Hello! I’m Mark Olsen. Welcome to another edition of your regular field guide to a world of Only Good Movies.
One of the big discoveries for me at this year’s Sundance Film Festival was the erotic thriller “Night Nurse,” which opens in theaters this week. A remarkably confident feature debut from writer-director Georgia Bernstein, the film is hypnotic and entrancing, with a powerfully sustained sense of mood and menace. Brought to life by two assured lead performances, the story is about a young woman (Cemre Paksoy) who takes a job as an attendant at a senior living community and is assigned to help a man (Bruce McKenzie) who quickly ensnares her into an ongoing phone scam in which he swindles other residents.
Taking cues from the likes of Catherine Breillat and David Cronenberg, there are moments where you start to feel turned on and then feel weird about feeling turned on. It’s delightful stuff, full of the unexpected and unnerving, with shifting power dynamics that destabilize everything. See it with someone you maybe aren’t so sure about.
‘Hudson Hawk’ will have its day
Andie MacDowell and Bruce Willis in the 1991 movie “Hudson Hawk.”
(Columbia TriStar / Getty Images)
Its name has become synonymous with box office bomb, with tales of an out-of-control production leading to terrible reviews and rejection by audiences. Yet 1991’s “Hudson Hawk” is one of those movies that over the years has seen its reputation slowly turn around and is now en route to becoming a cult classic in the vein of “Ishtar” or “Showgirls.”
On Monday at Brain Dead Studios there will be a 35th anniversary screening of the film in 35mm with director Michael Lehmann and co-writer Daniel Waters in-person. Presented by Hollywood Entertainment, the evening could be ground zero for the next stage of the misbegotten movie’s revival.
The movie is a playful buddy-comedy / caper-heist hybrid, starring Bruce Willis as the title character, a master thief newly released from prison who reteams with his old partner (Danny Aiello) as they are drawn into a convoluted conspiracy involving the CIA, a villainous ultra-rich couple (played with maniacal, scene-stealing glee by Richard E. Grant and Sandra Bernhard) and ancient designs by Leonardo da Vinci. Upending action movie conventions, “Hudson Hawk” is simply a fun hang.
On a recent video call together, there is a certain gallows humor shared by Lehmann and Waters over the film, which at the time threatened to derail both of their careers. Waters was already working on the script for Tim Burton’s “Batman Returns” by the time the movie came out, while Lehmann admits he spent some time in director jail — “I was in director federal penitentiary and death row for a while,” he says — before going on to direct films such as “Airheads” and “The Truth About Cats and Dogs.”
“You can’t escape a big failure in Hollywood,” he adds. “You have to be good-natured about the fact that you’ve made something that so many people hated when it came out, but that you feel still has some value — quite a bit of value, I think. And that eventually people would start noticing that.”
The project began as an idea between Willis and his friend Robert Kraft that snowballed into having action super-producer Joel Silver attached and a screenplay draft by “Die Hard” writer Steven E. De Souza. Eventually Lehmann became involved to direct and he helped bring on Waters, the two having worked together on the hit black comedy “Heathers.” (Waters had also worked with Silver on “The Adventures of Ford Fairlane.”) The reunited writer-director team set about subverting what began as a more conventional action movie.
“My intention was to turn that kind of movie on its head,” says Lehmann. “I thought people have seen these things so many times, they must be ready to see the truly odd version of it.”
“In the Olympics you can’t just go up and make any dive,” says Waters. “You tell the judges what dive you’re going to do and then they grade you. And ‘Hudson Hawk,’ we never told the judges what dive we were doing. I think people got angry: Wait a minute, you didn’t give us a Bruce Willis action movie.”
Leading up to the film’s release, there were reports of a shoot hijacked by a star whose ego was getting the better of him as he rode the wave of the success of the first two “Die Hard” movies. Lehmann admits the clash of personalities made for a complicated shoot.
“Of course, when you’re hired by Bruce Willis and Joel Silver to do what is essentially a vanity project of Bruce’s, you’re not going to have the kind of control that you have when you make a piece of personal filmmaking,” says Lehmann. “But it was really difficult to deal with somebody who, in theory, was one of my bosses as producer on the film and a big star, which is always a thousand-pound gorilla.”
