The overlooked brilliance of BBC's The Hour
From the get-go – those classy, Hitchcockesque credits – you know you're in for a treat, and it doesn't disappoint: the dialogue brims with zingers and has the velocity of an assault rifle, like the West Wing in its pomp, while the plot zooms along, twisting this way and that, oozing corruption, sex and ambition.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
BreakingNews.ie
25 minutes ago
- BreakingNews.ie
Winona Ryder says she still plays poker with Al Pacino
US actress Winona Ryder has said she still plays poker with Hollywood star Al Pacino and that she once confessed her love to him. Ryder, 53, is best known for starring in Tim Burton's 1988 movie Beetlejuice and its 2024 sequel, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, along with playing Joyce Byers in the hit Netflix series Stranger Things. Advertisement She worked with The Godfather star Pacino, 85, in the films Simone (2002) and Looking For Richard (1996), adding that she was 'actively' in love with him. Winona Ryder fronts the September issue of ELLE (Olivia Malone/ELLE UK/PA) Ryder, who fronts the September issue of ELLE UK, told the magazine: 'I was absolutely in love with Al Pacino when I was working with him. 'We were doing that workshop for Richard III, which I didn't know was gonna be a movie. I was actively in love with him. 'He was obsessed with coffee, and he would take me all over New York – like, to the weirdest places – to try different coffees. I'm 22, or whatever. Finally, he's dropping me off wherever I'm staying, and I'm like, 'I love you, you know. I really am completely in love with you.' And he was like: 'Aw, honey, noooo.' Advertisement 'Then, like 10 years later, I meet his girlfriend, who's younger than me. 'I still play poker with him sometimes. It's the best.' Winona Ryder (Olivia Malone/ELLE UK/PA) With a career spanning decades, Ryder credits actress Laura Dern for helping her navigate the industry and taking her under her wing. She said: 'I don't think I'd be here without her. I met her on my first screen test for Lucas – I didn't know what a screen test was. Advertisement 'Laura was there to read for the older girl, and she talked me through it, 'cause I didn't know what the f*** was going on. 'She befriended me. I was literally 12 and – nobody knows this – she took me under her wing into my twenties. That relationship got me through.' She is now passing on her own wisdom to the younger cast members on the series Stranger Things. Ryder said: 'I've been trying to sort of change this narrative with the kids, because they have it drilled into them that they're so lucky and, you know, that this show 'made' them. Advertisement 'I'm like: 'No. Netflix is so lucky. You guys are the special ones. Like, you guys are magic.'' Ryder is also known for starring in films including Heathers, Edward Scissorhands and Little Women. The September issue of ELLE UK is on sale from July 31st.
Time Out
an hour ago
- Time Out
This little-known streaming service has great movies, no ads – and it's totally free
The streaming revolution has made almost the entirety of movie history available at the clack of a keyboard, but it's far from perfect. For one thing, it's grown terribly expensive. As the number of platforms has exploded, the notion of canceling cable – the dream of the early streaming era – has become increasingly cost prohibitive. And yes, while there are a handful of free, ad-supported services with decent catalogues out there, it's pretty jarring to watch, let's say, Late Spring and suddenly get interrupted with a commercial for cleaning liquid or Taco Bell. But what if we told you there's a streaming service that's not only totally free and without ads, but loaded with great new, classic and rare films – and that all you need to access it is a library card. It's called Kanopy. Started in 2008 out of Western Australia, the company initially aimed to be 'the Netflix of education', marketing itself to universities and libraries in the US, UK, Canada and Australia. and hosting thousands of videos from the likes of the Criterion Collection, PBS and BBC. Now, it's simply a cinephile's dream, offering over 30,000 titles ranging from classics from Hollywood and abroad, to cult favourites, to hard-to-find obscurities, to documentaries and experimental films, to even newer fare like 2025 Best Picture winner Anora. (A handful are added weekly.) And, as mentioned, if you have a library card from a participating library – or, for college students university ID – that's all you need to sign in. The caveats? That whole 'participating library' thing. Kanopy may be free for users, but its 'patron-driven acquisition' model can be pricey for institutions, and some have opted out, including three of the biggest libraries in New York. And streaming is not unlimited: users are granted a certain number of 'tickets' per month – films cost anywhere from zero to four tickets, and two on average – which reset at the end of each month but do not roll over. All things considered, though, it's something of a miracle that not many people know exist. Looking to dive in? Here are 10 standout titles that are not currently available for free anywhere else. The Exiles (1961) A neo-realist slice-of-life about young Native Americans living in the Bunker Hill neighborhood of Los Angeles which has since been redeveloped beyond recognition – an invaluable, underseen cultural time capsule. Funeral Parade of Roses (1969) A kaleidoscopic journey into Tokyo's queer underground regarded as a major totem of the Japanese New Wave, and a rumoured influence on Stanley Kubrick's A Clockwork Orange. Master of the Flying Guillotine (1976) A cult-classic martial arts flick, featuring a one-armed kung-fu expert, a blind monk skilled in the art of decapitation and a coterie of other fighters straight out of a Mortal Kombat roster. The Silent Partner (1978) One of the more overlooked thrillers of the 1970s, starring Elliott Gould as a bank teller stalked by an angry mall Santa, played by Christopher Plummer. Siskel and Ebert loved it. Babylon (1980) Director Franco Rosso's gritty expose of British racial tensions, framed around a tumultuous week in the life of a young reggae DJ. The Brother from Another Planet (1984) John Sayles dips into sci-fi comedy with this social satire about an alien who resembles a Black human man lost in New York, featuring a tremendous wordless performance from Joe Morton. Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters (1985) Paul Schrader's visually and narratively imaginative portrait of Japanese artist Yukio Mishima, widely considered one of the best (and most original) biopics ever made. Hard to Be a God (2013) Russian filmmaker Aleksei German's final movie, an epic and visually unsettling adaptation of the 1964 sci-fi novel about a crew of scientists observing a race of extraterrestrial humans in the midst of their medieval phase. Soundtrack to a Coup d'Etat (2024) An Academy Award-nominated documentary that takes a mesmerising video-essay-approach to the role American jazz musicians played in a US-backed coup in the Congo – and how some of them fought back. Universal Language (2025) One of the year's under-the-radar gems, a surreal comedy from Canadian experimentalist Matthew Rankin set in alternate reality and featuring three seemingly mundane stories that overlap in surprising ways. It's… hard to describe, but well worth watching.
