What’s New and Good This December in Entertainment
CORRALLING WHAT’S NEW AND GOOD EACH MONTH IN ENTERTAINMENT NEWS (AND EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN)
Ho, Ho, Ho—ld on…there’s only 20 more days left in 2018. To kick your holiday spirit up a notch, we’re sharing the best things in holiday entertainment from now until the ball drops on New Year’s Eve. But first, let’s recap.
This was a big year in film, music (mostly hip-hop) and gaming. Phrases like “This is America” and “Wakanda Forever” entered into the lexicon as the go-to response for pretty much everything. At the Game Awards, God of War and Red Dead Redemption 2 went head-to-head for the coveted Game of the Year Award—God of War prevailed. And finally, Ariana Grande sang and danced her way through a breakup with the smash hit, Thank U, Next. The music video which LAFS alumna Hannah Lux Davis directed.
As we say goodbye to 2018, we’re here to share the biggest productions of 2018 that our alumni worked on, and, of course, what’s new and good in December.
FILM
MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – FALLOUT
LAFS alumnus Mike Etherington assisted the director, Christopher McQuarrie, on Mission: Impossible – Fallout.
According to Forbes, Mission: Impossible – Fallout has earned over $700 million at the worldwide box office, including $212m in North America alone. That makes the Paramount/Viacom Inc. release their biggest movie since Transformers: Age of Extinction ($245m domestic/$1.1 billion worldwide) in June of 2014.
BLACK PANTHER
LAFS alumnus Christian Salvador worked as a roto artist for Black Panther. Christopher studied computer animation here at The Los Angeles Film School.
With $631 million to date at the domestic box office, Marvel’s Black Panther has become the highest-grossing superhero movie in the U.S., not adjusted for inflation, according to Variety Magazine.
SPIDER-MAN INTO THE SPIDER-VERSE
Spider-man Into The Spider-verse is an animated action film that tells the story of Brooklyn teenager Miles Morales. As the story goes, you find out that Miles isn’t like other teenagers after he suddenly develops mysterious powers that transform him into Spider-Man. Out this Friday, December 14.
WINK
WINK, a homeless gender questioning teenager and Dario Villanova, a former A-list actor who is now doing B movies, are both down on their luck in Los Angeles. When a synchronistic meeting connects these two souls, they quickly bond over music, art, and life’s unexpected misfortunes. Sometimes the best way forward is to stop fighting the past. Get tickets here.
MUSIC
THANK U, NEXT
Thank U, Next garnered a record 55.4 million views in its first 24 hours, according to YouTube. This is by far the biggest music video release of all time. We want to congratulate LAFS alumna Hannah Lux Davis on her success in directing this record-breaking video!
INVASION OF PRIVACY
After a string of hit singles in 2017, Cardi B came ready to retake over the music scene with her Invasion of Privacy album release in 2018. Her album has been certified double platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).
LAFS alumna Jacquelyn London edited the music video Finesse with Bruno Mars and Cardi B. The song, Finesse, won Favorite Song—R&B. Cardi B won Favorite Artist–Rap/Hip-Hop. Congratulations, Jacquelyn!
CONCERTS
Photo Credit: Vulture
ROLLING LOUD: LOS ANGELES
See Post Malone, Lil Wayne, Cardi B and Lil Uzi Vert headline this two-day hip-hop fest, which this year has moved from the far reaches of San Bernardino to a much closer locale: Exposition Park’s Banc of California Stadium. BUY TICKETS.
Photo Credit: Wikipedia
Holiday Events at The Music Center in DTLA
There’s a bunch of holiday festivities happening at the Ahmanson Theater, Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, Mark Taper Forum and Walt Disney Concert Hall. Don’t miss out on the city’s largest holiday celebration! See the full concert lineup here.
GAMES
A.V. Club readers shared their favorite games of 2018. Let us know your favorite game!
New Release
SMASH HIT PLUNDER
GOD OF WAR
God of War—The winner of this year’s Game of the Year Award from the 2018 Game Awards.