A performance lingers in the mind’s eye even after the black curtain has been drawn in a show. Well, in a year of many successes for both film and TV, there are only a few performances that have managed to stand. These never were just performances, these were compassion, and these were hope and strength.
In 2024 we have had many great movies and great acting performances and roles. As the year comes to a close and the awards season approaches, film enthusiasts have been well-fed. It is that time of the year when movie lovers start getting ready with their ‘Best of the Year’ lists.
Most of the notable performances this year so far have been Dune: Part Two, Challengers, Furiosa and Strange Darling. There are still many releases set within the next month, and several stunning performances have been glimpsed.
As 2024 comes to an end, the following are 5 of the notable performances for the best films and TV of the year.
#5 Demi Moore as Elisabeth Sparkle in ‘The Substance’
Coralie Fargeat’s The Substance is not your average body horror. It’s rather a dramatising of societal expectations of women, based on stereotypes that do not concern men. It doesn’t try to avoid the point that women’s appearance, age, and abilities are all viewed in some sociocultural crinoline. This viewpoint is unappealing and in fact unjust.
The film revolves around a character called Elisabeth Sparkle, a former star who loses her role in a sensational aerobics program. That too on her 50th birthday by her cold-hearted producer. When offered a mysterious substance claiming to become a better version of yourself, she craves the possibility of being young and attractive all over again.
#4 Zendaya as Tashi Donaldson in ‘Challengers’
Luca Guadagnino’s Challengers is a superb stylish, sexy drama centered on the game of tennis. The story revolves around a former tennis player Tashi Donaldson who has shaped her husband Art into a well-known Grand Slam champion. To get him back on track after he lost three matches in a row, she seeks a place at the Challengers court. Things become challenging for Art as he finds Patrick who is his best friend and Tashi’s ex-lover, in the game.
Zendaya is once more looking classy and glamorous in the film. Although the role she plays is much more cynical, in her most recent outing as Tashi in the film Challengers. Her chemistry with co-stars Mike Faist and Josh O’Connor is impressive. In Zandeya’s other performances in Euphoria, the actress showed her abilities quite well and Jovian-like scales. But, here in Challengers, it’s impressive how Zandeya has improved as an actress in all aspects.
#3 Timothee Chalamet as Paul Atreidas in ‘Dune: Part Two’
Both of the Dune movies directed by Denis Villeneuve performed admirably at the box office throughout the world. It attracted the attention of many well-known actors.
Starring an almost unrecognizable Timothee Chalamet, Dune: Part Two depicts the events of the second half of Herbet’s book. In this section, Paul Atreides and his mother Jessica, together with Chani and Fremen, pursue their enemies. Paul is not only on a quest to save a woman; he is the only one who can foresee the future.
Timothee Chalamet has shocked his fans by never performing badly. Due to his quite slim body, it never seems an obstacle to Timothee getting immersed into any character. This is once again true in his second movie when he stood as Duke Paul Atreides. He invests himself completely in the tumultuous emotions of his character and performs quite well in the film.
#4 Hugh Grant as Mr. Reed in ‘Heretic’
Religious horror is a common subgenre. Scott Beck and Brayn Woods have a subtle take on religious issues which is different from the rest filmmakers. The plot of this film centres around two young missionaries named Sister Barnes and Sister Paxton. They are members of the Latter Day Saints Church, going door to door to seek converts. Mr. Reed was another name in the queue for the Mormon girls, they knocked on his door hoping to convert him. But, what he offers him is much more than he expected.
Of all his contemporaries, Hugh Grant is the most recognisable and loved actor. He has mostly acted as the palatable leading man in rom-coms and dramas. Nowadays, he has tended to play rather sinister characters, like Jonathan Fraser in the series The Undoing. In Heretic, he embraced the role of a villain and transformed Mr Reed into an unsettling sociopath who is on the verge of being a theology professor.
