drama

Scottish detective Karen Pirie is back on our screens for a second season of the ITV drama – here’s everything you need to know about the cast

Karen Pirie is making a comeback to our screens for a second series of the ITV detective drama, welcoming several fresh faces to the cast.

The show initially premiered in 2022, featuring Outlander star Lauren Lyle as the intrepid Scottish detective Karen Pirie.

Drawing inspiration from Val McDermid’s second Inspector Karen Pirie novel, A Darker Domain, the upcoming series will unfold across three episodes.

The official synopsis reveals: “After her bittersweet success in series one, Karen has been promoted to Detective Inspector and seemingly given the authority she has long been fighting for.

“Just as she’s getting into the swing of her powerful new role, she is assigned an infamous unsolved case that will put her under intense scrutiny; from her boss, from the media, and ultimately, from sinister forces that would rather the past stayed in the past,” reports the Express.

Karen Pirie series two cast:

• Lauren Lyle (Outlander) as Karen Pirie
• Chris Jenks (Sex Education) as DC Jason ‘Mint’ Murray
• Zach Wyatt (Timestalker) as DS Phil Parhatka
• Steve John Shepherd (EastEnders) as DCS LEes
• Emer Kenny (EastEnders) as River Wilde
• Rakhee Thakrar (Sex Education) as Bel Richmond
• Saskia Ashdown (Six Four) joins as newcomer DC Isla Stark
• James Cosmo (Braveheart) as Sir Broderick Grant, the father of victim Catriona
• Frances Tomelty (Inspector Morse) as Broderick’s ex-wife Mary
• John Michie (Holby City) as Fergus Sinclair, the father of Catriona’s son Adam
• Julia Brown (World on Fire) as Catriona Grant
• Mark Rowley (One Day) as Mick
• Kat Ronney (Dinosaur) as Bonnie
• Conor Berry (Schemers) as Andy
• Stuart Campbell (The Winter King) as Kevin

The cast also includes Jamie Michie, Madeleine Worrall, Jack Stewart, Thoren Ferguson, and Helen Katamba.

The historical case at the heart of series two centres on the 1984 abduction of wealthy oil heiress Catriona Grant and her two-year-old son Adam.

The pair were snatched at gunpoint outside a chip shop in Fife and vanished without trace, despite widespread media coverage.

When human remains surface with connections to the original abduction – the first breakthrough in decades – Karen and her colleagues face one of their most daunting investigations yet.

“As Karen delves deeper into what happened in the autumn of 1984, political grudges and painful secrets reveal themselves, and it soon becomes clear… the past is far from dead,” the synopsis hints.

Karen Pirie season 2 will air on Sunday, July 20, with the first episode premiering at 8pm on ITV1.

Hello! I’m Mark Olsen. Welcome to another edition of your regular field guide to a world of Only Good Movies.

Writer-director Ari Aster has refashioned himself from a maker of art-house horror films like “Hereditary” and “Midsommar” into a more overt social satirist with “Beau Is Afraid” and his latest film, “Eddington,” which opens this week.

Pointedly set in the spring of 2020 in a small town in New Mexico — a moment when uncertainty, paranoia and division over the response to COVID were maximally disorienting — the film’s story concerns a sheriff (Joaquin Phoenix) who tosses his hat in the ring to run against an incumbent mayor (Pedro Pascal). Each spouts their own complicated, spiraling rhetoric as the race between them becomes more intense, and they seem swept away by circumstances much larger than they can understand or control.

Joaquin Phoenix in the movie “Eddington.”

(A24)

In her review of the film Amy Nicholson wrote, “Aster’s feistiest move is that he refuses to reveal the truth. When you step back at the end to take in the full landscape, you can put most of the story together. (Watch ‘Eddington’ once, talk it out over margaritas and then watch it again.) Aster makes the viewer say their theories out loud afterwards, and when you do, you sound just as unhinged as everyone else in the movie. I dig that kind of culpability: a film that doesn’t point sanctimonious fingers but insists we’re all to blame.

“But there are winners and losers and winners who feel like losers and schemers who get away with their misdeeds scot-free. Five years after the events of this movie, we’re still standing in the ashes of the aggrieved. But at least if we’re cackling at ourselves together in the theater, we’re less alone.”

Carlos Aguilar spoke to acclaimed cinematographer Darius Khondji, a former collaborator of David Fincher, James Gray and the Safdies, about working with Aster for the first time on “Eddington.”

“Ari and I have a common language,” Khondji said. “We discovered quite early on working together that we have a very similar taste for dark films, not dark in lighting but in storytelling.”

‘Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker’s Apocalypse’ restored

Francis Ford Coppola in the documentary “Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker’s Apocalypse.”

(Rialto Pictures / American Zoetrope)

The 1991 film “Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker’s Apocalypse” is widely thought of as among the greatest behind-the-scenes documentaries ever made. Directed by Fax Bahr with George Hickenlooper from documentary footage directed by Eleanor Coppola, the film explores the epically complicated production of Francis Ford Coppola’s “Apocalypse Now.” A new 4K restoration of “Hearts of Darkness” will have a limited run at the American Cinematheque beginning Sunday, with Bahr in-person for multiple Q&As.

When Eleanor Coppola went to the Philippines in 1976 with her husband and their three children for the production of his hallucinatory Vietnam War saga “Apocalypse Now,” he enlisted her to shoot doc footage in part to save on additional crew and also to give her something to do.

Drawing from Eleanor’s remarkable footage, surreptitious audio recordings she made and her written memoir of the experience, “Notes: On the Making of ‘Apocalypse Now,’” “Hearts of Darkness” becomes a portrait of the struggle to maintain creativity, composure and sanity amid chaos as everything that could possibly go wrong seemingly does. Military helicopters are redeployed during takes, star Martin Sheen suffers a heart attack, monsoons destroy sets, Marlon Brando is immovable on scheduling and the ending of what all this is leading toward remains elusive.

Frederic Forrest, left, Laurence Fishburne, Martin Sheen and Albert Hall in “Apocalypse Now: The Final Cut.”

(Rialto Pictures )

“I think it’s really held up and survived,” said Bahr of the documentary in an interview this week. “It works as a complement to this extraordinary film that Francis produced. Of course, [‘Apocalypse Now’] would be what it is without this, but I do think for people who really want to go deeper into the ‘Apocalypse’ experience, this is really a necessary journey to take.”

When “Apocalypse Now” first premiered at the 1979 Cannes Film Festival, Francis Ford Coppola infamously said, “The way we made it was very much like the way the Americans were in Vietnam. We were in the jungle, there were too many of us, we had access to too much money, too much equipment and little by little we went insane.”

The years between the lengthy production of “Apocalypse Now,” its turbulent release and the subsequent years before the “Hearts of Darkness” project came to be likely eased the Coppolas into participating with such candor and full-fledged access.

Eleanor Coppola in “Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker’s Apocalypse.”

(Rialto Pictures / American Zoetrope)

“I think having almost 10 years after ‘Apocalypse Now’ was helpful,” said James T. Mockoski, who oversaw the restoration for Coppola’s company American Zoetrope. “It would’ve been a much different documentary when it was supposed to come out. It was supposed to support the publicity and the marketing of the film at that time. ‘Apocalypse’ was very difficult, as we have seen, obviously. I don’t know how much they would’ve had the hunger to revisit the film and go right into a documentary. It was a rather difficult, challenging time for them. And I think 10 years gave them a perspective that was needed.”

“He gambled it all and he won,” said Bahr. “And what I hope we really achieved with ‘Hearts’ was showing the despair that really all artists go through in the creative process. And even though you go there, if you keep at it and your goal is true then you achieve artistic greatness.”

According to Mockoski, Francis Ford Coppola has seen his own relationship to the documentary change over the years. While at times unflattering, and certainly showing the filmmaker racked by doubt and in deep creative crisis, “Hearts” also shows him as someone, improbably, finding his way.

“It’s a very hard relationship with the documentary, but he has grown over the years to be more accepting of it,” said Mockoski. “He doesn’t like the films to ever be shown together. If anyone wants to book it, they shouldn’t be on the same day. There should be some distance. And he doesn’t really want people to watch the documentary and then just figure out, where’s Francis and what is his state of mind at this point? They’re two separate things for him. And he would rather people watch ‘Apocalypse’ just for the experience of that, not to be clouded by ‘Hearts.’”

Martin Sheen in the movie “Apocalypse Now.”

(Rialto Pictures)

In his original review of “Hearts of Darkness,” Michael Wilmington wrote, “In the first two ‘Godfather’ movies, Coppola seemed to achieve the impossible: combining major artistic achievement with spectacular box-office success, mastering art and business. In ‘Apocalypse Now,’ he wanted to score another double coup: create a huge, adrenaline-churning Irwin Allenish spectacle and something deeper, more private, filled with the times’ terror. Amazingly, he almost did. And the horror behind that ‘almost’ — Kurtz’s Horror, the horror of Vietnam, of ambition itself — is what ‘Hearts of Darkness’ gives us so wrenchingly well.”

“What ‘Hearts’ is great about is that it shows you a period of filmmaking that’s just not seen today,” said Mockoski. “You look at this and you look at [“Apocalypse’] and there’s just no way we could make this film. Would we ever allow an actor to go to that extreme situation with Martin Sheen? Would we be allowed to set that much gasoline on fire in the jungle? Hollywood was sort of slow to evolve, they were making films like that up from the silent era, these epic films, going to extremes to just do art. It just captured a moment in time that I don’t think we’ll ever see again.”

‘Kill Bill: The Whole Bloody Affair’

The event’s poster.

(Vista Theater)

Having premiered at the 2006 Cannes Film Festival and screened only a few times since, Quentin Tarantino’s “Kill Bill: The Whole Bloody Affair” will play twice daily at the Vista Theater from July 18-28.

Clocking in at over 4 hours and screening from Tarantino’s personal 35mm print (complete with French subtitles), it combines the films known as “Kill Bill Vol. 1” and “Kill Bill Vol. 2” into a single experience with a few small changes. The main difference is simply taking it all in as “The Whole Bloody Affair,” an epic tale of revenge as a woman mostly known as “The Bride” (Uma Thurman in a career-defining performance) seeks to find those who tried to kill her on her wedding day. (I’ll be seeing the combined cut for the first time myself during this run at the Vista.)

Uma Thurman in Quentin Tarantino’s “Kill Bill Vol. 2.”

(Andrew Cooper / Miramax Films)

Manohla Dargis’ Los Angeles Times reviews of the two films when they were first released in October 2003 and April 2004 still make for some of the most incisive writing on Tarantino as a filmmaker.

Dargis’ review of “Vol. 2” inadvertently helps sell the idea of the totalizing “The Whole Bloody Affair” experience by saying, “An adrenaline shot to the movie heart, soul and mind, Quentin Tarantino’s ‘Kill Bill Vol. 2’ is a blast of pure pop pleasure. The second half of Tarantino’s long-gestating epic, ‘Vol. 2’ firmly lays to rest the doubts raised by ‘Vol. 1’ as to whether the filmmaker had retained his chops after years of silence and, as important, had anything to offer beyond pyrotechnics and bloodshed. Tarantino does have something to say, although most of what he does have to say can be boiled down to two words: Movies rock.

