Watch the brand new teaser trailer for The Invite below:

Here’s the official synopsis:

Joe (Seth Rogen) and Angela’s (Olivia Wilde) marriage is on thin ice. When they invite their enigmatic upstairs neighbors, Pina (Penelope Cruz) and Hawk (Edward Norton) for a dinner party, the night spirals into unexpected places. Have they reignited the spark or lit the match that burns it all down?

Starring ans directed by Wilde, and written by Rashida Jones and Will McCormack, The Invite is a cheeky, curious and cunning re-interpretation of Cesc Gay’s The People Upstairs, and while little is revealed in this brisk teaser trailer, the breadcrumbs are laid, and what were promised is a cinematic experience that will play with your emotions, and certainly get a reaction out of audiences, with plenty of hijinks and surprises guranteed to startle and shock promised by Wilde.

Having first screened for buyers and press at this year’s Sundance Film Festival, The Invite caused an immediate bidding war, and was dubbed a sensation, and after much back and forth, was acquiired by A24 Films, and having now seen this first teaser trailer, we can unecoiovacalluy confirm that this was a right decision.

 

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With it’s intriguing concept, top-notch cast, and surpise mix of feeling and suspense, The Invite is a piture audiences will be clamoruing to see when it arrives in cinemas this June.

Image: A24 Films

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With both their careers in freefall, Pamela Anderson (Lily James) and Tommy Lee (Sebastian Stan) are facing the backlash of losing their Penthouse lawsuit and are dealing with all of the emotional baggage that goes with it. They’re also unprepared for a bold new innovation on the internet and its presence is about to cause serious strife within their marriage. Then there’s Rand Gauthier (Seth Rogen), now working as a collector for shady mob boss Butchie (Andrew Dice Clay), who has hit rock bottom and is desperate for a chance to make amends to the couple and to set things right.

Facing the humiliation and pain of photos from their infamous tape published in Penthouse due to the First Amendment, Pamela Anderson (Lily James) and Tommy Lee (Sebastian Stan) are not in a very good place. Both of their careers are in chaos with Pamela being turned down for two major Hollywood projects and Motley Crue’s latest album is not fairing well in the Seattle-drenched grunge sound that is filling the airwaves. What began as an all-consuming love has now been eclipsed by nothing but constant bickering and fraught discomfort for the couple and it’s only about to get worse as we move forward in the final episode of Pam & Tommy.

Also not faring particularly well is the man who started this whirlwind of chaos in the first place, former carpenter turned wannabe adult entertainment entrepreneur Rand Gauthier (Seth Rogen) and he’s hit rock bottom. Working as a collector for mob boss Butchie (Andrew Dice Clay) in order to pay off his remaining debt, Rand is experiencing an emergency of the soul and is now nothing more than a snivelling, distraught wretch. Seeking solace and understanding in a visit to a Hollywood boulevard psychic, Rand comes face to face with his past decisions and gains clarity on how in wanting to put Tommy Lee in his place, it’s Pamela Anderson whom he’s undeniably harmed. It’s a colossal face punch for Rand to come to terms with and the realisation on Rogen’s face is a big part of the selling of the moment within the episode.

In Episode Eight of Pam & Tommy, ‘Seattle’, director Gwyneth Horder-Payton focuses in on not only the dynamics and change that appear between our titled celebrity couple but also the dramatic and world-changing technology that the internet is making. Whereat first this new technology was just the host for physical copies of the infamous tape, now in a shocking and harrowing moment, the tape is being streamed for a worldwide audience of millions and it’s a brutal realisation for Pamela and Tommy. The man behind it is hotshot internet start-up entrepreneur Seth Warshavsky (Fred Hechinger), remember him, the smug, self-assured entrepreneur who looking for a traffic pop has started to stream the tape for free and by doing so is causing all kinds of trouble for not only Pamela and Tommy but Rand as well.

This moment is where we get to the tension of ‘Seattle’ as Pamela and Tommy immediately file a lawsuit against Seth and his company, but find out that again it’s not that simple. With a judge ruling against them AGAIN, it seemingly feels like they cannot escape this vicious circle that they’ve found themselves trapped in and it’s then things take an interesting turn. Faced with a proposition that could end their troubles with the tape, a possible road out of this mess is placed in front of them but again, it’s not that simple. Director Gwyneth Horder-Payton simmers in the emotional wreckage of the events of Pam & Tommy and we see this glam couple truly tested in a moment of built-up stress and anxiety that has been coming for a long time.

The crux of ‘Seattle’s’ emotional weight comes when Pamela and Tommy feeling stressed and burnt out by the never-ending parade of humiliation in front of them decide that a road trip is in order to fix their woes. How wrong they could be. Arriving in Las Vegas they are quickly swamped and it’s an insufferable experience right from the start. The only hope they get is when they encounter a young family in an elevator who are oblivious to who they both are and in this moment they see a picture of happiness of what they might be able to have. But this prospect is short-lived, and after a series of back and forth’s the two of them end up back in Malibu and engage in a fiery argument. It’s a scene of raw rage, pain and distress as Pamela shuns Tommy and Tommy explodes on Pamela and it is a disturbing scene to watch. We see two people essentially destroyed by a document of their passionate love for one another, a love that was twisted by a voyeuristic society with a need to watch. It’s an emotionally sensitive scene and its power is a credit to James and Stan’s performances.

