Latest news with #Titanic
The Spinoff
5 hours ago
- Entertainment
- The Spinoff
‘A big, brave thing': Janine Morrell-Gunn on What Now's huge pivot
The children's television veteran shares her life in television. A year-and-a-half ago, beloved local children's series What Now made the hugest swing of it's television tenure. After four decades as a live studio show, the series pivoted to be digital-first. YouTube became the primary platform for the show, with short videos being uploaded regularly and a pre-recorded episode packaging it all together still airing every Sunday morning on TVNZ2. 'We did a big thing and a brave thing,' says Janine Morrell-Gunn, executive producer of What Now and director of Whitebait Media. 'After 42 years on television, it's been tantamount to moving the Titanic.' Aside from moving to a smaller studio, there's also been a refresh of the hosting dynamic. What Now is now helmed by a 'crew' mostly in their early 20s, who take turns hosting the studio show and competing in a range of challenges together. 'It has really changed the whole culture of the show, which I think is much closer to reflecting young people and how they live their lives,' says Morrell-Gunn. She admits that the new era of What Now initially spent time trying to 'out-beast Mr Beast' with the likes of dramatic helicopter stunts, but have now settled into simpler shortform quiz formats and lo-fi crew set-ups. And having worked on everything from Spot On to The Son of a Gunn Show, Morrell-Gunn remains passionate about celebrating local kids. 'Kids seeing themselves on screen, hearing their voices and having their own humour and sensibilities showcased is so important,' she says. 'We need to keep seeing kids from all cultures accepting, playing, and enjoying each other.' And, before you ask, there's still plenty of room for gunge – the new era of What Now also comes with a fully mobile gunge tank, which is still traversing the motu gunging kids to this day. 'Whatever gunge means, it's joyful,' says Morrell-Gunn. Speaking of joyful, we asked Morrell-Gunn to take us through some of her most treasured television memories, including what Michael Jackson had to do with Jason and Thingee's Big Adventure. My earliest TV memory is… Watching The High Chaparral, which is a Western from way back in the day. That's how old I am – the show aired in the late 60s. The reason I remember it is because I was terrified behind this chair watching it. The show I would rush home from school to watch is… We didn't watch TV very much after school as kids, but I do remember Romper Room which was a preschool show. They'd do a song where kids would run around the studio with these little wooden horses between their legs. I knew a girl Eden who got on the show and she took her horse and started hitting the lights in the studio. I don't know why they didn't edit in those days. A TV moment that haunts me is… We made Jason and Thingee's Big Adventure on the weekends while we were working on other things during the week, and we had so much fun. But my haunting memory was that we included various video clips from the Son of a Gunn Show throughout, and one of them was montage with a young group of dancers who were dancing to 'Beat It'. When it was about to come out we got a message saying 'have you cleared the Michael Jackson song?' We hadn't, so we re-recorded a soundalike using session musicians. I thought we had sorted it out, except that the original version with Michael Jackson was somehow put out on the VHS. I've lost a lot of sleep about that because I could see the headlines – 'Michael Jackson sues Christchurch woman' – but we lived to tell the tale. My earliest TV crush was… Definitely David Soul from Starsky and Hutch. He went into singing and I bought his 45 from the local record shop for 99 cents. No one who reads this will remember any of this. My TV guilty pleasure is… I did have a big Schitt's Creek moment. So many people had said to watch it and I couldn't get through the first couple of episodes, and then suddenly those 80 episodes just went like that [Morrell-Gunn snaps her fingers]. I could not get enough of it – I'd just keep tapping on the table and say 'go again, Jason'. I remember feeling very much out of control. My favourite TV character of all time is… Well, my husband. I've enjoyed him on everything that he's ever done. I just think he has this beautiful, real and really relatable way about him. So he is my pick. My favourite TV show I've ever been involved in is… That's a hard one for me, because they're all your babies. 