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Spider-Man is now the sixth-highest grossing movie in history

Despite concerns about Covid-19, specifically its more transmissible Omicron variant, ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’ has stayed a box office force across the globe…reports Asian Lite News

Tom Holland-starrer ;Spider-Man: No Way Home’ has become the sixth-highest grossing movie in history with $1.69 billion at the worldwide box office.

According to variety.com, it passed ‘Jurassic World’ ($1.67 billion) and ‘The Lion King’ ($1.66 billion) to secure the spot.

Despite concerns about Covid-19, specifically its more transmissible Omicron variant, ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’ has stayed a box office force across the globe.

The movie has been so popular, ‘Saturday Night Live’ poked fun in a skit with US President Biden (portrayed by James Austin Johnson) practically begging people to stop seeing ‘Spider-Man’ in order to curb the virus.

‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’ next box office challenge may be harder to surpass.

That’s because spots one through five on all-time box office charts, consisting of ‘Avatar’, ‘Avengers: Endgame’, ‘Titanic’, ‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens’ and ‘Avengers: Infinity War’, have each cracked $2 billion.

Without China, it may be unrealistic for ‘No Way Home’ to reach that benchmark.

The superhero epic, starring Holland as Marvel’s neighbourhood web-slinger, opened in December 2021 and has generated $721 million at the domestic box office and $970.1 million internationally.

Outside of the UnS, where ‘No Way Home’ ranks as the fourth-biggest movie ever, Spidey’s latest adventure has done especially well in the UK — Holland’s birthplace — amassing $116 million to date.

Other top-earning territories include Mexico with $73.4 million, South Korea with $60.6 million and France with $59.9 million.

It’s notable that ‘No Way Home’ has managed to shatter records and smash expectations without playing in China, which is the world’s biggest moviegoing market.

Elsewhere at the international box office, Universal’s animated musical comedy ‘Sing 2’ brought in $12.8 million from 59 overseas territories.

The family-friendly film, which opened around Christmas, has generated $112 million internationally and $241 million globally.

Those ticket sales are far less than 2016’s ‘Sing’, which made $634 million worldwide. But in Covid times, it’s actually the highest-grossing animated film of the pandemic.

‘Sing 2’ surpassed Disney’s ‘Encanto’ ($223 million) and Universal’s ‘Croods: A New Age’ ($227 million) to reach that milestone.

Paramount’s slasher sequel ‘Scream’ managed to scare up crowds as well, collecting $10.2 million from 54 overseas markets. So far, the movie has earned $33.6 million at the international box office and $51 million in North America, which is a pretty good result given its $25 million price tag.

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The King’s Man: An action-packed period drama on spy genre

Rhys Ifans is entertaining as the villainous Russian monk Rasputin. He mesmerises the audience with his sunken kohl-laden eyes, bad table manners, and his skill of combining fighting moves with Russian dance spins…writes Troy Ribeiro

(Duration: 133 minutes.) Director: Matthew Vaughn. Cast: Ralph Fiennes, Gemma Arterton, Djimon Hounsou, Harris Dickinson. Rhys Ifans, Matthew Goode, Tom Hollander, Daniel Bruhl and Charles Dance. (Rating: ***)

‘The King’s Man’ is an action-packed period drama filled with humour that is spectacularly and uniquely British.

Based on a graphic novel developed by Mark Millar and Dave Gibbons, this is the third film of the franchise and a prequel to its earlier two films — ‘Kingsman: The Secret Service’ (2015) and ‘Kingsman: The Golden Circle’ (2017).

‘The King’s Man’ therefore is the origin story of ‘The Kingsmen’, the elite club of British spies operating independently of the government, from their headquarters that fronts as a bespoke tailor’s shop on Savile Row in the City of Westminster.

Apart from telling us how the organisation was formed, the core of this film’s narrative gives us an insight into attempts made to weaken the King of England’s power and make the sun set on the British Empire.

The film begins with a dramatic prologue. In the wilderness of South Africa, Orlando Oxford (Ralph Fiennes), an aristocrat who regrets his part in plundering Britain’s colonies and is now working for the Red Cross, promises his dying wife that he would protect their son Conrad and never let him see war again.

But 12 years later, Europe is in turmoil. Against the backdrop of World War I and the Russian Revolution around the corner, the narrative focuses on Conrad, who is keen on joining the war against the wishes of his widowed father.

