weeks

MOLLY-MAE Hague has shared some sweet new snaps of baby Midas, and they look absolutely adorable.

The reality TV stunner and her beau Tommy Fury welcomed their second child together four weeks ago.

Now marking the milestone of four weeks as a family of four, Molly-Mae took to her Instagram story to share a series of unseen baby photos.

In the first snap Tommy is cradling tiny Midas in his arms and laughing with glee.

The couple’s daughter Bambi, 3, is sitting playfully on Tommy’s leg and looking up at him as he laughs.

Over the top of the photo Molly-Mae penned: “One month as a crazy family of four,” followed by emojis of a laughing face, white heart and a family.

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A second snap shows Midas being held outside on some patio furniture.

The little one is swaddled up in a white blanket, sleepily keeping his eyes open.

Above his head, Molly-Mae gushed yet again: “4 weeks of you.”

A final snap shows Molly-Mae holding Midas while still in a hospital bed.

Tommy is looking down at his son with his hands held up to his face in disbelief and joy.

Molly-Mae said of the moment: “One of the best moments of my life. Will never get over it.”

The new photos come less than a week after Molly-Mae posted a sentimental post about Tommy’s first Father’s Day as a father of two.

Molly-Mae had set up a beautiful balloon display and filmed Tommy’s shocked reaction as he walked down the stairs. 

The sweet clip also showed Bambi as she passed a card to her father, full of giggles. 

Vucic is under ⁠pressure after months ⁠of antigovernment protests.

Serbia’s President Aleksandar Vucic says he will step down within “weeks”.

Vucic announced his plan to resign on Saturday, paving the way for early presidential and parliamentary ‌elections.

This follows months of youth-led protests that shook his term as president.

“I will be president for only a couple of weeks, ⁠and then I will ⁠resign,” Vucic told his supporters ⁠at a pro-government rally ⁠in ⁠the capital, Belgrade.

“We will win more convincingly than ever before,” he said, telling the crowd he will help his right-wing Serbian Progressive Party at the upcoming elections and that this was probably the last time he would address them as Serbia’s president.

Vucic did not specify exactly when he would resign or when an election – for Parliament or for a new president – would be held.

The president’s second and ‌last mandate was set to expire in mid-2027.

Vucic has gradually tightened his grip on power since his populist party took over the Serbian government 14 years ago.

The news of his resignation comes against the backdrop of months of student-led mass antigovernment protests that have rattled the country.

Tens of thousands of people have been rallying across Serbia since November 2024, when the Novi Sad rail station disaster killed 16 people and sparked mass anger at the government.

Hundreds of people were detained and Serbia’s police were accused of excessive force and arbitrary arrests by the European Union. The protests eventually led to the resignation of then-Prime Minister Milos Vucevic in January 2025.

Vucic, who has dominated Serbian politics for over a decade, has repeatedly called protesters “foreign agents”, accusing them of “fuelling divisions” and seeking to overthrow the government.

In response to Vucic’s rally, students are set to hold their own gathering on Sunday in Kraljevo, central Serbia, also promoting national unity while renewing calls for early elections.

Two Weeks in August’s cast is led by none other than a Call the Midwife legend.

Two Weeks in August is drawing to a close, but the BBC has already revealed what’s stepping in to fill the gap.

Call the Midwife star Jessica Raine heads up the cast of black comedy Two Weeks in August, an eight-part series following a group of old friends who reunite for a well-deserved holiday in Greece.

However, a stolen kiss triggers a “chain reaction of infidelity, breakdowns, and escalating chaos”.

The final two 45-minute episodes air tonight, Saturday, June 27, on BBC One, with the complete boxset also available to watch on BBC iPlayer.

Ahead of its BBC One broadcast, it has now been confirmed that not one but two programmes will be stepping into its coveted Saturday primetime slot next week.

The first of the two shows taking over from Two Weeks in August on Saturday, July 4, at the slightly earlier time of 8.30pm, is The Weakest Link.

With comedian Romesh Ranganathan assuming hosting duties from the iconic Anne Robinson, celebrity contestants will include JLS star JB Gill, actress Helen Flanagan and singer Toyah Willcox.

The Weakest Link will run for 45 minutes before BBC News and Weather, paving the way for the second replacement programme at 9.30pm.

Rounding off the evening, football enthusiasts will be treated to Match of the Day Live: Fifa World Cup 2026, as the BBC broadcasts coverage of the second round-of-16 match at the Philadelphia Stadium in the US.

The official description reads: “Lionel Messi made his 1,000th career appearance and scored a 789th career goal as he inspired Argentina to a 2-1 victory over Australia at this stage in Qatar in 2022.

“Julian Alvarez capitalised on an error by Aussie goalkeeper Mathew Ryan to double Argentina’s lead in the second-half, but the Socceroos halved the deficit when Craig Goodwin’s strike took a huge deflection off Enzo Fernández with a little under 15 minutes left, and if not for the excellence of Argentine goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez could have found a late equalizer.”

Match of the Day’s broadcast will run for three hours, with the special edition due to wrap up at 12.30am.

Two Weeks in August is available to stream on BBC iPlayer.

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

Two of my favorite movies of the year so far are opening in Los Angeles today and they both benefit from being seen with a proper audience. You will find yourself surprised by what you are laughing at, curious about what other people are laughing at and then feel the air in the room collectively shift as both films take unexpected turns toward more genuine emotional moments.

The third feature directed by Olivia Wilde, “The Invite” is a biting look at modern relationships. Wilde stars as one half of a struggling couple, unhappily married to a character played by Seth Rogen. She invites over a couple from the apartment upstairs, played by Penélope Cruz and Edward Norton, and soon all sorts of feelings start flying around.

I reviewed for the paper, noting, “It feels daring for how it wants to actually examine the emotional costs of contemporary grown-up life, bringing wincing laughs of recognition.”

Wilde will be making appearances around L.A. over the weekend, including at the Vista, where the movie is playing in 35mm.

Also opening this weekend is “Maddie’s Secret,” the debut feature as writer-director from comedian and actor John Early, who also stars as the title character, an aspiring L.A. food influencer battling bulimia. It is a truly astonishing performance, one that walks a difficult tightrope between sincerity and parody. Early will appear for Q&As around town this weekend.

I spoke to Early about the film when it played as part of the Los Angeles Festival of Movies about its unusual tone — somehow earnest, tender and very funny all at once. Joshua Rothkopf reviewed the film, which he calls the indie arrival of the year, comparing it to movies by John Waters, Todd Haynes and Douglas Sirk.

Jack meets the maestro

Jack Nicholson in the 1975 movie “The Passenger.”

(Sony Pictures Classics)

One movie I feel obligated to note whenever it plays it Michelangelo Antonioni’s “The Passenger.” Jack Nicholson stars as a disaffected journalist who assumes the identity of a dead man in an attempt to start over, only to find that his new life is even more complicated than his own. It is a powerful examination of middle-aged malaise that has Antonioni’s trademark mystery but, thanks to Nicholson, also has a directness that makes it accessible to wider audiences.

Nicholson made the film in between “Chinatown” and “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest,” at the height of his fame in the 1970s, a time when going to Europe and Africa to shoot a movie with an esoteric art-house filmmaker was a huge risk. He would personally purchase the rights to the film in the early 1980s and essentially treated it like owning an art object, very rarely allowing it to be shown publicly. It reentered circulation in 2005 with a rerelease but still has a certain air of rarity around it. The film will be showing at the New Beverly in 35mm on Saturday and Sunday.

Nicholson sat for an extended interview with The Times’ Patrick Goldstein around that 2005 reissue of the film, calling the production “the most vivid filmmaking adventure I’ve ever had.” He described his relationship to Antonioni by saying, “He’s been like a father figure to me. I worked with him because I wanted to be a film director and I thought I could learn from a master. He’s one of the few people I know that I ever really listened to.”

When the Italian filmmaker died in 2007, Nicholson got on the phone with us to say, “I don’t know how to put this: He’s just a maestro, and everybody loved him. … He was a man of joy and impeccable taste. His whole life was dedicated to modestly being a brilliant artist.”

Truffaut’s humanist warmth

Delphine Seyrig and Jean-Pierre Léaud in the movie “Stolen Kisses.”

