English composer Andrew Lloyd Webber is celebrating the 50th anniversary of the release of his Jesus Christ Superstar album with the first single from his latest musical, Cinderella.
The rollicking song is called 'Bad Cinderella' and it’s sung by Carrie Hope Fletcher, who will play the title character in what is being billed as a “complete reinvention of the classic fairytale.”
The single is a portrait of a fearsome woman standing apart from society’s rules: “They call me a wretch/A witch/Well, choose one,” the heroine sings. “Every fairytale for sure can use one/Sorry I’m so rude/Sorry you’re so lame/I won’t play your game.”
Lloyd Webber and his cast were ready to start rehearsals in the spring in London when they — and many theatres across the globe — were stopped by the virus pandemic. Waiting has been frustrating and he and the cast recorded the cast album in their homes during lockdown. He hopes releasing music will help.
“We couldn’t find any other way to getting it out,” said the composer Thursday from the bar in the London Palladium as he waited for a listening party for the upcoming clutch of songs. “It’s the only way I could get my music out and present the score.”
Fifty years ago this month, Lloyd Webber and lyricist Tim Rice, unable to get any theatres to put on a production of Jesus Christ Superstar, switched the regular order and released a cast album first.
That led to interest and set Lloyd Webber on a steady course to musical and theatrical superstardom, with such shows as Cats, Phantom of the Opera and Evita.
“The reason it came out first is because nobody in the world wanted to produce it because they thought it was such a terrible idea,” he said.
“The irony of 50 years later my having to do another concept album because I’m not able to get my show on stage has suddenly not been lost on me.”
The new stage musical Cinderella features a brand new score from Lloyd Webber with lyrics by David Zippel. Lloyd Webber hopes it will open next spring in the West End at the Gillian Lynne Theatre. He’s already teased it with a social media video of the song 'Far Too Late.'
During the shutdown, Lloyd Webber has been busy on social media — dancing on TikTok, sharing videos on Twitter and making Spotify playlists — as well as permitting the free streaming of his shows to benefit The Actors Fund and other international organisations.
He also has been readying his London theatres for a post-pandemic reopening. He owns or co-owns seven West End theatres including the Gillian Lynne Theatre, Her Majesty’s Theatre, Theatre Royal Drury Lane and the London Palladium.
“I decided that we’re not shutting down, actually. We’re going to actually do essential work and improvements to the buildings,” Lloyd Webber said. That has meant such things as new bathrooms and state-of-the-art ventilations systems.
“I hope all the theatres, when they reopen, will be in an incredible state to go forward and try and make something of a virtue out of this whole COVID situation,” he said.
England Prime Minister Boris Johnson recently declared a second stay-at-home lockdown, which includes the closing down of leisure and entertainment centres till 2 December.
(With inputs from The Associated Press)
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Actors Adil Hussain and Antonio Aakeel are set to star in British-Indian feature film Footprints on Water.
Written by Neetha Syam of Thaara fame and to be directed by Nathalia Syam, the film revolves around an illegal immigrant father in the UK who is frantically searching for his missing daughter (Nimisha Sajayan) while trying to avoid getting caught.
Through this search, the film will portray the lives of immigrants of various nationalities who arrive in the UK hoping to turn their lives around.
Hussain, will play the role of the father while actor Lena Kumar will portray his wife. British star Aakeel, best known for his roles in Tomb Raider and The Hungry, will essay the role of an Afghani refugee.
The film is produced by Mohaan Nadaar’s London-based outfit The Production Headquarters, whose credits include several UK-India features, including the upcoming Scotland-shot Rat on a Highway, featuring Bollywood star Randeep Hooda.
Nadaar said he decided to back the film as it had an interesting script. “This is a global story and had a very interesting script. This is why I am producing this film. Adil is a good friend and I am happy to have him in the film. He has already done a lot of Hollywood and international projects like Life of Pi and What Will People Say,” Nadaar said in a statement.
Principal photography on the film will commence at locations in and around Birmingham from December.
(Press Trust of India)
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UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has announced a second stay-at-home lockdown across England, starting from next Thursday and to run for four weeks until at least the start of December, in order to deal with the rapidly increasing coronavirus infections.
Non-essential shops and leisure and hospitality venues, such as restaurants, bars and pubs, will be required to close down. Johnson said that all leisure and entertainment venues will be shut.
Production of film and TV shows will continue, but under strict health and sanitation guidelines, the UK Producers Alliance for Cinema and Television (Pact) told Variety.
Following Johnson's briefing on the new lockdown, Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden, in a series of tweets, said, "The changes mean people should WFH (work from home) where possible. But where this is not possible, travel to a place of work will be permitted – eg this includes (but not exhaustive) elite sport played behind closed doors, film & tv production, telecoms workers."
Read the tweets here
2/3
The changes mean people should WFH where possible
But where this is not possible, travel to a place of work will be permitted - e.g. this includes (but not exhaustive) elite sport played behind closed doors, film & tv production, telecoms workers
The new England-wide measures will lapse by 2 December and, unless a further intervention happens in the meantime, England will revert to the current three-tier localised lockdown system.
