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Francis

Genie Francis Shifts Into Protective Mama Bear Mode as Laura Puts Drew in His Place

by jummy84 November 2, 2025

written by jummy84

What To Know

Genie Francis returned to General Hospital as Laura Webber Collins, delivering a standout performance by fiercely defending her grandson and confronting Congressman Drew Cain for his manipulative behavior.
Laura not only protected Danny and Rocco from Drew’s verbal attacks but also called out Drew’s inability to separate personal feelings from politics, showcasing her authoritative presence.
Francis displayed both strength and warmth, bonding with newcomer Ronnie Bard and earning Performer of the Week honors for her passionate and personable portrayal.

Genie Francis has been absent from our screens far too often as of late on General Hospital. Fortunately, that was rectified this week when the Daytime Emmy winner’s character, Laura Webber Collins, blasted morally-challenged Congressman Drew Cain (Cameron Mathison) for his machinations.

We also saw a fun, softer side to Laura as she bonded with Port Charles’s latest newcomer, Ronnie Bard (Erika Slezak). For her performance that was both passionate and personable, TV Insider bestows Performer of the Week honors on Francis.

Congressman Cain is enjoying throwing his weight around wherever he can these days. Danny (Asher Antonyzyn) and Rocco (Finn Carr) were his latest targets after Drew discovered that Danny had violated the order keeping him from his sister, Scout (Cosette Abinante).

Francis’s Laura arrived just in time to not only put a halt to Drew’s verbal attack on the boys, but also to administer one of her own. “I beg your pardon,” Laura authoritatively informed Drew. “I believe you’re out of your depth, Congressman!”

Mathison has come to embrace his manipulative character and has gotten quite used to ordering people around. Laura, however, has delt with villains in Port Charles for decades, from conniving Bobbie Spencer (the late Jacklyn Zeman), in her conniving nursing school days, to controlling matriarch Helena Cassadine (Constance Towers). The mayor of Port Charles doesn’t let anyone push her around. She’s not about to let anyone intimidate her grandson, Rocco, either.

ABC

“When did you become so petty and vindictive?” Laura almost rhetorically asked Drew. She wasn’t interested in hearing anything he had to say in terms of defending his character, or lack thereof.

After politely asking Danny and Rocco to leave, Laura’s strength only seemed to grow. “I would appreciate it if you would stop characterizing Danny as a ‘bad influence,’” Laura scolded Drew.

Soaps are famous for their two-person scenes, but Francis was sharing the screen with daytime legend Slezak in this confrontation with Drew. We couldn’t help but notice Laura’s bemused reactions as Ronnie caught on to Drew’s true nature.

When Drew failed to win Ronnie over to his side, he fell back on gunning for Scout’s brother. “Oh, please!” Laura remarked as she called out the Congressman for not being able to separate his personal feelings from politics.

Francis’s Laura has a beautiful smile, and she lit up like a Christmas tree when she heard Ronnie say she didn’t much like Drew.

After Drew was shown the door to the house that it looks like he won’t be buying, Laura turned to Ronnie and said, “As the mayor of this town, may I be the first to officially welcome you to Port Charles.”

In an effort to bond with Ronnie, Laura recounted a tea party she once helped the late Lila (Anna Lee) throw at the Quartermaine house when she was employed by her husband, Edward (David Lewis). There was a nice shoutout from Laura to her mother (Lesley, Denise Alexander) when she recounted that Alan (Stuart Damon) and Monica got into a fight that day, which climaxed when Monica threw a teacup at her husband.

We can’t say we recall that particular bit from the show’s Golden Age, but all that matters is that Francis sold the incident as if it had actually occurred. That’s how good she is.

In an effort to shed a light on the sister Ronnie never fully knew, Laura explained that the Quartermaines argued for sport (they sure did) and that Monica was Edward’s favorite (also true).

If Ronnie ends up coming clean that she’s a big fraud and not really Monica’s sister, it may be because folks like Laura have welcomed her with such grace. Kudos to Francis for her terrific performance as Laura passionately defended her grandson and also showed she can befriend a total newcomer with genuine warmth.