(Janus Films)

Richard Linklater’s “Nouvelle Vague” last year didn’t exactly start a renewed wave of interest in the French New Wave of the 1960s, but then again, those movies never really went away. They’ve been inspirational to generations of film fans for more than 60 years now.

But one French director who has perhaps fallen out of favor slightly is François Truffaut. Long seen as one of the quintessential New Wave filmmakers, he has become taken for granted a little of late. Which is why it is exciting to see Brain Dead Studios showing his 1968 film “Stolen Kisses” in 35mm on Sunday.

The third in the series of films Truffaut returned to throughout his career, including his 1959 breakthrough “The 400 Blows,” the film again stars Jean-Pierre Léaud as Antoine Doinel, Truffaut’s alter ego through the stages of his life. Discharged from the army, Antoine drifts through a series of jobs. His real concern is juggling his busy love life, making the film something of a male-centered rom-com while capturing Truffaut’s warm, humanist worldview.

Rohmer’s caustic cynicism

Jean-Claude Brialy in the 1970 movie “Claire’s Knee.”

(Janus Films)

Conversely, a filmmaker of the French New Wave who has seen his stock rise during the last few years is Eric Rohmer, championed by Noah Baumbach among others. His more caustic view of the world may resonate better with more cynical modern audiences.

The American Cinematheque will begin showing Rohmer’s cycle of “Six Moral Tales” at the Los Feliz Theatre this weekend with a 35mm screening of “My Night at Maud’s” and continuing with other screenings through the end of July. Other films in the series include the sultry, summertime tale “La Collectionneuse,” the ethical dilemma of “Claire’s Knee” and the tale of infidelity “Love in the Afternoon.”

Writing about “Claire’s Knee” in 1971, Charles Champlin noted, “What redeems Rohmer’s films from a defeating sameness is the quite extraordinary charm, believability and complexity of his characters and his meticulous attention to detail and his refusal to go for gross events at the expense of the subtle shadings of human relationships.”

Honestly, if a trip to France isn’t happening for you this summer, this series makes for a not-bad substitute.

Reconsidering ’90s comedy

An image from the 2025 documentary “We Are Pat.”

(The Film Collaborative)

Fresh off its world premiere at the recent Tribeca Film Festival, Ro Haber’s documentary “We Are Pat” will screen at Vidiots on Sunday. Haber will be there along with comedians Julia Sweeney and Harper Steele and, for good measure, Alan Cumming.

“We Are Pat” examines the afterlife of Sweeney’s character from “Saturday Night Live,” a confusingly genderless person who no one can ever quite figure out how to engage with. The way Pat has been picked up by a new generation of genderfluid comedians shows how influence and inspiration can come from the unlikeliest of places, and also how comedic ideas can transform over time.

Ali in Africa

Muhammad Ali fights George Foreman in the 1996 documentary “When We Were Kings.”

(Gramercy Pictures)

Released in 1996, “When We Were Kings” depicts the 1974 boxing match in Zaire between Muhammad Ali and George Foreman known as “The Rumble in the Jungle.” Director Leon Gast was unable to complete the film at the time, so the footage languished for years until he got an assist from filmmaker Taylor Hackford in shooting contemporary interviews with the likes of Norman Mailer, George Plimpton and Spike Lee. “When We Were Kings” would go on to win the Academy Award for documentary feature. It will be screening at Vidiots on Saturday.

The core of the movie is watching the thrilling, inspiring footage of Ali training and interacting with the locals. As Kenneth Turan wrote in his original review, “Because a classic heavyweight championship fight, especially with these protagonists, epitomizes the drama inherent in sport, ‘When We Were Kings’ always compels our interest.”

New this week

• Amy Nicholson wasn’t crazy about “Supergirl,” but reserves praise for star Milly Alcock as the “one reason to see the film.”
• Johnny Knoxville and friends are back for another round of stunts and pranks in “Jackass: Best and Last.” Age has finally caught up with them, Amy Nicholson laments.
• It seems a little odd that a movie starring Angelina Jolie, “Couture,” is just sort of sneaking into theaters, but that’s movie business in 2026. We spoke to Jolie at last year’s Toronto International Film Festival about the film.

MAYA Jama’s ex-boyfriend Ruben Dias appears to be moving on from their split as he sets his sight on a new romantic interest.

And the Manchester City footballer, 29, controversially seems to be pursuing a connection with a fellow star from within the Love Island family.

This week Ruben followed Joanna Chimondes on Instagram, the season 5 stunner who appeared on screens back in 2019 and returned for All Stars in 2024.

Tellingly, Joanna, 29, has followed the Premier League player back on the social media platform – so watch this space.

The Sun has reached out to representatives of Ruben and Joanna for comment.

Joanna is earned a spot in the Love Island history books when she stole the affection of scouser Michael Griffiths during Casa Amor – when he was coupled up with Amber Gill.

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The fireman returned to the main villa with Jo, much to Amber’s disgust who branded her villa rival ‘a dead ting’ upon learning of the betrayal.

Joanna and Michael’s romance didn’t go the distance though, as she was booted from the villa separately with Michael controversially deciding to stay.

It seems Ruben has a thing for Love Island stars having dated stunning host Maya, 31, for 18 months before The Sun exclusively revealed their split last month.

The pair first began dating in December 2024 after meeting at the MTV Europe Music Awards in Manchester the month prior.

Their relationship is understood to have ended before Maya jetted off to Scotland to film Celebrity Traitors and ahead of all new Love Island.

Ruben was accused of following women online whilst loved-up with Maya Jama and sending seedy late night requests to influencers on Instagram.

Known as “toe dipping” – fans allege Ruben has a habit of following a woman in the evening, then unfollowing them the next day.

Post break-up, the football ace has also been linked to his actress ex Daniela Melchior.

In May the defender was cheered on by Daniela in the crowd of Portugal‘s World Cup qualifier with Chile, winning 2-1.

He’s also liked snaps of his ex online – cuddling an inflatable alien, and wearing a sexy leopard print dress.

June 23 (UPI) — The June 2021 partial collapse of a Miami Beach oceanfront condominium tower that killed nearly 100 people began three weeks before the building completely failed, federal investigators announced Monday.

The four-decade-old Champlain Towers South condo in Surfside, Fla., collapsed June 24, 2021, prompting the deployment of first responders to scour the rubble for survivors. In total, 98 people were killed and many others were injured, making it one of the deadliest structural disasters in U.S. history.

The National Institute of Standards and Technology, which launched an investigation into the incident within days of the collapse, said Monday that it determined the collapse began in early June 2021, when two connections between garage columns and the building’s pool deck failed.

“These initial column failures caused cracks to grow and loads to redistribute in the pool deck over the next three weeks, resulting in the transfer of their loads to adjacent slab-column connections that were not strong enough to support them,” NIST said in a statement.

“This led to the larger catastrophic collapse on June 24.”

The 12-story Champlain Towers South building was constructed in 1981 under required codes and standards intended to ensure builders could support more load than they were expected to bear. But, Judith Mitrani-Reiser, who was a co-lead on the investigation, said the tower’s “margins against failure were not too narrow from the start.”

The investigators believe that the failure of the two connections then spread to other elements of the pool deck and street-level parking structure before unseating the southern edge of the pool deck slab from a supporting wall.

When the pool slab eventually broke away, it damaged two connections supporting that part of the tower, causing the failure to travel through the middle of the tower.

The investigators also found that loads added to the structure over the building’s lifetime, such as pool deck modifications, further narrowed the margins against failure on top of long-term degradation caused by corrosion.

The investigation team said it is now working on compiling a final report that will include recommendations for changes to standards, codes and practices, among other suggestions.

The announcement came after NIST in September released an update into its investigation stating that the condo had shown visible signs of structural strain weeks before the collapse, starting with the pool deck.

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

Recently, I don’t exactly know why, I was overtaken by a concern that because of the impending merger of Paramount and Warner Bros., Olivier Assayas’ 2022 series adaption of his own film “Irma Vep” would be removed from the HBO Max streaming platform. With no official physical release, the series — starring Alicia Vikander as a Hollywood movie star making a project in Paris — could be effectively vanished from existence.

This is sadly inevitable, though some superfans have gone to extra-legal measures to ensure otherwise (not that we would ever endorse this). Most famously it’s happened with the original “Star Wars” trilogy. Billed as the “Grindhouse Edition,” these are discs of the first three “Star Wars” films sourced from scans of original film prints before the digital fixes and polish of the more recent official releases. Reengaging with these works in this way, scratches and all, is (I’m told) a strong reminder of why they hit so hard in the first place, similar to how it might be to reread a text in the original language instead of a more recent translation.

