Bill Cosby’s sexual assault conviction was thrown out Wednesday by Pennsylvania’s highest court in a ruling that swiftly freed the actor from prison more than three years after he was found guilty of drugging and molesting Temple University employee Andrea Constand at his suburban Philadelphia mansion.
Cosby, 83, was the first celebrity tried and convicted in the #MeToo era, and his conviction was seen as a turning point in the movement to hold powerful men accountable for sexual misconduct.
Here’s a look at the case against Cosby and the court’s decision:
Why did the court toss his conviction?
The split court found that Cosby was unfairly prosecuted because the previous district attorney had promised the comedian once known as “America’s Dad” that he wouldn’t be charged over Constand’s accusations. Cosby was charged by another prosecutor who claimed he wasn’t bound by that agreement.
The court said that’s not the case. The justices found that Cosby relied on that promise when he agreed to testify without invoking his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination in a lawsuit brought against him by Constand.
The court concluded that the prosecutor who later brought the charges was obligated to stick to the nonprosecution agreement, so the conviction cannot stand. The justices wrote that “denying the defendant the benefit of that decision is an affront to fundamental fairness, particularly when it results in a criminal prosecution that was foregone for more than a decade.”
What's the deal with nonprosecution agreement?
The promise not to prosecute Cosby was made in 2005 by Bruce Castor, who was then the top prosecutor for Montgomery County. Castor was also on the legal team that defended former President Donald Trump during his historic second impeachment trial over the 6 January insurrection at the US Capitol by his supporters.
During a court hearing weeks after Cosby’s 2015 arrest, Castor testified that he promised Cosby he wouldn’t be prosecuted in the hopes that it would persuade the actor to testify in a civil case brought by Constand and allow her to win damages. Castor acknowledged the only place the matter was put in writing was in the 2005 press release announcing his decision not to prosecute, but said his decision was meant to shield Cosby from prosecution “for all time.”
His successor noted, during the appeal arguments, that Castor went on to say in the press release that he could revisit the decision in the future.
Castor had said that Constand’s case would be difficult to prove in court because she waited a year to come forward and stayed in contact with Cosby.
The first jurors who heard the case may have agreed with him, as they could not reach a verdict in 2017. But a second jury empanelled after the #MeToo movement exploded found him guilty at his 2018 retrial. Constand settled her civil case against Cosby for more than $3 million.
Castor’s successor, District Attorney Kevin Steele, charged Cosby in 2015 after a federal judge, acting on a request from The Associated Press, unsealed documents from her 2005 lawsuit against Cosby, revealing his damaging testimony about sexual encounters with Constand and others. Castor has said Cosby “would’ve had to have been nuts to say those things if there was any chance he could’ve been prosecuted.”
How rare is this?
Extremely rare.
Wesley Oliver, a Pennsylvania law professor who has followed Cosby’s case closely over the years, said he has never heard of a high court in Pennsylvania or anywhere else grappling with a prosecutor’s informal promise not to prosecute.
“It breaks new ground entirely,” said Oliver, who teaches at Duquesne University School of Law in Pittsburgh. “It sets precedent not just for Pennsylvania but probably other states.”
He said the ruling should drive home to prosecutors the risks of suggesting at news conferences, in press releases or verbally in private that they will not prosecute.
“They should at least add three words — ‘at this time,’” he said. “If you add that qualifier, which wasn’t done in Cosby’s case, you should be good to go,” Oliver said.
Can Cosby be tried again?
It’s highly unlikely. The decision on Wednesday bars Cosby from being tried again over Constand’s complaint, finding it to be the “only remedy that comports with society’s reasonable expectations of its elected prosecutors and our criminal justice system.”
And the accusations raised by dozens of other women, including the five who testified at his 2018 trial, often go back decades and are most likely too remote to prosecute.
Cosby turns 84 next month. However, his lawyer said he remains in good health, except for vision problems that render him legally blind.
The trial judge deemed him a sexually violent predator who could still pose a danger to women given his wealth, power and fame, and ordered that he be on a lifetime sex offender registry and check-in monthly with authorities. However, the decision negates that finding.
Reactions to court's decision in the Cosby trial
“Mr Cosby should never have been prosecuted for these offences. District attorneys can’t change it up simply because of their political motivation.” — Cosby appellate lawyer Jennifer Bonjean, in an interview.
“Today’s majority decision regarding Bill Cosby is not only disappointing but of concern in that it may discourage those who seek justice for sexual assault in the criminal justice system from reporting or participating in the prosecution of the assailant or may force a victim to choose between filing either a criminal or civil action.” — Cosby accuser Andrea Constand and attorneys Dolores M Troiani and Bebe Kivitz, in a joint statement.
“FINALLY!!!! A terrible wrong is being righted - a miscarriage of justice is corrected!” — Phylicia Rashad, who starred as Cosby’s wife on “The Cosby Show,” on Instagram.
“I am furious to hear this news. I personally know women who this man drugged and raped while unconscious. Shame on the court and this decision.” — actor and activist Amber Tamblyn, on Twitter.
“When you look at what happened, the fact that a jury reached a conclusion after a trial where they heard evidence, there was nothing about the opinion today that detracted from that. I think that’s important for people like Andrea and other women who came forward.” Stewart Ryan, a lead prosecutor in the case now in private practice, said in an interview.
“The Cosby ruling demonstrates how failures in our criminal justice systems make accountability for sexual assault impossible. ... Sexual assault, harassment and extortion happens in workplaces every day. Systems that ensure accountability for powerful abusers, protect workers and prevent agreements that shield abusers are urgently needed in entertainment and other industries.” — Anita Hill, chair of The Hollywood Commission, in a statement.
“I know many young women and men who are so Afraid to press charges against their rapist and Re traumatize themselves I am heartbroken today to hear of the news of Cosby’s release .this is sickening. My heart is with my sister survivors. We have work to do.” — actor Rosanna Arquette on Twitter.
“Certainly the optics of this are terrible. But the message has to be very clear and simple — that this was a mistake by prosecutors, a very unusual one and a technicality that is unlikely to happen again.” #MeToo attorney Lisa Banks, in an interview.
“Today’s devastating decision to overturn the conviction of a man who caused so much harm, pain, and emotional trauma to so many women is a travesty and an injustice. It reminds us again of the struggle that the survivors of his predatory behaviour and actions have endured to make their voice’s heard. The semblance of justice these women had in knowing Cosby was convicted has been completely erased with his release today.” — Time’s Up foundation CEO and president Tina Tchen said in a statement.
“WHEN will things get better for women and girls regarding sexual assault, sexism, misogyny and ageism? What will it take? So discouraged.” —Kathy Griffin on Twitter.
“Told you so on #BillCosby. He was convicted by a court so tainted by public opinion and social pressure that it allowed obviously prejudicial evidence and improper witnesses. He may be a bad guy, but in this case, he was railroaded by the mob.” — Geraldo Rivera on Twitter.
“To every woman who was sexual assaulted by #BillCosby my heart hurts for you today and I am full fury. It’s horrifying.” — actor Debra Messing on Twitter.
“All the smoke should be pointed squarely at the prosecutor’s office in the #Cosby case for making that colossal error.” — former NFL player Damien Woody on Twitter.
from Firstpost Bollywood Latest News https://ift.tt/3jDJvKi
A Los Angeles Superior Court judge has turned down Britney Spears’ request to have her father removed from her conservatorship, as per new court documents.
The judge has denied a months-old request by Spears’ attorney, Samuel Ingham III, to remove her father, Jamie Spears, as her sole conservator. Samuel Ingham III had filed to remove Spears’ father back in November 2020, reports Deadline.
However, Variety states that the documents are not in direct response to last week’s hearing, where Spears spoke for the first time in open court in the conservatorship that has controlled her life and money for 13 years. She condemned those with power over her, saying she has been forced to perform live shows, compelled to use an intrauterine device for birth control, made to take lithium and other medications against her will, and prevented from getting married or having another child. But the judge cannot make any ruling based on what she said as she still has yet to file a petition to terminate her conservatorship.
“The conservator’s request to suspend James P. Spears immediately upon the appointment of Bessemer Trust Company of California as sole conservator of estate is denied without prejudice,” the court documents filed on Wednesday stated.
Britney Spears’ father has asked the court overseeing his daughter’s conservatorship to investigate her statements to a judge last week on the court’s control of her medical treatment and personal life, which she called overly restrictive and abusive.
James Spears emphasised in a pair of documents filed late Tuesday night that he has had no power over his daughter’s personal affairs for nearly two years.
His filing says the court must investigate “serious allegations regarding forced labour, forced medical treatment and therapy, improper medical care, and limitations on personal rights.”
“Given the nature of the allegations and claims, it is critical that the court confirm whether or not Ms Spears’ testimony was accurate in order to determine what corrective actions, if any, need to be taken,” the documents said.
“I truly believe this conservatorship is abusive,” Spears had said.
James Spears controlled his daughter’s personal life for most of the existence of the conservatorship, but he now oversees only her money and business dealings along with an estate-management firm. A court-appointed professional, Jodi Montgomery, has had power over Britney Spears’ personal decisions since her father relinquished that role, known as conservator of the person, in 2019.
“Mr Spears is not the conservator of the person. He has not been the conservator of the person since September 2019,” one of the court filings says. “Ms Montgomery has been fully in charge of Ms Spears day-to-day personal care and medical treatment.”