General Hospital, Weekdays, ABC

November 2, 2025 0 comments

Music

Francis Ford Coppola Selling Million-Dollar Watch to Recoup Megalopolis Losses

by jummy84 October 26, 2025

written by jummy84

If you and I make a bad financial decision, we might get by through selling plasma or eating canned tuna for a week. But if you’re Francis Ford Coppola, you bounce back from possible financial ruin by selling million-dollar watches.

It’s no secret that 2024’s Megalopolis, Coppola’s long-gestating pet project, was a bona fide financial bust. After the iconic director poured in $120 million of his own money (a combination of various personal assets alongside a majority stake in the Delicato Family Wines), Megalopolis earned just $14.4 million at the box office. Now, in hopes of recouping a portion of the small fortune that’d devastate anyone else, Coppola has tapped New York City auction house Phillips to sell seven singular timepieces (per The Hollywood Reporter).

With the auction set for December 6th and 7th in New York City, the undisputed crown jewel of the so-called “Coppola Collection” is the F.P. Journe FCC Prototype. According to Phillips’ own Paul Boutros, Coppola worked hand-in-hand with famed watchmaker Francis-Paul Journe to craft this watch. Perhaps its most dazzling feature is its “black-treated titanium hand,” which was developed over the span of nearly a decade’s worth of conversations between Journe/his staff and Coppola.

Review: Francis Lawrence’s ‘The Long Walk’ is an Emotional Wallop

by jummy84 September 13, 2025

written by jummy84

Review: Francis Lawrence’s ‘The Long Walk’ is an Emotional Wallop

by Alex Billington
September 12, 2025

“Walk until there’s only one of you left…” This unexpected end of summer surprise is one of the best of the year. The Long Walk is one of three new Stephen King adaptations this year – as well as The Life of Chuck and The Monkey. It’s based on one of the early novels by King published back in 1979 (under his pseudonym Richard Bachman). The Long Walk features a dystopian American future + a yearly government game a lot like The Hunger Games; though let’s be honest, it’s more than likely The Hunger Games borrowed from this story, considering The Long Walk was published a full 29 years before any of those books. And they really pulled this off. This movie got me good… It’s even more emotionally impactful and thrilling as a depiction of fascist dystopian hell than so many other stories trying the same. It shook me up proper. Yep we’re heading towards exactly what is depicted – it’s a zeitgeist concept. Not only is the filmmaking top notch, it’s riveting and so unsettling to watch, but the performances are what matter the most and they’re all excellent in here.

Here is the setup: in the near future with a devastated economy, America now offers a once-a-year become-very-wealthy game for young men around the country. One boy from each state is chosen through a lottery to compete in “The Long Walk.” The rules are simple: everyone must keep walking at a speed of 3 MPH or above. You keep on walking & walking until there’s only one person left. “If you fall below the speed of three miles per hour, you get your ticket.” Meaning they kill you. A convoy of military vehicles follows along to maintain the rules. If you do the calculations, this “long walk” should last about 3 days and cover over 300 miles, which is right around when the exhaustion is so unbearable you pass out or go crazy. There are up to 3 warnings issued if you slow down, which also grants them time to urinate or tie their shoe if necessary. It’s grueling. It’s insane. Of the 50 competitors in this long walk, the focus is on Cooper Hoffman playing Ray Garraty (#47) and David Jonsson playing Peter McVries (#23), who become friends over the course of the arduous stroll. Along with Stebbins (#38 – Garrett Wareing), Arthur (#6 – Tut Nyuot who is yet another stand out), Barkovitch (#5 – Charlie Plummer), Hank (#46 – Ben Wang), Collie (#48 – Joshua Odjick).