“In a world of commodity filmmaking in which marketing suits offer notes on scripts, this is no small thing. Personal vision is as rare in Hollywood as humility, but personal vision — old, new, borrowed and true blue to the filmmaker’s inspirations — shapes ‘Vol. 2,’ giving it texture and density. Personal vision makes Tarantino special, but it isn’t what makes him Quentin Tarantino. What does distinguish him, beyond a noggin full of film references, a candy-coated visual style and a deep-tissue understanding of how pop music has shaped contemporary life, affecting our very rhythms, is his old-time faith in the movies. Few filmmakers love movies as intensely; fewer still have the ability to remind us why we fell for movies in the first place.”

Points of interest

‘2046’ in 35mm

Tony Leung in the movie “2046.”

(Wing Shya / Sony Pictures Classics)

Showing at Vidiots on Friday night in 35mm will be Wong Kar-wai’s “2046,” the 2004 follow-up to his cherished “In the Mood for Love.” Loosely connected to both “In the Mood for Love” and Wong’s earlier “Days of Being Wild,” “2046” stars Tony Leung as a writer in late 1960s Hong Kong who has encounters with a series of women, played by the likes of Maggie Cheung, Faye Wong, Gong Li, Carina Lau and Zhang Ziyi. (He may be imagining them.) Fans of Wong’s stylish, smoky romanticism will not be disappointed.

In her original review of the film, Carina Chocano called it “a gorgeous, fevered dream of a movie that blends recollection, imagination and temporal dislocation to create an emotional portrait of chaos in the aftermath of heartbreak.”

‘Lost in America’ + ‘Modern Romance’

Albert Brooks in the movie “Lost in America.”

(Geffen Film Company)

On Tuesday and Wednesday, the New Beverly will screen a 35mm double bill of Albert Brooks’ 1985 “Lost in America” and 1981’s “Modern Romance.” Directed by, co-written by (with Monica Johnson) and starring Brooks, both films are fine showcases for his lacerating comedic sensibilities.

A satire of the lost values of the 1960s generation in the face of the materialism of 1980s, “Lost in America” has Brooks as an advertising executive who convinces his wife (Julie Hagerty) to join him in quitting their jobs, selling everything they own and setting out in a deluxe RV to explore the country, “Easy Rider”-style.

In a review of “Lost in America,” Patrick Goldstein wrote, “Appearing in his usual disguise, that of the deliriously self-absorbed maniac, Brooks turns his comic energies on his favorite target — himself — painting an agonizingly accurate portrait of a man imprisoned in his own fantasies. … You get the feeling that Brooks has fashioned an unerring parody of someone who’s somehow lost his way in our lush, consumer paradise. Here’s a man who can’t tell where the desert ends and the oasis begins.”

Kathryn Harrold and Albert Brooks in the movie “Modern Romance.”

(Michael Ochs Archives / Getty Images)

“Modern Romance,” features Brooks as a lovelorn film editor in Los Angeles desperate to win back his ex-girlfriend (Kathryn Harrold).

In his original review of ”Modern Romance,” Kevin Thomas wrote, “You have to hand it to Albert Brooks. To put it mildly he’s not afraid to present himself unsympathetically.”

In a 1981 interview with Goldstein, Brooks said, “As a comedian it’s really my job to be the monster. People either love me or hate me. If I wanted to be a nice guy, I’d make a movie about someone who saves animals.”

(Brooks would, of course, go on to appear as a voice actor in “Finding Nemo” and “Finding Dory.”)

In other news

‘The Little Mermaid’

A mermaid named Ariel contemplates what it would be like to be human in “The Little Mermaid.”

(Walt Disney Pictures)

For the next installment of the Los Angeles Film Critics Assn.’s ongoing series at the Egyptian, there will be a screening on Thursday, July 24, of 1989’s “The Little Mermaid” with directors Ron Clements and John Musker present for a Q&A moderated by Carlos Aguilar.

“The Little Mermaid” received LAFCA’s inaugural award for animation, the first of its kind among critics groups.

With Virgin River becoming one of Netflix’s biggest shows of all time and Sullivan’s Crossing following in its footsteps, could a crossover be on the cards?

Virgin River might potentially merge with another beloved small-town romance series, according to claims from this prominent star.

Drawing inspiration from Robyn Carr’s cherished bestselling novels, the Netflix sensation chronicles Mel Monroe (portrayed by Alexandra Breckenridge), a nurse practitioner who relocates to a remote community after experiencing personal tragedy.

Upon arrival, she encounters bar proprietor and ex-Marine Jack Sheridan (Martin Henderson), with instant chemistry developing between them.

The captivating romance has recently concluded filming for its seventh series, anticipated to arrive on Netflix towards the end of this year or potentially in early 2026.

Meanwhile, American audiences have been engrossed in the newest series of Sullivan’s Crossing, which follows comparable themes and draws from another Carr book collection, reports the Mirror US.

Given this link, viewers have speculated whether these programmes might intersect, and it seems we now have our response.

Starring Morgan Kohan and Chad Michael Murray, this heartwarming romance unfolds in Nova Scotia, centring on Kohan’s character Maggie, a neurosurgeon who chooses to reconnect with her father Harry, known as Sully (Scott Patterson), whilst developing feelings for former solicitor California ‘Cal’ Jones (Murray).

In conversation with TechRadar, Kohan revealed she’d enthusiastically welcome the opportunity to interact with Mel, Jack and the entire Virgin River ensemble should circumstances permit.

“That would be so fun, why not!” she declared when presented with the concept. Despite the considerable geographical distance between the two towns, there’s no reason why Virgin River and Timberlake can’t exist in the same universe.

Interestingly, Sullivan’s Crossing, which airs on CTV in Canada and The CW in the US, has also found significant success on Netflix, much like Virgin River, becoming its streaming home in the States.

The two shows even share a producer, Roma Roth, who is an executive producer for Virgin River and the creator and showrunner of Sullivan’s Crossing.

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This lets members watch live and on-demand TV content without a satellite dish or aerial and includes hit shows like Stranger Things.

With the Canadian drama gaining momentum and Mel and Jack’s love story captivating millions, could a crossover episode be on the horizon?

Regardless, Kohan has teased plenty of unexpected twists in the newly renewed fourth season of Sullivan’s Crossing, especially with the shocking revelation that Maggie is still wedded to her ex-lover, Liam (Marcus Rosner).

“I hope they can [stay together],” she commented about her relationship with Cal.

“They’ve built such a beautiful foundation, and clearly this is a bit of a bombshell.

“I think it will take some trust to build them back up, and maybe a lot of explaining… but they are so good together.”

As the fanbase for both shows continues to expand, could Netflix surprise viewers by linking the Robyn Carr universe on screen?

Virgin River is available to stream on Netflix. Sullivan’s Crossing airs on CTW and is on Netflix in the US.

The makers behind Netflix’s hit drama “Adolescence,” knew their series about a 13-year-old boy accused of murdering a female classmate was something special.

And while creators and executive producers Stephen Graham and Jack Thorne were thrilled after learning that the U.K. drama received 13 Emmy nominations in the limited series category, they were even more gratified that the collective efforts of the cast and crew were being honored.

“There was just something magical that happened with this show, and it was the true definition of an ensemble,” said Graham during a video interview with Thorne. The duo were nominated for writing and producing the drama, and Graham was also nominated as lead actor for his portrayal of the devastated father of the teen suspect.

“My true gratitude is not the fact that we got 13 nominations. It’s the fact that every single person, every single player, every single part of the crew is being acknowledged for what we achieved as a collective,” Graham said. “What we do is not a game of golf. We managed this collective consciousness between us.”

The four-episode series became one of the buzziest dramas of the year, and was highly praised for its approach of filming each installment in a single camera shot.

Thorne said of the hoopla surrounding the series, “I think we got very lucky in capturing a particular time, place and mood. We also got lucky with all the people we worked with.”

Win or lose, plans are already being formed for an Emmy night celebration.

“Stephen just declared that we’re all going to the Emmys in a minibus,” Thorne said. “We’re all going to stand on the red carpet as one. That will be really special.”

The minibus passengers will include Owen Cooper, who played the young suspect, and Erin Doherty, who played a psychologist. The two, who were both nominated in supporting actor categories, starred in the drama’s third episode where their characters engaged in a tense battle of wills.

Cooper and Doherty discussed the show and their nominations in a separate video interview.

Congratulations on your nominations and amazing performances. Where were you when you got the news?

Cooper: I was in my living room and I put on the TV. Then I found it we got 13 nominations. It’s just crazy.

Doherty: To be fair, I avoided it. So I was waiting for my phone to ring. My agent told me, “I’ll ring you either way.” Then she started phoning me and I thought, “Oh, what, is this going to me?” And all those nominations came in. I’m so over the moon for the show.

Owen, you’re making history as the youngest Primetime Emmy nominee in a limited series .

Cooper: I heard about that the other day. It’s hard to even think about that stuff, to be honest. It’s crazy. I don’t even know how to put that into words, really.

Did both of you know at the time you were doing the third episode that you were creating something really special?

Cooper: Yes. We knew it would hit many homes, and that it would create conversations. We didn’t know it would get 13 nominations. That’s just the cherry on top. The success of the show has been mind-blowing.

Doherty: We knew everyone who was participating on and off the screen wanted to be a part of this, having the courage to address this subject matter. We knew the importance of the story. You never know if something like this is going to hit the way that this has.

Owen, what impressed you the most about Erin’s performance?

Cooper: The fact that she could just think of things to say off the spot. I would put attitude into the line and she would put even more attitude into it.

And Erin?

Doherty: I would say the exact same thing. Like he would start yawning and start throwing around different things. It felt like the most exciting game of tennis that I’ve been a part of. You don’t get that every day with actors who have been doing this for 40 years. Owen has the ability and skill and bravery. For him to throw himself into this environment, which is nerve-wracking, overwhelming and over-stimulating. To have the ability to stay centered and be present with each other is really rare. I’m so, so proud of him and that I got to be there for his first go, because he’s going to be doing this for years and years and years.

I know it’s early, but any thoughts on how you’ll feel on Emmy night?

Cooper: I don’t think I’ll be nervous. I don’t care if I win. I’ll just get there, eat nice food, meet a lot of people. And I’ll be in L.A. where the weather is nice. I’m not bothered by the result at the end of the day.

Doherty: We’ve won. The show got 13 nominations. We’re all going to be there. It’s just going to be the best night ever. We’re going to treat it like a big party.

Viewers have received a list of rules to follow.

Prime Video subscribers have received a stern warning against bullying and hate speech, as new episodes of a beloved teen drama are set to drop.

The Summer I Turned Pretty premiered on the streamer back in 2022 and is set to debut its third and final season on Wednesday, July 16.

