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Oscar-winning production designer who helped recreate the fantastical world of Harry Potter in intricate detail on screen The production designer Stuart Craig, who has died aged 83 after suffering from Parkinson’s disease, played a major role in bringing the fantastical, magical world of Harry Potter to the screen. Craig’s set design skills had won him three Oscars, for Gandhi , Dangerous Liaisons and The English Patient , but creating the look of the film versions of JK Rowling’s stories about the schoolboy wizard was the crowning glory of his career. He worked on all eight films in the series, from Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone in 2001 to Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 in 2011, leading a large team of concept artists, art directors, set decorators, construction workers, painters and decorators, prop makers, plasterers and model makers. Continue reading... from Film | The Guardian https://ift.tt/UG5nTaB via IFTTT

Miranda Cosgrove plays a woman involved in some reality show drama in another of the streamer’s many low-grade background watches One could argue that The Bachelor, the ABC reality juggernaut that has reified Christian-lite dating norms for 27 seasons, should be considered scripted content. The connections can be genuine, and the feelings often real, but the situations are contrived and manipulated, a pioneering brand of deliberately saccharine, hokey and ridiculous in the name of love and for the sake of entertainment. Watching The Bachelor and its spinoffs, as I occasionally have over its two-plus-decade run, is to be baffled, frustrated, annoyed and ultimately hooked. The show, with its in-group rituals and shocking sincerity, casts a strange spell over its contestants and its viewers; if you stick through one episode, you’re liable to start caring about what happens. No such spell exists for The Wrong Paris, Netflix’s latest attempt to build an in-house Hallmark Channel, in which...

Bollywood Hungama has been at the forefront in giving exclusive news about Aabeer Gulaal. We announced last month that the film has been scheduled for a release on September 12 worldwide, excluding India. And now, as per latest development that is sure to rejoice Indian moviegoers, Aabeer Gulaal is all set to release in India as well. A source told Bollywood Hungama, “Aabeer Gulaal has released today, that is, September 12, across the globe. The team of Indian Stories Limited (UK) have now made the decision to release the film in India two weeks from now, on September 26. They are confident of the product and feel that the film, which is a simple and sweet love story, has the potential to attract the audience everywhere, including India. Moreover, no other film is scheduled for a release on September 26 and hence, Aabeer Gulaal will enjoy a solo release in the country.” Starring Fawad Khan and Vaani Kapoor, Aabeer Gulaal is a feel-good, fiery romance about unexpected connections, sec...

In what promises to be a major launch onto the Bollywood scene, Aryan Khan is stepping into three significant roles in the upcoming series The Ba***ds of Bollywood. Not only is this his debut as a writer‐director, but he is also making his singing debut in a track alongside Punjabi superstar Diljit Dosanjh. The song, titled ‘Tennu Ki Pata,’ is the latest release from the series’ soundtrack. Aryan’s voice features partially on it, along with Diljit and composer‐producer Ujwal Gupta. The lyrics are written by Kumaar. It follows two earlier tracks from the same album, ‘Tu Pehli Tu Aakhri’ and ‘Badli Si Hawa.’ On-screen, the series will be led by Lakshya, with Raghav Juyal, Sahher Bambba, and Anya Singh in parallel lead roles. And in terms of cameos, it brings together a major line-up, Aamir Khan, SS Rajamouli, Disha Patani, Karan Johar, Badshah, Shah Rukh Khan himself. It's like having all industry titans under the same roof.” Although the trailer is just out, it has already genera...

The Pan-India mythological-fantasy film Mirai has been released today worldwide. The excitement for it is there due to the subject, casting, exciting trailer and also the association of Karan Johar’s Dharma Productions for the Hindi version. Bollywood Hungama has learned that Mirai is not just a one-part saga. The makers have intended it to be a multi-part series and the hint about it is given towards the end of the film. Mirai ends with the promise of a sequel. The title of the second part is mentioned in the end slate - Mirai: Jaithraya. That’s not all. A mid-credit scene is shown to the audience and it introduces the new villain of the series – Rana Daggubati! Further, Rana’s character is shown to possess a mysterious power. It is quite intriguing and with this scene, the makers make it clear that Veda, the protagonist, is up for a bigger threat in the sequel. Rana Daggubati looks apt for the casting and moreover, his role will surely remind one of his legendary villainous act as ...