The relationships formed on this long walk are the most important part of this story – this is the real meat of King’s tale. Of course it is also brutally honest commentary on fascism & capitalism, and the way the world rewards only those willing to kill themselves (more on that below). But it’s also a story of these “boys”. This movie has the most vivid and deeply moving Sam & Frodo energy between Ray & Pete I’ve experienced in a long time. Some of the most perfect casting picks ever getting Cooper Hoffman and David Jonsson as the two leads. They are remarkable together in this. I was wiping away tears by the end. I won’t stop thinking about them for a long time… It’s not just their friendship, it’s their comradery, their conversations, the way they grow to appreciate each other for who they are, not for the endurance to win this walk. And everything changes once they finally open up and tell each other their real stories. It’s so beautiful and wholesome… I think there’s a wise lesson in here about listening to each other, understanding each other, well beyond the macho-ness of competing in this walk thinking you’ll win it. Winning isn’t really what matters, right? I hope everyone else watching this movie comes to understand this point that King is making between Ray & Pete.

The film’s key metaphor of endlessly walking towards wealth is exceptionally accurate & clever. One of most representative analogies for life in late-stage capitalism. Yes, of course, it is literally about how insane it’d be to watch 50 boys walk for 3 days non-stop without any rest or breaks or anything. Yes, it’s gory and brutal to watch, with all the usual grisly injuries that could happen along the way. This story cannot be told without showing the gory truth of how this much walking destroys a body. The brutality is also part of the metaphor. Much like the Spanish film The Platform, simplicity is key in depicting this metaphor of America’s obsession with chasing wealth. Only 1 of the 50 will make it and win “endless riches” – it’s interesting that they never state an exact amount, just the dream of “riches” is enough. Much like life in poverty, you have to believe in yourself to get to the end or you literally won’t make it. You have to keep on marching, no matter how hard it gets. There’s wealth there at the end of the tunnel! Everyone else is dead? Whatever, keep on going, you only have yourself to worry about… And you’ll get there soon enough. Or you won’t… March on! For there is glory waiting: if you can outlast the brutality longer than everyone else! Then you, good Samaritan survivor, will finally be rewarded. Don’t worry about the 49 boys who didn’t make it… they’re not the winner. You are.

The Long Walk director Francis Lawrence, who’s also known for directing all The Hunger Games sequels after the first one (including Songbirds & Snakes), outdoes himself this time by bringing things back to the basics with pure, focused storytelling. The way he depicts the dystopian small towns along the way, flashes & moments of sullen locals watching like ghosts in the distance, indicates he has such a keen understanding of what is broken in modern society. And he wants us to see it and pick up on that within this movie. And to also feel the heaviness and bleakness of this scenario, how it’s not so far off from really happening, how this long walk is not the answer. It’s just perpetuating the madness. The sneakiest trick Francis Lawrence pulls is instilling so much hope and positivity into the first half of the movie. All 50 boys are so cheery & upbeat! It’s also part of the madness… You have to believe in this BS and create false hope in order to get even halfway there. I will admit this movie is quite depressing to watch, but the ending hits hard and lands right where it should, making the right decision. He is a Hero. He does what is necessary, but is that enough? I hope so…

Alex’s Rating: 9 out of 10
Follow Alex on Twitter – @firstshowing / Or Letterboxd – @firstshowing

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September 13, 2025 0 comments

TV & Streaming

Francis Ford Coppola Honors Werner Herzog at Venice Opening Ceremony

by jummy84 August 28, 2025

written by jummy84

Francis Ford Coppola doesn’t have a film premiering in Venice this year, but the 86-year-old Oscar winner is duly present for the 82nd edition. His pal Mike Figgis’ behind-the-scenes portrait “Megadoc,” about the production of Coppola’s 2024 cinematic cause célèbre “Megalopolis,” debuts out of competition this week. And at the festival’s opening ceremony Wednesday night, Coppola took to the dais to champion his longtime friend, the German filmmaker Werner Herzog, recipient of the festival’s honorary Golden Lion for lifetime achievement. (“Vertigo” icon Kim Novak will also receive one later this week.)

Herzog’s new film “Ghost Elephants,” about an elusive herd of the Angolan creatures, debuts in Venice this week as part of the festival’s robust documentary slate, which also includes new films from Laura Poitras and Sofia Coppola.

“One must celebrate that someone like him can exist,” said Coppola of Herzog, the 82-year-old documentary and fiction auteur whose films have spanned everywhere from the Caves of Lascaux in “Cave of Forgotten Dreams” to pushing a steamboat up the Andes with Klaus Kinski in “Fitzcarraldo,” or alongside conservationist Timothy Treadwell in his last days for “Grizzly Man.”

