Star couple Kate Upton and Justin Verlander have been blessed with their second baby. The model, 33, and her San Francisco Giants pitcher husband, 42, welcomed their second baby, a son named Bellamy Brooks Verlander on Thursday, as per PEOPLE. The two are also parents to adorable daughter Genevieve, 6. Verlander and Upton tied the knot in 2017, just days after his epic World Series win with the Houston Astros. Verlander and the Astros won another World Series at the end of the 2022 season. He later became a free agent, and played with the New York Mets for part of the 2023 season before returning to the Astros. In 2019, Justin talked to PEOPLE about how fatherhood has impacted his career plans. "I would like to be able to play long enough that my daughter can see me and remember me playing baseball when she grows older," he explained. "Maybe if anything, it's going to push me to stay in shape and stay healthy, and be a good pitcher as long as I possibly can. I want her to be able to remember me on the field." 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
22 June,2025 09:18 AM IST | Los Angeles | ANITitle: Trainwreck: Mayor of MayhemCast: Katie Simpson, Dave Rider, Tom Beyer Director: Shianne BrownRating: * * *Runtime: 49m Robert Ford shocked everyone with his unexpected win at the 2010 Toronto mayoral elections. This documentary is basically about the ‘trainwreck’ which he found himself in during that mayoral run, and the struggles he had to go through in order to confront the scandalous situations he found himself caught in. It could be taken as a cautionary tale for politicians of today or it could well be the playbook to ride out all political storms. The way you view it is what matters. His tenure was chaotic with mounting scandals and drug allegations, and drew the attention of global media. Ford was initially seen as a very dedicated human being with personal struggles. But he had a brash persona, and this rubbed people the wrong way, especially legacy media, who were quick to nail him for being human with all the frailties that go with it. Rob Ford was a deeply flawed human being, but his constituency adored him. He was able to avoid the nonsense until it became rather relentless and left him unglued. He is even compared to Trump. He was caught on camera doing cocaine while still in office, but he refused to step down. Instead, he set about discrediting the media much before Trump did the same. This Netflix documentary resembles a thriller with many lows and some highs, as it basically revisits Rob Ford’s rise to the position of Toronto’s Mayor even as scandals come to the fore. Rob Ford ensured his voters didn’t believe a word that came out in print (or on TV) against him. A lot of journalists were interviewed for this documentary, and they all recollect how Rob Ford managed to stay afloat despite his stormy political career and nasty controversies. The documentary features close political aides, a bodyguard, and many others who worked with him and had first-hand knowledge of his deeds. In the end we are made to see a sincere, hard-working, ambitious and popular right winger who was intolerant towards criticism, refused to fit the mould - living his life as an alcohol/drug addict given to emotional outbursts. Of course, when his closest political aides say they did not see his dark side, one would have to take it with a pinch of salt. There’s really no way they could have missed that. Nevertheless, Ford’s populist approach and clear articulation of policies was far better than what Trump is doing today. Policy decisions are not examined with any depth here. His declaration that transit workers are an emergency service, so they couldn’t strike, is mentioned in passing, and his voting against grant money for programs that treat AIDS is left unexplained. Despite being caught red-handed, his popularity never really waned. It’s hard to imagine how people could be fooled again and again. Playing the victim card seems to have worked in his favour, as it has done for Trump and other right-wing politicians who use this playbook. The documentary is not exactly a balanced portrait of Rob Ford. Everything about the mayoral tenure of Rob Ford is made interesting primarily because his career graph was similar to Trump's. Both believed that the surest way to win over an electorate was to convince them that the media reports were faulty. There are some anecdotes that paint him as a regular good guy, but being caught on camera smoking crack with gun-runners was obviously not one of them. Ford eventually died in 2016 of an aggressive, rare form of cancer, but his success in keeping the media tethered to his apron strings never died with him, as is obvious today in Trump’s second run of the US Presidency.