The 71st National Film Awards were announced on August 1 and became a huge talking point. Superstar Shah Rukh Khan got his first National Award and this piece of information went viral in no time. Once the excitement around the winners' list died down, the question that everyone asked was – when will the award ceremony be held? Bollywood Hungama has learned that the awards will be distributed in less than two weeks from now. A source told Bollywood Hungama, “The 71st National Film Awards will take place on Tuesday, September 23, 2025, at 4:00 pm. As always, it’ll be held in Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi. The winners and jury members were informed about the time, date and venue through an official letter and invitation. As per the protocol, the invitees can avail of flight tickets, accommodation and pick up and drop from Delhi airport; the same has been mentioned in the letter.” Sources also claim that the winners of the National Awards this year like Shah Rukh Khan, Vikrant Massey, Ra...

Veteran Bollywood actress and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Hema Malini has added the luxury electric MPV MG M9 to her garage, escalating her foray into the EV segment. The MG M9 was officially launched in India in July with an ex-showroom price of Rs. 69.90 lakh. Previously driving an MG Hector, Hema Malini now boasts two vehicles from JSW-MG Motor. According to posts shared online, the delivery event was intimate and festive. The video footage shows Ms. Malini removing the car cover, performing puja rituals, and exploring the vehicle’s interior. The boot (trunk) was decorated with balloons and photographs. She chose the Pearl Lustre White shade; MG also offers the model in Metal Black and Concrete Grey. Automobile enthusiasts were surely drawn to the glimpses of Hema Malini’s MG M9, a feature-packed model that has been gaining popularity since its launch in August 2025. Notable highlights include a 12.3-inch infotainment screen, 7-inch digital driver’s display, ventilated seats,...

Salman Khan, one of Bollywood’s most popular stars, has delivered several major hits over the years. His 2012 action thriller Ek Tha Tiger was a huge success and went on to become a blockbuster. Now, the film is set for an exciting re-release on the big screen. Salman Khan’s much-loved film Ek Tha Tiger is set to return to theatres with a special re-release. This gives fans a chance to revisit the action-packed entertainer on the big screen, while also offering audiences who missed it during its original run in 2012 the opportunity to experience the film in cinemas for the first time. Ek Tha Tiger, released in 2012, was among the year’s biggest hits and marked the beginning of YRF’s Spy Universe. The film introduced audiences to Tiger, played by Salman Khan, and set the stage for the franchise. Directed by Kabir Khan, it also features Katrina Kaif in the lead, alongside Ranvir Shorey, Roshan Seth, Girish Karnad, and Gavie Chahal in supporting roles. Apart from the re-release, Salman...

Bollywood superstar Salman Khan has dropped the first official look from his upcoming film Battle of Galwan on his Instagram as he has begun shooting for the film. The picture showcases Salman in full military regalia, rugged moustache and a fierce gaze that embodies raw patriotism. Directed by Apoorva Lakhia, the film revisits the harrowing 2020 Galwan Valley clash between Indian and Chinese troops,  a rare border skirmish that turned deadly without any firearms being used. Instead, soldiers resorted to hand-to-hand combat with sticks and stones, making it one of the most emotionally charged stories in recent Indian history. With its stirring subject and powerful cast, Battle of Galwan is poised to be one of the most impactful cinematic tributes to India’s armed forces in recent years. Also Read: Bigg Boss 19 Weekend Ka Vaar: Salman Khan reacting to Shehnaaz Gill’s comment on ‘making careers’ goes viral amid Abhinav Kashyap’s claims on destroying careers from Latest Bol...