#5 Nicolas Cage as Dale Kobble in ‘Longlegs’
The film Longlegs is a combination of horror and crime thriller. It was much awaited by many film enthusiasts in the coming year. The elaborate storyline of the film contributed to what was dubbed as ‘The scariest movie of the year’. This made many horror fans think that they would be ducking under their seats in the theatre.
The film centers around an FBI field agent Lee Harker portrayed by Maika Monroe, who chases a serial killer. It seems to be clear to her that only she can stop the killer from continuing his horrendous slaughter campaign.
Longlegs himself is performed by none other than Nicolas Cage. You can easily claim that there is no one quite like Cage when it comes to acting bonkers, weird, and psychopaths. Cage embodies Longlegs even in the first half of the film where he is blanketed under layers of makeup. It has been said by the filmmakers that Longlegs was supposed to be a former glam rocker who had a lot of plastic surgery to look good for the devil.
In Cage’s performance, we can see that steady hunger to please and impress the Devil. His years spent in the worship of the Devil and the practice of the occult have oozed normality out of him. And that is what Cage’s performance tells.
It’s the writing that avid fans of Tarantino appreciate the most, making him one of the best modern film directors. He has taken so much effort in crafting his films from the earliest days of low-budget flicks to becoming one of the greatest filmmakers. Most of his films are characterized by dark humour, complex plots and colourful characters which have earned them a place for themselves in the history of cinema.
Holaquiz brings you everything you need to know about Quentin Tarantino’s journey.
Early Life and Influences
Quentin Tarantino was born in Knoxville, Tennessee, in 1963. The film industry was clearly within him since he was raised single-handedly by his mother. One has to consider that he was raised in a single mother household in the 1960s which explains his deep interest in the industry since a young age. Being of various origins (spaghetti westerns, samurai epics, grindhouse), his taste was a unique vision that could alter filmmaking altogether.
Debut and Breakthrough: Reservoir Dogs
Tarantino made his roaring debut in America in 1992 through Reservoir Dog which focuses on a gang of robbers. One must note that this film significantly differed from its equivalents in the sense that it was character-driven and not plot-driven. During its release, this movie was likened to Edwin S. Porter’s silent film Jack and the Beanstalk due to its artless structure as well as its action-centric approach, dark humour, and dynamic characters. Reservoir Dogs announced that there was a new director in town, and with precision and rising tension, the film foreshadowed the collapse of independent filmmaking.
Pulp Fiction: Reconstruction of Actual Storytelling
Tarantino’s hitherto unfulfilled potential as a filmmaker was seen two years later in Pulp Fiction, a movie that perhaps is best in his portfolio. How its narratives focusing on crime, redemption and simply the silliness of some events are combined and deployed throughout the film’s story’s time frame is simply genius. Many of the conversations, filled with references to popular testimonies, became part of the movie’s culture. Pulp Fiction won awards upon awards and brought dead careers to life, proving that unorthodox storytelling can also be commercially viable.
Genre Experiments: Jackie Brown and Kill Bill
Jackie Brown, one of Tarantino’s movies, was released back in 1997 and virally made waves across the world for several reasons. The most noteworthy reason is the respect he has for vintage genres, evident in this movie as it touched upon the ‘Blaxploitation’ genre of films that were prominent in the 70s. During this film, he introduced new characters, and storylines that progressed him deeper into more complex baddie roles while simultaneously integrating mature writing into his works.
The sequels to Kill Bill, which include Kill Bill Volume 1 and 2 began Tarantino’s saga of revenge films that he envisioned consisting of iconic martial arts films and westerns. The visuals of these films left the audience in awe due to the fights intertwined with Western themes and romances that broadened the audience’s experiences.
Tarantino has romanticized history through his very own lens via the United States team that went on to win World War in the 2009 film ‘Inglourious Basterds’, A deep tragedy with powerful depictions and a significant amount of vengeful concepts integrated into the story. The ending of the movie was the turning point in the history portrayed by Tarantino as it showcased ‘free wishes’ rather than doom and gloom.
