Actor Simone Ashley, who is known for her role in period drama 'Bridgerton' is all set to receive this year's International Golden Nymph for Most Promising Talent award from the Monte-Carlo Television Festival, according to The Hollywood Reporter. She will be presented with the award at the festival's opening ceremony on June 14. The Monte-Carlo Television Festival takes place in June in the Principality of Monaco at the Grimaldi Forum, under the Honorary Presidency of H.S.H. Prince Albert II of Monaco. Ashley has enjoyed a stratospheric ascent in recent years, thanks to her breakout performance in the renowned British adolescent drama Sex Education. The actress has been in several high-profile Hollywood films, including a crucial supporting role in Disney's recent live-action adaptation of The Little Mermaid and a main role in Amazon MGM Studios' forthcoming film Picture This. Ashley will resume her role as Kate Sharma in Bridgerton's highly anticipated third season, which premieres in May. "We are extremely proud to have created a special award at our Festival to highlight a new talent on the international stage," Cecile Menoni, executive director of the Monte-Carlo Television Festival, said in a statement. "Simone shot to global fame in Shonda Rhimes' hit show Bridgerton on Netflix and her exceptional screen presence makes her a very worthy winner." Previous winners of the International Golden Nymph for Most Promising Talent award include Argentine actress Julia de Nunez and French actor Theo Christine, as per The Hollywood Reporter. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
26 April,2024 09:36 PM IST | Mumbai | ANIActress Zendaya and Tom Holland have reportedly been discussing marriage, according to a source. "There has been talk of marriage, and that is a reality," a source told people.com. The two met while filming their trilogy of Spider-Man movies together. Since then, they've kept their off-camera romance private. "They are not the kind of stars who put their lives out there on social media for the most part," explained the source. "Both are private," said the source, who added that the attention on them while in the public eye "has never been easy or comfortable for either of them." Zendaya's film 'Challengers' is set to release, and Holland, who stars in 'Romeo and Juliet' on London's West End in May. "Work is important to both, and that keeps them busy now," added the source. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
26 April,2024 09:10 PM IST | Mumbai | IANSFilm: Late night with the devil Cast: David Dastmalchian, Ian Bliss, Laura Gordon, Fayssal Bazzi, Josh Quong Tart, Ingrid Torelli, Georgina Haig, Christopher KirbyDirector: Cameron Cairnes, Colin CairnesRating: 2.5/5Runtime: 92 min. Set in 1977, the movie envisions a commercial broadcast network emerging as a competitor to the reigning king of late night talk shows in the '70s, Johnny Carson. The rival, Jack Delroy (David Dastmalchian), who has climbed the rung to National level from a lowly local Chicago talk show, is doing his best to get his ratings sky-high. But even after 6 seasons he hasn’t been able to overtake Carson. A quarterly event wherein the ratings company decides on what a network can charge for airtime becomes an opportunity for all networks to get as outrageous as they can so that they can increase their ratings. Jack and producer Leo (Josh Quong Tart), have been doing supernaturally-themed Halloween broadcasts with a costume contest but “Night Owl,” took a pause following Jack’s wife Madeleine’s tragic death from cancer. Because of the break, ratings opposite Carson nose-dived, leading to the special where they decide to go for broke by inviting a psychic/mentalist Christou (Fayssal Bazzi), a conjurer/sceptic Carmichael (Ian Bliss), bestselling parapsychologist Dr. June Ross-Mitchell (Laura Gordon) and her ward Lilly (Ingrid Torelli), the only survivor of a satanic cult's mass suicide during a standoff with police. An intriguing mix of guests who believe in their own versions of the paranormal and supernatural. Things just go haywire from thereon. Wild, weird and gory, the shenanigans on TV has to be seen to be believed. One of the guests even vomited some kind of black goo and another had worms coming out of every part of his body. But the in-house audience just stays put raising questions about the premise that this is a found-footage set-up. It just gets bizarre and incredulous as the runtime escalates. The narrative in no way feels like a found-footage movie. All attempts to segregate found footage stuff from current storytelling frames by the discretionary use of B&W and color, may help in delineation but it doesn’t get us involved in any way. Everything seems to fall into place like the directors ordered so there’s hardly any room for suspense or surprises. The shaky camera work and occasional technical glitches lend authenticity to the shenanigans happening on the set though. The movie is set over the course of a single episode, which went live on Halloween night, 1977. The prologue itself is a dead giveaway as to what will transpire in the next 81 min. The experience would have been much more involving if that prologue just wasn’t there and the audience was left to wonder what would transpire next. As a result there’s no real sense of mystery throughout. The