escape

In the first of several significant flashbacks in “Over Your Dead Body,” Samara Weaving’s unhappy Lisa complains to a friend about a hunting trip her equally miserable husband Dan (Jason Segel) is taking her on. “You know how much I hate guns,” Lisa fumes. “So dangerous.” Turns out, she’s actually telling two lies, which is par for the course for this twisty yet underwhelming dark comedy that views marriage as both a hyperviolent blood sport and a battle to the death.

Based on Norwegian filmmaker Tommy Wirkola’s 2021 “The Trip,” “Over Your Dead Body” concerns a couple whose wedded bliss has faded along with their professional prospects. Dan directed a moderately successful sci-fi film several years ago but is now stuck shooting cheesy pop-up ads. Meanwhile, Lisa’s nascent acting career is flailing. As the movie begins, Dan conspicuously informs his production team that he and his wife are going hiking in the middle of nowhere — something, he insists, the risk-taking Lisa wants to do, despite how perilous that might be. What we soon realize is that he’s creating cover for his nefarious plan, which is to kill Lisa at his family’s forest cottage, making it look like she disappeared without a trace in the woods.

But director Jorma Taccone eventually reveals that it’s not just Dan who has murder on his mind. That first flashback rewinds to Lisa’s simultaneous scheming, claiming to those close to her that Dan longs to go hunting — when, in fact, she’s secretly brought a rifle so that the authorities will assume he accidentally shot himself. (Whatever fears she once harbored about firearms are, clearly, no longer an issue, if they ever were.) Dan is offended when he uncovers her plot: Why would she want to kill him? At least he’s justified, he believes, having caught Lisa in an affair with her scene partner.

More surprises are in store as Dan and Lisa engage in a deadly standoff in the cabin, only to discover that they’re not alone. Another flashback details how two convicted killers, Todd (Keith Jardine) and Pete (Timothy Olyphant), escaped from a local penitentiary with the help of Pete’s girlfriend, prison guard Allegra (Juliette Lewis), and are seeking refuge at the cottage. Suddenly, the feuding married couple must work together to stay alive.

One-third of the comedy troupe the Lonely Island, Taccone previously directed the big-screen adaptation of the “Saturday Night Live” sketch “MacGruber” and co-directed the endlessly rewatchable mockumentary “Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping.” For “Over Your Dead Body,” he teams with producer David Leitch, whose 87North shingle specializes in R-rated action-comedies like “Nobody” and “Violent Night.” Taccone’s irreverent, slyly shocking style would seem a good match for a story in which the pain of romantic discontent is paired with myriad scenes in which a variety of weapons wreak grisly havoc, including lawnmowers, sports cars, gardening equipment and a sock with a pool ball in it.

But despite Segel and Weaver’s best efforts, they can’t make this bickering duo deliciously awful, the characters proving more grating than hilariously combustible. And when Pete and his cohorts arrive, they’re too broadly quirky to be either menacing or hysterical, although Olyphant’s long-suffering leader has some nice moments slowly processing how dumb Todd and Allegra are.

Other than one queasy homage to “Deliverance,” the film’s handling of the showdown between this drab married couple and the cartoonish criminals is rarely gripping. Instead, “Over Your Dead Body” delivers over-the-top fight sequences emphasizing grimaces and gross-out laughs. People aren’t simply shot in the head — the bullet transforms it into a gooey slab of meat. Fingers get sliced off, stakes are driven through hands and a foot is reduced to bloody tatters. Taccone handles all this with gleeful excessiveness but once you’ve seen one pulverized face, you’ve seen them all.

A droll irony is intended to unfold alongside the rising body count. Dan and Lisa embarked on this getaway to murder one another, but they’ll end up rekindling their love. To be sure, Segel and Weaving are much more winning once their characters start warming to one another. Still, the film feels like a missed opportunity for Weaving, who became a scream queen in the “Ready or Not” films. In those movies, as an unsuspecting bride thrust into a life-or-death situation, she appealingly balanced a convincing physical performance with an understated comedic streak, her beleaguered character enduring one absurdity after another.

