What Happened Inside The Trader Joe’s Hostage Crisis
The Gist: A survivor discusses the hostage crisis as it unfolded at the Silverlake, CA store – located on Hyperion Avenue – two weeks ago. The store recently re-opened this past Thursday, August 2.
Source Article: The Los Angeles Times
Author: Robin Abcarian

“Inequality in 1,100 Popular Films”: The USC Annenberg Inclusion Initiative Study
The Gist: Here is the published study from the University of Southern California on hiring/diversity patterns from the decade of 2007 – 2017.
Authors: Dr. Stacy L. Smith, Marc Choueiti, Dr. Katherine Pieper, Ariana Case, Angel Choi
Source: USC Annenberg Inclusion Initiative

 

Headline: Reboots, Remakes & Returns: TV’s Blasts From The Past In 2018-2019
The Gist: Here’s your all-on-one-page look at shows that have confirmed pickups, are in talking stages, in doubt (Heathers, X-Files, Mad About You), and not picked up (Cagney & Lacey).
Source Article: Tampa Bay Times
Authors: Caitlin O’Conner and Steve Spears

 

Movie Pass Is Teetering, But The Takeaways Are Major
The Gist: Movie Pass stock was worth 25 cents a share just 4 days ago. The author of the article takes a look at how the core execs of the company weren’t poised to assume massive debt until they became profitable. On the other hand, the company tapped into the data of what viewers wanted to see and perhaps changed the mindset of Millennials, primarily, to discover movies they may not have opted in for paying as they went.
Source Article: IndieWire
Author: Chris O’ Falt

Weekend Box Office: Sony and Buena Vista Take 5 of the Top 10 Slots
The Gist: The gross for 43 films over this weekend are here as the top 10 is dominated by Buena Vista (Disney’s Christopher Robin, Ant-Man and the Wasp, Incredibles 2) and Sony (The Equalizer 2, Hotel Transylvania 3)
Source: Box Office Mojo

Peak TV Hasn’t Peaked: Streaming Leads The Way
The Gist: John Landgraf, CEO of FX Networks, coined the ‘Peak TV’ term and offers a revised prediction of what the content boom holds in store. Also, see the numbers of original content produced in each sector and how streaming and premium cable are leading those investments.
Source Article: Adweek
Author: Jason Lynch

 Jessica Lange Back For Season 8 of “American Horror Story”
The Gist: It’s been 3 seasons since Jessica Lange left American Horror Story as troubled carnival owner and German snuff film survivor, Elsa Mars. Now, her AHS: Murder House character – failed actress and scary neighbor, Constance Langdon – returns.
Source Article: Vanity Fair
Author: Emma Stefansky

The “Stranger and Sadder” Story of Otto Wambier
The Gist: Otto Wambier was the 21 year old student from Cincinnati, Ohio sentenced to 15 years hard labor in North Korea for stealing a propaganda poster. GQ magazine tackles the true story of the factors leading to his tragic return, beyond the initial talking points.
Source Article: GQ
Author: Doug Bock Clark

Is The Indian Film Industry Struggling? A Veteran of the Industry Says Crisis Is ‘Perpetual’
The Gist: The Indian film industry produces over 2000 films a year for a shrinking number of screens, resulting in roughly 400 of that number making a substantial profit. Indian industry executive Amit Khanna, breaks down the intricacies and roots of Indian cinema from the 1950s to now, as well as the genres popular today. Grab a pen and check your Netflix/streaming service queue for a cinematic history lesson.
Source Article: BloombergQuint
Author: Amit Khanna

#FlashbackRead: “I Have Seen God.” – Nina Simone’s Liberian Hiatus
The Gist: It was in 1974 that Nina Simone and her daughter Lisa went to Liberia for what would be a 3-year stay after Simone’s emotional turmoil in the States. Eclipsed by her global celebrity, yet adored for being her distinct self, here’s an overview of those years before Liberia’s military coup in 1980, which Simone missed by just three years.
Source Article: Guernica
Author: Katherina Grace Thomas