Author David Hughes recently published “The Unmaking of Hudson Hawk,” a book on the film’s production, reception and afterlife. Calling from England, Hughes thinks the critical reappraisal and resuscitation of the movie has gained a bit of momentum — and is in danger of slipping.
“I feel like any day there’s going to be a headline that says, ‘Nope, despite what you’ve heard, “Hudson Hawk” is still s—.’ The pendulum is about to swing back the other way and people are going to start saying that it’s bad again. And when that happens, I think that will be the most perfect life cycle of the film.”
But for now two of the key people behind making the film in the first place want to enjoy a moment they have rarely been allowed.
“People are finally laughing with the movie, not at the movie,” says Waters.
Celebrating a fallen friend
Harry Dean Stanton, photographed in Los Angeles in 2013.
(Jordan Strauss / Invision / AP)
To celebrate the centennial of the birth of the beloved character actor Harry Dean Stanton, Vidiots will screen the 2013 documentary “Harry Dean Stanton: Partly Fiction” on Tuesday. Director Sophie Huber will be joined in conversation by actor Logan Sparks for an evening hosted by Cherry Jones.
The film is a tender portrait of Stanton, who found relative fame later in life with roles in films such as “Alien,” “Paris, Texas,” “Repo Man” and “Pretty in Pink.”
“He makes it look really easy,” said Stanton’s friend and frequent collaborator David Lynch around the time of Stanton’s death in 2017. “But it’s not that easy to be looking like it’s easy.”
A flaky love story
Gena Rowlands and Seymour Cassel in the 1971 movie “Minnie and Moskowitz.”
(Michael Ochs Archives / Getty Images)
One of my most memorable moviegoing experiences of the last few years was seeing John Cassavetes’ 1971 “Minnie and Moskowitz” for the first time. The movie has a joyful, unpredictable energy thanks to the openhearted, dynamic performances of its two leads, Gena Rowlands and Seymour Cassel, as two mismatched strangers who find temporary solace in each other. Romantic, funny and with lots of great L.A. locations and moments — I often think of a perilous U-turn across La Brea by Cassel — this is a singular gem.
It was just announced that a new restoration of the film will premiere later this year at the Venice Film Festival, but there is no reason to wait. The movie is showing tonight at the Philosophical Research Society as part of its “YesterdayLA” series celebrating the city. On Saturday there will also be a rare theatrical screening of 1972’s “Columbo: Étude In Black,” starring Cassavetes as an L.A. symphony conductor who may have committed the perfect crime until he catches the attention of Peter Falk’s rumpled detective.
On the road again
Maribel Verdú, left, Diego Luna and Gael García Bernal in the movie “Y Tu Mamá También.”
(Criterion Collection)
Playing as part of the American Cinematheque’s “Summer Breakdown” series, which, true to its name, features movies about car trouble, Alfonso Cuarón’s 2001 “Y Tu Mamá También” is showing tonight and tomorrow at the Los Feliz Theater in 35mm.
It stars Gael García Bernal and Diego Luna as two teenage best friends who set off on a road trip with an alluring older woman (Maribel Verdú) they don’t know particularly well. Emotions fly fast and furious among all three of them, as the film seems at times like a horndog teen comedy and at others like a subtle exploration of class and sexual dynamics. Of course, it is all of those things, made with a fresh sense of style.
As Kenneth Turan put it in his 2002 review, “Nominally a simple road movie about two Mexican teenagers taking off to look for a mythical beach in the company of a suddenly available woman of 28, ‘Y Tu Mamá’ manages to be comic, dramatic, erotic, sociological and even political, all without breaking a sweat.”
Less positively, Amy reviewed the live-action adaptation of “Moana,” noting “Every one of Disney’s remakes and spinoffs of its animated hits has been a naked cash grab.”
The new “Evil Dead Burn” is brutal and not much else, per our reviewer Joshua Rothkopf: “The gore comes like a tide, shockingly for a mainstream studio wide release.”
A man has died after a holiday in Turkey when he suddenly fell seriously ill hours before flying home. David Kelly was at the airport when his health rapidly deteriorated.
Within hours, the joiner was rushed into intensive care and placed in an induced coma. He was kept alive on life support as he fought for his life miles from home. His devoted wife, Dawn, remained at his bedside in a Turkish hospital for four weeks.
