The first trailer for the 9-1-1 spinoff, 9-1-1: Nashville, has been released! The series stars Chris O’Donnell, Jessica Capshaw, Kimberly Williams-Paisley, LeAnn Rimes, Hailey Kilgore, Michael Provost, Juani Feliz, and Hunter McVey.
Judging by the trailer, it’s going to be an epic show that we can’t wait to see!
9-1-1: Nashville will premiere on Thursday, October 9 on ABC.
Watch the trailer below!
Before its world premiere at Fantastic Fest 2025, director Glenn McQuaid (I Sell the Dead) made it clear that The Restoration at Grayson Manor is a queer horror comedy told through a Gothic melodrama lens, stressing that this is not camp. When McQuaid, who co-wrote the screenplay alongside author and screenwriter Clay McLeod Chapman (Ghost Eaters: A Novel), shared many of the movie’s soapy inspirations on Instagram, he included 1987’s queer erotic thriller Law of Desire and explained how the film “showed how cinema could be dangerous and liberating and fun all at once.” The filmmaker effectively leaned into those elements, creating a truly memorable experience.
The Restoration at Grayson Manor stars Golden Globe winner Chris Colfer (Glee) as Boyd Grayson, a hedonist and pianist who is in a constant contentious standoff with his legacy-obsessed mother, Jacqueline (Alice Krige). The last two Graysons — who apparently used to be close before Boyd came out as bisexual and his mother forced him through various traumatic “treatments” such as aversion therapy and shock therapy — are essentially stuck living together in their massive family estate, especially after a horrific accident leaves Boyd handless.
Instead of immediately taking Boyd to the hospital, he wakes up to discover that his mother has hired a medical team to care for him at home, where Jacqueline has converted a wing of the manor into a state-of-the-art recovery ward. She’s also had a change of heart about taking away his inheritance since Boyd was injured saving his mom from the falling, broken shards of a heavy mirror that took his hands in an intentionally over-the-top scene that sets the tone for the rest of the movie.
His inheritance is the least of Boyd’s concerns as the younger Grayson quickly learns that one of his new 24/7 caregivers, Dr. Tannock (Daniel Adegboyega), is developing prosthetic hands for Boyd. But these are not traditional hand prostheses; Boyd will become the first patient in history to use prosthetic hands powered entirely by his subconscious. As Tannock explains, his invention is an injectable nanotechnology, a type of synthetic nervous system introduced at the accident site. The doctor believes his work in neural prosthetics will revolutionize the merging of humans and machines, that this is “how humans transcend,” which is never a good sign when a “mad genius” makes a statement like that in a movie like this.
The rest of the movie centers around Dr. Tannock helping Boyd attempt to meld with the prosthetic hands via his subconscious as we learn more about the other caregivers, Claudia (Gabriela Garcia Vargas), Boyd’s nurse/therapist, and Tannock’s assistant, Lee (Declan Reynolds). There are mysteries surrounding all of these characters, some predictable but no less compelling. As wild truths come to light and Jacqueline continues to prove to be the absolute worst kind of mother, Boyd’s new hands begin to lash out on his behalf as the connection between the killer hands and his subconscious, weighed down by generational trauma, grows stronger.
Staying true to the melodramatic tone, this movie embraces the exaggerated and the ridiculous on every level, from its characters to the escalating (and imaginative) violence and the multiple twists, turns, and shocking betrayals. The Restoration at Grayson Manor is also heavily focused on the plot, rather than character growth, centered on these experimental prosthetic hands and the consequences that everyone must suffer. Still, there are significant character beats for Boyd that briefly set aside the theatrical dramatics and give the audience moments of connection with the key character. Much of his character on-screen is either seductive or perpetually brash. His hostile attitude is understandable when he is forced to interact with his icy mother, who is eternally driven by the expectations of heteronormativity, but the scenes where the layers are stripped back and we get glimpses of the real Boyd underneath it all (especially when he’s put through the emotional wringer) are Colfer’s best work in the film.
