughout the projection sales space behind the home (together with about 10 different shooters from varied retailers). About two hours in, comic Chris Rock got here out to current the award for documentary characteristic and made a joke about actress Jada Pinkett Smith‘s practically bald head. Chun was switching cameras through the subsequent second, which turned out to be essentially the most harrowing in Oscar historical past.
“I all the time get a bit of squeamish when it’s a private joke,” says Chun. “So I used to be like, ehhh. Going into this, I didn’t find out about Jada’s situation [the actress suffers from alopecia, an autoimmune condition that can cause hair loss]. So I didn’t know precisely why her head was shaved till later. However I nonetheless thought, ‘That’s a bit uncomfortable.’ ”
Nobody anticipated what got here subsequent. The shooter took that second to modify cameras — simply as a determine moved onto the stage.
“I used to be on one digital camera, taking pictures tight, single pictures of Chris Rock. I moved off [to another camera] and noticed the silhouette of somebody strolling on stage. I assumed it was a stage supervisor or somebody from manufacturing. Then somebody in our group mentioned, ‘Hey, that’s Will Smith.’ I used to be citing the opposite digital camera to shoot a bit of looser; as I used to be bringing it up, out of the nook of my eye, I noticed the swing occurring.”
Chris Rock appears to be like shocked, perhaps a bit of outraged, after being struck by Will Smith.
(Myung J. Chun/Los Angeles Instances)
Chris Rock reacts to being slapped as Will Smith leaves the stage.
(Myung J. Chun/Los Angeles Instances)
Celebrity Will Smith, the odds-on favourite to win his first Oscar that night time, had slapped Rock, exhausting throughout the face.
“I received on it and shot what I might, however I missed the swing by a fraction of a second. I received the aftermath, with the response and the face and the physique language. However for me, it was a fairly horrible time to be switching cameras.
“The picture that ran, that was the primary body. If I’d gotten the digital camera up 1 / 4 of a second quicker, I’d have had the swing.”
Los Angeles Instances photographer Myung J. Chun on the pink carpet earlier than the 94th Academy Awards on Sunday.
(Myung J. Chun/Los Angeles Instances)
He heard the contact, like a muffled microphone being hit.
“I assumed it was a gag. Everyone [in the booth] did. It appeared so unreal. Then you definitely hear the primary f-bomb when [Smith] had gone again to his seat — at that time, I’m nonetheless pondering, ‘This can be a gag; they’re going to bleep that out.’
“However the second time he dropped an f-bomb, when he was yelling at him on the prime of his lungs and we might hear it dwell within the projection sales space approach behind the theater, that’s once I thought, ‘Hey, perhaps this factor is actual. Will Smith is de facto offended.’
“The theater received actually quiet. That’s when all the pieces modified. The entire temper modified.
“We realized he was actually upset. He actually hit Chris Rock. The temper kind of sank at that time and everybody realized it was a fairly severe matter.”
Chun realized one thing newsworthy was occurring. He stayed on Smith.
“Simply shoot as a lot as you may, {photograph} reactions. Once they went to business, I used to be photographing Denzel Washington speaking to him. [Fellow Philadelphian] Bradley Cooper received up, talked to Will Smith, put his fingers on him to calm him down. You simply maintain taking pictures.
“As everybody had observed when Questlove went up for his documentary Oscar — what a time to go up and win your award, after this had occurred. The whole temper had modified. It went from one thing that was enjoyable and entertaining to a complete downer: ‘What did we simply see?’ A man simply received [hit] on the Oscar stage on dwell TV. Completely killed the temper.”
Nicole Kidman reacts to seeing fellow nominee Jessica Chastain contained in the Dolby Theatre on Sunday night time.
(Myung Chun/Los Angeles Instances)
There was loads of confusion within the second, and it spilled over into the meme-verse. Earlier that night, Chun had grabbed an immediately memorable shot of actress Nicole Kidman reacting energetically to one thing. That picture rapidly began getting handed across the web as “Nicole Kidman reacts to the slap.” Not even shut, says Chun.