Based on Jenny Han’s bestselling YA novels of the same name, the show follows teenager Belly Conklin (played by Lola Tung) as she navigates a love triangle between brothers Conrad (Christopher Briney) and Jeremiah Fisher (Gavin Casalegno).

Ahead of the new episodes, The Summer I Turned Pretty’s official Instagram account issued a warning to viewers.

“Cousins is our safe place. Everything good, everything magical. Let’s keep the conversation kind this summer,” they wrote in an Instagram story posted on Monday, July 14.

The statement then clarified: “We have a ZERO tolerance policy for bullying and hate speech.” The community guidelines include no ‘hate speech or bullying,’ no ‘targeting cast or crew,’ and no ‘harassing or doxxing members of the community.’ Those who break any of these rules will be banned.

While the light-hearted series has received overwhelming praise from viewers, with some dubbing it the “best show ever,” it has also sparked heated debates among fans.

The book series already had a dedicated fanbase before Prime Video got its hands on the story. Therefore, readers were attached to the characters before the first season even dropped.

As such, fans have been known to share impassioned social media posts about which brother Belly should pursue.

In fact, lead actress Tung has previously addressed the sometimes “scary” responses from viewers.

Speaking to Teen Vogue earlier this month, she said: “I think we see with a lot of these love-triangle stories, people want the leading girl to end up with someone.

“When people have an attachment to the characters, they want to see it come together at the end. I’m so grateful that they care so much, but people get a little scary about it.”

She continued, voicing her own plea for viewers: “Please don’t threaten to kill someone if something doesn’t go your way — I promise you, it’s not that serious. Jenny [Han] is so smart and she cares so much about the story and making it the best story that it can be. It will be okay.”

Although readers already know that Belly eventually chooses Conrad in the novels, author Han has confirmed that the forthcoming series will not be a page-by-page adaptation of the final book, We’ll Always Have Summer. So some fans may be disappointed with how the teen drama ends.

The Summer I Turned Pretty Season 3 premieres on Prime Video this Wednesday July 16.

The period drama series is a hidden gem worth watching

Are you a die-hard fan of Jane Austen adaptations but think you’ve seen them all? Think again, because there’s one gem that might have escaped your notice.

Airing back in 2008 on ITV, this four-part limited series offers a unique twist on the classic Pride and Prejudice tale, reports the Express.

Armchair critics and fans on IMDb have been heaping praise on the miniseries. One user left a glowing 10/10 rating, saying: “I am utterly captivated by this refreshing take on Austen. I used to love romantic periodical novels when much younger, but they have since fallen out of favour with me, as they are all so alike. Here I am quite unaware, as of yet, what may happen and I absolutely adore the suspense.

“The actors are well chosen for their task and I am quickly falling in love with them one by one. I never thought I would see Mr Bingley as adorable, but in this it is quite so.”

Another enthusiast gave a perfect score too, commenting: “Three episodes in and I feel now is the time to say a big well done to all concerned. As a long time Austen lover and a fan of period/costume drama I was unsure what to expect from this reworking of a favourite story.”

“As others have commented this bears similarities with ‘Life on Mars’, a person taken out of modern day life and deposited into the past, albeit Jane Austen’s fictitious one.”

Meanwhile, another viewer remarked: “The mini series was absolutely sweet and funny and it will be appreciated by real Jane Austen fanatics.

“It does resemble the weirdest dream that only authors of fan fiction have had. At times the plot lines turn into silly situations but for most of the time they are quite enjoyable.

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“The young actors make the most of it. I wish response has been better so that the series can be longer.”

A fourth viewer rated the programme a perfect 10/10, dubbing their review “Brilliant!”.

They penned: “I just watched the whole thing. I hadn’t even realized it was a mini-series, I simply got the DVD from netflix and popped it in. It didn’t offer me the option to select episodes, it just played the whole thing as one big movie.

“One big, wonderful, delightful film! I haven’t enjoyed a film this much in years. It was a complete treat. I love Pride & Prejudice; I’ve read the book, and seen most (maybe all? ) of the screen adaptations, some multiple times.

“And I’m usually a bit of a purist, but I thought this might be fun, so I gave it a try. It well exceeded my expectations. I’m still aglow with enjoyment [sic].”

Lost in Austen is a cheeky homage to the celebrated author and her best-known novel Pride and Prejudice.

The show trails self-confessed Jane Austen enthusiast Amanda Price (portrayed by Jemima Rooper) residing in modern London during the Noughties.

After a less than impressive proposal from her boyfriend, involving a makeshift wedding ring made from a can ring pull, Amanda finds herself mysteriously swapping places with Elizabeth Bennet (Gemma Arterton) and landing in the world of Pride and Prejudice through a door in her bathroom.

Amanda’s sudden arrival quickly throws the novel’s events into chaos, as she frantically tries to steer the plot back on track.

During Amanda’s escapades, she encounters Mr Darcy (Elliot Cowan), with the pair initially butting heads before sparks begin to fly.

Lost In Austen boasts a star-studded cast, including Downton Abbey’s Hugh Bonneville as Mr Bennet, Doctor Who’s Alex Kingston as Mrs Bennet, Grantchester’s Morven Christie as Jane Bennet, Suits actress Christina Cole as Caroline Bingley, and Tom Mison from Apple TV+’s See as Mr Bingley, among others.

Additional casting includes Lindsay Duncan as Lady Catherine de Bourgh, Guy Henry as Mr. William Collins, Michelle Duncan as Charlotte Lucas, Ruby Bentall as Mary Bennet, Pippa Haywood as Frankie, Amanda’s mother, Gugu Mbatha-Raw as Pirhana, Amanda’s friend, Daniel Percival as Michael Dolan, Amanda’s boyfriend, and Genevieve Gaunt as Georgiana Darcy.

Lost in Austen is available to stream on Prime Video now

Unforgivable is a new drama from Time writer Jimmy McGovern and has a stellar cast including Anna Friel and Line of Duty’s Anna Maxwell Martin

The BBC has unveiled the release date for a chilling new drama featuring a young actor from Adolescence and a star from Line of Duty.

Unforgivable is a gripping original drama penned by Time’s scriptwriter Jimmy McGovern, and much like the Sean Bean and Stephen Graham led series Time, it’s set within and revolves around the UK prison system.

The plot centres on the fictional Mitchell family, who are left grappling with the devastating aftermath of an act of abuse committed by one of their own.

After serving two years of his prison sentence, Joe (portrayed by Bobby Schofield) finds himself in an institution that provides him with a home and rehabilitation post-release.

He embarks on therapy sessions in an attempt to comprehend what drove him to commit such a horrific crime, and to confront the repercussions of his actions, reports the Liverpool Echo.

The recently released trailer by the BBC depicts Joe adjusting to life after prison, while his family continue to question the reasons behind his abusive behaviour.

His sister Anne (played by Emmy-award winner Anna Friel) is coping with the impact his crime has had on her family, including her sons Tom (Adolescence actor Austin Haynes) and Peter (Fin McParland), whilst her father Brian (David Threlfall) is livid at the idea of her having been in contact with Joe.

Meanwhile, Line of Duty actress Anna Maxwell Martin portrays a former nun who provides Joe with therapy at the institution as part of his rehabilitation.

The upcoming drama Unforgivable has created quite a buzz with the BBC hinting that it’s all about the widespread impact of abuse and the struggle to move beyond its devastation.

“The drama examines the extensive ripple effect of abuse from multiple perspectives and how those involved can try to move forwards in the midst of the devastation,” the corporation teased ahead of the show’s anticipated release.

It has now been confirmed that Unforgivable will debut in full on BBC iPlayer at 6am on Thursday 24th July, with the episode airing later that day on BBC Two.

Reacting to the newly-published trailer, as it was shared by Marcella actress Anna on Instagram, one fan wrote: “Can’t wait – looks so good.”

Another posted: “Ohhhhhhhh wow – I feel a binge watch coming up!!!!!!”

“Gonna be seated to watch this religiously. Congrats on your new project,” a third said.

“It’s McGovern so looks so gripping already, thanks for sharing,” someone else wrote.

Set against the backdrop of Liverpool, where it was filmed, the cast is further bolstered with Mark Womack, Paddy Rowan, and Phina Oruche taking up pivotal supporting roles.

Lindsay Salt, Director of BBC Drama, previously shared an insight into what viewers can expect from the drama, saying: “Jimmy McGovern is one of our greatest dramatists, and a master at writing about today’s world.

“His new film sensitively examines the pain of abuse and how it affects not only the victim but ripples out across the whole family. To see it brought to the screen with such a high calibre cast and creative team is further testament to the quality of Jimmy’s writing.”

Writer Jimmy McGovern also said: “I can’t believe the cast and crew that have been assembled for this production. It’s a challenging film, yes, but I can’t wait for it to be shown.”

Colin McKeown, executive producer for LA Productions added: “This is a profoundly challenging and sensitive subject, tackled with intelligence and care by Jimmy McGovern. It’s a privilege to be working with him again following the success of our previous collaborations on single dramas: Common, Care, Reg and Anthony.”

Unforgivable will be available to watch on BBC iPlayer at 6am on Thursday 24th July, and air on BBC Two at 9pm that evening.

All five seasons of a hit US medical drama are now available to stream on the platform

A “hidden gem” medical drama that had fans “hooked” is now streaming on Prime Video.

Based on Eric Manheimer’s 2012 memoir, New Amsterdam follows the journey of Dr Max Goodwin (played by Ryan Eggold) as he takes on the role of medical director at one of America’s oldest public hospitals.

In his new position, Max is determined to overhaul the neglected institution, cutting through red tape to deliver outstanding care to patients.

The series, which debuted in 2018, also features Freema Agyeman, Janet Montgomery, Jocko Sims, Anupam Kher, Tyler Labine and Sandra Mae Frank.

After a successful four-year run on NBC, it was revealed in 2022 that the show would conclude with its fifth season, comprising 13 episodes, reports Surrey Live.

New Amsterdam can already be streamed in its entirety on Netflix, Sky and NOW, but now all five seasons have been added to Prime Video as well.

If you’re new or haven’t held a Prime membership for a full year, you can get a 30-day free trial of the complete Prime service (not just Prime Video) directly from Amazon.

Pricing in the UK stands at £8.99 per month or £95 per year. To enjoy the premium ad-free service, you’ll need to shell out an additional £2.99 per month.

Throughout its original run, New Amsterdam garnered mixed reviews from critics, who felt the show didn’t push any boundaries.

However, its audience was much more enthusiastic, with many preferring the drama over its medical rival Grey’s Anatomy.

“I was impressed by the social commentary in the writing! Well acted. All the usual obvious stuff but a few hidden gems for the few who still want to enjoy a show about life,” one viewer penned on IMDb.

Another chimed in: “This show looks at the human side of medicine and that is refreshing. In my opinion, it’s better than Grey’s Anatomy.”

A third shared: “Finally a medical drama without the usual drama. It’s not about the endless romance between the doctors and nurses, it is really focused about the medical aspect of the hospital. The characters are very refreshing and particularly Ryan Eggold is so endearing in his first remarkable role.”

