Bring Her Back to Destination X: the week in rave reviews
Summed up in a sentence A powerful, gripping look back at the tragic events that overwhelmed New Orleans in 2005.
What our reviewer said 'This series is a devastatingly precise illustration of systemic failure, political impotence and media distortion.' Phil Harrison
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Further reading 'There's New Orleans before and after': revisiting Hurricane Katrina in a new docuseries
BBC iPlayer; available now
Summed up in a sentence A surreally elaborate reality competition that makes contestants live on a coach with blacked-out windows, drives them around Europe – and forces them to guess where they are for cash.
What our reviewer said 'Destination X does not close like a vice around you in the manner of The Traitors, nor does it have the cockle-warming aspect of Race Across the World. But it's fun to go along for the ride.' Lucy Mangan
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BBC iPlayer; available now
Summed up in a sentence This powerful documentary tells the story of Japan's deployment of kamikaze pilots to bomb US ships in the Pacific during the second world war; missions that killed almost 4,000 Japanese and 7,000 American soldiers.
What our reviewer said 'Clear answers are not to be found here but, as we gaze at photographs of squadrons of men under the age of 25, whose whole adult lives were rehearsals for their death, we have to ask why.' Jack Seale
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Channel 4; available now
Summed up in a sentence A belated airing of the hugely controversial documentary that the BBC refused to show: a horrifying investigation into claims that Israel's Defence Force has systematically targeted Palestinian medics.
What our reviewer said 'This is the sort of television that will never leave you. It will provoke an international reaction, and for extremely good cause. Forget what got it stopped at the BBC. It is here now and, regardless of how that happened, we owe it to the subjects to not look away.' Stuart Heritage
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In cinemas now
Summed up in a sentence The Philippou brothers seal their position as dark chiefs of modern horror in story of an orphan trying to save his stepsister from a villainous Sally Hawkins.
What our reviewer said 'It's a horror preying with hideous expertise on our protective instincts towards the vulnerable, our fear of our own vulnerability, the shame and guilt of abuse, and survivors' wretched sense of loyalty to their abusers.' Peter Bradshaw
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Further reading 'It's very risky': the Philippou brothers on horror films, back yard wrestling and knocking back Hollywood
In cinemas now
Summed up in a sentence Highly amusing spoof reboot of Zucker, Abrahams and Zucker's comedy classic, with Liam Neeson as the son of Leslie Nielsen's Lt Frank Drebin, appearing opposite Pamela Anderson.
What our reviewer said 'It is a life-support system for some outrageous gags, including sensational riffs on Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Sex and the City, and one showstopping are-they-really-gonna-do-it reference to OJ Simpson, who featured in the original films.' Peter Bradshaw
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Further reading The return of the spoof: can comedy's silliest subgenre make a comeback?
In cinemas now
Summed up in a sentence Third in a playful trilogy from Norwegian novelist and film-maker Dag Johan Haugerud, about a 17-year-old whose memoir about her passion for a teacher rattles three generations.
What our reviewer said 'I can imagine two different sorts of US English-language remake: one which ramps up the wry indie comedy, and another which transfers the emphasis to a dead-serious generational family drama. Neither would have this insouciant flavour.' Peter Bradshaw
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In cinemas now
Summed up in a sentence Heartwrenching follow-up to 20 Days in Mariupol, in which photojournalist Mstyslav Chernov is embedded with the 3rd Assault Brigade during a gruelling counteroffensive in Ukraine.
What our reviewer said 'The forces brutally fight every metre of the way, heading for the symbolic liberation of the largely ruined village of Andriivka in north-eastern Ukraine. They are carrying a precious Ukrainian flag, and it is their mission to fix this to any broken bit of wall they can find, to proclaim their national spirit is not dead.' Peter Bradshaw
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Further reading 'The soldiers want you to see what they're going through': the heartbreaking follow-up to 20 Days in Mariupol
Multiple digital platforms; available now
Summed up in a sentence Deba Hekmat is impressively subtle as a British-Iranian teen whose celebrations come unstuck on a complicated A-level results day.
What our reviewer said 'Director Sasha Nathwani gets a headlong rush of energy from his zesty young cast, as they roam all over London – first in a horribly uncool 80s car, then on bikes, then via train.' Peter Bradshaw
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Review by Houman Barekat
Summed up in a sentence Scorching literary hot takes.
What our reviewer said 'Reviewing Bret Easton Ellis's 'deeply needless' 2019 essay collection Long Chu bemoans his descent into fogeyish paranoia, and suggests the author of American Psycho is starting to resemble his most famous creation.'