Takeaways will be allowed to stay open and people can only meet one person from outside their household outdoors. Unlike the first complete lockdown in March, schools, colleges and universities will be allowed to stay open.
Johnson also indicated that he “sincerely” hopes that the restrictions can be lifted enough for families to come together in time for Christmas but set no further details around that.
(With inputs from Press Trust of India)
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American rock star Bruce Springsteen is lending his voice and one of his songs to a campaign ad for Joe Biden, underlining his support for the Democratic candidate just three days before the Tuesday election.
It will not be the first time the iconic singer/songwriter has shown his support for the former vice president.
In August, Springsteen granted permission for the Biden campaign to use his song The Rising as background music to a video shown at the opening of the Democratic National Convention.
He has publicly lashed Trump as a "threat to our democracy."
In narrating the campaign ad, which airs for the first time Saturday, Springsteen talks about Biden's blue-collar roots in Scranton, Pennsylvania, a battleground state likely to play a crucial role in the election.
"Scranton, Pennsylvania," the "Boss" says on the video. "Here, success isn't handed down. It's forged with sweat, grit and determination."
It was a barely veiled allusion to Donald Trump, whose millionaire father gave him a substantial chunk of his fortune.
"This place stays with him, these streets are part of him," the 71-year-old singer says of Biden. "This is more than where he's from, it is who he is for."
The message, to be broadcast Saturday evening during a college football game, ends to the swelling sounds of 'My Hometown', from what is probably Springsteen's most famous album, Born in the USA.
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Tributes are pouring in for Sean Connery, the James Bond actor who has died at the age of 90. Connery was the first actor to bring the role to the big screen, with Dr No that released in 1962.
He went on to star in subsequent bond films such as From Russia With Love, Goldfinger, Thunderball, You Only Live Twice, Diamonds Are Forever. He is also widely regarded as one of the best actors to portray the iconic literary character on screen.
BBC had reported that Sir Sean had been ill for some time and had died in his sleep.
Bollywood celebrities including Ranveer Singh, Abhishek Bachchan, Randeep Hooda, Anupam Kher, among others paid tribute to the actor. Recalling the legendary actor, Priyanka Chopra wrote for Connery on her Instagram Stories, “One of the most prolific actors of all time.. suave and debonair."
Check out a few tributes here
Deeply saddened to hear, Sir Sean Connery is no more.
The perfect Bond who enthralled the audiences and stood tall as one of the most charismatic personalities in the entertainment industry.
Such legends come rare!
Heartfelt condolences.
T 3707 - What is the date today .. 31 . 10 . 20 .. add up ➡️ .. 3 +1 is 4 .. then 1 = 5 .. then 0 .. then 2, so 4+1+2 = 7 .. then 0 .. so .. 3+1+1+2 = 7 .. and 2 zeros before you get there .. So .. 007 .. !! Sean Connery passes away .. he gave life to 007 !! — Amitabh Bachchan (@SrBachchan) October 31, 2020
Sean Connery . Sir . Your legend will live on forever . Well done Sir. You won this life . ❤️ thank you for inspiring us with the extent of your human potential. R.I.P — Hrithik Roshan (@iHrithik) October 31, 2020
We’ve lost another legend today. After watching Highlander I hoped he’d remain immortal. He will live on through his immense work. #RIP Sean Connery. There will never be a better Bond than you. ๐๐ฝ
This is not a movie review. The film I watched released last year so the world definitely does not need another review. Instead, you may be more inclined towards knowing what it’s like to be physically present in a theatre after months of being cooped up at home under India’s coronavirus lockdown.
India’s coronavirus lockdown prompted cinema halls across the country to close indefinitely back in March, depriving moviegoers of the immersive experience that a theatre has to offer. While most of us have gotten comfortable with the idea of watching a film on OTT platforms in our pyjamas during that 40-minute lunch break from work — checking my privilege right here — the experience of going out to watch a movie on the big screen remains unparalleled.
So when I read that theatres were set to open in Delhi NCR in mid-October, my first instinct was to go to different ticket-booking platforms to check what films were playing.
To my disappointment, there were very few new options, but an interesting range of older hits like Bong Joon-ho’s Parasite, Sam Mendes’ 1917, and Greta Gerwig’s Little Women to choose from. I looked around for a film that I had missed when it first released and, lo and behold, there stood a tiny icon for Knives Out, Rian Johnson’s celebrity-heavy murder mystery that struck me as the perfect “back-to-theatres” indulgence.
A few emails to the editor later, I had all approvals in place. This is also when the fear began setting in. The entire process, until now, had been guided by a rush of adrenaline, which was now being replaced by a creeping sense of terror. I hadn’t stepped out of the house for “recreational purposes” in over 7 months, even before India officially went under lockdown.
The day was finally upon us. For this new movie-watching mission, I also roped in my sister, who also happened to be my partner this quarantine. Armed with sanitising spray, a liquid sanitiser, and a packet of sanitising wipes — which some may consider overkill — we drove down to a mall after what felt like eternity.