But ‘Seattle’ is not just an episode of pain and despair, it is also an episode of reconciliation as Rand continues in his efforts to make his peace to Pamela, Tommy and Erika. This journey for karmic forgiveness leads him to an almost meta-psychical meeting with an Anderson look-alike complete in a red bathing suit, outside of the famed Grauman’s Chinese Theatre on Hollywood Boulevard, and this allows him to express his sincerest apologies and ask his forgiveness of Pamela in a spiritual way. It’s one of the episode’s most interesting scenes and you feel the emotion in Rand’s apology to Anderson in this scene. Rand also comes full circle in his relationship with Erica and even though it breaks his heart, he does the right thing for her and sets them both free.

Their love now tainted, Pamela and Tommy also go their separate ways in the episode’s penultimate scene which is set to the beautiful and moving lyrics of The Bee Gee’s ‘How Can You Mend A Broken Heart’. In this moment we see Lily James as Pamela Anderson finally able to move away from the trauma and sorrow of the events she’s had to endure and she’s able to find a new sense of joy and hope to mend her heart. That love comes in the form of her infant son Brandon and the new love she feels for him as a mother, a role she always wanted to play. It’s a beautiful moment to see James’ Pamela as a new mum and showering love and affection on her son. It’s also a moment where we see her finally healed and gives Pam & Tommy the happy ending we might not have expected, but an ending that mends all wrongs for Pamela.

Pam & Tommy is one of the best television miniseries I can claim to have ever seen. Its narrative was perfect on every level and its performances, production, costuming, hair and make-up and music all came together completely to craft one of the best television series you’ll see all year. It’s been a fascinating narrative from beginning to end and audiences will keep this series close to them for many years to come.

Pam & Tommy is currently streaming on Disney+.

Image: Walt Disney Pictures

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Battling a fight on every front Pamela Anderson (Lily James) is feeling the pressure and it couldn’t have happened at a worse time. Five months pregnant and awaiting the worldwide premiere of her big-budget action film Barb Wire, this is make or break time for Pamela’s career and the tension is winding itself around her tight. Trying to temper her delinquent and temperamental husband Tommy Lee (Sebastian Stan), along with managing the fall out of the tape and an impending ruling on the Penthouse lawsuit is not making it a fun time for Pamela, but she’s holding her ground and won’t stomach any shit anymore, from anyone. Then there’s would be adult entertainment entrepreneur Rand Gauthier (Seth Rogen) who has been left in the lurch and is now responsible to a vindictive mob boss who is ready to take it out on Rand in a very personal way.

Pamela Anderson (Lily James) is about to become the biggest movie star in the world. Already beloved by a billion viewers around the globe for her role as C.J. Parker on Baywatch, Pamela is ready for the release of her blockbuster action movie Barb Wire and is ready to take on the world and greater Hollywood. The premiere is looming in Episode Seven, ‘Destroyer of Worlds’ and she’s ready for the glitz and glamour. There’s just the pesky little issue of a certain tape that has spread around the internet like a virus and it’s making her life very unfun at the moment. Director Lake Bell focuses in on the emotions of Pamela’s shot at fame and fortune and she dives in deep as this woman steps up to take her shot at glory, and she’s ready to stare down anyone who gets in her way.

The ongoing dilemma of the leaked sex tape, along with a very messy lawsuit with Penthouse, has not made life any easier for Pamela Anderson and Tommy Lee and the cracks are dramatically starting to show in their relationship. After another humiliating press junket and a bit of give and take on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, which riles Tommy Lee up, she makes it clear that nothing is going to ruin her big night. James is incredibly forceful and dynamic in ‘Destroyer of Worlds’, all along we have seen Pamela as a somewhat wild, yet sweet and happy innocent character. But those days are done and she’s finished being humiliated, and it’s a very assertive turn on behalf of James’ performance.

Seth Rogen’s Rand Gauthier also isn’t faring must better. Side-stepped by his asshole partner Uncle Miltie, who has galavanted away to an onslaught of drugs and hookers in Amsterdam, Rand is left to face the wrath of Butchie (Andrew Dice Clay). And this mafiosa font man is not happy. After a good old beatdown, Butchie puts Rand to work as a collector to pay off his debt and we really see the sorrow come out on the part of Rogen. In over his head and with nowhere to go, he’s led into a head-on confrontation with Sebastian Stan’s Tommy Lee, and it’s not what you would have expected. Demanding money for his past services, the two men engage in a bitter stand-off where Lee accepts his own faults but points out that Pamela herself never did anything to hurt Rand and that he’s stuck it to her just because he could. This scene is one of the episode’s most dynamic moments and Rogen and Stan give a great back and forth between each another.

