A new documentary on actor John Candy is set premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival, followed by a worldwide digital streaming release on Prime Video on October 10th.Entitled John Candy: I Like Me, the film is directed by Colin Hanks and produced by Ryan Reynolds, and is billed as a “heartfelt tribute to the legendary Canadian icon, with stories and memories from Candy’s family, closest friends, and longtime collaborators.”
It will kick off the 50th edition of the Toronto International Film Festival as the Opening Night Gala taking place on Thursday, September 4th, at Roy Thomson Hall.Photo credit: Courtesy of the Candy Family Estate

Imagine this: Sunday afternoons spent with your siblings crowded by the household radio; in a pre-smartphone age, entertainment was more a scheduled ritual than a reflex to a technology-addicted twitch. The weekly chart battle for that week’s top selling single and to be crowned number one was a national event, whatever your age. Pop stars, in the 90s and prior, were universal, and rock stars, well, they were something else.Spring of 1995 and “Cool Britannia” was in. Homegrown music dominated the UK charts. They say you had to be there, but the ripple of time proves otherwise. Canonized in lore and many a history book, the chart-battle between Oasis and Blur, the country’s two biggest bands, sparked a divide across Britain now unimaginable in today’s algorithmic music discovery.
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It all began when Blur’s Damon Albarn decided to change the release date of their new single to directly compete with that of fellow Brit rock band, Oasis. Coined the “Battle of Britpop” by renowned music magazine NME, and spurred by an antagonistic press, house party feuds turned into tabloid tribalism as the bands competed for the top spot, the respective frontmen either dodging barbs or whipping up fans in their corner. Those same fans waited with bated breath by the radio for the confirmation to be made; for the record, Blur won, selling 274,000 copies of ‘Country House’ to Oasis’ 216,000 copies of ‘Roll with It’.
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While the tale of two cocksure rock stars and a friendly rivalry turned sour is entertainment enough, the cultural grip of the Battle of Britpop belied a societal trend. In a nation built on hierarchy, regional and economic classism persists, with laddish, working-class upstarts Oasis representing the bolshy spirit of the North, versus university-educated, middle-class hipsters Blur of the South.
It went deeper than the music, in fact the music was just an excuse to take the lid off the boiling kettle of social tension in the wake of 18 years of UK Conservative Party rule that had seen further divisions between the working and middle classes. By the time former UK Labour Party Prime Minister Tony Blair won a landslide victory in 1997, the decade had swung into a rebellious, patriotic echo of 1960s Britain, and the brush between Oasis and Blur became symbolic of frustration and evoking the desire for change – a distilled unrest that permeated transatlantic.
This appetite for celebrity downfall wasn’t contained to Britain; in America and around the world, the mid-90s marked a turning point in how the public consumed and participated in scandal. Just as the Britpop battle exposed Britain’s class divisions through celebrity proxy wars, a wave of international scandals revealed cracks in the polished veneer of power and fame everywhere.
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From January to October of 1995, the infamous O.J. Simpson murder trial played out for all to see; between 1995 and 1997, Baywatch actor and It Girl Pamela Anderson and Mötley Crüe drummer Tommy Lee were swept up in the undulating saga of their leaked sex tape; later, in 1998, US President Bill Clinton was revealed as having had an affair with White House intern Monica Lewinsky.
Suddenly, the people in the newspapers and on our TV screens were not so perfect after all, and through their own imperfection made the concept of celebrity touchable for the everyman. Having an opinion on the extreme turmoils of the rich, famous, and powerful was not enough to satiate the thirst of the public: people needed to feel involved.

Magnolia Pictures has announced its acquisition of the US rights to the upcoming documentary, It’s Never Over, Jeff Buckley. After premiering at the Sundance Film Festival to widespread acclaim, the film will open in theaters on August 8th, followed by its release on HBO and HBO Max this winter.Directed by Amy Berg, the documentary looks back at the life of the beloved and influential rock musician through never-before-seen footage from Buckley’s personal archives. It also features intimate interviews with his mother, Mary Guibert; former partners Rebecca Moore and Joan Wasser; former bandmates Michael Tighe and Parker Kindred; and contemporaries including Ben Harper and Aimee Mann.
“I’ve spent practically my entire career trying to make this film, which takes a very intimate look at one of the greatest singers and songwriters of all time,” Berg said in a press statement. “I’m so excited Magnolia and HBO have come on board to share this film with the world and give old fans and new audiences a chance to experience Jeff from this unique vantage point. I couldn’t imagine a better team to roll this into the world!”
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Related VideoBuckley was only 30 years old when he died in an accidental drowning in Memphis’ Wolf River in May 1997. Though he only released one studio album during his lifetime, 1994’s Grace, it is widely regarded as one of the best albums of all time and contains one of the most definitive versions of Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah.”
Revisit our 2019 feature celebrating the 25th anniversary of Grace, where artists including Pete Yorn, Oozing Wound, and Jason Hawk Harris reflected on the album and its impact here.

Nile and Cryptopsy have announced “The Underworld Awaits” Fall 2025 US co-headlining tour with support from The Last Ten Second of Life and Cognitive.Dates kick off September 12th in Raleigh, North Carolina, and run through October 11th in Indianapolis, with the route also hitting major cities such as Brooklyn, New York; Seattle; Denver; and Chicago.
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General ticket sales for select dates start Friday (June 6th) at 10 a.m. local time via Ticketmaster.
Related Video“We are so excited to bring [new album] An Insatiable Violence to the United States,” stated Cryptopsy. “It’s a pleasure to tour amongst friends and this lineup is incredibly stacked! Our new album was written for a live setting. The songs are more brutal and grooving so that people can really latch on and bang their heads.”
As for Nile, the tour announcement aligns with the 20th anniversary of Annihilation of the Wicked, which is being reissued on picture-disc vinyl in a unique “Zoetrope animated” format. When spun on a turntable and viewed under a strobe light or through a camera, the disc reveals a custom animation designed exclusively for the repressing. It drops July 18th and can be pre-ordered via Relapse Records.
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See the full list of co-headlining tour dates below.
Nile and Cryptopsy’s 2025 Tour Dates:09/12 – Raleigh, NC @ Chapel of Bones *09/13 – Philadelphia, PA @ Underground Arts *09/14 – Leesburg, VA @ Tally Ho *09/16 – Brooklyn, NY @ Brooklyn Monarch *09/17 – Hampton, NH @ Wally’s *09/18 – Hartford, CT @ Webster Hall *09/19 – Lititz, PA @ Mickey’s Black Box *09/20 – Clifton, NJ @ Dingbatz *09/21 – Rochester, NY @ Montage Music Hall *09/22 – Cleveland, OH @ Mercury *09/24 – Detroit, MI @ Sanctuary *09/25 – Hobart, IN @ Hobart Art Theatre *09/26 – Madison, WI @ The Annex *09/27 – Minneapolis, MN @ Studio B Skyway *09/28 – Belvidere, IL @ Apollo Theater *09/29 – Sioux Falls, SD @ Bigs Bar *10/01 – Billings, MT @ Pub Station *10/03 – Seattle, WA @ El Corazon *10/04 – Spokane, WA @ Knitting Factory *10/05 – Boise, ID @ Knitting Factory *10/06 – Salt Lake City, UT @ Urban Lounge *10/07 – Denver, CO @ Oriental Theater *10/09 – Des Moines, IA @ Wooly’s ^10/10 – Chicago, IL @ Reggie’s ^10/11 – Indianapolis, IN @ Hi-Fi Annex ^
* = w/ The Last Ten Seconds of Life and Cognitive^ = w/ Cognitive

Opeth have stepped in front of the lens for a rare official performance music video for their song “§1.”The clip was produced and directed by Ash Pears and arrives amidst the band’s ongoing European tour (get tickets here). Featuring clean up-close shots of the Swedish vets running through the lengthy track — the first to feature death growls from Mikael Åkerfeldt in 16 years — the video should give concertgoers a visceral look at the band in full flight.
Regarding the decision to film a live-style clip for “§1,” Åkerfeldt offered up a press statement revealing the band was inundated with requests to produce a more generic lyric video or visualizers for the song, but opted for the “old-fashioned” way of simply rocking out for the cameras.
Related VideoSaid Åkerfeldt:
“So here’s a video (of sorts) for your ‘enjoyment.’ We had requests left, right & centre to do one of them measly ‘lyric videos’ or ‘visualizers’ for ‘content.’ Now, right there are three words I despise! I’ve made it clear in our circle of trust that we shouldn’t use the word ‘content’ even if that’s exactly what we’re working on. We’re not some goddamn influencers, now are we? So can we please settle on the old-fashioned word ‘video’ without meddling with modern online lingo? And a video is what it really is. A performance video, no less. We figured it’s a bit more happening to look at (should you decide to do so) than a lyric video. ‘§1’ is the opener on The Last Will and Testament. A good song. I like it! The video looks good. As good as it can look when involving 5 middle-aged, slightly hungover geezers miming along to something. We shot it in some industrial area in Birmingham (UK) on the latest Euro tour. Everyone (well, the band and crew) were quite eager to get out of there as we had dinner planned at a fancy curry house locally. Much thanks to Ash Pears and ASH TV, who were really professional (ie: quick!) and made the whole experience rather easy on us. Hope you dig it, people!”
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As he mentioned, “§1” hails from Opeth’s latest album The Last Will and Testament, one of our top metal albums of 2024. You can stream the video for the track below.
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All-American Rejects singer Tyson Ritter has a dirty little secret: The frontman has joined OnlyFans to promote the band’s new single, “Easy Come Easy Go.”On Thursday (June 5th), Ritter will share an alternate version of the music video for “Easy Come Easy Go,” cleverly titled “Easy Cum Easy Go,” on the newly activated OnlyFans page, along with photos from the band’s recent “House Party” tour.
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“This new record from the Rejects is something close to the bone for me lyrically, so why not bear it all,” said Ritter of his foray into OnlyFans. “Get a taste of full frontal rock ‘n’ roll. Looking at you, Bert Reynolds.”
Related VideoAccording to a press release, the free OnlyFans page will also grant fans access to “a behind-the-scenes look at [Ritter’s] life and songwriting, cameos from his bandmates, giveaways and a backstage pass to The All-American Rejects’ upcoming tour with The Jonas Brothers.”
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The “House Party” tour has seen the All-American Rejects crowdsourcing the outing’s stops from fans, and showing up in backyards for impromptu gigs.
The All-American Rejects will support the Jonas Brothers on the fall leg of the latter’s “JONAS20: LIVING THE DREAM” 20th anniversary tour. AAR will join the outing beginning October 7th in Kansas City, and remain on the bill through the tour’s end date on November 14th in Uncasville, Connecticut, with tickets available here.
“Easy Come Easy Go” is the follow-up to the single “Sandbox,” which marked AAR’s first new song in five years. While you wait for the new single and video, enjoy a gallery of provocative OnlyFans photos of Ritter below.

Police in San Antonio say they have found “no evidence” to suggest King of the Hill voice actor Jonathan Joss was the victim of a hate crime.Joss was shot and killed on Sunday following a dispute with a neighbor. In a subsequent statement posted to Facebook, Joss’ husband, Tristan Kern de Gonzales, claimed the shooting was a hate crime. He alleged that during their time living in the neighborhood, the couple had been “harassed regularly by individuals who made it clear they did not accept our relationship” and had even received threats that their home would be set on fire. That home was, in fact, destroyed in a fire earlier this year. This past weekend, Joss and de Gonzales returned to San Antonio to check their mail when, according to de Gonzales, a neighbor began “started yelling violent homophobic slurs at us” before opening fire and killing Joss.
However, in a statement released Tuesday, the San Antonio Police Department said it has “found no evidence to indicate that the [sic] Mr. Joss’s murder was related to his sexual orientation. SAPD investigators handle these allegations very seriously and have thoroughly reviewed all available information. should any new evidence come to light, the suspect will be charged accordingly.”
Sigfredo Ceja Alvarez was arrested and charged with Joss’ murder. He reportedly admitted to police that he shot Joss, but a motive has not yet been established. The two apparently had a previous run-in in 2024, according to a police report.
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Several neighbors told KSAT.com that Joss frequently got into disputes with people in the neighborhood over issues involving his dogs, trash, property, and traffic. However, another neighbor told News 4 San Antonio that Joss and de Gonzales were regularly harassed by neighbors “because they were gay.”
According to San Antonio Express-News, police had been called to Joss’ San Antonio home a total of 74 times since January — including 11 responses for disturbances, nine for shootings, six for fires, six mental health-related calls, and five welfare checks. There is also some discrepancy surrounding the cause of the fire that destroyed Joss’ home. In a previous interview with the San Antonio Express-News, Joss stated that the blaze may have started after he lit a barbecue grill inside the house. “I told them it was my fault,” he said at the time. “Very easily, it could have started because of my stupidity.”