The first thing that strikes you upon entering a South Delhi shopping mall on a Saturday is the sheer number of cars that are parked in the underground lots. After circling down to “P-2” or the parking lot under the basement, a mixture of fear and excitement ran down my spine. I hadn’t seen these many people in one place in a long, long time.
Masks in place, we ran straight to the top floor to get our hands on tickets, only to find an empty kiosk. After a short, physically distant conversation with the staff member across multiple layers of masks, glass and face shields, we received a text with the ticket. The best part — premium seats for Rs. 99 each! This was a steal for this multiplex, where the average ticket set you back by Rs. 500 in the pre-COVID-19 era.
After a digital, no-contact payment, I scanned my ticket at the entrance of the theatre before walking in for security.
This is when the staff did something I just wasn’t prepared for. All workers — from security personnel to ushers and food servers — stopped what they were doing to give us a loud applause. This didn’t feel like something they were doing half-heartedly. It was a full-blown ovation, thanking us for taking the courage to come out and help this ailing industry.
According to numerous estimates, Delhi’s cinema hall operators have lost nearly Rs 3,000 crore in revenue since the country went under lockdown. This translates to thousands of livelihoods. In that moment, it felt like I wasn’t taking a risk — I was just helping someone get their life back.
We walked to our screen to find every alternate seat blocked with tape that read “Not To be Occupied”. The show had been delayed till everyone — all 11 of us in the theatre — had settled down. I looked around to see two young couples, who were clearly not happy to be separated from their loved ones, as well as a family of three, who had no such separation anxiety. Finally, on two edges of the cinema hall, sat two strangers, who had come separately to enjoy this “new” experience.
The manager walked in, with his mask, gloves and a face shield, to thank all patrons for coming out. He also outlined all the preventive measures the theatre was taking to keep its staff and movie-watchers safe.
The lights were dimmed and an overwhelming sense of familiarity set in. Even though I was hyperconscious of my surroundings as the trailers began to play, I found myself easing into the plush armchair 10 minutes into the film.
I won’t lie, it began with me being petrified of resting my head against the backrest. Each time I saw a large gathering on screen — if you’ve watched Knives Out, you’d know there’s a huge family involved — I found myself cringing hard. We just don’t do hugs in the post-corona epoch.
But 20 minutes into the film, I was sprawled across the chair, letting out loud snorts each time the fantastic star-studded cast nailed comic timing. I was so taken by Toni Collette's iconic line — "I read a tweet about a New Yorker article about you" — that I almost kicked the older gentleman sitting in the front row.
I wasn’t the only one getting comfortable. The couple sitting four seats over from me had decided to rip off their masks, jump into an out-of-bounds seat and start a long-drawn canoodling session. The pandemic clearly doesn’t come in the way of young love.
No movie experience can be complete without refreshments, and the pandemic couldn’t come between me and my popcorn either. During intermission, we tried our best to use the QR code on our seats, but technology failed to bring desired results. A quick walk to the counter and a short chat with the servers later, I had a freshly made tub of popcorn in my hand. It was packed for our safety, which meant we could only stuff our faces once we were back in our seats.
A customary middle-of-the-movie phone call later — please note, it wasn’t on my phone — the movie wrapped up. Everyone — all nine of them — filed out of the theatre but we lingered for an extra minute to process what we had just done. The film was great but that wasn’t what I was taking away from this experience. We were back in theatres.
My heart was full, but my body needed a hot shower and a thorough scrubbing.
Seerat Chabba is the South Asian correspondent for Deutsche Welle, Germany's international broadcaster.
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The SAG-AFTRA National Board is forming a task force to look into allegations of racism in the stunt community.
Elaborating on the matter, SAG-AFTRA President Gabrielle Carteris, said that they have heard stories of paint-downs, harassment, wiggings, and bias and have decided to stand together and say 'no more', reportedVariety.
The report further cited Carteris as having said that the Board recommended itself to its mission of diversity, equity, and inclusion for underrepresented stunt performers.
On Friday night, the Board announced that a task force will look into the practices and develop protocols to help ensure fair and equitable hiring practices within the stunt community, the report added.
According to a report in Deadline, the move was opposed by five stunt performers serving on the board. However, the move comes after dozens of stuntmen and women signed the letter that was sent on 30 September calling for an end to wigging, which is the age-old practice putting wigs on stuntmen and women so that they double for actors and actresses, and paint-downs where stuntmen are giving dark makeup so that they can double actors of colour.
As per the resolution, SAG-AFTRA is committed towards the elimination of racism, sexism, homophobia, disability discrimination, ageism, and other forms of discrimination that act as a career block for professionals within their membership and the industry.
The opposition which had risen up from five stunt performers serving in the board saw them argue that safety should be the first priority and the resolution could tie the hand of a stunt coordinator in their hiring decisions, leading to more on-set accidents and injuries.
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Mirzapur season 2 has been at the centre of attention ever since its release as it had to fill in the shoes of the highly popular first installment. However, a recent grievance has led the makers to issue an apology to an author.
Popular Hindi writer Surender Mohan Pathak had claimed that Mirzapur creators had misinterpreted his 2010 novel Dhabba while portraying it in a small scene in the show. Writer and director of Mirzapur 2, Puneet Krishna, has whole-heartedly apologised for “inadvertently hurting” the sentiments of the 81-year-old writer with their depiction of his work.
Speaking to The Indian Express, Pathak had said that the character played by actor Kulbhushan Kharbanda in the show can be seen reading from his book Dhabba in the third episode of the series. Soon, a voiceover “reads out a sequence that appears to be an excerpt from the book. It is explicitly sexual and doesn’t exist in the novel.”
He implored that as he has been writing pulp fiction for nearly 60 years with success he has never relied on sex or violence as the “hooks” for his books. “People will see this and think that this is my life’s work. This just seems to be mal-intentioned,” Pathak told the portal.
The author had asked for an explanation and an apology from the makers, failing which he would take legal action.
However, the creators of Mirzapur 2 soon admitted their mistake and posted an official statement on the Twitter handle of Excel Entertainment.
The post signed by Puneet Krishna said that the voiceover was completely unrelated to the book cover shown in the scene and the production house understands the implication. They concluded the note by saying that to rectify the situation, as discussed with the author, they will be blurring the “book-cover in the scene or remove the VO within a reasonable time of 3 weeks.”
Actress Kajal Aggarwal got married to Gautam Kitchlu on Friday evening in a close-knit affair in Mumbai where only close friends and family were in attendance. The event was organised keeping in mind the safety regulations in view of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Fan accounts of the actress accessed pictures from the wedding festivities and revealed Kajal’s look from the night, the accessories she chose to go with her attire, and what Gautam sported as well.
Kajal went with red and pink base colours for her wedding ensemble. The floral work on the piece brought out the intricate designs well. Apart from a heavy and gorgeous neckpiece and danglers, Kajal also wore a matha patti on her head. Gautam complemented her colour by donning a white sherwani and baby pink dupatta.
The wedding was set up at The Taj Mahal Palace in Mumbai and a wedding-based Instagram account shared snaps of the venue all decked up to host the marriage ceremony.
The only official picture of the bride is her enjoying the “calm before the storm”. With the makeup and hairdo finished, the image shows the actress tightly seated, staring directly into the camera wearing her wedding ensemble. The ghagra that she wore in the wedding can be seen hanging graciously in the background.
Get your meme generators ready: Internet darling Baby Yoda returns with his reluctant dad for a new season ofThe Mandalorian. Keeping withStar Warstradition, theDisney+show is like a Bifrost Bridge between the worlds of samurai westerns and intergalactic adventures.
Season 2 continues the cross-pollination with a sense of space, size and spark that mirrors those worlds and more. Aside from the usualStar Warsdelights, prepare for an acute case of typecasting dรฉjร vu as Timothy Olyphant plays another gunslinging cowboy like he did inDeadwoodandJustified, with the same cockiness, trigger-happiness and all.Dunefans upset over the film's postponement also get a sandworm alternate in a Krayt Dragon.
If you've done your homework, well and good. For those who haven't, a quick recap: Mando (real name: Din Djarin) wasn't born into the legendary Mandalorian tribe, but raised by them after his parents were killed by Separatist droids (hence his misgivings of all droids as an adult) during the Clone Wars. Years after the fall of the Empire, the now-adult Mando (Pedro Pascal) travels across the galaxy's lawless Outer Rim territories to collect bounties on assignments from Greef Karga, the Bounty Hunters' Guild agent operating out of Nevarro. One one such assignment, he is tasked by a client to acquire an asset which turns out to be Baby Yoda (officially referred to as the Child). When he realises the client has nefarious intentions for the force-sensitive toddler, Mando goes rogue to protect his charge. He faces off against scavenging Jawas on Arvala-7, Imperial AT-STs on Sorgan, and a rival bounty hunter on Tatooine. He also recruits some allies along the way: Kuiil (voiced by Nick Nolte), an Arvala-7 native working as a vapor farmer, Cara Dune (Gina Carano), a Rebel shock trooper-turned-merc from Alderaan, and an IG-11 droid (voiced by Taika Waititi) reprogrammed to be Baby Yoda's nurse. The Big Bad is an ex-Imperial commander named Moff Gideon (Giancarlo Esposito), who leads an army of Stormtroopers on a single-minded hunt for Baby Yoda. The clash between Moff and Mando ends in a couple of casualties (Kuiil and IG-11), before Mando and Baby Yoda escape to chart a new course to reunite the latter with his own kind.
The course won't obviously be a straightforward one. He will need allies, Mandalorian and otherwise. That's where Season 2 picks up as Mando and Bady Yoda arrive on Tatooine in search of a Mandalorian said to live in Mos Pelgo. The staging in "Chapter 9: The Marshal" is worth singling out: it brings to mind High Plains Drifter, where Clint Eastwood similarly rides into a dusty mining town. Ludwig Gรถransson builds on the opening motif with a more sweeping score to encapsulate the wide plains of Tatooine. All it takes is a visit to the cantina for Jon Favreau to plant his narrative hook. We meet Olyphant's Cobb Vanth, the town's marshal who sports Boba Fett's iconic Mandalorian armour, whose verbal duel with Mando evolves into a quick draw situation in no time. Only, they're interrupted by a Krayt Dragon, which has been terrorising the town. So, Mando and Cobb put their differences aside to kill the beast, even negotiating a truce between the townsfolk and Tusken raiders to defeat their common threat.
A large part of Season 1's success was down to its breakout star Baby Yoda. In this episode, however, he mostly plays the role of an observer as the camera holds on his reactions to the surrounding mayhem. Each blink of those big eyes and wiggle of those perky ears make for an endearing reaction shot, tightening its hold over the Internet's hearts. Favreau and his cast also kick back and revel in the world they’ve so lovingly created. The episode opens with Mando and his pocket-sized ward paying a visit to a Gamorrean fighting ring, as Mando seeks info on a fellow clan member.
The episode ends with a glimpse of a bald man in dark robes. The actor playing him turns out to be Temuera Morrison, who was Jango Fett inStar Wars: Attack of the Clones. Considering Jango was decapitated in that movie, Morrison could be playing his son Boba. If you remember the ending of “Chapter 5: The Gunslinger”, a mysterious figure with a similar appearance approaches the body of assassin Fennec Shand on Tatooine. Cobb and Boba aside, Season 2 is also expected to feature Rosario Dawson as Ahsoka Tano, Anakin Skywalker's padawan who leaves the Jedi Order to join the rebels in The Clone Wars, and Katee Sackhoff as Bo-Katan Kryze, who leads an elite unit of female Mandalorian warriors. Their appearances should alone keep the viewers coming back for the next seven chapters.
The reasonThe Mandalorianworks is because Jon Favreau doesn't just copy-paste George Lucas's ideas on Notepad++ like JJ Abrams did with hisStar Warsupdate. He gives the fans something new while upholding the spirit of hope and redemption the saga embodied.
WhileThe Mandaloriandoesn't exactly reshapeStar Warsmythology, much less the modern language of science fiction, it builds its own personality within the saga. It does this by eschewing the usual Star Wars “universe at stake” mechanics of death stars, TIE bombers and trench run explosions for a more low-stakes, meaningful sense of adventure.
However, the show can't escape some of its video game sensibilities. The new episode too often feels like a side quest meant to accumulate experience points and collectibles (like Boba Fett's armour), rather than inform the main plot. It's a problem it inherits from Season 1. At times, conversations play out like cut scenes in a video game sapping the narrative of some of its forward momentum. Some of the conversations between Mando and Cobb are nothing but an inorganic exposition dump to reveal the latter's backstory to the viewers. Cutesy Star Wars adages — like Cobb's "Every once in a while, both suns shine on a womp rat's tail" — aren't really a fix for grating dialogue.
Season 1 ended with images that raised a whole host of questions. We saw Moff Gideon emerge from the rubble of his downed TIE fighter, brandishing what appeared to be a Darksaber. It's a bit of a legendary weapon in Star Wars canon. It was created by the first Mandalorian Jedi Tarre Vizsla and last held by the Mandalorian warrior Sabine Wren in Star Wars: Rebels. So, how did it get passed down to Gideon? Could he be force-sensitive? Why is he after the Child? Questions also remain on the Child's identity, like where he's from and if there are more like him. These are questions Season 2 will hopefully answer. All this sets up a vast canvas of intergalactic possibilities that will keep the fans guessing, theorising, and combing through every frame of each new episode.
The Mandalorian Season 2 episodes release every Friday on Disney+ Hotstar.
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A woman who testified against disgraced and imprisoned Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein filed a lawsuit against him on 30 October to seek damages for what she described as lasting injuries.
The woman brought the lawsuit in Manhattan federal court, seeking unspecified damages for sexual attacks she described from the witness stand at Weinstein’s trial earlier this year. She used a different name when she first told her story publicly.
Weinstein is serving a 23-year prison sentence at a maximum-security prison near Buffalo after convictions in February for the rape and sexual assault of two women.
In California, Weinstein is awaiting trial on charges including rape, forcible oral copulation, sexual battery by restraint, and sexual penetration by use of force. The counts involve five women and stem from events in Los Angeles and Beverly Hills from 2004 to 2013.
The woman, a former Project Runway production assistant, said in the lawsuit that she repeatedly told Weinstein “no” when he forcibly attacked her inside his apartment in July 2006.
She said he forced himself on her orally, leaving her with horror, humiliation and pain that persists.
Juda Engelmayer, a spokesperson for Weinstein, said it was clear all along that Haley and others “were concocting these insincere charges to pave the way for civil damages claims.”
He said the filing of the lawsuit now enabled Haley at trial to say she was not seeking financial damages against Weinstein in any civil case.
“I guess that was just another stage and another act. At least the truth is finally being uncovered,” Engelmayer said.