Along with his confrontation with Lee, Rand also has to contend with his ex-wife Erica (Taylor Schilling) who admits to having seen the tape and who says that she really empathizes with the couple. And it’s not what Rand wants to hear. Pointing out that both Pamela and Tommy were totally in love and that the tape is filled with their passionate display of romance for one another, her feelings for Lee as a ‘sensitive caveman’ rile Rand up and lead into a full-on confrontation between the two of them. Deducing that it was Rand who leaked the tape and tried to profit from it, Erica explodes on her ex-husband, berating him for his slime-ball behaviour and bringing up notions of consent and permission. This feeds into the major theme of the episode, and the series in general, with the message being that Rand’s behaviour was totally repugnant and the line being drawn between intimacy and pornography. It’s a straight shot from director Lake Bell and she nails it in hard.

The tension of Pam & Tommy has been building episode by episode and it’s starting to get unhappy in ‘Destroyer of Worlds’. Things don’t exactly go according to plan for any of our characters and it quickly gets messy. Of all the episodes to date, ‘Destroyer of Worlds’ is the most heartbreaking for all the characters involved. None of them is exactly in a dream place and this episode positions Pam & Tommy as very much a modern-day tragedy of fame, excess and the internet. It’s an intense and uncomfortable watch at times and the growing drama keeps you hooked from beginning to end.

Pam & Tommy streams every Wednesday on Disney+

Image: Walt Disney Pictures

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Roll on 1996 and Hollywood’s wildest couple Pamela Anderson (Lily James) and Tommy Lee (Sebastian Stan) are over the moon with the news of an impending pregnancy and the promise of a bright and sunny future as a family. Rand Gauthier (Seth Rogen) is also excited through the success of his new ‘business venture’ with orders flowing through and a list of very happy customers being serviced. But all is not as it seems and the good times are about to come to a sudden stop for all parties involved as the viral nature of the world’s most scandalous sex tape takes a very sudden turn that no one could see coming.

Actress turned director Lake Bell takes over the director’s chair from Craig Gillespie for Episode Four of Pam & Tommy, ‘The Master Beta’ and this episodes opening sequence, set to Chicago’s ’25 or 6 to 4′, turns out to be very apt in its description. For Bell, Episode Four is an episode of juxtaposition. There’s light, love and success, along with the reveal of a shocking robbery, a scandalous website and a very troublesome problem. The energy of ‘The Master Beta’ moves quickly and Bell gives the episode a skittish quality as things get out of hand quickly. She also focuses on the shocked and candid reactions of her performers and there’s great discomfort with the events of this episode for both the characters and her audience.

Seeing orders roll in and his bank account fill up Seth Rogen’s would-be entrepreneur Rand Gauthier finds that he’s onto a very good thing and Rogen is particularly chipper at the start of the episode. So too are Pamela and Tommy with the reveal they are now pregnant and expecting their first child. It’s all champagne and roses for everyone. Until the truth comes out. On the shocking discovery of the burglary of their Malibu home, Pamela and Tommy come to learn that their precious, and more importantly, private love tape has been stolen and they step out to recover it and fast. But there’s a problem, they’re a little too late for this new ‘viral’ internet sensation.

What we see for the first time in ‘The Master Beta’ is Pamela Anderson’s shock reaction to this very private tape being leaked. And it’s a harrowing event for her to come to terms with. Pamela might be a bombshell, but she’s not a porn star, and to her, this event is a complete violation of her privacy and she’s mortified at its reveal. James shows a clear level of distress and humiliation at realising that the tape is now out and about in public and her performance takes a big step into the dramatic and emotional. The truth is revealed to the Lee’s in a slightly absurdist way as they head to the Malibu Public Library to access the internet for the first time and there the truth is revealed to them in a shocking presentation of a bold new online world where there are no limits and no systems of control.

While Pamela and Tommy might be the ones having sex it also becomes clear in ‘The Master Beta’ that Rand is the one who is getting fucked over. At first happy and chipper that he’s a success, it quickly becomes apparent that he’s being ripped off by bootleggers and that his sleaze bag partner Miltie (Nick Offerman) is not to be trusted. Throw in a pissed off Tommy Lee who hires a heavy fisted private investigator to look into the matter, along with reaching out to a biker gang he’s friendly with to beat the truth out of Rand, and it’s not looking good for our would-be entrepreneur. Rand also runs afoul of his direct competitor, the slick-suited, fast-talking Seth Warshavsky (Fred Hechinger), who runs a collection of cam girl sites and Seth will come to gave particular relevance to this story as we move forward.

Seth Rogen is going on quite a journey in Pam & Tommy as Rand Gauthier and it becomes clear that he may have underestimated just what he’s walked into. While he might have had some past dealings in the porn business as a one-time performer it seems he wasn’t paying attention to how dirty of a business it is and he’s quickly in over his head. One of the episode’s funniest moments results from an argument with a bootlegger scalping copies of ‘his tape’ and he’s none too pleased by it. It’s unintentionally hilarious to watch, but it’s clear Rand is hurting from his hard work being messed with. As an audience member, you also find yourself drawn into his story and it’s hard to reconcile why he’s involved in such things when he’s clearly not a bad guy, but just someone who is walking the wrong path.

