Abu Dhabi to Host 23rd International Indian Film Academy Awards

The 23rd edition of the International Indian Film Academy Awards (IIFA) is set to take place in Abu Dhabi on May 26-27
The 23rd edition of the International Indian Film Academy Awards (IIFA) is set to take place in Abu Dhabi on May 26-27
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Abu Dhabi to Host 23rd International Indian Film Academy Awards

The 23rd edition of the International Indian Film Academy Awards (IIFA) is set to take place in Abu Dhabi on May 26-27
The 23rd edition of the International Indian Film Academy Awards (IIFA) is set to take place in Abu Dhabi on May 26-27

The 23rd edition of the International Indian Film Academy Awards (IIFA) is set to take place in Abu Dhabi on May 26-27.

In a partnership with the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) and Miral, the celebration of Indian Cinema will be held at Etihad Arena.

Saleh Mohamed Saleh Al Geziry, Director-General of Tourism, DCT Abu Dhabi, said: “Our relationship with India, which is based on shared cultural and economic interests, has been boosted even further by the fact that Abu Dhabi has served as the setting for a number of Bollywood blockbusters.”

Executive Director of Group Communication and Destination Marketing Miral Taghrid Alsaeed also expressed honor to host the awards. “This exceptional event, set to unite remarkable movie stars on the island, further reinforces our commitment to positioning Yas Island as a global destination for leisure and entertainment.”

IIFA 2023 will kickstart the celebration with Sobha IIFA Rocks on May26, hosted by Farah Khan Kunder and Rajkummar Rao and will feature performances by Amit Trivedi, along with several popular singers, Badshah, Sunidhi Chauhan, Nucleya, Sukhbir Singh.

The highly awaited special addition this year to the Sobha IIFA Rocks is the premiere of an exclusive showcase by leading celebrity designer, Manish Malhotra, who is celebrating 25 years in the fashion industry.

The Nexa IIFA Awards will take place on Saturday and will be hosted by Abhishek Bachchan and Vicky Kaushal along with performances by Bollywood superstars Salman Khan, Jacqueline Fernandez, Varun Dhawan, Kriti Sanon, Nora Fatehi and Rakul Preet Singh.

One of the highlights of the Sobha IIFA weekend is a set of masterclasses designed for film buffs, aspiring filmmakers and enthusiasts. The masterclass series features, ‘Director’s Cut’ with Kabir Khan and Omung Kumar along with a must-attend session by celebrity hair and makeup artist Nabila.



‘Oppenheimer’ Director Christopher Nolan, Wife Emma Thomas to Get British Knighthood and Damehood

Christopher Nolan and Emma Thomas pose on the red carpet during the Oscars arrivals at the 96th Academy Awards in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, US, March 10, 2024. (Reuters)
Christopher Nolan and Emma Thomas pose on the red carpet during the Oscars arrivals at the 96th Academy Awards in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, US, March 10, 2024. (Reuters)
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‘Oppenheimer’ Director Christopher Nolan, Wife Emma Thomas to Get British Knighthood and Damehood

Christopher Nolan and Emma Thomas pose on the red carpet during the Oscars arrivals at the 96th Academy Awards in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, US, March 10, 2024. (Reuters)
Christopher Nolan and Emma Thomas pose on the red carpet during the Oscars arrivals at the 96th Academy Awards in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, US, March 10, 2024. (Reuters)

The Oscar-winning director of “Oppenheimer,” Christopher Nolan, and his wife and producer Emma Thomas, will receive a knighthood and damehood for their services to film, according to a statement on Thursday from the UK government.

Their recognition comes after their biopic about J. Robert Oppenheimer, the “father of the atomic bomb,” swept the awards season, notably at the Academy Awards earlier this month, where the movie won seven Oscars, including best film and best director.

Nolan, 53, had previously been nominated for “Memento,” “Inception” and “Dunkirk.”

News of their honors was a bit of a surprise, because they are usually handed out twice in the year, once to mark the new year and then on the birthday of King Charles III, who confers the honors. They are sometimes awarded after special achievements, often related to sports and the arts.

The honors are formally awarded at a ceremony at Buckingham Palace, often by the UK monarch in person. However, the king is currently not undertaking any royal duties, because he is undergoing treatment for cancer.

Born in London to a British father and American mother, Nolan met his future wife, Thomas, 53, while they both attended University College London. They have four children and run a production company, Syncopy, which has been behind many of their blockbusters.

When Nolan was presented with the British Film Institute Fellowship earlier this year for being “one of the world’s most innovative and influential film directors,” he credited his wife.

He said he never felt alone making films as Thomas “always saw things the same way I did in terms of the importance of the medium.”

Addressing the audience at this year’s Academy Awards, Nolan noted cinema is just over a century old.

“Imagine being there 100 years into painting or theater,” said Nolan, who shared the best-picture award with his wife and producer. “We don’t know where this incredible journey is going from here. But to know that you think that I’m a meaningful part of it means the world to me.”


Green Day Will Headline United Nations-Backed Global Climate Concert in San Francisco

Billie Joe Armstrong of Green Day performs during the Louder Than Life Music Festival in Louisville, Ky., on Sept. 24, 2023. (AP)
Billie Joe Armstrong of Green Day performs during the Louder Than Life Music Festival in Louisville, Ky., on Sept. 24, 2023. (AP)
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Green Day Will Headline United Nations-Backed Global Climate Concert in San Francisco

Billie Joe Armstrong of Green Day performs during the Louder Than Life Music Festival in Louisville, Ky., on Sept. 24, 2023. (AP)
Billie Joe Armstrong of Green Day performs during the Louder Than Life Music Festival in Louisville, Ky., on Sept. 24, 2023. (AP)

Green Day will headline a United Nations Human Rights-backed global climate concert on Tuesday at the famed Fillmore in San Francisco.

