Latest news with #FirstLove
Daily Mail
16 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
CHRISTOPHER STEVENS reviews Mix Tape: A blissful wallow in the nostalgic afterglow of innocent young love
Mix Tape (BBC2) Funny thing — until the advent of the Pill in the 1960s, most young women married their first serious boyfriend. That's why, this year, a good many couples will be celebrating diamond or even platinum wedding anniversaries. But a lifetime later, it's almost shocking for teenagers to marry. Yet the idea of First Love is still hugely romantic... and, thanks to social media, countless people are getting back together with the schooldays crush with whom they shared their first kiss or first dance. The comedian Katherine Ryan, for instance, dated her husband, Bobby Kootstra, at school in Canada, until he dumped her on prom night. Decades later, they met again and now have two children together, and is pregnant with her third. Mix Tape wallows blissfully in the nostalgic afterglow of a teenage love affair. Jim Sturgess and Teresa Palmer play former sweethearts Daniel and Alison, who shared a heartbreakingly chaste passion for each other in school at the end of the 1980s but have long since drifted apart. Both are married, both are parents of teenagers, both are writers — but while he's a struggling music journalist still living in Sheffield, she's a bestselling novelist with a millionaire's penthouse in Sydney, Australia. A sense of missed opportunities and disappointment pervades their lives, though neither of them wants to acknowledge it. Daniel's wife is smugly satisfied that her career is so much more successful than his. Alison's husband is arrogant and overbearing, even controlling. Any bitterness in the story is offset by the flashbacks to schooldays, drenched in the music of the era. The pair first meet at a party where The Stone Roses are shaking the walls, and in a series of shy, touching scenes, they bond over a shared obsession with the wistful songs of Nick Drake and The Velvet Underground. He (Rory Walton-Smith) makes her a cassette of his favourite tracks and slips it into her bag. She (Florence Hunt) compiles her own tape and leaves it in his locker. Many years later, she smiles distantly and tells her daughter, 'You never forget the boy who makes you your first mix tape.' All nostalgia has a flattering soft-focus filter, of course. In reality, their C90s wouldn't only feature cool bands like The Smiths, The Jesus And Mary Chain and New Order. There'd be some U2 on there, some Billy Joel, possibly something truly embarrassing like Bananarama. But the whole point of the past is that we can remember it the way it should have been, not how it really was. This four-part series, based on the acclaimed novel by Jane Sanderson, evokes a Yorkshire that perhaps had already vanished by 1989, where men in back-to-back terraces kept pigeons and supped from Thermos flasks while fishing in the canal. But we believe in it, because of the guileless innocence of the young actors playing Daniel and Alison. It's all so pure, it must be true. Meanwhile elsewhere on TV, Dan from Durham, a contestant on The Great British Sewing Bee (BBC1), revealed his talent for fire-breathing. One burp, presenter Sara Pascoe warned, and an outfit could go up in flames. The show has had drag acts before, but never dragons.
Tatler Asia
06-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Tatler Asia
‘The Greatest Showman' star Keala Settle takes the stage at the Samsung Performing Arts Theater
This Is Me, An Evening with Keala Settle also features an orchestra and Settle will be joined by Jillian Itaas, Jep Go and a special appearance by fellow Broadway star, Arielle Jacobs. Mikko Angeles helms the show as the director, with musical direction handled by Farley Asuncion and choreography by JM Cabling. Audiences can expect a powerful performance of Broadway numbers, original compositions and reimagined pop anthems set behind the backdrop of immersive visuals and vibrant theatrics care of Ohm David, Meliton Roxas and Joyce Garcia. This is Me, An Evening with Keala Settle takes the stage on July 11 at the Samsung Performing Arts Theatre. For more information, follow their social media pages. NOW READ The Playbook Club's 'First Love, Last Love: A Twinbill' tells intimate stories of time and connection Reimagining the narratives of the past: the UP Vargas Museum highlights works by Lee Paje and Ampannee Satoh Virgin Labfest (VLF) 2025 courageously opens difficult conversations
Tatler Asia
06-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Tatler Asia
The Playbook Club's ‘First Love, Last Love: A Twinbill' tells intimate stories of time and connection
If you had a time machine, how would you use it? For Ruby Versoza (played by Erika Rafael), she chooses to speak to her ex-high school sweetheart, Arthur (Los Akiyama), one last time a week before her wedding. Directed by Pia Ysobel Cruz, Napapanahon captures the 'what-ifs' that plague everyone's minds, taking us right back to moments we wish had gone differently. While many would say that it's wrong to think these things, especially right before you get married, it's also deeply human to do so—and Rafael conveys Ruby's indecision with such vulnerability that feels real. See also: Kakki Teodoro spent decades on stage. Now she speaks up about what's changing—and what isn't CoR (Commission of Relationships) Set in the near future, the government has imposed a hefty tax of PHP 600,000 on new relationships. The audience is introduced to Lau (Rafael Jimenez) and Luna (Dippy Arceo), who quickly develop a bond. Starting naturally as friends, the two eventually fall for each other but are forced to hide it. While one adamantly proposes to get registered, the other is unsure—leading to a painful back-and-forth that seems familiar. Director Zoë de Ocampo and playwright Jimenez's worldbuilding is on point, using dialogue to set the scene instead of outright showing us. In this imagined not-so-distant future, audiences are able to ascertain the repercussions that such a law could have in our society—whether cultural or economic. For instance, Lau mentions that all the love songs are about loneliness. While it's a line seemingly said in passing, it sets up the kind of world our characters live in, one where love is outlawed unless you're registered. CoR also mirrors the modern trend of relationships, albeit in a more exaggerated way. These days, situationships are rampant, and plenty of people break themselves over emotional instability. The play taps into this relatable and relevant cycle and sets it to 11. While the law itself is rooted in absurdity, it allows the audience to be more invested in a couple who not only put a large sum of money down for each other, but also commit to their own emotional maturity. First Love, Last Love: A Twinbill runs until June 22, 2025 at the Mirror Studio Theatre in Makati. For more information, visit their social media pages. NOW READ Virgin Labfest (VLF) 2025 courageously opens difficult conversations GMG Productions' 'Come From Away' tells a deeply human tale of compassion, unity and resilience Ballet Manila's 'Swan Lake' takes flight once more, bridging continents and careers
Time of India
15-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Odia films attract large crowds during raja festival
Bhubaneswar: Going to the movies with family and friends has long been a cherished part of Raja festivities. In recent years, the tradition lost its sheen due to a lack of compelling Odia films. This year, that has changed dramatically. "As someone who grew up watching Raja releases every year, it feels great to finally see the halls packed again. We want to see stories in our language, about our culture, and this year's films gave us just that," said Rashmi Nayak, a 22-year-old student. Three Odia films released during Raja—'Ananta', based on Fakir Mohan Senapati's story, 'Bou, Butu, Bhuta', a horror comedy, and 'First Love', a romantic drama—struck the right chord with viewers, offering a mix of emotion, humour, and cultural relevance. Theatre owners say the box office response has been overwhelming. "This is the best Raja season we've had in the last 10 years. Every show is running full. People are coming in festive attire, clicking selfies, and turning movie outings into a celebration again," said Prakash Panda, manager of a popular cinema hall in Bhubaneswar. Veteran filmmaker and producer Sabyasachi Mohapatra said, "This kind of excitement reminds me of the days when people queued for hours to buy tickets. We feared losing our audience, but this trend proves they are ready to return—if we give them strong content."
GMA Network
18-05-2025
- Entertainment
- GMA Network
Hikaru Utada sings 'First Love' on 'First Take' 26 years after song's release
Hikaru Utada took us all back to 1999 as she performed her hit song "First Love" on the Japanese YouTube channel "First Take." Accompanied by piano, she delivered a heartfelt and emotional version of her hit song 26 years after its release. "First Love" was among the tracks included in Utada's debut Japanese-language studio album with the same name. Shortly after its release, the song quickly became a classic hit. The album also remains the highest-selling Japanese album with nationwide sales of eight million copies. In 2022, Netflix released the Japanese series "First Love," which took inspiration from Utada's songs. It starred Takeru Satoh and Hikari Mitsushima. —Jade Veronique Yap/MGP, GMA Integrated News