Pam & Tommy, Episode Four ‘The Master Beta’ is a real change-up in style and pace and Bell keeps you pinned to your seat the whole way through. A plethora of emotions is brought to the episode from excitement and love to fear and panic, and it’s a totally wild watch. While we’ve seen Pamela and Tommy live a life of wild excess together it’s also become clear that they’re also desperately in love with one another and their sweet, almost innocent love for one another is about to be tarnished in a very public light. It’s James’ reaction as Pamela to this new viral event where the episode finds its true impact and she’s very real in the anger and hurt that she presents in her reaction to these events.

Pam & Tommy has taken a sudden twist in Episode Four ‘The Masta Beta’ and it all ends in tears. Pamela and Tommy are not only contending with a terrible loss, but a clear violation of their private life and Rand is on the run on account of a very bad decision. And this series is turning into something completely different from what we thought it was going to be.

Pam & Tommy streams every Wednesday on Disney+

Image: Walt Disney Pictures

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Having stumbled on a potential gold mine in the form of Pamela Anderson (Lily James) and Tommy Lee’s (Sebastian Stan) private sex tape, carpenter turned wannabe entrepreneur Rand Gauthier (Seth Rogen) decides to go mainstream with the tape. But it’s not as easy as he thinks. And while Rand is struggling to find a way to distribute his new ill-gotten gains, Pamela and Tommy are both having to deal with their own issues close to home and the glamour isn’t as shiny as we’ve been led to believe. But things take a turn for Rand when he locks on to a brilliant and world-changing idea that could lead him to the future he’s always wanted in the most unexpected way.

Director Craig Gillespie keeps the ball rolling with Pam & Tommy and it’s becoming very clear to audiences that this miniseries is the most addictive show on television. Finding a great mix between the truth, drama and comedy of the events that unfold before our eyes, Gillespie has his eyes on the prize as we move forward in ‘Jane Fonda’ the third episode of Pam & Tommy. With a plan up their sleeves, Rand and Miltie (Nick Offerman) make the rounds of LA’s biggest porn distributors but are quickly turned down over a couple of pesky releases. Perturbed by their lack of possibilities, a chance encounter sends Rand down a rabbit hole that will have world-changing implications for everyone involved.

In ‘Jane Fonda’ we come to meet another of Pam & Tommy’s key characters, Erica Gauthier played by Taylor Schilling. A full-on California porn star and Rand’s ex-wife, whom he still hasn’t quite gotten round to divorcing, and who is now in a lesbian relationship that drives him up the wall. Schilling portrays Erica as a spurned valley girl who has a particular love/hate, emphasis on the hate, relationship with Rand. Completely contemptible of her ex-husband and his failings as a man, Erica is a terrific foil for Rand and it’s interesting to see how Rand’s desire to re-capture their past love spurns his decision making forward.

By happenstance, Schilling’s appearance as Erica also sends Rand on a quest that leads him to the solution for his distribution problem. That solution: the internet. A burgeoning, underground technology in 1995, the world wide web is only just starting to catch on and Rand sees it as the golden opportunity for untapped and anonymous distribution. This decision is lost on Offerman’s Uncle Miltie, and it’s hilarious to see him try to decipher just what the internet is. But in the end, all roads lead online, but also to Mafiosa loanshark ‘Butchie’ (Andrew Dice Clay) who decides to front the operation. Get ready to cue the dial-up because Gillespie takes us back there and it’s hilarious to see it all unfold as Rand and Miltie take a step into the unknown of the wild west of the internet as it existed in the 1990s.

While all of this is going on we also get to see how newlywed lovebirds Pamela and Tommy are going on, and all is not as it seems. While struggling to conceive a child, the couple are also dealing with their own insecurities that are the result of a changing time. Lee might be a rich, impulsive rockstar, but he’s not topping the charts anymore and the new sound of grunge is hitting the airwaves and it’s lost on him. Pamela on the other hand is looking to take the next step in her career and transition into the role of serious actress. Not happy with being a mere sex object and with her superhero blockbuster Barb Wire on the horizon she’s keen for a change and a crack at showing people that she’s more than just a pretty face.

What we see in ‘Jane Fonda’ is the representation of a clear theme of not judging a book by its cover and that’s exactly where this third episode takes us. This is particularly relevant for Lily James’ portrayal of Anderson who in a meeting with her new publicist, the no-nonsense maneater Gail Chwatsky (Mozhan Marnò) makes it clear that she would like to replicate the career of the famed Jane Fonda and be seen in that same light. While she might be the world’s sexiest woman, Pamela is very much an innocent, bubbly, kind-hearted person and someone who’s being taken advantage of by the Hollywood system and not being given the chance to actually show she has more value than her mere appearance. It’s interesting to watch James’ performance of Pamela in this regard and this also plays into the genuine love that is shared between Anderson and Lee in their marriage.

The die is cast for a game-changing moment for the realms of celebrity, technology and sex in ‘Jane Fonda’ and Pam & Tommy is about to get all kinds of interesting as we move forward in the narrative.