The intimate event, which is co-hosted by the Recording Academy, aims to bring attention to the inequalities exacerbated by climate change.

Ultra Q, an alternative rock band fronted by Green Day singer Billie Joe Armstrong’s son Jakob Danger, will open.

Proceeds from the concert will go to United Nations Human Rights climate justice initiatives and a MusiCares climate fund to benefit musicians affected by climate change.

The Right Here, Right Now Global Climate Alliance will honor Green Day for their “commitment to social justice and environmental causes,” according to a press release.

“As world renowned artists and activists, Green Day continues to leverage its major influence and platform to bring awareness to the impact of climate change on the people and the environment,” Volker Türk, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, said in a statement.

“The United Nations was founded in San Francisco almost 80 years ago to safeguard human rights and dignity from crisis and tragedy. It is only fitting that we are back in San Francisco,” he said.

“Music is one of humanity’s greatest resources. It moves the world,” Harvey Mason jr., CEO of the Recording Academy, added. “And we are grateful for Green Day’s longstanding dedication to promoting social justice.”


Back to Life: Model Kloss Bringing Back Beloved US Magazine

A woman looks at LIFE magazine copies as part of the show "Sorprendeme!", a retrospective of Philippe Halsman at CaixaForumin Madrid, November 30, 2016. GERARD JULIEN / AFP/File
A woman looks at LIFE magazine copies as part of the show "Sorprendeme!", a retrospective of Philippe Halsman at CaixaForumin Madrid, November 30, 2016. GERARD JULIEN / AFP/File
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Back to Life: Model Kloss Bringing Back Beloved US Magazine

A woman looks at LIFE magazine copies as part of the show "Sorprendeme!", a retrospective of Philippe Halsman at CaixaForumin Madrid, November 30, 2016. GERARD JULIEN / AFP/File
A woman looks at LIFE magazine copies as part of the show "Sorprendeme!", a retrospective of Philippe Halsman at CaixaForumin Madrid, November 30, 2016. GERARD JULIEN / AFP/File

The legendary American magazine Life, a 20th-century mainstay famous for its photography, will be revived by fashion model and entrepreneur Karlie Kloss, the company of which she is CEO announced on Thursday.
Bedford Media announced in a statement that the return of Life Magazine in print and digital distribution, as part of an agreement with (publisher) Dotdash Meredith, will lead to the relaunch of Life as a regular publication, AFP reported.
The financial details of the deal were not immediately disclosed, nor was a date for the relaunch.
In a world of dizzying social and legacy media possibilities, Kloss, one of the top models in the early 2000s, said Life could help bring people together, according to the statement.
"Josh and I are honored to continue @LIFE’s legacy ❤," she said on Instagram.
She was referring to her husband, investor Joshua Kushner, the new owner of the magazine. Kushner is brother of former president Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner.
Created in 1883, and then bought and overhauled in 1936, Life has long been a flagship of photojournalism, publishing images captured by huge talents like Robert Capa, Alfred Eisenstaedt and Margaret Bourke-White. From movie stars to wars, Life chronicled the times for decades.
But after years of decline, it became a monthly, before dying out then reborn and finally surviving online with its archives in the 2000s.
Kloss recently went shopping for i-D magazine, a British fashion bimonthly.
For an old-school feel, the publisher will also continue to publish special editions stamped with the red and white Life logo.


‘Oppenheimer' Finally Premieres in Japan to Mixed Reactions and High Emotions

“Oppenheimer” has finally opened in the nation where two cities were obliterated by the nuclear weapons invented by the American scientist at the center of the film Japanese filmgoers’ reactions understandably were mixed and highly emotional. (AP)
“Oppenheimer” has finally opened in the nation where two cities were obliterated by the nuclear weapons invented by the American scientist at the center of the film Japanese filmgoers’ reactions understandably were mixed and highly emotional. (AP)
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‘Oppenheimer' Finally Premieres in Japan to Mixed Reactions and High Emotions

“Oppenheimer” has finally opened in the nation where two cities were obliterated by the nuclear weapons invented by the American scientist at the center of the film Japanese filmgoers’ reactions understandably were mixed and highly emotional. (AP)
“Oppenheimer” has finally opened in the nation where two cities were obliterated by the nuclear weapons invented by the American scientist at the center of the film Japanese filmgoers’ reactions understandably were mixed and highly emotional. (AP)

“Oppenheimer” finally premiered Friday in the nation where two cities were obliterated 79 years ago by the nuclear weapons invented by the American scientist who was the subject of the Oscar-winning film. Japanese filmgoers' reactions understandably were mixed and highly emotional.
Toshiyuki Mimaki, who survived the bombing of Hiroshima when he was 3, said he has been fascinated by the story of J. Robert Oppenheimer, often called “the father of the atomic bomb” for leading the Manhattan Project, The Associated Press said.
“What were the Japanese thinking, carrying out the attack on Pearl Harbor, starting a war they could never hope to win,” he said, sadness in his voice, in a telephone interview with The Associated Press.
He is now chairperson of a group of bomb victims called the Japan Confederation of A- and H-Bomb Sufferers Organization and he saw “Oppenheimer” at a preview event. “During the whole movie, I was waiting and waiting for the Hiroshima bombing scene to come on, but it never did,” Mimaki said.
“Oppenheimer” does not directly depict what happened on the ground when the bombs were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, turning some 100,000 people instantly into ashes, and killed thousands more in the days that followed, mostly civilians.
The film instead focuses on Oppenheimer as a person and his internal conflicts.
The film's release in Japan, more than eight months after it opened in the US, had been watched with trepidation because of the sensitivity of the subject matter.
Former Hiroshima Mayor Takashi Hiraoka, who spoke at a preview event for the film in the southwestern city, was more critical of what was omitted.
“From Hiroshima’s standpoint, the horror of nuclear weapons was not sufficiently depicted,” he was quoted as saying by Japanese media. “The film was made in a way to validate the conclusion that the atomic bomb was used to save the lives of Americans.”
Some moviegoers offered praise. One man emerging from a Tokyo theater Friday said the movie was great, stressing that the topic was of great interest to Japanese, although emotionally volatile as well. Another said he got choked up over the film's scenes depicting Oppenheimer’s inner turmoil. Neither man would give his name to an Associated Press journalist.
In a sign of the historical controversy, a backlash flared last year over the “Barbenheimer” marketing phenomenon that merged pink-and-fun “Barbie” with seriously intense “Oppenheimer." Warner Bros. Japan, which distributed “Barbie” in the country, apologized after some memes depicted the Mattel doll with atomic blast imagery.
Kazuhiro Maeshima, professor at Sophia University, who specializes in US politics, called the film an expression of “an American conscience.”
Those who expect an anti-war movie may be disappointed. But the telling of Oppenheimer’s story in a Hollywood blockbuster would have been unthinkable several decades ago, when justification of nuclear weapons dominated American sentiments, Maeshima said.
“The work shows an America that has changed dramatically,” he said in a telephone interview.
Others suggested the world might be ready for a Japanese response to that story.
Takashi Yamazaki, director of “Godzilla Minus One,” which won the Oscar for visual effects and is a powerful statement on nuclear catastrophe in its own way, suggested he might be the man for that job.
“I feel there needs to be an answer from Japan to ‘Oppenheimer.’ Someday, I would like to make that movie,” he said in an online dialogue with “Oppenheimer” director Christopher Nolan.
Nolan heartily agreed.
Hiroyuki Shinju, a lawyer, noted Japan and Germany also carried out wartime atrocities, even as the nuclear threat grows around the world. Historians say Japan was also working on nuclear weapons during World War II and would have almost certainly used them against other nations, Shinju said.
“This movie can serve as the starting point for addressing the legitimacy of the use of nuclear weapons on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, as well as humanity’s, and Japan’s, reflections on nuclear weapons and war,” he wrote in his commentary on “Oppenheimer” published by the Tokyo Bar Association.


Beyonce Goes Cowboycore with New Album Heavy on Texas Roots

Beyonce is embracing her Texas roots with her new album, 'Cowboy Carter'. Theo Wargo / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/AFP/File
Beyonce is embracing her Texas roots with her new album, 'Cowboy Carter'. Theo Wargo / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/AFP/File
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Beyonce Goes Cowboycore with New Album Heavy on Texas Roots

Beyonce is embracing her Texas roots with her new album, 'Cowboy Carter'. Theo Wargo / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/AFP/File
Beyonce is embracing her Texas roots with her new album, 'Cowboy Carter'. Theo Wargo / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/AFP/File

Beyonce has been a showbiz fixture for nearly three decades, shapeshifting from girl group lead and pop empress to Hollywood actor and business mogul.
But for all the caps she's worn, the Houston-bred megastar's cowboy hat has stayed within reach: Queen Bey has always been country.
Now she's firmly entering her yeehaw era: "Cowboy Carter," the second act of her "Renaissance" project, is set to drop Friday at midnight (0400 GMT), AFP said.
From the vocal harmonies of Destiny's Child to the outlaw twang of 2016's "Daddy Lessons," Beyonce has long paid homage to her southern heritage, incorporating country influences into her music, style and visual art.
A Texan raised by a mother from Louisiana and father from Alabama, the singer -- who has repeatedly rewritten music's marketing playbook -- has made clear she will fully celebrate her roots on her new project.
She has already topped the charts with the first two singles off the album -- "Texas Hold 'Em" and "16 Carriages," dropped during February's Super Bowl.
Nevertheless, her popularity and influence -- she has more Grammy wins than any other artist in the business -- have brushed up against the overwhelmingly white, male gatekeepers of country music, who have long dictated the genre's boundaries.
She notably received racist comments after performing what was then her most country song to date, "Daddy Lessons," at the 2016 Country Music Association Awards alongside The Chicks.
But Bey is not backing down.
"The criticisms I faced when I first entered this genre forced me to propel past the limitations that were put on me," she said on Instagram recently.
"act ii is a result of challenging myself, and taking my time to bend and blend genres together to create this body of work."
Black artists have always been instrumental to the genre, but backlash is frequent.
Lil Nas X -- the overnight sensation whose infectious, record-breaking "Old Town Road" paired banjo twangs with thumping bass -- was scrapped from Billboard's country chart, triggering criticism he was dubbed hip-hop because he is Black.
"Whenever a Black artist puts out a country song, the judgment, comments, and opinions come thick and fast," the Grammy-winning Rhiannon Giddens, who features on "Texas Hold 'Em," wrote in a recent column in The Guardian.
"Let's stop pretending that the outrage surrounding this latest single is about anything other than people trying to protect their nostalgia for a pure ethnically white tradition that never was," Giddens said.
'Policing the borders'
For Charles Hughes, author of the book "Country Soul: Making Music and Making Race in the American South," Beyonce's country era is "claiming of part of her musical identity and part of her Houstonness."
And yet "Black and brown artists are required by a white-dominated music industry, and a white-dominated understanding of country music... to prove their bona fides," he said.
"It has nothing to do with the music they're making."
In the last 15 years in particular, Beyonce "has really embraced and engaged with her Texanness," Hughes told AFP. "Anybody paying attention can't be too surprised here."
"Yet it still provoked this huge reckoning, once again, where you had people saying, 'Oh, she can't be country,'" he said, describing the reaction as an old refrain in Nashville "used as a mechanism of policing the borders around the music."
Holly G, who founded the Black Opry to showcase Black artists in country three years ago, told AFP "country music fans typically like to think of themselves as traditionalists, which is a bit ironic because Black people invented country music."
"There's always that pushback when there's something new or something different coming into the space," she continued. "Unfortunately for them, she's much more powerful than they are."
In 2022 Beyonce released Act I of "Renaissance," a pulsating collection of club tracks rooted in disco history, which highlighted the Black, queer and working-class communities who molded electronic dance and house.
Hughes said she clearly made efforts to understand the history of that scene, and her choice of collaborators for Act II shows a similar sensibility.
And no matter how Nashville reacts to "Cowboy Carter," Beyonce has made it clear she'll have the last word.
"This ain't a Country album," she posted recently. "This is a 'Beyonce' album."