Krige, who last appeared at Fantastic Fest in 2021 for Charlotte Colbert’s feature directorial debut She Will, is always a standout in every project she’s been a part of. She nails Jacqueline’s demeanor as a domineering matriarch focused solely on her desire to “fix” Boyd as well as manipulating her son into giving her a grandchild, an heir to continue the Grayson legacy, and handles the rare moments of motherly love with the proper amount of emotion that never redeems her, but lets the audience know some part deep within her toxic core maybe does love her son. (Yet, most of the time, it’s fairly clear the Grayson name and status are all she truly cares about, and Krige knows how to maintain that balance.)
Despite their obvious hatred for each other, there are a few moments of strange, often humorous bonding between Boyd and Jacqueline throughout the movie that seemingly draw on whatever loving familial relationship they had (that Boyd acknowledges once existed in a dream) that is now full of vitriol. Boyd will forever resent his mom for rejecting his queerness and trying to condition him in abusive ways to be heterosexual and meet his mother’s relentless demands and expectations, and Jacqueline will always resent her son for his extreme party lifestyle, how he lives to spite her, and for denying her an heir that can continue the Grayson legacy that means so much to her.
The Restoration at Grayson Manor is darkly funny, sexy, brutal, surprising, enraging, and at times, even heartbreaking. It may take a moment at first for some viewers to embrace the bold tone and style of the movie, but they will ultimately be hooked by McQuaid and Chapman’s entertainingly unhinged narrative, bolstered by strong performances from every player and the film’s emotional sincerity. The ending is equal parts frustrating, hilarious, and entirely appropriate for a mother and son tied together in an unending, destructive relationship that destroys everyone else in its path.
A brand new trailer has been released for James Cameron’s Avatar: Fire and Ash, the next installment in his Avatar franchise.
Here’s the synopsis for the film:
With “Avatar: Fire and Ash,” James Cameron takes audiences back to Pandora in an immersive new adventure with Marine turned Na’vi leader Jake Sully (Sam Worthington), Na’vi warrior Neytiri (Zoe Saldaña), and the Sully family. The film, which has a screenplay by James Cameron & Rick Jaffa & Amanda Silver, and a story by James Cameron & Rick Jaffa & Amanda Silver & Josh Friedman & Shane Salerno, also stars Sigourney Weaver, Stephen Lang, Oona Chaplin, Cliff Curtis, Joel David Moore, CCH Pounder, Edie Falco, David Thewlis, Jemaine Clement, Giovanni Ribisi, Britain Dalton, Jamie Flatters, Trinity Jo-Li Bliss, Jack Champion, Brendan Cowell, Bailey Bass, Filip Geljo, Duane Evans, Jr., and Kate Winslet.
Avatar: Fire and Ash is set to open exclusively in theaters worldwide in IMAX 3D, Dolby Cinema 3D, RealD 3D, Cinemark XD, 4DX, ScreenX, and premium screens everywhere on December 19, 2025.
Watch the trailer below!
Filmmaker Kenichi Ugana’s (We Are Aliens, I Fell in Love with a Z-Grade Director in Brooklyn) new film, The Curse, had its world premiere at this year’s Fantastic Fest in Austin. The horror movie is an entertainingly brutal entry featuring the curse trope, taking satirical aim at the complexity of depicting one’s life on social media, especially from the perspective of those following along with every post.
A Taiwanese-Japanese co-production, The Curse follows salon receptionist Riko (Yukino Kaizu), who notices her friend Shufen’s social media posts have taken an eerie turn, including a photo with the caption, “Drop dead already, all of you.” After being unable to contact Shufen, Riko learns from her ex-boyfriend Jiahao that Shufen died six months prior (“an unnatural death”), leaving them to wonder who has been posting disturbing messages on her account. After Riko’s roommate, Airi, watches one of the cryptic videos “Shufen” has shared, supernatural occurrences plague the friends, leading to more horrifying deaths as their investigation unveils an unhinged revenge plot.
Read below to learn what Ugana shared over email about what inspired The Curse, his views on why the popular trope is prevalent in the horror genre, and how he believes that social media is the “perfect subject to depict the grudges of the modern era.”
The opening scene of The Curse escalates violently as we see a woman running from an unknown entity before she is killed, and then we see the aftermath with her dead body. Was this sequence meant to establish how brutal and relentless the curse is, or to give the audience a taste of what they’re in for?
Kenichi Ugana: Both were necessary for me. I feel that the opening scenes are very important for a horror film.
There are many movies in the horror genre that tackle the curse trope. What do you think it is about curses that makes them an exciting subject to explore in horror?