Pam & Tommy streams every Wednesday on Disney+

Image: Walt Disney Pictures

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Take a trip back to 1995 and the shock whirlwind wedding of rock star Tommy Lee and sex symbol Pamela Anderson. After a four day courtship of sex, drugs and rock n’roll these two stars tie the knot on a beach in Cancun, Mexico and then dedicated themselves full-time to some full-on lovemaking at its hottest. But this is no sham wedding, and behind closed doors, a quaint and cute romance begins to blossoms between the rebel and the bombshell and the camera is there ready to record all of it.

Craig Gillespie continues his work behind the camera for Episode Two of Pam & Tommy ‘I Love You, Tommy’ and the focus is now clearly on the show’s title characters. Taking audiences inside the uber-glam world of 1990s Hollywood, Gillespie focuses in on the sudden meeting, crazy courtship and immediate wedding of two celebrity wildcards and it’s an incredibly exciting watch. Romance is in the air in Episode Two and Gillespie turns up the dial to 11 and the result is an incredibly sexy watch with plenty of bare flesh. But he doesn’t forget the romance and it’s in ‘I Love You, Tommy’ that we come to see Pamela and Tommy as more than just mere sex objects, but two people who are crazy in love.

While her appearance was only teased in Episode One, ‘Drilling and Pounding’, Lily James is front and centre in ‘I Love You, Tommy’ and she’s an absolute knockout in every way possible. James’ completely transforms herself into Anderson, swapping her status as an English rose for that of a curvaceous, bubbly blonde who is living the Hollywood dream to the fullest. Complete with sun-kissed blonde hair, big doe eyes, full luscious lips, a buxom figure, dainty mannerism, a collection of skimpy dresses and most importantly, spot-on vocals, James is completely Pamela and it’s astounding to watch. A true romantic at heart she makes it clear that she’s ‘done with bad boys’ at the start of the episode until she’s spotted by wild child musician Tommy Lee from across the room and is smitten by his confidence, bravado and total interest in her.

Sebastian Stan continues to flex his bad boy side as Motley Crue drummer Tommy Lee in ‘I Love You, Tommy’ and for Stan’s Tommy when it comes to James’ Pamela its love at first sight. What follows is a feverish courtship where he tracks her to Cancun, Mexico, with the two of them partying hard and him declaring himself entirely for her. Things take a turn for the sexy pretty quickly, and they get intimate with one another fast. It’s at this moment that Tommy comes to the realisation that he truly loves this woman. And that realisation includes a conversation with himself, or rightly his conversation with his own erect penis, which has a mind all of its own and it’s a shockingly hilarious scene to witness.

In ‘I Love You, Tommy’ the marriage is quick and the sex is WILD! Neither Lily James nor Sebastian Stan are shy about getting their kit off and they truly are the beautiful people when wearing nothing but their own skin. James is an absolute sex kitten as Pamela, while Stan brings out Tommy’s own machismo cool and when they start getting busy with the lovemaking it gets crazy quickly. The passion is real here the two of them end up doing it everywhere and in every position. It’s steamy and hot to watch, but it’s not for any sort of shock value, but is instead a total representation of two people ravenously in love with one another and who want to give themselves fully to one another in this very special moment. It’s a very brave and authentic thing that Gillespie and his actors chose not to shy away from the full-on sexual nature of these individuals and it makes the experience that much more authentic.

It’s on after the passion has taken over and we see them return to Malibu, California where the romance of their relationship starts to blossom. And it’s incredibly cute to watch. They may have skipped the casual dating stage and gone right to the wedding chapel, but your heart will be in a flutter as you see James and Stan’s Pamela and Tommy get to know one another. These interactions between the on-screen couple are cute and cuddly to watch and there’s a true wholesomeness that we get to see into them that was previously alluded from us in ‘Drilling and Pounding’. It’s in this moment where the camera also comes up and the set-up for what’s to come next in Pam & Tommy takes place.

‘I Love You, Tommy’ is a seriously sexy episode of television and it’s sure to leave the audience a little hot and flustered. The romance is delivered with plenty of spice and it’s the wildest piece of television you’ll see all year.

Pam & Tommy streams every Wednesday on Disney+

Image: Walt Disney Pictures

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Deadbeat carpenter Rand Gauthier (Seth Rogen) is busy at work on constructing a state of the art love palace for two of Hollywood’s most outrageous and carefree celebrities, Motley Crue bad boy rockstar Tommy Lee (Sebastian Stan) and his new wife and uber babe Pamela Anderson (Lily James). But tiring of Lee’s debauched behaviours and speaking his mind, Rand quickly runs afoul of the celebrity couple and is sent packing. Seething with a burning desire for revenge he plots an elaborate heist that leads him to the discovery of a highly salacious and secret videotape that will set the world on fire!

Noted director Craig Gillespie is ready to bring the sex, drugs and rock n’roll of the early 1990s and the true story of the world’s most infamous sex tape to audiences in the much-hyped television event series Pam & Tommy. And this series is a revelation. Taking audiences back to the start with Episode One, ‘Drilling and Pounding’, Gillespie introduces his characters and sets the stage for an intense and dramatic story of celebrity at its edgiest and the birth of the internet. With a talent for bringing ‘stranger than fiction’ works to the screen such as I, Tonya, Gillespie gets things rolling with Pam & Tommy and those who are prudish should avert their eyes because right from the start the sex and debauchery is out in the open. And it’s LOUD!