broadcast with people talking to Jack on the air about what happened in the years leading up to the disaster, is fairly interesting. The found footage comes mainly from the studio TV cameras used to videotape the show. The footage in B&W looks scarred enough to look authentic. Also, production design, costume, make-up and house-band music give us a general understanding of that period. This one is a richly imagined original idea though. The Australian director duo may not have been able to pull it off convincingly but there’s no doubting the fullness of the craft. The strange and disturbing world of a para-normal disaster being telecast looks fairly good. From its opening moments, we see documentary-like footage with well-crafted vintage aesthetics, grainy visual style, and wood-paneled sets. The Cairnes brothers, who both write and direct, skillfully capture the essence of low-budget 70s television. Cinematographer Matthew Temple’s lighting fits in with the 70’s grimy look, the costumes by Stephanie Hooke fit the period quite well and the production design by Otello Stolfo gets the 70’s TV ambience right. For purists, the fact that writing-directing team of Cameron and Colin Cairnes admitted to using “AI” “art” in their production design, may come as a downer. Dastmalchian as Jack, manages to work in some empathy when looking vulnerable for a brief while. But his jokes and banter in his previous hosting job come across as tedious. He certainly doesn’t appear to have either the personality or the suavity to make his self delusions pay the way Carson does. So by no means is he believable as Carson’s closest competitor. Cameron and Colin Cairnes create an intriguing horror story of the supernatural. Setting it on Halloween night, on a late night TV show back in the 70s, and getting the Devil to show up is inspired creativity. It’s not exactly scary but it goes all out on the tropes and the practical effects are pretty good. This may not be an out and out horror movie but it does manage to get you to take a step back when the goo gets flying!
26 April,2024 12:17 PM IST | Mumbai | Johnson ThomasFilm: AbigailCast: Alisha Weir, Melissa Barrera, Dan Stevens, Angus Cloud, Kathryn Newton, William Catlett, Kevin Durand, Giancarlo EspositoDirector: Matt Bettinelli-Olpin, Tyler GillettRating: 3/5Runtime: 109 min. The film opens quite alluringly - with a little girl practicing her ballet routine in a theatre and then settling down to go back home. Parallel to that we see a group of 6 assembled criminal experts, unknown to each other, prepping themselves for the assignment of kidnapping the little ballerina for a heavy ransom. We may guess that she could be the daughter of a multi-millionaire and so do they criminals. But they’ve been given their orders and the booty is just enough to shut out their curiosity regarding the victim. The deed is done and the group just about make it out of the girl's home, taking her to the appointed place several miles away. The premise is unsophisticated, cliched, but what happens thereafter makes it interesting. It’s supposed to be a 24-hour job and each is looking at $7 million as pay-off. The lure is strong enough for them to stay captive in a mansion that literally turns on them. In the first two hours itself they find out that she is the daughter of a badass who goes by the name of Kristoff Lazaar. Urban Legends have him as an omnipotent power who can accomplish even the impossible. But Lazaar is not the only problem they are facing… This film is a blast. The plot may not have a complex bent but the bare-bones story is enough for the team to work up a flood of blood and gore - the kind that we’ve rarely seen before. This team has made ‘Ready Or Not’ and two ‘Scream’ movies before this and has proved themselves as genre efficient. The characters, though they are not supposed to identify each other and are given Rat-pack names, play a guessing game and their backstories are inadvertently revealed. Then comes the action and once that starts there’s just no letting up. The blood starts flowing with absolute gusto! The comedy lands even in the midst of all that red slush, blood sucking and decapitated bodies galore. The action/gore sequences are exactly what the horror fan would have ordered. And there’s no evading that spill… Melissa Barrera, shines as the main protagonist whose story draws you in and allows you to empathise with her plight. Dan Stevens as the unpredictable foul-mouthed former cop does well to lend an edge to the proceedings, Kathryn Newton as the gum-chewing computer nerd brings on the laughs even when she is battling the biggest horrors. Giancarlo Esposito and the late Angus Cloud also do well in smaller roles. Ultimately it’s Alisha Weir as Abigail who steals the show with her vulnerability and vampiric power. She is so believable that she makes the entire experience a totally fun one! The sfx, blood, guts and gore hit you in the face post-interval. And it’s just not something any of the characters can run away from. The narrative managed to stay supple, engaging, fun and camp with the scare factor coming in at a lower but mandatory score. The Radio Silence collective, and directors Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett, have together created a most entertaining watch even when it descends into kitsch soaked in gore!
