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Duris stars as a father protecting his son, who may or may not be mutating, in Thomas Cailley’s well-crafted thriller Thomas Cailley’s sci-fi fantasy has too much sensitivity and good taste to be the proper horror-thriller or creature feature that it almost resembles. It’s a drama of emotions and ideas about post-Covid society – which is welcome enough – but with a dash of prosthetics and CGI and some scares. I felt something very similar about Bong Joon-ho’s monster film The Host back in 2006: the worthiness operates against the excitement and I found myself wanting something more gleefully crass and shocking, something more ironic or thrillingly callous. The Animal Kingdom seems squeamish about going for the jugular in the way a proper genre movie would – or a Marvel movie. The scene is a France of the near future in which there has been an outbreak of some disease which has caused humans to mutate into animals. The government is just about on top of the situation, having establis...

Survey of 2,000 Americans conflicts with the box-office records being broken for film running well over two hours A market research poll claims to have established that 92 minutes is the “ideal” movie length for American audiences. According to Talker Research (formerly OnePoll US) , an online survey conducted in April with 2,000 Americans concluded that respondents opted for 92 minutes as their preferred running time. Fifteen per cent said that films over 120 minutes (two hours) were acceptable, while only 2% were happy with a movie longer than 150 minutes (2.5 hours). Continue reading... from Film | The Guardian https://ift.tt/Ww9gHhM via IFTTT

This idealistic feature draws parallels between the struggles of immigrant Polish workers in Norway and the homophobia faced by two young lovers, but can’t quite sew up the two seams Director Leiv Igor Devold makes an unexpected link-up between Norway, the country where he grew up, and Poland, where he attended film school, in this idealistic but sometimes heavy-handed second feature. He also finds invigorating cross-currents in contrasting the collectivist struggles of immigrant Polish fish-processing workers with another oppressed minority: the stuttering romance, in the face of homophobia, between young wage slave Robert (Hubert Miłkowski) and his supervisor Ivar (Karl Bekele Steinland). Robert finds himself gutting salmon in a factory on a Norwegian island in order to send money back home. But it is Ivar – the black adopted son of the factory owner Bjorn (Øyvind Brandtzæg) – who gets under his skin. A wannabe actor slumming it courtesy of dad, he’s an unbridled karaoke diva and e...

Imran Khan is set to make a grand return to Bollywood after a hiatus of nearly nine years. This comeback marks a special reunion, as Khan will be collaborating with his maternal uncle, Aamir Khan, who played a pivotal role in launching his career. The actor has reportedly signed a quirky comedy titled Happy Patel which will be helmed by Vir Das. According to a report in Peeping Moon, the film will be produced by Aamir Khan Productions, signifying a full-circle moment for the actor. Aamir first introduced Imran to the silver screen as a child artist in the 1988 film Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak. Two decades later, in 2008, Aamir Khan Productions launched Imran as a leading man in the successful rom-com Jaane Tu… Ya Jaane Na. The details about Happy Patel remain under wraps, but sources describe it as a laugh riot set in a unique yet familiar world. The film's tone is said to be reminiscent of Imran's earlier successful comedies, which often blended humour with relatable characters a...

Oleksiy Radynski chronicles the visionary architect Florian Yuriev’s drive to rescue Kyiv’s Institute of Information from destruction after he was given weeks to live The extraordinary mind of Florian Yuriev, a visionary Ukrainian architect and artist, visualises an astonishingly holistic view of the world. His abstract paintings brim with geometric colourful shapes and patterns that also carry a sonic component, as each shade has their own tonality. On his piano, whose keys are marked with their designated colours, Yuriev played out his painterly compositions, breaking down the barrier between sound and vision. Shot towards the end of Yuriev’s life, Oleksiy Radynski’s passionate documentary follows the architect’s tireless efforts to save one of his modernist masterpieces from destruction. Once deemed impossible to build, his design for a cultural centre that later became Kyiv’s Institute of Information reflects the utopian optimism of the space age. Nicknamed the “Flying Saucer” b...

Shraddha Kapoor is gearing up for a busy year! After a single release in 2023 with the romantic comedy Tu Jhoothi Main Makkaar, the actress has several exciting projects in the pipeline. In a recent fan interaction, Kapoor hinted at venturing into new genres, including a mythological adaptation and a time-travel film. Now, it seems she might be adding another project to her list – a drama co-produced by her rumoured beau, Rahul Mody. According to a report in Mid-day, the details about the drama are under wraps. However, sources reveal that Kapoor has expressed interest in the central idea and is considering co-producing the film alongside Mody's production house. Mody, who co-wrote Tu Jhoothi Main Makkaar, has sparked dating rumours with Kapoor in recent times. A source revealed to the publication, “The talks are in the nascent stage, so it can’t be determined whether this will be her next project. But Shraddha has liked the central idea. She plans to co-produce it along with Rahu...

The Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC), as is well known, often heavily comes down on explicit intimate scenes even after passing films with an ‘A’ certificate. As a result, moviegoers in India, who ventured out to watch the latest Hollywood release Challengers, were stunned to see that two intense sex scenes were left untouched by the Censors. The film stars Zendaya, of Spider-Man, Dune and Euphoria fame, and is also one of the producers of the film, which also features Josh O'Connor and Mike Faist. The film caught the attention of viewers across the globe last year when the first teaser dropped depicting Zendaya having a threesome with Josh and Mike. A source told Bollywood Hungama, “The CBFC’s Examining Committee didn’t touch this much-talked-about scene. Moreover, another intimate scene, between Zendaya and a male actor, is much more explicit. It even features Zendaya wearing a see-through bra. There were fears that there would be a repea...