Constructed as a story of perspective told from multiple points of view, we are introduced in ‘Drilling and Pounding’ to Seth Rogen’s Rand Gauthier. A schlubby carpenter and one-time pornstar, Rand hasn’t had a great go of life and has been beaten down at multiple turns. He’s a loser with a capital L and while working a job for the infamous Tommy Lee and Pamela Anderson quickly runs afoul of the couple and is sent packing. Rand, who has a keen interest in spirituality seeks to right his own wrongs and sets out down a road of Karma-induced retribution, and it’s here where things get interesting. Rand plays into Rogen’s wheelhouse of characters and the noted actor and comedian finds the right balance between the dramatic and comedic with his performance, and I have a feeling his character journey is going to be an interesting one at that.

While ‘Drilling and Pounding’ may set Rand up as the protagonist (at the moment) of Pam & Tommy, it also clarifies Motley Crue rockstar drummer and Hollywood’s resident bad boy of the 1990s, Tommy Lee as the antagonist and star Sebastian Stan revels in the part. Channelling absolute punk rock, alpha male flair, Stan portrays Lee not unlike a debauched Roman emperor who struts around in a leopard print g-string and seemingly makes Rand’s job difficult at every turn. Sudden fame and money have made him into a complete and utter douchebag and he’s a full-on volatile human being who takes it to Rand every time he can. It’s only our first look at Stan as Tommy Lee in ‘Drilling and Pounding’ but for the moment it’s clear that he’s nailing the character.

Starring as Lee’s sex bomb new wife and Baywatch babe Pamela Anderson is Lily James and this English rose has transformed in unrecognisable fashioned into the famed Anderson. While she’s only seen briefly in Episode One, ‘Drilling and Pounding’ it’s clear that this is Lily James unlike we’ve ever seen her before. But more on Pamela later. Another character of interest also present in ‘Drilling and Pounding’ is Nick Offerman’s Uncle Miltie. As a sleazy, low rent porn director Offerman’s Uncle Miltie is Rand’s hook-up inside the burgeoning California porn scene and you can tell that he and Rand will cook up plenty of trouble together.

‘Drilling and Pounding’ sets the stage for the drama that is to unfold in Pam & Tommy and this all begins with Rand’s plan of ultimate Kharma revenge. That revenge is a hilarious robbery in which he rips Lee of his safe and it’s absolutely hilarious to watch. Gillespie has a good handle over the comedy of the series and it’s extremely funny to see Rogen as Rand go full Mission: Impossible on the Lee’s. It’s in this stroke of intended mischief that Rand robs the Lee’s of a sizeable bounty of goodies and in amongst this stockpile is an innocent-looking videotape that contains a very sordid secret.

Things have kicked off nicely in the first episode of Pam & Tommy and Gillespie has his hands on a very intriguing new series that audiences are going to be keen to get in on.

Pam & Tommy streams every Wednesday on Disney+

Image: Walt Disney Pictures

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Watch the new trailer below:

Here’s the official synopsis:

Depicts the marriage between Pamela Anderson and Tommy Lee following the release of their infamous unauthorized sex tape which was recorded privately during their honeymoon.

Developed by Evan Goldberg and Seth Rogen, Pam and Tommy is the true story of the crazy pop-culture circus that came to surround 1990s megastars Pamela Anderson and Tommy Lee in the wake of their infamous sex tape internet leak and this story looks like a crazy rock’n’roll story of excess and the pitfalls of modern technology.

Seth Rogen is on hand as a sleazy contractor who broke into the stars home and robbed them of private videotapes that showed the stars at their most intimate, and which would change the very landscape of pop culture when it was leaked.

taking on the roles of Anderson and Lee are stars Lily James and Sebastian Stan and both have completely transformed in their respective roles. James especially has transformed from an English rose to that of the sun-kissed blonde bombshell and her performance is striking here in Pam and Tommy.

Pam and Tommy appears to be a wild and crazy new television based on true fact that changed the world of entertainment forever and it’s sure to be an unmissable event when it arrives on TV screens in February 2022.

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Disney’s “The Lion King” journeys to the African savanna where a future king is born. Simba idolizes his father, King Mufasa, and takes to heart his own royal destiny. But not everyone in the kingdom celebrates the new cub’s arrival. Scar, Mufasa’s brother—and former heir to the throne—has plans of his own. The battle for Pride Rock is ravaged with betrayal, tragedy and drama, ultimately resulting in Simba’s exile. With help from a curious pair of newfound friends, Simba will have to figure out how to grow up and take back what is rightfully his.

Regarded as one of, if not the greatest Disney film of all time, The Lion King is a piece of cinema that truly speaks to audiences with its epic storytelling and musical genius and now noted director Jon Favreau reinvents it for a whole new generation. Favreau’s task is utterly monumental and the director approaches it with sincere love and enthusiasm and this really shows through in the finished print. Favreau really builds out the emotion here in The Lion King, and his directorial eye and talent for narrative completely brings his audience inside this grand tale.