After ‘Wonka’ and ‘Dune,’ Timothée Chalamet Signs First Look Deal with Warner Bros. 

Timothée Chalamet arrives at the world premiere of the film "Dune: Part Two" in London on Feb. 15, 2024. (AP)
Timothée Chalamet arrives at the world premiere of the film "Dune: Part Two" in London on Feb. 15, 2024. (AP)
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After ‘Wonka’ and ‘Dune,’ Timothée Chalamet Signs First Look Deal with Warner Bros. 

Timothée Chalamet arrives at the world premiere of the film "Dune: Part Two" in London on Feb. 15, 2024. (AP)
Timothée Chalamet arrives at the world premiere of the film "Dune: Part Two" in London on Feb. 15, 2024. (AP)

Following the success of “Wonka ” and the “Dune” movies, Warner Bros. is staying in the Timothée Chalamet business. The star signed a first look deal with the studio to collaborate on future projects as an actor and producer, Warner Bros. said Tuesday.

This doesn’t mean that Chalamet can only make movies with Warner Bros., just that the studio is entitled to right of first refusal. The terms of the deal were not released, but it is a “multi-year” agreement.

Warner Bros. Motion Picture Group co-chairs and CEO’s Mike De Luca and Pam Abdy said in a statement that they’ve admired his “commitment to his craft” and his “unwavering dedication to give 100% of his time and attention to every project he has made.”

Chalamet, in a statement, said of De Luca and Abdy: “These are studio heads who believe in real movie making, and I’m so grateful for their support as an actor, producer and collaborator. This partnership feels like a natural next step. Let’s go!”

The 28-year-old recently became the first star in over four decades to be in two top-grossing films released within eight months of each other with “Dune: Part Two,” which has a running box office total of $575.5 million, and “Wonka,” which made over $632 million globally. The previous record-holder was John Travolta with “Grease” and “Saturday Night Fever.”

Chalamet was a producer on Luca Guadagnino’s “Bones and All” and is also producing and starring in the upcoming Bob Dylan biopic, “A Complete Unknown,” which is currently filming.


Beyonce Album Highlights the Black Women Changing Country Music 

A musician performs on Broadway in Downtown Nashville on March 13, 2024 in Nashville, Tennessee. (AFP)
A musician performs on Broadway in Downtown Nashville on March 13, 2024 in Nashville, Tennessee. (AFP)
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Beyonce Album Highlights the Black Women Changing Country Music 

A musician performs on Broadway in Downtown Nashville on March 13, 2024 in Nashville, Tennessee. (AFP)
A musician performs on Broadway in Downtown Nashville on March 13, 2024 in Nashville, Tennessee. (AFP)

"Twenty-three in Music City / With dreams and high-heeled boots / Singin' for a crowd of blue eyes / Will they want me too?" croons Julie Williams at the Blue Room venue in Nashville.

The 26-year-old, who is biracial, is one of many Black female artists carving out space in country music's capital, where predominantly white, male gatekeepers dictate who makes it -- and who doesn't.

Megastar Beyonce's highly anticipated country album, out Friday, has cast a spotlight on efforts by Black performers -- a vital part of the genre's history -- to create a more inclusive Nashville.

"Who's excited for Beyonce's new country album?" hollered Williams to applause.

"Is this what all the white girls have been feeling this whole time? Like, when they look at just someone who's at the top of their craft and is just killing it and you get to be like, 'Wow, that could be me' -- it's pretty exciting."

Speaking to AFP backstage, Williams called Beyonce's move "a historic moment in bringing Black country to the mainstream."

Williams is among some 200 acts associated with the Black Opry, a three-year-old collective showcasing and amplifying the voices of Black artists working across genres including country, Americana and folk.

"I've always been a huge fan of country music throughout my entire life, and I've always felt isolated in that experience," the Black Opry's founder, Holly G, told AFP.

