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3 weeks ago | 
blogcritics.org | Leo Sopicki
I had a rare moment in Las Vegas. Walking along the Strip, where I’d been more times than I could remember, I saw a new building and in literally a second, I knew what it was, what inspired it, and that it was about to become my new favorite hangout: Ole Red.
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3 weeks ago | 
blogcritics.org | Leo Sopicki
6 Views As part of its focus this year on the impact of sports on the broadcast industry, the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) annual trade show invited Gotham Chopra to deliver a keynote speech on “Unleashing the Champion Within.” Chopra, an author and documentary producer, owns, along with partners Tom Brady and Michael Strahan, Religion of Sports studio which has produced a series of films about athletes. The NAB Show promoted Chopra’s keynote as exploring “the evolving...
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3 weeks ago | 
blogcritics.org | Leo Sopicki
15 Views
Legendary magicians Penn and Teller received the Television Chairman’s Award for Industry Impact at the 2005 National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) annual trade show, which took place April 5 to 9 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The award recognized the magical duo’s 50-year career in magic and the innovations they brought to broadcasting.
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4 weeks ago | 
blogcritics.org | Leo Sopicki
The 2025 National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) Show focused on the future of sports broadcasting this year and kicked off the welcome session with ESPN host Stephen A. Smith. Promoted as a “fireside chat,” the interview was conducted by Mike McVay, president of McVay Media. The media credits Smith with being currently one of the most influential voices in sports entertainment. On ESPN you’ll find him staring on First Take and hosting The Stephen A. Smith Show.
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1 month ago | 
blogcritics.org | Leo Sopicki
The National Association of Broadcasters annual trade show will take place April 5 to 9, 2025, in Las Vegas, with a focus on artificial intelligence and sports programming. Just when I thought the tech world’s AI obsession was over, NAB still has it in focus, just like last year. And if you’re a sports fan, the broadcast industry is seeking new ways to enhance your enjoyment of whatever game you love to watch.
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1 month ago | 
blogcritics.org | Leo Sopicki
The Dutchman, a film written and directed by Andre Gaines, takes viewers on a subway ride through time and imagination. Of all the films I saw at the 2025 edition of the SXSW Conference and Festivals, this film was the most intellectually stimulating. The world premiere of this thriller was part of the 32nd year of SXSW, which included 96 features with multiple world, international, and North American premieres.
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1 month ago | 
blogcritics.org | Leo Sopicki
3 Views
One of the great things about film festivals is that you sometimes see films you might have otherwise skipped. When I heard O’Dessa described as a “post-apocalyptic, sci-fi rock-opera,” I thought that sounded too weird to be good. I was wrong. It was mesmerizing. O’Dessa, which streams on Hulu beginning March 20, premiered as part of the 2025 edition of the SXSW Conference and Festivals.
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1 month ago | 
blogcritics.org | Leo Sopicki
A friend calls and asks for a simple favor. What could go wrong? Everything. Director Paul Feig’s Another Simple Favor premiered as part of the 2025 edition of the SXSW Conference and Festivals, which ran March 7 through 15. This was the thirty-second year of the film and TV festival, which included 96 features with multiple world, international, and North American premieres. Director Paul Feig, while on the red carpet in a cowboy outfit, commented that he usually doesn’t do sequels.
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1 month ago | 
blogcritics.org | Leo Sopicki
SXSW’s opening night always brings surprises and amazing entertainment. This year, The Studio, the TV premiere starring Seth Rogen, lived up to the tradition. Rogen stars in this satire of the entertainment industry business world and also wears the showrunner, writer, director, and executive producer hats. He shares these jobs with long-time co-producer Evan Goldberg (Sausage Party, This is the End) and together they have once again created something amazing.
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2 months ago | 
blogcritics.org | Leo Sopicki
SXSW finally came back full steam ahead after a few years slowed down by COVID. I’ve attended SXSW since 2012, and this was a year with all the bells ringing. The 2025 edition of the Conference and Festivals ran March 7 through 15. Day one began with a welcome from SXSW President and Chief Programming Officer Hugh Forrest. In this role, he oversees content for the Conference, as well as the SXSW Music Festival, the SXSW Film Festival, the SXSW Comedy Festival and SXSW EDU.