Montgomery, whose appointment Britney Spears supported, is serving temporarily. The court was expected to make her role permanent, but one of James Spears’ filings says his daughter’s criticism of Montgomery last week suggests that she doesn’t want her in the role.
James Spears says that when he was conservator over his daughter’s personal decisions, he did everything in his power to support her well-being, including consenting to her getting married in 2012 and sharing conservatorship duties with her fiance. Spears was engaged to former manager Jason Trawick in 2012, but the couple broke it off in 2013.
Montgomery’s attorney Lauriann Wright said in a statement in response that “conservatorships in California are subject to the strictest laws in the nation to protect against any potential abuses,” and that Montgomery is “a licensed private professional fiduciary who, unlike family members who serve as conservators, is required to follow a Code of Ethics.”
Wright said Britney Spears’ right to marry or have more children are not affected by the conservatorship, and that Montgomery has had no say in those matters since she took on the job.
“I can state unequivocally that Jodi Montgomery has been a tireless advocate for Britney and for her well-being,” Wright said, adding that “it is her sincere personal wish that Britney continues to make meaningful progress in her well-being so that her conservatorship of the person can be terminated.”
Montgomery is creating a care plan with that end in mind, the statement said.
James Spears’ filing is also critical of Britney Spears’ personal attorney Samuel L. Ingham III, saying that he wrongly asserted in a recent filing that the court had found Spears did not have the capacity to consent to medical treatment and is using that as a pretext for a court order taking away her right to give informed consent.
An email sent to Ingham seeking comment was not immediately returned.
While Britney Spears was critical of both Montgomery and Ingham in her impassioned speech of more than 20 minutes, she singled out her father for some of her most scathing criticism.
She accused him of relishing his power over her, as he showed when she failed a series of psychological tests in 2019 and forced her to go into a mental hospital.
“I cried on the phone for an hour, and he loved every minute of it,” Spears said. ”The control he had over someone as powerful as me, as he loved the control to hurt his own daughter 100,000%.”
James Spears said through his lawyer at the hearing that he was sorry to see his daughter was in so much pain.
He said in his court filings that it is imperative that “all parties be provided a full and fair opportunity to respond to allegations and claims asserted against them.”
“Either the allegations will be shown to be true, in which case corrective action will be taken,” the documents say, “or they will be shown to be false, in which case the conservatorship can continue its course. It is not acceptable for the Conservators or the Court to do nothing.”
Spears told Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Brenda Penny that she wanted the conservatorship to end, but she has not filed a petition with the court to end it.
“I want changes going forward,” she said. “I deserve changes.”
Ingham said in court that she had not asked him to. Britney Spears said in court that she was unaware she could petition to end it.
Penny called Britney Spears’ comments courageous, but gave no clue about the actions she’ll take. An investigation and many more legal moves are likely before she makes decision.
(With inputs from The Associated Press)
from Firstpost Bollywood Latest News https://ift.tt/3jC3vgJ
How many times have you discussed or heard others discussing Shah Rukh Khan, Aamir Khan, Salman Khan, Akshay Kumar, Ajay Devgn, Ranveer Singh or Ranbir Kapoor lately? More importantly, how many times have you missed them since they went off the glamour billboards and the giant, invasive publicity machine that surrounds us?
Chances are, you have not.
Covid has killed the superstar. The uniquely skewed economics of Indian cinema had created the kind of stardom that depended solely on extravagant marketing and control over demand and supply to gloss over tired scripts, bad acting, and forgettable direction.
Only the big houses and filmy cartels could afford massive marketing budgets and a stranglehold over distribution and screening. Top male stars walked away with more than half the money spent on producing the entire movie, with their fee going up to Rs 80 crore and beyond. The smaller budget films, which often relied on better scripts and performances, could not match even a fraction of that marketing spend and reach.
This economics allowed the superstar to grossly over-earn and underperform. That happy time may be over.
Covid-19 and the spate of lockdowns have biologically bombed that economics. Theatres are shut for months. Baroque promotions with events, tours, and mall and media visits cannot happen because of social distancing. And digital OTT platforms have levelled the playing ground.
Of the hallowed lot, only Salman Khan dared to release his ‘Radhe’ on OTT. These platforms don’t reveal their figures, but from most accounts, the film did not leave a mark.
There are several reasons why the big hero and the big director do not dare putting their work on a digital platform.
First, they cannot muscle the smaller players out of an OTT platform by monopolising distribution. The consumer does not have to push down what the multiplexes and single screen force on them. He or she can exercise their choice on which content to watch.
Second, the big, physical marketing promotions are off the table, for now. Again, super-productions can’t bully the small fish out of the water.
Third, audiences behave in a particular manner when they watch a movie in a mob, willingly partake in the shallow, mass fantasy ritual. When they are watching the same movie alone or with family or close friends — on TV, laptop or mobile screens — they tend to behave more rationally, choosing deeper, better content over it.
Fourth, complacent in their billion-dollar cocoons, most big stars and directors have not upped their game. Unlike a Leonardo DiCaprio, Kate Winslet, Tom Hanks or Kevin Spacey who can straddle both popular performances and highly angular roles with equal elan, our mainstream deities are stuck in their own caricatures.
Covid will wane one day. Theatres will open. But will the superstar return with the same swag and undeserving audacity?
Unlikely.
Digital OTT platforms are here to stay. With increasing smartphone and computer penetration in India’s remotest parts, filmmakers and content creators with smaller budgets and brighter ideas will take away a major slice of theatre audiences. Animation, special effects and emerging virtual reality and other technologies will minimise time on the sets and usher ‘virtual production’.
Instead of the eight-week gap between big screen and digital premiere of films, Bollywood will be forced to release on a streaming platform within two or three weeks of its theatrical opening. This will considerably blunt the bullying by distributors and exhibitors.
Today, those long relegated to the middle benches as ‘character actors’ — Manoj Bajpayee, Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Pratik Gandhi, Radhika Apte, Jaideep Ahlawat, Rasika Dugal and others —are household names. They have broken into the galaxy of stars because of sheer talent.
In the post-Covid, increasingly digital world of cinema and entertainment, it is the Khans, Chopras, Johars and Kapoors who need to catch up, measure up, if they are to stay in the strobe light of public memory.
from Firstpost Bollywood Latest News https://ift.tt/2TmQxIR
The pandemic may have rendered most of us incapable of discerning one dayweek month from another, but for the promise of new content to stream at the beginning of every month.
Here is a comprehensive list of what you can watch in July on the streaming platforms.
The pandemic may have rendered most of us incapable of discerning one dayweek month from another, but for the promise of new content to stream at the beginning of every month.
Here is a comprehensive list of what you can watch in July on the streaming platforms.
Netflix
Haseen Dillruba - 2 July
Murder mystery Haseen Dillruba, headlined by Taapsee Pannu, is directed by Vinil Mathew of Hasee Toh Phasee-fame. It revolves around a woman who finds herself entangled in the murder of her own husband. The movie, which also stars Vikrant Massey and Harshvardhan Rane in the lead, has been penned by Kanika Dhillon and produced by filmmaker Aanand L Rai through his banner Colour Yellow Productions.
Fear Street Trilogy -2, 9, 16 July
Based on RL Stine's best selling horror series,the Fear Street trilogy follows a group of teenagers who discover that the terrifying events that haunted their town for generations may all be connected, and they may be the next targets. The trilogy begins in Shadyside, 1994. While the first part releases on 2 July, the second and the third premiere on 9 and 16 July respectively.
The cast for Fear Street Part One: 1994 includes Kiana Madeira, Ashley Zukerman, Gillian Jacobs, Olivia Welch, Benjamin Flores Jr, Fred Hechinger, Julia Rehwald, Jordana Spiro, Jordyn DiNatale, Maya Hawke, and Darrell Britt-Gibson.
We The People - 4 July
Barack and Michelle Obama turned executive producers for We the People, a Netflix series with music and animation. The series comprises 10, three-minute-long episodes featuring music performed by H.E.R., Brandi Carlile and Andra Day, among others.
We the People combines essential US civics lessons with music, combining them with songs performed by Janelle Monáe, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Adam Lambert, Cordae, Bebe Rexha and Kyle.
I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson - 6 July
Tim Robinson’s acclaimed Netflix comedy series I Think You Should Leave is returning for a second season on 6 July. The first season included celebrity cameos from Steven Yeun, Will Forte, Cecily Strong, Patti Harrison, and Robinson’s Detroiters co-star and co-creator Sam Richardson
Atypical season 4 -9 July
The fourth season of Atypical, starring Keir Gilchrist, will be the final season of the show, and contains 10 episodes. The show focuses on the life of 18-year-old Sam Gardner, played by Gilchrist, who is autistic.
The series is created, written, and executive produced by Robia Rashid, and also executive produced by Mary Rohlich and Seth Gordon.
Heist - 14 July
>Netflix is all set to premiere Heist, a new documentary series chronicling three of the biggest heists in modern American history, as explained by the people who pulled them off. A 21-year-old woman steals millions in Vegas casino cash. An aspiring father swipes a fortune from the Miami airport... and uses TV shows to learn how to get away with it. A Kentucky dad is accused of one of the biggest bourbon burglaries in history. Using dynamic reenactments and original interviews, directors Derek Doneen, Martin Desmond Roe, and Nick Frew each take the helm of a single heist, told over two episodes.