“In the course of the non-televised portion of the Oscars [the pre-show in which eight categories were awarded before the main ceremony], I used to be scouring the room and noticed Nicole Kidman. She had that nice response — mouth open, arms up. She put her arms out and shortly after, Jessica Chastain came to visit and greeted her. It wasn’t a response to the slap. It’s a humorous meme, however that’s completely not true. Jessica Chastain was a sight to behold — It’s thrilling, however on a distinct stage.”
Chun has been to 12 Oscar ceremonies, typically capturing arrivals. In his greater than three a long time as knowledgeable photographer, he has seen lots at these massive occasions, however nothing like what occurred on this night time.
“Seeing somebody get attacked on the Oscars — by a colleague, a fellow actor — that’s one thing I’d by no means seen earlier than and hopefully I’ll by no means see once more. That second was so unimaginable — completely different, distinctive, surprising — at an occasion that was speculated to have fun their achievements. I’d by no means skilled something like that at any Oscars I’d shot earlier than. I’d shot numerous pink carpet, and that’s very scripted and managed. They attempt to reduce off-script actions.”
Smith could have his regrets. Rock could have his regrets. Chun has his, as properly.
“I want I’d been 1 / 4 of a second quicker, that earlier second, fractionally early — that’s going to eat at me for a very long time, I’m going to should dwell with that. I simply hope, going ahead, nothing like this occurs once more.
“The picture that stood out from the entire occasion was Chris Rock [after he’d been slapped], seeing his facial features. That’s the picture that stood out.”
“Very few friends travel through a lifetime with you”
Fourth film by Kathy Meng, following “Elite Match”, “Willow and Wu” is a film shot in NYC, which has won the award for Best Screenplay at 27th Brooklyn Film Festival.
The film begins with a rather intense scene, where Waley seems to be breaking up with a girl through a video call. The girl’s cries following the call cements the fact, while the next scene has her, Willow, in an obviously depressed state receiving a call from Mrs Wu, her boss, insisting that she comes to her house right away. It turns out that although she is her assistant, Willow has to help her husband this time. Mr Wu wants to be filmed on a script his wife wrote and wants Willow to handle the recording. With her not having prior experience and being quite anxious, things do not go exactly smoothly.
Moreover, the video seems to focus on the passing of his friend Bao and soon asks her to read the script, before he decides to shoot the whole thing outside, even asking her to put some make up on him. It turns out that he is also anxious, which is why he appears so demanding. Eventually, loss brings the two closer.
If you like Willow and Wu, check also this review
Kathy Meng follows the film-about-film meta trope in her short, in order to present her comments. Loss, and how difficult it can be for people to express it is the main one, but there is more. That people who appear being difficult or even unlikeable can actually have reasons for being that way is also commented upon, as much as how opening up can help overcome psychological issues. That both protagonists benefit from this last aspect adds to the particular remark. Lastly, one could say that Meng also comments on how acting works, and how directors can cooperate with the actors in order for the latter to perform they way they expect them to.
Although there is a dramatic base here, Meng instead opts for a more happy-go-lucky approach, which works quite well in general, particularly during the finale in the park, which is surprisingly cheerful. Aolan Guo’s smile as Willow, who gives an overall excellent performance, will definitely stay on the mind of any viewer, as will Yves Yan’s actual performance in the end, as Wu. Overall the acting is on a high level here with the two protagonists’ chemistry also being of the highest level.
Sancheev Ravichandran captures both the interiors and the exteriors shots with realism, without any particular exaltation, with the close-ups working well. Remy LaFlamme’s editing results in a fast pace that allows the full story to be leisurely told in just 13 minutes.
“Willow and Wu” is a very appealing short that manages to tell a full story in rather economical and entertaining fashion. I think Meng is ready to transition to features, as I think she would be quite good in a family drama.