Orlando and his servants Polly Wilkins (Gemma Arterton) and Shola (Djimon Hounsou), with the blessings of King George V, meanwhile, are dragged into an espionage drama that may force the American President to enter the war, thereby strengthening their side. All this forms the crux of the narrative.

The plot is fascinating and relatable as it ingeniously weaves in real-life historical moments and figures. Tom Hollander plays three major monarchs — King George V of Britain, Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany and Tsar Nicholas II of Russia. They were cousins and grandsons of Queen Victoria. Tom is captivating and entertaining in each character that he portrays.

Rhys Ifans is entertaining as the villainous Russian monk Rasputin. He mesmerises the audience with his sunken kohl-laden eyes, bad table manners, and his skill of combining fighting moves with Russian dance spins.

Djimon Hounsou as Shola and Gemma Arterton as the plucky housekeeper-turned-spy have relatively little to do.

Ralph Fiennes, as the dashing superhero Orlando Oxford, plays his character straight and plain. His stern and strict father performance cum deathly spy when need be, is conventional yet rousing.

Compared to the earlier two editions of the franchise, this film is much more robust in terms of narration and tone. Despite being stylishly mounted, the first two editions were satirical and comical in their outlook, and this one seems like a historical epic.

Like most origin stories, ‘The King’s Man’, too, suffers from pacing issues. All the minor drawbacks, however, are compensated by marvellous production values, attention to historical details, and brilliantly choreographed action sequences.

Overall, ‘The King’s Man’ is an entertaining film that will appeal to history buffs.

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Jonathan Nolan to direct Amazon’s ‘Fallout’ series

The ‘Fallout’ Amazon series was first announced as being in the works in July 2020 with a series commitment penalty attached, reports variety.com…reports Asian Lite News

Television series ‘Fallout’ will be directed by Jonathan Nolan, brother of award-winning filmmaker Christopher Nolan.

Variety has confirmed that Geneva Robertson-Dworet and Graham Wagner are now attached to serve as co-showrunners on the video game adaptation.

Nolan and Lisa Joy were previously announced as executive producers on the project under the Kilter Films banner, reports variety.com.

Robertson-Dworet is best known for her work on the screenplays for the 2018 ‘Tomb Raider’ film starring Alicia Vikander and for the 2019 Marvel film ‘Captain Marvel’. Wagner’s past credits include ‘Silicon Valley’, ‘Portlandiaa’ ‘Baskets’, and ‘The Office’.

The ‘Fallout’ Amazon series was first announced as being in the works in July 2020 with a series commitment penalty attached, reports variety.com.

The series hails from Amazon Studios and Kilter Films in association with the games’ producers Bethesda Game Studios and Bethesda Softworks. Nolan and Joy will executive produce alongside Athena Wickham for Kilter Films, with Todd Howard as an executive producer for Bethesda Game Studios, and James Altman for Bethesda Softworks.

Lionsgate is also executive producing the series. Robertson-Dworet and Wagner will executive produce and serve as co-showrunners. Nolan and Joy signed a substantial overall deal with Amazon in 2019.

The ‘Fallout’ games are set in a world where the future envisioned by Americans in the late 1940s explodes upon itself through a nuclear war in 2077.

The first game was released in 1997. The most recent instalment in the franchise, the prequel ‘Fallout 76’, was released in 2018. The games have proven incredibly popular throughout their run and have been met with positive reviews by both critics and fans.

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The Lost Daughter: A dark drama on confrontations of ‘motherhood’

The plot is packed with tense present-day sequences and is interspersed with scenes from Leda’s life 20 years ago, when the younger Leda (played by Jessie Buckley) is drained and fatigued – juggling her career and parenting two small, clingy daughters…writes Troy Ribeiro

Director: Maggie Gyllenhaal. Cast: Olivia Colman, Dakota Johnson, Jessie Buckley, Ed Harris, Peter Sarsgaard, Paul Mescal, Dagmara Dominczyk and Oliver Jackson-Cohen. (Rating: ***1/2) (Streaming on Netflix). Duration: 122 minutes.

Adapted from the novel by Elena Ferrante, ‘The Lost Daughter’ by debutante director Maggie Gyllenhall has an emotional complexity and a sense of dread that makes for an intriguing and riveting psychological drama concerning motherhood.

The narrative begins on an innocuous note with Leda Caruso (Olivia Colman), a professor, settling into her vacation at a seaside resort on the fictional island of Kyopeli. A few days into her vacation a boisterous family makes its presence felt at the beach. Among the members of the family, Leda notices Nina (Dakota Johnson), a young mother, and her daughter Elina.