Echoing the sentiment, a fourth fan wrote: “One of the best medical dramas I’ve seen. It had me hooked from the first episode.”

New Amsterdam is available to stream on Prime Video

Hello! I’m Mark Olsen. Welcome to another edition of your regular field guide to a world of Only Good Movies.

The new “Superman” is in theaters this weekend, written and directed by James Gunn and starring David Corenswet in the title role, with Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane and Nicholas Hoult as villain Lex Luthor. This film is seen as the first salvo of a relaunch of the DC Universe of characters for Warner Bros. and so there is more riding on it than just the outcome of this one film. There are several new characters introduced in the film, perhaps intended to topline future titles of their own.

Samantha Masunaga got into the history of the Superman character onscreen and took a look at what this might mean for DC’s future.

“DC has been playing catch-up with Marvel,” said Arlen Schumer, a comic book and pop culture historian. “They’ve given James Gunn the keys to the DC kingdom and said, ‘You’ve got to restore Superman. He’s our greatest icon, but nobody knows what to do with him. We think you know what to do with him.’”

David Corenswet as Superman and Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane in DC Studios’ and Warner Bros. Pictures’ “Superman.”

(Warner Bros Entertainment)

The film has an impulsive sincerity that can be endearing. As Amy Nicholson wrote in her review, “Fine, I’ll say it. I need Superman. I’m craving a hero who stands for truth and justice whether he’s rescuing cats or reporting the news. Cheering for such idealism used to feel corny; all the cool, caped crusaders had ethical kinks. Even his recent movies have seemed a little embarrassed by the guy, scuffing him up with cynicism. I’m with the latest incarnation of Superman (David Corenswet) when he tells Lois Lane (Rachel Brosnahan) that having a big heart is ‘the real punk rock.’”

Amy added, “This isn’t quite the heart-soaring ‘Superman’ I wanted. But these adventures wise him up enough that I’m curious to explore where the saga takes him next. Still, I left chewing over how comic book movies can be so popular and prescient, and yet people who’ve grown up rooting against characters like Lex Luthor cheer them on in the real world. Maybe Gunn can answer that in a sequel. Or maybe our stubborn myopia is what this Superman means when he says, ‘I screw up all the time but that is being human.’”

‘Drive’ in 35mm

Ryan Gosling in “Drive.”

(Academy Museum)

On Saturday the Academy Museum will show Nicolas Winding Refn’s 2011 romantic thriller “Drive” in 35mm. Composer Cliff Martinez will be there in person. The film is showing as part of the series “Bathed in Light: Saturated Colors in Cinema,” which will also see screenings of Michael Mann’s “Thief,” Walter Hill’s “Streets of Fire” in 70mm (with the director in person), Harmony Korine’s “Spring Breakers,” Barry Jenkins’ “Moonlight,” Pablo Larraín’s “Ema,” Gaspar Noé’s “Enter the Void,” Hype Williams’ “Belly” and more.

A Los Angeles getaway driver, known only as Driver (played with taciturn cool by Ryan Gosling), falls for his neighbor (Carey Mulligan) and soon becomes involved in a caper trying to help out her ex-con husband (Oscar Isaac) that sets him afoul of a local crime boss (Albert Brooks).

“Drive” won the directing prize when it premiered at the 2011 Cannes Film Festival and became something of a cultural sensation at the time of its release, thanks in part to the hypnotic use of dreamy synthesizer music. (And remember Gosling’s scorpion jacket?)

In his original review of the film Kenneth Turan wrote, “‘Drive’ is a Los Angeles neo-noir, a neon-lit crime story made with lots of visual style. It’s a film in love with both traditional noir mythology and ultra-modern violence, a combination that is not ideal. … Impeccably shot by Newton Thomas Sigel, ‘Drive’ always looks dressed to kill. Making fine use of Los Angeles locations, particularly the lonely downtown streets around the L.A. River, ‘Drive’ has a slick, highly romanticized pastel look calculated to win friends and influence people.”

Ryan Gosling in “Drive.”

(FilmDistrict and Bold Films and OddLot Entertainment)

In an interview with Steven Zeitchik, Gosling and Refn discussed their collaboration and the long drives they would take together around the city.

“We would just drive for hours, talking and listening to music,” Gosling said. “And I would say, ‘This is what we want to capture in the movie, this feeling of being in a trance in a car with pop music playing.’”

For his part, Refn added, “I wanted to play with the classic notion of a fairy tale. Driver protects purity, and yet he can slay evil in the most vicious ways possible.”

Zeitchik and Julie Makinen also created a guide to some of the film’s Los Angeles locations, including MacArthur Park, the L.A. River and Point Magu.

Heather McAdams’ handmade films

An image from Heather McAdams’ “Scratchman #2.”

(Heather McAdams)

This week will see two programs of work by the Chicago-based artist Heather McAdams, who, though primarily known as a cartoonist, has also been creating idiosyncratic, handmade films for decades. On Thursday at the Academy Museum will be a program titled “Kind of a Drag: Experimental Films, Documentaries and Scratch Animation by Heather McAdams, 1980-1995,” which will explore the range of McAdams’ filmmaking practice. An ongoing preservation project undertaken by the Chicago Film Society has spurred a revival of interest in her work.

“I spent a lot of time trying to make stuff happen,” said McAdams during a call this week from her home in Chicago. “I’ve always just been really doing a lot of different things, just doing stuff here at home and then all of a sudden the Chicago Film Society discovers this person that’s living up on the north side of Chicago. Those guys are really great and they’re very organized and they’ve got connections. I’ve gone to the Museum of Modern Art and the National Gallery of Art. You sit around all your life and you go, ‘Why doesn’t somebody call me up?’ And then the next thing when they call you up, you go, ‘Why are they calling me up?’”

Among the films to be shown will be 1980’s “The Scratchman” and 1982’s “Scratchman #2,” in which she scratched right onto the surface of found footage to create lively new images. “You” from 1983 uses Brian Eno’s song “King’s Lead Hat” as the background to a collage of footage. Among other titles showing are two documentary shorts, 1988’s “Meet … Bradley Harrison Picklesimer” and 1995’s “The Lester Film” (co-directed by her husband Chris Ligon), both unconventional portrait films. McAdams will be present for the event, joined by Picklesimer for a Q&A.

Filmmaker and artist Heather McAdams with Bradley Harrison Picklesimer, the subject of her 1988 film “Meet … Bradley Harrison Picklesimer” in a photo circa 1982.

(Heather McAdams)

“The couple of things that seem to relate to just about everything I do is working with my limitations, the kind of homemade, work-with-what-you-got type thing,” added McAdams. “I don’t see that necessarily as a complete negative, and that runs through my work. And the other thing is humor, I’m always trying to make myself laugh or make other people laugh, even though everything I do isn’t funny. Sometimes I just get weird and I go sideways and off the tracks or I make a comment about something that might be more spiritual or more important. Sometimes I make something that I go, ‘Oh, God, I wish I didn’t do that.’”

On Wednesday at 2220 Arts + Archives, Mezzanine and Los Angeles Filmforum will host McAdams and Ligon for what is being billed as “Chris & Heather’s Big Screen Blowout,” a screening drawn from their extensive collection of 16mm ephemera. The program will include trailers for films such as “Superchick” and “Trip With the Teacher,” TV performances by Ricky Nelson and Buffalo Springfield and commercials and more. The evening will also include five one-minute animated cartoons McAdams and Ligon made for MTV in the 1990s. The couple will be there for the event as well.

Of the “Blowout,” McAdams said, “It’s fun to just see how the audience reacts as it’s being projected. It’s hard to explain to people exactly what it is, unless they’re super hip and cool.” With a laugh she added, “Like you guys are out in L.A.”

Points of interest

‘Rosa la rose, fille publique’

Marianne Basler, left, in “Rosa la rose, fille publique.”

(AGFA)

On Tuesday, Mezzanine will be putting on 2 shows of the local premiere of a new restoration of Paul Vecchiali’s 1986 “Rosa la rose, fille publique” at Brain Dead Studios.

The film is an intensely emotional melodrama about a Parisian prostitute, Rosa, just turning 20 years old and the most popular among the stable of women run by her pimp, as she grapples with what her future should be. Stylishly shot, the film is marked by a richness of character detail, with a deeply felt performance by Marianne Basler as Rosa, as the world around the Les Halles neighborhood feels particularly vibrant even with its undercurrents of intrigue and violence.

Vecchiali, who died in 2023 and besides directing such films as “The Strangler” and “Encore” also produced Chantal Akerman’s “Jeanne Dielman,” is among a number of French filmmakers currently undergoing a renewed interest in their work. Luc Moullet will see a tribute series at Lincoln Center in August, while Jacques Rozier currently has a program of his work available on the Criterion Channel. For as much attention as French cinema has gotten over the years, it is exciting to see that there are still new corners to be explored and fresh discoveries to be made.

‘Television Event’

A scene from the TV movie “The Day After.”

(ABC / Disney via Getty Images)

On Friday night the American Cinematheque at the Los Feliz 3 will host a screening of Jeff Daniels’ documentary “Television Event,” which takes a look at the end of the Cold War through the lens of the 1983 TV movie “The Day After,” which dramatized the aftermath of a nuclear weapons attack around Kansas City, Mo., and Lawrence, Kan., with a cast that included Jason Robards, JoBeth Williams, Steve Guttenberg and John Lithgow.

Nicholas Meyer, who directed “The Day After,” will be present for a Q&A on Friday moderated by his daughter, screenwriter Dylan Meyer. “Television Event” will also show on Saturday and Monday.

Seen by more than 100 million people when it first aired, the film was shocking for its depiction of the realities of a nuclear attack.

In a 2023 interview with Tim Grierson, Meyer said, “I realized that I didn’t want to make a ‘good’ movie. I didn’t want to make a good movie, because I knew that if I made a good movie, nobody would talk about the subject — they would only talk about the movie. I didn’t want a catchy theme song. I didn’t want brilliant cinematography, I didn’t want Emmy-nominated performances. All I wanted was to make a kind of public service announcement: If you have a nuclear war, this is what it might look like.”

‘Les vampires’

An image from Louis Feuillade’s ‘Les Vampires’

(Academy Museum)

On Sunday the Academy Museum will have a rare showing of Louis Feuillade’s 1915-16 complete 10-episode serial “Les vampires.” Set in the Parisian underworld, it follows a ruthless gang of criminals and the woman (played by the electrifying star Musidora) who infiltrates their ranks.

Modern audiences may also know “Les vampires” as part of the basis for Olivier Assayas’ 1996 film “Irma Vep” and his own 8-episode series adaptation of the film in 2022.

In other news

Free Indie Focus screening

Ana Sophia Heger, left, and Taron Egerton in “She Rides Shotgun.”

(Lionsgate)

This Tuesday we will have an Indie Focus Screening Series event with a free showing of “She Rides Shotgun” at the Culver Theater. Director Nick Rowland and stars Taron Egerton and Ana Sophia Heger will be there for a Q&A. You can RSVP here.