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To say that 2020 has been a horror-filled year would be an understatement. With the ongoing pandemic, economic and humanitarian crises and many other earth-shattering changes, this year has carved a nightmare-inducing mark for perhaps many subsequent years to come. To commemorate Halloween, it's only apt then that we bring you horror film recommendations that signify the kind of year 2020 has been so far: mentally exhausting, claustrophobic, psychologically-challenging and downright terrorising. With the relevant context, these five films can be truly the spine-chilling experience needed for Halloween.
*
The Shining (1980)
It isn’t just the oppressive loneliness of a vast hotel encircled by winter desolation which makes Kubrick’s movie the paragon of pandemic anxiety, but that the man trapped in it - Jack - is gripped by unseen, and for the most part unknowable, forces which slowly strip his mind of sanity - in his case, those that exist outside flesh and bone, and in ours, those that reside deeply within them.
Indeed, that horribly Byzantine preceding sentence (and this one), with its tedious clauses and stultifying punctuation, is reflective of how Jack spends his time battling his way through a plot that offers no release - not for him, or, especially, his wife Wendy. Spooky twins, a river of blood and Nicholson’s crazed Cheshire grin aside, the qualities that define the duration of Shining for the husband and wife are foreboding and despair.
These past seven months, we’ve all been Jack and Wendy.
Recommended by Jaideep VG
Don't Breathe (2016)
The irony of Fede Alvarez’s thriller lies in its name, as this Halloween season, there is no knowing which breath will draw in the cold air carrying an all pervasive coronavirus down our noses into our lungs. Don’t Breathe doesn’t have any ghosts, goblins or witches, instead follows three delinquents into an old, blind veteran’s house, who get caught in a deadly game of hide and seek. Because along with money, lurking in the seemingly feeble-looking man’s home are dark secrets and the trio quickly realises that breaking into this sinister joint has been a mistake.
Tables turn on the trespassers when the house is plunged into darkness, the old man’s deadly Rottweiler is let loose to sink its teeth into the intruders and even the quietest breath threatens to become the last. Departing from a commonplace ghost story, in Don’t Breathe, there is scant dialogue and not a moment’s comic relief. Yet, the film makes for a thoroughly chilling and compelling story filled with gnarly twists without any element as remotely paranormal as whispers or creaking doors. Instead, the three kids tiptoe from one room to another in a dreary, haunting silence, hardly making a sound, barely drawing breath to find a way out.
This harrowing tale is but a spooky reminder that as scary as ghosts might be, nothing is creepier or more claustrophobic than watching someone trapped in a strange house in the middle of the night with a senile, bloodthirsty madman prowling in the darkness.
Recommended by Aishwarya Sahasrabudhe
The Social Network (2010)
Who doesn’t like a good ol’ origin story? And how about one not birthed form a comic-book or featuring a superhero of one sort or the other? Even better if it gives you the chills and existential dread, huh? A true spectacle that, in hindsight, has become more relevant with each passing year?
This here is a retelling of the birth of a nightmare haunting billions across our dying planet today (and likely to continue in the years to comes). The genesis of a supervillain, if you will, and the rise of his ungodly empire.
Witness in horror a man’s rise from creating a website to rate college girls by their attractiveness to creating a social media platform, designed to feed on anxiety and need for a dopamine hit, used to incite a genocide, sway elections with targeted misinformation, spread dangerous conspiracies and falsehoods with real-life (at times, fatal) consequences, condition people of all ages into bubbles where the only information fed to them is the one which aligns with their predetermined beliefs, among other many such wonders. Of course, now and then, perhaps a puppy gets adopted by someone using the website; but then again, is there no better platform to look for someone to adopt a poodle than the one which acts as a hotbed for extremism and is the de facto online home for your delusional grandparents and racist uncle?
Masterfully crafted by some of the best in the business, the 2010 biography/drama has it all — form a great cast to a memorable score, and a fine screenplay. So come Halloween, give yourself a dose of trepidation which does not fade away once the film is over — as I write this, Mr Z is set to appear before the Senate commerce committee to face grilling (again) about how he plans to moderate user-generated content. All this as we head toward another United States Presidential election in a few days… Good times.
Recommended by Harsh Pareek
Cabin In The Woods (2011)
If it had a better film adaptation, The Yellow Wallpaper — Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s 1892 story of a woman confined to her room, being slowly driven insane by the wallpaper and her controlling husband — would have been my pick for this list. Or Onibaba (1964) — about (among other things) a woman who wears a demon mask to frighten her recently widowed daughter-in-law into staying within their house — if I could access an English-subtitled version.
However, 1. inspired by the somewhat loose interpretation of this list’s theme by the more insubordinate bolder of my fellow contributors; 2. fearing that the usual suspects featuring the Dead in all their iterations (Evil, Living, Night of, Dawn of), undead (Freddy, Jason & co.), and sundry Cloverfields (Paradox, Lane) would be too much the usual suspects; and 3. that the classy offerings of Peele, Aster et al would be snapped up, I’ve chosen Cabin In The Woods (2011).