There’s something way too intense in her focus on the mother and daughter as she relates to Nina’s struggle with the constant demands of motherhood. Seeing them interact, Leda recalls the bond she once shared with her own daughters, Bianca and Martha.

Leda befriends Nina and takes on a motherly role, but there’s something amiss about their association. She does not know why she does things that she does. She is obsessive, compulsive, and is at war with her own impulses.

Narrated in a non-linear format, this is a character-driven film where Leda’s character unravels like a mysterious page-turner. The plot is packed with tense present-day sequences and is interspersed with scenes from Leda’s life 20 years ago, when the younger Leda (played by Jessie Buckley) is drained and fatigued – juggling her career and parenting two small, clingy daughters.

Gyllenhaal reminds us that there is no escaping the damage that comes with familial love, intentional or not. She navigates the emotional minefields and unsparingly tallies the cycle of psychological damage among multiple generations of independent women and thus makes the entire process relatable. Yes, some of the characters in the film may reflect your personal experiences.

Olivia Colman and Jessie Buckley, as the older and younger Leda Caruso, are pitch-perfect with their histrionics. Together, they bring out Leda’s watchful and distressed, sometimes impulsive and sloppy, mannerisms to the fore, with amazing, natural ease, and make you feel for her.

Johnson plays Nina, the young hassled mom unsure of what she wants in life, with a fascinating mix of languid pleasure and taut desperation. Dagmara Dominczyk as Nina’s pregnant sister-in-law Callie is sharp and vibrant.

Ed Harris, as Lyle the caretaker of the lodge where Leda stays, Peter Sarsgaard as the hot-shot celebrity scholar, and Paul Mescal as Will, the handy boy at the resort, all have their moments of onscreen glory.

Overall, mounted with moderate production values, the film does have a few edit issues, but these can be overlooked.

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‘Parasite’ star returns to silver screen as elite cop

The actor said his character, Min-jae, is a wary and determined rookie police officer who works undercover as part of a secret anti-corruption campaign…reports Asian Lite News.

‘Parasite’ star Choi Woo-shik will return to the silver screen as an elite police officer in the upcoming crime action film ‘The Policeman’s Lineage’, more than two years after the release of the Oscar-winning masterpiece.

The new movie, a Korean adaptation of the namesake Japanese novel, follows two different policemen, Kang-yoon (Cho Jin-woong) and Min-jae (Choi), who cooperate on a huge crime case that would shake the police organisation, Yonhap News Agency reports.

“Many people liked me in ‘Parasite’, but I wanted to show a stronger character in my next project,” Choi said in an interaction with the media that was streamed online. “I underwent many stunt scenes, as my character acts first before he speaks.”

It is the first film project for Choi since ‘Parasite’ (2019), in which he portrayed a wily and quick-witted 20-something son, as the release of ‘The Policeman’ was put on hold due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The actor said his character, Min-jae, is a wary and determined rookie police officer who works undercover as part of a secret anti-corruption campaign.

He is assigned to gather information on corrupt dealings led by Kang-yoon, who is unrivalled in the number of arrests he has made, but doesn’t mind using illegal methods to nab criminals.

“Min-jae is a man of principles. He believes the end cannot justify the means,” Choi said. “So he doubts every action and the intention of Kang-yoon during their joint project.”

Lead actor Cho gave a thumbs-up to Choi, who first looks soft and tender because of his appearance and previous roles in ‘Parasite’ and the megahit zombie thriller ‘Train to Busan’ (2016).

“I thought he was gentle. But when the camera was on, he showed his charisma,” said the 45-year-old actor. “I made some mistakes just because I wanted to have one more take with Choi.”

Director Lee Kyoo-man said he wants to depict the beliefs and values of police officers who deal with a number of criminal cases every day in his fifth feature following the crime thriller ‘Children’ (2011).

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Roger Michell’s last film to hit theatres in 2022

Kempton then sent ransom notes where he stated that he would return the painting on the condition of free television services to the elderly, provided by the government…reports Asian Lite News.

‘The Duke’, the final film from British filmmaker Roger Michell, will arrive in theatres on March 25, 2022.

The film, which stars Jim Broadbent and Helen Mirren, is currently in exhibition at the Laemmle Royal in Los Angeles.

The film, with screenplay by Richard Bean and Clive Coleman, will open in theatres in New York and Los Angeles before expanding to other territories in the following weeks, reports Deadline.