Never Have I Ever season 2 -15 July
Popular coming-of-age series Never Have I Ever will see Maitreyi Ramakrishnan reprise her role as the academically competitive and hot-headed Indian American teenager Devi in the show, created by Mindy Kaling and Lang Fisher.
Returning cast members include Poorna Jagannathan, Richa Moorjani, Jaren Lewison, Darren Barnet, Lee Rodriguez, and Ramona Young. Megan Suri is the season two newcomer, along with Common, Tyler Alvarez, Utkarsh Ambudkar, and P J Byrne, who are set to recur on the series.
Feels Like Ishq - 23 July
Feel Like Ishq, a new Hindi anthology from Netflix after Ray, is a romance-drama series that will feature six meet-cute stories from directors Ruchir Arun, Tahira Kashyap Khurrana, Anand Tiwari, Danish Aslam, Jaydeep Sarkar, and Sachin Kundalkar. The ensemble cast includes popular names such as Radhika Madan, Amol Parashar, Neeraj Madhav, Tanya Maniktala, Kajol Chug, Mihir Ahuja, Simran Jehani, Rohit Saraf, Saba Azad, Sanjeeta Bhattacharya, Zayn Khan, and Skand Thakur.
Outer Banks Season 2 - 30 July
Netflix's Outer Banks returns for a second season on 30 July. The first instalment follows a group of teenagers living in the Outer Banks of North Carolina. When a hurricane hits the vacation destination, it leads to a series of mysterious events, like missing characters and unexpected romances. The second season continues the story from where the first season left off, as John B and Sarah, on the run, will now be seen in the Bahamas.
Amazon Prime Video
The Tomorrow War- 2 July
The sci-fi action drama features Chris Pratt as a family man who gets drafted to fight in a future war against aliens where the fate of humanity relies on his ability to confront the past.
Directed by Chris McKay, the Skydance Media film also features Yvonne Strahovski, Betty Gilpin, Sam Richardson, Edwin Hodge, and Academy Award-winner JK Simmons.
Toofan - 16 July
Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra's directorial, starring Farhan Akhtar in the lead, was earlier scheduled to release on 21 May, but then was postponed in light of the second wave of the coronavirus pandemic. Akhtar plays a national-level boxing player in the sports drama, also starring Mrunal Thakur, Paresh Rawal, Supriya Pathak Kapur, and Hussain Dalal.
Disney+ Hotstar Premium
The Last Cruise - 1 July
The Last Cruise documents the experiences of people on board the now-infamous Diamond Princess cruise ship, where an uncontained COVID-19 outbreak at the start of the pandemic became a global spectacle and a faraway symbol of the new virus and its potential to upend any sense of normalcy.
The Diamond Princess cruise ship set sail from Yokohama, Japan on 20 January, 2020. By 26 February, 2020, the ship accounted for more than half of all the documented COVID-19 cases outside of China with over 700 infected people on board. Using intimate footage recorded by its passengers and crew, The Last Cruise is a first-person account of the nightmare that transpired aboard the ill-fated cruise. With little information available about the new virus and limited access to resources, the ship’s cases soared. Passengers were quarantined in their staterooms for weeks and would ultimately account for the first citizens to test positive for COVID-19 in several countries around the world. Meanwhile, the crew tended to the passengers, delivered room service and slept and dined in cramped, shared quarters. They’d become what we’d later term “essential workers.”
Monsters at Work - 7 July
Monsters At Work takes place the day after the Monsters, Incorporated power plant started harvesting the laughter of children to fuel the city of Monstropolis, thanks to Mike and Sulley's discovery that laughter generates ten times more energy than screams. It follows the story of Tylor Tuskmon, an eager young monster who graduated top of his class at Monsters University and always dreamed of becoming a Scarer until he lands a job at Monsters, Incorporated, and discovers that scaring is out and laughter is in. After Tylor is temporarily reassigned to the Monsters, Inc. Facilities Team (MIFT), he must work alongside a misfit bunch of mechanics while setting his sights on becoming a Jokester.
Ben Feldman, Billy Crystal, Henry Winkler, Alanna Ubach, Mindy Kaling, John Goodman, and Lucas Neff have lent the voices in the animation movie.
White Lotus - 12 July
A social satire set at an exclusive Hawaiian resort, the series follows the vacations of various hotel guests over the span of a week as they relax and rejuvenate in paradise. But with each passing day, a darker complexity emerges in these picture-perfect travellers, the hotel’s cheerful employees, and the idyllic locale itself.
The film stars Murray Barlett, Connie Britton, Jennifer Coolidge, Alexandra Daddario, Fred Hechinger, Jake Lacy, Brittany O’Grady, Natasha Rothwell, Sydney Sweeney, and Steve Zahn.
Catch & Kill: The Podcast Tapes - 13 July
Catch and Kill: The Podcast Tapes, a six-part HBO documentary series, brings to life Ronan Farrow’s intimate, revealing interviews with whistleblowers, journalists, private investigators, and other sources, conducted for the Pulitzer-Prize winning journalist’s podcast and bestselling book Catch and Kill: Lies, Spies and A Conspiracy to Protect Predators.
Directed by Emmy winners Fenton Bailey and Randy Barbato, the series expands on the podcast and book with never-before-seen footage and new insights into this culture-shaking story. Interviews are interwoven with additional sound and imagery from documents, audiotapes, photos, archive footage and illustrations. With fresh perspectives and detail — not just on the harrowing effort to expose one powerful predator, but on the systems that help cover up terrible crimes to this day — the series presents new revelations in the reporting on one of Hollywood’s most ungettable stories.
Behind The Attraction - 21 July
The magic of Disney Parks comes alive in Behind the Attraction, from executive producers Dwayne Johnson, Dany Garcia, and Brian Volk-Weiss. The show explores how Imagineers filled the Haunted Mansion with 999 happy haunts, how the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror transformed into Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission: BREAKOUT! (while defying gravity in the process) and why Space Mountain took so long to launch. From the 1950s to today, from Jungle Cruise to "it's a small world" to Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge, Disney Parks attractions will be decoded in the series.
Playing with Sharks - 23 July
From National Geographic Documentary Films, two-time Emmy-nominated director Sally Aitken and WildBear Entertainment, Playing with Sharks captures the life of Valerie Taylor—a woman ahead of her time whose life’s work has become the basis for much of what we know about sharks today. A fearless diver, cinematographer and pioneering conservationist, Valerie is a living legend and icon. Through remarkable underwater archival footage, along with interviews with Valerie herself, Playing with Sharks follows this daring ocean explorer’s trajectory from champion spearfisher to passionate shark protector.
Stuntman - 23 July
Stuntman chronicles the highs and lows of veteran Hollywood stuntman, Eddie Braun as he attempts what many argue is the most dangerous stunt in cinematic history. Following in the footsteps of his childhood idol, Evel Knievel, Braun reflects on having survived multiple car crashes, explosions, and death-defying leaps over the course of his 30+ year career in film and television. Now, in his mid-50s and contemplating retirement, Braun decides to cap off an extraordinary career by recreating Evel Knievel’s infamous unsuccessful Snake River Canyon rocket jump.
In 2018, the movie, executive produced by Dwayne Johnson and Dany Garcia, and directed by Kurt Mattila, made its world premiere at the LA Film Festival, taking home the Audience Award choice winner for Best Documentary Feature.
Chip 'n' Dale: Park Life - 28 July
Chip 'n' Dale: Park Life follows two tiny troublemakers, Chip and Dale, trying to live the good life in a big city park while having giant-sized, sky-high adventures. Nervous worrier Chip and laid-back dreamer Dale make the perfect odd couple: they're best buddies and they drive each other nuts. In their perpetual pursuit of acorns, these ultimate underdogs are joined by Pluto, Butch and other iconic Disney characters as they face down bullies great and small.
The Wonderful World of Mickey Mouse - 28 July
In The Wonderful World of Mickey Mouse, it’s nothing but fun and excitement for Mickey and his best pals – Minnie, Donald, Daisy, Goofy and Pluto – as they embark on their greatest adventures yet, navigating the curveballs of a wild and zany world where the magic of Disney makes the impossible possible. Each seven-minute short is filled with laugh-out-loud comedy, modern settings, timeless stories, new music and the unmistakable classic art style of the Mickey Mouse shorts. The series will include stories inspired by various lands at Disney parks and cameos by classic Disney heritage characters.
Disney+ Hotstar VIP
Collar Bomb - 9 July
Jimmy Sheirgill-led crime thriller movie Collar Bomb will release on streaming platform Disney+ Hotstar on 9 July. Sheirgill will play a police officer in the movie directed by Dnyanesh Zoting and starring Asha Negi and Rajshri Deshpande. Nikhil Nair has penned the script.
"When a ticking bomb takes control of his quaint town, officer Manoj Hesi sets out to catch the evil mastermind as he tries to saves hundreds of innocent lives," the plotline reads.
Hungama 2 - 23 July
Hungama 2, the sequel to director Priyadarshan's 2003 hit comedy Hungama,will release directly on Disney+ Hotstar as theatres in most states are shut in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. The film was slated to hit theatres on 14 August this year.
