
The Assassin to Tyler, the Creator: the week in rave reviews
Summed up in a sentence Keeley Hawes puts in a fantastic performance in a hugely fun thriller about a menopausal hitwoman who ends up having to go on the run with her adult son.
What our reviewer said 'The Assassin is perfectly crafted preposterousness. It is stylish, witty, tightly written, even more tightly paced and takes the job of massively entertaining us at every turn with the proper amount of seriousness.' Lucy Mangan
Read the full review
Further reading 'Must-have genre' for uncertain times: why spy thrillers have taken over TV
BBC iPlayer
Summed up in a sentence A rich, subtle and sophisticated drama about child sexual abuse from renowned writer Jimmy McGovern.
What our reviewer said 'It is an altogether richer, more subtle and more sophisticated creation than, say, Adolescence, to which it is likely to be compared; as such, it is unlikely to be adopted as a pseudo policy document by the government. More's the pity.' Lucy Mangan
Read the full review
Further reading 'I danced my little bottom off!' Anna Friel on a rejuvenating Oasis gig – and her new Jimmy McGovern drama
BBC iPlayer
Summed up in a sentence A visceral, passionate adaptation of a Booker prize-winning novel that's set in three separate timelines.
What our reviewer said 'The Narrow Road to the Deep North is not an easy prospect, but it is an immensely powerful one, driven by strong performances and a bracing confidence in its ability to tell this story, at its own pace, in its own way.' Rebecca Nicholson
Read the full review
BBC One/iPlayer
Summed up in a sentence As he grieves his beloved father, the atheist broadcaster sets off on a pilgrimage that takes him on a surprisingly glorious spiritual adventure.
What our reviewer said 'What Amol Rajan Goes to the Ganges expresses most powerfully of all, certainly to this fellow bereaved Hindu, are the irresolvable particularities, and commonalities, of second-generation grief.' Chitra Ramaswamy
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In cinemas now
Summed up in a sentence Creepy and tense noir chiller with hints of Lynch and Cronenberg and star and co-writer Ariella Mastroianni radiating suppressed anguish and rage.
What our reviewer said 'A genuine skin-crawling unease seeps out of the screen for every second of its running time, helped by a brooding, moaning electronic score by Steve Matthew Carter.' Peter Bradshaw
Read the full review
In cinemas now
Summed up in a sentence Lars Eidinger plays a man embarking on a major orchestral project, but whose professional status is threatened by family turmoil behind the scenes.
What our reviewer said 'This is a bleak, bold, extravagantly crazy story which is emotionally incorrect at all times. Perhaps it could have been produced as a streaming-TV production but that would have deprived audiences of the pleasures of swallowing it whole.' Peter Bradshaw
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In cinemas now
Summed up in a sentence Marvel offers a superhero family sitcom with Mr Fantastic and Sue Storm living together as a dysfunctional family in a retro-futurist version of early 1960s New York.
What our reviewer said 'The result hangs together as an entertaining spectacle in its own innocent self-enclosed universe of fantasy wackiness, where real people actually read the comic books that have made mythic legends of the real Four.' Peter Bradshaw
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Further reading Whiteboard warrior: Marvel is priming Mister Fantastic to be the new leader of the Avengers
In cinemas now
Summed up in a sentence F Murray Abraham mesmerises as bland court composer Salieri who is eclipsed by Tom Hulce's nitrogen-voiced genius Mozart in Miloš Forman's masterpiece.
What our reviewer said 'The pure gorgeous villainy of F Murray Abraham once again floods the screen, as saturnine and sulphurous as ever, in this new rerelease of Amadeus in its original 1984 theatrical cut.' Peter Bradshaw
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Mubi; available now
Summed up in a sentence Saule Bliuvaite's debut feature follows two Lithuanian teens seduced by a 'modelling school' promising to take them away from their tough home town.
What our reviewer said 'Bliuvaite and her cinematographer Vytautas Katkus contrive striking tableaux and ambient setpieces, creating an emotional context for this drama: a world of alienation and desperate need, but also resilient humour.' Peter Bradshaw
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Out now
Summed up in a sentence The posthumously published final collection from a leading poet of our age.
What our reviewer said 'It's our great good fortune that Burnside's closing work is also one of his finest. He is attentive to the degradation of nature; staring it in the face and obliging us to stare at it, too. But more often than not, it's the beauty that possesses him.' Sarah Crown
Read the full review
Further reading John Burnside: 'My stoner friends were into The Hobbit, but Gormenghast was darker'
Reviewed by Blake Morrison
Summed up in a sentence A writer's reflections as she walks the coast to coast path.