Ugana: I think it’s because they’re based on human feelings. To me, humans are the scariest thing.
Were there other movies, horror or otherwise, that inspired you as you were writing and filming The Curse? For example, there’s a head-spinning moment in the back half of the film that obviously calls on iconic imagery from The Exorcist.
Ugana: I took inspiration from director Kiyoshi Kurosawa’s worldview. Of course, I was influenced by The Exorcist and various other horror films.
Can you talk about filming the flashback scenes that show how Shufen was suffering from the curse? Those moments, and the reveal on the beach, have a dreamlike (or nightmare-esque) quality. Was that the intention?
Ugana: Yes. I was conscious of making it look like a dream. Most of the characters in this film aren’t very good. However, that family is portrayed as good. I wanted to make it seem like it was just her subjective experience. For that scene, I wrapped plastic wrap over the lens to create a fantastical atmosphere.
Jiahao makes the comment that curses are real in Taiwan and how “many people have died from them.” Was there a specific Taiwanese mythology or folklore that inspired this story?
Ugana: Apparently, in Taiwan, there’s a curse called a paper doll, and Taiwanese ghosts wear red clothes and stick out their long tongues, so I used that as inspiration. In Japan, a curse is commonly performed by nailing dolls made of straw to wood. Japanese ghosts wear white clothes and don’t stick out their tongues, which I found interesting.
Some of my favorite moments in The Curse are when we, the audience, can see the evil entity, but no one else can. Can you talk more about using that storytelling technique?
Ugana: I think the fact that only the audience knows, but the characters don’t, is a very effective film magic, both in terms of the script and the visuals. This time, I was able to use that in both the script and the film.
What was your favorite scene to film?
Ugana: The opening scene is my favorite because it brings together a variety of [elements], including acting, animals, dolls, cars, and music.
At one point, a character says, “I check every single social media post of yours. So I know everything about you.” Social media plays a significant part in the movie and the curse itself. Why was it important to you to tell a story about a curse centered around how someone reacts to the way another person presents their life on social media?
Ugana: Nowadays, many people find their individuality in social media, but I feel like they are unaware of the horror of anyone being able to see their posts, the horror of not knowing what others think of those posts, and the horror of anyone saying something while hiding their face and name. I thought it was the perfect subject to depict the grudges of the modern era.
Following its world premiere at Fantastic Fest, The Curse will also screen at Sitges International Film Festival, Strasbourg European Fantastic Film Festival, Festival du nouveau cinéma de Montréal, Kaohsiung Film Festival, and Nightmares Film Festival. The movie is expected to be released in 2026.
The trailer for the fourth season of Fire Country has been released, and it will give you chills. Spoilers ahead!
In the trailer, we see that Vince Leone has passed, and what ensues this season in the aftermath is sure to be heartbreaking. The trailer shows everyone dealing with their grief over the loss, Station 42 being suspended from active duty, as well as Bode getting ready to fight to honor his father.
The show is produced by CBS Studios, and executive produced by Tony Phelan, Joan Rater, Tia Napolitano, Max Thieriot, Bill Purple and Jerry Bruckheimer, and KristieAnne Reed for JBTV.
Fire Country is set to return on Friday, October 17, at 8:00 pm ET/PT and Paramount+, part of CBS’s premiere weekend. It will return to its regular time slot the following week, on October 24, at 9:00 pm ET/PT on CBS.
Watch the trailer below!
The East Coast, F*ck You tour came storming through Toronto on Friday night.
My musical journey/self-discovery started with 80’s hair metal, and very quickly evolved into 90’s punk rock (thanks to my high school boyfriend). We saw some great artists back then, and when we split (as these high school romances often do), I also generally walked away from punk rock. I don’t think it was a conscious decision necessarily, but this weekend has reminded me of the love I had for a “Good ole Punk Show”. From the moment that Jer walked on stage, their singer belting out politically charged speeches with a heated passion between songs, put me in my own little time capsule. The upbeat ska music, complete with a saxophonist and trombonist, had me dancing and bouncing around the photo pit while I was snapping photos.
The night flowed easily with typically short breaks between songs and sets. It’s an undeniable trait of a true punk show; the music really doesn’t stop. There’s no pomp and circumstance to the show, just groups of friends with their instruments and a mic, with little to no other distractions.