Priyadarshan has returned to direct the movie, which stars Paresh Rawal, Shilpa Shetty Kundra, Meezaan, and Pranitha Subhash in the lead.
Apple TV+
Schmigadoon! - 16 July
Schmigadoon!, a new musical comedy series executive produced by Lorne Michaels, stars Cecily Strong and Keegan-Michael Key as a couple on a backpacking trip designed to reinvigorate their relationship when they discover a magical town in which everyone is living in a studio musical from the 1940s. They then discover that they can't leave until they find "true love." The first season of the six-episode series also stars Alan Cumming, Kristin Chenoweth, Aaron Tveit, Dove Cameron, Ariana DeBose, Fred Armisen, Jaime Camil, Jane Krakowski and Ann Harada.
Schmigadoon! is co-created by Cinco Paul and Ken Daurio. Cinco Paul serves as showrunner, and wrote all of the original music for the series. Barry Sonnenfeld directs and executive produces. In addition to starring, Strong serves as producer, and Ken Daurio serves as consulting producer and writer. Andrew Singer executive produces with Lorne Michaels on behalf of Broadway Video.
Ted Lasso Season 2 - 23 July
The SAG, three-time Critics' Choice Award and Golden Globe Award-winning hit series Ted Lasso stars Jason Sudeikis as the titular character, a small-time college football coach from Kansas hired to coach a professional soccer team in England, despite having no experience coaching soccer. Sudeikis serves as executive producer, alongside Bill Lawrence, Doozer's Jeff Ingold and Liza Katzer.
ZEE5
State of Siege: Temple Attack - 9 July
State of Siege: Temple Attack is a ZEE5 Original that stars Akshaye Khanna as a National Security Guard (NSG) commando. The film, marking the actor's digital debut, is based on the attack on the temple of Akshardham in Gujarat in 2002. It is directed by Ken Ghosh.
14 Phere
14 Phere, starring Vikrant Massey, Kriti Kharbanda, and Gauhar Khan, will premiere in July. It was supposed to release theatrically on 9 July, but the film will now have a direct OTT release. It is directed by Devanshu Singh, written by Manoj Kalwani, and produced by ZEE Studios.
MUBI
Shirley - 1 July
Directed by Josephine Decker, Shirleyis based upon the eponymous 2014 novel inspired by novelist Shirley Jackson's real-life and written by Susan Scarf Merrell.
Fred and Rose move to a small Vermont college town in pursuit of a job for Fred as an assistant professor of literature. The young couple receives an offer for free room and board from professor Stanley Hyman, as long as Rose agrees to spend time cleaning up the home and looking after his wife, acclaimed horror author Shirley Jackson. At first Fred and Rose detest the rocky household of the eccentric couple, but they eventually establish deep bonds with their counterparts, which will test the limits of their young love.
Shirley had its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival where Decker won the US Dramatic Special Jury Award for Auteur Filmmaking.
First Cow - 9 July
Award-winning director Kelly Reichardt (Meek’s Cutoff, Wendy and Lucy) returns with First Cow, a gripping and glorious story of friendship and petty crime on the harsh frontier of the Pacific Northwest. In 1820s Oregon, two loners team up to seek their fortune through a scheme to steal milk from the wealthy landowner’s prized Jersey cow – the first, and only, in the territory – to create delicious fried cakes for sale at the market. This sumptuous tale of male friendship, pilfered dairy, and the American dream pursuit is a true masterpiece from one of the great modern American filmmakers.
Sweat -23 July
Watch our brand new trailer for Magnus von Horn’s exhilarating SWEAT. Exclusively on MUBI July 23. pic.twitter.com/01owfMw79i
Swedish filmmaker Magnus von Horn’s thriller follows three days in the life of a fitness motivator and social media influencer, played by Magdalena Koleśnik. Despite having thousands of online followers, she craves true intimacy in real life. Julian Swiezewski, Aleksandra Konieczna and Zbigniew Zamachowski.
SonyLIV
Chutzpah
Created by Mrighdeep Singh Lamba and directed by Simarpreet Singh, Chutzpah showcases a story of five individuals connected through the internet. The show talks about the power of social media and highlights the digital influence on the youth of today.
Produced by Dinesh Vijan, and written by Amit Babbar and Mrighdeep Singh Lamba, the show features Varun Sharma, Manjot Singh, Gautam Mehra, Tanya Maniktala, Elnaaz Norouzi, Kshitij Chauhan, amongst others.
Anne Boleyn
Anne Boleyn, the British three-part psychological thriller miniseries, recounts the final months of Boleyn's life, her struggle with Tudor England's patriarchal society, her desire to secure a future for her daughter, Elizabeth, and the brutal reality of her failure to provide Henry with a male heir. The show will premiere this month on SonyLIV.
Crossing Swords
Created by John Harvatine IV and Tom Root, Crossing Swords is an adult animated stop-motion sitcom that follows Patrick, who lands his dream job as a squire for the royal castle, only to find out the kingdom is more corrupt than he could have ever imagined. The show premiered on Hulu in June last year.
BookMyShow Stream
Radioactive - 2 July
Based on the 2010 graphic novel Radioactive: Marie & Pierre Curie: A Tale of Love and Fallout by Lauren Redniss, Radioactive is a 2019 British movie directed by Marjane Satrapi and starring Rosamund Pike as Marie Curie. The film had its premiere at the 2019 Toronto International Film Festival and was scheduled to be released in theatres in 2020, but was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
from Firstpost Bollywood Latest News https://ift.tt/3dy3uGx
राजधानी के अधिकतर निगरानी स्टेशनों में भीषण लू दर्ज की गई और अधिकतम तापमान औसत तापमान से कम से कम सात डिग्री सेल्सियस अधिक रहे। बृहस्पतिवार को भी लू चलने का अनुमान जताया गया है।
from Jansattaराष्ट्रीय – Jansatta https://ift.tt/3y8psb5
राजभर ने कहा कि बीजेपी ने सबसे पहले इस तरह की राजनीति की शुरूआत की थी। बीएसपी के साथ सत्ता हथियाने के लिए राजनीति के नए मानदंड तय किए तो यूपी के साथ बिहार में डिप्टी सीएम को फार्मूले पर अमल किया।
from Jansattaराष्ट्रीय – Jansatta https://ift.tt/360Ugyj
सुप्रीम कोर्ट ने आज सरकार को फटकार लगाते हुए कहा कि कोविड से संबंधी मृत्यु के मामले में मृत्यु प्रमाणपत्र में मृत्यु की वजह कोविड है यह स्पष्ट होना चाहिए।
from Jansattaराष्ट्रीय – Jansatta https://ift.tt/3h3Y5t5
रवीश कुमार ने लिखा, "मैं तो युवाओं से अपील करता हूँ कि कमेंट बॉक्स में आईटी सेल के लोग जो गाली देने आते हैं आप उन्हें और उनके नेता को ही फॉलो करें। मुझे रोज सुबह शाम गाली दिया करें। आपकी जवानी बर्बाद कर दी गई है यह सच है। उसी ने की है जिसकी बात ऊपर के पोस्ट में की है। मुझे भर्ती वाले मैसेज न करें।"
from Jansattaराष्ट्रीय – Jansatta https://ift.tt/2TknfKM
अंजना ओम कश्यप के शो में कांग्रेस के प्रवक्ता अखिलेश प्रताप सिंह ने योगी आदित्यनाथ सरकार पर निशाना साधते हुए राज्य में माफिया की लिस्ट गिना दी। उन्होंने कहा कि राज्य में माफिया सत्ता के संरक्षण में पल रहे हैं।
from Jansattaराष्ट्रीय – Jansatta https://ift.tt/3hoScWa
राजीव बब्बर ने ट्वीट करके जानकारी दी है। उन्होंने लिखा, "भाई @ArvindKejriwal जी दिल्ली में जो आपने करोड़ों रुपये के होर्डिंग लगवाए हैं शायद अनजाने में आप पूरी लाइन लिखना भूल गए। मैंने ठीक करवा दी। आपकी शक्ल से कोई दुश्मनी नहीं, बस मैं चाहता हूँ संदेश सही जाए।"
from Jansattaराष्ट्रीय – Jansatta https://ift.tt/3Ap4Tcu