As Luca Guadagnino’s acclaimed tennis film Challengers makes its case for sporting immortality, critic Guy Lodge chooses 20 of the genre’s undisputed heavyweights Challengers reviewed by Wendy Ide Analogies of life as sport have been exhausted by every PE teacher in existence. In the movies, however, they’re eternally renewable. Take Challengers , Luca Guadagnino’s sleek, sexy, sweat-drenched new film, which hits every metaphor you might expect in its story of three tennis pros locked in a tense love triangle: games are won and lost, points scored, doubles partners swapped, and so on. Shot and paced with the ricocheting energy of a great tennis match, it’s a sports movie that, like many a classic of the genre, understands the parallels between sport and cinema as two great crowd-pleasing pastimes. The sports movie is pretty much as old as movies themselves: for early silent-cinema pioneers at the turn of the 20th century, the movement and momentum of a baseball game or a boxing ma...

Best known for films like Style and Excuse Me, actor Sahil Khan, who is now an influencer, has been arrested by the Mumbai Police in connection with the Mahadev betting app case. The arrest was made by the Mumbai cyber cell’s Special Investigating Team (SIT) in Chhattisgarh after the court rejected the pre-arrest bail plea, followed by asserting that Khan is the co-owner of the app. Previously, the SIT had summoned Sahil and three others for questioning in December 2023, but he failed to appear. Followed by that, he applied for a pre-arrest bail which has now been rejected by the Bombay High Court. Despite several allegations were made against the Style actor in regards to the app, Sahil denied any direct involvement with the betting platform and continued to assert that he was merely a brand promoter endorsing The Lion Book brand under contract with M/s. Isports247. However, the police has decided to stick with their allegations that he was a co-owner of the app, following which he i...

The firing incident at Galaxy Apartment has been undergoing significant developments lately. Initially, the Mumbai police issued a Look Out Circular (LOC) against Anmol Bishnoi, the younger brother of incarcerated gangster Lawrence Bishnoi after he is accused of being the man behind the recent attack on Bollywood superstar Salman Khan. Now, recent reports reveal that the authorities have invoked the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) in connection with the incident. Following the firing incident outside his apartment in Mumbai, multiple investigative teams have been actively pursuing leads. After earlier reports suggested the Mumbai police have named two suspects Sagar Pal and Vicky Gupta, recently two alleged arms suppliers were identified as Sonu Subhash Chander and Anuj Thapan, in connection to the case. As per reports from ANI, all of them have been charged under MCOCA. Officers were quoted in the recent report where they confirmed the developments in the case and ...

Known for his impeccable comic timing and high entertainment quotient, the ‘Jolly’ actor Arshad Warsi is all set to return as the famous lawyer yet again. It is a known fact that the year 2024 has kick started on a great note for the star and amid his lineup, he will also be doing interesting projects, out of which two of them are with Akshay Kumar – namely, the multi-starrer Welcome To The Jungle, and of course, the much-exciting Jolly LLB 3. As per a source, Arshad is set to kickstart the next shooting schedule soon and that too in Rajasthan. In fact, sources have stated that this will be a key schedule for the film but it is yet to be known if his co-star Akshay Kumar, who too is stuck between multitude projects, will be joining him for the same. Confirming about the Munnabhai actor joining the film’s team for his shoot, a source close to the development revealed, "Arshad Warsi will begin a month-long schedule in Rajasthan next month. The pre-production work on the location ha...

Documentary Bad Faith looks at the history of a group trying to affect and corrupt politics under the guise of religion Bad Faith, a new documentary on the rise of Christian nationalism in the United States, opens with an obvious, ominous scene – the storming of the Capitol on 6 January 2021 – though trained on details drowned out by the deluge of horror and easily recognizable images of chaos. That Paula White, Donald Trump’s faith adviser, led the Save America rally in a prayer to overturn the results for “a free and fair election”. That mixed among Trump flags, American flags and militia symbols were numerous banners with Christian crosses; on the steps of the Capitol, a “JESUS SAVES” sign blares mere feet from “Lock Them UP!” The movement to overturn the 2020 election for Donald Trump was, as the documentary underscores, inextricable from a certain strain of belief in America as a fundamentally Christian nation, separation of church and state be damned. In fact, as Bad Faith argu...

Not too long ago, a film titled Khel Khel Mein was announced featuring Akshay Kumar in the lead along with Taapsee Pannu, Vaani Kapoor, Ammy Virk, Aditya Seal, Pragya Jaiswal and Fardeen Khan in equally pivotal roles. Touted to be a comedy-drama, the film promises to be a perfect blend of humour and emotions and will be directed by Mudassar Aziz. Now, release date has been locked for the same and it has been learnt that the movie is all set to hit the screens on September 6, 2024. Sharing the same on social media, the official Instagram page posted a photo featuring the entire cast, namely, Akshay Kumar, Taapsee Pannu, Vaani Kapoor, Fardeen Khan, and others and wrote in the post, “Get ready for a rollercoaster ride of laughter, drama & loads of fun! Mark your calendars for September 06, 2024 when #KhelKhelMein hits the theatres.” It also tagged the entire team of the film including Aditya Seal, Pragya Jaiswal, and Ammy Virk. With the entire ensemble cast coming together for the fi...