To take down slavery and its horrid involvement with American history, Django Unchained worked as a perfect medium to do so. Filled with suspenseful moments mixed with humour the film flew off shelves and made people rethink mucked-up scenarios and deepen our thinking ability beyond simply looking at things from the surface level.
The Hateful Eight
In 2015, Tarantino decided to return to Westerns with a film that can best be described as a ‘chamber drama’, full of ice, suspense, and doubt – The Hateful Eight. The perspective is impressive. This piece of work belongs to the finest of works. The exceptional build-up in the plot was beautifully displayed through the scenes. The shift in his storytelling style seems to have blossomed here.
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
In Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (2019), Tarantino reflected on his own life and created a heartwarming tribute to the bygone era of filmmaking in Hollywood. The storyline was set in 1969 Los Angeles and showcased the beauty of filmmaking while also lamenting the process of growing up and time passing. Tarantino’s rendition of Sharon Tate’s destiny demonstrated Tarantino’s genius in bridging the two worlds of fiction and deep-seated realistic certainty, time and again.
Recurring Themes and Signature Style
During his lifetime, Tarantino has created several masterpieces and in all, he was driven by a constant urge for vengeance, violence and quests for redemption. His movies constantly blur the lines of ethics and amoralism and challenge a viewer’s perceptive ability. He makes full use of music in his films as soundboards often carry the weight of the entire narratives. It is also worth mentioning that Tarantino is unmatched in his use of dialogue and scripts where the focus is on the rhythm of the speech along with the wit behind it.
Conclusion
It is unquestionably true that Tarantino’s impact on the present-day directors is vast. He has motivated a whole generation of film directors with his unique ways of telling stories and revelling in genre films. He is already talking about a ten-minute retirement plan which it seems he is sticking to but his effect on society and culture is still very much apparent. It is quite clear that Tarantino is not someone who will ever be forgotten in the film industry whether that be through the movies he has made or the impact he had on the cinematic world.
Everyone knows who Jason Kelce is – he is an established footballer, especially known for his big personality on and off the field. Jason’s wife Kylie is equally captivating. She has a fantastic podcast of her own which is engaging and inspiring at the same time.
Jason Kelce, an NFL star, is famous as a centre for the Philadelphia Eagles as well as for being one of the two brothers, Jason and Travis Kelce, who play in the league. Travis, who plays for the Kansas City Chiefs, co-hosts the New Heights podcast with Jason.
Their parents, Ed and Donna, have been constantly commuting to watch their games. Joining the gang as well is Travis’s girlfriend, Taylor Swift, who has been flying to understand the entire entourage.
While Caldwell’s mother and parents have basked in the limelight owing to the attention on their son just because he’s dating Taylor; Jason’s dating life has not remained off the radar either. Kylie McDervitt Kelce is Jason’s wife, and they have been together for six years. The couple has three children and still appears quite healthy.
Whether it’s life with Jason, the family, sports behind the curtains or other societal topics, she can share a story that is relatable across cultures. She does better in capturing listeners’ attention and making them care to learn more about the brand rather than disconnecting the narrative from the context and associating it with a celebrity.
Now together with Holaquiz, let us navigate through her vast story to understand the reason behind the success of her podcast.
But First, Who is Kylie McDevitt Kelce?
Kylie was born in 1992 in the suburb of Narberth, which is located in Philadelphia. The Eagles as well as the neighbourhood ring a bell to her. She later enrolled herself in Cabrini University, which is particularly situated in Wayne, Pennsylvania and she pursued a major in communications. It was in 2017 when she graduated and Jason was present there.
In 2019, around October, Jason shared some insights with the media that was when he had just welcomed a child with Kylie. Subsequently, they had two more children, and Jason obviously found creative ways to assist in raising them.
Another supporter of Jason, who is his wife, is an athlete too. At Lower Marion High School, where she was head coach followed by a college stint, Kylie participated in field hockey. She was able to make it to the All-CSAC First Team and ECAC South All-Stars First Team also as per her Cabrini Athletics page. After graduation, she competed in the sport and mentioned that “joining the Cabri Field Hockey team was one of the best choices I have ever taken”.