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ABBA member Björn Ulvaeus continues to embrace groundbreaking technology. According to Variety, the Swedish hitmaker revealed he is writing a new musical with the assistance of AI during a talk held at SXSW London on Wednesday, June 4th.“Right now, I’m writing a musical, assisted by AI,” Ulvaeus said during the chat, adding that he was “three-quarters” of the way through the creative process. The currently untitled project serves as the follow-up to the group’s innovative hologram-based “ABBA Voyage” concert series.
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Ulvaeus continued by elaborating on how AI can bolster the songwriting process: “It is such a great tool. It is like having another songwriter in the room with a huge reference frame. It is really an extension of your mind. You have access to things that you didn’t think of before.”
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Related VideoHowever, Ulvaeus also acknowledged the current limitations of AI, stating that it is “lousy at [writing a whole song]” and “very bad at lyrics.” As such, he believes the technology primarily shines in assisting artists to break through writer’s block.
“You can prompt a lyric you have written about something, and you’re stuck maybe, and you want this song to be in a certain style,” he explained. “You can ask it, how would you extend? Where would you go from here? It usually comes out with garbage, but sometimes there is something in it that gives you another idea.”
This embrace of AI comes with caution, as Ulvaeus is president of the International Confederation of Societies of Authors and Composers (CISAC), which published a study in December 2024 suggesting that music creators could lose nearly a quarter of their income to AI by 2028.
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“AI has the power to unlock new and exciting opportunities — but we have to accept that, if badly regulated, generative AI also has the power to cause great damage to human creators, to their careers and livelihoods,” he said at the time of the study’s release. “This will be determined in large part by the choices made by policy makers… It’s critical that we get these regulations right, protect creators’ rights and help develop an AI environment that safeguards human creativity and culture.”
Elsewhere during the SXSW talk, Ulvaeus noted that he and fellow ABBA member Benny Andersson were “always on the lookout” for “the latest thing” to aid their creative process, from their first Mini Moog synthesizer to being early adopters of digital recording machines.
The AI-assisted musical is the latest project from Ulvaeus’ partnership with Pophouse Entertainment, the company behind “ABBA Voyage.” The virtual residency kicked off at London’s custom-built ABBA Arena in 2022 and is scheduled to run through January 2026. Get tickets here.
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Mark Hamill has played a Jedi, a clown prince of crime, and just about everything in between — but it’s The Life of Chuck that he says might be one of the most special experiences of his entire career. The pop culture icon sat down with Kyle Meredith to talk about the new Mike Flanagan film, a surreal, poetic meditation on existence based on a Stephen King novella. Listen to the episode above or wherever you get your podcasts.
For Hamill, the film’s emotional core hit hard — both as a performer and as someone reflecting on a long life onscreen. “It’s such an affirmation of life and love and hope,” he says. “It’s like… how one little insignificant moment can become pivotal in the arc of your whole life.” He credits Flanagan’s adaptation for retaining the novella’s time-shifting structure and praised the cast, including a scene-stealing Tom Hiddleston and an emotionally rich performance from young newcomer Benjamin Pajak.
The actor even relates the new film to the messaging behind his most famous role. “I told George [Lucas] I loved the idea of the Force so much because it’s spiritual in a way that doesn’t make people feel uncomfortable,” he explains. “When Yoda came on the scene, it wasn’t about religion — it was something everyone could accept on their own terms.” That same spirit, he says, flows through The Life of Chuck. “This movie, it reassures you everything’s going to be okay. You’ve got to believe in the inherent goodness of people, or what’s the point?”
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Listen to Mark Hamill talk about The Life of Chuck, his long road from Headmaster to Star Wars, and more in the new episode above or by watching the video below. Keep up on all the latest episodes by following Kyle Meredith With… on your favorite podcast platform; plus, check out all the series on the Consequence Podcast Network.

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