‘Indiana Jones’ marathon

Harrison Ford and Karen Allen on the set of 1981’s “Raiders of the Lost Ark.”

(Lucasfilm Ltd.)

The same deep understanding of genre filmmaking that went into the original “Star Wars” also went into “Raiders of the Lost Ark,” the first adventure of the character of Indiana Jones. Directed by Steven Spielberg from a script by Lawrence Kasdan and story by George Lucas and Philip Kaufman, the film is playful, thrilling and self-aware. It is made with such care, attention to detail and sense of fun that I remember how disappointed I was to discover not all movies would be like this.

There have of course been diminishing returns with the more recent run of Indiana Jones sequels, but the first three installments all have a real spark. And so the Secret Movie Club will present “Raiders,” 1984’s “Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom” and 1989’s “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade,” all on 35mm at the Million Dollar Theater in DTLA on Sunday in celebration of Father’s Day.

In her original review of the first film, Sheila Benson described that while watching it, she felt “a rush of gratitude which almost brought tears of contagious joy and — not to be corny about this — the strength of the film’s positive vision. If this is an era in which the heroic is lacking and the mediocre threatens us from every side, then ‘Raiders,’ which has no pretensions to importance, which is unabashedly wide-eyed and exaggerated and true blue but somehow cherishes the best in life and filmmaking — is a high-water mark.”

Plenty of jokes could be made about the movies having settled into what might be thought of as part of the dadcore canon: action-adventure movies that play well on TV and maybe you can take a short nap and not miss anything. So be it.

From one master to another

Cary Grant and Eva Marie Saint in Alfred Hitchcock’s 1959 thriller “North by Northwest.”

(Sunset Boulevard / Corbis via Getty Images)

Filmmaker Guillermo del Toro has been making waves of late for his strong public stance against the use of AI in feature filmmaking. But it is worth remembering that he is also a deep and incisive thinker about older movies, a true fan, which makes his upcoming appearances at the Academy Museum a special occasion.

Del Toro will present five films by Alfred Hitchcock — 1946’s “Notorious,” 1943’s ‘Shadow of a Doubt,” 1959’s “North by Northwest,” 1953’s “I Confess” and 1972’s “Frenzy” — along with delivering a lecture on each of them. To see one great filmmaker reflect with such depth into the work of another is just remarkable. This is some genuine only-in-L.A. type stuff.

Comedy + politics = good fun

A scene from the 1976 movie “Car Wash.”

(Margaret Herrick Library / Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences)

A raucous comedy set around the location of the title, “Car Wash” is also a sharp, politically minded satire about labor and money. Directed by Michael Schultz from a screenplay by Joel Schumacher, the film has an extended ensemble cast that includes Richard Pryor, Franklyn Ajaye, George Carlin and many others.

In his original review Charles Champlin compared “Car Wash” to films such as “American Graffiti” and “Nashville” and called it “light but not foolish. … The experience is exhilarating.”

A 50th anniversary screening at the Academy Museum on Saturday of a new 4K restoration will include a panel with Schultz and actors Bill Duke, Antonio Fargas, Melanie Mayron, Garrett Morris and Pepe Serna.

Collision report

James Spader in the 1996 movie “Crash,” directed by David Cronenberg.

(Jonathan Wenk / Fine Line Features)

The controversy that surrounded David Cronenberg’s “Crash” when it premiered at Cannes in 1996 and received a U.S. release in 1997 tended to overwhelm the actual movie. Shockingly explicit, the film is about a secret underground world of people who create a sexual fetish out of car crashes. An adaptation of the novel by J.G. Ballard, Cronenberg’s movie explores the cinematic obsession with sex and violence.

Over time, “Crash” has been evolving from a seemingly cursed object dogged by scandal into something that audiences can come to appreciate and admire — even if it is not a movie you can ever exactly fully understand. Part of Cronenberg’s brilliance is how enigmatic and unknowable his work can be: strange, inviting and enveloping while refusing easy or direct analysis.

The movie is playing twice locally this week, on Saturday at Vidiots in partnership with the Cinegogue, with special giveaways and exclusive merch, and again on Monday at the Academy Museum in 4K. Who will be brave (or perverse) enough to go twice?

A different view of Rio

Milton Gonçalves, center, in the 1974 movie “The Devil Queen.”

(Kino Lorber)

A drag queen (Milton Gonçalves) rules the criminal underworld of Rio de Janeiro in Antonio Carlos da Fontoura’s 1974 gangster drama “The Devil Queen,” an unlikely mix of camp aesthetics and gritty violence. Among the film’s many fans is Kleber Mendonça Filho, the filmmaker behind the recent Brazilian hit “The Secret Agent,” who referred to “The Devil Queen” as “bloody, nasty and full of personality.”

The movie is playing in a new 4K restoration at the Lumiere Cinema in Beverly Hills.

A musical melodrama returns

Raul Julia, left, and Teri Garr in Francis Ford Coppola’s 1981 movie “One From the Heart.”

(Rialto Pictures / American Zoetrope)

We have talked before about Francis Ford Coppola’s “One From the Heart,” a movie of such delirious audacity that it nearly ruined the filmmaker‘s career. A throwback musical about two lovers who break up in search of more excitement, the film stars Teri Garr, Frederic Forrest, Nastassja Kinski and Raul Julia.

On Saturday the film will screen at the American Cinematheque’s Aero Theater in a 70mm print for the first time in L.A. since 1990. The event is being dedicated to Dean Tavoularis, Coppola’s longtime production designer, who died in April. For “One From the Heart,” Tavoularis re-created the Las Vegas Strip on a studio back lot.

New this week

• Amy Nicholson is not a fan of the new “Toy Story 5,” writing in her review, “Pixar has continued adding shades to the same plot outline like a child with a box of 128 crayons (or a company clinging to its billion-dollar idea).”
• Glenn Whipp cast back into the “Toy Story” universe for a highly personal ranking of his 10 favorite “Toy Story” toys.
• Two gay teenage boys attempt to survive a supernatural entity and conversion therapy in Adrian Chiarella’s debut feature “Leviticus.” Jen Yamato spoke to the filmmaking team.
• I spoke to writer-director Michael Sarnoski about his new “The Death of Robin Hood,” starring Hugh Jackman in a subversively revisionist telling of the last days of the medieval bandit.

BROOKLYN Beckham spoke about struggles he was facing with his hot sauce business, Cloud23, just weeks before his controversial World Cup ad.

The aspiring chef appeared to have cashed in on his ongoing family drama this week as a new advert to promote DoorDash – a food delivery service – was released.

The big-money ad – which saw Brooklyn hint at his reason for not attending the World Cup, which his dad is currently enjoying – has been widely received as a swipe at his famous family.

Swipe or not, the payday could have come at a good time for Brooklyn, who revealed just weeks before its release that he was ‘figuring out’ things in his business.

The eldest child of David and Victoria launched hot sauce brand Cloud23 in October 2024, and has admitted he has faced ‘ups and downs’ with the brand since.

Speaking at the Tribeca Festival in New York last week, Brooklyn explained of his company: ‘I didn’t really know what I was getting into when I was creating this.

Read more on the Beckhams

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“There have been a lot of ups and a lot of downs. There are things we’ve had to figure out.

“I’m still learning every single day. I’m going to continue to learn forever.”

Brooklyn also detailed how he wanted the brand to be much more than his famous name, which was built by his footballer dad and popstar mum.

“When I was creating this, I didn’t want to create another celebrity brand. I wanted to create the cleanest hot sauce there is with the most beautiful bottle,” explained the 27-year-old.

Brooklyn’s DoorDash ad has been widely seen as a nod to his estrangement from famous parents David, 51, and Victoria, 52, as well as his brothers and sister and wider family for over a year.

In the ad, he says to the camera: “You’re probably wondering why I’m watching the FIFA World Cup 2026 from home…”

Smirking Brooklyn then laughs: “It’s a long story.”

He goes on to throw down his tickets onto the coffee table.

The advert then says: “It’s complicated. More soon.”

Beloved England player Becks famously played in three FIFA World Cups in 1998, 2002 and 2006.

He’s out in America promoting the World Cup – watching the opening match with Tom Cruise.

FAMILIES have just six weeks until the school summer holidays begin – and it’s not too late to book a bargain all-inclusive family holiday.

While the summer holidays usually signal a massive jump in holiday prices, we’ve found all inclusive holiday deals that will actually SAVE you money.

Plus, by packing flights, hotel, meals, drinks and snacks into a single all-inclusive deal, you won’t need to worry about extra costs once you’re abroad.

To make holiday budgets stretch even further, brands like Loveholidays and On the Beach are offering free child places across a range of hotels.

We’ve rounded up a selection of week-long, all inclusive holidays in July and August with FREE child places.

This means you can secure a week in the sunshine with unlimited ice lollies, drinks, kids’ clubs, and pool access while one of the little ones travels for nothing.

Read more on all inclusives

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Holiday spot slashes prices to entice Brits – from 7 nights all inclusive for £289pp

Here’s our pick of bargain all-inclusive family holidays from £368pp.

Costa Brava, Spain

With an on-site disco bar, kids splash pool and a free shuttle to the nearest sandy beach, you can’t really go wrong with a break at this Costa Brava resort.

The Santa Susanna Resort Affiliated by Fergus has plenty of activities for kids to burn off their energy – plus relaxing spots for parents to unwind, too.

There’s a pool with a splash zone and water features, an action-packed kids club and evening discos that children will love – plus unlimited ice lollies.

And for the grown-ups, there’s two bars where you can grab an ice-cold beer or cocktail – one of which is by the pool.

Loveholidays offer a 7 night stay from August 18 including flights for £368pp with one child staying for free – and is currently £198 off.

Book a 7 night all inclusive stay at Santa Susanna Resort Affiliated by Fergus for £368pp.

Antalya, Turkey

The all inclusive Sun Star Beach has a massive outdoor pool with a waterslide, four lively bars, and its very own private beach.

When parents need a breather from baking in the Mediterranean sun, you can slip away to the on-site spa.

Here you’ll find a sauna, a traditional Turkish bath and soothing massage treatments – plus a gym if you want to squeeze in a workout.

There’s also a kids club and activities program, as well as sports on the beach like beach volleyball. water skiing and jet skiing.

Out and about, the vibrant bars, restaurants, and shops of Mahmutlar are right on your doorstep.

Loveholidays offer a 7 night stay from August 31 including flights for £469pp with one child staying for free. This break is currently £40 off, too.

Book a 7 night all inclusive stay at Sun Star Beach for £469pp

Agadir, Morocco

El Pueblo Tamlelt is a tropical-feel Moroccan resort with 11 acres of lush gardens, just steps away from the beach.

Plus it’s only 15 minutes from the airport, so you’ll be landed and on a lounger in no time.

Every modern room comes with a private balcony or terrace, and the all-inclusive deal keeps kids happy with an all-you-can-eat buffet and poolside snacks like pizza and burgers.

When you’re ready to explore, Agadir’s bustling centre is just a 10-minute taxi or bus ride away.

Wander the palm-lined promenade or head to the Agadir Oufella Ruins for spectacular mountaintop views over the city.

On the Beach offer a 7 night stay from August 19 including flights for £433pp with children 2 and under staying for free. This holiday is currently £166 off full price.

Book a 7 night all inclusive stay at El Pueblo Tamelt for £433pp

Crete, Greece

The Club Lyda Hotel in Gouves is a great value option for families looking for an affordable Greek island holiday.

This large, village-style resort sits within walking distance of local soft sand beaches and offers a budget-friendly all-inclusive package.

The hotel has a large outdoor swimming pool plus a kids pool, as well as plenty of loungers out on the terrace for sunbathing.

This resort caters to families with little ones, with a kids club, children’s swimming pool and activity program that runs all day long.

Meals are served buffet-style in the main restaurant, which cooks up a rotating mix of traditional Greek dishes and familiar favourites.

If you want to explore beyond the resort, The Dinosauria Park is just a 10-minutes away by car or taxi, plus there are three waterpark options within 20 minutes’ drive.

Loveholidays offer a 7 night stay from August 18 including flights for £489pp with one child staying free. This deal saves £97 off full-price, too.

Book a 7 night all inclusive stay at Club Lyda Hotel for £489pp

Bodrum, Turkey

The Tiana Beach Resort is a budget-friendly base in the glamorous resort of Bodrum, offering a luxurious-feeling family holiday for less.

Here there’s pretty garden paths that will lead you straight down to the sea, with a stretch of private beach with a range of water sports.

Back at the hotel, there’s a pool surrounded by plenty of sun loungers and parasols, plus sports like tennis and volleyball.

Plus the spa and sauna with treatments like massages is the cherry on top.

It’s about half an hour’s drive to the centre of Bodrum, where you can visit its massive castle or stroll along the glitzy marina and dip into bars and seafood restaurants.

On the Beach offer a 7 night stay from August 17 including flights for £518pp. This saves you £172 off full-price.

Book a 7 night all inclusive stay at Tiana Beach Resort for £518pp

*Prices correct at the time of publication.

Maja Chwalinska’s French Open ended almost three weeks after it started – but her journey to the brink of a first Grand Slam title began long before that.

A former Australian Open junior doubles finalist alongside fellow Pole Iga Swiatek, Chwalinska has spoken openly about the depression that led her to take a break from tennis early in her professional career.

In the build-up to Roland Garros, she was playing events on the second tier of the women’s tour across Europe.

Her French Open campaign began in the first round of qualifying on Monday, 18 May. Nine wins later, only teenager Mirra Andreeva stood in the way of Chwalinska becoming just the second qualifier to win a Grand Slam singles title in the Open era.

It was not to be for Chwalinska, who fell 6-3 6-2 to Andreeva on Saturday, but finishing runner-up will have a profound effect on her life and career.

She will climb from 114th in the world to a new high of 21st on Monday, while her Roland Garros prize money of 1.4m euros (£1.21m) is almost double what she had previously earned in her entire career.

“It’s been 18 years of hard work, patience and perseverance,” said 24-year-old Chwalinska, who took up tennis as a young girl.

“I had to go through so much to be in this position. Life is weird sometimes and you’ve just got to do your thing and believe it will click someday, and I’m happy that it did.

“It is definitely an unforgettable three weeks for me. I’ll never forget it.”

Kyle Busch‘s family has dealt with a lot since the NASCAR legend’s sudden death at age 41 last month.

On Friday, however, his wife Samantha and their two children — son Brexton, 11, and daughter Lennix, 4 — “wanted to take a moment to say thank you” for all the support they have received.

“The prayers, messages, flowers, meals, hugs, and countless acts of kindness have carried us through the most heartbreaking days of our lives,” they said in a note posted Friday on Samantha’s Instagram page. “While our hearts are absolutely shattered, we have felt God’s presence and arms wrapped tightly around us through each and every one of you.”

Busch, a two-time champion of the NASCAR Cup Series and the winningest driver in the association’s history, became unresponsive while in a racing simulator on May 20 in Concord, N.C., and was transported to a Charlotte hospital. He died the next day.

According to his death certificate, Busch died from hemorrhagic shock and disseminated intravascular coagulation after complications from bacterial pneumonia led to sepsis. He had been experiencing symptoms of bacterial pneumonia for “days to weeks” before sepsis set in, the certificate states.

The Busch family released a joint statement with NASCAR and his team, Richard Childress Racing, honoring Busch on the day he died. Friday’s social media post marks the first public comment directly from Samantha and her children since then.

“The love that has surrounded our family during this unimaginable time has brought comfort in the middle of so much pain,” they said in the post.

“Knowing the impact Kyle had on others and seeing how they are honoring him through each unique act of generosity is a true testament to how special Kyle is to so many people. There are moments when the weight of this loss feels impossible to carry, yet time and time again God, through you all, has shown us we are not alone.”

Kyle and Samantha Busch were married on Dec. 31, 2010. She and their children were among those who appeared at the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway on May 24 to honor Busch’s memory.

“From family and friends to fans and complete strangers, thank you for showing up for us. Thank you for loving our family so well,” their post concluded. “Thank you for loving Kyle. Thank you for honoring him. We may never find the words to fully express what your support has meant to us, but please know that we are deeply grateful.

“❤️ Samantha, Brexton & Lennix”

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

It seems odd that the biggest news of the week was the fact that tickets for a movie went on sale, but apparently Christopher Nolan’s upcoming “The Odyssey” is no typical movie. Having already made tickets available for some shows a full year in advance, Universal put more of them on sale for the July 17 opening weekend of the Oscar-winning filmmaker’s ancient epic. There were reports of long online wait times, crashing ticketing systems and the kind of problems more often associated with pop stars than movie nerds.

“The Odyssey” will be playing in a variety of formats, with the Imax 70mm screenings among the most coveted. More venues than usual have also been announced as playing the film in 70mm, including the Village Theatre in Westwood. (A handy visual guide to the different fomats is on the film’s website.) While there is a hint of the ridiculous to some of this mania — popcorn buckets in the shape of Imax cameras and movie tickets going on the resale market for hundreds of dollars — there is no denying how exciting it is to see this kind of anticipation building around any movie.

Back to a ’90s phenomenon

Ewen Bremner, left, Ewan McGregor, Johnny Lee Miller and Robert Carlyle in the movie “Trainspotting.”

(Liam Longman / Sony Pictures Classics)

When it first came out in 1996, “Trainspotting” was an instant cultural phenomenon, capturing the vibes of the “Cool Britannia” moment with its sparkling soundtrack, inventive, high-energy style and cast that included up-and-coming talents such as Ewan McGregor and Kelly Macdonald. It was only the second feature directed by Danny Boyle, who would go on to be an Oscar winner, mount an Olympics opening ceremony and remain a reliably exciting filmmaker all the way to his recent “28 Years Later.”

“Trainspotting” is now back in theaters in a 4K restoration for its 30th anniversary, having lost none of its brash vigor. In his original review, Kenneth Turan said of the film, “Exuberant and pitiless, profane yet eloquent, flush with the ability to create laughter out of unspeakable situations, ‘Trainspotting’ is a drop-dead look at a dead-end lifestyle that has all the strength of its considerable contradictions.”

Appearing like magic

Kathy Najimy, left, Bette Midler and Sarah Jessica Parker in the 1993 comedy “Hocus Pocus.”

(Disney)

Directed by Kenny Ortega, “Hocus Pocus” is one of those movies that has seen its fanbase grow steadily over the years — it is now much more beloved than it ever was on initial release. (It even inspired a 2022 sequel.) Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker and Kathy Najimi play the Sanderson sisters, 17th century witches who find themselves inadvertently brought to modern day by a group of teenagers messing around with casting spells.

The film will play Saturday at the Gardena Cinema, featuring a live commentary from cast members Omri Katz, Thora Birch, Larry Bagby, Tobias Jelinek and Vinessa Shaw followed by a Q&A. This is a rare appearance by Katz in particular, who has retired from acting. Fans of the movie should make the effort to attend.

The Gardena, the last family-owned single-screen theater in Los Angeles, suffered a blow last weekend when a burst pipe flooded the venue. Though they are operational, a campaign has been started to help them recoup repair costs.

Examining the life of the mind

John Turturro in the 1991 movie “Barton Fink.”

(20th Century Fox)

Ranking the films of Joel and Ethan Coen has become a cottage industry of its own. Personally, I go back-and-forth on where to place 1991’s “Barton Fink,” which won the Palme d’Or at Cannes, as well as prizes for director and actor. The movie is by turns funny, disturbing and inscrutable (all good things), with John Turturro in the title role as an intellectual New York playwright who goes to Hollywood to write screenplays — and slowly goes insane.

The movie will play Friday in 35mm at Vidiots with an introduction from Noah Segan, who directed Turturro in one of the breakout titles from this year’s Sundance, “The Only Living Pickpocket in New York.” Hopefully, this will turn into a year in which Turturro gets some long-deserved accolades.

Christmas in June

Elliott Gould on the set of 1978’s “The Silent Partner.”

(Anwar Hussein / Getty Images)

There is something particularly charged about watching a Christmas movie at other times of year — an odd sense of dislocation and maybe even something a little naughty, a circuit-scrambling frisson. So it is particularly notable that as part of their salute to the independent studio Carolco Pictures (behind such films as “Basic Instinct,” “Terminator 2: Judgment Day” and “Reservoir Dogs”), the Vista will be showing 1978’s “The Silent Partner.”

Just the kind of tight and gripping thriller that people pine for all year round, “The Silent Partner” has a screenplay by Curtis Hanson, who would go on to make “L.A. Confidential.” Elliott Gould plays a Toronto bank teller who tries to rip off the thief (Christopher Plummer) who robs his branch wearing a Santa costume as a disguise. Soon they are both scheming against each other.

In his original review of the film, Kevin Thomas called it “tense and ingenious.” In a reconsideration of the film some months later, Charles Champlin called it “a stylish crime-suspense story, a cat-and-mouse game between Christopher Plummer as a clever, sadistic bank robber and Elliott Gould as a bored bank teller who sees a way out of his boredom and into riches.”

So much beauty

Brooke Adams and Sam Shepard in the 1978 movie “Days of Heaven.”

(Criterion Collection)

Terrence Malick’s 1978 “Days of Heaven” is still strikingly singular: a love story told with a stirring visual style. The film’s beauty — aside from its impossibly good-looking lead actors, Richard Gere and Brooke Adams — in part comes from gifted Spanish cinematographer Néstor Almendros, who made his American debut after a career in Europe that saw him working with filmmakers such as Eric Rohmer and François Truffaut. Almendros would win an Academy Award for the film.

The New Beverly will show “Days of Heaven” in 35mm Tuesday through Thursday as a double bill with Truffaut’s 1970 “The Wild Child,” shot by Almendros in black-and-white. Writing about “Days” in 1978, The Times’ Charles Champlin called it “an extraordinary and original visual experience and a movie which is thrilling in its uncompromised purity.”

Perverse fun

Ha Jung-woo, left, and Kim Min-hee in the 2016 movie “The Handmaiden.”

(TIFF)

Korean filmmaker Park Chan-wook was just president of the Cannes jury and has become a much-beloved figure on the international circuit for his wicked sense of humor and sharp sense of style. Nowhere is that on better display than his 2016 film “The Handmaiden,” which is somehow at once a period drama, a con-man thriller and an erotic lesbian romance. Vidiots will be showing the movie Sunday.

As Justin Chang wrote when the film was released, “Without sacrificing his taste for psychosexual perversity or his flair for violent grace notes, Park has given us a teasingly witty and elegant puzzle-box of a thriller whose pleasures are rooted not in visceral shock but in narrative surprise, and which wisely opts to seduce rather than pulverize its audience.”

In an interview at the time, Park said the film’s unpredictability was part of the project’s appeal. “That’s the exact kind of fun to be had with this film and the reason why I chose to make this film. Everything becomes a game of perception. Rather than to say it’s a difficult thing to navigate, it is fun to deal with. Not only for me as a filmmaker but for the audience to see that and engage in that game.”

New this week

• Amy Nicholson reviews the latest attempt to make a movie out of a popular Mattel toy with the lightly-tongue-in-cheek “Masters of the Universe.”
• Amy also reviewed the revival of the satirical “Scary Movie” franchise, with original stars Anna Faris and Regina Hall returning to make fun of such recent hits as “Sinners,” “Weapons” and “The Substance.”
• The documentary “Time and Water” looks at climate change through the life and work of Icelandic writer Andri Snaer Magnason as directed by Sara Dosa, who had a hit with her last film “Fire of Love.” Robert Abele reviews.

One last thing…

This week, our colleagues at De Los launched a podcast hosted by Fidel Martínez and Suzy Exposito. The interview-style video podcast will feature conversations with the people shaping Latino culture in the United States.

The first episode features singer and actor Leslie Grace, who talks about her experiences working on the film “In the Heights” as well as being the star of the canceled “Batgirl.”

Emmerdale fans were left divided when the identity of the arsonist was finally revealed on the latest episode of the long-running ITV soap, especially as a potential production blunder confirmed it weeks ago

Emmerdale fans were left divided when the identity of the arsonist was finally revealed on the latest episode of the long-running ITV soap. For weeks now, viewers of the Yorkshire-based serial have been left guessing after a mysterious hooded figure was seen pouring petrol on Robert Sugden’s farm and setting it alight, with names such as Kammy Hadiq and Graham Foster thrown around as potential suspects.

It was all revealed in the final Emmerdale of the week, but even then, viewers had to wait until just before the credits rolled. Joe Tate (Ned Porteous), Robert, and Aaron Dingle (Danny Miller) had spent the day trying to figure out who was the culprit, along with Graham.

At the end of the day, Aaron explained to Robert: “Graham reckons he nearly caught someone today – the arsonist. Well, not nearly caught them, actually. He’s been keeping an eye on the place since Joe thought it was me and Robert starting the fires. Just someone in a dark hoodie, which is pretty much everyone we know.”

As he was talking, the final scene of the episode saw teenager Kyle Winchester (Huey Quinn) walking up to the scene of the crime with a can of petrol and starting the fire.

Fans were quick to react to the revelation, with one writing: “Kyle Dingle needs some serious psychological help first murder then arsonist, what’s next serial killer?!” and another said: “Surely Kyle needs some punishment now. Him offending and the Dingles covering for him is not going to end well.”

Taking to X, another said: “OMG IT WAS KYLE ALL ALONG,” and another wrote: “Omg it’s Kyle,” as they emblazoned their comment with a shocked-face emoji. However, others claimed that the twist was “predictable”, especially given a potential mishap that happened in production.

As with fellow ITV soap Coronation Street, the credits roll with the cast listed in order of appearance and Kyle Winchester was the character noted at the top, and therefore suggested to be the person in the opening scene way back when the mystery was first teased. This opening scene was the hooded fire starter, therefore suggesting even then that it was Kyle.

One said: “#Emmerdale it was so obvious it was Kyle [eye roll emoji] It was as obvious as living in No1 Obvious St, Obvious Cresent in Obvious Town in the country of Fucking Obvious OB3 1OS,” whilst another said: “Oh really… would never have guessed him to be the fire starter.”

A third wrote: “So not only is Kyle a killer for murdering Al – he’s now an arsonist, As much as I’m loving another big story for Kyle and Huey Quinn is brilliant – this almost felt too predictable especially with the early spoiler last week in the end credits. #Emmerdale”

A fourth said: “I really wasn’t expecting Kyle to be the fire starter, it was so unexpected even when a lot of viewers called it weeks ago and #Emmerdale were so excited to tell us they totally didn’t credit Kyle in an episode where we only saw his figure.”

Emmerdale airs weeknights at 8pm on ITV1 and ITVX. * 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.

Both made by 20-something directors who emerged from the world of YouTube, the horror movies “Obsession” and “Backrooms” are dominating the conversation. They could come to represent a pivotal moment for how Hollywood engages with young talent and audiences alike.

I saw Curry Barker’s “Obsession” this week at a packed holiday matinee and Kane Parsons’ “Backrooms” is on track for a huge opening weekend — maybe the largest in A24’s history. The fact that audiences are responding to these films is exciting and one has to hope that Hollywood takes the right message from their successes: to give young filmmakers the space to create the projects they want to make, rather than shoehorn them into preconceived notions of what people want. Audiences right now seem to be proving themselves to be adventuresome when given the opportunity to try something new.

Marilyn at 100

Marilyn Monroe in the 1953 classic “Gentlemen Prefer Blondes.”

(Academy Museum)

When Marilyn Monroe’s death was first reported in The Times on Aug. 6, 1962, the news read, “Marilyn Monroe, a troubled beauty who failed to find happiness as Hollywood’s brightest star, was discovered dead in her Brentwood home of an apparent overdose of sleeping pills.”

That intertwining of the glamour and sex appeal of her public persona with an air of doomed tragedy would permanently attach itself to her image, making her one of the most unforgettable stars Hollywood has ever created.

Monday marks the 100th anniversary of Monroe’s birth in L.A.’s Boyle Heights, where she was born Norma Jeane Mortenson. In celebration of Monroe’s centennial, the Academy Museum will open a new exhibition on Sunday, “Marilyn Monroe: Hollywood Icon,” featuring hundreds of objects including personal materials never before displayed and a number of her most memorable costumes.

The museum will also launch a 17-film series spotlighting Monroe’s remarkable career, including her versatile talent as both a comedian and a more dramatic performer. Highlights include the 1953 thriller “Niagara,” 1950’s backstage drama “All About Eve” in a new 35mm print with an introduction from journalist Lorraine Nicholson and 1955’s “The Seven Year Itch” with writer Kim Morgan introducing. Elsewhere, “Some Like It Hot” from 1959 and Monroe’s final completed film, “The Misfits,” will both show in 4K.

On Sunday, “Gentlemen Prefer Blondes” will play in the Academy’s David Geffen Theater in 4K. There are also other Monroe screenings and events around the city, including multiple shows of “Gentlemen” at the Gardena Cinema on Saturday.

Marilyn Monroe and photographer Bruno Bernard backstage at the Hollywood Bowl in 1953.

(Bernard of Hollywood Foundation Archive)

Authors Mark A. Fortin and Joshua John Miller have collaborated on a new book, “The Marilyn Monroe Century: From Norma Jeane to Icon — A Story in Photographs.” The culmination of a seven-year-long research process, the book unearths original negatives of pictures of Monroe taken by Miller’s grandfather, acclaimed photographer Bruno Bernard. Bernard, who died in 1987, shot with her before she had even adopted the name Marilyn Monroe and took the best-known images of her, standing on a subway grate with her white dress billowing up while in production on “The Seven Year Itch.”

“One of the stories I’m trying to tell with a lot of these pictures is to counter the narrative that Marilyn didn’t have agency in the creation of her persona,” says Miller in a recent Zoom call from a room at the Chateau Marmont. “The truth is she was very much instrumental in constructing her image. And Bruno was a big part of that. Photographers at that time were not only the photographer — they were the best friend, the therapist, the agent, the stylist. I think it’s really important to have context for these pictures because this kind of history gets lost.”

The book does a remarkable job of providing additional atmosphere around images that might already be familiar, giving a fuller sense of what was going on both inside and outside of the frame. The notorious subway-grate scene was actually shot twice, first in New York and again in Los Angeles.

“I think what I’ve been trying to do is not rewrite the narrative, but thread [Bruno] correctly back into the stitching of Marilyn’s mythology,” Miller says. “He is one of the only photographers who deeply knew both Norma Jeane and Marilyn. I know everyone says they know the ‘real Marilyn,’ but he was part of the construction with her to create that.”

The joy of sadness with ‘Bleak Week’

Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Brady Corbet in the movie “Mysterious Skin.”

(Tartan Films)

“Bleak Week: Cinema of Despair” has become the signature program of the American Cinematheque, expanding beyond its L.A. footprint for editions at other theaters not just around the country but around the world. Turning sadness, depression and defeat into group activities to be enjoyed together has been an ingenious masterstroke of programming.

Now in its fifth edition, this year’s highlight will be a series with Isabelle Huppert, who will be present for screenings of such downbeat fare as “The Piano Teacher,” “Le Cérémonie,” Violètte Noziere,” “Elle,” “Time of the Wolf” and “Heaven’s Gate.”

Filmmaker Ari Aster will also be present for a complete retrospective of his four features. Other guests include Denis Villeneuve with “Incendies,” Allen Hughes with “Dead Presidents,” Al Pacino with “The Godfather Part II,” Gregg Araki with “Mysterious Skin,” Robert Englund with “Buster and Billie,” Werner Herzog with “Heart of Glass” and Theresa Russell with “Bad Timing.”

I will be introducing the U.S. theatrical premiere of a 4K restoration of Carlos Saura’s 1966 “The Hunt” and moderating Q&As with filmmaker Richard Kelly for the 20th anniversary of the Cannes cut of “Southland Tales” and actor Haley Joel Osment for a 25th anniversary 35mm screening of “A.I. Artificial Intelligence.” And The Times’ Joshua Rothkopf will moderate a Q&A with Aster for “Eddington,” while Amy Nicholson will talk to Aster for “Midsommar.”

UCLA’s Festival of Preservation

Leslie Uggams in 1972’s “Black Girl.”

(UCLA Film & Television Archive)

The UCLA Festival of Preservation is one of the city’s most-longstanding and venerated events for film lovers, celebrating revered classics and rediscovered obscurities alike. This year’s edition, the 22nd, opens with the West Coast premiere of a new restoration of Ossie Davis’ 1972 “Black Girl,” an adaptation of J.E. Franklin’s successful play about thee generations of Black women.

Jose Luis Ruiz’s groundbreaking 1975 documentary on Latino immigrants, “The Unwanted,” will have a restoration world premiere. The restoration of Budd Boetticher’s 1955 melodrama “The Magnificent Matador,” starring Anthony Quinn and Maureen O’Hara, brings back the film’s stunning look in Cinemascope and Eastmancolor.

Andre de Toth’s 1948 thriller “Pitfall,” starring Dick Powell and Lisbeth Scott, will have a world premiere restoration. The series concludes with De Toth’s stylish romantic drama “The Other Love” from 1947 starring Barbara Stanwyck. The restoration reinstitutes the original ending of the film unseen by audiences since the 1940s.

Former Times critic Keneth Turan has made his own picks for what not to miss.

A tender coming-of-age romance

Vincent Spano and Rosanna Arquette in the movie “Baby, It’s You.”

(Paramount Pictures)

Produced by Amy Robinson and Griffin Dunne between their work on Joan Micklin Silver’s “Chilly Scenes of Winter” and Martin Scorsese’s “After Hours,” the 1983 movie “Baby It’s You” captures a number of rising talents at just the right moment. Only the third feature written and directed by John Sayles (and still his only movie made at a Hollywood studio), the film is a particularly smart take on the coming-of-age romance, with a sharp sense of time and place. It’s even shot by cinematographer Michael Ballhaus, fresh off his collaborations with Rainer Werner Fassbinder but before his long collaboration with Scorsese.

Set in late-1960s New Jersey, the story involves a good-girl high schooler preparing for college (Rosanna Arquette, who lights up the screen) who falls for a bad boy with few future prospects (Vincent Spano). The film will show on Wednesday in a 4K restoration at the Academy Museum with Arquette and Spano both scheduled to attend.

In a 1983 Times review, Shelia Benson said the film “explores questions of class and unequal opportunity with humor and tender insight,” adding that Spano and Arquette “together conjure up every improbable, love-struck couple who ever dazzled us ordinary mortals in the halls or at the senior prom.”

New this week

• Kane Parson’s horror film “Backrooms” stars Renate Reinsve and Chiwetel Ejiofor in an adaptation of Parson’s own popular YouTube videos. As Amy Nicholson wrote, “Given that backdrop, ‘Backrooms’ would be one of the year’s most significant releases even if the movie itself was merely fine. But it’s better than fine — it’s a work of honest-to-goodness art.”
• Katie Walsh reviews the crime thriller “Tuner,” starring Leo Woodall as a piano tuner who gets in over his head with the wrong people. The film is the fiction feature debut from Oscar-winning documentary filmmaker Daniel Roher.
• The latest music-themed film from Irish writer-director John Carney, “Power Ballad” is about a failed-to-launch songwriter (Paul Rudd) trying to get credit for the tune he co-wrote with a boy band star (Nick Jonas). Amy Nicholson reviews.

On Wednesday, the US Department of War confirmed it had awarded Dell Federal Systems, the government-focused unit of Dell Technologies, a five-year, $9.7 billion (€8.3bn) contract to supply the Pentagon.

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As part of the Core Enterprise Technology Agreement (CETA), a Pentagon-wide Microsoft licensing and software procurement framework, the company will provide and manage Microsoft software licences, cloud subscriptions and on-premises software licensing across the US military, intelligence agencies and the US Coast Guard.

Dell Technologies’ shares were up around 5% in pre-market to $320 due to the announcement after closing Wednesday’s session at roughly $305.

The company is set to report its earnings for the first quarter of this year on Thursday, with analysts from Zacks Investment Research forecasting revenues of approximately $35 billion (€30bn), representing annual growth of about 50%.

According to US DoW Chief Information Officer Kirsten Davies, who briefed reporters at the Pentagon, the CETA is expected to save the department roughly $422 million (€360.9mn) annually by consolidating fragmented technology budgets from across the military services into a single purchasing structure.

The contract was granted less than three weeks after US President Donald Trump stood at a White House event and urged Americans to “go out and buy a Dell. They’re great.”

Davies and acting US Navy Chief Information Officer Barry Tanner were both clear that the award followed a competitive process.

“The vendors were all evaluated based on competition, comparison to GSA schedule pricing and overall chain of value to the department,” Tanner noted.

Dell holds a long-standing commercial partnership with Microsoft and is one of its major buyers of Windows licences. Nonetheless, the contract arrives at the culmination of a period of visible alignment between CEO Michael Dell and the Trump administration.

In December 2025, Dell and his wife Susan appeared alongside Trump at the White House to announce a $6.25 billion (€5.3bn) donation to “Trump Accounts,” a tax-advantaged investment programme for children created under the “One Big Beautiful Bill”.

The pledge will provide $250 (€214) to roughly 25 million American children aged 10 and under from households with a median income below $150,000 (€129,000) and was described by Invest America, the nonprofit organisation spearheading the initiative, as the largest ever private commitment devoted to American children.

Michael Dell also sits on Trump’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology, informing public policy regarding the economy, public health, national security, energy and emerging technologies.

The convergence of public presidential endorsements and subsequent federal contract awards is attracting scrutiny beyond Dell.

Financial disclosures released this month by the US Office of Government Ethics showed that investment accounts associated with President Donald Trump held Dell Technologies shares during the first quarter of 2026. The disclosures indicate some purchases were made before Trump publicly praised the company at a White House event.

The Trump Organisation has said the accounts are managed independently by third-party financial institutions and that neither Trump nor his family directs individual trades.

Last week, responding to questions about Trump’s financial disclosures at a White House briefing, Vice President JD Vance said the president’s investments are handled by independent wealth advisers and rejected suggestions that Trump personally directs individual stock trades. “He’s not making these stock trades himself,” Vance said.

Commentators and ethics critics have also pointed to trading activity involving companies such as Intel and Palantir, whose shares have at times moved sharply following public comments by Trump or announcements linked to government technology spending.

The Pentagon has said Dell’s selection followed a competitive procurement process.

Even so, the timing of the award alongside Trump’s public praise of the company and financial disclosures showing investments linked to Dell is likely to draw renewed scrutiny from ethics observers and political critics.

Katie has appeared in a clip with mate and TV presenter Olivia Attwood as she insisted she still has no idea where Lee is.

Katie turned to Olivia and said: “We’re missing something,” to which Olivia replied: “Yeah, I have looked for him but…”

Katie continued: “Well mine’s missing, so at the moment it doesn’t look good, does it?” Olivia, who split from husband Bradley Dack earlier this year, replied: “No, we’ll keep looking I guess.”

Katie looked at the camera and said:” We’re missing our husbands,” which prompted Olivia to burst out laughing. They followed it up with a picture of them looking shocked with their hands covering their mouth. Olivia captioned it: “2 gals. Not a husband in sight.”

Read more.

VERNON Kay has proved there’s no bad blood between him and his ex Tess Daly as he was spotted with his wedding ring ON weeks after their “friendly” split.

The former Strictly star and Radio 2 DJ announced the shock separation with a joint Instagram post earlier this month.

After 22 years of marriage, the pair have certainly remained close pals as they were seen at Pub in the Park last week, taking snaps with fans.

Following their friendly drinks with pals, Vernon, 52, was spotted wearing his wedding ring at Wembley Stadium today.

He had travelled down to watch the Bolton Wanderers batter Stockport in the League One play-off final.

Vernon’s wedding band was immediately noticeable as it flashed up on screen when he was chatting on Sky Sports News ahead of the match.

TESS’ BLESS

Tess Daly gives verdict on new Strictly hosts alongside stars who missed out

all o-kay

Tess & Vernon show they’re friendly exes as they party together after split

Meanwhile, Tess has also posed up after the split with her wedding ring still on.

She took to Instagram to share some stunning snaps of herself with fans.

And fans couldn’t help but notice the star’s ring as she held onto some scripts.

She captioned the post: “The glam before the go,” as she tagged her hair and make-up artists.

Vernon shared his appreciation for Tess as he hit the like button on her selfies.

Tess, 57, and Vernon tied the knot in 2003 and share two daughters, Phoebe, 21, and Amber, 16.

The former couple met while working as up-and-coming TV presenters for rival channels in 2001, crossing paths at a BBC Christmas party.

They married a year later, and Tess got her big break on Strictly Come Dancing, which she hosted for 21 years alongside Bruce Forsyth and later Claudia Winkleman.

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

There are, it goes without saying, a lot of movies out there. And so even for someone like myself, whose job is just to stay on top of them, sometime a title slips by. I had not taken much notice of “Is God Is” before it opened last week without playing any festivals in advance, but the reviews and conversation around it grabbed my interest. Once I realized that Tessa Thompson and Janicza Bravo were involved as producers, I made sure to carve out time to see the movie this week. And am I ever glad I did.

The debut as writer-director for Aleshea Harris (adapting her own play), “Is God Is” is among the most exciting movies released so far this year. Kara Young and Mallori Johnson are absolutely electric as twin sisters who set out to find the estranged, abusive father who abandoned them after leaving them and their mother horribly scarred in a fire. There is a volatile unpredictability to the storytelling that gives it a fresh energy. I saw it at a more-or-less empty matinee, but I’m glad I did. Catch this in theaters while you can.

35 years of ‘T2’

Linda Hamilton in the movie “Terminator 2: Judgment Day.”

(Rialto Pictures)

As far as I’m concerned, James Cameron’s 1991 “Terminator 2: Judgment Day” is the quintessential summer movie. You can pay close attention or not, the special effects and action are amazing, the villains are sentient machines (shades of our AI-addled present) and it has a song by freaking Guns N’ Roses.

The main cast of Arnold Schwarzenegger, Linda Hamilton, Robert Patrick, Edward Furlong and Joe Morton are all perfectly tuned into the movie they are making, full of chaos, mayhem and just the right amount of thoughtfulness. (Morton and Hamilton in particular give the film an unexpected soulfulness.)

To celebrate the film’s 35th anniversary, the American Cinematheque is screening the film in 70mm, 35mm, 3D and DCP at different venues on different days. (Check carefully, as there have already been some schedule changes.) The Academy Museum will show the film on Wednesday in 4K with visual effects supervisor Dennis Muren and special effects creator Shane Mahan present. The film is also playing the Vista in 70mm June 6 and 7.

In his original 1991 review, Kenneth Turan wrote, “Most of all, what makes ‘Terminator 2’ come alive in a major way is Cameron’s intuitive understanding of the mechanics and psychology of action films. Unlike many of the wanna-bes who find themselves in charge of pictures these days, this is one director who really knows how to direct. … Cameron flamboyantly underlines, for those who may have forgotten, why the pure adrenaline rush of motion is something motion pictures can’t live for very long without.”

Lena Dunham before ‘Girls’

David Call and Lena Dunham in the movie “Tiny Furniture.”

(Joe Anderson / IFC Films)

Lena Dunham recently published her second memoir, “Famesick,” a portrait of her rise to cultural prominence and media ubiquity and subsequent retreat from it, which makes this a perfect moment to revisit a key component of her initial ascent, the micro-budget 2010 feature “Tiny Furniture.” Made when Dunham was in her early 20s, the film is a deadly accurate portrait of post-collegiate ennui, shot partly in her parents’ NYC apartment, and remains fresh and startlingly insightful.

The Eastwood Performing Arts Center will be screening the film Friday and Saturday. The film is showing along with the “Welcome to Bushwick a.k.a The Crackcident” episode of Dunham’s series “Girls.”

I profiled Dunham at the time, having first encountered her at SXSW the year before when she was there with her film “Creative Nonfiction.”

“That movie is so personal,” Dunham said of “Tiny Furniture” during an interview from the New York production office of the pilot for what would become “Girls.” “It’s like I wrote it, I directed it, I star in it — if you don’t like the movie you don’t like me.”

With the lacerating self-awareness that made her a star, she added, “And I also understand there is something essentially unappealing about ‘girl makes movies about being a loser and then gets un-loserly things to happen to her.’ It’s a little absurd.”

More onscreen Bob Dylan

Rupert Everett, Fiona Flanagan and Bob Dylan in a production still for 1987’s “Hearts of Fire.”

(Skinner / Mirrorpix / Getty Images)

It was just a few weeks ago that we wrote about a program of Bob Dylan live concert footage. In honor of his 85th birthday, the American Cinematheque will be putting on another program of two oddball rarities from his long career.

Rarely screened in theaters, the 2021 film “Shadow Kingdom,” directed by Alma Har’el, was originally released to a pay-per-view streaming site. Though it purports to be a performance at the Bon Bon Club in Marseille, France, the film was actually shot on a soundstage in Santa Monica. The musicians on screen are not playing live and are not even the same musicians who played on the prerecorded tracks.

The whole thing is very confusing in a very Bob Dylan way, but also kind of incredible. With its Dust Bowl “Twin Peaks,” last-nightclub-on-Earth vibes and spare, haunting arrangements of many Dylan classics that he rarely plays at his own concerts anymore, it is a truly one-of-a-kind document.

The same could be said of the 1987 film “Hearts of Fire,” directed by Richard Marquand (who also helmed “Return of the Jedi!”) and screening in 35mm. In a rare acting turn, Dylan plays a reclusive musician who takes a young singer (Fiona) under his wing, only to have her fall for a pop star played by Rupert Everett. Let’s charitably call Dylan’s performance singular as he delivers every line as if he isn’t sure why he is in the movie. It’s still fascinating.

Kurosawa’s late masterpiece

Mieko Harada in Akira Kurosawa’s 1985 epic “Ran.”

(Rialto Pictures)

One of the highlights of the Academy Museum’s ongoing series on Japanese filmmaker Akira Kurosawa will be this weekend’s 35mm showing of 1985’s “Ran,” a retelling of Shakespeare’s “King Lear” shifted to 16th century Japan. Playing in 35mm in the big David Geffen Theater, it’s a chance to see a truly epic-scaled film under ideal conditions.

Reviewing the movie on its initial release, Kevin Thomas wrote, “‘Ran’ is a heroic saga of human destiny, a war movie with some of the greatest battle scenes in the history of the cinema, a costume drama of the utmost magnificence — and a crackling good samurai movie chock full of swordplay and palace intrigue.”

David Fincher’s secret soft heart

Gary Oldman and Amanda Seyfried in the movie “Mank.”

(Netflix)

The last couple months have been a real feast for Fincher-heads out there, with high-profile screenings of “Seven,” “Fight Club” and “Zodiac.” Now, David Fincher’s 2020 film “Mank” will be playing this weekend at the Vista. Because it came out during the pandemic (and was launched by Netflix), the film has only ever played a limited number of theaters, let alone in 35mm, which should do wonders for its black-and-white photography.

From a screenplay by Fincher’s father Jack, the film stars Gary Oldman as writer Herman J. Mankiewicz, working on the script for “Citizen Kane” with Orson Welles. Amanda Seyfried gives a vibrant performance as actor Marion Davies, who attempts to save Mankiewicz from his own worst instincts when it comes to her own paramour, mogul William Randolph Hearst.

In his review Justin Chang called the movie “very much a story about class divides and clashing egos, outsiders and insiders, striving and ambition, creation and authorship, and the thrill and loneliness of being the smartest guy in the room. … The off-kilter rhythms feel both immersive and agitated, as if Fincher were trying to both hypnotize you and jolt you awake with his lustrous Old Hollywood homage.”

New this week

Director Boots Riley, photographed in Los Angeles in May.

(Ian Spanier / For The Times)

• Amy Nicholson and Joshua Rothkopf finished out their time at this year’s Cannes Film Festival. (The awards will be announced over the weekend.) Amy took a look at what many have felt to be a weak program this year, while Josh spoke to Korean filmmaker Na Hong-jin, whose sci-fi action film “Hope” has a cast that includes Michael Fassbender and Alicia Vikander as space aliens.
• I spoke to Boots Riley, a musician and political activist turned filmmaker whose new movie is “I Love Boosters.” Riley maintains a deep sense of political commitment in his work, one which he does not feel he has to betray by also making things that are entertaining and enjoyable.
• The first new “Star Wars” movie in theaters since 2019, Jon Favreau’s “The Mandalorian and Grogu” is now playing. As Robert Abele put it in his review, “The brand is back together for ‘The Mandalorian and Grogu,’ which is a movie, a hoped-for franchise revival, a fourth season of sorts and an affable throwback. But it’s never quite riveting enough as canon or fodder to supplant anyone’s memories of [insert favorite “Star Wars” film here].”