Bollywood actor Sonam Kapoor recently opened up about her journey of adjusting to the changes that occurred after the birth of her son Vaayu. Known for her confident and self-assured demeanor, Sonam shared that while she has always embraced herself for who she is, the experience of gaining 32 kilos post-childbirth was quite traumatising for her. On the podcast Fashionably Pernia, the actor candidly discussed the changes she made in her fashion choices after giving birth. Sonam said, Sonam said, “I gained 32 kilos. Honestly, initially I was traumastised. You are so obsessed with your baby, you are really not thinking about working out, eating right. It took me a year and a half. I took it really slow, you have to be slow because you have to adjust to the new you.”   View this post on Instagram   A post shared by Sonam A Kapoor (@sonamkapoor) She added, “Everything in your life changes. Your relationship with yourself changes, with your husband it changes, everything change...

Sombre documentary focuses on the former Palestinian leader Marwan Barghouti, and how he is becoming a Mandela-like figure since his imprisonment in 2002 Here is a film that offers something not generally on offer in the media: an envisioning of the future and a road map, or part of a road map, out of the present situation in Israel and Palestine. It’s about Palestinian leader Marwan Barghouti , an initial supporter of the 1993 and 1995 Oslo peace accords who became progressively disillusioned with the slow choreography of international consensus, and was ultimately imprisoned in 2002 for authorising deadly attacks on Israel. Barghouti’s position is not that he is innocent, but that an Israeli court has no right to try him. During the long years since, he has gone on hunger strike, been beaten and abused in captivity; his grownup children have themselves been targeted and arrested and his wife Fadwa has been repeatedly refused permission to visit him. But the film shows that somethin...

Director of Palme d’Or-winning film Entre les Murs (The Class) was much praised for humanism in projects Laurent Cantet , the award-winning film-maker whose creations tackled some of the most complex issues of modern French society, including meritocracy, the education system, diversity and class struggle, has died aged 63 after an illness. Cantet was best known outside France for his film Entre les Murs (The Class), which won the Palme d’Or at the Cannes film festival in 2008. It depicted life inside the classroom of a secondary school in Paris’s diverse 20th arrondissement and the relationship between students – compellingly improvised by non-professional teenagers – and their at times exasperated teacher. Continue reading... from Film | The Guardian https://ift.tt/uthRcjG via IFTTT

Bollywood star Ayushmann Khurrana is set to attend the prestigious TIME100 Gala in New York City. The event, hosted by TIME Magazine, honours the world's most influential people. This isn't Khurrana's first brush with recognition from TIME. In 2023, he was honoured with the TIME100 Impact Award, and in 2020, he was named one of the magazine's 100 Most Influential People in the World. Khurrana's invitation to the TIME100 Gala signifies his place among the world's leading disruptors. He has earned this recognition for his contribution to Indian cinema through his unconventional film choices and his dedication to social causes as a UNICEF ambassador. Notably, he was the only Indian recipient of the TIME100 Impact Award last year. The upcoming gala promises to be a star-studded affair, with Khurrana expected to rub shoulders with some of the biggest names in the world. Pop superstar Dua Lipa is confirmed to attend, along with legendary figures like filmmaker Sofia...

Popular actress Tamannaah Bhatia has been summoned by the Maharashtra cyber cell for allegedly promoting the Fairplay app, a subsidiary of the controversial Mahadev online gaming and betting application. Bhatia is required to appear before the cyber cell next week to provide a statement as a witness. According to an extensive report by NDTV, the investigation centers around allegations that the Fairplay app facilitated illegal betting on the Indian Premier League (IPL) cricket matches. A broadcaster filed a complaint against the app for illegally streaming some of the IPL matches. This adds to the ongoing case involving the Mahadev app, which has been under scrutiny by law enforcement agencies for over a year. Fairplay operates as a betting exchange platform, offering a variety of sports and entertainment gambling options. Their website highlights Cricket, Football, and Tennis as their most popular categories. Notably, the platform boasts live streaming of all sports matches, aiming ...

Shah Rukh Khan's action extravaganza, Jawan, continues to dominate the awards circuit, this time receiving a prestigious nomination at the Taurus World Stunt Awards. The film's high-octane stunts, which captivated audiences worldwide, have been recognized in the category of Best Stunts. Jawan's nomination adds another feather to its already impressive cap. The film not only smashed box office records, grossing over Rs. 1159 crore but also garnered critical acclaim. Jawan's stunt director took home awards at both the 2024 Filmfare Awards and Zee Cine Awards. The significance of the Taurus nomination cannot be overstated. Often referred to as the Oscars of stunt work, the Taurus World Stunt Awards recognize the very best in action filmmaking. Jawan finds itself in esteemed company, competing against Hollywood blockbusters like John Wick: Chapter 4, Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning, Extraction 2, and Ballerina. Directed by Atlee and presented by Red Chillies Entertain...