2kaha was a show we made on Saturday mornings and I loved the Māori sensibility, it had a really great energy about it. Bumble was also something special. I just love the kindness of that show, there was real joy in that and innocence to it. You never know what impact your shows ever have, but I remember getting this mail from a mum thanking me because she could put her child in front of Bumble and finally have a shower. And then there's Brain Busters – making the te reo Māori version of Brain Busters just melted my heart. The TV project I wish I could be involved in is… I'd love to have worked on Adolescence. I think it's just stunning what they achieved. From the execution of that idea through the script, to the groundbreaking style of storytelling, to the messaging and the timeliness and the need for it in society… it was just a fabulous piece of content. My controversial TV opinion is… This isn't controversial, but I've always been a champion for children's content. I think that we always get the thin end of the wedge, and that young people deserve the same range and diversity of local content across all genres. Children's television often feels last in a long, long line. A show out there I won't watch, no matter how many people say I should… I don't watch any real-life murder crime series. The family love them and I'll take a look if I'm wandering through the room, but only because I'm fascinated by the technique – how slow it takes, how much is recapped, how they interview. But it's never going to have a happy ending. The last thing I watched on television was… We just waited for that last episode of Mob Land, and loved that. Also just finished My Friends and Neighbours. And then Nine Perfect Strangers, based on the Lianne Moriarty book with Nicole Kidman. We love the dramas.
Yahoo
5 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Here are the Netflix top 10 movies I think are worth adding to your watchlist
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Another weekend is here, which means there's plenty of great new movies to watch across the best streaming services. But with so much on offer, narrowing down which ones are actually worth your precious streaming time can quickly become a headache. Netflix's list of the top 10 most-watched movies is a great place to start, but how do you determine which ones are actually worth the hype? That's why we regularly peruse the Netflix top 10 list to highlight the best of the bunch. This week, that includes a high-octane action thriller starring Gerard Butler, a time-traveling romcom that's quickly become Netflix's latest sleeper hit, and a thought-provoking documentary about the human toll of unchecked ambition. Not in the mood for any of these? For even more streaming recommendations, be sure to check out our guide to everything new on Netflix this month. So, without further ado, let's dive into the three must-watch movies in Netflix's top 10. This article is based on Netflix's top 10 movies list in the U.S. as of 11:30 a.m. ET on Sunday, June 15. With so many plane crashes making headlines this year, people are understandably jittery about flying. But that's not stopping Netflix subscribers, whether out of morbid curiosity or simply seeking thrills, from jettisoning "Plane" to the #1 spot on the streamer's top 10 list shortly after arrival. It's even managed to unseat Tyler Perry's "Straw" from the top spot. One of my favorite Gerard Butler films, this adrenaline-fueled action thriller stars Butler as Brodie Torrance, a commercial airline pilot hoping to complete one final flight before reuniting with his daughter. But when a violent storm hits midair and a lightning strike disables the aircraft's systems, Torrance is forced to make a daring emergency landing. He manages to get the plane down safely, only to discover they've landed on the dangerous, pirate-run Jolo Islands. Stranded in hostile territory, Torrance reluctantly joins forces with a fugitive passenger (Mike Colter) to evade local warlords and protect the survivors until rescue arrives. Watch it now on Netflix If you're in the mood for a gripping documentary, Netflix's latest one, "Titan: The OceanGate Disaster," takes a deep dive into the fatal implosion of the Titan submersible during its June 18, 2023, descent to the Titanic wreck site. All five people