Sure, it’s more satire than scary, but can you truly afford to have your head messed with when the wallpaper is already driving you mad?
Here’s how this Joss Whedon-Drew Goddard creation is just like 2020:
A. The protagonists are trapped in the titular cabin in the woods. Outside = bad + dangerous; inside = well, not good, but marginally safer than the outside.
B. Guaranteed loss of life and/or limb for all parties concerned.
C. Protagonists are being manipulated throughout by shadowy, callous powers-that-be interested solely in upholding old world order.
D. An apocalypse is imminent.
Okay, so maybe there are only four ways in which Cabin In The Woods resembles 2020, but — bonus: you’ll experience nearly every horror film trope in its 90-minute runtime. And it has a heartwarming moral: humanity is doomed, but a wisecracking friend by your side makes it almost worth your while.
Recommended by Rohini Nair
The Descent (2005)
The first time I saw British adventure-horror film The Descent, I was a horror-noob; easily scared and impressionable to all kinds of stereotypical tropes. We were in my best friend's home, during a sleepover, it was a winter night and we were snuggled into a blanket. My best friend and I have usually watched horror films with our eyes shut, a small peak from between our fingers. This is the only film in the history of our horror-watching experience (which spans years, even a decade) during which we just couldn't take our eyes off the screen. And trust me when I say, there were plenty instances where we could.
I watched the film all by myself in 2020 for the second time, now as a horror enthusiast. The experience was so much more different, and so much more terrifying given the context of the lockdown. In The Descent, a bunch of friends decide to go hiking into an unexplored cave in the wild (somewhere in North America.) As they venture inside, the horrors of the unknown start to the grip the women, from claustrophobic spaces to mind-bending injuries to unlikely beings that inhabit the cave, who are not happy about the visitors making their presence known. Over the next 90 minutes, shit truly hits the fan. And that's all I'm going to say, really, because there is no wayfor me to explain what happens without you watching it. It's an out-and-out mindf**ker, let me warn you. The Descent is also one of those films rife with symbolism, with two different endings, and multiple personal interpretations about what truly went down inside the cave.
Recommended by Swetha Ramakrishnan
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Scarlett Johansson and Colin Jost have tied the knot a year after engagement.
Meals on Wheels America announced Thursday on Instagram that Johansson and Jost married over the weekend in an intimate ceremony. The post said the couple’s wedding followed the COVID-19 safety precautions as “directed by the CDC.”
“Their wedding wish is to help make a difference for vulnerable older adults during this difficult time,” the post said, asking fans of the couple to make a donation.
The actress and Saturday Night Live star got engaged in 2019 after dating two years.
Johansson, 34, was previously married to actor Ryan Reynolds and journalist Romain Dauriac. She and Dauriac share a daughter named Rose, who was born in 2014.
This is the first marriage for the 38-year-old Jost, who is the co-anchor of SNL’s Weekend Update. Jost performed on the most recent episode, which was hosted by Adele.
(With inputs from The Associated Press)
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When was the last time you saw a girl or woman on screen immensely enjoy the food she eats, and the camera observing the act of love with a certain aesthetic and not ridicule?Bheemasena Nalamaharajacould be about Latthesh (an utterly charming Aravinnd Iyer) and his amazing cooking skills, but it is also about Vedavalli and her love for food.
Chitrali Tejpal infuses a young Veda with an infectious charm. Food, for her, is love. She has to sample everything made in her father Varadarajan’s Bombay Iyengar bakery. Her mother makes her dose withbenne(butter) andchutney podi(gunpowder), and Veda’s eyes light up with excitement. This love for butter from the pot, baked goods off the tray and a freshly creamed cake land her in trouble and change the direction of her life, but even in protest, she eats. Food is also a channel of anger, of disgust for her father.
The film is said to be about the six tastes in food, but bitter and sour win the battle initially, before Latthesh tries his best to infuse some ‘sweet’ into everyone’s life. He makesragi muddeGanesha, airplanedosasand snowmanuppittuto awaken the love for food and life in a grown-up Veda (Arohi Narayan/Priyanka Thimmesh), a woman who loves fiercely, fights just as violently and cusses freely. Her love for food stays, though. She loves her biryani, and watches in amazement as Latthesh cleans a fish they caught together. In her head, it is referenced to the Keechakavadha. Her friend is disgusted seeing it, but for Veda, Latthesh is nothing less than a scientist who infuses food with all things magical.
It is initially easy to enter the world director Karthik Saragur creates. After all, it is peopled with characters who can easily be loved. But once there, you feel a little out of place. When two people from varied backgrounds are thrown together, you need a certain something that allows you to make that leap of faith, to believe they will make it. Here, you know you have to leap, but the faith’s missing.
Everything is black or white or a blur — Latthesh begins life in an orphanage, and then goes on to live in a resort by the water. He moves to an apartment, and then you don’t know where the money comes from. There’s little struggle shown, and so you are not invested in what’s happening. But, if you do, despite that, all credit to Aravinnd, who infuses Latthesh with a child-like innocence, a man who refuses to be hardened by the world, despite all that it throws at him. Arohi hits the high notes often, even when her character does not call for it, while Priyanka is like a dignified gentle stream, going against the grain of her character.