इस साल सोना 3700 रुपए प्रति दस ग्राम तक सस्ता हो चुका है, जबकि चांदी की कीमत में 6 महीने के निचले स्तर पर हैं। एक जनवरी को सोना वायदा बाजार 50 हजार से ऊपर कारोबार कर रहा था। चांदी की कीमत 68 हजार रुपए प्रति किलोग्राम के लेवल पर ही थी।
from Jansattaराष्ट्रीय – Jansatta https://ift.tt/3x9HsBI
मालूम हो कि कोलकाता के कुछ इलाकों में अनधिकृत लोगों द्वारा वैक्सीन कैंप लगाए जाने पर केंद्रीय स्वास्थ्य सचिव राजेश भूषण ने पश्चिम बंगाल के मुख्य सचिव हरि कृष्ण द्विवेदी को पत्र लिखा है।
from Jansattaराष्ट्रीय – Jansatta https://ift.tt/3hfedH2
सीएम ने कहा, "हमने सब्र रखा है लेकिन वे धमकियां दे रहे हैं कि सीएम, डिप्टी सीएम गांवों का दौरा नहीं कर सकते हैं। सरकार चलाने वालों की लोगों से मिलने और उनकी समस्याओं को जानने की जिम्मेदारी होती है। वे हमें कितना भी उकसा लें, लेकिन हमने शांति बनाए रखी है।"
from Jansattaराष्ट्रीय – Jansatta https://ift.tt/3x2wLkt
शिवराज सिंह चौहान सरकार में ऊर्जा मंत्री प्रद्युमन सिंह तोमर ने कहा कि पेट्रोल डीजल के पैसे किसी नेता के घर नहीं जा रहे बल्कि गरीबों के पास जा रहा है। उनके इस बयान पर कुमार विश्वास ने चुटकी ली है।
from Jansattaराष्ट्रीय – Jansatta https://ift.tt/3hjky49
प्रशांत किशोर ने बताया, 'मोदी सरकार सिर्फ आपका वोट नहीं बल्कि आपके निजी जीवन में भी दखल देना चाहती है। सरकार लोगों के दिल दिमाग पर नियंत्रण स्थापित करना चाहती है।'
from Jansattaराष्ट्रीय – Jansatta https://ift.tt/3xb6HDG
योग गुरु की ओर से पेश वरिष्ठ अधिवक्ता मुकुल रोहतगी ने पीठ से कहा, वह प्रतिलेख के साथ मूल वीडियो दाखिल करेंगे। पीठ ने उनकी बात स्वीकार करते हुए मामले पर 5 जुलाई को सुनवाई करने की बात कही।
from Jansattaराष्ट्रीय – Jansatta https://ift.tt/3w1PlYN
राकेश टिकैत का कहना है कि पुलिस की मौजूदगी में किसानों और बीजेपी कार्यकर्ताओं के बीच झड़प हुई। उन्होंने बीजेपी को धमकी देते हुए कहा है कि कोई भी बीजेपी कार्यकर्ता उनके मंच की तरफ आएगा तो उसे छोड़ा नहीं जाएगा।
from Jansattaराष्ट्रीय – Jansatta https://ift.tt/3w1gvyU
Storm Motors Electric Vehicle: 80 किमी प्रति घंटे की टॉप स्पीड के साथ आने वाली यह कार फुल चार्ज पर 200 किलोमीटर तक चलने में सक्षम है। 15ए पॉवर आउटलेट के साथ इसे तीन घंटे में फुल चार्ज किया जा सकेगा। ड्राइविंग मोड इको, नॉर्मल और स्पोर्ट्स दिए गए हैं।
from Jansattaराष्ट्रीय – Jansatta https://ift.tt/3y9ULlK
मध्यप्रदेश के देवास जिले के नेमावर में पुलिस ने दो माह से लापता एक ही परिवार के पांच सदस्यों के कंकाल मंगलवार को एक खेत में 8 फुट गहरे गड्ढे से बरामद किये हैं।
from Jansattaराष्ट्रीय – Jansatta https://ift.tt/2USQMfb
याचिकाकर्ता प्रभा मिश्रा ने अपनी याचिका में अदालत से राज्य के अधिकारियों को उसके पति को मुआवजे का भुगतान करने और 19 अप्रैल को भेजे गए एक अभ्यावेदन पर निर्णय लेने का निर्देश देने का अनुरोध किया था।
from Jansattaराष्ट्रीय – Jansatta https://ift.tt/3hbWFgl
4 जुलाई को रविवार है तो 10 जुलाई को शनिवार की छुट्टी है। इसके बाद 11 तारीख को रविवार का अवकाश रहेगा और 12 तारीख को सोमवार रथ-यात्रा त्यौहार के वजह से बैंकों में ताला लटका मिलेगा।
from Jansattaराष्ट्रीय – Jansatta https://ift.tt/3dtQ66a
अनुराग भदौरिया ने धर्मांतरण के मुद्दे पर कहा है कि जब भी चुनाव आता है बीजेपी इस मुद्दे को उछलती है। उनके आरोपों पर बीजेपी के प्रवक्ता गौरव भाटिया भड़क गए और अखिलेश यादव के सरकार में आयोजित होने वाले सैफई महोत्सव की याद दिलाने लगे।
from Jansattaराष्ट्रीय – Jansatta https://ift.tt/2U9W8lZ
हाल ही में इंडियन एक्सप्रेस से बात करते हुए सिद्धू ने कहा था कि अगर पंजाब के विकास के उनके एजेंडा पर अमल किया जाए तो वे जिला परिषद के सदस्य तक बनने और सीएम अमरिंदर सिंह के पीछे चलने तक को तैयार हैं।
from Jansattaराष्ट्रीय – Jansatta https://ift.tt/3ybcDwR
दिल्ली हाई कोर्ट ने सेंट्रल विस्टा परियोजना के निर्माण कार्य को जारी रखने की 31 मई को अनुमति देते हुए कहा था कि यह राष्ट्रीय महत्व की एक ‘‘अहम एवं आवश्यक’’ परियोजना है।
from Jansattaराष्ट्रीय – Jansatta https://ift.tt/2Sy3r6i
सुशील मोदी ने लिखा कि लालू प्रसाद रांची में राजकीय अतिथिशाला जैसी जेल में रहते हुए भी ट्विटर और मोबाइल फोन के जरिये सक्रिय थे, लेकिन पिछले विधानसभा चुनाव में राजद की सीटें कम ही हुईं।
from Jansattaराष्ट्रीय – Jansatta https://ift.tt/3wZRVzH
बच्चों के स्वास्थ्य पर चिंता जताते हुए कहा, "भारत मोटापे और डायबिटीज का ग्लोबल हब बनता जा रहा है, जो निश्चित रूप से गंभीर चिंता का विषय है। खासकर बच्चों में मोटापे की समस्या बढ़ती जा रही है।"
from Jansattaराष्ट्रीय – Jansatta https://ift.tt/3jr1lR0
भारतीय किसान यूनियन के नेता राकेश टिकैत ने कहा, "यशवंत जी के पास वे सारे गुण है, जिससे सरकार से अपनी मांगे मनवाई जा सकें। उनसे हम लोग ये गुण सीख रहे हैं।"
from Jansattaराष्ट्रीय – Jansatta https://ift.tt/3hbpkRi
7th Pay Commission: केंद्र सरकार ने केंद्रिय कर्मचारियों के महंगाई भत्ते में लगी रोक को हटाने का फैसला ले लिया है। जिसके बाद से केंद्रीय कर्मियों को सितंबर के महीने से बढ़ी हुई सैलरी मिलनी शरू हो जाएगी। वहीं दूसरी ओर महंगाई राहत पर से भी रोक हटा दी गई है।
from Jansattaराष्ट्रीय – Jansatta https://ift.tt/3x4MNuj
उन्होंने साफ किया कि "हमारे रास्ते अलग अलग हैं, लेकिन ठाकरे परिवार और नरेंद्र मोदी के बीच अभी भी अच्छे रिश्ते हैं। राजनीति अलग बात है, परन्तु व्यक्तिगत संबंध मजबूत हैं।"
from Jansattaराष्ट्रीय – Jansatta https://ift.tt/3jpYJmf
आप सांसद संजय सिंह ने ट्वीट कर कहा कि अगर पंजाब में AAP की सरकार बनती है तो सबसे पहले 300 यूनिट बिजली फ्री किया जाएगा। पार्टी के इस ऐलान पर कुमार विश्वास ने तंज़ कसते हुए यमुना नदी में प्रदुषण का ज़िक्र किया है।
from Jansattaराष्ट्रीय – Jansatta https://ift.tt/3qxzUX3
इस समस्या को हल करने के लिए, क्रिप्टोकुरेंसी एक्सचेंज और वॉलेट सेर्विसेज ने मालिक की मृत्यु के मामले में सिक्कों तक पहुंचने में सहायता के लिए सर्विस शुरू की है।
from Jansattaराष्ट्रीय – Jansatta https://ift.tt/2UEl6tJ
मुकेश अंबानी टेलीकॉम और रीटेल में अपनी पकड़ मजबूत करने के बाद अब पेट्रोकेमिकल के क्षेत्र में भी तेजी से अपना व्यापार बढ़ा रहे हैं। इसके लिए कंपनी ने यूएई की सरकारी कंपनी अबू धाबी नेशनल ऑयल कंपनी के साथ हाथ मिलाया है।
from Jansattaराष्ट्रीय – Jansatta https://ift.tt/3A7XVZ3
राज्य सरकार, मुख्यमंत्री और कानून मंत्री के जवाबी हलफनामे लेने से इनकार करने वाले उच्च न्यायालय के नौ जून के आदेश को उच्चतम न्यायालय ने रद्द कर दिया था।
from Jansattaराष्ट्रीय – Jansatta https://ift.tt/2UTkOzz
बीते एक महीने में सोना 50 हजार रुपए के करीब पहुंचकर 2600 रुपए तक नीचे आ चुका है। जिसके और गिरने की संभावना बनी हुई है। वहीं दूसरी ओर चांदी की कीमत में भी काफी गिरावट बनी हुई है। जानकारों का कहना है कि गोल्ड में निवेश करने का यही सही समय है। आने वाले दिनों में सोने में अच्छा रिटर्न देखने को मिल सकता है।
from Jansattaराष्ट्रीय – Jansatta https://ift.tt/3jt4LT4
कमेटी के सदस्य रहे निसार अहमद ने कहा कि चुनाव परिणाम आने के बाद हुई हिंसा पूरी तरह से पूर्वनियोजित थी। हिंसा करने वालों ने इसकी योजना पहले ही बना ली थी कि किस व्यक्ति के ऊपर कितना हमला किया जाएगा।
from Jansattaराष्ट्रीय – Jansatta https://ift.tt/3y3w7TR
सीआईसी के आंकड़ों के मुताबिक ग्रामीण और अर्ध-शहरी क्षेत्रों में 18-33 वर्ष की आयु के 40 करोड़ लोगों के बीच कर्ज बाजार की वृद्धि की संभावनाएं हैं और इस खंड में ऋण का प्रसार सिर्फ आठ प्रतिशत है।
from Jansattaराष्ट्रीय – Jansatta https://ift.tt/3hcculM
नोएडा के सदरपुर गांव में करीब 300 लोग रहते है जो मुख्य रूप से दलित समुदाय से संबंध रखते हैं और दैनिक मजदूरी करते हैं। व्यापक स्तर पर चल रहे टीकाकरण अभियान के बावजूद इस गांव में अभी तक किसी भी व्यक्ति को कोरोना का टीका नहीं लग पाया है।
from Jansattaराष्ट्रीय – Jansatta https://ift.tt/3AkFkcy
नई सैटलाइट तस्वीरों में साफ देखा जा सकता है कि साउथ पैंगोंग में भारत और चीन की सेनाओं के बीच की दूरी मात्र 150 मीटर रह गई थी। इससे दोनों देशों के बीच तनाव की स्थिति का अंदाजा लगाया जा सकता है।
from Jansattaराष्ट्रीय – Jansatta https://ift.tt/3y95mh1