What our reviewer said 'What's captivating about her book is all the thinking she does mid- or post-trek: on writing, friendship, welfare, illness, climate change, protest marches, knitting, and why it is that in popular mythology 'walking women' are either models on a catwalk or sex workers.'
Read the full review
Reviewed by Anthony Cummins
Summed up in a sentence A warmly comic saga about two tech entrepreneurs.
What our reviewer said 'A critique of disruptor-era genius is less important here than feeling and friendship; the winningly Edwardian, even Victorian, approach to storytelling extends right to the heart-swelling deathbed climax.'
Read the full review
Reviewed by Ella Risbridger
Summed up in a sentence A slippery coming-of-age story about infatuation and ambiguity.
What our reviewer said 'The teenage girl, in Forrest's capable and unusual fifth novel, is a kind of bottomless pit of need – for desire, attention and the world to come.'
Read the full review
Further reading 'It was my gateway drug to self-harm': a writer's journey to finding the joy in makeup
Reviewed by Alex Clark
Summed up in a sentence A surprising and playful study of the art of translation.
What our reviewer said 'Shepherding a piece of writing from one language into another requires so many minute responses, thought processes and decisions that the translator would find it impossible to suppress their own voice.'
Read the full review
Reviewed by Kathryn Hughes
Summed up in a sentence How animals have shaped British identity.
What our reviewer said 'Hedgehogs were reputed to sneak into human settlements at night and steal eggs (true) and suck the udders of sleeping cows (almost certainly false).'
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Out now
Summed up in a sentence The soul-searching of last year's Chromakopia is expelled – for the most part – by half an hour of early 80s rhythms and slick one-liners with the IDGAF attitude of his early years.
What our reviewer said 'Almost all of its 10 tracks seem fixated on the dancefloor. There are 808 beats, Kraftwerk-y electronics, a noticeable smattering of Zapp-like vocoder and electro, among other early 80s genres. The musical reference points are deployed with an evident love and understanding of the source material, never feeling like box-ticking or pastiche; the hooks work with enviable efficiency.' Alexis Petridis
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Out now
Summed up in a sentence Almost three decades on, Madonna finally releases the long-promised Ray of Light remix collection.
What our reviewer said 'For diehards, the promised record is something of a holy grail. The old demo Gone Gone Gone is brilliantly weird, a wistful breakup ballad set to a squelchy electro beat that gives a surprising amount of insight into Madonna's creative state at the time: here is one of the biggest stars in the world, in her creative prime, throwing anything at the wall to see what sticks.' Shaad D'Souza
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Out now
Summed up in a sentence The free-collective energy of one of Braxton's most intuitive groups jostles and enchants on this live recording – salvaged from cassettes – from a 1985 UK tour.
What our reviewer said 'Salvaged by state-of-the-art tech methods from former Wire magazine writer and Braxton chronicler Graham Lock's original lo-fi cassette recordings, the set celebrates Braxton's conviction that triggering loose improv through tightly challenging compositions can mirror the everyday flux of living.' John Fordham
Read the full review
Out now
Summed up in a sentence Led by Wendy Eisenberg, the Massachusetts band's third album explores communication challenges in an articulate and exhilarating rock fusion.
What our reviewer said 'Editrix make complex music feel organic, like the natural thing to do, and imply that sound succeeds where words often fail us.' Katie Hawthorne
Read the full review
Out now
Summed up in a sentence Once part of the Ohio noise scene, the US producer has moved to Athens, Greece, and makes oscillating bass flute music inspired by the view of the Parthenon from his window.