Prajakta Koli is deeply affected by the growing violence and unrest in Nepal, with the disturbing visuals and reports leaving her saddened. She has chosen to cancel her planned trip to the country and expressed solidarity with those suffering from the crisis. On Tuesday, Prajakta shared her concern and sorrow over the ongoing unrest in Nepal through an Instagram Story. In her note, she conveyed her thoughts and extended solidarity with those impacted by the situation. Prajakta wrote, “What happened in Nepal yesterday is truly heartbreaking. Any form of celebration at such a time feels inappropriate. My heart goes out to the families of those who have suffered. I was really looking forward to being there and meeting everyone, but now isn’t the right time. Hopefully, I’ll get to see you all very soon.” The upheaval in Nepal stems from protests led by Generation Z sparked by the government’s decision to shut down popular social media platforms for failing to register with the Ministry ...

Documentary portrait of musician’s varied career is engaging if a little too easy in its admiration for its subject Musician Frank Benbini is most probably known best as the drummer from Fun Lovin’ Criminals and a latter incarnation of UB40, although as this documentary (which Benbini executive produced) reveals, he’s got a lot of different irons on the proverbial fire; these include a beat combo called Uncle Frank and a reggae group called Radio Riddler. There are other side projects as well, musical and music-adjacent – the occasional bit of barbering with an old friend from Leicester with whom he co-owns a salon, and DJing on BBC Radio Leicester. Clearly the man has a strong work ethic despite a hard partying image and songs about getting high. A few of his colleagues and employees dare to suggest that he can be a bit of hard taskmaster with a combustible temper. You can’t help wonder what sort of film might have emerged if this weren’t being directed by one of Benbini’s best frie...

Stop-motion animation voted the UK’s all-time favourite kids’ show will be rebooted with the ‘saggy old cloth cat’ now busy mending in modern Britain More than half a century has passed since the BBC aired 13 episodes of the story of a somnolent pink-and-white striped cat which cemented Bagpuss’s place in the annals of TV history. Now Bagpuss, “the most important, the most beautiful, the most magical saggy old cloth cat in the whole wide world” has been dusted off to star in a new film. The original show was primarily stop-motion with some paper cutout and conventional animation work, while the big screen reboot will combine live action and animation, with a projected release date of 2027. Continue reading... from Film | The Guardian https://ift.tt/vfoS1Pl via IFTTT

Daniel Lee Barnett goes into the woods in search of the big shy guy, but the real story here is his family’s devotion to supporting their autistic son’s passion Fifteen-year-old Daniel Lee Barnett has been called Britain’s youngest cryptozoologist, sniffing out signs of Bigfoot in the woods near his home in Somerset. Daniel has a YouTube channel and a podcast, and he’s mates with A-listers in the Bigfoot community. He’s spoken in front of a crowd of 3,000 enthusiasts. Which is even more impressive given Daniel is autistic, and as a young child had selective mutism; his dad says he would turn and face the wall if people came into the room. Daniel also co-directs this documentary about his adventures looking for the big shy guy. He first hit the headlines in his local area after finding a large footprint in woods near his home while out walking with his nan Jill. Demonstrating just how persistent he is, Daniel contacted DNA companies; eventually one offered to test his environmental DN...

Tyaani Jewellery by Karan Johar has debuted its latest marketing initiative, named Forces of Tyaani, marking a strategic expansion into the men’s jewellery domain. The campaign enlists acclaimed actor Jim Sarbh as the campaign’s face, underlining the brand’s renewed focus on men’s fine jewellery offerings. Historically, Tyaani has concentrated primarily on women’s jewellery. However, with this campaign, the brand seeks to reposition jewellery as a staple of everyday menswear—moving beyond traditional male accessories like belts, watches, and cufflinks. While the brand has previously offered a limited selection of men’s pieces, Forces of Tyaani marks a deliberate, elevated push to make jewellery a routine styling choice for male customers. The campaign’s visual narrative features Jim Sarbh adorned with a long necklace and cocktail rings crafted in 18kt yellow gold, adorned with both uncut and cut diamonds and colored stones. These items blend modern and traditional design sensibilitie...