प्रस्ताव की घोषणा सीएम ने 26 जून को की थी और दस दिन में निजी क्षेत्र से कार्ययोजना बनाकर देने को कहा था कि वे किस तरह से गांवों में अस्पताल बनाएंगे। कोरोना को देखते हुए सरकार गांवों में अस्पताल निर्माण और स्वास्थ्य व्यवस्था मजबूत करने के लिए इस पर तेजी से काम करने की जरूरत बताई थी।
from Jansattaराष्ट्रीय – Jansatta https://ift.tt/3xYuk2m
इस साल भी बिहार में बाढ़ का खतरा मंडरा रहा है। पिछले कई दिनों से लगातार हो रही बारिश से नदियां उफान पर हैं। तेज बारिश के चलते राजधानी पटना की अधिकांश सड़कें जलमग्न है।
from Jansattaराष्ट्रीय – Jansatta https://ift.tt/3h3ObYp
बीएसबीडी खातों के लिए सेवा शुल्क में संशोधन के अनुसार, भारतीय स्टेट बैंक (एसबीआई) 1 जुलाई, 2021 से "एडिशनल वैल्यू एडेड सर्विसेज" के लिए 15 रुपए से 75 रुपये तक का शुल्क लेगा।
from Jansattaराष्ट्रीय – Jansatta https://ift.tt/3y5RK5U
पंजाब सरकार ने घोषणा की थी कि वह छठे वेतन आयोग की अधिकतर अनुशंसाओं को एक जनवरी 2016 से लागू करेगी, जिसका लाभ पांच लाख से अधिक सेवारत एवं सेवानिवृत्त कर्मचारियों को होगा। बहरहाल, सरकारी कर्मचारियों के कई संगठन अनुशंसाओं का विरोध कर रहे हैं। वे बढ़े हुए वेतन की गणना के फॉर्मूले पर आपत्ति जता रहे हैं।
from Jansattaराष्ट्रीय – Jansatta https://ift.tt/3hfXQKf
Quentin Tarantino’s first novel is, to borrow a phrase from his oeuvre, a tasty beverage.
It’s his novelisation of his own 2019 film Once Upon a Time ... in Hollywood (the book’s title omits the ellipsis). It’s been issued in the format of a 1970s-era mass-market paperback, the sort of book you used to find spinning in a drugstore rack.
It’s got a retro-tacky tagline: “Hollywood 1969... You shoulda been there!” If it weren’t so plump, at 400 pages, you could slip it into the back pocket of your flared corduroys.
Tarantino isn’t trying to play here what another novelist/screenwriter, Terry Southern, liked to call the Quality Lit Game. He’s not out to impress us with the intricacy of his sentences or the nuance of his psychological insights.
He’s here to tell a story, in take-it-or-leave-it Elmore Leonard fashion, and to make room along the way to talk about some of the things he cares about — old movies, male camaraderie, revenge and redemption, music and style. He gets it: Pop culture is what America has instead of mythology. He got bitten early by this notion, and he’s stayed bitten.
The novel is loose-jointed. If it were written better, it’d be written worse. It’s a mass-market paperback that reeks of mass-market paperbacks. In my memory, it’s the smell of warm coconut oil and dust mites and puddling Mercurochrome.
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood runs along the same tracks as the film. Some dialogue is similar, just about word for word. But the novel departs from the movie in ways small and large.
The movie’s Grand Guignol ending, for example, which culminates with the ageing actor Rick Dalton (Leonardo DiCaprio) torching a member of the Manson family with a flamethrower, is dispensed with, early in the novel, in a few sentences.
The killings make Rick, whom we discover is bipolar, famous. He hated hippies anyway. Now he becomes “a folkloric hero of Nixon’s ‘silent majority’” and a regular on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson. Yet, from his acting career, he remembers every misstep, every mortification, every slight.
New Manson family scenes are tucked in. Tarantino goes so deep into Manson’s once-promising music career, you may feel you’re reading a back issue of Rolling Stone or Mojo magazine. He considers Charlie’s “ooga-booga” dances.
He adds a long, sinister and cinematic scene in which Pussycat (Margaret Qualley in the film) enters a strange house, removes her clothes, inserts a red light bulb into her mouth so that her lips are “wrapping around the silver metal coil” and climbs toward the bedroom of a sleeping elderly couple.
Once up there, Pussycat screws the red bulb into a lamp, turns it on and leaps screaming into the couple’s bed, scaring them witless. The Mansons referred to these sorts of “benign” outings as “creepy crawling.”
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood is, at heart, Cliff Booth’s novel. Booth (Brad Pitt in the film) is Dalton’s gofer and stunt double. His back story gets filled in. In World War II, we learn, he killed more Japanese than any other American soldier, and earned the Medal of Valor twice.
He’s filled with macho advice, which he casually dispenses. If you want to know what killing a man feels like, without actually killing a man, Booth tells Dalton, grab a pig from behind and stick a knife into its throat. Then hold on tight until it dies. It’s as close as you can legally get.
Yet Booth has a sensitive side. He’s a movie obsessive. A lot of his opinions resemble Tarantino’s own. There’s good writing here about acting, about foreign films, about B movies, about early movie sex scenes and about television action directors.
Booth is a fan of the actor Alan Ladd, for example, because: “When Ladd got mad in a movie, he didn’t act mad. He just got sore, like a real fella. As far as Cliff was concerned, Alan Ladd was the only guy in movies who knew how to comb his hair, wear a hat or smoke a cigarette.”
Some of these opinions sound perhaps too much like Tarantino’s own: “Once Fellini decided life was a circus, Cliff said arrivederci.” There’s a list of Cliff’s favourite Akira Kurosawa films. About the cinematography in the 1967 Swedish film I Am Curious (Yellow): “Cliff wanted to lick the screen.”
We discover how Dalton and Booth became friends. Booth saved him from an on-set fire, telling him: “Rick, you’re standing in a puddle of water. Just fall down.” We learn how Booth got his pit bull, a star of the movie. He was given the dog, a champion fighter, to pay off a debt. Booth tags along on some of the fights.
In the movie, Booth refuses to let the dog eat until he takes the first bite of his own dinner: macaroni and cheese from a box. About that dish, Tarantino writes: “The directions say to add milk and butter, but Cliff thinks if you can afford to add milk and butter you can afford to eat something else.”
Oh, and Booth did kill his wife. In the film, that plot point is left hanging and has been much debated. Tarantino, happily, doesn’t care if you find Cliff to be lovable.
The murder scene is absurdist in its excess, of course. Tarantino rarely lets a killing go to waste. Violence is the wax his skis ride on. He knows how to fill the screen’s rectangle — or a page in a pulp novel.
The couple are on a boat. Tired of being belittled, Booth impulsively shoots his bikini-wearing wife with a spear gun, which essentially tears her in half. He regrets this immediately. He holds the two parts of her together for seven hours while they lovingly recount their whole relationship. When the Coast Guard arrives and tries to move her, she comes apart and dies.
If I longed at that moment for her — her top half, that is — to slowly hoist an enormous handgun and shoot the disbelieving Cliff in his bronze forehead, well, that’s a different novel.
In Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, Tarantino makes telling a page-turning story seem easy, which is the hardest trick of all.
Dwight Garner c.2021 The New York Times Company
from Firstpost Bollywood Latest News https://ift.tt/3dmOsDG
After Sasural Simar Ka, Colors TV is all set to bring back another iconic show very soon. On Sunday, the channel shared the first teaser of the second season of Balika Vadhu.
What is the show about?