Adapted from the novel by Jordan Harper by screenwriters Ben Collins and Luke Piotrowski, the crime thriller involves a man (Egerton), newly released from prison, attempting to protect his daughter (Heger) from the violent gang who is now after them both.

Netflix has added the romantic drama We Live In Time to trtheir streaming platform and viewers are not only obsessed by it but revealed they can’t stop ‘sobbing’

Netflix has once again done what is does best by adding gripping drama to its streaming platform. And this time, the romantic drama We Live In Time has gripped the nation by storm.

The British based TV show, starring Andrew Garfield and Florence Pugh, follows the couple’s love story over a decade.

Alumut, played by Florence, who is a chef and former figure skater accidentally hits and knocks over Tobias, played by Andrew, with her car.

Viewers are then taken on their love journey as the pair navigate their way through ten years of different points in their lives.

The film was first released in cinemas across the nation in January this year before landing on Netflix. But it’s already fast become a huge hit among subscribers.

The official plot reads: “Almut (Florence Pugh) and Tobias (Andrew Garfield) are brought together in a surprise encounter that changes their lives. !”

It adds: “As they embark on a path challenged by the limits of time, they learn to cherish each moment of the unconventional route their love story has taken, in filmmaker John Crowley’s decade-spanning, deeply moving romance.”

And viewers are loving it. One fan took to X and said that she could not sobbing after watching the highly acclaimed drama.

The fan said: “Finally watched we live in time and I’m so grateful I didn’t watch in the cinema I’ve not stopped sobbing.”

But that fan is by no means the only one. According to reports, the drama has received 79% on film website Rotten Tomatoes.

Those reviewing the drama on the site praised the believable chemistry between both lead characters.

After the show’s debut at at the Toronto Film Festival last year, the Guardian awarded it four stars and described it as “irresistible” and a “smart and sensitive crowd pleaser.”

It then added: “It’s such a joy to watch two such assured and natural performers allowed the room to exercise both movie star and actor muscles as well as showcase their ease with both comedy and drama.”

The review went on to add: “Their chemistry is just so electric that it would be hard to imagine how any of it could work quite so well without them.”

And in an interview with Radio Times, the director, John Crowley was asked about the chemistry between the two lead stars.

He explained: “I had an instinct that the two of them would work well together, and that’s not based on anything. That’s just a hunch, right? So it’s very unscientific.”

READ MORE: Zara McDermott says this spray ‘saved her rosacea-inflamed skin’ while she was at Glastonbury

Like this story? For more of the latest showbiz news and gossip, follow Mirror Celebs on TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, YouTuben and Threads.

Channel 4 has added a gripping three-part drama to its roster of shows, which first aired on the BBC in 2018 and was created by the creator of Happy Valley

Happy Valley fans have been urged to watch ‘brilliant’ three-part drama that has recently been added to Channel 4’s line-up of Programmes.

Channel 4 has recently added a captivating three-part drama to its line-up of programmes. The series, titled Come Home, is the brainchild of Danny Brocklehurst, known for his work on Fool Me Once and Brassic.

Described as a “touching and intriguing” drama, it explores the aftermath when a mother abruptly leaves her family. Originally broadcasted on the BBC in 2018, the series is produced by the creators of Happy Valley.

Set and filmed in Northern Ireland, the plot revolves around Greg, a father of three, who is left stunned when his wife of 19 years decides to abandon her family.

The official synopsis reads: “Greg and Marie have been married for nineteen years, when, seemingly out of the blue, Marie walks out on him and her three children – the last taboo of parenting.

“This touching and intriguing drama will take audiences on a roller-coaster of ever-changing emotions and allegiances. Multiple time-frames, viewpoints and flashbacks tell Greg and Marie’s story and force viewers to confront their own truths. How can two people that loved each other become so opposed?

“Can a child learn to forgive their mother for leaving them? And why would Marie make such a shocking and significant decision to change their lives and divide their loyalties forever?”

In an interview with the BBC, creator Danny gave viewers a taste of what they could expect from the show, stating: “The first episode is told from the perspective of Greg (Christopher Eccleston) and the kids, nine months after Marie (Paula Malcomson) has walked out. They are trying to find a way to cope, but a new woman in Greg’s life brings problems rising to the surface.”

“The second instalment of the series spotlights Marie, while the third episode delves into themes of fierce protection and divided loyalties,” he added.

Christopher Eccleston, known for his roles in Doctor Who and True Detective, stars as Greg, with Paula Malcomson of Ray Donovan and Mayor of Kingstown fame portraying Marie.

The couple’s three offspring are portrayed by Anthony Boyle, seen in Shardlake and Say Nothing, as Liam; Lola Petticrew, known from Say Nothing and Bloodlands, as Laura; and Darcey McNeeley of Derry Girls as Molly.

The show has been met with acclaim upon its debut, with viewers describing it as “brilliant” and “gripping”. Social media users have praised the series, with one stating: “#ComeHome was brilliant.

“Christopher Eccleston is an amazing actor; whole cast were brilliant. Intriguing stuff,” and another commenting: “What brilliant short series, great acting & storyline.”

Come Home is available to stream on Channel 4.

Downton Abbey actress Phyllis Logan was reunited with her husband Kevin McNally on-screen in the latest instalment of a Channel 5 crime drama

Downton Abbey’s Phyllis Logan has been reunited on our screens with her real-life spouse, Kevin McNally, in Channel 5’s gripping crime series, Murder Most Puzzling.

The show, an adaptation of the much-lauded Puzzle Lady Mysteries from the mind of author Parnell Hall, follows sleuth Cora Felton whose exceptional crossword-solving talents see her become a surprising asset to the police department in a sleepy town.

McNally, known for his roles in epic franchises like Pirates of the Caribbean and acclaimed series including The Crown and Unforgotten, portrays Gilbert – a potential romantic fixture in Cora’s life.

According to the episode narrative, “Cora is distracted by love, as she’s wooed by a charming suitor, Gilbert. When Sherry says he seems too good to be true, it causes a rift between the women but plants a seed of doubt in Cora’s mind.”

Phyllis first encountered Kevin on the set of Love and Reason, back in 1993. It wasn’t until well into their workforce years that they tied the knot in 2011, after becoming parents to their son David in 1996, reports Surrey Live.

In a heart-to-heart with Mail Online in 2017, Phyllis divulged details about their unexpected romance: “I never thought real love.

“The sort where your blood tingles and your world explodes with joy – would happen to me at my time of life,” she shared. “I believed I had missed out. But I’m ever so glad it happened.'”

Phyllis and Kevin, who recently played Jane Austen’s parents in the BBC period drama Miss Austen, reunite as on-screen lovers in the new series Murder Most Puzzling.

Set against the backdrop of the idyllic market town of Bakerbury, the show introduces us to Cora Felton, a crossword aficionado who lends her puzzle-solving prowess to the local police force when a murder mystery unfolds.

The official synopsis for the series reveals: “After the body of a teenage girl is found in the local cemetery with an enigmatic clue in her pocket, Bakerbury Detective DCI Hooper seeks help from the town’s newest, and most famous, resident – Cora Felton, AKA The Puzzle Lady.”

Cora’s unconventional ‘shoot first, ask questions never’ method becomes an asset as she navigates through a web of murderers, swindlers, and dodgy officials.

Despite harbouring a secret that could destroy her and those close to her, Cora’s uncanny knack for unravelling murder mysteries stands out. “And, as it turns out, Bakerbury isn’t as sleepy as it looks.”

Murder Most Puzzling airs on 5.

The world of showbiz is mourning the loss of Australian star Julian McMahon and one of his most popular roles is available to watch completely free

Julian McMahon’s iconic role in one of the most popular fantasy dramas ever is available to stream totally free of charge.

The Australian-American actor, known for portraying Doctor Doom in the original Fantastic Four films and Dr. Christian Troy in the medical drama Nip/Tuck, sadly passed away from cancer on Wednesday, 2nd July this year.

Following his death in Clearwater, Florida, his wife Kelly Paniagua said in a statement via Deadline: “Julian loved life. He loved his family. He loved his friends.

“He loved his work, and he loved his fans. His deepest wish was to bring joy into as many lives as possible.”

The actor most recently appeared opposite Nicolas Cage in the surreal thriller film The Surfer, but countless fans will remember him from a totally different role.

From the third season of the hit fantasy drama Charmed he portrayed the half-demon lawyer Cole Turner aka Belthazor, sent to menace the coven before falling in love with Phoebe Halliwell (played by Alyssa Milano).

He appeared as a major recurring character across three seasons, finally making a guest spot in the penultimate seventh instalment.

Following McMahon’s devastating passing, there’s no better time to relive one of his most iconic roles as all eight seasons of Charmed are available to stream on ITVX in the UK.

If you’ve never seen the series before, there are millions of fans out there who would all give it a stirring recommendation.

One rave Google review called it a “power-packed show with its perfect blend of fantasy, drama, and a strong portrayal of sisterhood.

“My heart melted for Charmed, gifting me with an avalanche of beautiful memories.

“It was the hard-hitting storyline coupled with mesmerizing performances and character growth that made the show a treasure that warms my heart today.”

And plenty of fans agree McMahon’s appearances were some of the show’s strongest episodes.

A Redditor claimed “Cole carried the show”, adding: “I’ve been rewatching the show and I’ve noticed what a great character Cole was.

“I feel like he had the most nuanced acting. He has a schoolboy charm about him that’s very cheeky.”

To which someone else replied: “IMO, the best episodes/seasons were when Cole was one of the main characters.

“I feel like his character brought a certain depth to the show that it didn’t have prior to his arrival.”

Are you planning on getting dazzled by Charmed at some point this week?

Charmed is available to stream on ITVX.

Hello! I’m Mark Olsen. Welcome to another edition of your regular field guide to a world of Only Good Movies.

Our colleagues at De Los ran a thoughtful and provocative interview this week with Patricia Riggen, director of “Under the Same Moon,’ which premiered at the 2007 Sundance Film Festival. Andrea Flores spoke to Riggen about the film’s legacy and how it might be different trying to make the film today.

“Under the Same Moon” traces the journey of 9-year-old Carlitos (Adrián Alonso) as he heads from Mexico to Los Angeles to find his mother Rosario (Kate del Castillo), an undocumented worker. He is aided along the way by another migrant, Enrique (Eugenio Derbez). Also featuring America Ferrera in a small role and an appearance by the band Los Tigres del Norte, the movie is currently available for rent on multiple digital platforms.

Adrián Alonso in the 2007 movie “Under the Same Moon.”

(Twentieth Century Fox)

At the time, the film broke box-office records for a Spanish-language film in the U.S., audiences resonating with its heartfelt emotions and focus on the bond between and mother and son.

“If I made ‘Under the Same Moon’ right now, I would not make it like that,” said Riggen. “It would be dark as hell.”