Karthik made a mark with his first film, the multiple-Karnataka State Film Award winning Jeerjimbe, about a young girl and her fascination to ride a cycle to school. In that film, you saw how beautifully he handles child actors. That continues in this film too, be it with Chitrali or Aadya Udupi as Lalli, Veda and Latthesh’s daughter. Look out for the scene where she goes to pierce her ears, and in between her tears, smiles and insists she’s not in pain.
This is a film that needed better pillars to stand on. The thread with Varadarajan, the Tamil and Kannada speaking father is the weakest. He has been a monster, but his character gets a strange justification for what he did. And because an actor as consummate as Achyuth plays him, you almost buy it, much to your discomfiture. And what is with the extra ‘di’ to turn a word into Tamizh, as his character tells Lalli? Tch tch.
Vijay plays Kenda (meaning fire), Latthesh’s childhood friend. Like his name, he smoulders, wondering what his place is in his friend’s life. The friends go through a forced break, and you really wish to know more about the bond they forged over 25 years of living together.
Full credit to Karthik for pushing the envelope in two cases — getting the hero to cross-dress and role-play because his wife wants him to, and getting him to rush to hospital dressed in a sari when his wife goes into labour. And then, two women there see him, and all they ask is: “Did you get the sari from Chickpet? Looks good”. One just wishes to see more of this confident Karthik, who shows a certain courage in his writing. This film is not bad on flavour, but I’m quite looking forward to seeing what this director has to offer next.
Bheemasenais like that meal that looks great, and initially tastes good too, but makes you wonder after some time about what’s missing.
Bheemasena Nalamaharajais now streaming on Amazon Prime Video. Watch the trailer here —
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Karan Johar's Dharma Productions has been asked to tender an apology for alleged littering a beach in Goa, dumping PPEs and other unsegregated garbage, during a shoot last week.
News agency Asian News International mentioned Goa Waste Management Minister Michael Lobo saying that a notice for a fine from the Goa Waste Management office will be sent to Dharma Productions.
In his tweet, the minister said that Goa is a beautiful state and people come here for shooting films. And while everyone is welcome to come and shoot, they need to take their trash away and not leave it behind.
Check out the tweet here
Dharma Productions will get a notice for a fine from the Goa Waste Management office. Goa is a beautiful state & people come here for shooting films. Everyone is welcome to come & shoot but take your trash away & don't leave it here: Michael Lobo, Goa Waste Management Minister pic.twitter.com/78y7By7cqc
Images and videos of the littered beach uploaded by residents of Nerul in North Goa went viral after which the controversy sparked. Speaking to reporters Lobo said that owners of Dharma Production should tender an apology on Facebook stating that it was an error and accept the fault. Actress Kangana Ranaut took to Twitter and called it "disgusting, filthy, irresponsible behaviour by so-called big production houses." Here's Ranaut's tweet
Movie industry is not a virus just for the moral fibre n culture of this nation but it has become very destructive and harmful for the environment also, @PrakashJavdekar ji @moefcc see this disgusting,filthy,irresponsible behaviour by so called big production houses, pls help ๐ https://t.co/EZfzrIWz06 — Kangana Ranaut (@KanganaTeam) October 27, 2020
Goa-based line producer Dilip Borkar, who had been hired by filmmaker Karan Johar's production house, said that there was a dearth of waste disposal management companies in North Goa where the shooting was held.
"Due to non-availability of private vendors, I hired and paid the panchayat garbage vendors to segregate and collect the garbage generated at the shoot location," he added.
He said his team has ensured that the dumping site was cleared daily as informed and in accordance with the procedures established by the local panchayat.
Borkar said on one particular Monday the garbage pick-up truck was unable to reach the dumping site due to break down and after receiving the information the team hired another special truck to clear the garbage.
"I urge everyone to consider that, we are all adapting and improvising the way we conduct our business during the COVID-19 pandemic, to the best of our abilities." Borkar said.
He said that the issue has been resolved many days ahead of the pictures going viral on social media.
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Doctors on Wednesday conducted the first round of dialysis on iconic Bengali actor Soumitra Chatterjee, as his health condition continued to be "very critical", officials at a Kolkata private hospital, where the thespian is undergoing treatment, said on Wednesday.
The 85-year old has been "unconscious" since last week.
"The first session of dialysis on Mr Chatterjee was successful and there were no episodes of blood pressure fluctuations. The dialysis normalised most of his health parameters and other renal functions. However, his condition remains very critical," a doctor at the medical facility said.
The acclaimed actor's consciousness-level is still "critical", though he had no fresh bout of fever. He is also suffering from secondary pneumonia. His lung functions are more or less stable and his ventilation parameter is also good, doctors said.
Chatterjee, the first Indian film personality to be awarded the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres — France's highest civilian award — was admitted to hospital on 6 October after he tested positive for COVID-19.
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