Following the highly energetic performance of Jer, we were treated to a great set by the Smoking Popes, a 4-piece group from Chicago, who’ve been in the game since the early 90’s (with a hiatus in the early 00’s). They have a fast-paced ripping electric bass and a vocalist who sounds like he belongs back in the era of the crooners. These two sounds may not sound like they would mesh well, but that assumption would be incorrect, and the Smoking Popes find a way to pull these styles together seamlessly.
The third band of the evening was Suicide Machines, another band that has been on the map since the early ’90s. A band with a bit of a ska tilt and a more hardcore undertone. Lead singer, Jay Navarro, wearing his battle vest, and dancing around the stage with infectious energy, led the nearly sold-out crowd at the Danforth Music Hall through a blistering setlist, even jumping up on the barricade to get the fans at the front involved in the show.
Last up, the main event, The Bouncing Souls, hailing from New Jersey, took to the stage at 9:15, for an hour and a half of their classic upbeat sound, with songs ranging from their 35-year career and 12 studio albums. The Bouncing Souls have survived almost entirely intact over their time together, the only non-original member being their drummer, George Rebelo. Greg Attonito (vocals), Pete Steinkopf (guitar), and Bryan Kienlen (bass) are all original founding members.
I may not have seen the Bouncing Souls since the late 90s, but when they opened the night with “Hopeless Romantic”, I was once again transported back to the early years of Warped Tour and all the punk shows of my youth. This show rekindled a love of punk music for me and reminded me to keep listening to all these bands that continue to pursue their passions and state their opinions (well, *mostly*). When you have the opportunity to see icons of a genre, you do not turn it down. When the Bouncing Souls come through your town, go.
See photos below!
Fortunately (or maybe unfortunately) for everyone reading this, you’re going to find out pretty quickly that I love Our Last Night. Objectivity will likely just be placed down quietly on the desk while I write this, because I have never in the last decade been to an OLN show that I didn’t have a blast at. It should then come as no surprise that I absolutely couldn’t turn down the opportunity to see them on their Final Tour when it came through Toronto on Wednesday.
In addition to the powerhouse that is OLN, we were treated to two great opening acts in Wind Walkers and Grayscale. While the show was a little late starting – set times getting pushed by 15 minutes due to some delays with the VIP Meet and Greets that took place prior to the doors opening, the short delay didn’t seem to have any other consequences (shortened sets, etc.).
This was my first time seeing Wind Walkers. However, I am very familiar with them and have been wanting to catch them for a few years. I’m so glad that it finally worked out. Their 8-song set was exactly what the crowd needed to get the evening started, and I’m quite certain that they gained several new fans with the way everyone was into their energetic melodic metal/rock mix. They have a new EP coming out on October 3; I encourage you to go and listen and give them the attention they deserve.
Next was Grayscale. This was the second time I had the pleasure of seeing them this year, as I saw them open for Mayday Parade at History a few months back. Grayscale, out of Philadelphia, is: Collin Walsh (Vocals, Guitar), Andrew Kyne (Guitar), Dallas Molster (Guitar), Nick Veno (Drums), and Noah Christian (Bass). With 5 EPs and 4 studio albums, Grayscale has been a band since 2011 and has a dedicated following of their own. Their 9-song set played most directly into their 2025 release The Hart, but did pay tribute to their previous albums as well, with songs off Adornment, Nella Vita, and Umbra rounding out their 40-minute time slot.
Finally, it was time for the main act. As noted previously, I have a very deep fondness for this band. Our Last Night, formed by brothers Trevor and Matt Wentworth (Lead Vocals and Guitar/Vocals respectively), and Tim Molloy (Drums), in 2004, adding touring Bassist Sean Everett more recently to fulfill that empty role as of 2023. Most well-known for their playful covers of everything from popular pop songs to Disney classics and almost everything in between, they also have a deep collection of original songs. This tour, The Final Tour, is not the end of the band, but rather them deciding to prioritize their family lives over the constant touring requirements. For the vast majority of their careers, they have been entirely self-managed, deciding to produce and release their music without the use of a label or management team. This has allowed them much more freedom with their music than some other groups experience. They have released 12 full-length albums over the course of their career. This tour paid homage to their entire repertoire of releases. At 20 songs, their set list covered some of their most loved covers: “Hot Girl Bummer” (blackbear), “Stay” (The Kid Laroi/Justin Bieber), and “Iris” (Goo Goo Dolls), all mixed together with a selection of originals like “White Tiger”, “Escape”, and of course, “Sunrise”.