Riggen added, “I wanted to make a movie that the Latino audience connected with and immigrants could watch. But the tone would be different. I would do a deep dive into the problem. I stayed away from making the movie political and concentrated more on the love story with the mother-son relationship. … Now I feel like it’s time to have more of a political angle. Half the country still believes that immigrants are criminals, but being able to feed your loved one is a human right.”

Riggen said she and “Same Moon” screenwriter Ligiah Villalobos have been working to adapt the story into a series.

“I find Hollywood, my industry, to be a little bit responsible for the hostility that Latinos and immigrants find as a community in the U.S.,” Riggen said. “Our representation of Latinos has rarely been positive. We have to turn things around and represent the community in a positive light, not just the negative way that is prompting hostility by half of the country.”

Fireworks and more for the Fourth

Sasha Jenson, left, and Matthew McConaughey in the 1993 movie “Dazed and Confused.”

(Gabor Szitanyi / Gramercy Pictures)

Maybe it’s just me, but this year the Fourth of July is feeling extra emotional: fraught and complicated as America as a concept, an ideal and a current practical reality that feels so imperiled and fractured. It’s difficult not to be in a mode of reflection rather than celebration. Local theaters are coming through with an array of films to help you meditate on the state of the nation, get away from all that or maybe a bit of both.

The New Beverly Cinema will be screening “Dazed and Confused,” Richard Linklater’s 1993 ode to hanging out as a pathway to figuring yourself out, on Friday afternoon. “The Return of the Living Dead,” Dan O’Bannon’s horror-comedy, set over the Independence Day holiday, will play in the evening on Friday and Saturday.

Steven Spielberg’s 1981 “Raiders of the Lost Ark,” still a rousing action-adventure delight, will be at Vidiots on Friday. Tim Burton’s 1985 “Pee-wee’s Big Adventure” will play Friday and Saturday. Vidiots will also be showing John Carpenter’s painfully prescient 1988 sci-fi-action classic “They Live” on Saturday in 35mm.

Harrison Ford and Karen Allen on the set of “Raiders of the Lost Ark” in 1980.

(Lucasfilm Ltd.)

The American Cinematheque will screen Robert Altman’s “Nashville,” which, with all its contradictions, might sum up America about as well as any movie can. It plays at the Egyptian on Friday. I recently spoke to one of the film’s stars, Ronee Blakley, about the film’s enduring impact. “It was just a bunch of talent put together by a bunch of great people,” she said.

The Cinematheque will also screen the original Cannes cut of Richard Kelly’s 2006 “Southland Tales” at the Los Feliz 3. With a ridiculously huge cast including Dwayne Johnson and Sarah Michelle Gellar, a convoluted conspiracy plot and a musical number with Justin Timberlake, the film captures something about 21st century America that few others manage. I spoke to Kelly about the film in 2019, ahead of when the Cannes cut played for the first time in the city.

“It was this really incredibly ambitious, sprawling film,” Kelly said. “I was writing graphic novel prequels and it was just too much. We really didn’t have the technology or the resources to finish it. It was that the ambition was just overflowing. I didn’t have the discipline at the time to reign myself in. So we knew we were going into a situation where we had to just put our best foot forward. I think it was my lawyer who said at the time that getting into the competition at Cannes was the best thing and the worst thing that ever happened to ‘Southland Tales.’”

Roy Scheider in the 1975 movie “Jaws.”

(Universal Pictures)

On Saturday at the Hollywood Bowl will be a 50th anniversary screening of Steven Spielberg’s “Jaws” with a live performance of John Williams’ score by the Los Angeles Philharmonic, conducted by David Newman.

The Frida Cinema will be showing Brian De Palma’s “Blow-Out,” which contains an astonishing sequence set against a fireworks display, along with a whole week of other Fourth of July-themed movies, including “Nashville” and “Dazed and Confused.”

70mm festival returns

Tom Hulce as Mozart in the 1984 movie “Amadeus.”

(Los Angeles Philharmonic Assn.)

The American Cinematheque is launching the latest edition of its 70mm festival this week and it is (again) such a warm confirmation of why this is such a special moment for moviegoing in Los Angeles. The intersection of a specific print of a certain title at an exact time and theater leads to experiences that simply cannot be repeated.

This year there are a handful of new titles and prints to the selection. Among those being promoted as playing the series for the first time are Mel Brooks’ “Spaceballs,” David Lynch’s “Dune,” Milos Forman’s “Amadeus,” Joel Schumacher’s “Flatliners,” John McTiernan’s “Die Hard,” and Ivan Reitman’s “Ghostbusters”

George Wyner, left, Rick Moranis and Mel Brooks in the movie “Spaceballs.”

(Peter Sorel / MGM)

Also among the films playing will be Stanley Kubrick’s “2001: A Space Odyssey,” David Lean’s “Lawrence of Arabia,” Alfred Hitchcock’s “North by Northwest” and “Vertigo,” John Ford’s “The Searchers,” Sam Peckinpah’s “The Wild Bunch,” Jacques Tati’s “Playtime,” Paul Verhoeven’s “Total Recall,” James Cameron’s “Aliens,” Jerome Robbins and Robert Wise’s “West Side Story,” Spike Lee’s “Malcolm X,” Tony Scott’s “Top Gun” and Robert Altman’s “Short Cuts.”

Keke Palmer in Jordan Peele’s 2022 horror movie “Nope.”

(Universal Pictures)

Filmmaker Willard Huyck will be present for a screening of his “Howard the Duck.” Director Margaret Honda will be there for 70mm screenings of the experimental films “Spectrum Reverse Spectrum” and “Equinox.”

More recent titles have also been programmed: Paul Thomas Anderson’s “Boogie Nights” and “The Master,” Jordan Peele’s “Nope,” Alfonso Cuarón’s “Roma,” Christopher Nolan’s “Inception,” Damien Chazelle’s “Babylon” and Brady Corbet’s “The Brutalist.”

Points of interest

‘In the Mood for Love’ 25th anniversary

Maggie Cheung and Tony Leung in Wong Kar-wai’s 2000 movie “In the Mood for Love.”

(Janus Films)

To commemorate the film’s 25th anniversary, Wong Kar-wai’s “In the Mood for Love” is back in theaters along with the rarely seen short film, “In the Mood for Love 2001” that reunites the film’s stars, Tony Leung and Maggie Cheung.

In the 2022 Sight & Sound poll of the greatest films of all time, “In the Mood for Love” was the highest-ranking film released during the 21st century. The story of two people in 1962 Hong Kong, each married to others yet feeling an intense connection, unsure of how to act on their emerging bond, the film is an overwhelming emotional experience in which every slight nuance or touch takes on cascading impact.

In his original review, Kenneth Turan wrote, “A swooningly cinematic exploration of romantic longing, both restrained and sensual, luxuriating in color, texture and sound, this film raises its fascination with enveloping atmosphere and suppressed emotion to a ravishing, almost hypnotic level.”

‘Sinners’ on streaming

Michael B. Jordan, center, in the movie “Sinners.”

(Warner Bros. Entertainment)

Ryan Coogler’s “Sinners” starts streaming today on Max. Whether you are just catching up to the movie or checking it out again, it’s nice to have it so easily accessible. (And a 4K disc will be available next week.)

The story of twin brothers Smoke and Stack, both played by Michael B. Jordan, as they return to their hometown in 1930s Mississippi to open a juke joint nightclub only to be beset by roving vampires, “Sinners” is an astonishing horror film and a thoughtful treatise on legacy. And makes for a fine Fourth of July movie as well.

In her review of the film, Amy Nicholson wrote, “What a blood rush to exit Ryan Coogler’s ‘Sinners’ aware that you’ve seen not merely a great movie but an eternal movie, one that will transcend today’s box office and tomorrow’s awards to live on as a forever favorite. If the cinema had a dozen more ambitious populists like Coogler, it would be in tip-top health. The young filmmaker who started his career with the 2013 Sundance indie ‘Fruitvale Station’ had to make three franchise hits — one ‘Rocky’ and two ‘Black Panthers’ — before getting the green-light to direct his own original spectacle. It was worth the wait. Let the next Coogler get there faster.”

The Love Island villa was graced with the arrival of two more bombshells tonight, as Billykiss and Ryan wasted no time in taking some of the Islanders on a date

The Love Island villa was rocked with even more drama tonight, as bombshells Billykiss and Ryan made their shock entrance into the villa. However, fans were left baffled when tonight’s episode was seemingly cut short just as the drama started to heat up.

The new arrivals wasted no time in getting to know their fellow Islanders, as they headed out on dates straight away. Ryan chose Shakira and Toni to take out on a date, while Billykiss decided to date both Dejon and Conor.

After the dates, Billykiss and Ryan entered the regular villa where they met the rest of the Islanders. Billykiss gathered around the fire pit with the girls while Ryan updated the boys on his dates with Shakira and Toni. However, fans didn’t see much after that, as the show finished 7 minutes earlier than scheduled.

The ITV2 schedule said the episode would be running until 10.05 – but fans’ trip to the villa ended at 9.58 – just as Meg was heard worrying about Dejon’s attraction towards the new bombshell.

Taking to X, formerly known as Twitter, one fan said: “THERES ANOTHER 7 MINUTES LEFT.” A second penned: “No tomorrow night and finishes 6 mins early!”

A third confused fan penned: “Weird part to end it on it ended a few minutes early.”

It seems Dejon is popular amongst the new bombshells, having been chosen for several dates. However, this didn’t go down well with Meg, who was visibly fed up with the number of tests she and Dejon were having to undergo.

As Billykiss walked through the main villa, Dejon gushed over her figure with the other guys, as a worried Meg said she thinks the new bombshell would be the one to turn heads. However, fans were left fuming when the episode came to an end on the abrupt cliffhanger.

Fans weren’t shown a snippet of tomorrow night either, which has been a reoccurring theme in this series. Although there have been some episodes where they’re shown snippets of the next day – most of the time they wait for the first look the following afternoon to see what’s in store.

Elsewhere, sparks could be flying for Shakira and Ryan as she informed him that she had broken things off with Harry before the date. It came after she became aware of Harry and Helena’s X-rated comments towards each other during last night’s heart rate challenge.

It came at a sensitive time for Shakira, just one day after Harry chose to snog his ex, Helena, in the Snog, Marry, Pie challenge. Enough was enough for Shakira, as earlier in the episode, she was completely over their relationship as she couldn’t be bothered to be involved in the love triangle.

Love Island continues tonight at 9pm on ITV2 and ITVX.

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Emmerdale spoilers have teased a very big week ahead on the ITV soap, as Joe Tate faces a villain in a revenge twist, while there’s a double hospital dash and drama for Robert Sugden

There’s big twists and turns on Emmerdale next week, including a shocking return, revenge drama and danger for more than one resident.

Joe Tate finally learns who’s been targeting him with a harassment campaign, resulting in horrifying scenes next week. It sparks the return of a villain, with Joe possibly facing serious danger.

He’s not the only one, as two characters face trouble in a car incident as one of them faints behind the wheel. There’s also schemes and threats as Robert Sugden takes action, while there’s plenty of decisions and big moments ahead.