How Did Jason And Kylie Kelce Meet?
Travis and Jason are one of the few cases I know who straight admit they met on Tinder back in around 2015. In the latest episode which aired in September 2023 of Jason and Travis Kelce’s New Heights podcast, Travis’s wife, Kylie, talked about her thoughts when she first swiped right on him.
Her thoughts were: “His bio at that moment was similar to ‘I want to hold significant discussions, and also about our future, kids etc,’ but his introduction of her at the bar was a different story as 45 minutes in he asked her to ‘Take a nap’ since he was ‘Too drunk.’”
How Long Jason And Kylie Kelce Have Been Together?
Jason started dating his wife Kylie in 2014 and their love story commenced on Tinder where they met for the first time. Jason still remembers the first time he met his now wife at the Eagles annual holiday party where they understood they had some chemistry.
He was instantly attracted to her as he described in the interview “She is serious yet playful and incredibly beautiful and smart.” Speaking of his wedding day, he recalls being married to his wife at Logan Hotel on 14th April in the year of 2018.
Jason’s Sweet Retirement Speech
On 4th March 2024 when Jason decided to retire from his football career, he paid tribute to his wife Kylie. “She was beautiful, smart, serious, but also playful,” he recounted Jason recalling the first glimpse of her on the Entertainment Tonight show. “It was evident even then. It is probably no accident that I have enjoyed the best years of my career with Kylie. Almost every award that I have received throughout my life has come because she was in my life.”
“She has brought the best out of me via affection, loyalty, hard work, being honest, being clever, and sometimes just a boot in my backside,” he asserted. “To add to that she has given me three beautiful daughters and a life that off-field is turning out to be in many ways more satisfying than on-field. All in all, it has been good, Ky.”
Kylie Kelce’s Podcast Ranks No. 1 After Debut Episode
Kylie Kelce’s podcast is set to become the hottest hit! Holaquiz notices that after the release of the first episode on December 5, Kyle’s new podcast Not Gonna Lie has made it to the first position on Spotify and Apple’s video podcast charts. She managed to overtake Joe Rogan, displacing The Joe Rogan Experience in the rankings to the second position.
In the first episode, she along with her husband Jason Kelce opens up on it feels to be in the limelight when she’s someone who prefers to remain out of it. The three-time greatest of all-time mom who recently broke the news of expecting her fourth child said that while she would rather be ‘Behind the scenes’, she does know how to ‘get the attention and turn it into a positive’ to ‘be able to steer the conversation regarding her’ the way she wants to.
Conclusion
Kylie Kelce has the personality that every person admires as she is easily able to capture everyone’s attention through her podcast. Kudos to her for breaking societal norms and tackling topics which others are too afraid to touch. Kylie’s podcast truly is a badge of honour.
Kylie’s podcasts, as well as her personal experiences, ease and amuse the audience and quite a few the complexities of the modern world as unfulfilling at best. Besides, it shows the love for podcasting and telling stories to those interested which is one of the factors that has helped build her podcast. No doubt, being able to relate and even draw inspiration from such cases has become the norm for many podcasters.
The name Jon Favreau is now forever attached to Star Wars and in basically any aspect of cinema, his narratives expanded one of the most enchanting universes in existence. Jon Favreau’s involvement in The Mandalorian has been a revolution for the industry as it consolidated modern technology and traditional storytelling.
He easily emerged as one of the creators who truly comprehended the Star Wars culture, primarily because of his ability to strike an equilibrium between nostalgia and boldness. This transfer from the role of the head creator of The Mandalorian to the role of the key contributor in the development of the further Star Wars universe only confirms how important role he plays in the world of movies and television.
Holaquiz takes you on the journey of Jon Favreau. So, buckle up!
Jon Favreau’s Legacy Before ‘Star Wars’
Even before he got into the Star Wars saga, Jon Favreau was already proving himself as a diverse filmmaker and storyteller. His Hammington’s viral popularity put him in the limelight and swinging from there over directing Iron Man proves that he is a man who slays while grabbing chances.