21 June,2025 07:15 PM IST | Mumbai | Johnson ThomasFilm: Echo ValleyCast: Julianne Moore, Sydney Sweeney, Domhnall Gleeson, Kyle MacLachlan, Fiona Shaw, Edmund DonovanDirector: Michael PearceRating: * * Runtime: 104 min This new thriller drama has Kate Garrettson (Julianne Moore), a horse riding instructor, living alone on her farm, mourning the recent death of her wife, whilst struggling with finances. In comes frequent runaway Claire (Sydney Sweeney), her drug-addled daughter, covered in blood, and her no-good boyfriend Ryan Sinclair (Edmund Donovan). Kate helps bury her daughter's secrets until Jackie Lawson (Domnhall Gleeson), Claire and Ryan’s sleazy dealer, seizes the opportunity for some fast cash through good ol’ blackmail. Set against the lush hills of rural Pennsylvania, this movie is about survival. It’s a slow-burning unravelling of a mother who is forced to make choices that she otherwise wouldn’t have made. Writer Brad Ingelsby and Director Pearce paint a vivid portrait of distress and depression, with Kate struggling with chores and bills to pay. Claire’s destructive ways only make it worse. Claire’s return to the family fold energises Kate for a bit, but the shadow of trouble is not far away. Kate is pulled back into Claire’s darkness, having to deal with Jackie, who is demanding repayment for his destroyed stash. Echo Valley could have had more compelling character arcs, but the grittiness is lost in the effort to give Mommie dearest a long-suffering sympathetic arc - one who wants to make things right for her only child. Fiona Shaw appears midway as Kate's friend Leslie Oliver, but there’s nothing much for her to do here. The narrative seems a bit simplistic, and composer Jed Kurzel’s score and cinematographer Benjamin Kračun's camera movement fail to give it the lift it needs. At a runtime of around 100 minutes, this workmanlike production feels tight, but the ludicrous revelations towards the end and the incessant power plays and scheming kill the enthusiasm. Moore’s nuanced portrayal of Kate is the major silver lining here. The rest is just forgettable.
21 June,2025 07:00 PM IST | Mumbai | Johnson ThomasFilm: Deep CoverCast: Bryce Dallas Howard, Orlando Bloom, Nick Mohammed, Paddy Considine, Sonoya Mizuno, Ian McShane, Sean Bean, Freya ParkerDirector: Tom KingsleyRating: * * 1/2Runtime: 100 min. This is a crime film with a humorous centre. The story sounds ridiculous, the plotting is silly, and the set-up quite preposterous. The cast of Tom Kingsley’s feature co-written by Colin Trevorrow, is what makes a huge difference to the experience. They really make it goofy and entertaining. Bryce Dallas Howard plays Kat, an improvisation teacher in London who is longing for her big break. Particularly, two members of her class are on opposite ends of the spectrum. Marlon (Orlando Bloom), is a method actor who takes everything seriously, and Hugh (Nick Mohammed), takes Kat’s class to learn the improv skills to hold a conversation with his office mates. Kat, Marlon, and Hugh are hired by a cop, Officer Billings (Sean Bean) to infiltrate the London mob. After some low-level dealing, they manage to get close to Fly (Paddy Considine), who has access to the king of the criminal underworld, Metcalfe (Ian McShane). Though you don’t get taken in by their antics, you can’t help but laugh at their silly efforts to get taken seriously. Mohammed does the coke testing and he’s a dead giveaway as a first timer. Bloom says he is a runaway who ran away from home at age five, and Howard seems to be the boss of the three. They are playing it for laughs but one can’t figure out how the criminals buy into their pretentious stories. The three talk their way out of deadly situations and manage to stay alive despite their obvious playacting. Howard, Mohammed, and Bloom appear to be having a whale of a time and it’s infectious. The action scenes don’t cut ice; they look like slapstick gone wrong. The script is all about shallow characters gleefully rubbing off on each other. So it’s not the writing but the acting that counts here. The central conceit doesn’t work up any steam. The film is fairly enjoyable, having an upbeat pace and some genuinely chuckle-worthy moments. This is a wacky comedy with great character actors doing silly things in a crime film that doesn’t take itself too seriously.