aboard were killed in the incident, including OceanGate CEO and pilot Stockton Rush. Drawing on archival footage, whistleblower testimony, and internal audio recordings, the documentary investigates how Rush's unchecked ambition and startingly risky decisions contributed to the tragedy. It also casts a critical eye on the tech world's relentless drive for innovation, highlighting the risks of prioritizing progress over safety. "Titan" offers a haunting exploration of ambition pushed to the brink as well as a cautionary tale about a visionary who believed in his creation so completely, he went down with it. Fair warning: It's a difficult watch, but an important one nonetheless. Watch it now on Netflix If subtitles aren't a deal-breaker for you, Netflix's latest Spanish-language "Our Times" is a wacky time-traveling romcom that's quickly becoming the streamer's latest surprise hit. It follows a married physicist couple, Nora (Lucero) and Héctor (Benny Ibarra), with a homemade time machine that accidentally zaps them from 1966 to the present day, Though they're stranded in a bold new era, both are still anchored by decades-old ways of thinking, which puts their relationship to the test. While her brilliance was dismissed in the '60s because of her gender, in 2025, Nora's talents are finally recognized and celebrated. Meanwhile, Héctor wrestles with feelings of insecurity and a mindset stuck in the past, struggling to keep up with the changes around him. Their relationship becomes a fragile tug-of-war, with Nora leaning into her newfound independence, while Héctor clings to the comfort of what once was. Watch it now on Netflix 1. "Plane" (2023)2. "Straw" (2025)3. "Titan: The Oceangate Submersible Disaster" (2025)4. "Trainwreck: The Astroworld Tragedy" (2025)5. "Get Hard" (2015)6. "Bee Movie" (2007)7. "K.O." (2025)8. "Our Times" (2025)9. "Despicable Me 4" (2024)10. "Now You See Me" (2013) 7 best new movies to stream this weekend on Netflix, Max, Disney Plus, and more (June 14-15) This is the one Netflix movie I'm watching on Father's Day — and it's a gripping apocalyptic thriller with heart This romantic drama that makes me swoon every time is leaving Netflix soon — catch it before it's gone
NZ Herald
21 hours ago
- NZ Herald
Rob McCallum, the Kiwi adventurer who tried to stop Stockton Rush's Titan OceanGate disaster
Rob McCallum discusses 11,000m dives, Titanic and the deadly deep-sea insanity of OceanGate CEO Stockton Rush. New Zealander Rob McCallum is a pioneer of deep-sea diving. He's broken the record for the deepest dive in the Mariana Trench – almost 11,000m below sea level. He's worked with the
North Wales Chronicle
a day ago
- Entertainment
- North Wales Chronicle
Cutting edge virtual production at Belfast studio ‘most advanced in the world'
Studio Ulster, on the shores of Belfast Lough, not far from where the ill-fated liner was launched back in 1911, has officially opened what have been termed the world's most advanced virtual production facilities spanning 75,000 square feet. The facilities have been designed to support productions at every scale, from blockbuster films and high-end television to AAA game development and world-class animation. It integrates real-time engines, in-camera visual effects, volumetric capture and motion tracking to revolutionise how all those production types are made. While Northern Ireland has already established a reputation internationally as a filming destination, with Game of Thrones among productions beaming the natural scenery onto televisions across the world, Studio Ulster has been described as taking things to the next level. Some of the more recent productions made in Northern Ireland include How to Train Your Dragon, starring Gerard Butler, and Netflix's The School for Good and Evil, starring Charlize Theron and Laurence Fishburne. Studio Ulster benefited from a £72 million investment, part-funded through the Belfast Region City Deal, and was developed by Ulster University in partnership with Belfast Harbour and supported by Northern Ireland Screen. It was designed to elevate the UK and Ireland's capacity for commercial studio production using advanced in-camera visual effects, establishing a world-class benchmark for the industry. Professor Declan Keeney, chief executive of Studio Ulster, described the start of a new chapter for Belfast. 'From the docks that built the Titanic to the LED stages that now build entire universes, Belfast has always punched above its weight,' he said. 