What our reviewer said 'This is blissful ambient music that resonates with a similar depth – though more warmth – to Kali Malone's The Sacrificial Code, and stands to have just as much staying power.' Laura Snapes
Read the full review
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Scottish Sun
28 minutes ago
- Scottish Sun
Iconic British film starring Keira Knightley confirmed for a sequel after 23 years
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) BEND It Like Beckham has been confirmed for a sequel, more than two decades after it was released. Director Gurinder Chadha revealed she is developing a follow-up to the 2002 hit film, which launched the careers of Keira Knightley and Parminder Nagra. Sign up for the Entertainment newsletter Sign up 4 Bend It Like Beckham has been confirmed for a sequel, more than two decades after it was released Credit: Kobal Collection - Shutterstock The sequel is being lined up for release in 2027 to mark the film's 25th anniversary and coincide with the FIFA Women's World Cup in Brazil. Gurinder told the BBC: "We've been part of changing the game for women, so it felt like this was a good time for me to go back and investigate the characters." The director said she has been asked 'almost twice a week' since the original came out to create a sequel, though no decision has been made on whether it will take the form of a film or a television series. She added: 'A lot has changed since the original movie, but I think that people still don't think that women should play football. "There are people who still don't take it seriously, although the Lionesses are riding high. I've left it a while, but I thought: 'Look at the Euros, look at the Lionesses.'" Gurinder said she hopes to reunite the original cast and suggested members of the current England squad would be 'queuing up' to appear in cameo roles. The original film, made on a £3.5 million budget, became a box office success, earning nearly £60 million worldwide. It followed Jess Bhamra (Parminder), a teenager who dreams of playing football professionally, despite pressure from her traditional Sikh family to focus on education and marriage. She is recruited by Jules (Keira), who spots her talent and brings her into the local women's team. Chadha claimed she had not expected the film to take off, but wanted to 'uplift girls who were always being told how to dress and what to say'. Keira Knightley admits she's only watched Love Actually once - and reveals real reason why She said: 'What I did was say you can do what you want, and you can have it all,' she said. 'And I think that's a really great message to put out again. I think there's still stuff to say, and stuff to challenge.' Gurinder previously told The Mirror she had been working on a sequel to iconic movie The filmmaker said in 2023: "For the longest time I never wanted to do a sequel. "But I have to say, after the World Up this year, and also with the Euro's a few years ago, my brain is ticking again and I have an idea in my head that I'm thinking through for the first time. "I'm thinking that I could definitely do something. I never wanted to follow the girls off in America, because I felt that what I had created was so magical for that moment in time. "It's very hard with sequels - there are very few sequels that I think really hit the mark after the success of the first film. "However, I do have an idea and I am starting to work on it, so I think I will definitely do something that shows how brilliant our athletes are right now." The film highlighted the challenges girls face despite women's football growing in popularity since the film was released in 2002. Gurinder was inspired to create the film after seeing a photograph of legendary England and Arsenal striker Ian Wright dressed in a union jack flag. This made her think about what Britishness actually meant and the "evolving concept of Britishness." Football is important to Britain and the sport has the power to pull many different people together. Gary Lineker, who featured in the film, reflected on it saying how "football does unify the nation, everyone gets behind England and it's probably the only time we do all come together. That's what originated the idea of Bend It Like Beckham." There are plenty of fun facts about the film besides Wright being the inspiration. The budget may have been just £3.5 million but it grossed at nearly £60 million. Chada didn't know much about football and relied on co-writers to add the football bits. It was even the first Western filmed to be screened in North Korea at a public broadcast during a film festival in the country. Actresses Nagra and Kiera did three months worth of football training for the film and didn't use any doubles. The title itself is a metaphor as Chada explained back in 2003. She said: "We can see our goal but instead of going straight there, we too have to twist and bend the rules sometimes to get what we want. "No matter where we reside, no matter what group we claim or do not embrace as part of our ethnic lineage." 4 Director Gurinder Chadha revealed she is developing a follow-up to the 2002 hit film Credit: AFP 4 The original film earned nearly £60 million worldwide Credit: Rex


Daily Mail
29 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Ozzy Osbourne's Black Sabbath bassist recalls final gig and admits the late rocker was 'frail' and 'needed assistance' during rehearsals
's bassist has recalled Black Sabbath's final gig and admits the late rocker 'needed assistance' during rehearsals. The beloved musician, famously known as the Prince of Darkness, died on Tuesday at the age of 76 - just weeks after performing his final show with the band. Ozzy was reportedly warned by insurers that they wouldn't cover the concert if he insisted on standing to bid farewell to his devoted fans. But his wife Sharon managed to sort something with providers to ensure his last concert went ahead. Despite Ozzy not being in the best state of health, Black Sabbath continued to rehearse and after a few weeks they were ready to greet their adoring fans and give them a show to remember. Bandmate Geezer Butler has since spoken out about his passing, revealing how Ozzy was in his final moments. He told The Times: 'I knew he wasn't in good health, but I wasn't prepared to see how frail he was. 'He was helped into the rehearsal room by two helpers and a nurse and was using a cane - being Ozzy, the cane was black and studded with gold and precious stones.' Geezer went on to share the one thing he wished he had done before he passed. He added: 'I wish I'd had more time backstage with Ozzy, but wishes are redundant now. As Ozzy used to say: "Wish in one hand and s**t in the other and see which comes first."' Ozzy took to the stage for his farewell concert at Villa Park Stadium in his native Birmingham less than three weeks before his death. The rocker reunited with his original Black Sabbath bandmates Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler and Bill Ward for the first time since 2005 to bid an emotional farewell to his decades of performing live on stage. After selling out in minutes, over 42,000 fans packed into Villa Park for the aptly-titled Back to the Beginning show, which saw Ozzy and Black Sabbath return to their hometown - 56 years after they formed there. Geezer said it was a 'privilege' to have spent the past 56 years of friendship with Ozzy and it's been 'one hell of a ride'. His final words on stage were: 'It's the last song ever. Your support has enabled us to live an amazing lifestyle, thank you from the bottom of our hearts.' A message on screen then read: 'Thank you for everything, you guys are f***ing amazing. Birmingham Forever,' before the sky lit up with fireworks. On Wednesday, MailOnline revealed that an air ambulance was called to Osbourne's multi-million-pound country home as paramedics battled to save his life. The Thames Valley air ambulance landed in a field close to Welders House, the singer's Grade II listed mansion on Tuesday morning at around 10.30am. It's believed that calls from Welders House had led call handlers to believe that the Black Sabbath singer's life was in the balance.