Musician and film-maker’s story about a Belgian-Congolese man who takes his white wife to DRC to meet the family is complex, risky and bold Congolese-born rapper, musician and film-maker Baloji (né Serge Baloji Tshiani) was a prizewinner at Cannes last year with this feature directing debut: a dynamic, teemingly populated, multistranded and tonally elusive picture which I initially thought would benefit from comparisons with Jordan Peele’s horror classic Get Out. In fact, it’s more complicated than that. Koffi (Marc Zinga) is a Congolese man living in Belgium and married to a white woman, Alice (Lucie Debay). They are about to have twins and Koffi feels that he cannot put it off any further: whatever his family will think, the couple must journey back to the Democratic Republic of the Congo to let them see Alice and let them get used to the idea. It particularly means propitiating his fiercely conservative mother Mujila (Yves-Marina Gnahoua). He takes care to shave off his westernis...

A sexually candid, seriously intentioned drama about a young Kurdish woman who feels she has to surgically ‘restore’ her virginity before her wedding There is a heartfelt and courageous performance from 28-year-old Syrian-born, German-based actor Bayan Layla in this drama about sex, patriarchy and second-generation immigrant identity. It is a drama which hits the buttons squarely and efficiently, but might perhaps have played better as a three-part TV drama. Layla plays Elaha, a young woman of Kurdish family background in a German town (director Milena Aboyan is herself German-based and Armenian-Kurdish). She has finished high school and is now attending classes on how to apply for jobs, picking up skills she uses mainly to help her dad find employment. There seems to be no discussion about university, despite her obvious intelligence. Her mum works hard minding Elaha’s younger sister and disabled kid brother, and Elaha has part-time work at a dry-cleaners; she is saving for her wedd...

Bollywood superstar Ranveer Singh has found himself embroiled in a disturbing trend as he became the latest victim of deepfake technology. A recent viral video purportedly showed Singh endorsing a political party, raising concerns about the manipulation of digital content using artificial intelligence. The deepfake video, which circulated widely online, utilized genuine footage from Singh's visit to Varanasi but replaced his voice with an AI-generated replica. This deceptive technique has become increasingly prevalent, allowing individuals to create convincing yet fabricated videos that can misrepresent public figures and spread misinformation. In response to this incident, the Maharashtra police's cyber cell has taken action by registering an FIR against an individual identified as @sujataindia1st for allegedly uploading the deepfake video. The complaint was lodged by Singh's father, Jagjit Singh Bhavnani, who expressed concern over the potential damage to his son's r...

Superstar Shah Rukh Khan is gearing up to play a gritty don in his upcoming film, King, which promises to be a raw and rustic action-thriller. With this film, his daughter Suhana Khan will make her silver screen debut after OTT debut in The Archies last December. Khan won't just be a powerful underworld figure; he'll also have a complex moral compass, with "shades of grey" that will intrigue audiences. According to a report in Pinkvilla, a source revealed that Khan will play an intriguing role, which is a clear nod to his past characters with darker sides, like his iconic roles in Darr, Anjaam, and Raees. “Shah Rukh Khan is making films for the audience and is well aware of their urge to see him in shades of grey. King is his passion project and he has been meticulously working on all aspects of the project with Siddharth Anand and Sujoy Ghosh. They have collectively carved a very cool, full of attitude and swag character with shades of grey for SRK in King,” said th...

As a mute avenger against a dystopian tyranny – looking like a lethal Buster Keaton – the actor makes you wish the film itself was as purposeful Bill Skarsgård – one of eight Skarsgård siblings, six of whom work as actors – has hitherto carved out a bit of a niche as the best one to hire when you need a Skarsgård with a bit of a creepy vibe. He’s played a possibly dangerous stranger (Barbarian), a vampire (Hemlock Grove), delivered an unforgettably nasty Pennywise the Dancing Clown in the recent IT, and is about to star as the titular character in The Crow reboot. In Boy Kills World, however, he proves there’s another string to his bow: bona fide action star. Rippling with muscles, Skarsgård plays Boy, one of those “I am an instrument shaped for a single purpose” types that thrive in the action genre. The single purpose is a time-honoured one: revenge. In this case it is against Famke Janssen’s Hilda van der Koy, the head of a wealthy ruling family in a totalitarian state which subje...

The recreated version of Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak’s (1988) song ‘Papa Kehte Hai’ was launched at a lovely event in an auditorium in Mumbai on Monday, April 22. Aamir Khan, who featured in the original version and Udit Narayan, who sung both the versions, graced their presence along with Srikanth’s team members, that is, actors Rajkummar Rao, Alaya F and Sharad Kelkar, director Tushar Hiranandani, producer Nidhi Parmar Hiranandani and Srikanth Bolla, on whom the film is based on. The event began with talented visually impaired people performing on ‘Papa Kehte Hai’ and also the other famous song of Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak, ‘Aye Mere Humsafar’. At the event, Aamir Khan and Udit Narayan went down memory lane. Aamir revealed, “It’s the song that started my career. Certainly, it’s very special. All of us were very new in the film and Nasir saab (Nasir Hussain) supported us. It was also the first film of director Mansoor Khan and cinematographer ...