“His work burst into my life with ‘The Enigma of Kaspar Hauser’ [from 1974], ‘Aguirre, the Wrath of God,’ and ‘Fitzcarraldo.’ I have never seen such films as these, all unique and very different from one another, and all magnificent,” said Coppola, who put up a penniless Herzog at his San Francisco house to finish the script for “Fitzcarraldo.”

“He’s written operas, he’s directed roles, he’s acted. He not only can fill the pages of an encyclopedia — Werner is one so, so filled with exuberant creativity. … We all joined together at my home in San Francisco, where there was always fun conversations and much learning and enthusiastic discoveries. I was working on a play at that time, and remember introducing one of the cast members, Lena, who eventually became his wife. So when it comes down to is this: If Werner has limits, I don’t know what they are. Werner’s life and his very existence send a challenge to everyone out there: copy, if you can. And all of us truly wonder if anyone ever will. Werner, I will eat my hat if anyone comes [along] who can do it.”

VENICE, ITALY - AUGUST 27: Werner Herzog poses with Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement Award after the opening ceremony during the 82nd Venice International Film Festival on August 27, 2025 in Venice, Italy. (Photo by Andreas Rentz/Getty Images) — Werner Herzog poses with the Golden LionGetty Images

A tearful Herzog took to the stage at the Sala Grande on the Lido di Venezia. “Francis has been extremely kind and generous to me,” Herzog said. “We know each other for half a century by now. He’s been generous, inviting me at a time when I didn’t have money to pay for a hotel room. I stayed at his house in San Francisco and wrote my screenplay of ‘Fitzcarraldo.’ Both of us came very close to making a very big film about the conquest of Mexico together, seen from the perspective of the Aztecs, a film project that did not materialize, but it’s a wonderful time when we plotted about it. And, of course, without Francis, I would not have met my wonderful wife, Lena. In fact, it is not true that we are 30 years together. Now it is to be correct: 29 years, 11 months, and nine days.”

Herzog — whose “Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans” and “My Son, My Son, What Have Ye Done?” both played Venice in competition in 2009 — concluded, “I have always tried to strive for something that goes deeper beyond what you normally see in movie theaters. Go into a deep form of poetry that is possible in cinema, searching for truth in unusual ways. Truth is always somehow in cinema. It’s mysterious and elusive, and I always try to do something which was sublime or something transcendental. This may sound a little bit lofty. So in fact, I do believe that all this has similar reasons. I always wanted to be a good soldier of cinema.”

Later in the opening ceremony, competition jury president Alexander Payne took to the stage hours after navigating questions about Gaza during the jury press conference. Protests surrounding the ongoing genocide in Gaza are roundly expected to dominate event space and news chatter throughout the fest.

The jury also includes filmmakers Stéphane Brizé, Maura Delpero, Cristian Mungiu, and Mohammad Rasoulof, and actors Zhao Tao and 2025 Best Actress Oscar nominee Fernanda Torres, who together will look at 21 films from the likes of Paolo Sorrentino (whose “La Grazia” opened the festival), Yorgos Lanthimos, Noah Baumbach, Park Chan-wook, Kathryn Bigelow, Guillermo del Toro, Olivier Assayas, Mona Fastvold, Benny Safdie, Jim Jarmusch, and more.

“My fellow jurors and I express our great honor of being asked to serve on the jury of this year’s Venice Film Festival, and we offer our greatest respect and warmest congratulations to all the superb filmmakers whose work we have the privilege of seeing with virgin eyes,” Payne said following a tribute reel montaging moments from his career, from “Sideways” to “The Descendants.” “I encourage my fellow jury members and myself to consider that we know something about cinema, but also nothing at all, to look at each movie simultaneously with the eyes of a professional but also with the eyes of a child who is perhaps seeing a film for the very first time. We know that each of the films will be some kind of miracle, as the existence of cinema itself is a miracle, and we approach our work with the spirit of great joy.”

August 28, 2025 0 comments