26 April,2024 12:10 PM IST | Mumbai | Johnson ThomasFilm: Ghostbusters : Frozen EmpireCast: Paul Rudd, Carrie Coon, Finn Wolfhard, James Acaster, Dan Aykroyd, McKenna Grace, Bill Murray, Annie Potts, Patton Oswalt, Kumail NanjianiDirector: Gil KenanRating: 2.5/5Runtime: 115 min. ‘Afterlife’ though a downer on many counts, may have given a new lease to the franchise, and this one ‘Frozen Empire’ is better in almost all aspects. Even so, it leaves you cold because of its overwhelming blandness. There’s really no attachment or excitement to be had here. The film is decently put-together, has good effects, some comedic moments and graphic-novel suited action set pieces. It’s a generic family action movie with the original cast lending weight to the proceedings. Nadeem (Kumail Nanjani) sells off his late grandmother's heirlooms to Ray (Dan Aykroyd) who has his youtube channel and runs a shop of antiques. Unknown to both of them is that one of the artefacts, an orb, contains a tyrannical spectre that had almost destroyed the Earth and promises to do so again. So Ghostbusters both new and old must join forces to protect their home and save the world from a second ice age. Director Gil Kenan who took over directing duties from Jason Reitman film, does a fairly acceptable job of balancing the old and the new. The dialogue is breezier and the story goes off into a different direction altogether. Kenan and Reitman have co-written the script but the laughs are short on coming and it’s left to the agile and mobile actors to lift up your spirits. Which Paul Rudd and Patton Oswalt do very well. The other stars of the 1984 original return too. Bill Murray has an all-too-brief appearance, Dan Aykroyd as Stantz has the meatier role and Ernie Hudson as Zeddemore shows up as the owner of a high-tech paranormal investigation lab. Annie Potts also comes back as Janine. They in fact have to give more screen-time to the descendants of Spengler: Carrie Coon’s Callie, her science-whiz daughter, Phoebe (Mckenna Grace), and her perpetually annoyed son, Trevor (Finn Wolfhard). The plot is random, the storyline is wafer thin and the performances though likeable, don’t hit any memorable notes. They could have done so much more with this movie. This fan service is far more organised when compared to ‘Afterlife,’ but its also lightweight. Frozen Empire feels more like a horror movie (with ghosts but minus the gore or the scares) than a comedy. With way too many characters and lots of confusion in the telling, it feels scatterbrained and unbalanced. Returning characters don’t have much to do and the newer ones also get left by the wayside. The opening car chase scene is quite interesting but after that there’s so much mumbo-jumbo being passed off as science that it all begins to go over your head. Gil Kenan’s direction is steady. He manages to raise some atmospheric effects and minimal suspense. The mythology of an ancient, evil monster, who is accidentally freed from the metal orb in which it had been imprisoned is effective because the visual effects make the paranormal being look fearsome. While the threat of a permanent ice age in which decades of captured ghosts would burst free and wreak havoc upon Manhattan feels way too flaky to pass muster. Kumail Nanjiani’s character might be pivotal to the story but his comedy does not come through as laughable. The plot gets a little too convoluted trying to fit in numerous cameos of people who don’t have much to do here other than lend their face and name. ‘Frozen Empire’ fails to get the audience going even though it’s a step closer to the original than ‘Afterlife.’
26 April,2024 10:56 AM IST | Mumbai | Johnson ThomasRapper Eminem, who recently appeared at the NFL Draft, has announced that his twelfth studio album, 'The Death of Slim Shady (Coup de Grace)', will be released this summer. A trailer for the album features a true crime reporter discussing the demise of Eminem's alter ego, Slim Shady. "Through his complex and oft-criticised, tongue-twisting rhymes, the anti-hero known as Slim Shady has had no shortage of enemies," he said. Eminem’s longtime associate 50 Cent also makes a cameo, reports variety.com. "He's not a friend, he's a psychopath," he says. The reporter in the video continued, "The same rude lyrics and controversial antics may have ultimately led to his demise. Join me as we recreate the events that led to the murder of Slim Shady." Eminem himself makes an appearance and stated: "I knew it was only a matter of time for Slim." The rapper surprise-released his previous album, "Music to Be Murdered By," in January 2020, which quickly soared to the top spot on the Billboard 200 and spawned the hit single 'Godzilla' featuring Juice Wrld. Slim Shady has long served as an alter ego for Eminem, dating back to 1997’s 'Slim Shady EP' and 'The Slim Shady LP', which arrived two years later. The character has often been one he's assumed to deliver his more aggressive and violent lyrics, which have marked him as a controversial rapper since the beginning of his career. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
26 April,2024 07:14 AM IST | Mumbai | IANSIn the ever-glamorous world of 'Bridgerton,' where opulent fashion reigns supreme, one of its stars, Nicola Coughlan, has confidently responded to critics questioning her recent outfit choice. The Irish actor, known for her portrayal of Penelope Featherington, didn't let naysayers dampen her spirits as she elegantly brushed off the criticism. As per E! News, during a promotional stint in Australia alongside her 'Bridgerton' co-star Luke Newton, Coughlan sported a striking black Ganni ensemble, featuring a silk bra paired with a matching skirt and blazer set. However, some observers took to social media to question her attire, prompting a response from the 37-year-old actor herself. In a now-deleted Instagram story, Coughlan posted a photo of her outfit with a simple yet assertive caption, "Cos it looked good." While promoting the upcoming third season of 'Bridgerton,' slated for release on May 16, Coughlan and Newton teased fans with insights into their characters' evolving relationship. Amidst discussions about a potential romance between Penelope and Colin, portrayed by Newton, the duo also shared amusing anecdotes from behind the scenes. Reflecting on their on-screen chemistry, Coughlan and Newton revealed a mishap involving a broken piece of furniture during a particularly steamy scene. As per the interview obtained by E! News, despite the awkwardness, the stars' off-screen friendship helped create a supportive and comfortable environment on set, allowing them to navigate such moments with ease. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
26 April,2024 06:55 AM IST | Washington | ANIActress Nicola Coughlan, who is known for her role of Penelope Featherington in the hit streaming show 'Bridgerton', has revealed she faced repercussions for her vocal support to Palestine during the Israel-Hamas conflict. The actress shared that she was told her support for Palestine could affect the acting roles she's offered, reports 'Mirror.co.uk'. The Irish actress has been vocal about her support for Palestine amid the Israel-Hamas war on social media. She explained her support and willingness to be vocal - especially about the children of Palestine - comes from a "moral responsibility to give back" because of her privileged position. Nicola noted her desire to be proactive in support of causes she believes strongly in began before she landed her breakout role in Derry Girls. As per 'Mirror.co.uk', she recalled getting involved in several causes, including campaigning for marriage equality in Ireland and marching for abortion rights. "I've always cared about causes and social justice," she told Teen Vogue. "To me, it always becomes about supporting all innocent people, which sounds oversimplified, but I think you've got to look at situations and just think, 'Are we supporting innocent people no matter where they're from, who they are?' That's my drive". Nicola admitted she's been told that certain agents and studies may not want to work with her due to her vocal support for Palestine amid the ongoing conflict. Despite the warning, she continues to wear her Artists4Ceasefire pin. At the 2024 Oscars, Ramy Youssef, Billie Eilish, Finneas O'Connell and Ava DuVernay were among the celebrities also seen wearing the pin. She said, "You do get told, 'You won't get work, you won't do this'." This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
25 April,2024 06:48 PM IST | Los Angeles | IANSOscar and Emmy-nominated writer, comedian and critically acclaimed actor, Kumail Nanjiani, makes his way into the 'Ghostbuster' franchise with 'Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire'. Playing the role of Nadeem, Kumail will be seen facing off with some of the ghosts in the popular franchise. To take out the threat, it turns out that only Nadeem has the right stuff, if he can focus on something useful for once in his life. The role is played by Kumail Nanjiani. “What's great about Nadeem is that he really encompasses what makes Ghostbusters special,” he says. “He's a slacker. He's completely discounted by everyone around him. And he's the only one who can tackle this big, terrifying demon who can scare people to death just by looking at them. That's what I love – he’s a very grounded, normal character… some might call him a loser, and he doesn’t like it, but can’t deny it. And then suddenly he has to defeat this massive demon.” Gil Kenan's "Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire" sees the triumphant return of the Spengler family to the iconic New York City firehouse where it all began. They join forces with the original Ghostbusters, who have established a top-secret research lab to take ghost-busting to new heights. However, their discovery of an ancient artifact unexpectedly unleashes an evil force, putting the world at risk of a second Ice Age. The new and old Ghostbusters must unite to protect their home and save the world from certain doom. The film features an eclectic ensemble of Paul Rudd, Carrie Coon, Finn Wolfhard, Mckenna Grace, Kumail Nanjiani, Patton Oswalt, Celeste O'Connor, Logan Kim, Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Ernie Hudson and Annie Potts. Sony Pictures Entertainment India releases Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire exclusively in Indian cinemas on 26th April 2024 in English and Hindi. About Ghostbusters franchise: The Ghostbusters franchise consists of American supernatural comedies, based on an original concept created by Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis in 1984. The plot ostensibly centers around a group of eccentric New York City parapsychologists who investigate, encounter, and capture ghosts, paranormal manifestations, demigods and demons. The franchise expanded with licensed action figures, books, comic books, video games, television series, theme park attractions, and other original Ghostbusters-themed products.
25 April,2024 02:27 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentInternational singer/songwriter Billie Eilish recently opened up about her discovery of her sexuality and also spoke about the importance of self-pleasure. Eilish is currently looking forward to her third album 'Hit Me Hard and Soft'. Eilish credited her latest song 'Lunch' to understanding who she is. The song consists of the lyrics, "I could eat that girl for lunch...". Speaking about the same, Eilish told Rolling Stone, "That song was actually part of what helped me become who I am, to be real. I wrote some of it before even doing anything with a girl, and then wrote the rest after.” "I’ve been in love with girls for my whole life, but I just didn’t understand — until, last year, I realised I wanted my face in a vag**a,” she added saying she never wanted to talk about her sexuality in public. "I was never planning on talking about my sexuality ever, in a million years. It’s really frustrating to me that it came up," she said. Back in November 2023, in an interview with Variety, Eilish said, "I’ve never really felt like I could relate to girls very well. I love them so much. I love them as people. I’m attracted to them as people. I’m attracted to them for real.” Soon after her sexuality became a topic of discussion. "The whole world suddenly decided who I was, and I didn’t get to say anything or control any of it. Nobody should be pressured into being one thing or the other," she added reacting to the discussion around her sexuality. Eilish also emphasised the importance of self-pleasure, as she remarked, "Self-pleasure is an enormous, enormous part of my life, and a huge, huge help for me. I have learned that looking at myself and watching myself feel pleasure has been an extreme help in loving myself and accepting myself, and feeling empowered and comfortable.” "I should have a PH.D in masturbation," she remarked. The Grammy Award-winner also revealed that her dramatic blonde hair transformation sparked an identity crisis, leaving her feeling like she had "no idea" who she was. In the same interview, she said, "And then I dyed my hair blonde, and I immediately was like, 'Oh, I have no idea who I am'." The glamorous look aligned with the softer feel of her sophomore album, 'Happier Than Ever', but ultimately, it felt like too much of a departure from Eilish’s true self, reports people.com. "In a weird way, that was a little like being in a tornado cellar, reading a cute little story," Eilish’s brother and collaborator, Finneas O’Connell, said in the profile. "It was a coping mechanism for an album." Eilish showcased her new icy blonde hair in a March 2021 Instagram video. She made her Met Gala debut six months later in a peach tulle Oscar de la Renta corset ball gown, with her blonde hair styled into a glamorous bob.
25 April,2024 11:46 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentRyan Gosling recently shed light on why the action comedy film 'The Nice Guys,' in which he starred alongside Russell Crowe, didn't receive a sequel despite its favourable reviews. In a recent interview obtained by Deadline, Gosling attributed the lack of a sequel to the box office competition the film faced, particularly from the animated hit 'Angry Birds.' Gosling remarked, "So much of a sequel, I think, is decided by the opening weekend of a movie, and we opened up against Angry Birds. So Angry Birds just, just destroyed us." 'The Nice Guys,' directed by Shane Black, debuted in 2016 to positive reviews but struggled to compete at the box office against the family-friendly appeal of 'Angry Birds.' While 'The Nice Guys' reportedly earned USD 11.2 million in its opening weekend, 'Angry Birds' soared with an opening weekend of USD 38 million, overshadowing Gosling and Crowe's film. Not only did 'The Nice Guys' face stiff competition from 'Angry Birds,' but it also had to contend with other releases like 'Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising' and 'Captain America: Civil War,' which further impacted its box office performance. Despite its initial box office struggles, 'The Nice Guys' managed to recoup its production costs, with an estimated budget of USD 50 million and a total box office revenue of USD 62.8 million. However, the overshadowing impact of 'Angry Birds' on its opening weekend likely influenced the decision not to pursue a sequel, Deadline reported. Set in 1977 Los Angeles, 'The Nice Guys' follows the story of private eye Holland March, played by Gosling, and enforcer Jackson Healy, portrayed by Crowe, as they join forces to investigate the disappearance of a teenage girl. The film also featured Angourie Rice, Matt Bomer, Margaret Qualley, Keith David, and Kim Basinger, with a cameo appearance by Robert Downey Jr. in an uncredited role. While 'The Nice Guys' garnered praise for its witty humour and engaging performances, its box office fate ultimately hinged on factors beyond its control, including the unexpected dominance of 'Angry Birds' at the time of its release. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
25 April,2024 06:48 AM IST | Washington | ANIADVERTISEMENT