A fundraiser set up with the permission of David’s family said: “What was meant to be a relaxing holiday in Turkey turned into a nightmare that none of us could have imagined. Just hours before his flight home, David suddenly became seriously unwell at the airport.
“Within a matter of hours, his condition deteriorated rapidly, and he was rushed to intensive care. Placed into an induced coma and kept alive by life support, David was fighting for his life thousands of miles from home.
“For four long weeks, his devoted wife, Dawn, remained by his side in a Turkish hospital, never leaving him as he battled with incredible strength and courage.”
David, from Barrhead, Renfrewshire, was eventually repatriated on 8 June aboard a specialist flying intensive care unit. He was taken to the Intensive Care Unit at the Royal Alexandra Hospital in Paisley.
The fundraiser said he continued his fight while receiving “outstanding care” from hospital staff. But David sadly died peacefully on 18 June surrounded by his family. The fundraiser added: “Despite everyone’s best efforts, our warrior David passed away peacefully on 18 June, surrounded by his loving family.”
His family later announced the devastating news through his business’ Facebook page, Barrhead Joinery. They said: “We would like to share the devastating news that sadly after fighting as hard as he could, our lovable, amazing David Kelly passed away on Thursday 18 June.
“Barrhead Joinery will now cease trading, as a family we’d like to thank you all for the work you all have given David over the years. Lots of love from his wife Dawn and daughters Gemma & Sophie.”
David was described as a much-loved husband, father, brother, uncle and friend. The fundraiser said: “He was someone who was always there to lend a hand, offer support, and put others before himself. Now it is our turn to be there for those he loved most.”
Tributes have also poured in from members of the local community. Noreen McHugh wrote: “I am devastated to hear this sad news about Davie. He was an excellent professional who I counted on over the years.
“But upmost a wonderful human being who was always friendly and honest. My sincerest condolences to you and your daughters. A huge loss for you all. RIP Davie, you will be sorely missed.”
Another person added: “So sorry to hear this very sad news. David did some work for me when I moved into my home in Newton Mearns some years ago. Such a lovely, lovely man. Sending you all my heartfelt condolences. x”
Hello! I’m Mark Olsen. Welcome to another edition of your regular field guide to a world of Only Good Movies.
July is another month absolutely packed with essential repertory screenings at venues all over Los Angeles. It’s genuinely impossible to attend everything that feels like a must-see. Joshua Rothkopf and I compiled a list of the 10 movies you need to see in L.A. this month to help in making some tough decisions.
On Monday at the Academy Museum will be a 30th anniversary screening of Wes Anderson’s debut feature, “Bottle Rocket,” which introduced the world to his still-evolving mix of whimsy and melancholy with an unmistakably specific sense of style. Anderson will make a rare Los Angeles appearance at the event, along with actor Luke Wilson and producer James L. Brooks.
The New Beverly will have a double bill on July 9 and 10 of Paul Brickman’s “Risky Business” and Steve De Jarnatt’s “Miracle Mile,” two neon-drenched artifacts of the 1980s that both feature scores by the German electronic group Tangerine Dream. (Be sure to also note the screening of “Sorcerer,” featuring another of their pulsing scores, below.)
John Travolta in Brian De Palma’s 1981 thriller “Blow Out.”
(Criterion Collection)
On July 10 there will be a 35mm screening at the Academy Museum of Brian De Palma’s paranoid 1981 thriller “Blow Out,” starring John Travolta as a sound recordist who accidentally captures a political assassination. Anyone who still hasn’t gotten enough from the Fourth of July will want to see this for the thrilling fireworks display as part of its finale.
On July 12 at the American Cinematheque’s Los Feliz Theatre will be a screening of Alexander Mackendrick’s show-biz noir “Sweet Smell of Success” in 35mm with an introduction from filmmaker Shane Black, who presumably learned a thing or two about snappy, acid-drenched dialogue from the film. Black will also be appearing at the Culver Theater on July 22 for a 10th anniversary screening of his crime comedy “The Nice Guys.”
As part of the American Cinematheque’s ongoing 70mm festival, on the 22nd there will be a screening of Damien Chazelle’s 2022 “Babylon,” a bold and ambitious look at the early days of Hollywood starring Margot Robbie and Brad Pitt. It was a box office disaster when it came out but has already seen a passionate fan base grow around it.
