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A14 PEOPLE / ARTS
Friday 28 July 2023
Horror flick ‘Talk to Me’ is a hand-some high-five for twin Australian

filmmakers

By MARK KENNEDY lot of questions about how
AP Entertainment Writer some teens in suburban
You’ve got to hand it to the Australia got it. Talk to the
Philippou brothers. They’ve hand.
taken an old horror cliche What’s surprising is the joy it
a severed hand and made brings to our weird group.
something worth, well, ap- Being possessed in this
plauding. movie is a rush an uncon-
“Talk to Me,” which hits the- ventional idea in the hor-
aters this Friday, is a stylish, ror genre even though the
well-crafted piece of film- demon who briefly controls
making that marks the aus- you can do embarrassing
picious arrival of twin Aus- things, like make out with a
tralian filmmakers Michael dog. The script seems to be
and Danny Philippou. playing with notions of rec-
Directed by the broth- reational drugs as much as
ers from a script by Danny horror here.
Philippou and Bill Hinzman, The heroine of this tale is
“Talk to Me” is modern played by Sophie Wilde
and yet ancient, with just and it’s her vehicle to star-
enough jump-cuts and dom, too. It’s a role that
zombies and dread, but asks her to be sad, exuber-
not too much. It also down- ant, frightened, deadly,
shifts out of madness in the possessed, lusty, mourn-
final third to explore loss This image released by A24 Films shows Sophie Wilde in a scene from “Talk to Me.” ful and vengeful. She is all
and guilt just when most Associated Press those things and more.
films would ramp up the She’s one to watch.
running-from-scary-guys ing, these guys have a por- body. (For not too long, looks like one of those man- Her Mia is grieving the an-
part. celain hand that is a door- though: 90 seconds sounds nequin pieces you find in niversary of her mother’s
Our focus here are a pack way to hell. good before someone upscale jewelry stores to suspicious death and a de-
of teens in Australia. Teens Curiously, these teens don’t needs to cut the connec- show off expensive rings. mon that may or may not
Down Under are pretty sit around and play beer tion.) The kids film it all on It’s got loads of graffiti but be mom shows up during
much the same as they are pong or spin-the-bottle. their phones and post it on looks pleasant enough. their little game. That leads
everywhere snarky, peer- They take turns holding the social media. (Who should Underneath the porcelain the plot in the second half
pressure-y and clique-y. But hand and inviting what- get royalties isn’t clear.) we’re told, might be the to go supernatural and
in addition to stealing their ever bug-eyed, damp and OK, let’s talk about this severed hand of a medium where holes in the logic
parents’ booze and smok- foul demon to enter their hand, which initially just or a satanist. Don’t ask a tend to stretch.q

ESPN considers adding sports leagues as partners as it transitions

from cable to digital

By JOE REEDY ner as the network con- us on the content side. So ing and would pose some coup some financial losses.
AP Sports Writer tinues its transition from a you can draw whatever questions about fairness According to its most re-
SANTA MONICA, Calif. (AP) cable channel to a digital conclusions you want from and objectivity in cover- cent filing, ESPN has 72.5
— ESPN chairman Jimmy company. that,” Pitaro said Tuesday age. It would mark another million cable subscribers
Pitaro said the network “I will emphasize that we during a seminar sponsored step in sports’ relationship and 25.3 million for its ESPN+
could take on a sports believe there are parties by CNBC and Boardroom, with its broadcast partners. streaming service.
league as a minority part- out there that can help a sports media company Some teams have equity There is no timetable for
founded by Kevin Durant. stakes in regional sports ESPN releasing a direct-to-
Pitaro declined to say networks, while all four ma- consumer product, which
which leagues have been jor U.S. professional leagues would give consumers a
in talks with him and Walt have their own channels. way to view programming
Disney Co. CEO Bob Iger, Some have also wondered from ESPN’s channels with-
but he said there has about ESPN’s future within out a cable subscription.
“been a healthy level of in- the framework of Disney, ESPN+ subscribers currently
terest” from leagues as well which Pitaro tried to ad- still need a cable subscrip-
as technology, marketing dress by saying, “Bob (Iger) tion to access that content.
and distribution compa- has been clear about the LionTree Chairman and
nies. Pitaro also said it is not power of live sports and CEO Aryeh Bourkoff said it
a question of if but when power of the ESPN brand, would be tough for ESPN
ESPN will roll out a direct-to- how important it is to the to go it alone as it transi-
consumer product to view future of the Walt Disney tions from linear to digital
its offerings. Company.” With cable and that partnerships have
A button for ESPN+ is on a remote control in Portland, Ore., Aug. A league having an equity audiences continuing to become as crucial for busi-
13, 2022. stake in a network like ESPN shrink, a direct-to-consum- nesses as much as mergers
Associated Press would be groundbreak- er option would help re- and acquisitions.q