21 June,2025 06:46 PM IST | Mumbai | Johnson ThomasFilm: 28 years LaterCast: Alfie Williams, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Jodie Comer, Ralph Fiennes, Jack O'Connell, Christopher Fulford, Stella Gonet, Chi Lewis-ParryDirector: Danny BoyleRating: * * * 1/2Runtime: 115 min. Danny Boyle’s “28 Days Later” comes back to haunt us “28 years later.” The director returns to the gory-zombie track he first engaged with two decades and more. Re-teaming with Alex Garland, who has since gone from screenwriting to direction(“Annihilation”), the director-screenwriter duo jump to a ‘threequel’ going from “28 Days Later,” to Juan Carlos Fresnadillo’s 2007 sequel “28 Weeks Later”, which Boyle produced, to the current film. The third addition in this trilogy is a horror film that is subversive, gruesome, tonally adventurous and fancifully transitive. It’s neither predictable nor does it focus on call backs or re-tracks. It is refreshingly different within the franchise it seeks to build on. The film begins during the initial days of the virus attack with a group of children in the Scottish Highlands, watching an episode of the “Teletubbies” interrupted by a horde of flesh-eaters. One child manages to escape, running to his dad, a priest accepting of this Biblical prophecy. Boyle and Garland then take us forward in time, 28 years later, into a hamlet surrounded by water, a Northumberland isle called Holy Island, where a group of quarantined people have created an isolated community. We see a 12-year-old Spike (Alfie Williams) preparing to go on his first hunt, a coming-of-age ritual, with his dad Jamie (Aaron Taylor-Johnson). Spike idolises his father and cares for his ailing mother, Isla (Jodie Comer), beset by a debilitating illness. Their village is surrounded by water that only recedes during low tide, when a causeway connected to the mainland reveals itself. When Jamie and Spike set out, the nightmare takes shape. They see several kinds of zombies. From slow-moving moving obese, creepy crawlies, naked and twitchy types to one that looks totally different from them all - a hulking giant Alpha (played by MMA fighter Chi Lewis-Parry), who is intelligent and has super strength and speed. The Alpha interrupts Spike’s first hunt, so father and son are forced to take shelter somewhere close to where an insane doctor, Ian Kelson (Ralph Fiennes) goes about his fiery spells. It all gets complicated thereafter. Spike begins to distrust his father and runs away from the isle with his mother in the hope that Kelson can cure her. Archival footage of British war films is intercut with scenes of Spike’s village training itself. On his trip to the mainland, Spike encounters a pregnant zombie and a Swedish soldier carrying news of the outside world. Spike also makes his first kill - a Slow-Low in a bucolic setting, and is chased by other menacing Slow-Lows drawing close for the kill. Jamie and Spike’s flight through the forest brings on the thrills with zombies giving chase, coming at them faster than they can aim their arrows. Cinematographer Anthony Dod Mantle’s imagery goes from grunge to verdant greens and back to grey apathy with stunning effect. The director even pays tribute to the dead in the film in an effort to mourn and grieve for their passing. Boyle uses music to punctuate this horror-drama, going from violent drum beats, heavy metal to the solemn 19th century Scottish hymn “Abide With Me,” and it’s rewarding. Newcomer Alfie Williams plays Spike with earnestness. Comer, Fiennes and Johnson do justice to their respective roles. This survival thriller basically has it all. It’s a tender family drama mixed up with spirituality, cult practices, mythical elements, nightmarish horror, stirring thrills and sly humour. It’s definitely worth a watch.
21 June,2025 06:34 PM IST | Mumbai | Johnson ThomasVeteran singer Lou Christie breathed his last at the age of 82 on Wednesday. The news of his demise was announced by his family on social media. However, the cause of his death was not disclosed, as per Variety. Christie had three top 10 singles in the U.S. across a period of six years in the '60s, the biggest being "Lightnin' Strikes," which was released in 1965 and hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in February 1966. Written by Christie with Twyla Herbert, the MGM-label single was famous for a soaring hook with a nearly Frankie Valli-level falsetto. That career peak was preceded in 1963 with "Two Faces Have I," which reached No. 6. Also written by Christie and Herbert, the song was not often covered, yet Bruce Springsteen acknowledged it as an inspiration for his song "Two Faces" almost a quarter-century later. Christie closed out his run in the top 10 in 1969 with "I'm Gonna Make You Mine," which made it to No. 10 in the U.S., while doing better in the U.K., peaking at No. 2 there. After his chart success ran out, Christie tried country music, and one song in that vein, "Beyond the Blue Horizon," went top 20 on the AC chart. He continued recording into the 2010s and did concert appearances on the oldies circuit for decades. Christie is survived by his wife, Francesca Winfield, and their daughter, Bianca Christie. 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