The recreated version of Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak’s (1988) song ‘Papa Kehte Hai’ was launched at a lovely event in an auditorium in Mumbai on Monday, April 22. Aamir Khan, who featured in the original version and Udit Narayan, who sang both versions, graced their presence along with Srikanth’s team members, that is, actors Rajkummar Rao, Alaya F and Sharad Kelkar, director Tushar Hiranandani, producer Nidhi Parmar Hiranandani and Srikanth Bolla, on whom the film is based on. The event began with talented visually impaired people performing on ‘Papa Kehte Hai’ and also the other famous song of Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak, ‘Aye Mere Humsafar’. Aamir Khan on stage spoke highly of the Rajkummar Rao-starrer, “When I saw Srikanth’s trailer, I was left amazed. I immediately connected with the character of Srikanth. I want to experience his journey. Hence, I am also keenly waiting for its release on May 10. It seems like a very inspiring film. Rajkummar Ra...

Amitabh Bachchan has made a significant investment in real estate by purchasing a 10,000 square foot plot of land in Alibaug, Maharashtra, near Mumbai. This acquisition took place in the A Alibaug project, a sprawling 20-acre plotted development launched in April last year. The transaction, reportedly valued at Rs. 10 crore, was completed with The House of Abhinandan Lodha (HoABL) and as per sources, it was officially registered just last week. Although there has been no official statement issued from The House of Abhinadan Lodha or from Amitabh Bachchan, sources have reportedly confirmed the details to the media. This is not the first time where Amitabh has been investing with the builders. In the past, the legendary actor also made a similar investment with the HoABL brand in their ‘The Sarayu’ project in Ayodhya. Big B is expected to have made a sizeable investment in this luxurious seven-star project which is currently under development in the picturesque city of Lord Ram. As for...

Khatron Ke Khiladi is known for its heart-stopping stunts and breathtaking challenges. The show has consistently captivated the audience. After news of Niti Taylor joining the show came out, her Kaisi Yeh Yaariyan co-star Parth Samthaan has now also joined the list of celebrities on the show. As per a report in Telly Chakkar, Parth Samthaan, known for his roles in Kaisi Yeh Yaariaan and Kasautii Zindagii Kay 2, has been approached to join the roster of daring contestants for the fourteenth instalment of the hit reality show. With his co-star Niti Taylor also rumoured to be in talks for the show, viewers are eager for the possibility of witnessing a thrilling reunion of the beloved on-screen pair. Speculation surrounding Samthaan's involvement in Khatron Ke Khiladi 14 has sparked a wave of enthusiasm among his fans, the news comes amidst a flurry of reports regarding the lineup of potential contestants for the upcoming season, with names like Gashmeer Mahajani, Abhishek Kumar, Man...

Author Félix Bruzzone fronts this haunting film about Campo de Mayo, where his mother was among tens of thousands of people who ‘disappeared’ under the dictatorship The dark past of Campo de Mayo, a military camp that once served as a vast detention centre during Argentina’s so-called dirty war , is excavated in Jonathan Perel’s haunting documentary. Following noted author Félix Bruzzone as he jogs alongside the infamous site, the film is structured around the writer’s run in which the past and the present entwine. His encounters with witnesses of the dictatorship’s atrocities show that history is far from dormant, but a living, breathing thing. Having lived in the area, Bruzzone was only recently made aware of his family ties to the site. Abducted by the secret police and taken to Campo de Mayo, his mother was among the tens of thousands who “disappeared” under the military regime. This painful memory is mirrored by Bruzzone’s conversation with an archaeologist, who talks about the ...

Featuring stars including Riz Ahmed and Nabhaan Rizwan, the event aims to celebrate the ‘rich tapestry of Muslim experiences via the medium of film’ A major new UK film festival dedicated to Muslim cinema announced its inaugural lineup on Tuesday, with a slew of award-winning films featuring the likes of Riz Ahmed and Informer’s Nabhaan Rizwan . Ahmed, winner of an Oscar for best live action short film, will appear in Dammi, a short film directed by Yann Demange, the French film-maker best known for Top Boy and Northern Ireland-set drama ’71. Ahmed co-stars with Isabelle Adjani in a story about a man confronting his French and Algerian heritage on a trip to Paris. Rizwan plays the lead in In Camera, a British feature directed by Naqqash Khalid that screened at the London film festival, as an actor struggling to make a career in the film industry in the face of repeated rejections. Continue reading... from Film | The Guardian https://ift.tt/tnsbBWV via IFTTT

Great locations, experienced crews and juicy incentives have made UK studios increasingly attractive, and brought Hollywood stars to the unlikeliest locations. But with budgets falling and a lack of skills training, could the bubble be about to burst? When Peter Vardy joined Calderdale council 46 years ago, his job mostly involved maintaining local parks and, later, organising the occasional firework display. But these days Vardy’s CV can truthfully boast that he has shut down roads to stage car crashes and found the perfect bridge for a fictional detective’s (fictional) suicide. The West Yorkshire borough where the 64-year-old works has become a filming hotspot, home to big-budget productions such as the Disney+ superhero series Secret Invasion and the Paramount Plus period drama A Gentleman in Moscow . Residents have spotted Hollywood stars relaxing in local restaurants – Samuel L Jackson is apparently partial to fried seafood, lemonade and tiramisu. Since 2013, Vardy has acted a...