Toronto film festival: after Glass Onion underwhelmed, Rian Johnson’s self-aware, star-packed Benoit Blanc series makes a barnstorming return to form If Glass Onion wasn’t quite the deserving follow-up to Knives Out that many of us had hoped it would be (it was more focused on the bigger rather than better), it was at the very least a deserved victory lap. Writer-director Rian Johnson’s 2019 whodunnit brought us back to the starry, slippery fun of the 70s and 80s, when films like this would be a dime a dozen and it was a surprise hit, making almost eight times its budget at the global box office. While Kenneth Branagh had seen commercial success already with his Poirot revival two years prior, his retreads felt too musty, and the actor-director too miscast, for the genre to truly feel like it was entering an exciting new period. Johnson’s threequel, Wake Up Dead Man, is the second as part of his Netflix deal (one that cost an estimated $450m) and arrives as the whodunnit genre has...

The anime market in India is niche but also significant and this has been proved yet again by the bookings of Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Movie: Infinity Castle. It is all set to release on Friday, September 13 and many shows are already sold out or about to get house full, astonishing the trade and industry. The advance booking opened on Friday, September 5 and in no time, the tickets started getting sold like hot cakes. The demand is especially high for the Japanese 2D IMAX version. Looking at the response, shows as early as 5 am have been added. In the IMAX screen at Cinepolis Seawoods, Navi Mumbai, a 5:20 am show of Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Movie: Infinity Castle will be played on the release day. Such early morning shows have become common in the post-pandemic for biggies, but this is the first time that a Japanese film has achieved this feat in India. The IMAX at PVR Vegas Dwarka and Inox Vishal Mall in Delhi will each have a 6:40 am show while PVR Ambience...

Boney Kapoor’s much-awaited film Maidaan (2024), starring Ajay Devgn, was finally released after years of delay due to Covid-19. Despite getting unanimous acclaim, it failed to work at the box office. Boney Kapoor, in an interview to Komal Nahta, said that he has paid money to all the vendors, though he suffered a huge loss. Boney said, “If the film didn’t work, how are the vendors to blame? They patiently waited. For instance, a vendor charged Rs. 100 for his services. I paid him Rs. 60 while the film was in production. I owed him Rs. 40. For those Rs. 40, he waited for 4 years. Will it be fair after I tell such vendors after all these years, ‘My film has flopped and hence, I can’t pay’? I borrowed money to pay them.” He continued, “A few of them met me with their father. This is because their father had also worked with me earlier. They got mithai ka dabba aur woh mujhe aashirwad deke gaye hai. Then there were some who voluntarily cut down on 10-15% of the amount that I owed them. ...

7 ½ years ago, Boney Kapoor’s wife Sridevi passed away suddenly, shocking the industry and fans at large. In an interview with Komal Nahta, Boney Kapoor opened up about her not-so-known talents. He began by saying, “She had a lot of understanding about filmmaking. She used to realize that the lighting was not perfect. 90% of the makeup, she used to do on her own. She would decide what kind of hair would suit the costume. She would sketch the outfits she felt would be appropriate. For the costumes of Roop Ki Rani Choron Ka Raja (1993), Leena Daru was sent to Kashmir to where Sri was shooting, as she was not happy with the clothes sent to her for trial. She gave the costume idea and colour scheme. Consequently, I had to change the colour scheme of the set to match the costume!” Boney continued, “So, she used to sketch everything. You can check with Manish Malhotra and Neeta Lulla how much she has contributed to their growth.” Boney Kapoor revealed, “Initially, her 4-5 Hindi films were...