The Sun
29 minutes ago
- The Sun
Iconic British film starring Keira Knightley confirmed for a sequel after 23 years
BEND It Like Beckham has been confirmed for a sequel, more than two decades after it was released. Director Gurinder Chadha revealed she is developing a follow-up to the 2002 hit film, which launched the careers of Keira Knightley and Parminder Nagra. The sequel is being lined up for release in 2027 to mark the film's 25th anniversary and coincide with the FIFA Women's World Cup in Brazil. Gurinder told the BBC: "We've been part of changing the game for women, so it felt like this was a good time for me to go back and investigate the characters." The director said she has been asked 'almost twice a week' since the original came out to create a sequel, though no decision has been made on whether it will take the form of a film or a television series. She added: 'A lot has changed since the original movie, but I think that people still don't think that women should play football. "There are people who still don't take it seriously, although the Lionesses are riding high. I've left it a while, but I thought: 'Look at the Euros, look at the Lionesses.'" Gurinder said she hopes to reunite the original cast and suggested members of the current England squad would be 'queuing up' to appear in cameo roles. The original film, made on a £3.5 million budget, became a box office success, earning nearly £60 million worldwide. It followed Jess Bhamra (Parminder), a teenager who dreams of playing football professionally, despite pressure from her traditional Sikh family to focus on education and marriage. She is recruited by Jules (Keira), who spots her talent and brings her into the local women's team. Chadha claimed she had not expected the film to take off, but wanted to 'uplift girls who were always being told how to dress and what to say'. Keira Knightley admits she's only watched Love Actually once - and reveals real reason why She said: 'What I did was say you can do what you want, and you can have it all,' she said. 'And I think that's a really great message to put out again. I think there's still stuff to say, and stuff to challenge.' Gurinder previously told The Mirror she had been working on a sequel to iconic movie The filmmaker said in 2023: "For the longest time I never wanted to do a sequel. "But I have to say, after the World Up this year, and also with the Euro's a few years ago, my brain is ticking again and I have an idea in my head that I'm thinking through for the first time. "I'm thinking that I could definitely do something. I never wanted to follow the girls off in America, because I felt that what I had created was so magical for that moment in time. "It's very hard with sequels - there are very few sequels that I think really hit the mark after the success of the first film. "However, I do have an idea and I am starting to work on it, so I think I will definitely do something that shows how brilliant our athletes are right now." The film highlighted the challenges girls face despite women's football growing in popularity since the film was released in 2002. Gurinder was inspired to create the film after seeing a photograph of legendary England and Arsenal striker Ian Wright dressed in a union jack flag. This made her think about what Britishness actually meant and the "evolving concept of Britishness." Football is important to Britain and the sport has the power to pull many different people together. Gary Lineker, who featured in the film, reflected on it saying how "football does unify the nation, everyone gets behind England and it's probably the only time we do all come together. That's what originated the idea of Bend It Like Beckham." There are plenty of fun facts about the film besides Wright being the inspiration. The budget may have been just £3.5 million but it grossed at nearly £60 million. Chada didn't know much about football and relied on co-writers to add the football bits. It was even the first Western filmed to be screened in North Korea at a public broadcast during a film festival in the country. Actresses Nagra and Kiera did three months worth of football training for the film and didn't use any doubles. The title itself is a metaphor as Chada explained back in 2003. She said: "We can see our goal but instead of going straight there, we too have to twist and bend the rules sometimes to get what we want. "No matter where we reside, no matter what group we claim or do not embrace as part of our ethnic lineage." 4 4 4