Bollywood actor Pankaj Tripathi has suffered a devastating loss. On Saturday, April 20, his brother-in-law, Rajesh Tiwari, passed away in a car accident that critically injured Tripathi's sister, Sarita Tiwari. The accident occurred near GT Road in Nirsa, Jharkhand, around 4 pm. The couple, travelling from their hometown in Bihar to West Bengal, reportedly lost control of their car (WB44D-2899) and collided with a divider at high speed. The impact caused significant damage to the vehicle, with the front end sustaining extensive damage. As per a report in Hindustan Times, with the help of local residents, police rushed both Rajesh and Sarita Tiwari to Dhanbad Medical College Hospital. Tragically, Rajesh Tiwari succumbed to his injuries and was declared dead by emergency room doctors. Sarita Tiwari, however, received emergency treatment and is currently in critical condition in the hospital's surgical ICU. Rajesh Tiwari, who worked for the Indian Railways and was stationed in ...

Battling drought, Jenny and Russell Jenner tore out their failing crops. Could fields of sunflowers for selfies save their Queensland farm? There is the smell of freshly cut hay as you travel the country road towards the yellow that dusts the landscape in the distance. Row upon row of sunflowers run away down the hills. Little bursts of sunshine sway on the top of tall stems. With their bright optimistic faces – their sheer yellowness – they reach towards the sun, bringing the positive . But in 2021 there was no yellow in this landscape. Everything was brown, dead, desiccated in the heat haze. After seven years of drought the Moogerah Dam in south-east Queensland’s scenic rim was nearly empty. “There was no water left,” says Jenny Jenner, “and they were cutting off our allocation. And you can’t grow anything without water.” The quaint country towns in the area were depressed; no one was buying seed, fertiliser, fuel or food. “It wears people down,” the farmer adds. “You forget what y...

The much-anticipated sequels to Salman Khan's Bajrangi Bhaijaan and Akshay Kumar's Rowdy Rathore seem to be inching closer to reality. Producer KK Radhamohan provided updates on these projects while promoting Aayush Sharma's upcoming film Ruslaan in Hyderabad. As per a report by Hindustan Times, in a recent interaction with the press, Radhamohan acknowledged the presence of renowned writer Vijayendra Prasad and disclosed that the writer has crafted a couple of compelling scripts for him. "Vijayendra Prasad has written two stories for me," he revealed, with Prasad acknowledging the statement with a smile.  "One is Vikramarkudu 2, which is Rowdy Rathore 2 in Hindi. The subject is ready; we're just looking for a good cast now," Radhamohan added. Additionally, he hinted at a sequel to Bajrangi Bhaijaan, pending Salman Khan's approval. "He has also readied the script for Bhajrangi Bhaijaan 2. Soon, he'll narrate it to Salman bhai, and we...

Ayushmann Khurrana, known for his acting and singing talents, celebrates 12 years in Bollywood today! Fresh off the success of his new song 'Akh Da Tara,' Khurrana receives a special tribute from a longtime fan, Aditi Dev. Dev has named a star after the actor!   View this post on Instagram   A post shared by Aditi Dev (@aditi_dev24) Reacting to the same, Ayushmann says, “Aditi has been one of the first admirers of my work since the time Vicky Donor released and became a humongous success story for me. So, it is quite amazing that she decided to celebrate two big milestones of my career - my 12th anniversary in the Hindi film industry and my single 'Akh Da Tara’s huge success by gifting me and immortalizing me as a star in the universe!” He adds, “My admirers have been my biggest support system since the time I debuted as an actor-artiste in the industry and it is their love, their passion, and their prayers that have kept an underdog like me going even till today. I wo...

Kevin Macdonald’s finely balanced portrait of the disgraced Dior designer, on Mubi from Friday, is the newest arrival on a catwalk of fashion industry movies, from Funny Face to Zoolander For those who bleat on about the iniquities of supposed “cancel culture”, the career of British fashion designer John Galliano is a useful counterpoint. Sacked in 2011 as the creative director of Christian Dior after an appalling incident of antisemitic abuse on his part, he spent two years in the wilderness before being hired by Oscar de la Renta and subsequently Maison Margiela , where he has been for a decade. A-listers still wear his gowns on red carpets. Life goes on. Kevin Macdonald’s documentary High & Low: John Galliano (streaming on Mubi from 26 April) chronicles Galliano’s rise and fall and rise with a more distanced, critical eye than you may expect from a film co-produced by Vogue publisher Condé Nast. There’s due appreciation of his distinctive design sensibility, but sharp scrut...

Salman Khan fans, rejoice! Though the superstar didn't have a release for Eid this year, he announced his next big project, titled Sikandar, to make up for it. This action entertainer marks Khan's first collaboration with director AR Murugadoss, and filming is set to begin in May. Murugadoss is currently directing an action film, tentatively called SK23, starring Tamil star Sivakarthikeyan. This project is scheduled to continue until June. To ensure a smooth shooting schedule for Sikandar, Murugadoss will be juggling both films for the next two months. “Before Sikandar goes on floors, Murugadoss wants to wrap up as much of SK23 as possible,” an insider revealed, as per a report in Mid-day. “He will shoot the first schedule of Sikandar in May and then return to finish Sivakarthikeyan's movie in June. From July onwards, he will be completely dedicated to the Salman Khan starrer.” With an Eid 2025 release target, the team is working diligently to meet the deadline despite th...

