In brief: LA Film Critics name best picture, ‘Head of the Class’ reboot cancelled, and more

The Los Angeles Film Critics Association voted Saturday on the best films and performances of 2021, with Ryusuke Hamaguchi’s Japanese Oscar entry Drive My Car taking Best Picture and Best Screenplay. The Power of the Dog‘s Jane Campion walked off with Best Director honors, with Red Rocket‘s Simon Rex taking Best Actor and Parallel Mothers‘ Penélope Cruz grabbing Best Actress. The award for Best Documentary went to Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson’s Summer of Soul. The complete list of winners can be found at LAFCA.net

HBO Max has pulled the plug on its Head of the Class reboot after one season, according to Deadline.  Based on the sitcom that aired on ABC from 1986-91, Head Of the Class revolved around a group of overachieving high school students whose teacher, Alicia Gomez, played by Isabella Gomez, urges them to focus less on grades and more on experiencing life. The reboot also starred Jorge Diaz, Jolie Hoang Rappaport, Gavin Lewis, Dior Goodjohn, Brandon Severs, Adrian Matthew Escalona and Katie Beth HallOriginal Head of the Class alum Robin Givens reprised her role as Darlene Hayward…

Trevor Noah, host of Comedy Central’s The Daily Show, is suing The Hospital for Special Surgery and a doctor after they allegedly botched a surgery the comedian underwent in 2020. Noah says the defendants “were negligent and careless in failing to treat and care for [him] in a careful and skillful manner,” according to a copy of the lawsuit obtained by People. It further accuses the defendants of “failing to use approved methods in general use in the care and treatment,” failing “to prescribe proper medications,” failing to “discontinue certain prescription medications,” and failing “to use proper tests and examinations in order to diagnose the conditions” from which he “was suffering.” Noah, 37, claims to have suffered “serious personal injury” from which he was “rendered sick, sore, lame, and disabled.” The hospital has denied the claims, People reports.  The surgery Noah underwent wasn’t specified…

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