"Once I started Black Opry, I realized we're all there -- we're just not given the same platform and opportunities as some of our white counterparts."

'Trying to open the doors'

The institution's name is a direct reference to the Grand Ole Opry, the nearly century-old country performance space whose complicated history has been shaped by Black performers, but which has also spotlighted figures linked to racist ideologies.

The conversation about the marginalization of Black country artists has gained new traction in the wake of Beyonce's announcement, said Charles Hughes, author of "Country Soul: Making Music and Making Race in the American South."

"When we start to see things shift behind the scenes," he told AFP, "The effect of the Beyonce moment... is going to be felt, hopefully, by these communities and musicians and songwriters and fans and others who have been trying to open the doors."

Country is a quintessentially American style of music with influences from Africa: the banjo notably grew out of instruments brought to the Americas and the Caribbean by enslaved people in the 1600s.

Yet contemporary country has developed an overwhelmingly white, macho, conservative image, with industry leaders proving resistant to change.

In the 1920s, industry professionals developed the terms "hillbilly" and "race" records to define popular music charts. Those labels grew into country and R&B, respectively.

"That initial separation was based only on the color of their skin, and not on the sound of the music," said Holly G.

These divisions have persisted, meaning Black musicians -- especially Black women, as female artists at large have a demonstrably harder time getting airplay on tastemaking country radio -- face significant barriers.

"The song can sound exactly the same as some other people on the radio, and they're like, 'Yours isn't country,'" Prana Supreme, part of the mother-daughter act O.N.E The Duo, told AFP.

"And I'm like, hmm, what's the only difference here?"

'Mover of culture'

Even Beyonce has said she faced industry resistance.

"My hope is that years from now, the mention of an artist's race, as it relates to releasing genres of music, will be irrelevant," Beyonce said recently.

Dubbing her a "mover of culture," Prana Supreme said Beyonce's country moment is important not just for showing that Black artists are integral to country, but also to show Black fans that country is for them too.

"Southern culture is Black culture," she said.

Her mother Tekitha said Beyonce is a necessary "champion," not least to show the industry its blind spot: "You need some force that's going to come in and tell the market, 'Oh, wait a minute, there's money over here that y'all are leaving on the floor.'"

Trea Swindle, a member of country act Chapel Hart, said the group has noticed an attention and streaming boost since Beyonce's announcement, adding: "It's opening up country music as a whole to a completely new demographic."

The members of Chapel Hart grew up in a small southern town, and laugh off anyone who says they "aren't country."

"Honey, go to Poplarville, Mississippi -- no matter if you're Black, white, Asian, Hispanic -- it's Poplarville, and you're going to live that country experience," said Swindle.

"Country is a feeling. Country is a way of life."

Holly G said she'll believe mainstream change is afoot when she sees it.

"Beyonce is one of the most powerful celebrities in the world. And she was able to leverage that in order to see success in this space," she said.

"But I think that's because the industry is intimidated by Beyonce -- not because they're open to supporting Black women."


Movie Review: Bill Nighy, Michael Ward Shine in Netflix’s Homeless World Cup Crowd-Pleaser

 This image released by Netflix shows Micheal Ward, foreground left, and Bill Nighy in a scene from "The Beautiful Game." (Netflix via AP)
This image released by Netflix shows Micheal Ward, foreground left, and Bill Nighy in a scene from "The Beautiful Game." (Netflix via AP)
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Movie Review: Bill Nighy, Michael Ward Shine in Netflix’s Homeless World Cup Crowd-Pleaser

 This image released by Netflix shows Micheal Ward, foreground left, and Bill Nighy in a scene from "The Beautiful Game." (Netflix via AP)
This image released by Netflix shows Micheal Ward, foreground left, and Bill Nighy in a scene from "The Beautiful Game." (Netflix via AP)

“The Beautiful Game,” a new movie starring Bill Nighy and Michael Ward, is about a real international soccer tournament called the Homeless World Cup.

Don’t go in expecting documentary realness or grit, however. This is a movie-movie (debuting on Netflix on Friday, tidily constructed to leave audiences feeling inspired and uplifted. Mind you, this isn’t a bad thing – verité authenticity has its place but so do well constructed, glossy fantasies that still evoke authentic emotion and get at some essential truths. “The Beautiful Game,” directed by Thea Sharrock, is firmly the latter. Just managing expectations.

The first Homeless World Cup was held in 2003, and in the past two decades, nearly 70 countries and 1.2 million people have participated. And yet, I suspect, its existence might come as a surprise to many (even soccer fans ...excuse me, football). The foundation’s goals are noble, raising awareness for homelessness in major world cities and giving players a sense of pride and community.

Colin Farrell, who narrated the 2008 documentary about the games (“Kicking It,” currently streaming on Freevee) and has since become an ambassador for the foundation, is one of the main producers on the film. Screenwriter Frank Cotrell-Boyce also worked with the foundation and past participants to inspire the characters he’d end up writing. It may be a movie, but it has legitimacy in its bones.

If you have a “Ted Lasso” shaped hole in your heart (or, less dramatically, viewing schedule), or are still feeling burned from Taika Waititi’s misfire “Next Goal Wins,” this might just do the trick. Ward is Vinny, a down-on-his-luck dad to a young girl who also happens to be an immensely talented player. But he’s not remotely ready to join any team, even one going to a real tournament in Rome, that has the word “homeless” in it.

Nighy plays Mal, a kind and soft-spoken (except when a ref makes a bad call) football legend who coaches the homeless England team: Nathan (Callum Scott Howells), Aldar (Robin Nazari), Kevin (Tom Vaughan-Lawlor), Cal (Kit Young) and Jason (Sheyi Cole). They all have stories of how they got where they were, but all are kind and eager and excited to play. Vinny is the stick in the mud, making things tense and awkward at every turn. Essentially, he thinks he’s better than his teammates on the field and off, which of course says more about him than the other guys.

While Vinny and the England team are the primary focus, there are b-plots given to Japan, a first-time team full of slightly older players and an ambitious young coach (Aoi Okuyama), America, a woman’s team with a star player (Cristina Rodlo), and to South Africa, the best of the bunch under the leadership of a shrewd nun Protasia (Susan Wokoma). For an ensemble as big as this, the story does an admirable job of giving most something meaningful to do. It’s not a bad travelogue for Rome either, and it’s also always nice to have a dash of Valeria Golino, who is leading the tournament.

Is it a little glossy and sanitized with a jaunty score? Sure. But it also thoughtfully explores themes of redemption, invisibility, pride and sportsmanship without being preachy or condescending. It’s PG-13 rating is a little puzzling — this does seem on the tamer end of the scale and appropriate for most ages. And, not for nothing, Sharrock and her team do a good job of showing just how exciting soccer can be (which is not a feat many movies have accomplished).


The Irony of Steve Martin’s Life Isn’t Lost on Him

Steve Martin, a cast member in "Only Murders in the Building," poses at the second season premiere of the Hulu series at the Directors Guild of America in Los Angeles on June 27, 2022. (AP)
Steve Martin, a cast member in "Only Murders in the Building," poses at the second season premiere of the Hulu series at the Directors Guild of America in Los Angeles on June 27, 2022. (AP)
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The Irony of Steve Martin’s Life Isn’t Lost on Him

Steve Martin, a cast member in "Only Murders in the Building," poses at the second season premiere of the Hulu series at the Directors Guild of America in Los Angeles on June 27, 2022. (AP)
Steve Martin, a cast member in "Only Murders in the Building," poses at the second season premiere of the Hulu series at the Directors Guild of America in Los Angeles on June 27, 2022. (AP)

Steve Martin has long marveled at the many phases of his life. There’s his youth as a Disneyland performer, surrounded by vaudeville performers and magicians. A decade as a stand-up before the sudden onset of stadium-sized popularity. An abrupt shift to movies. Later, a new chapter as a banjo player, a father and, a comedy act, once again, with Martin Short.

It’s such a confounding string of chapters that Martin has typically only approached his life piecemeal or schizophrenically. He titled an audiobook “So Many Steves.” His memoir, “Born Standing Up,” covered only his stand-up years. In it, he wrote that it was really a biography “because I am writing about someone I used to know.”

“My life has many octopus arms,” Martin says, speaking from his New York apartment.

People participate in documentaries for all kinds of reasons. But Martin may be unique in making a film about his life with the instruction of: “See if you can make sense of all THAT.” Morgan Neville, the documentary filmmaker of the Fred Rogers film “Won’t You Be My Neighbor” and the posthumous Anthony Bourdain portrait “Roadrunner,” took up the challenge.

Yet Neville, too, was hesitant about any holistic view of Martin. The resulting film is really two. “STEVE! (martin) a documentary in 2 pieces,” premiering Friday on Apple TV+, splits Martin’s story in two halves. One depicts Martin’s stand-up as it unfolded, with copious contributions from journal entries and old photographs. The other captures Martin’s life as it is today — riding electric bikes with Short, practicing the banjo — with reflections on the career that followed.

It’s an attempt to synthesize all the Steve Martins, or at least line them up next to each other. The “King Tut” guy with the arrow through his head. The “wild and crazy guy.” The “Jerk.” The Grammy-winner. The novel writer. And the self-lacerating comic who says in the film: “I guarantee I had no talent. None.”

“Just because you do a lot of things doesn’t mean they’re good,” Martin says. I know that time evaluates things. So there’s nothing for me to stand on to evaluate my efforts. But an outsider can make sense of it.”

Neville, who joined the video call from his home in Pasadena, California, didn’t set out to make two films about Martin. But six months into the process, it crystalized for him as the right structure. Through lines emerged.

“When I look at the things Steve’s done in his life — playing banjo, magic, stand-up — these are things that take great effort to master,” Neville says. “But in a way, it’s the constant working at it. Even seeing Steve pick up a banjo, it’s never, ‘I nailed it.’ It’s always: ‘I could do that a little better.’”

Looking back hasn’t come naturally to Martin. He’s long resisted the kind of life-story treatment of a film like “STEVE!” But Martin, 78, grants he’s now at that time of life where you can’t help it. Even if reliving some things smarts.

“The first part, that’s what I really have a hard time watching,” Martin says. “When I’m on black-and-white homemade video being so not funny.”

Martin grew up in Orange County in awe of Jerry Lewis, Laurel and Hardy and Nichols and May. His first job, as an 11-year-old, was selling guide books at Disneyland. He drifted toward the Main Street Magic Shop. Stage performers like Wally Boag became his idols.

When Martin, after studying philosophy in college and writing for “The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour,” began stand-up, he drew copiously from Boag and others, filtering the showmanship of vaudeville into an avantgarde act, just with balloon animals and an arrow through his head. Donning the persona of, as he says in the film, “a comedian who thinks he’s funny but isn’t,” his routine moved away from punchlines and toward an absurd irony with “free-form laughter.”

Martin’s act was groundbreaking and, in the 1970s, when most comics were doing political material, it became wildly popular. “He’s up there with the most idolized comedians ever,” Jerry Seinfeld says in the film. Now, Martin doesn’t see much from those years that makes him laugh.

“Then there are these moments that I think of as performance glory, but they last a minute or two minutes,” Martin says. It was all so new. It was exciting because it was new to the audience and to me.”

In 1981, Martin quit stand-up, he thought for good. The act had run its course and he was happy to transition to movies. It wasn’t until decades later, when Martin prepared to tour as a banjo player, that a friend convinced him audiences were going to want a little banter in between songs.

“So I had this terror and I started working on material,” Martin says. “Eventually I became what I grew up with, which is a folk music act with a funny monologist, making funny intros to songs.”

That’s bled into Martin’s unexpected return to stand-up. Martin and Short, friends since the 1986 comedy “Three Amigos!” have become the premier double act of today, starring on the acclaimed Hulu series “Only Murders in the Building” and performing on the road. They cuttingly but affectionately volley quip after quip with the finesse of Grand Slam champions.

The irony isn’t lost on Martin. The no-punchline comedian has become a lover of punchlines.

“I’ve morphed into a person who really appreciates the joy of telling jokes,” shrugs Martin. “Marty and I in our show is joke after joke after joke.”

Martin likes to say he has a “relaxed mind” now. He’s peeled away a lot — competitiveness, people or situations who brought him grief — and has narrowed his life down to things that matter most to him.

“I have this thing that I’ve noticed,” Martin says. “As we age, we either become our best selves or our worst selves. I’ve seen people become their worst selves and I’ve seen people who were tough, difficult people early on become better selves.”


What to Stream this Week: Beyoncé, Steve Martin, J-Hope, Mike Birbiglia, Bill Nighy and 'Madu'

Beyoncé pictured during her Glastonbury headline set, June 26, 2011. (Getty Images)
Beyoncé pictured during her Glastonbury headline set, June 26, 2011. (Getty Images)
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What to Stream this Week: Beyoncé, Steve Martin, J-Hope, Mike Birbiglia, Bill Nighy and 'Madu'

Beyoncé pictured during her Glastonbury headline set, June 26, 2011. (Getty Images)
Beyoncé pictured during her Glastonbury headline set, June 26, 2011. (Getty Images)