Captured in beautiful photo-realistic detail, you absolutely feel the pull of Mother Earth here, and the visuals are a thing of sheer beauty to look upon. Favreau’s vision is like that of a Richard Attenborough documentary come to life, and great detail is captured here from the mighty stride of Simba to the individual shades of grass that make up the Pride Lands, every part of this film builds the sense of a thriving and lush natural ecosystem. This lavish presentation of the Pride Lands and the creatures that occupy it also pull audiences into the central theme of The Great Circle Of Life, and there is a real reverence given to just how special the natural world is, and how important it is to keep this natural balance in order. It’s one of the most important issues of our time and it’s fabulous to see it being communicated here through The Lion King and its message is sure to make an impression on audiences both young and old.

Leading The Lion King is the supremely talented Donald Glover, and this lauded performer gives an amazing performance as the once and future king. Glover has a great balance of both the fun and the dramatic here, and he takes audiences on an incredible journey through as Simba on his quest to be king. Glover’s vocals are given great space here and he really finds the soul at the heart of who Simba is. Simba’s journey to become King is filled out with emotion, and Glover’s strong auditory performance really builds out the strength of character that Simba develops along the way. Fans of the actor’s Childish Gambino persona will also be pleased to know that Glover lets his musical voice sing out here as well. His impressive ability to carry a tune really sets the cinema alight and audiences are sure to be grooving.

Standing next to Glover’s Simba is the ever fabulous Beyonce as his childhood best friend and eventual love interest Nala, and she brings substantial grace to the role. It’s through Nala’s presence that Simba is once again enticed to return to his sacred duty, and Beyonce really sells this home to a young lion who has grown selfish and lost all sense of duty. Beyonce’s power really shines through up on the big screen, and this incredible artist also gives audiences plenty of musical charm with her duet alongside Glover of the classic “Can You Feel The Love Tonight”, along with giving Disney audiences a fabulous new song in the form of “Spirit”. They say behind every great King, there’s an even greater Queen and that certainly is apparent in Nala thanks to the performance and talent of Beyonce.

Bringing a sense of venomous dread to The Lion King is the sensational Chiwetel Ejiofor as Scar, the ravaged and spiteful brother of King Mufasa who has his own ideas as to how the Pride Lands should be ruled. In my opinion, Ejiofor completely steals the film with his performance, and his commanding, almost Shakespearian quality that he gives to Scar makes for a very scary villain. Ejiofor’s rich voice is really on display here, and director Jon Favreau coaxes a terrifying performance from the actor, which is lead by the actor’s baritone range that expresses itself through “Be Prepared”. Every hero needs a worthy villain to fight against, and Scar’s tyrannical power struggle tests Simba’s will at every turn and is a true testament to Ejiofor’s abilities as an actor.

It wouldn’t be The Lion King without a good dose of humour and stars Seth Rogen and Billy Eichner bring plenty of laughs to the big screen as the ever lovable duet of Timon and Pumbaa. These two are just a barrel of laughs up on the screen, and each actor absolutely complements the other. Eichner’s wisecracks as Timon will have you in fits with his somewhat snarky delivery, and Rogen’s perfect comedic timing as Pumbaa is a real joy to watch. Rogen and Eichner make the perfect team up on screen, and their hilarity and energy really bring out the joy in The Lion King. Audiences will absolutely go nuts for these two, and they sure do deliver plenty of giggles.

Finally, the great James Earl Jones returns to this beloved film as the ever-wise King Mufasa, and his vocal presence and important life lessons are sure to fill your heart with joy. With a vocal delivery that implies respect, command and kingly might, Jones is once again the philosophical voice of The Lion King that we have long loved him for being. His lessons of fatherhood and responsibility will again be welcomed by audiences, and having not heard him speak these words in such a long time it’s certainly great to hear him impart these important life lessons. Favreau gives tremendous authority to the presence of Mufasa in this film, and some of my favourite moments of this film were led by his performance.

With great visuals and a stunning narrative also comes the presence of plenty of incredible symbolism on the part of Favreau. The theme of destiny carries real significance to this film, and this is expressed through the presence of the wise seer Rafiki, played with great reverence by the one and only John Kani. Kani’s performance as Rafiki has an almost grandfather delivery to it, and he gives the film much of its soul. Rafiki’s presence also gives The Lion King a real spiritual dimension and coupled together with the idea of the natural world and The Great Circle of Life, and the way in which Favreau expresses it through this film, The Lion King really impacts audiences on a far more deeper, meaningful level.

Thematically, The Lion King again follows the key narrative structure of Joseph Campbell’s The Heroes Journey, and Simba’s journey is one of accepting himself, his destiny and the responsibility of what it means to be a king and to serve a higher calling. Favreau’s understanding of narrative is very deliberate here, and the way in which he illustrates Simba’s journey to rise from that of a cub to a king is very meaningful and thought-provoking. This structure at the heart of The Lion King shapes the film into a piece of cinematic opera and there are plenty of grand moments that take your breath away in the illustration of these bold themes.

Just like the previous 1994 film, music also plays a very integral part to The Lion King, and this new score and soundtrack certainly fills the film with plenty of incredible emotions. With both timeless and classic songs such as “Circle of Life/Nants’ Ingonyama”, “Hakuna Matata” and “Can You Feel the Love Tonight”, alongside bold new tracks such as Beyonce’s “Spirit”, there’s a tremendous musical consciousness on display here and you absolutely feel it deep inside your soul. Of all the film’s tracks, Seth Rogen and Billy Eichner’s rendition of “The Lion Sleeps Tonight” really sang out to me with its comedic musings and it’s incredibly fun to listen to.

As a cinematic experience, The Lion King is phenomenal in every sense of the word and I loved every moment that played out on its grand canvas. This film holds a very special place in my own heart as it was the first piece of cinema I was ever witnessed more than 25 years ago, and just as then, it still moves me deeply. At the heart of all of us is a deep sense of childlike magic and nostalgia, and all of that is on display here in Jon Favreau’s The Lion King. It is an utterly triumphant piece of cinema and I was moved even more so after watching it again more than 25 years later. The magic of Walt Disney truly lives through this piece of cinema and it certainly touched my heart.

The Lion King is a bold and breathtaking piece of cinema that will absolutely make your heart sing out. Narrative, visuals, performance and theme all come together to craft an utterly unforgettable piece of cinema and you’ll certainly cheer and clap in triumph at this one.

Image: Walt Disney Pictures

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Fred Flarsky (Seth Rogen), an unemployed journalist, battered by his own misfortune and self-destructive ways, courts his childhood love interest and babysitter Charlotte Field (Charlize Theron) – who is now one of the most powerful and unattainable women on earth.

From the very moment the cinema screen comes to life, Long Shot goes straight for the funny. And this is the type of funny that is packed with the type of in-your-face raunchiness that we’ve come to expect from the likes of Seth Rogen, but now it’s really been dialed up to 11. Combining both the best of the romantic comedy with a serious satirical edge, Long Shot is just flat out hilarious and really commits to this strange tale of total opposites attracting.

Taking up one half of this dynamic duo is Seth Rogen as over-the-hill, burnt out loser journalist Fred Flarsky. When we’re first introduced to Fred he really is a loser at the top of the pile and he’s about to get even lower. That is until he has a chance encounter with Charlize Theron’s Charlotte Field, the graceful yet workaholic United States Secretary of State who actually used to babysit Fred when she was a teenager and whom he’s had a huge crush on his entire life. Through this fortuitous turn of events and needing someone to help spruce up her image, Fred finds himself on the campaign trail with Charlotte as she moves to sell her brand new environmental solution to the world’s governments.

Both Rogen and Theron have great chemistry together with one another and as the movie moves forward we get to see the relationship of this most unlikely couple blossom. While Rogen’s Fred is a 30-something man-child who has never accept any kind of responsibility in his life, Theron’s Charlotte is a stern workaholic who is letting the world pass her by, along with all the sights and experiences that are in it. As they get to know one another further it becomes clearer that each needs the other to help them become a better version of themselves and hence we are see the idea of the ‘soulmate’ become fully realized.

In addition to Theron and Rogen, Long Shot also has a great supporting cast to call upon as well. Hunky Alexander Skarsgard portrays the handsome Canadian Prime Minister James who is not above flaunting his passion for Charlotte very openly, and his performance as the character borders the line between both charm and creepiness perfectly. June Diane Raphael provides plenty of bitchiness as Charlotte’s key staffer Maggie Millikin who really doesn’t like Fred and has no qualms about expressing her distaste for him, and then there’s an unrecognisable Andy Serkis who portrays repellent media baron Parker Wembley and he literally makes your skin crawl.

Audiences should definitely prepare themselves for all kinds of crazy comedy with Long Shot…and trust me it doesn’t let up for a minute. Your jaw will be aching with how much your laughing in Long Shot and just when you think you couldn’t laugh anymore, well Rogen and Theron throw another of their comedic gems our way. While I can’t really go into specifics here without running some kind of risk of spoilers I will say that my favourite scene in the whole film has to be when Fred and Charlotte decide to let loose in Paris and there resulting adventure, which Fred adds to with a few extra ‘ingredients’, had me howling with laughter. It’s frankly uncontrollable and with each passing moment it only gets funnier.

Comedy aside though, Long Shot is a film that really does examine the idea of love and just what it means to all of us when we find ourselves touched by it. While opposites do attract, they’ve never been anything like this before, and there’s a certain cuddly cuteness to this. While the whole world, and I mean the whole world, around them is pulling for them not to end up together, Fred and Charlotte fight this the whole way all in order to find their own sense of love and create a relationship that works them, regardless of how it appears to anyone else. It’s an extremely sweet and heartwarming thing to see and makes Long Shot all the more special.

Long Shot is a far and away the comedy of the year and you won’t be able to stop yourself from laughing. It’s just contagious here. But above the laughter is a very special message about finding that special someone in your life and doing everything you can to make them happy. Movies don’t get much more charming than this so make sure you see get along to Long Shot ASAP.

Image: Studio Canal

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