Film: Wicked: Part ICast: Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo, Michelle Yeoh, Jeff Goldblum, Jonathan Bailey, Ethan Slater, Kristin Chenoweth, Peter Dinklage, Marissa Bode, Idina Menzel, Sharon D. Clarke, Adam James, Keala Settle, Bronwyn James, Bowen Yang, James Dryden, Andy Nyman, Grecia De la Paz.Director: Jon M. ChuRating: 3.5/5Runtime: 160 min Wicked, this first instalment of a two-part cinematic adaptation by Winnie Holzman and Dana Fox, of Gregory Maguire’s book, was apparently framed along the lines of the hit Broadway musical of the same name. Wicked opens with flying monkeys, a witch’s hat, and a yellow brick road followed by a song celebrating the death of the Wicked Witch of the West. Glinda/Galinda (Ariana Grande), confirms her passing. Going back in time, we hear of the birth of Elphaba, a green baby rejected by her father, the governor of Munchkinland (Andy Nyman). Their milkman was apparently The Incredible Hulk. Elphaba is eventually sent to Shiz University by her father to support her wheelchair bound sister Nessarose (Marissa Bode) and it’s here that she meets Galinda Upland, an entitled toxic mean girl used to getting her own way. Galinda and Elphaba end up as roommates. Ephaba’s natural flair attracts headmistress Madame Morrible’s (Michelle Yeoh) attention and she takes her under her tutelage. Galinda sets her eyes on a hunk named Fiyero (Jonathan Bailey) who ends up becoming fascinated by Elphaba’s abilities. In the interim, a professor at the school, a goat named Dr. Dillamond (voiced by Peter Dinklage), also forms a bond with Elphaba. After several grandiose showstopping song and dance numbers Elphaba meets the great Oz( Jeff Goldblum) who has his own reasons for harnessing her magical powers. Over and above the plethora of song and dance numbers there’s some deeper subtext too. Elphaba deals with her Daddy issues and othering in her own inimical way. Galinda we find is also not all bad. She convinces a good-hearted Munchkin, Boq (Ethan Slater) to ask out Elphaba’s wheelchair bound sister Nessarose. She also puts in all efforts to make Elphaba popular. In a wonderfully poignant scene we see Ariana Grande-Butera lending energy and vitality while dancing and frolicking to a popular song. We see hints of racism, cruelty towards animals, systematic erasure of history, people being forced out of jobs and the dehumanisation of a community - all pointing to the topicality of this supple material. The world-building is pretty strong, the visuals are eye-popping and the tech aspects are worthy of fullsome praise. We don’t always see Elphaba and Galinda together. Both get to showcase their singing and dancing talents individually too. Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande-Butera, both put on a great show. Elphaba is the author backed character and as such Cynthia gets to hog the show but Ariana Grande is no shrinking violet. Her vocals are strong and enlivening. Erivo and Grande’s performances are micromanaged beautifully to convey a relationship that feels stronger and well-developed. Their loathing gives way to sisterhood in spectacular fashion. Their feelings for Fiyero also make room for hilarity. The movie closes with the popular song “Defying Gravity.” The costumes, set design, make-up, styling are all top-notch. The rooms and grounds of Shiz University are alive with textures and details that enhance the impressive dance acrobatics on display within. Everything is not perfect in ‘Wicked: Part I,’though. The runtime for one can be very daunting and not all the songs have the power to keep you humming along. Even so, this is a fairly invigorating and thought-provoking musical.