Vidya Balan shines in this witty remake that sees a married couple, both cheating on each other, on the verge of breaking up The algebra of love is a multiple-choice conundrum in Shirsha Guha Thakurta’s debut, a witty remake of Azazel Jacobs’ romance The Lovers starring Debra Winger. Transporting the original story of a disaffected American couple caught up in extramarital affairs to Mumbai, Do Aur Do Pyaar often heads to the city’s beaches, whose shifting tides bring to mind the unpredictable ebb and flow of long-term relationships. In the film, the weight of marital distance is etched on to every frame. Twelve years into their marriage, Kavya (Vidya Balan) and Ani (Pratik Gandhi) have run out of affectionate words. Revolving around allergy medicines and bin bags, their daily conversations have gone terribly stale. At the same time Kavya finds comfort in the arms of handsome photographer Vikram, played by Heroes alum Sendhil Ramamurthy, while Ani is knee deep in a committed relatio...

There’s some low-stakes pleasure to be had in the first half of the gory new film from the team behind Ready or Not and Scream but things fall apart disastrously Last year’s handsome gothic horror The Last Voyage of the Demeter and bombastic Nic Cage comedy Renfield allowed Universal the opportunity to present known IP as something fresh, at least on the surface, stories involving Dracula but told in ways we hadn’t seen before. They represented a nifty marketing strategy for a back catalogue of classic monster movies but both worked better as loglines than finished films – Dracula on a boat, Dracula as a bad boss – and audiences proved as uninterested as critics, the stench of old property distracting from the promise of something new. As the studio preps a new take on The Wolf Man with next year’s Christopher Abbott-led Wolfman and Robert Eggers’ remake of the Dracula-inspired Nosferatu, here comes Abigail, a poppy reimagining of the little-remembered 1936 horror Dracula’s Daughte...

Bollywood actor and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate Ravi Kishan is embroiled in a major controversy. The drama began when Aparna Soni, also known as Aparna Thakur, a resident of Mumbai, held a press conference in Lucknow, claiming that Kishan is the father of her 25-year-old daughter, Shinova. Allegations of denial of parental rights were hurled at the actor-turned-politician, igniting a firestorm of controversy. According to a report in India Today, in response, Ravi Kishan's wife, Preeti Shukla, took swift action, complaining to the Hazratganj police station in Lucknow. The complaint, which triggered the lodging of an FIR against six individuals including Aparna Soni, her family members, a Samajwadi Party leader, and a journalist, alleges a conspiracy to defame her husband and influence the ongoing elections. Preeti Shukla's complaint reveals intimidation and extortion from Aparna Soni who allegedly demanded a staggering sum of Rs. 20 crore, under threat of framing f...

South Asian stars in global cinema are celebrating a double win as two of its brightest stars, Indian actress Alia Bhatt and British-Indian actor Dev Patel, have secured a coveted spot on Time magazine's prestigious “100 Most Influential People of 2024” list. This recognition highlights the global impact of Indian actors and the immense talent they bring to the world stage. Alia Bhatt, a household name in India, has been steadily carving her niche as a leading actress with critically acclaimed performances and immense audience popularity. Her dedication and talent haven't gone unnoticed internationally. Tom Harper, the director of her Hollywood debut film Heart of Stone, penned a glowing tribute for the magazine. Harper described Bhatt as a focused and collaborative artist, praising her willingness to embrace creative risks. He wrote, “I met Alia on Heart of Stone, her English-language film debut. Despite her fame, on set she is self-effacing and funny. There is a grace to the...

Two endurance sailors’ perilous voyage is supposed to lead them to empathy for refugees’ plight – but they sure take their time discovering that Here is a well-intentioned but brief, unsatisfying and oddly structured documentary, supposedly about refugees and boat people … although the refugees’ experiences are only discussed in the final 10 minutes or so. The film is actually about two Egyptians, Omar Nour and Omar Samra, energetic and prosperous young entrepreneurs who in 2017, in a spirit of adventure, took on the Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge, a well-established annual endurance event with a good safety record in which participants journey in a rowing boat across the Atlantic from La Gomera in the Canaries to Antigua; it is a 3,000-nautical-mile, 40-day ordeal in treacherous seas. After just nine days, these two guys got into terrible difficulties, perhaps as a result of their relative inexperience. Their craft capsized and they had to be dragged out of the water by a Greek ...

Bollywood superstar Salman Khan's residence in Mumbai's Bandra neighbourhood witnessed a disturbing security breach on April 14. Two unidentified individuals on a motorcycle fired multiple rounds outside Galaxy Apartments, where Khan resides. No injuries were reported. However, the incident sent shockwaves through the industry and raised concerns about the actor's safety. Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde personally contacted Khan and assured him of heightened security measures and met the Khan family after the two assailants were arrested and brought back to Mumbai. Days later, his father, veteran screenwriter Salim Khan, who lives in the same building, acknowledged the ongoing police investigation and the state government's assurances. He spoke to India Today and said in Hindi, “What’s there to talk about? Yeh jaahil log joh kehte hain maar denge tab pata lagega na (These illiterate people say you’ll learn your lesson when we’ll kill you). We’ve been given ext...