He created the Marvel Cinematic Universe and on top of that managed it as well, all thanks to the incredible amount of creativity he had. His ability to create and tell stories made him a great candidate to walk into the Star Wars universe that unites thousands of creative geniuses across the world.
The Birth of ‘The Mandalorian’
The Mandalorian expansion to the Star Wars universe is the brainchild of Jon Favreau whose primary goal was to create something unique but at the same time retains the roots of the Star Wars franchise. With the help of Dave Filoni, he weaved a story based on old Westerns and Samurai scenes introducing the new characters Din Djarin and Grogu who rapidly became household names.
Favreau’s imagination to traverse unknown regions of the galaxy permitted him to design a series that attracted potential and old fans alike. The Mandalorian skyrocketed to prominence, indicating that an episodic form of storytelling could be as rich, or even richer than, Star Wars movies in their complexity.
Improvements in Storytelling and Technology
The Mandalorian made the most effective use of virtual production technology which made Jon Favreau the pioneer of that field. He ‘invented’ the Volume or StageCraft and thus advanced the realistic design of the environment within motion pictures.
With the advent of this technology, convincing special effects could be accomplished, which in turn enhanced both the playing and the viewers’ experience. His use of new technologies in combination with traditional storylines was the distinctive quality that he had as a director. The Mandalorian, in his direction, was more than a television series, it was a film that redefined the franchise and the entire entertainment industry.
Revitalizing the ‘Star Wars’ Universe
Holaquiz noticed Jon Favreau had a significant impact on Star Wars. Weaving together hopeful themes during the Mandalorian series enabled fans to forget the discontent that the sequel trilogy left after watching it. Favreau’s practical management of giving the fans what they craved and introducing new features succeeded when we saw Boba Fett and Luke Skywalker again.
At the same time, he brought in fresh new characters and stories that added to the thickness of the galaxy. Such goodwill and creativity in the film industry is what the world is in dire need of as clearly shown when the franchise had been under Favreau as it was indeed resurrected.
Filling Out the ‘Star Wars’ Galaxy
It was not only with the Mandalorian show where Jon Favreau could be seen exercising his influence as this was only one of the many ways he used to broaden the Star Wars galaxy. Boba Fett a fictional character from the Universe was featured in farmers’ insurance commercials and is a prime example of his exceptional skills at cross-referencing. This form of storytelling or screenplay has led his viewers and fans more excited to see new characters and the context surrounding the galaxy.
In every project he worked on, there was always an effort to stay consistent as well as tidy and organized which changed the way storytelling was done in the franchise. Further revisions to his work are what waited for the Star Wars universe not only as it had fans of today but of the future too.
What’s Next for Jon Favreau in Star Wars
Letting Jon Favreau create his narrative within the Star Wars universe, it seems endless future projects are waiting for him. With some anticipating his return as the director in the new movies or innovative different series, many wish to see a movie that dives deeper into the lore of the galaxy as well.
The Drive that Favreau brings to the approach of the Star Wars narrative as well as his vision for the fandom as such is one of the reasons for him being a quintessential character in the Star Wars franchise. With such a visionary who knows how to expand without disrupting the norm, it is safe to say that he will be remembered as one of the key players in the John Wick51 for years which would only add more to the Star Wars canon.
Conclusion
Jon Favreau’s altering effects on Star Wars Can Not Be Stated In Any Other Way Hype For Mandalorian Season 3 Starting From The Image To The Opening Sequence That Captivated Every Star Wars Galore, He Has Revolutionized How Everything Can Be Done Within This Universe.
With his respect for the franchise’s past, technology, and depth of storytelling, he has succeeded in putting Star Wars into perspective. As his next attempt draws anticipation, one thing is clear: The chronicles of the Mandalorian child as Jon Favreau transforms from the guru of the series to one of the protagonists of the Star Wars universe will remain one of the most crucial events in the history of the franchise.