22 November,2024 05:53 PM IST | Mumbai | Johnson ThomasActor Priyanka Chopra, on Thursday shared a glimpse to her fans of her 'Husband jacket kind of morning'. The 'Citadel' actor wore her husband Nick Jonas's black jacket and posted a mirror selfie on Instagram Story. She wrote, "A husband jacket kind of morning." Priyanka is currently shooting for her series 'Citadel 2'. He has been keeping fans updated on her busy schedule through her Instagram Stories from the sets. Priyanka and Nick tied the knot in 2018 and welcomed their daughter Malti Marie through surrogacy in January 2022. Meanwhile, on the work front, Priyanka has other exciting projects lined up, including 'Heads of State' alongside Idris Elba and John Cena, as well as a role as a 19th-century Caribbean pirate in 'The Bluff'. 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 November,2024 04:48 PM IST | Mumbai | ANIIf you missed grabbing your spot at the Grammy-winning band Coldplay’s Mumbai and Ahmedabad concerts, fear not, we’ve got you covered. In a bid to make the concert accessible, Coldplay will offer a limited number of 'Infinity Tickets', priced at approximately Rs 2000 per ticket. These will go on sale today (November 22) at 12 PM on BookMyShow, allowing fans to purchase them in pairs and enjoy the concert experience together. Details of Coldplay’s Mumbai and Ahmedabad concerts Scheduled for January 18, 19, and 21, 2025, the iconic DY Patil Sports Stadium in Mumbai will be the stage for three unforgettable nights of music and magic. Due to unprecedented demand, the band will also perform on January 25 and 26 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. Following the phenomenal success of their summer 2024 shows in Europe, Coldplay is ready to make history with their much-anticipated performances in India. Fans have been eagerly awaiting Coldplay's return since their last visit in 2016, and this announcement is sure to raise anticipation. "We are thrilled to bring Coldplay back to India," said a promoter, adding, "This tour is going to be an extraordinary experience for everyone." Coldplay performing as a part of their 'Music of the Spheres World Tour' Since launching in March 2022, the 'Music of the Spheres World Tour' has sold over 10 million tickets worldwide. The tour will feature an array of hits from their acclaimed album 'Music of the Spheres', including new singles like 'We Pray' and 'feelslikeimfallinginlove'. Audiences can also expect to hear beloved classics such as 'Yellow', 'Fix You', and 'Viva La Vida', all presented in a spectacular show complete with lasers, fireworks, and mesmerizing LED displays. Coldplay's new album, 'Moon Music', was released on October 4, 2024, and aimed to set new sustainability standards in the music industry, with each vinyl made from 100% recycled plastic. Coldplay previously performed in India in 2016 as part of the Global Citizen Festival in Mumbai. The band, which was established in 1997, consists of vocalist and pianist Chris Martin, guitarist Jonny Buckland, bassist Guy Berryman, and drummer and percussionist Will Champion.
22 November,2024 11:02 AM IST | MumbaiFilmmaker Christopher Nolan is collecting Hollywood royalties for his next movie like the gems in the infinity gauntlet. Hollywood star Robert Pattinson is set to reunite with ace filmmaker Christopher Nolan after ‘Tenet’. The actor will be next seen in the filmmaker’s closely guarded project at Universal Pictures, reports ‘Variety’. The actor joins an impressive ensemble that already includes Matt Damon, Tom Holland, Lupita Nyong’o, Anne Hathaway and Zendaya. Christopher Nolan’s next movie is rumored to be a period horror about vampires in the 1920s.Starring Tom Holland and Matt Damon.(Source: https://t.co/aURUIG4kdn) pic.twitter.com/JSKrjtZbYW — DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) October 21, 2024 As per ‘Variety’, Universal and Nolan’s follow-up to their Oscar-winning drama ‘Oppenheimer’ is projecting a production start date sometime in the first half of 2025. Robert Pattinson will be quite busy in the New Year. Warner Bros. is looking to film a sequel to his 2022 blockbuster ‘The Batman’, in which the actor would reprise his leading turn as the DC Comics superhero. Pattinson is also starring in A24’s ‘Primetime’, a thriller drawing inspiration from the reality show ‘To Catch a Predator’ that will serve as the debut narrative feature of rising filmmaker Lance Oppenheim. That