Let’s kick things off with the return of Joe’s former accomplice and now nemesis, it seems, Dr Crowley. We last saw Crowley after he got dragged into Joe’s schemes when he needed a new kidney.

He was paying Crowley to help him find a donor and then perform the operation, which he did. What Crowley wasn’t banking on though was Joel having his uncle Caleb Miligan stabbed, before being forced to remove the kidney and transplant it into Joe.

READ MORE: Emmerdale cast say heartbreaking scenes will give fans ‘goosebumps’ after sad twist

With the police snooping around Crowley fled and he has not been seen since. But it seems he’s out to get Joe, after weeks of harassment and he’s not working alone.

As the villain makes a comeback it seems he’s more dangerous than ever, blackmailing Joe. As he’s revealed to be behind Joe’s ordeal, he demands £100,000 to be placed in the kitchen at Home Farm.

Fearing Shaun is behind it, Joe sacks him leading to the character turning threatening. Joe plots to flee the village fearing he isn’t safe, only to be knocked out by a shovel-wielding Shaun. That’s not the worst of it though as he wakes up in a makeshift hospital room to a menacing Crowley looming over him.

So what does Crowley have planned and will Joe make it out alive? Two other characters face danger next week, when Gabby’s crash diet ahead of her wedding leaves her and Sarah Sugden in a bad way.

Sarah is still recovering from her emergency hysterectomy when the pair go for a drive as mechanic Sarah offers to ensure Gabby’s car is fine after some issues. She’s trying to take her mind off things, clearly struggling and refusing to rest as suggested by the doctors.

But having barely eaten for days, Gabby faints at the wheel meaning Sarah has to quickly grab the wheel to bring the car to a stop. Sarah is left in agony at having to stretch out amid her wounds from her operation.

As they both end up in hospital, Sarah collapses. When joined by her grandfather Cain Dingle, an emotional Sarah admits the accident made her realise how badly she wants a family of her own so he suggests surrogacy.

When Charity Dingle fears Cain is raising their granddaughter’s hopes, Cain says he’s determined to help her. As for Gabby, she’s given the all clear but as fiancé Vinny Dingle supports her, he continues to hide his concerns over their relationship and continues to question his sexuality.

Gabby’s stepmother Laurel Thomas overhears Vinny talking with pal Kammy and demands a private chat. She encourages him not to marry Gabby if he’s unsure about the relationship but what will he do?

Finally next week, Robert Sugden causes more trouble when he avoids discussing plans for Annie’s field after a deal with Moira Dingle. But when Ross Barton confronts him about the missing weed, Robert threatens to cancel the land deal with Moira, forcing Ross to back down temporarily.

Kim Tate prepares to share all about her new man, and Tracy Robinson fumes at Cain over Nate’s memorial. Lewis Barton gets a job at the café and proves to be a hit.

Emmerdale airs weeknights at 7:30pm on ITV1 and ITVX, with an hour-long episode on Thursdays. * Follow Mirror Celebs and TV on TikTok , Snapchat , Instagram , Twitter , Facebook , YouTube and Threads .

Hello! I’m Mark Olsen. Welcome to another edition of your regular field guide to a world of Only Good Movies.

Opening this weekend and winner of the Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award at this year’s Sundance Film Festival, “Sorry, Baby” is the feature film debut for writer, director and actor Eva Victor.

Personally, it’s among my favorite films of the year for its complex mix of comedy and drama, offbeat whimsy and deep vulnerability. (I’d previously called it “fresh, inventive and invigorating” and that still feels right to me.) The story tells some five years in the life of Agnes (Victor), a teacher at a small East Coast college attempting to move forward following a traumatic event.

Director Eva Victor of “Sorry, Baby,” photographed at the Los Angeles Times Sundance studio in January.

(Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times)

In her review for the paper, Katie Walsh called the film “a movie that lingers,” attributing that to “the profound and nuanced honesty Victor extracts from each moment.”

I spoke to Victor about the process of making the film. The story is rooted in Victor’s own experiences, so every stage, from writing to production to bringing it to audiences, has had its own nuances and contours.

“It’s a very personal film for a lot of people and there’s a sadness to that because it’s a community of people who have experienced things that they shouldn’t have had to,” says Victor. “It’s life-affirming for me to know that I wrote the film in a leap-of-faith way to be like: ‘Is anyone else feeling like this?’ And it’s nice to know that there are people who are understanding what that is.”

World premiere ‘Tombstone’ restoration

Val Kilmer, photographed at the Regency Hotel in Manhattan in 1993 circa the time of “Tombstone.”

(Joe Tabacca / For The Times)

On Saturday, the Academy Museum will screen the world premiere of a 4K restoration of 1993’s “Tombstone” as a tribute to actor Val Kilmer. Directed by George P. Cosmatos, the film tells the legendary story of the shootout at the O.K. Corral, which has become one of the foundational myths of the American western. Kilmer stars as Doc Holliday, who comes to the aid of his friend, retired lawman Wyatt Earp (Kurt Russell). The cast also includes Bill Paxton, Sam Elliott, Powers Boothe, Michael Biehn, Charlton Heston, Jason Priestley and Dana Delany.

The role was a special one for Kilmer, who titled his memoir “I’m Your Huckleberry” after a line in the movie.

In his original review of the film, Peter Rainer declared the film the latest of the then-in-vogue “designer Westerns” and highlighted Kilmer’s turn, writing, “Val Kilmer’s Holliday is classic camp performance, although it may not have started out that way. His Southern drawl sounds like a languorous cross between early Brando and Mr. Blackwell. Stricken with tuberculosis, his eyes red-rimmed, Doc coughs delicately and matches Ringo line for line in Latin. He also shoots straighter than anyone else in the movie — his powers of recuperation make Rasputin seem like a pushover.”

The film will also be playing on July 26 at Vidiots.

‘Familiar Touch’

Kathleen Chalfant, left, and Carolyn Michelle in the movie “Familiar Touch.”

(Music Box)

Winner of three prizes at the 2024 Venice Film Festival, “Familiar Touch” is the narrative feature debut of writer-director Sarah Friedland. The sensitive and compassionate story follows Ruth (Kathleen Chalfant), an 80-something retired cook, as she settles into an assisted-living facility while grappling with memory loss.

Friedland and Chalfant will be at select showings throughout the weekend for Q&As.

In his review of the movie, Robert Abele wrote, “The mystery of Ruth’s mindfulness — which ebbs and flows — is at the core of Chalfant’s brilliant, award-worthy performance. Hers is a virtuosity that doesn’t ask for pity or applause or even link arms with the stricken-but-defiant disease-playing headliners who have gone before her. Chalfant’s Ruth is merely, momentously human: an older woman in need, but no less expressive of life’s fullness because of it.”

Esther Zuckerman spoke to Friedland about shooting the film at Pasadena’s Villa Gardens retirement community in collaboration with staff and residents. The production held a five-week filmmaking workshop, involving the residents as background actors and production assistants.

“It came a lot from the anti-ageist ideas of the project,” Friedland says. “If we’re going to make this film the character study of an older woman that sees older adults as valuable and talented and capacious, let’s engage their capaciousness and their creativity on all sides of production.”

Points of interest

Tsui Hark’s ‘Shanghai Blues’ in 4K

Sylvia Chang in the movie “Shanghai Blues.”

(Film Movement)

Though he is best known to American audiences for his action movies, Hong Kong director Tsui Hark has been versatile in many other genres. Now getting a new 4K restoration from the original negative for its 40th anniversary is Tsui’s 1984 screwball romantic comedy “Shanghai Blues.”

Opening in 1937 Shanghai, the story concerns an aspiring musician, Do-Re-Mi (Kenny Bee), and a woman, Shu-Shu (Sylvia Chang), who, after a chance encounter, vow to meet again in the same spot after the war. Leaping forward to peacetime a decade later, the two find themselves living in the same building without realizing it, as he becomes involved with her roommate (Sally Yeh).

The film will be playing at the American Cinematheque at the Los Feliz 3 on Fri., Tues. and Sat., July 5. It will also play multiple Laemmle locations on Weds.

And expect more on Hong Kong cinema later this summer when Beyond Fest launches a series of new restorations of such classics as “Hard Boiled,” “The Killer” and Hark’s 1986 “Peking Opera Blues.”

‘Much Ado About Nothing’

Director-actor Kenneth Branagh, left, Keanu Reeves, Emma Thompson, Robert Sean Leonard and Denzel Washington at Cannes in 1993.

(Patrick Billard / AFP via Getty Images)

On Monday, Vidiots will screen Kenneth Branagh’s 1993 adaptation of Shakespeare’s “Much Ado About Nothing.” About a bunch of incredibly good-looking people having a great time in the Italian countryside, the film stars Branagh, Emma Thompson, Kate Beckinsale, Michael Keaton, Robert Sean Leonard, Keanu Reeves and Denzel Washington.

Branagh and Thompson were married in real life at the time, and in his original review of the film, Kenneth Turan wrote, “Actors as well as athletes have a prime of life, a time when everything they touch seems a miracle. And the crowning pleasure of watching Emma Thompson and Kenneth Branagh in this rollicking version of ‘Much Ado About Nothing’ is the way it allows us to share in that state of special grace, to watch the English-speaking world’s reigning acting couple perform at the top of their game. … Seeing them beautifully play off each other is an enormous pleasure for lovers of the romance of language as well as fanciers of romantic love.”

‘The Spirit of ’76’ live commentary

David Cassidy in the movie “The Spirit of ’76.”

(Philosophical Research Society)

On Thursday, July 3, as part of the 7^th House screening series at the Philosophical Research Society, there will be a screening of 1990’s “The Spirit of ’76” featuring a live commentary by stars Jeff and Steven McDonald of the band Redd Kross.

The film is something of a singular object: a loving satire of the 1970s made from the perspective of the burgeoning ’90s, written and directed by Lucas Reiner, with a co-story credit to Roman Coppola, costumes designed by Sofia Coppola and a cast that includes David Cassidy, Leif Garrett, Olivia d’Abo, Don Novello, Rob Reiner, Carl Reiner and Devo.

From the extremely drab future of 2176, three adventurers are sent back in time to July 4, 1776 but mistakenly land in the year 1976. They meet two teenagers (the McDonald brothers) who help them navigate the present and find their way back to their own time.

In his original review of the film, Kevin Thomas did not catch the vibes, as he wrote, “Movies do not get more inane than ‘The Spirit of ’76’ … You have to wonder how this film ever got made, let alone released.”

In other news

Jerry Bruckheimer is still revved up

Producer Jerry Bruckheimer, photographed at his Santa Monica office in June.

(Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times)

Among the big releases this weekend is Joseph Kosinski’s racing drama “F1,” starring Brad Pitt and Damson Idris. The film reunited Kosinski with screenwriter Ehren Kruger and producer Jerry Bruckheimer following their huge success with “Top Gun: Maverick.”

Josh Rottenberg spoke to the 81-year-old Bruckheimer about his legendary career working on movies such as “Beverly Hills Cop,” “Bad Boys,” “Armageddon” and countless more, making sleek commercial pictures that have been defining the Hollywood blockbuster for decades.