21 June,2025 06:09 PM IST | Mumbai | ANIAmerican singer Chris Brown on Friday pleaded not guilty to an assault charge over an alleged bottle attack at a London nightclub two years ago. Appearing at Southwark Crown Court, the Grammy-winning artist denied accusations that he attempted to unlawfully and maliciously cause grievous bodily harm with intent to Abraham Diaw at Tape nightclub in Mayfair, London, on February 19, 2023, as per CNN. Brown confirmed his name and date of birth before entering his plea, saying: "Not guilty ma'am" during the hearing at Southwark Crown Court, according to PA Media news agency. His co-defendant, Omololu Akinlolu, a US national who turned 39 on the day of the hearing, denied the same charge. The pair are further charged with assaulting Diaw occasioning him actual bodily harm. Brown also faces one count of having an offensive weapon - a bottle - in a public place. They were not asked to enter pleas on those counts, with a further court hearing set for July 11, according to CNN. Approximately 20 spectators - many reportedly fans of the R&B singer - sat in the public gallery behind the dock for Friday's hearing, according to PA Media. Brown was arrested at Manchester's Lowry Hotel at 2 a.m. on May 15 this year by detectives from the Metropolitan Police.Later, he was released from HMP Forest Bank in Salford, Greater Manchester, on May 21. The 36-year-old has continued performing on his international tour while on conditional bail. Brown is set to perform in London this weekend at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. 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
21 June,2025 06:08 PM IST | Mumbai | ANIVeteran actor Gailard Sartain, best known for his role on 'Hee Haw', has passed away. He was 78. Sartain's demise was announced on Facebook by The Church Studio, a recording studio in Tulsa, Oklahoma where Sartain's wife Mary Jo, as per Deadline. Born in Tulsa on September 18, 1946, Sartain began his show business career there, working as a cameraman at a local TV station before creating a late-night movie host in 1970, he called Dr Mazeppa Pompazoidi. Dressed in wizard garb, Sartain introduced B-movies and performed comedy skits under the show name The Uncanny Film Festival and Camp Meeting. He was even more prolific in film, from an uncredited role in Robert Altman's 1975 classic Nashville and then in 1978 The Buddy Holly Story, according to Deadline. He was also a part of the projects Mississippi Burning, The Outsiders, The Hollywood Knights, Fried Green Tomatoes, The Big Easy, The Grifters, Stop! Or My Mom Will Shoot and various appearances in the "Ernest" comedy franchise, among many other credits. Sartain is survived by wife Mary Jo. 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
21 June,2025 04:27 PM IST | Mumbai | ANIHollywood actor- comedian Rebel Wilson has talked about how she prepared to star in her new action-comedy film, Bride Hard. The actor, 45, who previously starred in Bridesmaids (2011) and the Pitch Perfect film franchise (2012-17), told in an interview, “I often put my body on the line for physical comedy.” Wilson pushed herself to her physical limits in preparation for the movie. However, the actor enjoyed the challenge of getting herself in tip-top shape for the film. She said, “I was pretty strong during this movie. I trained for five weeks, and then I had to be in beast mode, but I really enjoyed it, getting paid to almost be fit, which is good.” Rebel Wilson. Pics/AFP, X The actor said that she used curling irons like nunchucks in the movie, and she shared that she took inspiration from movie icon Jackie Chan. She said, “When I lived in South Africa, to pass the time I would watch Jackie Chan’s videos and his comic timing. Even if they weren’t subtitled and I couldn’t even understand the dialogues, I just loved all his comedy-action scenes. They were so good. So I guess that’s why I originally picked up nunchucks, to try to be a bit like Jackie Chan.” Meanwhile, Wilson had earlier revealed that she was almost “permanently disfigured” while filming Bride Hard. Wilson, who portrays a secret agent named Sam in the movie, was smacked in the face by a gun during her final night of filming, leaving her in a “pool of blood”. She told in an interview, “In a fight scene, a gun accidentally got whacked across my face. It was just a freak accident, and my nose got split open, so I left the set. It was my last night of shooting. I was freaking out. They took an ambulance and had to call a plastic surgeon, because if they didn’t, I would have been permanently disfigured. So, we got the plastic surgeon, they did all the stitches, and you can’t tell now.” 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