indie is planning to ramp up production early next year. Additionally, Pattinson’s next feature, Bong Joon-Ho’s sci-fi comedy ‘Mickey 17’, is set to release in theatres on April 18, 2025. That $150 million production from Warner Bros., which serves as the Korean auteur’s long-awaited follow-up to his Oscar winner ‘Parasite’, will likely come with its own gauntlet of promotional obligations for Robert Pattinson. The actor starred alongside John David Washington in Nolan’s time-bending thriller ‘Tenet’, which marked the filmmaker’s final feature at Warner Bros. after a long tenure at the studio that yielded hits such as ‘The Dark Knight’ trilogy, ‘Dunkirk’ and ‘Interstellar’. The studio’s handling of the release of ‘Tenet’ during the Covid-19 pandemic strained Nolan’s relationship with his longtime home, a tension that ultimately led to the director setting up shop at Universal for ‘Oppenheimer’. 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 November,2024 09:00 AM IST | Los Angeles | IANSHollywood star Matthew McConaughey reveals he moved to Texas because he became tired of being Hollywood's "rom-com dude". The 55-year-old actor gained major success with a series of romantic-comedies such as 'The Wedding Planner' and 'How To Lose A Guy In 10 Days', but he wanted to take his career in another direction. McConaughey said on the 'Good Trouble' podcast: "I was the rom-com dude, man, that was my lane, and I liked that lane. That lane paid well and it was working. "But the lane was … I was so strong in that lane that anything outside of that lane, dramas and stuff that I wanted to do, were like, 'no, no, no, no, no McConaughey.' Hollywood said, 'no, no, no, no, you should stay there, stay there.'" McConaughey made a conscious decision to stop making romantic-comedy and he's now happy to remain in Texas until the right on-screen roles come his way, reports femalefirst.co.uk. The award-winning actor said: "So, since I couldn’t do what I wanted to do, I stopped doing what I was doing. And I moved down to the ranch in Texas, and I went down there and I made a pact with my wife and said, ‘I’m not going back to work unless I get offered roles I want to do.'" By contrast, McConaughey acknowledged that he "said yes to too many things" earlier in his career. He explained: "I mean, we all look around and see we’ve over-leveraged our life with yeses and gone, 'geez, oh, man, I’m making C-minuses and all that in my life because I said yes to too many things.'" McConaughey was later seen in films such as “A Time To Kill”, “Contact”, “The Lincoln Lawyer”, “Magic Mike”, “Dallas Buyers Club”, “The Wolf of Wall Street”, “Interstellar” and “Sing” to name a few. 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 November,2024 08:22 AM IST | Los Angeles | IANSThe documentary ‘Deep Rising’, narrated by ‘Aquaman’ star Jason Momoa, explores the deep seabed. It also showcases how earth’s last pristine wilderness, largest living space and largest carbon sink, is facing an imminent threat of deep-sea mining. Jason also serves as an executive producer on the documentary, as it proves to be thematic with his role of DC superhero Aquaman who resides in the deep sea. The documentary is directed by Matthieu Rytz. The film unveils the high-stakes battle over deep seabed mining, exposing the grave environmental and geopolitical risks that threaten the last untouched frontier on our planet. It explores the mysteries of the deep ocean, revealing its crucial role in Earth's survival while calling for urgent action to protect these fragile ecosystems. The film premiered at Sundance Film Festival, and has received multiple awards for its powerful storytelling and environmental message. Deep Rising aims to empower individuals and communities worldwide to reclaim their birthright and safeguard the deep ocean for future generations. The film aims to educate the global population about the significance of the deep seabed and halt deep-sea mining before it starts, ensuring that this precious, and largely unexplored, ecosystem remains untouched by destructive extraction practices. While the deep-sea mining is yet to begin, people are uniquely positioned to prevent deep sea mining before irreversible damage is done, making this a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to protect our planet’s most vital ecosystems. The documentary is currently available for purchase and rental on deeprising.com and is set to make its way on major global streaming platforms, making it accessible to audiences worldwide. 