While I cannot suggest you go and see this band live anymore, I would absolutely suggest that everyone go and check them out on their streaming service of choice. Our Last Night might not be touring anymore, but their music will continue its regular circulation on my daily playlists for certain.
See photos below!
Opening on Wednesday was an Irish group who played well into the traditional Irish folk feel of the evening. Cardinals are a young up-and-coming group out of Cork, Ireland. The 5-piece had a much more slow-paced feel than the headliners would treat us to, but no less fitting with the style of the evening, and provided a really good warm-up for the crowd to engage in conversation and a couple of beers while they gathered into the 2,500 capacity venue for the main event.
The Pogues, probably most famous for their Christmas song “Fairytale of New York”, stopped in Toronto on Wednesday with a host of guests and friends to the delight of local fans, who had not had the pleasure of their presence in over a decade.
With the death of their original frontman Shane McGowan in late 2023, The Pogues have put together a tour that pays homage to their history, and the 40-year anniversary of their album “Rum, Sodomy, and Lash”. The Irish Folk/Punk lads and lassies made up currently of three other original members (James Fearnley, Jem Finer, and Spider Stacy) and no less than 10 guests made the stage look and feel like a raucous pub show, brought the energy to the stage with a set list spanning their entire career, including crowd favourites and covers of well known Irish folk songs, featuring their well known combination of traditional instruments (hurdy gurdy, harp, accordion, and whistles), in addition to guitars, brass, banjos, ukulele, and percussion. The stage was a feast for the senses for the entirety of their 23-song set list. Spider taking over the lead vocals in place of Shane worked well, and his charismatic stage presence, joking around with the other members of the band while trying to get through the seemingly endless introductions, brought laughs from the crowd.
An energetic show by all accounts. I advise you to go and dance to some good ‘ole Irish drinking and fighting music if you get the chance.
See photos below!
I have a confession to make: I’ve never seen Top Gun.
Yes, I know – that probably sounds like movie fan blasphemy. But here’s the thing: you don’t need to know a single Maverick quote or remember who Goose is to be swept up in Nat Geo’s new docuseries Top Guns: The Next Generation.
The limited docuseries goes deep inside the U.S. Navy’s elite aviation program, following student pilots as they fight to earn their coveted “wings of gold.” The stakes couldn’t be higher, and each student is pushed to their physical and mental limits throughout their training.
Of course, their journey is anything but smooth. Each of the six episodes highlights a different stage of training – divebombing, aircraft carrier landings, and close-range dogfighting, for example – and shows how students handle the immense pressure. Some excel in one area but stumble in another, while others come dangerously close to washing out after critical mistakes. The program is unrelenting, and the show doesn’t shy away from the moments where failure feels imminent.
Nat Geo was given unprecedented access, even outfitting cockpits with cameras to capture every heart-pounding maneuver up close. The sequences feel cinematic for good reason: some of the same creative team behind Top Gun: Maverick were brought in to film the aerial footage.
But it isn’t all high-octane thrills. The series balances the intensity of flight school with quieter moments, pulling back the curtain on the pilots’ personal lives. Viewers see them with family and friends, reminding viewers that the risks aren’t just professional – they’re deeply personal. These glimpses of their humanity raise the emotional stakes and make both the victories and the setbacks hit even harder.
In many ways, this show feels like something different for Nat Geo. While it’s a network typically associated with nature or wildlife programming, Top Guns: The Next Generation blends elements of documentary storytelling with the tension of a competition series. The result is striking, immersive, and refreshingly unique. And while it could have easily tipped into military recruitment propaganda, it doesn’t. Instead, it stays grounded in the individual stories of the students and the extraordinary challenges they face.
All in all, Top Guns: The Next Generation is a thrilling, heartfelt ride with wide-ranging appeal. It captures not just the adrenaline rush of flying elite military jets, but the very real, very human journey of pursuing a dream against all odds.
And don’t worry – there is a scene of the students playing beach volleyball. Even I know Top Gun wouldn’t be complete without one.