Set in 1961, ‘The Duke’ is inspired by true events and it tells the story of Kempton Bunton, a 60-year old taxi driver, who stole the portrait of the Duke of Wellington painted by Spanish artist, Francisco Goya, from the National Gallery in London, making it the only case of theft in the Gallery’s history.

Kempton then sent ransom notes where he stated that he would return the painting on the condition of free television services to the elderly, provided by the government.

The film is produced by Nicky Bentham and with Cameron McCracken, Jenny Borgars, Andrea Scarso, Hugo Heppell, Peter Scarf, and Christopher Bunton serving as executive producers.

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Adam McKay: Few drafts of ‘Don’t Look Up’ weren’t comedic

He added that then over the course of the next few weeks, this great little analogy kept popping up in all his conversations, including one with David Sirota, a journalist he has known for years…reports Asian Lite News.

Filmmaker Adam McKay, who is gearing up for the release of his satirical science fiction comedy ‘Don’t Look Up’, says a few drafts of the movie weren’t comedic to start with.

Talking about the film, McKay said: “Surprisingly, the first few drafts of ‘Don’t Look Up’ weren’t comedic! I played with the idea at first of making a straightforward drama or a small, intimate character study, but at a certain point I knew I needed to make a comedy, because I felt like after these last few years, we really, really needed to laugh.”

He added: “I’d say the one thing that comedy has to have in order to work in the way you describe is – you need some kind of distance and perspective. You can’t laugh about a monkey if you’re currently being attacked by one, right? But back up 300 feet and watch a monkey behave for a while and you’re probably going to laugh or smile.

“So, in writing this movie, and eventually making it after a pause, there was this sense of everyone collectively exhaling in relief that we could finally laugh after the insanity of the last 2 (or 20) years.”

Sharing his inspiration for the film, the filmmaker said that for a funny movie, the origins are pretty serious.

“I read a book in 2019 called ‘The Uninhabitable Earth’ that I couldn’t get out of my head. It depicts the ways in which global warming will wreak havoc on the planet if nothing is done to combat the climate crisis. And, it all boiled down to this idea I just couldn’t shake: We all know how to react when there is a killer with an ax, or when your house is on fire, but what the author David Wallace-Wells was writing about was a million times worse.”

“How do we get people to realise this is a clear and present danger? How close does that danger have to be for us to have the proper response? I felt like I needed to write this script.”

He added that then over the course of the next few weeks, this great little analogy kept popping up in all his conversations, including one with David Sirota, a journalist he has known for years.

“It’s like a comet is going to hit Earth and no one cares. And at one point, I said, ‘That’s it. That’s the movie.’ Sometimes it’s as simple as that. I knew the movie needed to be laugh-out-loud funny, not just clever or wry, so, I turned to the all-time greats. Comedies like ‘Office Space’ and ‘Idiocracy’ that really capture the way we live in the modern world. (Both of those Mike Judge films were north stars for me.)

“But also movies like ‘Dr Strangelove’, ‘Network’, and ‘Wag the Dog’. I’ve always been intrigued with the idea of finding a way to encapsulate these giant looming threats that we’re faced with in this world, but to show it in a way that has a bit of fun with it.”

Netflix’s upcoming satirical science fiction black comedy ‘Don’t Look Up’ tells the story of two low-level astronomers, who must go on a giant media tour to warn mankind of an approaching comet that will destroy earth.

The film features a stellar cast of Jennifer Lawrence, Leonardo DiCaprio, Meryl Streep, Jonah Hill and Timothee Chalamet. It will start streaming on Netflix on December 24.

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Steven Spielberg: ‘West Side Story’ is the most daunting work

“This film is probably the most daunting of my career. ‘West Side Story’ is arguably the greatest score ever written in the theatre, and that’s not lost on any of us,” Spielberg said…reports Asian Lite News.

Acclaimed Hollywood filmmaker Steven Spielberg says the film adaptation of the musical ‘West Side Story’ is the most daunting work of his career.

From a screenplay by Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award winner Tony Kushner, ‘West Side Story’ tells the classic tale of fierce rivalries and young love in 1957 New York City.

Bringing together the best of both Broadway and Hollywood, Spielberg reveals how he felt directing the film.

“This film is probably the most daunting of my career. ‘West Side Story’ is arguably the greatest score ever written in the theatre, and that’s not lost on any of us,” Spielberg said.