The Voice of Hind Rajab, a harrowing account of a Palestinian child’s death in Gaza, won the runner-up Silver Lion US indie director Jim Jarmusch unexpectedly won the coveted Golden Lion at the Venice film festival on Saturday with Father Mother Sister Brother, a three-part meditation on the uneasy tie between parents and their adult children. Although his gentle comedy received largely positive reviews, it had not been a favourite for the top prize, with many critics instead tipping the Voice of Hind Rajab, a harrowing true-life account of the killing of a five-year-old Palestinian girl during the Gaza war. In the end, the film directed by Tunisia’s Kaouther Ben Hania took the runner-up Silver Lion. Continue reading... from Film | The Guardian https://ift.tt/IQBYMbo via IFTTT

In an interview with Komal Nahta, Boney Kapoor blasted producer Shobu Yarlagadda of Baahubali over her claims that his deceased wife, Sridevi made unreasonable demands as a condition for signing S S Rajamouli’s two-part epic. Boney began by saying, “The film with Rajamouli, Baahubali, didn’t happen. But I still have a message sent by Rajamouli, stating that he was a fan of Sri as an actor but after interacting with her, his respect for her has increased manifold because of the inputs that she had given (for Baahubali).” When asked why she didn’t work in the film, Boney Kapoor revealed, “It was a misunderstanding created by the damn producer. Rajamouli came home and we had a lengthy discussion. When the commercials were being talked about, he left the room. That producer offered her money which was less than what she got for English Vinglish (2012). My wife was not a struggling actor. By casting her, the producer would have got some advantage in the Hindi and Tamil speaking markets. I...

Bandish Bandits star Ritwik Bhowmik is all set to make his theatrical debut with Abhootpurva (meaning Unprecedented). Bhowmik, who commands a huge online following, has become one of the breakout stars of his generation. The film, described as a unique Rom-Hor-Com, a blend of romance, horror, and comedy, brings together Bhowmik with seven acclaimed actors and a female lead, whose names will be revealed in a full cast announcement next month. Set against the backdrop of Agra in the 90s, Abhootpurva is pitched as a heartwarming and fun theatrical experience. The film blends the innocence of first love, the quirks of small-town life, and an unexpected supernatural twist. Music, too, is central to the film, underlining the nostalgia of the decade. In an exclusive quote to Bollywood Hungama, Ritwik Bhowmik shared: “This script felt incredibly special from the very first narration. It has stayed with me ever since; it lingers like a beautiful dream. It’s exactly the kind of storytelling I ...

Actor Kartik Aaryan has officially wrapped shooting for his upcoming film Tu Meri Main Tera Main Tera Tu Meri. The actor took to social media to share the news with fans, posting a video from the wrap-up bash on set and a long note expressing gratitude to the cast and crew. Calling the 57-day schedule “an unforgettable, fun-filled, super-fast roller-coaster ride,” Kartik thanked director Sameer Vidwans for steering the project, as well as producers Karan Johar, Apoorva Mehta, and Adar Poonawalla for their support. “Energies matter. Vibes matter!! And that’s exactly why the presence of @karanjohar @apoorva1972 @bhumikabhandula and @adarpoonawalla made it all the more special,” he wrote. Kartik also dedicated warm words to his co-star Ananya Panday, writing, “Thank you for being such a wonderful costar. No one else could have brought to life what you did in TMMT with your presence. It’s always pure joy working with you.” The film also features veteran actors Jackie Shroff and Neena Gu...

Amitabh Bachchan, like every year, expressed his devotion to Lord Ganesha by contributing to Mumbai’s most popular Ganpati pandal, Lalbaugcha Raja. The veteran actor, who is a regular visitor to the shrine along with his family, made a generous offering of Rs 11 lakh this year. A video shared by celebrity photographer Viral Bhayani showed Lalbaugcha Raja secretary Sudhir Salvi holding a cheque worth Rs 11 lakh near the grand idol of Lord Ganesha. The caption accompanying the video read, “Amitabh Bachchan Ji generously donated Rs 11 lakh to Lalbaugcha Raja, received by Secretary Sudhir Salvi ji!”   View this post on Instagram   A post shared by Viral Bhayani (@viralbhayani) While many acknowledged the gesture as a mark of faith, a section of social media users voiced disapproval. Several netizens argued that the donation could have been directed towards relief efforts for states grappling with severe floods, including Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Jammu. One ...