Entertainment
2024 Tony Awards winners list: 'Stereophonic,' 'The Outsiders,' Jeremy Strong, Daniel Radcliffe
David Adjmi’s “Stereophonic” scored five Tony Awards including best play, and “The Outsiders” took home four trophies including an upset win for best musical as Broadway honored its finest on Sunday night.
Jonathan Groff won lead actor in a musical and co-star Daniel Radcliffe won featured actor for “Merrily We Roll Along,” which took home four awards total including best revival of a musical. Heading into the ceremony, the Alicia Keys musical “Hell’s Kitchen” and “Stereophonic” led with 13 nominations each, and a starry list of contenders included Eddie Redmayne for “Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club,” Jessica Lange and Jim Parsons for “Mother Play,” Rachel McAdams for “Mary Jane,” Leslie Odom Jr. for “Purlie Victorious,” and Sarah Paulson and Corey Stoll for “Appropriate.” The ceremony can now be streamed on demand; here’s how.
The complete winners list:
The company of “The Outsiders” performs during the 77th Tony Awards on Sunday.
(Charles Sykes / Invision / AP)
Best musical
“Hell’s Kitchen”
“Illinoise”
WINNER — “The Outsiders”
“Suffs”
“Water for Elephants”
Best play
“Jaja’s African Hair Braiding”
“Mary Jane”
“Mother Play”
“Prayer for the French Republic”
WINNER — “Stereophonic”
Best revival of a musical
“Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club”
“Gutenberg! The Musical!”
WINNER — “Merrily We Roll Along”
“The Who’s Tommy”
Best revival of a play
“An Enemy of the People”
WINNER — “Appropriate”
“Purlie Victorious: A Non-Confederate Romp Through the Cotton Patch”
In the most moving speech of the night, Maleah Joi Moon accepts the Tony for lead actress in a musical for “Hell’s Kitchen.”
(Charles Sykes / Invision / AP)
Lead actress in a musical
Eden Espinosa, “Lempicka”
WINNER — Maleah Joi Moon, “Hell’s Kitchen”
Kelli O’Hara, “Days of Wine and Roses”
Maryann Plunkett, “The Notebook”
Gayle Rankin, “Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club”
An emotional Jonathan Groff accepts the award for lead actor in a musical for “Merrily We Roll Along.”
(Charles Sykes / Invision / AP)
Lead actor in a musical
Brody Grant, “The Outsiders”
WINNER — Jonathan Groff, “Merrily We Roll Along”
Dorian Harewood, “The Notebook”
Brian D’Arcy James, “Days of Wine and Roses”
Eddie Redmayne, “Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club”
Lead actress in a play
Betsy Aidem, “Prayer for the French Republic”
Jessica Lange, “Mother Play”
Rachel McAdams, “Mary Jane”
WINNER — Sarah Paulson, “Appropriate”
Amy Ryan, “Doubt: A Parable”
Lead actor in a play
William Jackson Harper, “Uncle Vanya”
Leslie Odom Jr., “Purlie Victorious”
Liev Schreiber, “Doubt: A Parable”
WINNER — Jeremy Strong, “An Enemy of the People”
Michael Stuhlbarg, “Patriots”
Features actress in a play
Quincy Tyler Bernstine, “Doubt: A Parable”
Juliana Canfield, “Stereophonic”
Celia Keenan-Bolger, “Mother Play”
Sarah Pidgeon, “Stereophonic”
WINNER — Kara Young, “Purlie Victorious: A Non-Confederate Romp Through the Cotton Patch”
Featured actor in a play
WINNER — Will Brill, “Stereophonic”
Eli Gelb, “Stereophonic”
Jim Parsons, “Mother Play”
Tom Pecinka, “Stereophonic”
Corey Stoll, “Appropriate”
Theater veteran Kecia Lewis, winner for featured actress in a musical for “Hell’s Kitchen.”
(Charles Sykes / Invision / AP)
Featured actress in a musical
Shoshana Bean, “Hell’s Kitchen”
Amber Iman, “Lempicka”
Nikki M. James, “Suffs”
Leslie Rodriguez Kritzer, “Monty Python’s Spamalot”
WINNER — Kecia Lewis, “Hell’s Kitchen”
Lindsay Mendez, “Merrily We Roll Along”
Bebe Neuwirth, “Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club”
Daniel Radcliffe accepts the Tony Award for best actor in a featured role in a musical for “Merrily We Roll Along.”
(Charles Sykes / Invision / AP)
Featured actor in a musical
Roger Bart, “Back to the Future: The Musical”
Joshua Boone, “The Outsiders”
Brandon Victor Dixon, “Hell’s Kitchen”
Sky Lakota-Lynch, “The Outsiders”
WINNER — Daniel Radcliffe, “Merrily We Roll Along”
Steven Skybell, “Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club”
Direction of a play
WINNER — Daniel Aukin, “Stereophonic”
Anne Kauffman, “Mary Jane”
Kenny Leon, “Purlie Victorious: A Non-Confederate Romp Through the Cotton Patch”
Lila Neugebauer, “Appropriate”
Whitney White, “Jaja’s African Hair Braiding”
Direction of a musical
Maria Friedman, “Merrily We Roll Along”
Michael Greif, “Hell’s Kitchen”
Leigh Silverman, “Suffs”
Jessica Stone, “Water for Elephants”
WINNER — Danya Taymor, “The Outsiders”
Book of a musical
Kristoffer Diaz, “Hell’s Kitchen”
Bekah Brunstetter, “The Notebook”
Adam Rapp and Justin Levine, “The Outsiders”
WINNER — Shaina Taub, “Suffs”
Rick Elice, “Water for Elephants”
Orchestrations
Timo Andres, “Illinoise”
Will Butler and Justin Craig, “Stereophonic”
Justin Levine, Matt Hinkley and Jamestown Revival (Jonathan Clay and Zach Chance), “The Outsiders”
Tom Kitt and Adam Blackstone, “Hell’s Kitchen”
WINNER — Jonathan Tunick, “Merrily We Roll Along”
Choreography
Annie-B Parson, “Here Lies Love”
Camille A. Brown, “Hell’s Kitchen”
Rick Kuperman and Jeff Kuperman, “The Outsiders”
WINNER — Justin Peck, “Illinoise”
Jesse Robb and Shana Carroll, “Water for Elephants”
Scenic design of a play
dots, “Appropriate”
dots, “An Enemy of the People”
Derek McLane, “Purlie Victorious: A Non-Confederate Romp Through the Cotton Patch”
David Zinn, “Jaja’s African Hair Braiding”
WINNER — David Zinn, “Stereophonic”
Scenic design of a musical
AMP featuring Tatiana Kahvegian, “The Outsiders”
Robert Brill and Peter Nigrini, “Hell’s Kitchen”
Takeshi Kata, “Water for Elephants”
David Korins, “Here Lies Love”
Riccardo Hernández and Peter Nigrini, “Lempicka”
Tim Hatley and Finn Ross, “Back to the Future: The Musical”
WINNER — Tom Scutt, “Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club”
Costume design of a play
Dede Ayite, “Appropriate”
WINNER — Dede Ayite, “Jaja’s African Hair Braiding”
Enver Chakartash, “Stereophonic”
Emilio Sosa, “Purlie Victorious: A Non-Confederate Romp Through the Cotton Patch”
David Zinn, “An Enemy of the People”
Costume design of a musical
Dede Ayite, “Hell’s Kitchen”
WINNER — Linda Cho, “The Great Gatsby”
David Israel Reynoso, “Water for Elephants”
Tom Scutt, “Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club”
Paul Tazewell, “Suffs”
Lighting design of a play
Isabella Byrd, “An Enemy of the People”
Amith Chandrashaker, “Prayer for the French Republic”
Jiyoun Chang, “Stereophonic”
WINNER — Jane Cox, “Appropriate”
Natasha Katz, “Grey House”
Lighting design of a musical
Brandon Stirling Baker, “Illinoise”
Isabella Byrd, “Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club”
Natasha Katz, “Hell’s Kitchen”
Bradley King and David Bengali, “Water for Elephants”
WINNER — Brian MacDevitt and Hana S. Kim, “The Outsiders”
Sound design of a play
Justin Ellington and Stefania Bulbarella, “Jaja’s African Hair Braiding”
Leah Gelpe, “Mary Jane”
Tom Gibbons, “Grey House”
Bray Poor and Will Pickens, “Appropriate”
WINNER — Ryan Rumery, “Stereophonic”
Sound design of a musical
M.L. Dogg and Cody Spencer, “Here Lies Love”
Kai Harada, “Merrily We Roll Along”
Nick Lidster for Autograph, “Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club”
Gareth Owen, “Hell’s Kitchen”
WINNER — Cody Spencer, “The Outsiders”
Original score (music and/or lyrics) written for the theater
“Days of Wine and Roses”
Music & Lyrics: Adam Guettel
“Here Lies Love”
Music: David Byrne and Fatboy Slim
Lyrics: David Byrne
“The Outsiders”
Music & Lyrics: Jamestown Revival (Jonathan Clay and Zach Chance) and Justin Levine
“Stereophonic”
Music & Lyrics: Will Butler
WINNER
“Suffs”
Music & Lyrics: Shaina Taub
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Hit Man is a fairly standard script. It doesn’t waste your time. It gets straight to the point. And it is a hell of a lot of fun.
Release Date: 05/24/2024Runtime: 115 minutesDirector: Richard LinklaterRotten Tomatoes: 97%iMBD: 7.1/10Where to Watch: Netflix |
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Mild-mannered professor of psychology and philosophy Gary Johnson (Glen Powell) lives at home with his plants, his birdfeeders, and his two cats Id and Ego
This sets up his character right away and tells the audience everything they need to know. He works part-time doing tech support for the local police, assisting on undercover ops to bust criminals trying to hire hitmen. But one day, the assigned agent is put on suspension at the last minute and Gary is chosen to take his place. Nervous, intellectual, science-obsessed Gary… their best option.
Whether he succeeds or fails will depend on if his anxiety gets the better of him. Walking into a diner to confront the criminal, everyone is on edge. But by the end, it’s clear that Gary is a natural.
The police department starts assigning him more jobs. As he gets into the act of convincing the targets that he is a lifelong criminal, he starts to take a liking to it—his psychology background and solo lifestyle affording him the flexibility to become anyone he needs to be to get them to let their guard down and make incriminating statements.
Then, one day, he meets a woman (Adria Arjona) attempting to escape from a dangerous husband
The lines between his real self and his undercover persona blur as he develops genuine feelings for her while also playing into her desires. This leads to a web of lies, confused identities, and criminal actions that stand apart from the usual tropes of the romantic comedy genre.
As expected, the truth does eventually come out, and in this one it does comes out in perhaps the most hilarious way possible. Discussing the specifics would spoil the story, but needless to say, the pressure builds over the course of the movie until an eventual release that circumvents the standards of the trope in a way that is absolutely delightful.
Despite its dark themes, this movie approaches its subject matter in a light-hearted way that will leave the most morally-upright audience member smiling by the end
Ultimately, it’s a story about identity, the flexible nature of reality, and who we are when personality can be constructed. “Seize the identity you want for yourself” is the quote the movie ends on, and it couldn’t have found a better, more absurd narrative to build that statement on.
About our Admit One Author
Isaac Frankel is a freelance writer and content creator specializing in reviews and analysis of cinema, interactive media, and mythological storytelling. He was raised in Prescott, AZ, wrote his first non-fiction book in 2013 after graduating from Tribeca Flashpoint College with a degree in Game & Interactive Media Design, and currently produces content for the YouTube channel: Off Screen.
More of his work and current projects can be found at www.isaacafrankel.com.
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