Daily Mail
5 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Perth dancer explains why she's the first Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader to wear a ponytail after copping wild backlash for 'Aussie Coded' look
Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader Faith Ward has responded to backlash about her hair after one detail set the internet alight. The 22-year-old, who was born in New Zealand but grew up in Western Australia, has become the first Kiwi to make the crew. Faith shared a social media post to celebrate the news on Sunday, proudly holding up her fresh DCC uniform with her blonde hair pulled back into a high ponytail. As hundreds of well-wishers and teammates flooded the comments section, Faith's hairstyle prompted a massive response from fans of the team. 'Congrats! But wondering why do you wear your hair in a ponytail, not down like everyone else?' one social media user asked. From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the DailyMail's new Showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop. 'Is no one inquiring about the ponytail moment?!?!?' a second fan commented. 'It looks weird that she's the only one with a ponytail,' another said. 'We all want to know about the ponytail please,' yet another wrote, with one viewer requesting the 'backstory.' 'Does anyone know if they made an exception with her hair? DCC has strict hair regulations,' another pointed out. One supporter even remarked that Faith's slick-back hair was 'so Aussie coded.' Faith was named as one of just six rookies to join the cheerleading team of 36 to perform during the upcoming season of the NFL. She stars in series two of Netflix 's hit reality TV series America's Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders, which hit screens on June 20 after its debut run won over legions of fans. To make the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders, all rookies must undergo makeovers during training camp, which can involve dramatic changes to their hair, makeup, and sometimes even teeth to help them achieve the 'DCC look '. These makeovers are a crucial part of assessing a candidate's potential and ensuring they meet the team's strict aesthetic standards. Back in 2016, DCC director Kelli Finglass told People that all cheerleaders 'wear their hair down, even in rehearsal.' 'It's about the girls being as glamorous as they can,' she said, adding that a 'DCC hairstyle' absolutely must 'dance well'. Faith confirmed she is the first DCC to be allowed an up-do in an interview with ABC Perth on Monday. 'It's crazy because obviously the DCC hairstyle is out, fluffy, voluminous, luscious, long locks. I've broken that stereotype,' she said. Strangely enough, it was a rehearsal to Thunderstruck by Australian rock legends AC/DC that Kelli suggested Faith put her hair up. 'So, I'm in rehearsal one of the days with my hair out and I am, you know, sweating after doing "Thunderstruck",' she explained. 'She's looking at me and she's like, "You know what? I really want to see what your hair would look like tied up".' Faith did as she was told and the departure from team regulation made her a standout. 'I go into uniform fittings and keep my hair up in hopes that she would like it still, and I walk in and she goes, "You're giving Ariana Grande! Like, we need an Ariana Grande moment on the team",' she said. 'I said, are you serious right now, Kelli? This is so exciting!' The famously strict director told the Aussie newcomer: 'Yeah, but I want your ponytail longer, I want it blonder and then I want to see a cameo day where I prefer you be with your hair out.' Faith said the reason she hasn't addressed online speculation is because she's awaiting Kelli's final verdict on her look. 'But right now, it's looking very hopeful that I will be a DCC with a ponytail,' she enthused. In her Instagram post, Faith said making the team was, 'The best day of my life.' 'This journey has been incredibly challenging, both physically and mentally, but I wouldn't change a thing,' she wrote. 'I've been pushed in ways I never imagined, I've learned and grown so much already.' Faith started dancing professionally at 18 on cruise ships, but now will perform in front of much larger crowds, with at least 90,000 people attending Cowboys games