Over 40 years since This is Spinal Tap was mistaken for a comedy, its hard-rocking subjects are back in a legally obligated sequel. Our writer heads to smell the glove Spinal Tap are remembering the old days. It was 1966, and the young beat group from Squatney in east London – still, at that point, the Thamesmen – were honing their act in the tough clubs of the Benelux circuit. A young band from Britain could learn a lot, facing up to riotous crowds of Dutch, Flemings, Walloons and Luxembourgers. What lessons did Tap take from that year? “If you speak really loudly, it’s all right if you don’t have any of the local language,” says David St Hubbins, Tap’s leonine lead singer. Continue reading... from Film | The Guardian https://ift.tt/OeuT6fY via IFTTT

Toronto film festival: the star fails to make much of an impression in a slight and unpolished project filmed in Warsaw over the Brat summer of 2024 The singer Charli xcx is, by her own admission, a workaholic – no sooner had she released Brat , the most dominant pop album and aesthetic of 2024 , than she began work on its sequel, dropped just four months later. Insouciant and party-centric as her image may be, the pop star born Charlotte Aitchison is a sharp student of pop culture; she knows the audience demand for pop stars’ constant reinvention. The next career phase, it seems, is acting, with no less prodigiousness than music; the 33-year-old has seven films in the pipeline as a supporting or lead actor. Charli is neither the full star nor the anchor of Erupcja (Eruption), directed by Pete Ohs, but she will inevitably be the reason most English speakers hear of it. Filmed over a few weeks in Warsaw, Poland, in August 2024, in the heat of Brat summer, Erupcja seems, on paper, li...

Tiger Shroff has been known to do films targeted at the audiences of all ages. But with Baaghi 4, he has made an exception. It is his first ‘A’ rated film due to excessive violence and bloodshed. Sadly, despite giving the film an adult-only rating, the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) asked for several cuts, Bollywood Hungama has exclusively learned. Baaghi 4 was certified on August 26, in time for its release worldwide on September 5. However, the Examining Committee (EC) enforced 23 visual as well as audio cuts. The scene of the hero standing on a coffin was deleted. In a scene, a character lights a cigarette from a ‘niranjan diya’ and the EC asked the makers to delete the one-second shot. Then, a scene of rubbing the hand on the hip of a girl was replaced. There's a frontal nude scene in the film, which was 'hidden' by the CBFC. Another scene of lighting a cigarette, this time from an amputated hand, was deleted. This particular shot was 13 seconds long. A sh...

Film about five-year-old girl killed by Israeli forces in Gaza leave much of audience and many journalists sobbing A gut-wrenching new film about a five-year-old girl killed by Israeli forces in Gaza last year received a 23-minute standing ovation after its premiere at the Venice film festival on Wednesday. The Voice of Hind Rajab, directed by Tunisian film-maker Kaouther Ben Hania, had been described by critics as ‘‘the most powerful and urgent entry of this year’s festival”. It left much of the audience and many journalists sobbing as it was screened for the first time. Continue reading... from Film | The Guardian https://ift.tt/8T2Oo3Q via IFTTT

News of Lady Mary’s divorce is presented with impeccable seriousness in a watchable outing that shouldn’t be the last Grand finale? Oh please. Let’s get real; there is no reason why this particular brand of gibbering, wittering, blithering and surreally enjoyable nonsense shouldn’t go on for ever, like Frank Sinatra’s farewell tour or shortbread manufacture in the Scottish Highlands. Both of the previous Downton films had a sentimental last-hurrah message that didn’t preclude another one dropping off the production line. We could make the next film Downton Abbey: The Royal Finale and the one after that Downton Abbey: The Imperial Finale. The last but one film finished on a funereal drone shot of Downton Abbey at sunset and the one after that was subtitled “A New Era” – but this one, it seems, has taken us back to the very end of the old era, inviting us to swoon loyally at the passing of something special and yet also at the same time doff our caps at the bluebloods’ insouciant gif...