21 June,2025 02:31 PM IST | Mumbai | IANSUma Thurman has opened up about her decision to step away from action films after the success of the 'Kill Bill' franchise. The actress is making a long-awaited return to the genre alongside Charlize Theron in 'The Old Guard 2.' During an appearance on 'The Tonight Show' Starring Jimmy Fallon, Thurman explained that she took a break from action movies to preserve her legacy as an action star. "I never really followed Kill Bill up with action because I didn't kind of want to be in a whole bunch of 'B' action movies," she said, as quoted by People magazine. Thurman saw 'The Old Guard 2' as an opportunity to "put my toe into action again." She was drawn to the film's story and characters, particularly Charlize Theron's performance in the first movie. "Charlize was just so epic in [2020's The Old Guard]," she said, adding, "And so I thought, 'Well, I could go do this for her in that. Where she's kind of taking the genre there. I'll go support her and fight her and battle her out.'" Thurman heavily praised Theron, describing her as "phenomenal" and "incredible." She also enjoyed playing the villain, which she described as a "fun" experience. Despite her action-packed role, Thurman revealed that she didn't spend much time training for the film. Instead, she struggled with eating on camera, citing the challenges of doing multiple takes and not being able to choose what's on the menu. When asked about the possibility of a third movie, Thurman teased, "There's whispers... I think we'll leave it to the fans." While she didn't rule out the possibility of another instalment, she mentioned that a third 'Kill Bill' movie is unlikely. 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
20 June,2025 10:34 PM IST | Mumbai | ANIAnimated film Kpop Demon Hunters was released today on Netflix, and the early reviews for the film are out. The film revolves around a K-pop group including Rumi, Mira, and Zoey. But things aren't as simple as they seem. It is revealed that the members also live secret lives as secret demon hunters. Kpop Demon Hunters X review As soon as the movie was released on Netflix, reviews began pouring in on social media, especially X (formerly Twitter), as users shared their views about the film. One user wrote, "I loved everything about KPop Demon Hunters! Arden Cho, May Hong, Ji-young Yoo, and Ahn Hyo-seop are fantastic as the film's leads. It wonderfully blends great music and demon-slaying to create a bold, fun, and action-packed original animated film. I can't wait to watch it again!" Another viewer noted, "#KpopdemonHunters is an absolute blast. It's a stunning romp so stylish, action-packed, and with a strong tribute to K-POP Korean culture in every frame. Has major third act problems, but I had so much fun I low-key didn't care. I would die for Huntrix and Saja Boys!" A third user who watched the film wrote, "Am I obsessed with KPop Demon Hunters? Absolutely. The songs are FIRE, the fight sequences are incredible, and let’s be real, who doesn't love hot animated characters? Get ready for your next favourite movie!" as another user said, "KPOP Demon Hunters: ABSOLUTELY INCREDIBLE. Stunning action sequences, beautiful musical segments, and some VERY hilarious moments as well! @maggiemkang and Chris Appelhans bring the heat, honoring Korean culture while delivering a fun and heartfelt story." Can I be honest? I've barely moved on from how AWESOME this scene is. The song's a bop, the vocals and flows are just MENTAL, and the animation is FANTASTIC. This movie and Elio are my most anticipated of the summer - BRING THEM ON!! #KPOPDEMONHUNTERS pic.twitter.com/AklnVuWjRW — EMGG | PDAF-18 (@PDAF18YT) June 13, 2025 Posting the review and emotions, a user said, "KPOP DEMON HUNTERS offers an intriguing premise and surrounds it with catchy pop music you’ll remember, a dark and layered story, and gorgeous visuals. It loses its way a bit in the middle, but delivers a satisfying conclusion; I had way more fun with this than I thought I would" Other wrote things like, "KPop Demon Hunters was fun, exciting, sexy & cool. I loved every minute of it. A terrific mix of pop culture, supernatural action, forbidden romance, catchy songs and profound themes that were all wrapped in a visually vibrant, dynamic animation." and "#KPOPDEMONHUNTERS exceeds the hype! With vibrant characters, it's a raucous musical explosion of stylish choreographed animation, giddily hooked into the emotional arcs of the songs. I want a sequel, Netflix." One user went on to say, "Absolute fucking cinema. A perfect blend of the magical warrior and magical idol. The humor, the visuals, and of course the music was spectacular. My only problem with the film is that I couldn’t enjoy it in theaters." About Kpop Demon Hunters Kpop Demon Hunters is an upcoming American animated musical fantasy comedy film that deals with a K-pop group called Huntrix. As the group tries to protect their fans from being hurt by supernatural forces. The protagonists, Rumi (Arden Cho), Mira (May Hong), and Zoey (Yoo Ji Young) take on a rival boy band known as the Saja Boys. As secret demon hunters, the girls are on a mission to fight off the opponent team filled with secret demons. Meet Huntrix ✨ They sing. They slay. They kick demon ass. KPop Demon Hunters is NOW PLAYING. pic.twitter.com/5JyLGJ7Ay5 — Netflix (@netflix) June 20, 2025 The film was released on Netflix today, on 20th June 2025.
20 June,2025 05:56 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentADVERTISEMENT