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Review by Emma Brockes
Summed up in a sentence A gossipy, unsparing portrait of the actor and wellness guru.
What our reviewer said 'Here's a reveal: Paltrow is such a massive cheapskate she used Goop's food editors to cook for her.'
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Further reading Self-belief and sex eggs: 10 things we learned about Gwyneth Paltrow from an explosive new biography
Review by Xan Brooks
Summed up in a sentence Precocious 10-year-old Vera Bradford-Shmulkin comes of age in a near-future, post-democracy US.
What our reviewer said 'Shteyngart's ode to a good American in a bad America conspires to be, by turns, a rueful human comedy and a coming-of-age caper, a dystopian chiller and an espionage yarn.'
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Review by James Smart
Summed up in a sentence Two fortysomething Glaswegians from either side of the tracks form an unlikely friendship.
What our reviewer said 'A comic melodrama that's never dull, and a satire that hits most of its targets … a fine choice for anyone who likes a little grit in their holiday read.'
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Further reading John Niven: 'My comfort read? Alan Clark's diaries'
Review by Patrick Gale
Summed up in a sentence In the rugged far north of Sweden, an elderly man lives out his last days with his beloved dog.
What our reviewer said 'As Bo's end draws near, he faces the twin challenges of keeping his beloved Sixten at his side and overcoming his masculine conditioning so as not to die with love unexpressed.'
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Review by Marcel Theroux
Summed up in a sentence As his kids leave home, a middle-aged man takes a road trip to figure out his future, and whether to leave his marriage.
What our reviewer said 'The relaxed precision of the writing is one of the novel's pleasures. Another is the gradual unpacking of Tom's mind as we travel alongside him.'
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Out now
Summed up in a sentence Velvets-style drone rock, trad folk, anarcho-punk and hippy whimsy are all discernible in the Brighton quartet's debut album.
What our reviewer said 'The New Eve Is Rising sounds as if it's being played live, by a band who prize immediacy over virtuosity, with all the teetering potential for disaster that suggests. There's a certain white-knuckle intensity to the moment when Circles shifts its rhythm, and given that the change is counted in with such vociferousness, perhaps it hasn't always come off in the past.' Alexis Petridis
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Out now
Summed up in a sentence This sequel retains the original's generation-defining mix of dread and debauchery, although it is overshadowed by recent bolder versions of the sound.
What our reviewer said 'It's an understandable impulse to make a sequel: rappers have done it for years, and nostalgia-bait has become a dominant form of popular art – to the point that Madonna has been teasing Confessions Part 2. But for an innovator such as AraabMuzik, moving on seems the best path.' Shaad D'Souza
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Out now
Summed up in a sentence Kaique Vieira's latest 'bruxaria' album is even bolder and louder than his 2023 debut, as he brings revolutionary spirit to the funk sound of São Paulo.
What our reviewer said 'Vieira displays immense skill in balancing his arrangements and allowing each element, no matter how brash, to play clearly without collapsing into muddy loudness. Some listeners may find it too noisy, but succumb to Vieira's relentless energy and there is freedom in the barrage of sounds – an invitation to lose yourself in the cacophony.' Ammar Kalia
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Out now
Summed up in a sentence Exaudi, directed by James Weeks, explore late 16th-century choral works in this fascinating and involving disc.
What our reviewer said 'The writhing, convoluted lines of these pieces, negotiated with exemplary precision and clarity by the seven singers of Exaudi, their voices perfectly matched and balanced, carry their own expressive power. This is a disc that becomes more fascinating and involving the more you listen to it.' Andrew Clements
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Out now
Summed up in a sentence Painted as a villain following Janet Jackson and Britney Spears controversies, the pop-R&B megastar gets back to brass tacks – and bed-rattling.
What our reviewer said 'With not a hope in hell of regaining the narrative upper hand, the only weapon in Timberlake's arsenal is to produce bangers beyond reproach. For nearly half of this excessively long album, he gets close.' Laura Snapes
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Further reading Justin Timberlake reveals Lyme disease diagnosis
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Daily Mail
19 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
McDonald's finally confirms what iconic purple character Grimace REALLY is - and fans can't cope
After decades of wild speculation, McDonald's has finally put an end to one of the most bizarre pop‑culture mysteries of all time. Grimace, the lovable purple blob who's been part of the McDonaldland crew for generations, is… a taste bud. Yes, you read that right. A giant, anthropomorphic taste bud who has somehow managed to charm millions around the globe. Fans have spent years theorising about Grimace's true origin. Was he a milkshake? A blob? Some sort of alien? Now we know the truth. Grimace made his debut in 1971 as 'Evil Grimace' - a scaly, four‑armed villain who stole cups in McDonaldland to prevent anyone from enjoying milkshakes or Coca‑Cola. 'The original Grimace was scaly, mean‑looking, had four arms, and had no charm whatsoever,' former McDonald's vice‑president of advertising Roy T. Bergold Jr. wrote in QSR magazine. The character proved a little too terrifying for young customers, so McDonald's gave him a major glow‑up - ditching the extra limbs and menace for a softer, cuddlier look and a sweet tooth for shakes. Of course, Grimace is just one member of the iconic McDonaldland cast. There's Ronald McDonald himself, Birdie the Early Bird - the perky mascot for the breakfast menu - and the mischievous Hamburglar, whose one mission is to nab as many burgers as possible. But while each of them has a role, none has sparked quite as many late‑night debates as Grimace. Now that the mystery has been solved, it seems one thing is certain: whether he's a blob, a buddy, or the world's most famous tastebud, Grimace will always have a special place in the hearts (and Instagram feeds) of McDonald's fans everywhere.
Daily Mail
21 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Sydney Sweeney is heckled over her American Eagle scandal when hitting her Americana screening
Sydney Sweeney was heckled when walking into a screening of her film Americana, which was held in Hollywood on Sunday. A woman called her names when she arrived at the event, according to a Monday report from TMZ. It was over Sweeney's controversial American Eagle campaign, which was accused of pushing Nazi-like eugenics as aspirational. 'Genes are passed down from parents to offspring, often determining traits like hair color, personality, and even eye color,' Sydney said in the commercial. 'My jeans are blue.' The newly-registered Republican has yet to publicly address the backlash to her controversial American Eagle campaign. On Sunday the 27-year-old Euphoria stunner flaunted substantial cleavage in a bustier gown with tulle skirt, which was custom made by bridal designer Danielle Frankel. Stylist Molly Dickson also dressed Sydney in an $18 Bahay Kubo 'Bahay Headband' in butter along with square-toed pumps and Effy Jewelry. Hairstylist Glen Oropeza coiffed Sweeney's extension-filled brown waves and make-up artist Melissa Hernandez brought out her natural blue eyes with mascara and brushed-up brows. Last Friday, American Eagle CEO Jay Schottenstein issued a statement stressing that the spot 'is and always was about the jeans' and noted that 'great jeans look good on everyone.' The $3.3B denim brand's white supremacy accusations have definitely caused the stock price to dip over the past week. But a source claimed to TMZ last Wednesday that 'independent polling shows the vast majority of folks — around 70 percent — find the commercial appealing.' The Pittsburgh-based fashion retailer pledged to donate 100 percent of the proceeds from 'The Sydney Jean' (featuring a butterfly patch representing domestic violence awareness) to mental health support non-profit, Crisis Text Line. In Americana, Sydney plays an aspiring country singer and South Dakota waitress called Penny Jo Poplin in Lionsgate's modern-day western, which hits US theaters August 15 and UK theaters August 22. That's technically two years after Americana's world premiere at South by Southwest and three years after production wrapped. The long-delayed crime thriller — formerly known as National Anthem — also stars Halsey, Paul Walter Hauser, and Eric Dane. The 30-year-old blue-haired pop star — who plays Mandy Starr — bared her tattooed sleeves in a white corseted turtleneck top, bedazzled blue jeans, and white lacy pumps selected by stylist Lyn Alyson. Halsey (born Ashley Frangipane) and Sweeney were joined on the black carpet by their castmate Simon Rex — who plays Roy Lee Dean — and director Tony Tost. The Spokane-born, LA-raised bombshell will next portray the real-life German settler Margret Wittmer in Ron Howard's $50M-budget survival thriller Eden — hitting US theaters August 22 — alongside Jude Law, Ana de Armas, and Daniel Brühl. Sydney recently reprised her breakout role as Cassie Howard in the eight-episode third season of HBO hit show Euphoria, which is produced by and starring Zendaya as Ruby 'Rue' Bennett. Sam Levinson's drug-fueled drama will welcome newcomers Sharon Stone, Rosalía, Marshawn Lynch and Kadeem Hardison in season three. In January, Sweeney was hard at work executive producing and starring in Paul Feig's big-screen adaptation of Freida McFadden's 2022 novel The Housemaid, which Lionsgate plans to release in time for Christmas. On November 25, the Fifty–Fifty Films co-founder wrapped her role as professional boxer Christy Martin in David Michôd's untitled biopic, which she called 'one of the most emotional, transformative experiences of my life.' Sydney will soon begin producing and starring in her Euphoria castmate Colman Domingo's feature directorial debut Scandalous! about the love affair between Kim Novak and Sammy Davis Jr. (David Jonsson). Sweeney is very much in demand with several projects in the works including the Reddit-based thriller I Pretended to Be a Missing Girl for Warner Bros, Jon M. Chu's sci-fi flick Split Fiction for Amazon MGM Studios. She's producing Michael Bay's video game adaptation OutRun for Universal. Aside from her movie career, the Echo Valley actress — who boasts 26.1 million social media followers — is every bit the influencer with lucrative paid partnerships for brands like Samsung Mobile USA, Dr. Squatch, LANEIGE US, Bai, and HEYDUDE.
The Independent
an hour ago
- The Independent
Ryan Garcia reignites feud with Oscar De La Hoya as he reveals future plans
Ryan Garcia has hit out at promoter Oscar De La Hoya, describing the former six-division world champion as 'disrespectful' and 'offensive'. 'King Ry' also stated that his partnership with Golden Boy Promotions would come to an end after his next fight, a relationship first formed in 2016. A rocky period in 2019 was smoothed over with a new contract, but Garcia's most recent comments suggest that there is no way back between fighter and promoter. Garcia told The Ring: 'I've always tried to mend the relationship and be the bigger person. I've said in the past that families fight, and always put it aside. 'But it's really hard to deal with a promoter who's really involved with himself. He loves the attention, still, even at his age. It just never works with his fighters, especially the ones who are the stars. You saw what happened with him and Canelo Alvarez. 'He causes a division in people, and he doesn't know how to keep a good relationship. He likes to air people's business and do things that a promoter shouldn't. He's always been coming at me. There's always riff-raff. I don't care that he posted the screenshot because I know my worth.' The screenshot Garcia refers to was shared in a social media post by De La Hoya. At the end of June, De La Hoya posted a screenshot of a private conversation with Garcia, where his client sent an abusive text message. Unfortunately Ryan Garcia is having another episode. Ten days ago he's talking about God and finding his path, then tonight he sends me this rant while watching his fellow Golden Boy fighters win. Bipolar disorder is very serious and I hope he gets the help he needs. — Oscar De La Hoya (@OscarDeLaHoya) June 29, 2025 De La Hoya told his followers: 'Unfortunately Ryan Garcia is having another episode. Ten days ago he's talking about God and finding his path, then tonight he sends me this rant while watching his fellow Golden Boy fighters win. Bipolar disorder is very serious and I hope he gets the help he needs.' Whilst Garcia said that he was nonplussed about De La Hoya sharing private messages, he complained that his promoter was preventing him from facing Rolly Romero in a rematch. Having missed a year out due to a drugs ban, Garcia was shocked upon his return to the ring by Romero in May. At the end of July Romero was named full champion by the World Boxing Association (WBA) at welterweight, raising the stakes of a potential rematch between the pair. He continued: 'After the Romero fight, they gave me the worst offer you can ever imagine. It was a bulls*** offer. And then Oscar tried to take my rematch with Rolly and give it to Raul Curiel. I've been trying to get the Rolly rematch, and now you want to give it to another fighter? 'It's a slap in the face, and it keeps happening over and over again. It's disrespectful. There is no loyalty. It's offensive, and they show me their true colours every time. I don't want to be a part of a team like that, and that's just the truth.' Rather than simply call out his promoter, Garcia went on to question's De La Hoya's business acumen. He added: 'Why is he hating on the only guy who's making him money? ' Gervonta Davis and I made $100 million in our fight. Who is the other fighter from Golden Boy who is a star? They don't have any. I am not being rude because I respect my fellow fighters. It's just the truth. Canelo told me back in the day, and I should have listened.' 'Oscar has no trust or belief in me. Great fighters lose, and they come back, rebuild and get better. Look at all the times he lost and came back. He was still the Golden Boy, and I was rooting for him. That's what the sport is all about. 'Oscar doesn't respect me. I don't think he ever thought I was a good fighter, but frankly, I don't care. I have one more fight left with him, and that's it. If they can build another star, great. I want to move on.' DAZN is the home of combat sports, broadcasting over 185 fights a year from the world's best promoters, including Matchroom, Queensberry, Golden Boy, Misfits, PFL, BKFC, GLORY and more. An Annual Saver subscription is a one-off cost of £119.99 / $224.99 (for 12 months access), that's just 64p / $1.21 per fight. There is also a Monthly Flex Pass option (cancel any time) at £24.99 / $29.99 per month. A subscription includes weekly magazine shows, comprehensive fight library, exclusive interviews, behind-the-scenes documentaries, and podcasts and vodcasts.