Anodyne children’s picture provides some gentle entertainment once you forgive the cloying anthropomorphism ‘Is that a butterfly fairy?” asks a confused seven-year-old who watches with me, pointing to the screen at the start of this Canadian animated tale. Nope. The purple creature with a humanish face and body, dressed in a hoodie, wings poking out of its back, is in fact the film’s rendering of a monarch butterfly. The film-makers behind this have really outdone themselves with their tackily revolting anthropomorphic butterflies. Still, if you can get past mutilating a wonder of nature, the movie is a harmless and rather sweet cartoon for under-eights. Teenager Patrick is a monarch who cannot fly because of an undeveloped wing. His dad was a big hero in the community after pecking out the eye of a fearsome eagle (he paid the price too). But because of his wing, Patrick has been banned from taking part in the annual winter migration south to Mexico. Not this year, says his overprote...

A film making waves around the film festival circuit for the past 6 months, Lord Curzon Ki Haveli, actor Anshuman Jha's directorial debut about Asians in the UK will have its British Premiere at the UK-Asian Film Festival 2024, at Regent Cinema on May 11th. Anshuman Jha with his leading lady Rasika Dugal are expected to walk the red carpet in London. The film had its World Premiere at IFFM Australia, its North American Premiere at CSAFF Chicago, its Canadian Premiere at ISAFF Vancouver, its European Premiere at the biggest genre film festival in Europe 'Razor Reel' & its Indian Premiere at WENCH&Red Lorry - will finally go back to Britain where it has been shot. The jury has called it "a really inventive film. And a zany homage to Alfred Hitchcock with a very desi twist. With its postcolonial subtext (couched in dark humour) it will be a great watch for British Asian and cross-over audiences." Says the debutant director Anshuman Jha "Feels like a fu...

Rohit Shetty's Singham Again boasts a star-studded cast including Ajay Devgn, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Deepika Padukone, Arjun Kapoor and Tiger Shroff with Akshay Kumar and Ranveer Singh also reprising their previous roles from Sooryavanshi and Simmba.  Now, Shetty is set to shoot a mega dance number featuring all of these stars. While Ajay Devgn, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Arjun Kapoor and Tiger Shroff are set for the dance number, Akshay Kumar and Ranveer Singh will also make cameo appearances. The filmmaker is filming an elaborate song at a Vile Parle set starting today, April 17. Rohit Shetty has been filming the action sequences for the film's last leg at Golden Tobacco Factory. A separate grand set has been built for this song. The shoot was originally scheduled for April 15 but has been pushed back to today. Ganesh Acharya is choreographing the song with 400 background dancers. The main cast will film the number over the next four days. However, Deepika Padukone might not be able...

Content creator and actor Bhuvan Bam, known for his performance in the debut web series Taaza Khabar, is gearing up to mesmerize audiences once more with the highly anticipated Season 2. Following the success of the first season, Bhuvan Bam is ready to embark on another thrilling journey filled with intrigue and excitement. This is interestingly the first time that Bhuvan will be working on a project outside of his own production. Amidst the shoots for Taaza Khabar 2, exciting news has emerged regarding Bhuvan's next project—a riveting murder mystery featuring one of India's top actresses from the 90s. The project, helmed by a debutant director, promises to deliver an unparalleled viewing experience for audiences. Speaking about the upcoming project, a source close to the production reveals, "The murder mystery project starring Bhuvan Bam alongside one of India's iconic actresses from the 90s is set to captivate audiences. Shot in Mumbai, the film guarantees to keep ...

Travelling across Russia in mostly silence, Ilya Povolotsky’s debut feature has a strange confidence in its own insistent dispiritedness With long journeys in a red camper van, long unbroken shots of shattered Caucasian landscapes, and very long silences between its alienated father and daughter, Ilya Povolotsky’s debut feature has a strange confidence in its own monumental dispiritedness. “I want to know that you have a plan,” says the teenager. “And that we won’t get stuck somewhere outside Khabarovsk with a chicken and a sad librarian woman.” This being a Russian art film, you wouldn’t bet against it. The two unnamed characters, played by Maria Lukyanova and Gela Chitava, are making their way across the country for unspecified reasons, other than her desire to see the sea. They run a small mobile cinema out of their van for wan residents of purgatorial steppe towns and flog snacks and porn by night at sketchy truck stops for the hauliers who aren’t with sex workers. The father has...

The Bombay High Court rejected filmmaker Ramesh Sippy's request for a court-appointed receiver in an ongoing property dispute. The dispute centres on the inheritance of assets belonging to Sippy's late parents [Ramesh Sippy v. Sunhil Sippy & Ors.]. According to a report by Bar and Bench, the Sholay director had filed an interim plea seeking the appointment of a court receiver. This receiver would have taken temporary control of a flat and 27 cinematograph films, which Sippy claimed fell intestate (without a will) upon his parents' passing. The filmmaker further contended that Sippy Films Pvt. Ltd. and its directors were illegally utilising these assets. However, Justice Manish Pitale, presiding over the case, found insufficient evidence from Sippy to support his concerns about the defendant disposing of the flat. Additionally, the court noted that the legal heirs of Sippy's siblings, along with the company itself, had been asserting ownership rights over the 27 fi...