Have a killer holiday
Richard Dreyfuss, left, Roy Scheider and Robert Shaw in the 1975 movie “Jaws.”
(Universal Pictures)
There is something rather wholesome about the fact that Steven Spielberg’s 1975 seaside horror-thriller “Jaws” has become the official unofficial movie of the Fourth of July. Set amid a beach community suddenly beset by a great white shark as the town prepares for the holiday, the movie is a mix of ’70s-style ramshackle, good-natured ease and precison-tooled action that prefigures the blockbuster era of the ’80s. Even now at more than 50 years old, there is something undeniable about the movie’s ability to entertain, delight and terrify an audience.
An image from Ken Jacobs’ 2004 movie “Star Spangled to Death.”
(Los Angeles Filmforum)
When acclaimed avant-garde filmmaker Ken Jacobs died last year at age 92, the world lost one of its most singular voices. In tribute to Jacobs and as a celebration of the 250th anniversary of America, on Sunday at 2220 Arts + Archives, Los Angeles Filmforum will show his “Star Spangled to Death,” a six-and-a-half-hour masterpiece that took decades to complete.
Beginning work on the project in the 1950s, Jacobs would eventually premiere the film in 2004. It is an epic compilation of his own imagery, some of it of his longtime friend and colleague Jack Smith, along with found footage that coalesces into a grand statement on nothing less than the state of the nation. Jacobs himself described the film as a portrait of “a stolen and dangerously sold-out America, allowing examples of popular culture to self-indict.”
A tribute to Marjane Satrapi
An image from the 2007 movie “Persepolis,” directed by Marjane Satrapi and Vincent Paronnaud.
(Sony Pictures Classics)
In tribute to Iranian French cartoonist and filmmaker Marjane Satrapi, who died at age 56 last month, the Los Feliz 3 will have a 35mm screening of her 2007 animated film “Persepolis” on Thursday. Director Ana Lily Amirpour will introduce the movie, which was nominated for an Oscar for animated feature.
Based on Satrapi’s own autobiographical graphic novel, “Persepolis” is about a young girl coming of age during Iran’s Islamic Revolution told with bold line drawings and a belief in the freedom of the imagination.
Love, crime and sweat
Katy O’Brian, left, and Kristen Stewart in the 2024 movie “Love Lies Bleeding.”
(Anna Kooris / A24)
Some movies arrive seeming ready made as cult revival objects. Ross Glass’ 2024 “Love Lies Bleeding” was overlooked when it was first released but seems ripe for rediscovery. In a story that knowingly plays with the motifs of classic film noir and crime dramas, Kristen Stewart plays a hapless, easily manipulated loner in a small dead-end town who falls in with a mysterious and charismatic drifter played by Katy O’Brian. Their chemistry is electric and gives the film a real charge.
The film will show on Thursday at the Frida Cinema as part of its ongoing Nu-Classics series, along with a conversation between actors and online personalities Maggie Mae Fish and Abigail Thorn.
In an interview at the time of release, Glass talked about the film’s appeal, saying, “It’s people meeting each other and falling in love for the first time and those whirlwind sort of first few weeks. Going into it, I don’t think I was specifically thinking of it as horny, but I definitely knew going into it that I wanted it to feel sweaty and intense.”
Road to nowhere
An image from William Friedkin’s 1977 adventure movie “Sorcerer.”
(Criterion Collection)
Though it is a movie we have talked about here before, it is always worth mentioning when there is a screening of William Friedkin’s 1977 “Sorcerer.” It will be playing tonight in the main room at the Academy Museum in a recent 4K restoration, which should be big and loud. The score by Tangerine Dream should be even more brain-rattling than usual in that venue.
The film notoriously first opened a week after “Star Wars” in 1977 and was left in the dust, though it has more recently become revered as one of Friedkin’s best — a movie of relentless, ratcheting tension. An adaptation of the novel that also inspired 1953’s “Wages of Fear,” Friedkin’s film is about a group of desperate men, each on the run from something, who must transport a truckload of nitroglycerine through a dangerous South American jungle.
New this week
Amy Nicholson found “Minions & Monsters” to be a “delightful dingbat homage to Tinseltown set during the transition from silents to sound.”
Carlos Aguilar spoke to Minions creator Pierre Coffin about all the old-school movie homages in the new film and its cameo from no less a film figure than George Lucas.
Katie Walsh reviews Jon Erwin’s “Young Washington,” calling it “propaganda in the form of a history lesson wrapped in a summer blockbuster.”
Tim Grierson reviews “Romería,” an autobiographical tale from Spanish writer-director Carla Simón starring newcomer Llúcia Garcia, noting “Simón and her star bracingly recall the electricity of youth.”
JOSH Duggar has been moved to a new federal prison more than 100 miles closer to his wife and family after leaving a medical facility, The U.S. Sun can exclusively reveal.
The disgraced TLC reality star, 38, is currently serving more than 12 years after being convicted of receiving and possessing child sexual abuse material following his arrest in April 2021.
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A federal judge sentenced reality Duggar to about 12 1/2 years in prison for his conviction on one count of receiving child pornographyCredit: APAnna is pictured picking the couple’s children up in 2024 while Duggar was behind barsCredit: The U.S. SunJosh and Anna Duggar have been married for almost 18 years after tying the knot in 2008Credit: AlamyJosh Duggar previously served time at FCI Seagoville, Texas after being convictedCredit: John Chapple for The U.S. Sun
Official records show he has been transferred to the Federal Transfer Center in Oklahoma City after a short stay at the Federal Medical Center in Fort Worth, Texas.
A Bureau of Prisons spokesperson previously said inmates may be transferred for a variety of reasons, including medical concerns, or other measures designed to maintain institutional safety and inmate protection.
Duggar is now about 218 miles from the family’s home in Tontitown, Arkansas — compared to the roughly 350-mile journey to FCI Seagoville in Texas, where he had been incarcerated since 2022.
The new facility serves as a temporary processing hub for federal inmates being moved between prisons, which means Duggar could be transferred again before serving out the remainder of his sentence.
The U.S. Sun has reached out to the bureau and Duggar’s lawyers comment.
He has been incarcerated since his conviction on federal child pornography charges stemming from downloads made at the used car dealership he operated in Springdale, Arkansas.
In December 2021, a federal jury found him guilty of receiving and possessing child sexual abuse material after investigators traced illegal downloads to a password-protected computer at his business.
Prosecutors argued Duggar was the only person with the knowledge and access needed to download the files.
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In May 2022, he was sentenced to 151 months — more than 12 years — in federal prison, followed by 20 years of supervised release.
He was also ordered to pay a $10,000 fine.
Ever since, Duggar has unsuccessfully fought to overturn his conviction, arguing that errors were made during his trial and that evidence should not have been admitted.
Federal appeals courts have rejected the arguments, leaving his conviction and sentence intact.
His wife Anna has remained publicly loyal to her husband throughout his imprisonment despite the scandal that ended the Duggar family’s reality TV empire.
She has regularly visited him in prison and attended court hearings during his legal battle, while continuing to raise the couple’s seven children in Arkansas.
They have been married since September 2008 and have seven children together.
The Bureau of Prisons has not disclosed why Duggar was transferred or where he will ultimately be sent next.
Federal inmates are commonly moved because of security classifications, institutional needs, programming opportunities, medical reasons or other administrative decisions.
For now, Duggar remains in Oklahoma City as officials determine his permanent placement.
His projected release date remains October 2, 2032, according to Bureau of Prisons records.
Meanwhile, his racy messages to his wife Anna while he was in custody in Arkansas were revealed in a report by PEOPLE.
“[I] miss you my lover. i miss being in the shower with you scrubbing, i miss watching you try on clothes, I miss watching you being sexy,” Josh wrote.
He also congratulated his wife for “making the scale numbers lower than expected” and suggested she buy herself “something low cut” to wear in the shocking text.
He continued, “[O]r you can try on clothes and send me a pic of you in your bra and panties 😉 or try on ‘go to the private pool for sun’ swimsuit? btw you should order you a 2-piece swimsuit since summer is coming on soon, get something hot and fun.”
Josh then signed off, telling her he would love her forever and calling her “sexy.”
He wrote a similar sign-off in a message sent to Anna, 38, days later, and added, “p.s. – send pics asap as requested, imlied (sic), inferred or otherwise stated lol. nice one(s) with your twos in it! (OvO).”
OLIVIA Attwood has revealed how Pete Wicks is making sure she doesn’t forget him while she’s partying in Ibiza.
The presenter shared a huge bouquet of red roses sent by Pete, along with a note saying they were to “make her feel better” as she battled a monster hangover.
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Olivia shows off the huge bouquet of red roses sent to her by PeteCredit: instagramPete Olivia a huge bouquet of red roses with a sweet message to help cure her hangoverCredit: instagram
The 36-year-old also admitted she was relying on an IV vitamin drip to nurse herself back to health on the party island.
The TV star is currently in Ibiza filming the latest series of Bad Boyfriends and is expected to be away for four weeks.
When she’s not filming, Olivia has been letting her hair down at some of Ibiza’s biggest superclubs.
Meanwhile, Pete, 37, has spoken publicly about their romance for the first time after the pair were pictured packing on the PDA during a recent holiday.
Pete and Olivia only recently went public with their romanceCredit: AlamyPete and Olivia are believed to have been dating since earlier this yearCredit: Getty
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.
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Molly-Mae Hague shared some sweet new snaps of baby MidasCredit: Intagram / mollymaeThe star marked the one month mark, saying it’s been four weeks as a family of fourCredit: Intagram / mollymae
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.
Molly-Mae also posted a throwback snap to the day she gave birth to her sonCredit: Intagram / mollymaeThe star shared snaps of her baby’s nursery as well, which she had been updating her followers on while renovatingCredit: Intagram / mollymae
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.”
Vucic is under pressure after months of antigovernment protests.
Published On 27 Jun 202627 Jun 2026
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.
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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.
Hayley Anderson Screen Time TV Reporter
10:02, 27 Jun 2026Updated 10:03, 27 Jun 2026
Two Weeks in August stars Call the Midwife actress Jessica Raine. (Image: BBC)
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.”
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.
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Ruben Dias appears to be putting his split from Maya Jama behind himCredit: InstagramThe Manchester City player made a bold online move this weekCredit: Getty
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 historybooks when she stole the affection of scouser Michael Griffiths during Casa Amor – when he was coupled up with Amber Gill.
Ruben has followed Love Island season 5 star Joanna onlineCredit: InstagramAnd she’s reciprocated the move, following him back on InstagramCredit: Instagram
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.
The pair first begandatingin December 2024 after meeting at theMTVEuropeMusic 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.
Joanna Chimonides returned to Love Island in 2024 for the All Stars spin-offCredit: RexHost Maya and Joanna are both part of the Love Island familyCredit: Shutterstock Editorial
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 opened up about the ‘ups and downs’ of his business just weeks before his controversial World Cup adCredit: GettyThe aspiring chef raised eyebrows this week when a big-money advert appeared to see him poke fun at his ongoing family feudCredit: Instagram
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.
Speaking during the Tribeca Festival last week in New York, Brooklyn explained that he is still ‘figuring out’ things when it comes to his businessCredit: GettyBrooklyn launched his hot sauce brand, Cloud 23, back in October 2024Credit: GettyHis famous family are currently in the US taking in the World CupCredit: AlamyWhile Brooklyn and his wife Nicola have been steering clear of the sporting eventCredit: Instagram
“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.
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Stay on Turkey’s ‘Turquoise Coast’ at these affordable family resorts in Bodrum and AntalyaCredit: GettyThese all inclusive package holidays include flights, accommodation plus a free kids spotCredit: Alamy
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.
Here’s our pick of bargain all-inclusive family holidays from £368pp.
Costa Brava, Spain
Stay on Spain’s brilliant Costa Brava from £368pp at the Santa Susanna Resort Affiliated by FergusCredit: Getty
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.
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
Sun Star Beach in Antalya has a private beach just steps away from the hotelCredit: Love Holidays
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 Tamelt in Agadir is 10 minutes from the centre where you’ll find vibrant souksCredit: Love Holidays
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
Stay at the Club Lyda hotel in Gouves, Crete during the school summer holidays from £489ppCredit: Love Holidays
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
Stay at a family-friendly resort in luxurious Bodrum this August for £518ppCredit: Getty
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
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.”
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.
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 finally confirmed the identity of the arsonist on Friday night’s episode(Image: ITV)
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.”