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 November,2024 08:18 AM IST | Mumbai | IANSHollywood star Denzel Washington has shared that at one point he used to wash down his throat with two bottles of fine wine a day. The 69-year-old 'Training Day' star spent years battling a drinking problem but he has been sober for 10 years and he has revealed that his issues with alcohol started when he got a taste for pricey vintages after adding a wine cellar to the family home, reports 'Female First UK'. He told 'Esquire' magazine, "Wine is very tricky. It's very slow. It ain't like, boom, all of a sudden. I never got strung out on heroin. Never got strung out on coke. Never got strung out on hard drugs. I shot dope just like they shot dope, but I never got strung out. And I never got strung out on liquor. I had this ideal idea of wine tastings and all that, which is what it was at first. And that's a very subtle thing." He further mentioned, "I mean, I drank the best, I learned to drink the best (when we added the wine cellar). So I'm gonna drink my '61s and my '82s and whatever we had. Wine was my thing, and now I was popping $4,000 bottles just because that's what was left." As per 'Female First UK', he revealed he used to drink two bottles a day but he would never indulge when he was working. Denzel shared, "I never drank while I was working or preparing. I would clean up, and go back to work, I could do both. However, after many months of shooting, bang, it's time to go. Then, boom. Three months of wine, then time to go back to work." He went on to concede his drinking impacted his health but he's hoping a decade sober will help him live well into old age. He added, "I've done a lot of damage to the body. We'll see. I've been clean. Things are opening up for me now like being 70. It's real. And it's OK. This is the last chapter -- if I get another thirty, what do I want to do? My mother made it to ninety-seven. I'm doing the best I can." 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 November,2024 08:03 AM IST | Los Angeles | IANSRapper Hanumankind, who made waves in the music space after the success of his single ‘Big Dawgs’ is set to become the second Indian to perform at Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in 2025. The first Indian was Diljit Dosanjh. The festival unveiled its line-up for next year which also includes other bigwigs, who will reign at the major event in the California desert. Coachella 2025 line-up, dates, and more According to Coachella’s website, the line-up includes names like Lady Gaga, Post Malone, Green Day, Missy Elliot, Charli XCX, and Megan Thee Stallion among others. The dates for the festival are from April 11, 12, 13, 18, 19, and 20. Travis Scott will get the guest slot. His date has not been revealed yet. Hanumankind will be performing on a Saturday but there is no clarity if it will be on April 12 or 19. Who is Hanumankind? Sooraj Cherukat, going by the stage name Hanumankind, slashed global records with his rap track ‘Big Dawgs’ which surpassed Kendrick Lamar’s ‘Not Like Us’ on Spotify's Global Chart. Hailing from Malappuram, Kerala, Sooraj released his first single 'Daily Dose' in his debut EP Kalari in 2019. He grew up in Houston, Texas, where he attended Houston Community College. In 2012, he returned to India and enrolled at PSG College in Coimbatore to study Business Administration. He completed an internship at Goldman Sachs in 2014 and later worked as an Operations Analyst at the company for over a year starting in 2017. Following this, he left Goldman Sachs to join BigCity Promotions as an Alliance & Partnership Specialist. His other popular tracks include ‘Genghis,’ ‘Skyline,’ ‘Damnson,’ ‘Southside,’ and ‘Rush Hour,’ among others. His style has been largely influenced by Kendrick Lamar, J. Cole, and Logic which has solidified his position in Desi Indian hip hop. Sooraj created his stage name, 'Hanumankind,' by merging the Hindi word 'Hanuman' with the English word 'kind,' playing on the concept of 'humankind.' Hanumankind to make his acting debut Filmmaker Aashiq Abu's Malayalam film ‘Rifle Club’ will feature the rapper as Bheera. Anurag Kashyap plays his father in the film. ‘Rifle Club’ also stars Dileesh Pothan, Vani Viswanath, Vijayaraghavan, Vincy Aloshious, Ramzan Muhammed, Surabhi Lakshmi, and Unnimaya Prasad.
21 November,2024 11:18 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentOscar-winning actress Angelina Jolie is set to star in 'Stitches', a new high-fashion drama directed by Alice Winocour. The film is confirmed to begin production in Paris, according to Deadline. While specific plot details are being kept under wraps, the movie will explore the world of high fashion, with the story unfolding primarily in the French capital, reported Deadline. 'Stitches' will be shot in both French and English, similar to Winocour's previous project 'Proxima', which garnered significant attention for its portrayal of an astronaut's struggles balancing professional aspirations with motherhood. Winocour is once again collaborating with Pathe Films on this project, after the success of her critically acclaimed film 'Paris Memories'. The film, which premiered at the Cannes Directors' Fortnigthis project, earned actress Virginie Efira a Cesar Award. Jolie's casting in 'Stitches' comes on the heels of her highly anticipated biographical film 'Maria', in which she will portray opera legend Maria Callas. Directed by Pablo Larrain, the movie is produced by Fremantle, Apartment, and Netflix. In addition to 'Maria', Jolie also directed 'Without Blood', a Western-inspired drama that had its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF). The film, which stars Salma Hayek and Demian Bichir, tells the story of a woman who survives the brutal killing of her family and later seeks justice from their murderer. The film is based on the novel by Alessandro Baricco and has generated significant interest. While plot details of 'Stitches' remain a closely guarded secret, the film will also likely showcase the glamorous and cutthroat nature of the industry, with Paris serving as the perfect backdrop, as per Deadline. Produced by Charles Gillibert's Paris-based CG Cinema, 'Stitches' is expected to feature a star-studded cast. 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 November,2024 08:00 AM IST | Washington | ANIOlga Solovey, the mother of late cinematographer Halyna Hutchins, is boycotting the world première of Rust at a film festival in Poland on Wednesday, saying she views it as an attempt by Alec Baldwin to “unjustly profit” from her daughter’s death. Rust is premièring at the International Film Festival of the Art of Cinematography Camerimage in the city of Torun three years after Hutchins was shot accidentally on set. Baldwin, the lead actor and co-producer for Rust, was pointing a gun at Hutchins during a rehearsal on the set outside Santa Fe, New Mexico, in October 2021 when the revolver went off, killing Hutchins and wounding director Joel Souza. Baldwin has said he pulled back the hammer “but not the trigger” and the revolver fired. Souza was expected to introduce the film at the festival, a popular industry event dedicated to the art of cinematography, and the première was being dedicated to Hutchins. “It was always my hope to meet my daughter in Poland to watch her work come alive on screen,” said Solovey in a statement issued by her lawyer. She said, “Unfortunately, that was ripped away from me when Alec Baldwin discharged his gun and killed my daughter. He continues to increase my pain with his refusal to apologise to me and his refusal to take responsibility for her death. Instead, he seeks to unjustly profit from his killing of my daughter.” She added, “That is the reason why I refuse to attend the festival for the promotion of Rust, especially now when there is still no justice for my daughter.” Hutchins, 42, was a Ukrainian cinematographer on the rise and a mother of a young son when she was killed. A New Mexico judge dismissed an involuntary manslaughter charge against Baldwin in the fatal shooting. 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 November,2024 07:39 AM IST | Los Angeles | AgenciesFormer One Direction member Liam Payne passed away after a tragic incident, and his funeral will take place in the Home Counties on Wednesday, November 20. Reportedly, the entire One Direction crew is expected to attend the funeral of the late singer. Bandmates, including Zayn Malik, Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson, and Niall Horan, will be coming together for the first time since their split. The report stated that Liam's funeral will be a private affair, attended by his family and close friends. Liam Payne's funeral is taking place in the Home Counties 'The Sun UK' quoted a source saying, "Liam's funeral is taking place in the Home Counties. His family has gone to great lengths to put together the perfect service and give him the send-off he deserves. Liam may have been a global superstar, but to Geoff and Karen, he will always be their little boy. It is going to be an incredibly difficult day." Reportedly, Harry Styles, Zayn Malik, Louis Tomlinson, and Niall Horan will attend the funeral to pay their last respects to their late friend. It is also reported by 'Radar Online' that they might sing a song in memory of their late friend. An insider shared that it will be a “moving tribute at the service, in the style of Elton John’s ‘Candle in the Wind’ tribute at the funeral of Princess Diana." Liam Payne Death: Former One Direction member passes away Former One Direction singer Liam Payne, 31, was found dead on Wednesday after falling from a hotel balcony in Buenos Aires, according to local officials. Police in Buenos Aires reported that Payne fell from the third floor of the Casa Sur Hotel in the Palermo neighborhood, a popular area in Argentina’s capital. The fall caused severe injuries, and medics confirmed his death at the scene. After the news spread, dozens of One Direction fans from around Buenos Aires gathered at the Casa Sur Hotel, forming lines that extended into the blocked-off street where police were stationed. Forensic investigators were seen leaving the hotel, and Payne’s body was taken away about three hours after the fall. Heartbroken fans, mostly young women recording on their phones, were in shock as a memorial with candles and flowers quickly formed outside the hotel.
20 November,2024 09:17 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentADVERTISEMENT
