Netflix Blonde: What To Expect From The Movie

It's important to remember going into Andrew Dominik's Blonde that it isn't about Marilyn Monroe the person, really. It's about Marilyn Monroe the idea. What's clear after watching Blonde, which the filmmaker behind The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford has spent a decade trying to make, is that he doesn't really see any humanity in either. Based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Joyce Carol Oates, Blonde weaves together extravagant cinematic artifice with a gruelling, cruel portrayal of one of our most iconic movie stars. For the unaware, the bubbly Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend version of the iconic silver screen beauty is nowhere to be found herein. This is, rather, a Netflix movie that reduces Marilyn to the sum total of the child abuse, mental illness, rape, sexism, abortion, drugs, and physical abuse from at least one husband that all, yes, conspired to her set her hurtling toward a destructive end. Unfortunately, in Dominik’s hands, that’s pretty much all that Blonde is. The movie tries to say something, I suppose, about the litany of evils Marilyn had to endure  by, paradoxically, forcing the viewer to wallow in it all. And I do mean all of it. Or, more specifically, all of the things I mentioned above. Netflix, up to this point, had already been pushing right up against the line with the degree of raunchiness it allows to exist on the service. The streamer’s 365 Days franchise, for example, is softcore porn for all practical purposes. As for Blonde, Dominik told Vulture he felt “surprised” by the NC-17 rating, since he’d thought “we’d colored inside the lines.” “Americans are really strange when it comes to sexual behavior, don’t you think?” Dominik continued in that interview. Oh please, come on guy. “People are uncertain about where any lines are” You knew exactly what you were doing when, during an abortion scene in Blonde, you made it seem as though the camera was inside Marilyn’s vagina and we were watching as a doctor’s tongs slowly entered the foreground. You knew what you were doing when you had Marilyn raped onscreen multiple times, and during a sex scene with JFK toward the end of the movie that was basically porn. Or when we saw a drugged-up Marilyn vomiting into the toilet, except the camera was pointed up at Marilyn so that it looked like she was heaving onto us, the audience. “We’re in a time now, I think, where people are really uncertain about where any lines are,” Dominik added in that Vulture interview. That’s the same director, mind you, who when it comes time for the infamous city street scene in Blonde, when Marilyn’s dress is blown upwards decides to luridly drag that moment out. To have her dress keep blowing up and down, up and down, and to then slowly zoom the camera in on what she’s wearing underneath. “I’m not concerned with being tasteful,” Dominik told Sight and Sound. 

 

Ana de Armas Oscar-worthy performance

I’d be remiss, meanwhile, if I didn’t say a word about the fearless performance Ana de Armas gives in Blonde. It’s not just the uncanny resemblance, or the mannerisms she mimics or even the work she did to hide (not completely, but almost) her Spanish accent. She disappears, wholly and completely, into this character.

It’s just a shame that praising her work gives me pause. Because to do so is to inadvertently praise a movie that at times seems like its whole goal is simply to make you, the viewer, feel as uncomfortable as possible. Again and again and again.

From a technical standpoint, this Netflix movie is a masterpiece. But when you’re not looking away in horror, it’s hard not to feel like the content of the film in front of you is really just exploiting Marilyn all over again, under the guise of wagging a scolding finger at that exploitation. You have been warned.

Why is Blonde NC-17?

Where to begin. Multiple explicit sex scenes. An abortion scene, in which the camera appears to be looking out from Marilyn’s vagina, as a doctor’s tongs approach the viewer. Multiple rapes. A scene involving Marilyn and JFK too explicit to describe here. All of that, and more, no doubt played a part.
 

What time is Blonde released on Netflix?

Blonde will be available at 12 am Pacific Time on Wednesday, September 28.
Is Blonde based on a true story?

The movie is adapted from Joyce Carol Oates’ novel, Blonde. The novel, and the Netflix movie, are not straightforward biographies, but rather a narrative “reimagining” of the starlet’s life.
Are there any Marilyn Monroe movies on Netflix?

In April 2022, Netflix released The Mystery of Marilyn Monroe: The Unheard Tapes  a documentary directed by Emma Cooper.
 

The Best Streaming Service Deals Of 2022

Football is upon us, everything pumpkin spice is here, and the days are slowly very slowly, this Southern Californian might add but steadily getting colder. This means a lot of us are beginning to spend more time indoors and will do so even more as fall officially settles in and we begin bingeing spinoffs like Andor and House of the Dragon along with an abundance of fall programming. And while it’s true that most streaming services don’t cost very much, we all know that those monthly subscription fees have a way of adding up in the long run. Before you know it, you’re spending as much on streaming as you would on cable. If you’re trying to cut down on your expenses (and who isn’t these days?), you don’t necessarily need to unsubscribe from everything. In fact, we’ve found a few ways for you to save on a monthly subscription. It turns out a variety of platforms, including Disney Plus and Hulu, are offering deals right now, some of which are even available to new and returning subscribers alike. Below, we’ve curated some of the best deals going on right now so you can enjoy streaming your favorite show or movie without worrying about breaking the bank.

Best Streaming Deals

Hulu

Hulu offers both . No matter which you buy, you’ll be able to access all of Hulu’s TV shows and movies on multiple devices, including originals like The Handmaid’s Tale and Pam & Tommy as well as non-Hulu content like Parasite and Akira. The service also allows two people to stream simultaneously, and you can have up to six user profiles. However, buying the ad-free plan means you won’t have to deal with commercials, and you can also download content so you can stream it later offline. Right now, the ad-supported plan goes for $6.99 per month, but that price will increase by $1 starting on October 10th. Meanwhile, the ad-free plan will go for $14.99 a month. If you’re a student, you can also buy an or a bundle that combines Spotify Premium, Showtime, and ad-supported Hulu for $4.99 per month. Hulu also sells an ad-free and ad-supported subscription that bundles together Live TV, Disney Plus, and ESPN Plus. Right now, Hulu is offering a great deal on said package, offering the . The deal is available to both new and returning customers who have not been Hulu subscribers in the past month and will last through 11:59PM PT on October 5th (or 2:59AM ET on October 6th). With the bundle, you’ll be able to access over 75 live sports, news, and entertainment channels as well as Hulu, ESPN Plus, and Disney Plus content. You can also record live shows with unlimited DVR and take advantage of the same features the standard, ad-free, and ad-supported Hulu plans offer.

Meanwhile, a number of wireless carriers are offering customers discounts when they buy premium phone plans. For instance, you can get the Disney Plus bundle  which includes both Hulu and ESPN Plus for free when . In addition, those on the Sprint Unlimited Plus plan (which starts at $60 per month) can also get free access to Hulu’s ad-supported tier.
$49.99$69.9929% off

You can get three months of a Hulu with Live TV subscription for just $49.99 per month instead of $69.99 for three months through October 5th. The subscription grants you access to over 75 live channels, Disney Plus, ESPN Plus, and all of Hulu’s TV shows and movies.

Disney Plus

With Disney Plus, you can stream popular Marvel films and shows like Thor: Love and Thunder and She-Hulk: Attorney at Law along with the full Pixar catalog and Star Wars shows like The Mandalorian and the upcoming Rogue One spinoff, Andor. A monthly Disney Plus subscription currently costs $7.99 a month, although you can save $16 if you opt for an annual membership for $79.99. Disney also offers a $13.99 monthly subscription that bundles together the ad-supported Hulu and ESPN Plus, while paying an extra $6 per month nets you the ad-free version of Hulu. It’s cheaper than buying all three streaming services separately, and it’s the wisest route to go since it will save you at least $10 a month. Just note these prices will soon increase; Disney Plus plans to offer an ad-free plan for $10.99 per month starting on December 8th, along with an ad-supported tier for $7.99. As previously noted, you can get the Disney Plus bundle, which includes Hulu and ESPN Plus, for free when you buy Verizon’s “Get More Unlimited” and “Play More Unlimited” phone plans, both of which start at $55 and $45 per month, respectively. You can also get six months of Disney Plus free when you buy Verizon’s “Do More Unlimited” (which starts at $45 per month) and “Start Unlimited” ($35 per month) plans. In addition, Fios home internet subscribers can get six months of Disney Plus free when they opt for the 1GB plan for $64.99 per month.
Disney Plus (one-month subscription)
$1.99$7.9975% off

Disney is offering both new and eligible returning subscribers one month of Disney Plus for just $1.99 instead of $7.99 until 11:59PM PT on September 19th (or 2:59AM ET on September 20th). The streaming service offers popular shows and movies like Thor: Love and Thunder, She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, Moon Knight, and more.


Paramount Plus and Showtime

The recently combined Paramount Plus and Showtime streaming app grants you access to live sports and a wide range of movies and shows from both platforms, including Halo and Yellowjackets. Right now, you have two options: you can subscribe to either the ad-supported Essential plan or the Premium plan (which is ad-free except when it comes to live content). The latter also offers more live sports, local CBS programming, and the ability to download content for offline viewing.

Thankfully, now through October 2nd, you can buy the ad-free streaming bundle for $7.99 a month instead of $11.99 or the Premium bundle for $11.99 instead of $14.99. An annual subscription will run you $79.99 a year for the ad-supported tier thus saving you $64 on monthly payments at the regular price or $129.99 ($50 off) if you prefer the ad-free version.

Alternatively, you can subscribe to Paramount Plus as a standalone service. The ad-supported Essential plan goes for $4.99 per month, and qualifying students can get 25 percent off and a free Fire TV Stick Lite if they subscribe before September 30th. The ad-free Premium tier, meanwhile, costs $9.99 per month. As for annual subscriptions, the ad-supported plan costs $49.99 annually and saves you $10, while the ad-free annual plan goes for $99.99 and saves you $20.

In addition, those who subscribe to one of T-Mobile’s mobile plans which start at $45 per month are also eligible for a discount. The wireless carrier is currently offering customers complimentary access to Paramount Plus for a year.
Paramount Plus and Showtime (monthly subscription)
$7.99$11.9933% off

Paramount Plus and Showtime are offering a combined streaming bundle for a special price of $7.99 a month for the ad-supported Essential Plan or $12.99 for the ad-free Premium Plan. The special rates end October 2nd when they return to $11.99 and $14.99 a month, respectively.

HBO Max

HBO Max is home to Game of Thrones and its spinoff, House of the Dragon, along with shows and movies like The Batman, Succession, Harley Quinn, and more. The platform offers both an ad-supported and ad-free plan, which run $9.99 and $14.99, respectively. Unlike the ad-supported plans, however, the ad-free tier also lets you download content and stream in 4K UHD.

HBO Max also offers an annual subscription that’s currently on sale. Both new and returning subscribers can get 30 percent off a one-year subscription to HBO Max if they pay in advance before October 31st. That means you can subscribe to the ad-supported plan for $69.99 instead of $99.99 or opt for the ad-free plan for $104.99 instead of $149.99. Just be mindful of the ongoing Warner Bros. megamerger, which has led to the cancellation of a lot of shows and movies, like Batgirl, and could lead to more.

In addition, wireless carrier Cricket is offering some customers complimentary access to HBO Max. Specifically, those who purchase the Unlimited Plus 15GB Mobile Hotspot phone plan, which costs $130 a month, will be able to get the ad-free version of HBO Max free.
HBO Max (annual subscription)
$70$10030% off

Now through October 29th, you can save 30 percent on an annual subscription to HBO Max, which typically starts at $149.99 and grants you access to everything from Westworld to The White Lotus.

Netflix

A Netflix subscription grants you access to thousands of movies and TV shows as well as a limited number of mobile games. Notable shows and movies include Stranger Things, The Crown, Knives Out and its upcoming sequel, The Sandman, The Witcher, Don’t Look Up, and much more. The well-known streaming service offers three plans: Basic ($9.99 per month), Standard ($15.49 per month), and Premium ($19.99 per month). The more premium tiers allow for higher resolution and let multiple users watch content on a variety of devices at the same time, with only the Premium plan supporting Ultra HD content.

Netflix itself isn’t currently offering a discount, but T-Mobile is offering a deal to those on its Magenta unlimited plans (which start at $120 per month). Magenta customers with two or more lines can sign up for a Netflix Basic subscription for free, as can Magenta Max customers with a single line of data (which starts at $85 a month). Meanwhile, those with two or more lines of data on a Magenta Max plan (which starts at $140 a month) are eligible for a Netflix Standard subscription.
Netflix (Basic plan, one month)
$9.99

The well-known streaming service offers individual subscriptions for $10 a month as well as more premium tiers that allow for 4K resolution and additional users.

YouTube TV

YouTube TV grants subscribers access to live sports and a number of major news and entertainment channels, including PBS, Comedy Central, Nickelodeon, NBC, ABC, FOX, CNN, and more. It also comes with unlimited recording for a maximum of six accounts, all for $64.99 per month. The service also offers a separate Spanish-only plan that’s $24.99 a month for the first six months and then $34.99 once the discount period ends. You can buy optional add-ons as well, like a 4K Plus add-on that’s $19.99 a month and makes it possible to watch select content on YouTube TV in 4K. Other add-ons range between $2 and $65 a month and include access to services like HBO Max, Starz, and NBA League Pass.

For a limited time, new subscribers can opt to pay just $54.99 a month instead of $64.99 for their first three months, which lowers the total price of the three-month subscription from $195 to $165. It’s a small discount, sure, but it remains one of the biggest we’ve seen.
YouTube TV (first three months)
$54.99$64.9915% off

YouTube TV offers access to more than 85 major channels covering live sports, news, entertainment, and more. It also includes unlimited recording for up to six accounts.

