Film: Challengers Cast: Zendaya, Mike Faist, Josh O'Connor, Darnell Appling, Bryan Doo, Shane T Harris, Nada Despotovich, John McShaneDirector: Luca GuadagninoRating: 3/5Runtime: 131 min A modern take on Chaucer’s ‘The Knight’s Tale’, Luca Guadagnino’s tennis psychodrama is generously ladled with overt sexual interplay. The film makes every tennis match look sexual and every conversation thereof, a challenge. We meet the three main characters at a low-point in their lives. Tennis superstar who turned coach because of a career threatening injury, Tashi Duncan (Zendaya) has taken on the responsibility of coaching her husband, Art, and has since transformed him into a world-famous Grand Slam champion. Of late though, he has been on a losing streak - so to jolt him enough to put up a big fight, she signs him up for a lowly “Challenger” event and he finds himself standing across the net from his former best friend and Tashi’s former boyfriend Patrick Zweig (Josh O’Connor). In flashback, we see the threesome at a time when Tashi was primed to become the next big tennis superstar. She had these two bashful boy players, Art and Patrick literally eating out of her hand. Guadagnino throws in many dialogues that sound cliched, through Tashi’s tennis talk. To her, tennis “is a relationship. When I play out there like I did today, I feel like I am in love. Nothing else exists” And, going by the sensual allure of this movie, the audience is bound to find themselves hooked. We see the trio in snippets across several years and in different cities. The night following the US Junior Open leads to a lifelong entanglement. Even though Tashi and Art are married, the movie keeps reflecting on their past and raising questions as to who is in love with whom? The trio, now older but still entangled in ways that are yet to be exposed, have reached a point where the challenger match holds their entire future in balance. Gudagnino turns this into a psychological character study showing up humans as a callous lot. The central love triangle exposes each in the ways they try to cope with fame, love and hard-work. Tashi is the one who had to toil hard from humble beginnings while the two privileged white boys fresh from boarding school, used tennis mainly to step away from boredom. As the years pass she now has to face Art's success. Justin Kuritzkes’ smart dialogue lends an edge to the verbal volleys. The narrative teases us with questions. Who does Tashi love? Is she playing a game with both? What is it that drives her? The same goes with Patrick and Art. The sexual energy between the three is almost palpable. The situation is fluid and unstable. The plot keeps churning and the past-present shifts add to the complexity. Cinematographer Sayombhu Mukdeeprom makes everything look crystal clear. The game is shot brilliantly with physical and emotional heft. The camera floats around gently and turns swinger whenever the play dictates. Marco Costa’s editing gives tempo new meaning while Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross’ score lends gravity to the physical and psychological parlays. Jonathan Anderson’s costuming adds weight to the allurement. Zendaya, Faist and O’Connor manage to play their roles with great conviction. ‘Call me by your Name’ Guadagnino has made yet another sharp, flirtatious and engaging film. It’s also a great deal of fun to watch!
27 April,2024 07:01 PM IST | Mumbai | Johnson ThomasHollywood stars Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman, who will be soon in the upcoming cinematic extravaganza 'Deadpool & Wolverine', have honoured the art director Ray Chan following his death at the age of 56. The co-stars shared their "devastated" reactions to the loss of Chan, whom they worked with on 'Deadpool & Wolverine' in their social media posts, reports 'People' magazine. Marvel Studios confirmed Chan's death in a statement on April 24. The late filmmaker was credited for helping "imagine and design the Marvel Cinematic Universe" after joining the studio on 'Thor: Dark World'. As per 'Variety', Chan was reported to have died on Tuesday in Wales where he resided. "RIP Ray Chan," Reynolds, 47, began in a tribute statement on X, following the news, "Words are pretty inadequate in comparison to this loss." "There's an incomparable reservoir of skill, tender grit and talent no longer with us. As production designer, he was as important a creative force on 'Deadpool & Wolverine' as the writers, director and stars," he continued. "I don't pretend to know every chapter of Ray's heart, but I know it's unusual to encounter someone with that level of artistry, who simultaneously moved through the world with such an indelible humanity." 'People' further says that Reynolds praised Chan for his work in building the Marvel universe, adding that he was "just awesome to be around" and he "will be missed by everyone". The actor concluded his tribute by recalling his final moments with Chan during reshoots for 'Deadpool & Wolverine' earlier in April. Jackman, 55, paid tribute to Chan on his Instagram Stories, writing, "There was not a day shooting when I didn't marvel at what he created. He created magic. There was this look in his eyes. The look of a man who loved his craft. I've had the pleasure of working with some of the best in the business. Ray was at the very top." "We did a bit more shooting two weeks ago, for that I will be forever grateful," he continued. "It not only gave us the opportunity to fine tune our film but it gave us the bonus of time with Ray. Time for him to finish the job he loves so much. He told a great story. And man -- I am so honoured to have played a role." 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
27 April,2024 06:57 PM IST | Mumbai | IANSAlejandra Rodriguez, a 60-year-old lawyer and journalist hailing from La Plata, Argentina, has etched her name in history by clinching the coveted title of Miss Universe Buenos Aires.This remarkable feat marks a paradigm shift in the realm of beauty pageants, as Rodriguez becomes the first contestant of her age bracket to secure the esteemed crown, reported People magazine.Defying conventional beauty norms, Rodriguez emerged triumphant among 34 competitors spanning a wide age range from 18 to 73.Her victory not only symbolizes personal accomplishment but also embodies a broader message of inclusivity and diversity within the beauty pageant circuit."I am thrilled to be representing this new paradigm in beauty pageants because we are inaugurating a new stage in which women are not only physical beauty but another set of values," Rodriguez said, according to a statement obtained by People magazine.Her win underscores a shift towards recognizing and celebrating a broader spectrum of attributes beyond physical appearance.With her sights set on the forthcoming Miss Universe Argentina pageant scheduled for May 25, Rodriguez remains undeterred in her pursuit of further accolades.Should she emerge victorious, she will advance to compete for the illustrious Miss Universe title slated for September, marking a significant milestone in her journey.Rodriguez's ascent to prominence coincides with a pivotal decision by the Miss Universe Organization in September 2023 to eliminate age restrictions for contestants.This progressive move has opened doors for women of all ages to participate, ushering in a new era of inclusivity and representation within the pageant community.Undeterred by age constraints, Rodriguez remains steadfast in her determination to vie for the crown of Miss Universe Argentina 2024.Reflecting on her journey, she remarked, "I think the judges saw my confidence and my passion to represent the women of my generation."In tandem with Rodriguez's groundbreaking achievement, other women are also making waves in the pageant arena, transcending age barriers to vie for coveted titles.Haidy Cruz, aged 47, is set to represent the Dominican Republic in the upcoming 2024 pageant, slated to take place in Mexico City later this year, People magazine reported. 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
27 April,2024 05:01 PM IST | Mumbai | ANIHollywood star Robert Downey Jr. has expressed interest in reprising his role as Iron Man. However, there is one problem, the character died at the end of 'Avengers: Endgame'. Speaking with GamesRadar at the Sands: International Film Festival, the film’s directors, Joe and Anthony Russo, seemed baffled at the notion of a Downey return. "I don't know how they would do it. I don’t know what the road to that would be," Anthony Russo told GamesRadar, reports deadline.com. "I mean, we closed that book, so it would be up to them to figure out how to reopen it," Joe Russo added. Marvel head Kevin Feige refuted the claim that it was mulling over bringing Iron Man back. He had earlier said Marvel Studios could not "magically undo" Tony Stark's death in 'Avengers: Endgame'. “We are going to keep that moment and not touch that moment again,” Feige told Vanity Fair. “We all worked very hard for many years to get to that, and we would never want to magically undo it in any way.” 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
27 April,2024 11:32 AM IST | Mumbai | IANSPriyanka Chopra's daughter, Malti Marie, holds the title of "chief troublemaker" on the sets of her upcoming project. Priyanka took to Instagram stories and shared an ID card featuring a QR code and Malti's picture. The card displayed 'Head of State' at the top, while at the bottom, it humorously stated "Malti Chief Troublemaker". On Friday, the actress shared a series of images showcasing moments with her daughter, Malti Marie, on the sets in France, where she is reportedly filming for the movie. In the pictures, Priyanka could be seen sharing laughter with little Malti sitting on her lap, surrounded by other crew members. Another image captured Priyanka engaging in playful moments with her daughter, accompanied by love and an emotional emoji. The film also features Idris Elba and John Cena and is an action-comedy directed by Ilya Naishuller. 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
27 April,2024 11:16 AM IST | Mumbai | IANSActor Mark Ruffalo says he is recognised more for his role in 2004's "13 Going on 30" than his portrayal of superhero Hulk in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Ruffalo, who starred in the fantasy rom-com, walked down memory lane on its 20th anniversary in a virtual chat alongside co-stars Jennifer Garner and Judy Greer. "13 Going on 30" revolved around a teenager Jenna Rink, played by Garner, whose wish of becoming an adult on her 13th birthday comes true when she wakes up as a 30-year-old woman the next morning. Ruffalo he has received most recognition for playing Matty, Jenna's childhood friend who eventually gets married to her, than essaying the giant green beast Hulk who is the alter-ego of genius physicist Bruce Banner in the Marvel Cinematic Universe for more than a decade. "There's two types of people in this world. There's Hulk people, and there's '13 Going on 30' people, and I get equal amounts -- way more '13 Going on 30'," the actor said. Garner also shared the video of the chat on her Instagram handle. "#13GoingOn30. Twenty years. We are three Boomers braving zoom"because we want to thank you. To every person who has loved this movie along with us: Thank You. We see you, we appreciate you and we love you back. Forever thirty, flirty and thriving!" she wrote in the caption. Directed by Gary Winick, "13 Going on 30" released on April 23, 2004. It was written by Cathy Yuspa and Josh Goldsmith. 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
27 April,2024 06:13 AM IST | Los Angeles | PTIAnne Hathaway recently shared updates on the progress of 'The Princess Diaries 3', indicating that while developments are underway, there is still nothing concrete to announce. In the interview obtained by Variety, Hathaway expressed optimism about the project, stating, "We're in a good place. That's all I can say. There's nothing to announce yet. But we're in a good place." This statement comes as a reassurance to fans eagerly awaiting news about the long-anticipated sequel to the beloved franchise. While Hathaway's return as Mia Thermopolis seems imminent, she also addressed the possibility of another sequel to 'The Devil Wears Prada,' a cult classic in her filmography. However, she seemed sceptical about its feasibility in today's digital age, emphasizing the significant changes in technology since the original film's release. Regarding 'The Princess Diaries 3,' Hathaway's enthusiasm is palpable, but the absence of Julie Andrews, who portrayed the queen in the series, poses a challenge. Andrews previously expressed doubts about returning to the franchise due to the passage of time and the logistical difficulties of aligning schedules, as per Variety. Despite this, Hathaway remains hopeful about involving Andrews in some capacity, suggesting innovative solutions like utilizing green screens to accommodate the legendary actress. Disney's confirmation of the sequel's development came in November 2022, with Aadrita Mukerji attached as the screenwriter. The original films, directed by the late Garry Marshall and based on Meg Cabot's novels, were commercial successes, garnering widespread acclaim and solidifying Hathaway's status as a leading female actor. As fans eagerly await further updates, Hathaway's interview offers a glimpse into the ongoing efforts to bring 'The Princess Diaries 3' to fruition. While challenges persist, the dedication of the team involved suggests that audiences may soon be treated to another royal adventure in Genovia. 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
27 April,2024 06:05 AM IST | Washington | ANIActor 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 ThomasADVERTISEMENT