'The launch of Studio Ulster marks a new chapter, one where cutting-edge virtual production, motion capture and digital scanning converge to give filmmakers, game developers and creatives the power to shape worlds in real time. 'We've taken the spirit of Belfast's shipyards, precision, ambition and pride in what we build and applied it to the future of storytelling. 'This isn't just a studio. It's a global platform for imagination, powered by some of the most advanced creative technology anywhere in the world.' Richard Williams, chief executive of Northern Ireland Screen, said virtual production has 'truly come of age at Studio Ulster'. 'While many filmmakers are aware of the basics, few fully grasp how radically the technology has evolved,' he said. 'Studio Ulster is a genuine game-changer, pushing the boundaries of what's possible on screen and enabling directors to bring any imagined world to life, right here at Belfast Harbour. 'Northern Ireland Screen is proud to support this landmark facility, which redefines the studio offering not only in Northern Ireland but across the UK and Europe.' Professor Paul Bartholomew, vice-chancellor of Ulster University, said Studio Ulster is a transformative investment offering significant cost and time efficiencies by reducing the need for physical sets and location travel. 'Studio Ulster is a transformative investment for the screen industries of the UK and Ireland,' he said. 'This incredible facility is more than a milestone, it's a launchpad for the next generation of creators and storytellers. 'By bringing cutting-edge virtual production capabilities to Belfast, we're enhancing the region's global competitiveness and creative potential, in turn creating jobs and economic impact. 'As a university, we are immensely proud to have developed and delivered this ambitious new enterprise at the heart of Northern Ireland's creative economy.' Laura Livingstone, VFX executive at Netflix, said Studio Ulster has the potential to shape the next generation of storytelling. 'This is a pivotal time for our industry, where innovation is not just accelerating but fundamentally reshaping how we create and experience stories,' she said. 'It's more than just a facility; it's a bridge between visionary creators, the local community and global opportunity. Studio Ulster has the potential to shape the next generation of storytelling, and I'm proud to have helped launch this studio.' Northern Ireland Secretary Hilary Benn added: 'I am so impressed by the technology, skills and vision, which have brought this world-leading facility to Belfast. 'The UK Government has part-funded the studio's development, including through £25.2 million awarded as part of the Belfast Region City Deal; CoStar funding through the UK Research and Investment; and £3 million from the Levelling Up Fund. 'Studio Ulster will be transformative for the film industry in Northern Ireland.' First Minister Michelle O'Neill said the Stormont Executive is proud of the success of the creative industries. 'The journey of the creative industries here tells such a positive story of our progress over the last 26 years. A journey that we as an Executive are proud to have been involved in and to have championed over the years,' she said. 'Productions like Game of Thrones and Derry Girls have put us on the map as a place of talent, creativity and technical expertise. This incredible space will build on that momentum and help attract even more high-end productions. 'With the opening of this incredible facility, we enter into the next chapter of our creative industries journey – we are excited to see where the next part of the journey takes us, and we, as an Executive, want to continue our role in making it a successful one.' Deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly added: 'Northern Ireland is on the cutting edge of global screen production and immersive technologies and I am proud that through Belfast Region City Deal, we have been able to support this multi-million pound investment in our creative industries. 'We are known throughout the world for our productions and for our expertise and skills in this thriving industry. 'We have the facilities, people and locations that can make a success of any screen production and I am confident Studio Ulster will raise our potential to a new level, helping to attract even more big-budget films and television productions.'