Top Guns: The Next Generation premieres Sept. 16 on Nat Geo and streams Sept. 17 on Disney+ and Hulu.
This week, Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Infinity Castle will finally be hitting theaters in North America. This first feature film in the planned three-part cinematic trilogy kicks off the long-awaited anime adaption of the final battle against Muzan Kibutsuji.
The last season, which covered the Hashira Training arc, saw Tanjiro and his fellow Demon Slayer Corps members engage in a group strength training program in order to prepare for the battle ahead. After a more lighthearted series of episodes, darkness rolled back in during the dramatic finale as Muzan arrived at the Ubuyashiki Mansion. In the final moments when Tanjiro and the Hashira rushed toward the headquarters, they suddenly were dropped down into a deep, deep descent into a mysterious space …
Cue Infinity Castle, which picks back up right in the moments were the last season left off, plunging audiences right into the demons’ stronghold — the Infinity Castle. Now, for fans who are deciding whether or not to make the trek to their local movie theatre or to wait until the film is streaming, take this piece of advice — you’ll regret it later if you don’t give yourself the full theatrical experience.
Because here’s the thing: it’s very difficult to argue against the fact that Demon Slayer has consistently boasted some of the most impressive animation in anime right now, courtesy of its production studio, ufotable. And as seen with the Mugen Train movie (which, let’s not forget, is the highest-grossing Japanese film of all time), this studio knows exactly what to do when given the opportunity to adapt and animate the series with the intentions of it being seen in a movie theater. Cue Infinity Castle, which — story-wise — is quite literally the perfect storm of elements that were made to thrive in a theatrical format.
An endless, eye-wateringly, mind-bogglingly vast backdrop? Check.
Epic, harrowing, long-awaited showdowns and team ups? Check.
Hard-hitting, tear-jerking emotional beats in between? Check and check.
Sure, I’ve read the manga; I know where this is going and where all of it ends. But for all that I mentally filled in the blanks and envisioned the bits and pieces of backdrop beyond each page, nothing could have prepared me for the sheer enormity of the Infinity Castle. The film conveys the terrifying reality of the Demon Slayer Corps’ situation with far more despair, urgency, and terror than what can simply be drawn on paper (and a big screen really feels necessary to experience the depth — no pun intended — of it all). Whatever you think you were imagining, I promise it’ll feel so much larger once the film starts rolling.
It’s also worth noting that ufotable does an excellent job at weaving 3D elements into 2D animation on such a large, theatrical scale for the film. 3D elements in anime can really be hit or miss — often times it can just be overtly jarring in some series. But here, it feels necessary, as it fits very well with the “infinite” backdrop.
As for the fights, the Infinity Castle arc isn’t just about leading into the final battle between the Demon Slayer Corps and Muzan Kibutsuji. It also serves as the culmination point for several long-awaited, satisfying, heart-pounding showdowns on the way as our heroes fight their way through the remaining Kizuki that stand in the way of victory. So as to be expected with ufotable (flashback to Tengen vs Gyutaro, anyone?), every one of the fights in Infinity Castle feels larger than life. No frame is spared from the production studio’s penchant for painstakingly fluid, sharp detail in action scenes, and the cinematography is as impressive as ever (on top of an incredibly solid soundtrack and sound design).
And par for the course with Demon Slayer as a series, Infinity Castle serves to bring viewers’ emotions to the surface as plotlines that have been building up for years reach a boiling point, unapologetically delivering hit after hit of emotional gut punches (with bits and pieces of the series’ trademark comedy in between).
Looking back to the first announcement about this three-film trilogy, I felt apprehensive about how the ending of the series was ultimately going to be adapted. However, after seeing Infinity Castle, I’m beyond excited for what’s still to come.
Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Infinity Castle is based on the original story by Koyoharu Gotoge (Jump Comics/Shueisha). The film is directed by Haruo Sotozaki, with its screenplay and production by ufotable.
Distributed by Crunchyroll and Sony Pictures Entertainment worldwide (except in Japan and select Asian territories), Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Infinity Castle is coming to theaters in North America on September 12.
Nerds and Beyond is your home for the latest news on all things movies, television, books, conventions, musi
Trending
Categories
Nerds and Beyond - Privacy Policy - Terms of Service