“It’s very intimidating to take a masterpiece and make it through different eyes and different sensibilities without compromising the integrity of what is generally considered the greatest music ever written for the theatre.”

Speilberg added: “But I believe that great stories should be told over and over again, in part to reflect different perspectives and moments in me into the work.”

The film stars Ansel Elgort, Rachel Zegler, Ariana DeBose, David Alvarez, Mike Faist, Josh Andres Rivera, Ana Isabelle, Corey Stoll, Brian d’Arcy James and Rita Moreno.

Speilberg said: “What is so wonderful about this story is that, no matter how much the world around us changes, the lessons and insights it offers us do not.”

“It’s a story that has captivated audiences for decades because it is not just a love story but also a culturally significant work with a central premise – that love transcends prejudice and intolerance – that hasn’t lost its relevance over me. ‘West Side Story’ means so much to so many, and I’m thrilled to have this chance to give it new life and share it with a new audience.”

From 20th Century Studios, Disney India will release ‘West Side Story’ on December 10.

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Barbados hails singer Rihanna as ‘national hero’

She added: “On behalf of a grateful nation, but an even prouder people, we therefore present to you, the designee, for the national hero of Barbados.”…reports Asian Lite News.

Singer Rihanna was honoured by Prime Minister Mia Mottley at an event that marked Barbados’s new status as a republic, which was attended by Prince Charles.

Addressing the pop star by her real name, the PM said: “Robyn Rihanna Fenty tomorrow morning shall have conferred upon her the order of national hero of Barbados.”

Rihanna was then summoned from her seat to accept the honour, with the Prime Minister managing to rouse a laugh from the singer when she referenced her 2012 hit ‘Diamonds’, reports femalefirst.co.uk.

She added: “On behalf of a grateful nation, but an even prouder people, we therefore present to you, the designee, for the national hero of Barbados.”

“And to accept on behalf of a grateful nation – you can come my dear – ambassador Robyn Rihanna Fenty, may you continue to shine like a diamond and bring honour to your nation.”

Rihanna, who was born in the St Michael parish of Barbados, found fame in 2005 after being spotted by a record producer and has since gone on to become one of the most successful female artists of all time with sales of over 250 million and recently reached billionaire status through her Fenty beauty brand.

The Prime Minister continued in her speech: “Commanding the imagination of the world through the pursuit of excellence, her creativity, her discipline, and above all else, her extraordinary commitment to the land of her birth.

“Having satisfied that, Ambassador Robyn Rihanna Fenty has given service to Barbados which has been exemplified by visionary and pioneering leadership, extraordinary achievement and the attaining of the highest excellence to the Government of Barbados.”

It comes after a historic move for Barbados, which has become a republic after almost 400 years and welcomes its first president, Sandra Mason, after removing Queen Elizabeth as head of state.

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Helen Mirren would sort herself into Slytherin


The Oscar-winning actress Mirren said that the show was a lot of “hard work”, she was also amazed at the Potter passion still held by many…reports Asian Lite News.

Veteran star Helen Mirren, who is set to host the upcoming series ‘Harry Potter: Hogwarts Tournament of Houses’, feels she would have to choose the green-themed house Slytherin in the magical school of Hogwarts.

She said: “If I had to choose, I’d probably choose Slytherin, because there’s a punkishness about Slytherin that appeals to me. You know, the bad boys on the motorbikes kind of thing.”

In the best-selling book series by noted author J.K Rowling and its spin-off film franchise starring Daniel Radcliffe, the Slytherin house is full of darker wizards including the Malfoy family, Bellatrix Lestrange and the infamous Lord Voldemort.

Mirren’s admissions come as she is fronting the four-part competition for Cartoon Network which will see players compete in teams of three for their respective Hogwarts Houses – whether that be Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw or Slytherin.

Each house will then battle it out to answer questions on the beloved series in a bid to win a trip to the ‘Wizarding World’ theme park locations in New York and Orlando, reports femalefirst.co.uk.

The Oscar-winning actress Mirren said that the show was a lot of “hard work”, she was also amazed at the Potter passion still held by many.

She told PEOPLE: “Gosh, it’s hard work. “It’s really hard work! What these people do, it’s not a picnic. But I have to say, I had such fun. I loved it. It was exhausting. At the end of each day, I just fell into bed completely exhausted. But it was enormous fun.

“I had no realization of how profound and widespread the absolute engagement with these stories is all across the world, all across races, across genders, across ages. People really, really have engaged with these stories and I find that, in and of itself, a very beautiful story.”

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