Weaving finds herself in a somewhat similar role in “Over Your Dead Body” and this uneven action-comedy is anchored by her had-it-up-to-here performance, which provides a witty insight into marriage that the film otherwise ignores. It’s bad enough that Lisa has to deal with Dan’s insecurity — now she’s got to tangle with some dopey crooks? Women have to do everything in a relationship.

Nine years on, Flynn is anxiously watching on as a fan, having left the world of football for a new job in media and marketing in the Newport office of CDM Media, his city centre base just across the River Usk within spying distance of his old club.

Christian Fuchs’ team are two points above the relegation zone after Saturday’s crucial 1-0 win over Shrewsbury Town and, with six games to go, Flynn hopes there will be no need for a repeat of his final-day rescue act.

“I hope Christian can keep them up because there will be a big after-effect if things go wrong,” said the 45-year-old, who was born in the city and played for County before managing them from 2017 to 2021.

“My son is in the academy at Newport and if we go down… that could go. That would be catastrophic in terms of how we’re going to bring young players through.

“I think football in the city will drop. It would hit hospitality around match days. It’s going to leave a bad aftertaste.

“If they go down, I think it could be a long, long road back. If they get back.”

Flynn, though, is optimistic about their survival hopes. After all, they’re not 11 points adrift of safety as his 2017 side were after he accepted what looked an impossible survival mission by replacing the sacked Graham Westley as boss.

As the United States-Israeli war on Iran enters its fourth week this weekend, pressure on oil and gas markets continues to mount due to severe disruption to shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz as well as attacks on and around key energy facilities in the Gulf.

In peacetime, 20 percent of the world’s oil and gas is shipped from producers in the Gulf through the Strait of Hormuz – the only route to the open ocean – including 20 million barrels of oil per day.

To bridge the shortage its closure has caused, countries in the Middle East are exploring alternative routes to get energy exports out.

In this explainer, we look at three major pipelines in the Middle East that producers may be pinning their hopes on, and whether they can fill the gap.

What has happened in the Strait of Hormuz?

On March 2 – two days after the US and Israel began strikes on Iran – Ebrahim Jabari, a senior adviser to the commander-in-chief of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), announced that the strait was “closed”. If any vessels tried to pass through, he said, the IRGC and the navy would “set those ships ablaze”. Since then, traffic through the strait has plunged by more than 95 percent.

Iranian officials have most recently stated that the strait is not completely closed – except to ships belonging to the US, Israel and those who collaborate with them – but have also laid down new ground rules. Any vessel must secure Tehran’s approval to transit through the narrow waterway.

As a result, over the past fortnight, countries have been scrambling to do deals with Iran to secure safe passage and a few, mostly Indian, Pakistani and Chinese-flagged tankers have been allowed to pass.

On Thursday, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim thanked Tehran for granting Malaysian vessels “early clearance” through the strait.

Meanwhile, about 2,000 ships flying the flags of other nations are stuck on either side of the strait.

Which oil pipelines could serve as alternate routes?

The only alternative to shipping oil is piping it across land or under the sea. Three oil pipelines could work as ways around the Strait of Hormuz, including:

Saudi Arabia’s East-West Pipeline

The East-West pipeline is also known as the Petroline and is operated by Saudi oil giant Aramco. Aramco is one of the world’s largest companies, with a market capitalisation exceeding $1.7 trillion and annual revenues of $480bn. The oil giant controls 12 percent of global oil production, with a capacity of more than 12 million bpd.

It is a 1,200km (745-mile) pipeline which runs from the Abqaiq oil processing centre close to the Gulf in Saudi Arabia to the Yanbu port on the Red Sea, on the other side of the country.

However, the pipeline does not have the capacity to fully make up for the Hormuz closure.

In 2024, about 20 million barrels per day (bpd) passed through the Strait of Hormuz, according to data from the United Nations. Crude oil and condensate made up 14 million bpd of this, while petroleum was the remaining 6 million bpd.

The East-West pipeline has the capacity of transporting up to 7 million bpd. On March 10, Aramco said about 5 million bpd could be made available for exports, while the rest could supply local refineries.

Since the US-Israeli war on Iran began at the end of February, Saudi Arabia has ramped up its oil flow through this pipeline. In January and February, an average of 770,000 bpd flowed through the pipeline, according to data from Kpler, a data and analytics company. By Tuesday this week, this had increased to an average of 2.9 million bpd.

However, using the Saudi pipeline still carries a risk.

The Houthis, an Iran-backed Yemeni armed group whose attacks on ships in the Red Sea caused global shipping chaos during Israel’s genocidal war in Gaza from 2023 to 2025, could target the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, which connects the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden, and the Indian Ocean beyond.

An unnamed Houthi leader told the Reuters news agency that the Houthis remain ready to attack the Red Sea again in solidarity with Tehran, the agency reported on Thursday.

“We stand fully militarily ready with all options. As for other details having to do with determining zero hour they are left to leadership and we are monitoring and following up with the developments and will know when is the suitable time to move,” the Houthi leader said.

The Bab al-Mandeb is the southern outlet of the Red Sea, situated between Yemen on the Arabian Peninsula and Djibouti and Eritrea on the African coast.

It is one of the world’s most important routes for global seaborne commodity shipments, particularly crude oil and fuel from the Gulf bound for the Mediterranean via the Suez Canal or the SUMED pipeline on Egypt’s Red Sea coast, as well as commodities bound for Asia, including Russian oil.

The Bab al-Mandeb is 29km (18 miles) wide at its narrowest point, limiting traffic to two channels for inbound and outbound shipments.

Iran could open a new front in the Bab al-Mandeb Strait if attacks are carried out on Iranian territory or its islands, Iran’s semiofficial Tasnim cited an unnamed Iranian military source as saying on Wednesday.

UAE’s Abu Dhabi Crude Oil Pipeline

The Abu Dhabi Crude Oil Pipeline is also called the ADCOP or the Habshan-Fujairah pipeline.

The 380km pipeline runs from Habshan, an oil and gasfield in the southwestern area of Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, to the port of Fujairah on the Gulf of Oman.

The pipeline, which became operational in 2012, has a capacity of about 1.5 million barrels per day (bpd). It is unclear how much is now being transported through the pipeline.

However, oil exports from Fujairah do appear to have risen in the past month despite the closure of the strait, averaging 1.62 million bpd in March compared with 1.17 million bpd in February, according to Kpler analyst Johannes Rauball, who spoke to Reuters.

Iraq-Turkiye Crude Oil Pipeline

The Iraq-Turkiye Crude Oil Pipeline, also called the Kirkuk-Ceyhan Pipeline, links Iraq to the Mediterranean coast of Turkiye.

The pipeline, which has the capacity of 1.6 million bpd, currently carries about 200,000bpd.

Iraq is among the top five global producers of oil and is the second largest within the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), exceeding 4 million bpd.

Can these pipelines replace the Strait of Hormuz?

No. While these pipelines can take on some of the capacity of Hormuz, their combined capacity is only about 9 million bpd, compared with about 20 million bpd for the strait.

Additionally, these pipelines are land-based and within the range of Iranian missiles and drones, which makes them just as vulnerable to attacks and damage in the ongoing conflict as ships travelling through the strait. Throughout the war, energy infrastructure all over the Gulf has suffered strikes.

Are there other options?

Theoretically, oil can be transported on trucks, but this is costly, slow and inefficient.

A standard truck can carry anywhere between 100 to 700 barrels per day, depending on the number of trips. Hundreds of thousands of barrels would be needed to meet needs, requiring thousands of trucks, which could also be targeted in strikes.

Over the past few weeks, I’ve been driving all over Los Angeles doing something I haven’t done in a long time: playing pretend.

I pretended I was in a medieval castle at a French cafe in Miracle Mile and that I was looking for trolls on a fern-filled hike in Griffith Park. I imagined that Tolkien’s elves built the creekside restaurant where I met a friend for brunch in Topanga and that I was eating alongside real witches in a forest-themed dining room in North Hollywood.

In a Whittier tea room, I poured a glittering potion that said “Drink Me” into a glass of Champagne and in Beverly Hills, I stared awestruck at the platonic ideal of a witch’s house, half expecting a bent old lady with a wart on her nose to come out and turn me into a toad.

It’s been a rough start to 2026 and these brief moments of make-believe have served as a joyful balm in sad and scary times. I’m not looking to bypass reality, but taking a break from it every once in a while can be a welcome reprieve. Fortunately, Los Angeles is especially good at creating transporting experiences that drip with fairy-tale ambience. This is the home of Hollywood after all, the land of artifice, the spot where Walt Disney dreamed up the Happiest Place on Earth. Seeking and finding moments of happily ever after, even if they last just a few minutes, is part of the city’s collective DNA.

So grab your broom and make sure to leave a trail of bread crumbs behind you. L.A. has plenty of magic to share. All you need to do is open your mind and explore.

YOU can still get a dose of Spanish sunshine this spring with some pretty four-star hotels for less than £250 per person.

loveholidays has found some super cheap deals for seven night stays in the Canary Islands, Balearic Islands and Spain.

The most affordable, but still with everything you need for a sunshine filled break, is at the DWO Sirius -Adults Only hotel on the Costa Brava in Spain.

The hotel has 161 rooms all decked out with modern amenities and air conditioning – which you might need in May as average temperatures can be as high as 24C.

Take a dip in the outdoor freshwater swimming pool or relax on one of the sunloungers.

There’s a sun terrace too, restaurant, cafe, poolside snack bar, as well as an on-site gym – it’ll be quiet too as only guests age 16 and over are allowed.

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When it comes to the beaches, Playa de Levante is just a two-minute walk away and it’s lined with shops, bars and restaurants to explore.

To stay at the DWO Sirius for seven nights from May 9, 2026 starts from just £249 per person.

Breakfast is included, as are return flights from London Luton with Ryanair.

Another is the Hotel Best Punta Dorada in Salou, Costa Dorada.

The Spanish resort is a popular destination near PortAventura World, a theme park with over 40 attractions and huge rollercoasters.

It’s also close to sandy beaches like Platja de Llevant, and the scenic Camí de Ronda coastal walk.

The hotel itself has rooms with air con, a TV, minibar and private bathroom.

It also has an outdoor swimming pool, restaurant, two bars along with evening entertainment and shows.

One visitor wrote: “Such lovely staff, food and hotel and we would go back again and didn’t want to leave.”

With loveholidays you can take a seven night break from May 2, 2026 from £269 per person.

This includes breakfast and return flights from London Stansted with Ryanair.

Or if you fancy jetting off to Tenerife, head to the Gara Suites Golf & Spa in Playa de las Americas.

In May, Tenerife temperatures can reach highs of 30C with around 10 hours of sunshine each day.

The Gara Suites Golf & Spa is a big resort with over 400 rooms as well as three outdoor pools and plenty of dining options.

It’s a top spot for families as it has a smaller pool especially for children, as well as a kids’ club and playground.

For golfing fans, there’s also a golf course short walk away – and the famous Siam Park waterpark is just a three-minutes drive away.

A seven night stay from May 14, 2026 starts from £339 per person – this includes breakfast and flights departing from London Stansted with Ryanair.

Another seven-night stay from £339 per person is available to book at the Samos Hotel in Magaluf.

The four-star Samos Hotel is right next to the beach and has a palm-tree-shaped lagoon pool.

It has 444 rooms spread across nine floors – some of which have sea views.

Inside there’s a spa with a small indoor pool, sauna, Jacuzzi and a range of spa treatments.

During the evening, there’s a full-on entertainment programme from shows to live music, bingo and karaoke.

The beach is an eight-minute walk away where there are lots of bars and restaurants.

You can eat at the hotel too as it has multiple bars, and restaurants that serve up classic Spanish food as well as international options too.

Majorca’s capital, Palma, is reachable within half an hour by car.

For more on holidays, here are the bucket list trips you should go on for every month of the year.

And the European holiday destinations Brits are flocking to instead of Turkey and Egypt due to Iran crisis.

Have fun with the family or unwind your mind with TUI deals for March and April

Getting away for a beach break in March or April is a great way to enjoy sunny skies and mild temperatures before the summer crowds arrive, as well as ditch the British rain. It’s the perfect time to relax on golden sands, explore charming coastal towns and soak up the early-season Mediterranean vibes.

As one of the UK’s best-known holiday companies, TUI uses Gatwick to offer direct flights to some of Europe’s best resorts, making it ideal for a spring break. Right now, TUI is offering couples the chance to save up to £250 on selected holidays, departing from Gatwick Airport in March and April.

This offer applies to 7-, 10-, 11- and 14-night stays in 2026, making it the perfect time for an early-season getaway. Even before the first flourish of summer, beach breaks in Lanzarote, Turkey and Portugal offer the perfect mix of sun, sand, and family-friendly fun.

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From stunning coastal locations with pools and entertainment to panoramic Portuguese views and spa treatments, we’ve picked just three of our favourites from TUI that can be booked today.

TUI BLUE Flamingo Beach, Lanzarote

Perched on the sun-drenched coastline of Playa Blanca, Lanzarote, TUI BLUE Flamingo Beach sits just steps from soft sands and calm, turquoise waters, ideal for safe swimming. Designed to look like a charming whitewashed Canarian village, a scenic seafront promenade connects the resort to Rubicon Marina and the town centre with stunning Atlantic views.

The resort is perfect for families, offering multiple pools, a splash park and professional childcare and teen hangouts. Dining is varied, from international buffets to local specialities, while fitness classes and evening entertainment ensure a lively mix of relaxation and fun under the Lanzarote sun.

For the best value break at Flamingo Beach, sunseekers looking to getaway after Easter can enjoy a 7-night break for £642.42* per person. Departing on April 13, this price is based on two people sharing on an all-inclusive basis and includes a whopping £1082.16* discount. Alternatively, a 14-night stay departing on April 14 is also available for the higher price of £1619*.

One visitor left a five-star review on TripAdvisor that said: “This hotel is excellent for families with children 0-10. The location is perfect, right next to Flamingo Beach. The children enjoyed the main pool, where activities took place, and the quiet pool, which was heated. The a^{partments were clean and spacious with a bedroom and lounge/kitchen”}

Another added: “Great Location. Our room was very quiet. Our rate included an excellent breakfast so good value for money.”

A different guest, however, agreed that the location is “brilliant”, but they also felt “let down by amenities not being open. Pool snack bar, pool bar in another area closed. And only one evening bar with no other areas to sit.”

A returning guest highly recommends the Flamingo Beach resort, saying: “Best Place. The location is fantastic, near lovely beach, rooms are fine and clean and the staff are so friendly, the area is very clean and not too much noise. We been coming here nearly every year, the last 25 years. This is where we feel like home.”

Lanzarote is always popular with holidaymakers and there are plenty of deals to choose from. One the Beach is offering a 7-night stay at the five-star Iberostar Selection Lanzarote Park with prices from £1605*, a saving of £425. An upscale all-inclusive resort, guests love the location just a little further along the bay.

For sunseekers on a budget, a last-minute break at the Blue Sea Costa Bastian in Costa Teguise is available for £519* per person through Love Holidays. With flights from Gatwick, accommodation and breakfast included, the hotel is surrounded by beautiful Canary gardens and offers magnificent views over the Atlantic Ocean.

Blue Bay Platinum, Marmaris, Turkey

Blue Bay Platinum in Marmaris blends modern style with central convenience, just 70 meters from the beach with its own private sandy stretch and clear waters. The lively local area, including shops, bars, the marina and old town, is all within easy walking distance.

The resort offers four outdoor pools, including waterslides and a dedicated adult “chill pool,” plus a full-service spa for ultimate indulgence. Guests can enjoy international and local dining, sunset cocktails and stylish ocean-themed rooms with live music and shows, creating the perfect vibrant Mediterranean getaway.

Offering excellent value for money, a seven-night stay at this contemporary hotel in a central location could cost as little as £418* per person. Departing on Wednesday, April 18, the deal includes flights and accommodation on an all-inclusive basis.

With hundreds of five-star reviews on TripAdvisor, one visitor called it a “Stunning, luxury stay”, adding: “Blue Bay Platinum Hotel in Marmaris was absolutely exceptional from start to finish. The hotel itself is beautiful – modern, stylish, and perfectly maintained with a luxurious atmosphere throughout. Room was very comfortable and always clean. Will definitely stay here again.”

Another added: “Booked again for April this year. This will be our 10th visit to Marmaris. We have stayed at the supposedly other top hotels nearby. None of them beat the Blue Bay for overall experience.”

While one visitor did note that they felt uncomfortable at the resort due to the “expectation that tips should be given,” another loved it, saying: “It’s a very nice place to stay. I like this hotel and especially the relaxing swimming pool. There is a great bar.”

Turkey appeals to Brits with its mix of sunny beaches, rich history, delicious cuisine and excellent value for money. Another favourite Marmaris resort for upscale holidaymakers is the five-star Green Nature Diamond Hotel that sits within easy striking distance of the beach.

With a wide range of facilities and comfortable accommodation, this luxurious hotel can be booked through Love Holidays for a seven-night stay in April from £429* per person. Elsewhere, the nearby Prime Beach Hotel has pools with waterslides and a private stretch of beach with prices starting from £490* per person on April 2.

Longevity Health & Wellness Hotel, Portugal

Perched on a hillside with panoramic views over Alvor Bay and the Atlantic, the Longevity Health & Wellness Hotel is a state-of-the-art retreat in the charming village of Alvor. Guests are perfectly placed to enjoy golden beaches, scenic boardwalks and nearby world-class golf courses, all while staying in a serene, high-tech sanctuary.

The hotel is a pioneer in wellness, featuring a rooftop infinity pool and a world-class spa and wellness centre. With sunrise yoga, detox treatments, and healthy Mediterranean cuisine at the rooftop Pure Cafe, every detail is designed for ultimate relaxation and rejuvenation.

While the thought of complete rest and relaxation may be priceless, a stay at the Longevity Resort is worth every penny. For a 10-night stay, departing on March 23, prices start from £891.12* per person, on a bed and breakfast basis. Shorter stays are also available with a seven-night break costing £663* departing on the same day.

Guests who have already found their zen with a stay at the Longevity Health & Wellness Hotel have shared their experiences online. One said: “Absolutely superb place for relaxing stay, very modern, clean, quiet location with 5 mins drive to local beaches and town of Alvor… Fantastic breakfast with great choice. Access to spa facilities included. Would definitely recommend.”

Another added: “A lovely, relaxing stay in a beautiful hotel. We came back feeling revitalised. The cleanliness and the staff at the hotel were everything.”

While one less impressed visitor said: “The restaurant is very expensive for portions,” another was far more impressed exclaiming: “This hotel is truly exceptional, I cannot say enough about this wonderful place only that we cannot wait to return.”

Alternatively, the Falesia Hotel is a sophisticated adults-only retreat in Albufeira, offering elegant rooms, a full-service spa, and both indoor and outdoor pools. Perfectly positioned for relaxation, it sits just a short walk from pristine beaches and the Pine Cliffs Golf Course, and prices for a seven-night stay start from £439 with Love Holidays.

For those who want a family holiday, Portugal is a perfect location for this too. Offering waterslides, a kids club, a water park and plenty of entertainment, the Jupiter Albufeira Hotel has something for everyone. Located in the popular resort of Albufeira, prices start from £630* per person, departing on April 21.

Find out more about deals on spring holidays with TUI as well as the full T&Cs here.