The first season of Balika Vadhu, featuring Avika Gor and Avinash Mukherjee in lead roles, was set in rural Rajasthan and revolved around the life of a child bride transitioning from her childhood to womanhood. The show ran from .
The first instalment of Balika Vadhu ran from 2008-2016 and was a huge success. Gor and Mukherjee became household names after playing the roles of Anandi and Jagdish, respectively. After a generation leap in 2010, late Pratyusha Banerjee and Shashank Vyas entered the show as grown-up Anand and Jagdish. Bigg Boss fame Sidharth Shukla was also a part of Balika Vadhu. He played the role of Anandi's second husband Shiv. After playing Anandi for three years, Banerjee quit the show in 2013 and was replaced by Toral Rasputra. Surekha Sikri, Anup Soni, Smita Bansal, Neha Marda among others played important roles in the first season.
As per the promo, the second season of the show will also focus on the practice of child marriages in India.
Balika Vadhu 2 promo features a little girl dressed in Rajasthani attire who is seen walking towards her mother using a wooden walker. While playing with her daughter, the mother says, ‘We will have to find a beautiful prince for our princess’. Later, the girl is shown as a child bride. The voice-over then states that child marriage is still among the biggest social evils and another Anandi has now taken birth to stop it.
While the show is making a comeback on Colors TV, the premiere date is not yet out.
Has the second season gone on floors?
As per reports, the cast and crew of Balika Vadhu 2 started the shoot in Rajasthan last week. The team will soon move to Mumbai. Young actors Vansh Sayani (Baal Veer) and Shreya Patel (Aapki Nazron Ne Samjha) are expected to play the lead pair. While Ketki Dave, Riddhi Nayak Shukla, Anshul Trivedi, Supriya Shukla, Seema Mishra will reportedly be seen playing pivotal roles. However, an official announcement from the makers is still awaited.
from Firstpost Bollywood Latest News https://ift.tt/3y9HLNf
Christina Aguilera has supported fellow pop star Britney Spears following her testimony against the conservatorship she has been under for 13 years.
In a lengthy Twitter thread, Aguilera called the conservatorship "unacceptable" and said her former Mickey Mouse Club co-star deserves "freedom".
“These past few days I’ve been thinking about Britney and everything she is going through. It is unacceptable that any woman, or human, wanting to be in control of their own destiny might not be allowed to live as they wish," the Beautiful singer wrote.
Aguilera's remarks came days after Spears told a judge at a dramatic hearing that she wants an end to the conservatorship.
She called the conservatorship, which was put in place as she underwent a mental health crisis in 2008, "abusive".
The singer condemned her father Jamie Spears, accusing him of controlling her "100,000 percent" and also claimed that she has been denied the right to have more children, and put on the psychiatric drug lithium against her wishes.
Aguilera said no woman can be denied the right to live as per their choice and what Spears has went through shouldn't be taken "lightly".
"To be silenced, ignored, bullied or denied support by those ''close'' to you is the most depleting, devastating and demeaning thing imaginable. The harmful mental and emotional damage this can take on a human spirit is nothing to be taken lightly.
"Every woman must have the right to her own body, her own reproductive system, her own privacy, her own space, her own healing and her own happiness."
The 40-year-old singer concluded her post with a call for "true love and support" for Spears.
"To a woman who has worked under conditions and pressure unimaginable to most, I promise you she deserves all of the freedom possible to live her happiest life. My heart goes out to Britney. She deserves all the TRUE love and support in the world."
from Firstpost Bollywood Latest News https://ift.tt/3yhURbl
Filmmaker Karan Johar on Tuesday announced that his next production venture is based on the life of lawyer C Sankaran Nair, the former President of the Indian National Congress and member of the Viceroy’s Executive Council.
The film is inspired from real life events and adapted from the book The Case That Shook the Empire, written by Raghu Palat, (great-grandson of Sankaran Nair) and his wife Pushpa Palat.
The movie, to be directed by Karan Singh Tyagi, will unravel the legendary courtroom battle that Sankaran Nair fought against the British Raj to uncover the truth about the Jallianwala Bagh massacre.
Johar, 49, who shared the details about the film on Twitter, said he was honoured to share Nair's story with the world.
Here is the update
Extremely excited and honoured to be bringing the untold story of C. Sankaran Nair, a historic man to the big screens. Directed by @karanstyagi. pic.twitter.com/klJgD1FNZp
Johar's Dharma Productions will be presenting the movie along with Still & Still Media Collective.
The makers are yet to announce the cast of the movie.
Besides this film, Johar is also producing movies Sooryavanshi, Brahmastra, Dostana 2, Meenakshi Sundareshwar as well as Madhuri Dixit-starrer web series Finding Anamika and season two of Fabulous Lives of Bollywood Wives.
(With inputs from Press Trust of India)
from Firstpost Bollywood Latest News https://ift.tt/3dpXq2W
This week, Marvel has released the trailer of Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, starring Chinese-Canadian actor Liu as the martial arts superhero. The trailer of the second instalment of Ted Lasso was also dropped earlier last week.
Check out all the trailers here
Fear Street Part 1: 1994
Netflix has unveiled the trailer of the first chapter of Fear Street for its slasher horror trilogy, an adaptation of the R.L. Stine book series of the same name. Split into three parts to debut each on a Friday night starting this week, Fear Street will explore the terrors that torment a small town for centuries.
The official synopsis reads, "In 1994, a group of teenagers discovers that the terrifying events that have haunted their town for generations may all be connected — and that they may be the next targets."
Fear Street Part 1: 1994 will debut on 2 July on Netflix.
Ted Lasso Season 2
AppleTV unveiled the trailer of the second season of Jason Sudeikis-starrer Ted Lasso. In the second instalment, Coach Lasso is back with his team, AFC Richmond, that will face the wrath of 'Led Tasso' this time. Last season ended with AFC Richmond being demoted to a lower league. Hence, to make the team perform better, Lasso stops playing good cop and decides to show his bad cop techniques.
The first episode of season 2 will premiere on 23 July, and subsequent episodes will be released weekly.
The Harder They Fall
Netflix has released the first trailer of The Harder They Fall, a new Western action flick starring Jonathan Majors, Idris Elba, Regina King, Zazie Beetz, Lakeith Stanfield, and Delroy Lindo. Directed by Jeymes Samuel, who co-wrote the script with Boaz Yakin, the film sees Majors plays Nat Love, an outlaw whose sworn enemy Rufus Buck (Elba) has just been broken out of jail. Vowing revenge, Love and his gang plan to hunt Rufus across the Wild West.
Jay-Z serves as a producer alongside James Lassiter, Lawrence Bender and Samuel. The movie is slated to release later this year, Netflix announced.
Shang Chi And The Legend Of The Ten Rings
The trailer of Marvel's Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings was released earlier this week. The film marks Marvel's first project with an Asian lead, starring Chinese-Canadian actor Liu as the martial arts superhero.
The clip sees Shang-Chi coming face-to-face with the Ten Rings organisation, led by the mysterious warlord Wenwu, known as the Mandarin (played by Hong Kong actor Tony Leung). The film also stars Awkwafina as Shang-Chi’s friend Katy and Michelle Yeoh as Jiang Nan, as well as Fala Chen, Meng’er Zhang, Florian Munteanu and Ronny Chieng.
Foundation
Jared Harris and Lee Pace-starrer Apple TV Plus show Foundation will premiere on 24 September, the streaming platform has announced. Also starring Indian actors Kubbra Sait of Sacred Games fame and Pravessh Rana, the trailer of the sci-fi drama series was unveiled by the makers on Monday.
Based on Isaac Asimov's book series of the same name, Foundation revolves around the epic saga of The Foundation, a band of exiles who discover that the only way to save the Galactic Empire from destruction is to defy it.
Harris will be seen as Hari Seldon, a math genius who predicts the demise of the empire, while Pace will portray the role of Brother Day, the current Emperor of the Galaxy. Sait, who plays the role of Phara, a Seldon supporter, in the series.
Schmigadoon
Keegan Michael Key and Cecily Strong play a couple who accidentally find themselves trapped in a musical until they find true love. This six-episode series has an all-star cast including Kristin Chenoweth, Alan Cummings, Fred Armisen, Jane Krakowski, and Martin Short.
Schmigadoon releases on AppleTV+ on 16 July, with new episodes every Friday.
Collar Bomb
Written by Nikhil Nair and directed by Dnyanesh Zoting, Collar Bomb sees Jimmy Shergill take the centrestage as cop Manoj Hesi who is unwittingly forced to follow the commands of a suicide bomber who threatens to blow up a school.
Collar Bomb will release on 9 July on Disney+Hotstar.
from Firstpost Bollywood Latest News https://ift.tt/3A6Xqyp
Filmmaker Hansal Mehta on Monday began shooting for his upcoming action-thriller backed by filmmaker Anubhav Sinha and producer Bhushan Kumar.
Mehta, who last helmed the acclaimed series Scam 1992- The Harshad Mehta Story, will be directing the yet-to-be-titled film that is said to be "based on a true incident."
The director took to Instagram and posted a picture from the film's set, writing, "day one."
According to a source close to the project, the film is being shot with all the COVID-19 safety precautions in place and will star two new actors.
"The film has been in pre-production mode for some time now. Everything has been planned keeping in mind the ongoing situation, all the safety measures will be in place during the shoot.