Beyoncé's country album and a documentary about a Nigerian boy who dreams of being a professional ballet dancer are some of the new television, movies, music and games headed to a device near you.
Also among the streaming offerings worth your time as selected by The Associated Press’ entertainment journalists: Bill Nighy plays an English soccer manager taking a team to the Homeless World Cup in “The Beautiful Game,” a two-part documentary about comedy master Steve Martin and Netflix offers “Testament: The Story of Moses,” just in time for Easter.
NEW MOVIES TO STREAM — Bill Nighy leads a charming crowd-pleaser on Netflix, “The Beautiful Game,” in which he plays an English soccer (sorry, football) manager taking a team to the Homeless World Cup in Rome. Michael Ward co-stars as an especially talented player, Vinny, who reluctantly joins the team. New to housing insecurity, he feels above his teammates and the circus of the games at first. The story, written by Frank Cottrell-Boyce and directed by Thea Sharrock is loosely inspired by the real thing (Cottrell-Boyce worked with the Homeless World Cup Foundation to develop the characters) but at heart is very much a movie, tidy and feel-good in the vein of “Ted Lasso” – perhaps what “Next Goal Wins” wanted to be. It starts streaming on Friday, March 29.
— Oscar-winning documentarian Morgan Neville dives into the life of a personal idol, Steve Martin, in “STEVE! (martin) a documentary in 2 pieces,” coming to Apple TV+ on Friday, March 29. Neville (“Won’t You Be My Neighbor”) essentially created two different movies, one about Martin’s beginnings and one about the present. Martin has told his story many times, but the Neville movies offer unprecedented access to him reflecting on successes, failures and finding happiness. He assures viewers that they can be watched in any order. And yes, there will be banjos.
— This week is all about affirmation and inspiration in streaming movies, apparently, and Disney+ has its own submission with “Madu." It’s about a 12-year-old Nigerian boy who leaves home to study ballet at a prestigious school in England for seven years. If this sounds vaguely familiar it’s likely because at age 11, Anthony Madu went viral online with a 44-second video of him dancing shoeless in the mud and rain in Lagos. It got the attention of the national media and the likes of Cynthia Erivo and Viola Davis and put him on the path you see in the film. “Madu” begins streaming on Friday, March 29.
— AP Film Writer Lindsey Bahr
NEW MUSIC TO STREAM — This ain’t a country album, it’s a Beyoncé album. At least, that phrase was briefly projected onto the exterior of some of New York City’s most famous museums, the Guggenheim, Whitney, New Museum, and the Museum of Arts and Design, in the week leading up to her highly anticipated new album, “Act ll: Cowboy Carter.” The album was first announced last month, after a Verizon commercial starring Beyoncé aired during the Super Bowl ended with the superstar saying, “They ready, drop the new music.” A cryptic Instagram tease later, and Bey surprise release two singles, the country stomp “Texas Hold ’Em,” and the soulful slow burn “16 Carriages.” It’s not new territory for Beyoncé, as anyone who remembers the track “Daddy Lessons” from her 2016 studio album “Lemonade” will remember, but it has opened up new territory. A few weeks ago, the superstar singer became the first Black woman to top Billboard’s country music chart. The album drops Friday, March 29.
— Also on Bey Day (or however the culture has decided to describe the unofficial holiday), Sheryl Crow will release “Evolution,” her 12th studio album and first in half a decade. After 2019’s “Threads” was released, Crow said she would not release another full-length. Time changes things, as any artist will let you know, and it’s a great thing. One listen of her cover of Peter Gabriel’s 1992 track “Digging in the Dirt,” recorded with Gabriel, guarantees it.
— Bid farewell to Sum 41, the playful pop-punk band from Canada known for their raucous hits “In Too Deep” and “Fat Lip.” The band’s final album, “Heaven :x: Hell,” releases Friday, March 29. They’re going out with an explosion – their enthusiastic rock never missing a beat — but it is an end to an era, nonetheless. Was lead single “Landmines” written in 2023 or 2001? Who knows – palm-muted power chords hit just as hard now as they did then.
— With members of the K-pop group BTS currently participating in South Korea’s mandatory military service, it’s hard not to miss them. But there is a balm: an Amazon Prime docuseries about member J-Hope titled “Hope on the Street.” The show follows J-Hope’s story — can’t miss viewing for the superfans in your life.
— AP Music Writer Maria Sherman
NEW SHOWS TO STREAM — This one’s for the comedy nerds. Peacock debuts “Good One: A Show About Jokes,” based on a popular Vulture podcast, on Tuesday. The documentary follows Mike Birbiglia, known for his personal comedy, as he mines his life for new material. “Good One” also features Seth Meyers, Hasan Minhaj and Atsuko Okatsuka.
— In time for Easter Sunday, Netflix offers a new docudrama in the faith-based genre with “Testament: The Story of Moses.” It follows the Biblical story of Moses and his journey from Egyptian prince to being given the Ten Commandments by God. He also went from an outcast to a liberator. Charles Dance narrates and Avi Azulay plays Moses, and the three-parts also features interviews with religion experts. “Testament” premieres Wednesday.
— BritBox offers the second season of the British prison drama “Time.” If you missed season one, it’s OK, because “Time” is an anthology series. Season two stars Jodie Whittaker of “Doctor Who” and “Broadchurch” along with Bella Ramsey from “The Last of Us.” Whittaker, Ramsey and Tamara Lawrence play three women who meet on their first day in prison. “Time” premieres Wednesday.
— A new limited drama series on “Hulu” called “We Were the Lucky Ones” follows the members of the Kurc family, who get separated during World War II after the Nazi’s invaded Poland. It’s based on a book by Georgia Hunter who discovered her own Jewish ancestry and that her grandfather was actually a Holocaust survivor while writing a report for school. The series stars Logan Lerman as her grandfather Addy and Joey King as his sister. The family’s love, resilience and survival is one of hope and optimism. “We Were the Lucky Ones” debuts Thursday.
— Prime Video introduces “The Baxters” on Thursday. The Christian-based series stars Roma Downey and Ted McGinley as John and Elizabeth Baxter, who have five adult children. The family’s faith is tested when one of the Baxter daughters learns her husband has had an affair. It’s based on a book series by Christian author Karen Kingsbury. Cassidy Gifford (daughter Frank Gifford and Kathy Lee Gifford) also plays one of the Baxter daughters.
— Beloved for playing Gus Fring on “Breaking Bad” and "Better Call Saul,” Giancarlo Esposito executive produces and stars in his own series called “Parish” for AMC. Esposito plays Gracian “Gray” Parish, who is drawn back into the crime world after a family tragedy. “Parish” is a passion project for Esposito, who worked to get it developed for eight years. Skeet Ulrich co-stars and Bradley Whitford has a recurring role. “Parish” is based on a BBC One show called “The Driver” and debuts Sunday, March 31 on AMC and AMC+.
— Alicia Rancilio
— Louise Harland stars in the Disney+ series “Renegade Nell” as Nellie Jackson, an 18th century swashbuckling cockney who outwits and survives robbers and barons, and even beats a murder charge. She’s assisted by a protective sprite played by “Ted Lasso's” Nick Mohammed. The eight-episode drama premieres Friday, March 29.
— Hilary Fox
NEW VIDEO GAMES TO PLAY — “South Park” has been around for so long that Cartman, Stan, Kyle and Kenny should be old enough to have kids of their own. Fortunately, the boys are still stuck in elementary school purgatory, so they’re just the right age to go nuts for THQ Nordic’s South Park: Snow Day! The town has been shut down by a massive blizzard, so the gang is free to get outside and create all sorts of mayhem. Your character is the “New Kid,” and you can play solo or join forces with up to three friends in battles that go way beyond a neighborhood snowball fight. Break open the Cheesy Poofs on Tuesday on PlayStation 5, Xbox X/S, Nintendo Switch and PC.
— Annapurna Interactive’s Open Roads begins with teenager Tess Devine and her mother, Opal, discovering a stash of old letters that hint at dark secrets — and maybe a hidden treasure. So the two of them hit the road in their station wagon on a mission to visit some long neglected family properties. It might not be the best idea for a mother-daughter road trip, since Opal might revive some memories she’s spent years trying to forget. Open Roads comes from some of the creators of the much-admired 2013 mystery Gone Home, and features the voices of Keri Russell and Kaitlyn Dever. The drive begins Thursday on PlayStation 5, Xbox X/S, Nintendo Switch and PC.