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‘People who commit heinous crimes can be victims’: Michael Mann on the provocative power of Manhunter at 40

As a stunning 4K restoration arrives in theaters, the director and cast reflect on creating the disturbing descent into a criminal underworld Michael Mann has shown time and again in films like Thief , Heat , Miami Vice and Public Enemies that he is one of American film’s greatest explorers of the underworld. “It’s like a kind of cultural anthropology,” Mann tells me from his office in Los Angeles. “If you make films, you get to do that in a different place with a different subject every few years. For me, the exploration is the high.” With its unsettling atmosphere and soaring beauty, Mann’s 1986 film Manhunter reimagined how a thriller could look, sound and feel in an early high point for the director. To commemorate its 40th anniversary Manhunter: The Final Cut , a 4K restoration and director’s cut with three minutes of new footage, will see a theatrical release in New York and Los Angeles this weekend with a nationwide US rollout to follow. Continue reading... from Film | The ...

Naseeruddin Shah SLAMS PM Narendra Modi over NEET protests, says, "Has he accepted responsibility for any blunders?"

Veteran actor Naseeruddin Shah has once again spoken out on the ongoing controversy surrounding the alleged NEET paper leak and the police action against students protesting at Delhi's Jantar Mantar. Days after sharing an emotional video condemning the crackdown, the actor criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi's handling of the issue during an interview with The Wire. Naseeruddin Shah says he is “not surprised” by government's response When asked how he viewed the Prime Minister's response to what was described as one of the most serious issues of his tenure, Shah said he was not surprised. "I'm not surprised at all. When has he spoken honestly about anything? Has he accepted responsibility for any of his blunders? Has he ever accepted the fact that he was perhaps wrong? No. He's divine, and this supposed divinity of his has affected all his followers," Shah said. The actor went on to question what he described as a lack of accountability, while re...

Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub clarifies he is not part of Ajay Devgn starrer Chauhaan after teaser voice controversy

Actor Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub has issued a public clarification distancing himself from the upcoming Ajay Devgn-starrer Chauhaan, stating that he has no association with the film despite his voice featuring in its teaser. The actor shared a detailed note on social media, explaining that he had recorded a line for the makers in good faith without being informed about the context in which it would eventually be used. Zeeshan's statement comes around 10 days after reports suggested that his voice had been removed from the Chauhaan teaser. While he did not mention the film by name in his note, it was widely understood that he was referring to Chauhaan, whose teaser had initially opened with a narration in his voice. Sharing his statement, Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub wrote, “Few weeks back, a film teaser released with the opening line in my voice. I wish to put on record that I am not part of the film in any capacity. I was asked to dub a line without any reference a few months back. I did t...

Mohammed Zeeshan Ayub distances himself from Shraddha Kapoor starrer Eetha; says his voice was used without context

Actor Mohammed Zeeshan Ayub has publicly distanced himself from the upcoming Shraddha Kapoor-starrer Eetha, claiming that his voice was used in the film's teaser without his knowledge of the context. The actor took to social media to issue a detailed clarification, asserting that he has no association with the project and had objected to the use of his voice immediately after the teaser was released. Although Zeeshan Ayub did not explicitly mention the name of the film in his note, it was widely inferred that he was referring to Eetha, whose teaser had opened with a narration in his voice. According to the actor, he had agreed to dub a single line months ago after being approached by people he knew personally, without being informed about the larger context in which it would eventually be used. Sharing his statement on X aka Twitter, Mohammed Zeeshan Ayub wrote, “Few weeks back, a film teaser released with the opening line in my voice. I wish to put on record that I am not part of...

SCOOP: Aamir Khan opts out of Ashneer Grover biopic over creative differences; Rahul Mody and Shraddha Kapoor on hunt for a new actor

Earlier in the year, there were reports about Aamir Khan teaming up with debutant director Rahul Mody for a film based on the life of controversial start-up king, Ashneer Grover. The news spread like wildfire, leading to all sorts of conversations in the digital world. Soon after, it was revealed that Shraddha Kapoor will play the female lead in the film alongside Aamir and it would go on floors in March 2027, once Aamir is done shooting for a period-drama with Ashutosh Gowarikar. But the latest we learnt that Aamir Khan has decided to opt out of the Ashneer Grover film due to creative differences. "Aamir is fascinated by the world of start-ups, and was keen to get into the zone with the Ashneer Grover biopic. He sat on the script and developed it to the best of his sensibilities. But eventually, he ended up having creative differences with Rahul Mody, leading to the duo parting ways," a source told Bollywood Hungama. The source also informs that Rahul Mody and Shraddha Kapo...