"The two fresh faces have been handpicked and groomed by Anubhav and Hansal after months of gruelling sessions," the source said.
The film is jointly produced by Benaras Mediaworks, T-Series along with Mahana Films.
(With inputs from Press Trust of India)
from Firstpost Bollywood Latest News https://ift.tt/3dqdHET
Actor Vanessa Kirby has been tapped to play a pivotal role in The Son, filmmaker Florian Zeller's follow up to his feature directorial debut The Father.
According to Variety, the movie also features Hollywood stars, Hugh Jackman and Laura Dern.
Like The Father, The Son has been adapted by Zeller and Christopher Hampton, from Zeller’s critically-acclaimed stage play. The duo recently won the best-adapted screenplay Oscar.
The Son centres on Peter (Jackman) as his busy life with his new partner Emma (Kirby) and their baby is thrown into disarray when his ex-wife Kate (Dern) turns up with their teenage son, Nicholas.
"The young man is is troubled, distant and angry, playing truant from school for months. Peter strives to be a better father, searching to help his son with those intimate and instinctive moments of family happiness. But the weight of Nicholas’ condition sets the family on a dangerous course," the plotline reads.
Iain Canning and Emile Sherman are producing the movie along with Joanna Laurie of See-Saw Films and Christophe Spadone.
Zeller is also producing.
Shooting will start in the coming weeks.
from Firstpost Bollywood Latest News https://ift.tt/3y4Ueli
The Regional Passport Office (RPO) here told the Bombay High Court on Monday it will "expeditiously" decide on renewing Kangana Ranaut's passport once the actor made requisite corrections in her application for the key travel document.
Additional Solicitor General (ASG) Anil Singh, who appeared for the RPO, told a bench of Justices SS Shinde and Revati Mohite-Dere that the application that Ranaut had submitted with the passport office in Mumbai, had factual inconsistencies. He said that for instance, her application said that she had criminal cases pending against her. However, only an FIR had been registered against her and criminal proceedings in the said case were yet to begin, Singh said.
Singh told the HC that if Ranaut's counsel, advocate Rizwan Siddiquee, clarified the same before the court, and if the actor made the necessary corrections in her application, the passport office would consider her plea and take an expeditious decision as per the procedure. The bench accepted Singh's statement.
"The learned ASG on instructions submits that application does not mention the correct facts, inasmuch as, it is stated in the said application that criminal cases are pending against the petitioner (Ranaut), when in fact only FIRs are registered against the petitioner," the HC observed. "He (Singh) submits that in case the learned counsel appearing for the petitioner is ready to make a statement that no criminal case is pending against the petitioner and make appropriate corrections in the pending application before the Respondent Passport Authority, the said Authority is ready to consider the application for renewal of passport, in accordance with the Passport Act/rules/ procedure, expeditiously," the HC said in its order.
Advocate Siddiquee then clarified that no criminal proceedings were pending against Ranaut. He also agreed to make the necessary corrections in Ranaut's application.
Ranaut had filed an interim application in the HC earlier this month, saying she needed to travel to Budapest (Hungary) this month for the shooting of her upcoming film ''Dhakkad'' and thus, needed her passport renewed. The actor said in her plea that the renewal had been denied by the passport office on the ground that she and her sister Rangoli Chandel had an FIR registered against them by the suburban Bandra police last year on charges of sedition and for alleged hateful tweets. She said in her plea that the RPO had raised an objection to renew or reissue her passport because of the said FIR.
On the previous hearing last week, advocate Siddiquee had said the shooting of the film had been scheduled already and its producers were losing money due to the delay in the shoot because of the actor's inability to travel to Budapest. On Monday, the bench of Justices Shinde and Mohite-Dere accepted the statements made by ASG Singh and advocate Siddiquee, and accordingly disposed of Ranaut''s interim application. "In the light of the statement made by Mr Siddiquee, learned counsel appearing for the petitioner, Mr Anil Singh, learned ASG, submits that the application filed by the petitioner for renewal of passport will be decided as expeditiously as possible, in accordance with relevant provisions of the Passport Act/rules/procedures," the bench said.
from Firstpost Bollywood Latest News https://ift.tt/2UaNUK4
There are many accolades one associates with American rock outfit Linkin Park. Apart from being among the best-selling bands of the 21stcentury, this six-time Grammy-winning band is credited with having sold over 100 million records around the world.
Still, the statistics pale in comparison with the band’s legacy in our consciousness: For children of the '90s, Linkin Park was an outlet for angst, frustration, heartbreak. The band was a willing conduit of one’s coming of age. Its range of themes, bending of genres, powerful riffs, and intense vocal interplay, gave a voice to generation after generation of young adults. And as its audience grew, so did Linkin Park’s music.
Straddling the rebellious and the reflective since a quarter of a century, the band has provided a robust soundtrack in our lives, often giving us an opportunity to scream out what pains us.
Twenty-five-years ago, Linkin Park was formed by three high school friends from Los Anegles — Mike Shinoda, Brad Delson, and Rob Bourdon, before Chester Bennington joined them on lead vocals duty. Legend has it that Warner Bros’ A&R executive was not too excited about the band’s rock-meets-hiphop identity, instead asking them to focus on being more pure rock. If that was not enough, there were prompts from the label to side-line Shinoda’s rapping predilection so that Bennington to helm a more rock-sounding record.
Destiny, of course, had other plans. Unflinchingly committed to their concept for the album, the band held its ground and its members, to record what went on to be one of their most historic records:Hybrid Theory.
Amplified power chords, a guttural bassline, and frenetic rapping set the tone for the most heartfelt of lyrics to be screamed out throughout the album.Hybrid Theory’s overwhelming success spawned a generation of musicians who were inspired by the same nu metal sound, and generations of fans who took to the unabashed back and forth between Bennington’s rock vocals and Shinoda’s rap style. If the vocal chemistry between them defined the band’s sonic palette, then the rest of the instrumentalists’ role bolstered Linkin Park’s identity in ways that impacted us listeners rather subliminally.
Over two decades have passed, yet even today the opening piano riffs of 'In the End' — Linkin Park’s most successful and recognisable song — serves as a clarion call for frenzied head-banging, even as fans sing along to every single word of the chorus. Bennington sounds hurt, angry even, as he oscillates between painful realisation and outright screaming; only to be ably punctuated by Shinoda’s energetic rapping. And the piano riff has over the years evokes a Pavlovian response from fans who only need to hear the chords before taking over vocal responsibilities.
If the riffs were instantly recognisable, so were the guitar-playing formulae. Opening with simple chords before the powerful guitars kick in — almost prepping the fans to start jumping along to the riffs. Accustomed to the drop C# or D tuning that as was typical of nu metal bands of the time, Linkin Park’s songs did not hesitate from lyrically and melodically going to deeper, darker spaces. The band presented vulnerability as an accepted state of mind and being, giving vent to so many college-goers who found validation through their music.
'Numb,' from their second albumMeteora,is one of their most famous songs, and fittingly acquires cult status because of how instantly relatable it is to young adults; a crushing plea to parents about their overvaulting expectations. With lines like “I'm tired of being what you want me to be/ Feeling so faithless, lost under the surface / Don't know what you're expecting of me / Put under the pressure of walking in your shoes," the song is a cry for help and acceptance from parents that resonates with youngsters across generations. No wonder then that two decades on, the song remains firmly in the consciousness of the latest generation of college-goers the world over.
Despite making their debut at the time of nu metal oversaturation, Linkin Park has successfully managed to silence their critics by taking their sound in newer directions. The band was not afraid to go against the very formula that heralded them into superstardom. Traversing rock, metal, rap, hip-hop, industrial, and electronica, the band frequently played with their sound as if one were manipulating an equalizer. In the albumMinutes to Midnight, for instance, Shinoda sings lead on three songs, whereas their concept albumA Thousand Sunstook a decidedly electronica turn. Bennington once describedWhat I’ve DonefromMinutes to Midnightas being a fitting goodbye to the Linkin Park sound of the past as the band moved towards rawer drums and guitar tones, and trimmed down vocals. The song opens with the lyrics: “In this farewell / There's no blood, there's no alibi…”
Yet the one farewell that the band struggled with was Bennington’s, who died by suicide two months after the death of his dear friend and Soundgarden frontman Chris Cornell in July 2017. His death cast uncertainty over the band’s future with Shinoda admitting that the feeling of replacing Bennington, would not sit well with him. His passing has certainly altered the balance within the band, and left a gaping hole in the creative processes of the band members. But as is the case with many rock bands that lose their frontmen, the remaining members do experience an uneasy sense of moving on without seeming to move on too much.
Earlier this year, Linkin Park released a remix of 'One Step Closer,' revealing that there would be more remixes to come, drawing inspiration from their 2002 remix albumReanimation. It appears that Linkin Park is taking slow steps to rebuild themselves. One cannot help but be drawn back to their song 'Waiting for the End'from 2002’sA Thousand Suns: “What was left when the fire was gone / I thought it felt right but the right was wrong / all caught up in the eye of the storm / I'm trying to figure out what it's like moving on.”
We can only hope that the band finds the same strength, inspiration, and expression that they have provided generations of youngsters, in their process of resurrection.
from Firstpost Bollywood Latest News https://ift.tt/3jppV4o