The franchise exits stage right with this final go around, in which our middle-aged exorcists take their time getting to the jump-cuts T he first Conjuring, released in 2013 , was a profitable hangover from the previous decade’s Omen, Amityville and Exorcist retreads, goosing 21st-century audiences with things-going-bump-in-the-night tricks copped from comparable 1970s theatrical and TV movies. Yet despite sequels that went big ( 2016’s The Conjuring 2 , converting the Enfield poltergeist saga into a 4DX-ready theme-park ride ) and then sideways ( 2021’s true crime-adjacent The Devil Made Me Do It ), the series’ underlying mechanics have proved stubbornly resistant to change. The current multifaceted horror renaissance makes this an apt moment for the franchise to exit stage right; facing these upstart punks, the generally sluggish Last Rites presents as something akin to dad-rock horror, doing with jump-scares what Status Quo used to do with power chords. One selling point – that t...

Acclaimed filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali is facing a legal controversy after an FIR was filed against him and two members of his team in Bikaner, Rajasthan. The complaint, lodged on Monday, September 1, by line producer Prateek Taj Mathur, alleges fraud, misbehaviour, and breach of trust. According to Circle Officer Vishal Jangid, Mathur claimed that he was hired as a line producer for Bhansali’s upcoming film Love & War, but his contract was later abruptly cancelled, revealed a PTI report. He alleged that Bhansali, along with producers Arvind Gill and Utkarsh Bali, removed him from the project without paying him, despite his taking on multiple responsibilities during production. Mathur stated in the FIR that he had arranged all necessary resources for the shoot and coordinated with government departments as required. However, when he attempted to meet Bhansali’s team at a hotel, he was allegedly met with misbehaviour and disrespect. The FIR has been registered under charges of ...

Alexander Rodnyansky reflects on shift in Russian film as his documentary Notes of a True Criminal screens in Venice The Ukrainian film-maker Alexander Rodnyansky was once at the very centre of Russia’s cultural life. Over two decades he ran one of Russia’s biggest media conglomerates, produced some of the most celebrated films in recent Russian history – including the Oscar nominees Leviathan and Loveless – and helped bring Russian cinema to international prominence. But since the invasion of Ukraine, Rodnyansky said, he has witnessed a huge shift in Russian cinema. “The most popular genre in Russian cinema today is fairytales,” the 64-year-old told the Guardian. “They adapt all the stories we grew up with. There’s no single social drama, no movie reflecting life during the war. Continue reading... from Film | The Guardian https://ift.tt/a72WFVR via IFTTT

Venice film festival Al Pacino, Colman Domingo and Myha’la excel in this gripping take on the events of 1977 when an Indianapolis businessman held his mortgage broker hostage With terrific chutzpah, black-comic flair and cool, cruel unsentimentality, screenwriter Austin Kolodney and director Gus Van Sant have made a true-crime suspense thriller set in the 1970s, tapping into the spirit of both Sidney Lumet’s Dog Day Afternoon and Network. Apart from anything else, it is a reminder that in that post-Kennedy, post-Watergate age, plenty of lawless and febrile things happened that would now be considered phenomena purely attributable to social media. In 1977, an Indianapolis businessman named Tony Kiritsis, with many acquaintances in the police department, kidnapped a mortgage broker named Richard Hall , and tied Hall’s neck with a “dead man’s wire” to his shotgun, which would therefore go off if police sharpshooters tried to kill him. Kiritsis even paraded his victim like this on TV whi...

Idris Elba, Rebecca Ferguson and Tracy Letts star in this immaculately constructed nightmare procedural that ticks down the minutes from an atomic bomb’s launch to its detonation Kathryn Bigelow has reopened the subject that we all tacitly agree not to discuss or imagine, in the movies or anywhere else: the subject of an actual nuclear strike. It’s the subject which tests narrative forms and thinkability levels. Maybe this is why we prefer to see it as something for absurdism and satire – a way of not staring into the sun – to remember Kubrick’s (brilliant) black comedy Dr Strangelove , with no fighting in the war room etc, rather than Lumet’s deadly serious Fail Safe. Bigelow, with screenwriter Noah Oppenheim, broaches one of the most frightening thoughts of all: that a nuclear war could or rather will start with no one knowing who started it or who ended it. I watched this film with translucently white knuckles but also that strange climbing nausea that only this topic can create...

Poignant documentary by Irish director Gar O’Rourke peers into a faded Soviet-era institution where visitors search for relief while war grinds on outside There is something ever so slightly Martin Parr-like about this documentary, filmed inside a shabby rundown health resort near Odesa, in Ukraine. It’s not the colour palette, which is Soviet-era pale beige, but the images of holidaymakers: elderly men strutting about in thongs and playing ping pong in their vests; retirees of both sexes glad-ragged at the disco. Like Parr’s photos , the images are funny but not unkind; everyone retains their dignity. The director is Irish film-maker Gar O’Rourke, who planned Sanatorium before the war, but filmed it after Russia invaded Ukraine, which adds a layer of melancholy to the guests’ search for health and happiness. The huge Kuyalnik sanatorium is a time warp with its brutalist architecture and institutional interiors. Back in its glory days, people must have come here in their thousands. N...

It’s the 1990s and a famous pop star is taken hostage by a fan in Jimmy Warden’s stylish but confused film, loosely inspired by a real-life stalker case involving Madonna Paul Duerson (Raymond Nicholson) has got it bad for world famous pop star and actor Sofia (Samara Weaving). It being the 1990s, he doesn’t have the option of simply being creepy on social media; instead, he takes her hostage and attempts to marry her, as you do, in a period-comedy-horror-thriller that is entertaining enough moment-to-moment, but doesn’t add up anything very substantial overall. Standing in the way of Paul’s deranged scheme is bodyguard Bell (a grounded and nicely judged performance by Eric Dane), and rounding out the men in Sofia’s life is her NBA player boyfriend Rhodes (Jimmie Fails). Screenwriter Jimmy Warden knows a grabby real-life premise when he sees one. In 1985, a bear ate a massive amount of cocaine and fatally overdosed, leading, in 2023, to the release of the Warden-scripted movie Cocain...

Former pro wrestler Johnson takes on the role of man-mountain Kerr who goes into meltdown when the unthinkable happens – he loses Benny Safdie has written and directed a solid bro drama for the UFC fanbase and maybe a little way beyond. It is about the central crisis in the life of man-mountain Mark Kerr , America’s pioneering MMA and ultimate fighting champ, who in 1997 found himself in the ring, or maybe the cage, with his demons after the unthinkable humiliation of losing for the first time. This feature is in fact developed from a 2002 documentary about Kerr with the same title. He confronted his substance abuse, relationship anxieties and the question of what the heck life is for if you can’t simply win all the time. Kerr is played by Dwayne Johnson, a colossus of muscle topped off with a head the size of Indiana Jones’s boulder, a body on which the only visible fat is rippling at the nape of his neck. Johnson’s appearance is modified by close-cut frizzy hair and facial prosthe...

Theo Montoya collages an unfinished phantom horror film, gothic Medellín cityscapes and interviews with lost friends into a transgressive work of cine-protest The best kind of goth is the Latino goth. That much is clear throughout this documentary lament for the Colombian city of Medellín, for which director Theo Montoya narrates his elegy from within a casket. Luckily, he is still alive – unlike eight of the doomy-looking LGBTQ+ renegades who speak about their lives on camera here, having killed themselves or died of drug overdoses since filming. It is implied they are victims by proxy of a kind of ambient socio-cultural violence that is a hangover from the cartel days. Partly constructed out of audition interviews with actor hopefuls, Anhell69 is the remnant of Montoya’s unfinished movie, of which we see extracts: it takes place in a dystopian Medellín in which the preponderance of the dead and a lack of cemetery space has led to red-eyed phantoms walking the streets. These revenan...