Godzilla v Kong actor Kaylee Hottle dies aged 18

The deaf actor, who played a major role in Godzilla v Kong and its 2024 sequel, was killed in a car crash in Maryland Kaylee Hottle, who played a major role in Godzilla v Kong and the sequel Godzilla X Kong: The New Empire, has died at the age of 18. Her death was confirmed by her father, Joshua, in a video shared on Facebook. The stream was in American Sign Language (ASL) as the Hottle family is all deaf. “I am taking a flight that I never would like to take,” is the name of the video. Continue reading... from Film | The Guardian https://ift.tt/JLsZhAY via IFTTT

Chickenhare and the Secret of the Groundhog review – time-travel fun for plucky hybrid critters

A half-chicken half-hare, a skunk and a tortoise go in search of a 3,000-year-old groundhog in this wholesome animation with a surprisingly complex plot Although this animated feature doesn’t have a title as utterly awesome as its predecessor, Chickenhare and the Hamster of Darkness , it’s still a perfectly adequate 90-ish minutes of creamy pastel-coloured picaresque entertainment. It feels like it’s skewed in the direction of younger viewers given the simple character designs, general wholesomeness and easy-on-the-jokes tone, but the plot is surprisingly complicated. The lead character is named Chickenhare because of course he is half-chicken half-hare, although in practice he looks more like a hare than a chicken other than a tuft of feathers on the crown of his head. He is best friends with a skunk named Meg, equipped with the awesome power of stink and who is very butch-coded with her waistcoat, faux-hawk and tomboy characteristics; there is also a tortoise named Abe, who as you mi...

Anurag Kashyap reacts to CJP protest controversy with cryptic post questioning police action

Filmmaker Anurag Kashyap has weighed in on the ongoing controversy surrounding the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) protest near Parliament in Delhi, which reportedly turned violent and has triggered a political debate across the country. Known for speaking candidly on social and political issues, Kashyap took to Instagram to express his views through a strongly-worded note, adding his voice to the growing reactions surrounding the incident. Sharing a post on his Instagram Stories, the filmmaker wrote in Hindi, “Wardi pehenne ke liye aatma ka, aatmiyta ka, sabka sauda karna padta hai. Maloom nahi tha. Kya ek police wala hai is desh mein jo khada ho ke bol sake main iss aadesh ka palan nahin karoonga kyonki ye galat hai (I did not know that wearing a uniform requires one to sell their soul, compassion, and everything else. Is there even one police officer in this country who can stand up and say, ‘I will not follow this order because it is wrong).”   View this post on Instagram ...

‘New Girl was so scary I had to stop smoking pot’: Jake Johnson on perseverance, pickleball and Prince

As Nick in the blockbuster TV comedy, the actor was adored by millions. So will his new comedy The Dink, which he jokes is a ‘sexier Challengers’, make him even more popular? You might assume that Jake Johnson would know a little something about pickleball. The actor is starring in The Dink, a sort of spiritual heir to Dodgeball – it has a Ben Stiller cameo – and he plays Dusty Boyd, a former tennis pro turned plucky pickleball upstart. Presumably Johnson took the gig because he has a deep love of the sport, a fondness for its pockmarked balls and weirdly smooth paddles? “No experience of it whatsoever,” says the actor, cheerfully, on a video call from Los Angeles. Yet this underdog of a racket sport, loved by retirees, found him anyway. At the climax of the movie, Dusty must play against an old foe, which meant Johnson had to undertake months of real-life training in pickleball and tennis, so it looked as if he could play. “It was like WWE. They call it fake wrestling. The outcome is ...

Judge orders pause on Paramount-Warner merger after challenge from 12 states

$81bn merger halted for at least two weeks after US states sued to block deal, saying it would ‘extinguish competition’ A federal judge on Monday ordered Paramount and Warner Bros Discovery to halt their $81bn merger for at least two weeks, allowing states that are challenging the deal more time to see their case through in court. Twelve states, led by California , sued to block Paramount’s pending buyout of Warner last week – alleging that such a combination would “extinguish competition” in Hollywood and lead to fewer choices for consumers, particularly moviegoers and cable customers across the US. Continue reading... from Film | The Guardian https://ift.tt/M580hcA via IFTTT

The Odyssey storms global box office with $264m opening

Epic film marks Christopher Nolan’s best opening since 2012’s The Dark Knight Rises when adjusted for inflation The Odyssey has stormed the global box office, taking US$264m (£196m, A$378m) in its opening weekend, according to studio Universal Pictures. Starring Matt Damon, Tom Holland, Anne Hathaway and Zendaya, the blockbuster is an adaptation of Homer’s ancient Greek epic poem, which follows Odysseus, the king of Ithaca, as he makes his perilous 10-year journey home after fighting in the Trojan war. Continue reading... from Film | The Guardian https://ift.tt/foaVv2e via IFTTT