Amazon Prime Video

Amazon Prime Video is an on-demand streaming service owned by Amazon. Its library includes a range of movies, some live content, and shows like The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, The Boys, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, and more. You can also watch certain titles in 4K and take advantage of deals on rentals and purchases not included in the subscription. There’s also an option to add extra channels with Prime Video channels.

Amazon Prime Video is included with an Amazon Prime membership, though you can sign up for the service for $8.99 a month without one. Right now, customers of Metro By T-Mobile’s unlimited plan (which starts at $40 per month) can get a free Amazon Prime membership, which means they can access various Prime benefits including Prime Video for free.
Amazon Prime Video (one month)
$8.99

Amazon Prime membership offers faster delivery as well as access to Amazon services. That includes Amazon Prime Video, whose library encompasses a range of movies, some live content, and shows including The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power.

Apple TV Plus

Apple TV Plus is a service owned by Apple that streams original shows and movies in 4K HDR, including Ted Lasso, The Morning Show, Coda, Severance, and Finch. The platform also currently allows you to watch Friday Night Baseball games (which are free to all for a limited time) and next year will be the streaming home to Major League Soccer. The service costs $4.99 a month.

There are a couple of promos to make note of when it comes to Apple TV Plus. If you buy an Apple device, for instance, you’ll get a free three-month subscription. Apple TV Plus is also included in Apple One, which lets you bundle up to five other Apple services and pay a single monthly subscription starting at $14.95. As far as carriers go, T-Mobile offers various deals to all of its customers, with those on the Magenta and Magenta Max plans eligible for the largest discounts. The company is currently offering Magenta customers six months of Apple TV Plus for free, while Magenta Max plan subscribers get the service for free. T-Mobile’s Magenta and Magenta Max plans start at $70 and $85, respectively.
Apple TV Plus (one month)
$4.99

Apple’s streaming service has a variety of original programming, including live MLB games and standouts like Severance, Ted Lasso, and Coda. A subscription normally runs $4.99 per month with a seven-day free trial; a three-month subscription is also available for free with the purchase of an Apple device.

Rebel Moon First Concept Art Revealed by Zack Snyder

Zack Snyder has now offered fans a first glimpse at what’s to come for his upcoming Netflix sci-fi project Rebel Moon. Currently in its early stages of production, the new film will be helmed by Snyder himself, who co-wrote it alongside Army of the Dead‘s Shay Hatten and 300‘s Kurt Johnstad.

 

The plot will center around Kingsman and The Mummy actress Sofia Boutella, who’ll portray a young woman from a planet facing invasion by a dire force probably the ominous figures featured in the concept art above. To save her home, Boutella sets off on a journey to neighboring planets in hopes of seeking out warriors that can help protect her colony. According to Snyder, the film will feel very much like the Krypton scenes in Man of Steel “but on the biggest steroids I can give it.” Much like many of his other projects, the director also confirmed that Rebel Moon will form the basis of a brand new franchise, setting up “a universe that can be built out” akin to Star Wars. There’s currently no information yet on when Rebel Moon will premiere on Netflix, so fans of Snyder should stay tuned for more updates to come.

Netflix is making a live-action Mega Man movie

Video game adaptations are on a tear we got new trailers for Sonic the Hedgehog 2 and the Halo live-action TV series just last week. And of course, Chris Pratt is playing Mario, and an Uncharted movie is nearly here. Amid these heavy hitters comes the news that Netflix is ready to bring us another franchise as well: Mega Man, the Capcom “blue bomber” who’s been blasting his way through retro side-scrollers since 1987 on the original NES. Technically, a Mega Man movie’s been in the works since 2015 at Chernin Entertainment, and it became a little more formal in 2018 when Capcom officially announced it’d be a live-action film (!) with Henry Joost and Rel Schulman, perhaps best known for Catfish, attached to write and direct.

But recently, that directing duo revealed on their Supermarché company website that Netflix has picked up the picture (via Comicbook and IGN). “Features in the works include: an adaptation of Capcom’s MEGA MAN for Chernin Entertainment and Netflix, which they wrote and are directing,” the site reads. Unfortunately, there’s no indication of how far along the movie is or when it might release. (IGN writes that sources say it’s very early in development.) But as some have pointed out, Netflix has a first-look deal with Chernin; perhaps Netflix saw something that it liked. Netflix and Supermarché didn’t immediately have comment. The gold rush to secure video game intellectual property for Hollywood adaptation goes far beyond the films and shows I’ve mentioned so far, of course, and Netflix has definitely seen the potential thanks to the performance of its The Witcher and Castlevania series. Netflix has Resident Evil and Tomb Raider shows in the works, too, and is reportedly in development on a live-action Pokémon series as well. It generally sees a lot of potential in gaming, even vis-a-vis snapping up film studios itself. Outside of Netflix, we recently had Monster Hunter and Mortal Kombat movies, there’s a The Last of Us TV show for HBO, maybe a Mass Effect show for Amazon, a Fallout show that’s definitely for Amazon, plus Ghost of Tsushima and Metal Gear Solid movie adaptations. The Portal movie might even be happening someday.