RTÉ News
a day ago
- Entertainment
- RTÉ News
Cutting edge virtual production at Belfast studio 'most advanced in the world'
Cutting-edge virtual production that can appear to bring terrifying ogres to life and deliver close-ups of the Titanic at a studio in Belfast is being celebrated as world-leading. Studio Ulster, on the shores of Belfast Lough, not far from where the ill-fated liner was launched back in 1912, has officially opened what have been termed the world's most advanced virtual production facilities spanning 75,000 square feet. The facilities have been designed to support productions at every scale, from blockbuster films and high-end television to AAA game development and world-class animation. It integrates real-time engines, in-camera visual effects, volumetric capture and motion tracking to revolutionise how all those production types are made. While Northern Ireland has already established a reputation internationally as a filming destination, with Game of Thrones among productions beaming the natural scenery onto televisions across the world, Studio Ulster has been described as taking things to the next level. Some of the more recent productions made in Northern Ireland include How to Train Your Dragon, starring Gerard Butler, and Netflix's The School for Good and Evil, starring Charlize Theron and Laurence Fishburne. Studio Ulster benefited from a £72 million investment, part-funded through the Belfast Region City Deal, and was developed by Ulster University in partnership with Belfast Harbour and supported by Northern Ireland Screen. It was designed to elevate the UK and Ireland's capacity for commercial studio production using advanced in-camera visual effects, establishing a world-class benchmark for the industry. Professor Declan Keeney, chief executive of Studio Ulster, described the start of a new chapter for Belfast. "From the docks that built the Titanic to the LED stages that now build entire universes, Belfast has always punched above its weight," he said. "The launch of Studio Ulster marks a new chapter, one where cutting-edge virtual production, motion capture and digital scanning converge to give filmmakers, game developers and creatives the power to shape worlds in real time. "We've taken the spirit of Belfast's shipyards, precision, ambition and pride in what we build and applied it to the future of storytelling. "This isn't just a studio. It's a global platform for imagination, powered by some of the most advanced creative technology anywhere in the world." Richard Williams, chief executive of Northern Ireland Screen, said virtual production has "truly come of age at Studio Ulster". "While many filmmakers are aware of the basics, few fully grasp how radically the technology has evolved," he said. "Studio Ulster is a genuine game-changer, pushing the boundaries of what's possible on screen and enabling directors to bring any imagined world to life, right here at Belfast Harbour. "Northern Ireland Screen is proud to support this landmark facility, which redefines the studio offering not only in Northern Ireland but across the UK and Europe." Professor Paul Bartholomew, vice-chancellor of Ulster University, said Studio Ulster is a transformative investment offering significant cost and time efficiencies by reducing the need for physical sets and location travel. "Studio Ulster is a transformative investment for the screen industries of the UK and Ireland," he said. "This incredible facility is more than a milestone, it's a launchpad for the next generation of creators and storytellers. "By bringing cutting-edge virtual production capabilities to Belfast, we're enhancing the region's global competitiveness and creative potential, in turn creating jobs and economic impact. "As a university, we are immensely proud to have developed and delivered this ambitious new enterprise at the heart of Northern Ireland's creative economy." Laura Livingstone, VFX executive at Netflix, said Studio Ulster has the potential to shape the next generation of storytelling. "This is a pivotal time for our industry, where innovation is not just accelerating but fundamentally reshaping how we create and experience stories," she said. "It's more than just a facility; it's a bridge between visionary creators, the local community and global opportunity. Studio Ulster has the potential to shape the next generation of storytelling, and I'm proud to have helped launch this studio." Northern Ireland Secretary Hilary Benn added: "I am so impressed by the technology, skills and vision, which have brought this world-leading facility to Belfast. "The UK Government has part-funded the studio's development, including through £25.2 million awarded as part of the Belfast Region City Deal; CoStar funding through the UK Research and Investment; and £3 million from the Levelling Up Fund. "Studio Ulster will be transformative for the film industry in Northern Ireland." First Minister Michelle O'Neill said the Stormont Executive is proud of the success of the creative industries. "The journey of the creative industries here tells such a positive story of our progress over the last 26 years. A journey that we as an Executive are proud to have been involved in and to have championed over the years," she said. "Productions like Game of Thrones and Derry Girls have put us on the map as a place of talent, creativity and technical expertise. This incredible space will build on that momentum and help attract even more high-end productions. "With the opening of this incredible facility, we enter into the next chapter of our creative industries journey – we are excited to see where the next part of the journey takes us, and we, as an Executive, want to continue our role in making it a successful one." Deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly added: "Northern Ireland is on the cutting edge of global screen production and immersive technologies and I am proud that through Belfast Region City Deal, we have been able to support this multi-million pound investment in our creative industries. "We are known throughout the world for our productions and for our expertise and skills in this thriving industry. "We have the facilities, people and locations that can make a success of any screen production and I am confident Studio Ulster will raise our potential to a new level, helping to attract even more big-budget films and television productions."