“It’s changed a lot,” Bruckheimer says of the movie business. “Streaming hit a lot of places hard. They spent too much money and now they’ve got problems with that. Some of the studios aren’t healthy. But the business, if you do it right, is healthy.”

Bruckheimer is not one of the doomsayers foretelling the end of movies.

“I’ve been doing this over 50 years and that doom has been there every time a new technology shows up,” he says. “And yet, look at what’s happened. Look at ‘Minecraft.’ Look at ‘Sinners.’ Look at ‘Lilo & Stitch.’ If you do it right, people show up.”

All unhappy families of addicts are unhappy in their own way. Unless, of course, you’re a stage family, overrun with “characters” who don’t so much speak as deliver laugh lines and dispense nuggets of moral wisdom. Those families tend to be all alike, regardless of the superficial differences among them.

Grandparents play a larger role than usual in Jake Brasch’s “The Reservoir,” which opened Thursday at the Geffen Playhouse under the direction of Shelley Butler. But the theater’s ability to turn family dysfunction, be it alcoholism, Alzheimer’s or just garden-variety existential agony, into entertainment and instant illumination, has long been a staple of the American stage.

My tolerance for the artificiality of the genre may be lower than most theatergoers. Some take comfort in hoary comic patterns, souped-up eccentricity and reassuring pieties. Overexposed to this species of drama, I slump in my seat.

Indeed, my patience was as thin for “The Reservoir” as it was for “Cult of Love,” Leslye Headland’s drama about a family breakdown during the holidays that made it to Broadway last season after its 2018 premiere at L.A.’s IAMA Theatre. Neither play is beyond pandering to its audience for an easy laugh.

Serving as protagonist and narrator, Josh (Jake Horowitz), the queer Jewish theater student on medical leave from NYU who wakes up one morning after an alcoholic bender at a reservoir in his hometown of Denver, exhibits the snappy, manic banter of a drunk not able to face up to his problem. Patricia (Marin Hinkle), his long-suffering mother, has had it with Josh’s relapses, but how can she turn away her son who lies bleeding on her couch?

With his mother’s help, Josh gets a job as a clerk at a bookstore as he tries once again to pull his life together. Fortunately, Hugo (Adrián González), his manager, is quick to overlook his lax performance. Apparently, drinking has so scrambled Josh’s brain that alphabetizing books takes every ounce of his strength.

Marin Hinkle, left, Lee Wilkof, Jake Horowitz, Geoffrey Wade and Liz Larsen in “The Reservoir.”

(Jeff Lorch)

I didn’t quite feel as indulgent toward Josh, but not because I didn’t sympathize with his struggles. My beef was that he sounded like an anxious playwright determined to string an audience along without forced exuberance and sitcom-level repartee. (Compare, say, one of Josh’s rants with those of a character in a Terrence McNally, Richard Greenberg or Jon Robin Baitz comedy, and the drop off in verbal acuity and original wit will become crystal clear.)

What gives “The Reservoir” a claim to uniqueness is the way Josh’s four grandparents are conscripted not just into the story but into the staging. Seated in a row onstage, they serve as chorus to their grandson’s travails, chiming in with their own opinions and acting out his description of the way his thoughts compulsively take over his mind, like an unstoppable train or a raging river.

Each also has an individual role to play in Josh’s recovery. Patricia’s mother, Irene (Carolyn Mignini), for example, has been transformed by dementia since Josh has seen her last. She’s always been his favorite grandparent. He fondly recalls baking cookies, playing Uno and singing along to “The Sound of Music” with her. Even when she pulled away after he came out in high school, his affection has remained steadfast.

He would like to connect with her again and fears he has lost his chance. At the bookstore, he reads up on Alzheimer’s disease and hatches a plan to build up the cognitive reserve of all his grandparents by feeding them spinach and keeping them mentally engaged. He’s trying, in effect, to save himself by saving them, but they’re too feisty to be corralled by their unstable grandson.

Irene’s fiercely protective husband, Hank (Geoffrey Wade), an arch religious conservative, is too grumpy. As for Josh’s paternal Jewish grandparents, Shrimpy (Lee Wilkof) is too much of a practical joker with sex on his mind. And Beverly (Liz Larsen), an electrical engineer who doesn’t mince words, is too gimlet-eyed not to see that Josh is focusing on his grandparents to avoid doing the hard work of recovery.

Having been sober for many decades herself, Bev recognizes the narcissism of addiction, the way addicts have a tendency to put themselves at the center of the universe. She offers Josh the tough love that he needs, forcing him to see that a grandparent isn’t just a grandparent but a human being with a complicated history that needn’t be worn like a Kleenex visible from under a sleeve.

Josh sets out to be a savior but ends up getting an education in the reality of other people. Brasch’s intentions are noble, but “The Reservoir” doesn’t plunge all that deep. The play draws out the distinctiveness of the grandparents by ratcheting up their zingy eccentricities. How easily these characters fall into a punch-line rhythm. Larsen has the most consequential role and she imparts just the right note of astringency. But the staginess of the writing makes it difficult for any of the actors to transcend the shtick that’s been assigned to them.

Hinkle brings a depth of realism to her portrayal of Patricia, but the character isn’t fully developed. Whole dimensions of Patricia’s life are veiled to us. Both Hinkle and Gonazález gamely play other characters, but these sketched presences compound the general impression of a comic world drawn without much nuance.

The staging is frolicsome but visually monotonous — a problem for a play that is much longer than it needs to be. More than two hours of looking at the fey-preppy outfit costume designer Sara Ryung Clement prepared for Horowitz’s Josh becomes a kind of fashion purgatory for audience and protagonist alike.

I’m not sure why a production that doesn’t take a literal approach to settings has to repeatedly trot out the front seat of a car. The spry assistance of stagehands, who not only move set pieces but help flesh out the world of the play, is a jaunty touch. But the sound and lighting effects get rather heavy-handed during Josh’s hallucinatory meltdowns. Blame for the inexcusably clunky dream scenes, a writing fail, can’t be pinned on the designers.

Horowitz had the Geffen Playhouse’s opening-night audience in the palm of his hand, but I heard an actor playing his comic lines more than his character. Horowitz, however, is only following the direction of a playwright, who has a harrowing story to tell and needs you to enjoy every tricked-up minute of the zany-schmaltzy telling.

Cardi B, entering the newest phase of her rap career, has just one question in mind: “Am I the Drama?”

That’s the title for the Grammy winner’s long-anticipated sophomore album, which she unveiled Monday on social media. The “Bodak Yellow” artist, 32, announced “Am I the Drama?” will drop Sept. 19, seven years after she made her splashy debut with 2018’s “Invasion of Privacy.”

The aptly dramatic “Am I the Drama?” cover art features Cardi B in an abstract red body suit and matching fishnet tights grabbing the heel of one of her sky-high platform pumps. The image also features a raven resting on her shoe and even more of them swarming around her.

Cardi B hinted at her album and its raven motif Sunday in a theatrical teaser as she reflected on “seven years of love, life and loss” and trading in grace for hell.

“I learned power’s not given. It’s taken,” the Bronx native says. “I’m shedding feathers and no more tears. I’m not back. I’m beyond.”

Cardi B broke out with “Bodak Yellow” almost a year before she released “Invasion of Privacy” in April 2018. Times critic Mikael Wood in his review commended the rapper for her relatability — “through her words and delivery … the songs make you feel like she’s speaking directly to you.”

At the 2019 Grammy Awards, Cardi B won a top honor and made history while doing so: She became the first woman to win the rap album category as a solo artist.

Cardi B continued to gain popularity over the following years for hits including “I Like It” with J Balvin and Bad Bunny, and “WAP” with Megan Thee Stallion. The latter, and Cardi B’s recent singles “Up” and “Outside,” will be among the 23 songs on the new album, according to the tracklist preview on Spotify.

“Am I the Drama?” will arrive as Cardi B also marks new milestones in her personal life.

Earlier this year, the “Hustlers” actor made her romance with NFL star Stefon Diggs official after parting ways with Migos rapper Offset. She also became a mother for a third time in September when she welcomed her daughter Blossom Belles, with Offset. They also share 6-year-old daughter Kulture and 3-year-old son Wave.

She was once known as Violet Harmon in the first season of American Horror Story. Now, Taissa Farmiga has traded Violet’s whimsical streak for Gladys Russell’s socialite status.

George and Bertha Russell’s marriage is hanging by a fragile thread in the third season of The Gilded Age – but one of the show’s stars originally shot to fame with several appearances in American Horror Story.

Taissa Farmiga portrays socialite Gladys Russell in The Gilded Age, originally aired on HBO. In its third series, due on Sky, Gladys has to face the aftermath of her parents’ choice to promise her hand in marriage to the Duke of Buckingham. But will she go through with the nuptials?

This remains to be seen. But, back in 2011, shortly after debuting her acting career in High Ground, Taissa starred in the first season of American Horror Story as Violet Harmon, the daughter of Vivien (Connie Britton) and Ben Harmon (Dylan McDermott).

Violet’s story ended in tragedy as she committed suicide, joining her killer boyfriend Tate Langdon (Evan Peters) in the afterlife – but Taissa still reprised the role in the eighth season of American Horror Story. She even appeared in the anthology series as two different characters – Sophie Green and Zoe Benson.

READ MORE: Disney+ drops to £1.99 in rare deal Netflix and Amazon can’t beat

Now starring in The Gilded Age, Taissa admitted that she had to delve deep into the Downton Abbey universe to nail Gladys’ role. “I started watching Downton Abbey because I thought ‘I have to brush up,'” she told producer Joshua Horowitz in 2023 on his podcast Happy Sad Confused.

But when she first auditioned for Gladys, Taissa was honest – she wasn’t a fan of period dramas. “During my audition, they asked me if I was passionate about period pieces,” she remembered, joking later: “I told them, ‘I don’t know. I’m a stoner, I watch Rick and Morty.'”

Growing up, Taissa was the youngest in a family of six children and watched her older sister Vera Farmiga rise to fame through her roles in The Conjuring franchise, Orphan and even Bates Motel. But she had no intentions of following in her footsteps.

Instead, Taissa dreamed of being an accountant – until Vera convinced her to appear in her directorial debut drama, Higher Ground. “I was thrown into this world,” Taissa once told Yahoo Movies in 2015.

The experience was enough for her to change trajectory completely. “After Higher Ground about six months went by and I went back to my normal life,” Taissa said.

“I was looking at community college classes for accounting. I wasn’t jumping right into it, thinking, ‘I have to be an actress.'” And the rest was history.

Since then, Taissa has bagged a multitude of roles in feature films and series alike. She was notably seen in The Bling Ring with Emma Watson, The Nun franchise as Sister Irene Palmer and even in The Twilight Zone.

Taissa is also very active on social media, particularly on Instagram, where she’s followed diligently by 1.9 million admirers. The 30-year-old shares everything – from snaps on set and on the red carpet, to her trips with producer husband Hadley Klein.

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