Netflix Adds Major Update to Avatar: The Last Airbender

Avatar: The Last Airbender has been an important grab for Netflix as the animated series has brought millions to its site. The show has been ranked as one of the most-watched titles since it was brought to Netflix, and that isn't about to change. After all, a major update was just made to Avatar, and it will allow fans to watch the show in even better clarity than before.

Netflix announced the big news the other day on Twitter. It was there the streaming giant confirmed it has acquired streaming rights to the HD version of Avatar, so fans will be able to leave the standard version behind for something a bit sleeker. And if you have already binged the show on Netflix, well - it never hurts to revisit Aang and the gang.

"Avatar: The Last Airbender is now available in HD so if you want to see every glorious fiber of Appa’s fur, now is the time. And if you haven’t watched Avatar yet what are you doing why are you like this," Netflix shared with fans in a tweet.

For fans of Avatar, this HD version of the show is a definite treat. Old-school fans of the Nickelodeon classic may have never seen this updated take on the show. And for everyone who recently watched it in standard definition, they know how badly their TVs wished they were streaming the content in high definition. Now, that is possible, and it comes just in time for anyone wanting a new binge session to ring in July.

Of course, there are other things in the works for Avatar at Netflix, but they are not centered around the cartoon. The site confirmed it was backing the series' live-action adaptation some time ago. So far, no word has been given on casting for the ambitious project, but other adaptations have made progress with Netflix. Most recently, rumors began circulating that the company has started casting for its One Piece adaptation as filming is scheduled to being in August barring any COVID-19 delays.

Transformers War for Cybertron: Siege Trailer Released

Netflix has released the new trailer for Transformers: War for Cybertron: Siege, the first installment of the Transformers: War for Cybertron Trilogy. The trailer sees the Decepticons, led by Megatron, assembling to try to stamp out the Optimus Prime's Autobot resistance. The trailer reveals that the series will launch on Netflix on July 30th. "You know, it's really exciting to be part of Transformers history right now, because the toys are super exciting to work on, obviously," Hasbro designer John Warden said at San Diego Comic-Con 2019. "But having partners to work with, you know, Wizards of the Coast to do a customizable card game, the great comic books, the stories being told in comic books, and now with our partnership with Netflix.

"It's their last moments on Cybertron. The decisions that are made, and being able to bring the story to life on that medium, I mean. Everything we do is, we're very story-focused, and I think trying to find other mediums...it just makes everything about our franchise stronger. Because not only are we talking to the G1 fans like me, but we're also talking potentially to a whole new group of fans out there, and it's just an exciting time to be a part of it."

According to the show's synopsis, "It is the final hours of the devastating civil war between the Autobots and Decepticons. The war that has torn apart their home planet of Cybertron is at a tipping point. Two leaders, Optimus Prime and Megatron, both want to save their world and unify their people, but only on their own terms. In an attempt to end the conflict, Megatron is forced to consider using the Allspark, the source of all life and power on Cybertron, to "reformat" the Autobots, thus "unifying" Cybertron. Outnumbered, outgunned, and under SIEGE, the battle-weary Autobots orchestrate a desperate series of counterstrikes on a mission that, if everything somehow goes right, will end with an unthinkable choice: kill their planet in order to save it."

Transformers: War for Cybertron Trilogy's voice cast includes Jake Foushee as Optimus Prime, Jason Marnocha as Megatron, Linsay Rousseau as Elita-1, Joe Zieja as Bumblebee, Frank Todaro as Starscream, Rafael Goldstein as Ratchet, Keith Silverstein as Jetfire, Todd Haberkorn as Shockwave, Red Alert, Edward Bosco as Ultra Magnus and Soundwave, Bill Rogers as Wheeljack, Sophia Isabella as Arcee, Brook Chalmers as Impactor, Shawn Hawkins as Mirage, Kaiser Johnson as Ironhide, Miles Luna as Teletraan I and Cliffjumper, and Mark Whitten as Sideswipe and Skywarp.

Transformers: War for Cybertron: Siege debuts on Netflix on July 30th.