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What's On
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- What's On
The F1 movie is out; here are more great movies to catch in the cinema this weekend
We've got a big weekend at the movies, with everything from high-octane F1 action to live-action remakes and even a zombie apocalypse thrown in for good measure. Sure, we love a good streaming binge, but nothing beats the big-screen experience, complete with overflowing popcorn tubs, too-big sodas, and those mid-movie dashes to the bathroom. For your film fix, here are all the new movies hitting UAE cinemas this weekend. F1 Cast: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem Arguably one of the most talked-about releases of the year — and not just among F1 fans. When the film was first announced and began shooting during last year's actual Grand Prix weekends, die-hard motorsport fans were sceptical. But with high production value, A-list talent, and plenty of on-track action, this one's shaping up to be a slick, high-octane crowd-pleaser, dramatic, cinematic, and full throttle from start to finish. Book here. How To Train Your Dragon Cast: Gerard Butler, Nico Parker, Nick Frost, Mason Thames A beloved animated franchise, How To Train Your Dragon holds serious weight with fans. `so any live-action adaptation had big shoes (or wings) to fill. Thankfully, early reactions suggest they've nailed it. The story of Hiccup, Toothless, and a Viking world learning to live in harmony with dragons gets a fresh, cinematic retelling, with a strong cast and soaring visuals that aim to honour the original while bringing something new for today's audiences. Book here. 28 Years Later Cast: Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Jodie Comer, Jack O'Connell Set 28 years after the events of the original 28 Days Later , this long-awaited sequel throws us back into a world still haunted by the rage virus. Society is fractured, strict quarantines are in place, and survival is far from guaranteed. The story follows a group of survivors on a remote island who've carved out a fragile existence — until they uncover a new threat that's even more disturbing than the virus itself. Expect gritty visuals, slow-burning tension, and a chilling new chapter in the post-apocalyptic saga. Book here. Ballerina Cast: Ian McShane, Ana de Armas, Keanu Reeves If you're craving more John Wick-style action, but with a fresh twist, Ballerina delivers. Set in the same universe as the iconic franchise, this spin-off follows Eve Macarro, a deadly dancer trained by the assassin syndicate Ruska Roma. Fueled by vengeance after her father's murder, she takes on an army of killers in a stylish, high-body-count rampage. Expect slick choreography, big stunts, and yes — Keanu Reeves makes an appearance. Because you can never have too much Wick. Book here. M3GAN 2.0 Cast: Allison Williams, Violet McGraw, Brian Jordan Alvarez Creating a hyper-intelligent killer doll once clearly wasn't enough, M3GAN 2.0 takes the chaos up a notch. Set two years after the original AI companion went rogue, the sequel picks up in a world where M3GAN's tech has survived and fallen into the wrong hands. This time, the threat isn't just domestic. The software is being weaponised, with military-grade consequences. Expect Book here. Images: Socials > Sign up for FREE to get exclusive updates that you are interested in
Yahoo
18-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Ballerina Isn't The Hot Mess I Expected It To Be, But It Does Screw Up John Wick's Timeline
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. From The World Of John Wick: Ballerina is one of the most hotly anticipated movies on the 2025 movie schedule. As a big fan of the franchise and the world it has created, it was high on my list, too. I was a little worried about how the reported problems with the production, including director Len Wiseman stepping away at one point because of a health issue, would turn it into a disaster on screen. I'm happy to report that it isn't the hot mess I feared it could be. Ballerina is actually pretty good. It does seem, however, that the production turmoil has led to a real problem with the franchise's timeline. Before I go any further, I have to make it clear that there will be major spoilers ahead for Ballerina (and the third and fourth John Wick movies, for that matter), so proceed with caution if you haven't seen the Ana de Armas-led action movie. Since very early on in the development of Ballerina, we've known that Keanu Reeves, who, of course, plays John Wick in four movies in the franchise, would make an appearance. We also knew that Ballerina would take place between the third and fourth installments of the John Wick movies. We just didn't know how big a role Reeves would have, or how it would work into the plot. Early in the movie, Eve (de Armas) sees Wick come to the theater where she is training with 'The Director,' played by Angelica Huston. What Eve sees, from a different perspective, is what audiences saw in John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum. Wick is branded over his tattoo, indicating he is out of the Ruska Roma. As he is leaving the theater, he and Eve have a brief encounter. I have to wonder if this was originally supposed to be the full extent of Reeves' participation in the movie. It's well known that the director of the four principal John Wick movies, Chad Stahelski, stepped in after initial production wrapped to do re-shoots with Reeves, but just how much work he did is subject to debate. Some reports claim there were extensive re-shoots, but Stahelski himself has downplayed just how much he did. Stahelski told The Hollywood Reporter, We just went in for a couple of weeks. We changed some of the action sequences and made up for some time that Len just didn't have. He didn't have enough time to do some of the bigger shots that it deserved. Reeves' role is much bigger than I thought it would be, with Wick appearing in much of the final act. It seems that at least some of this footage is what Stahelski is responsible for. It is also the part of Ballerina that really messes with the franchise timeline. We know the story is supposed to take place between the third and fourth John Wick movies, and the first scene with Reeves in the theater seemingly confirms that, as we see the scene from Parabellum. We also know that Wick is in bad shape at the end of Parabellum, barely clinging to life after falling from the roof of The Continental. He's certainly not in any kind of shape to travel to Europe and take on a village of assassins, as he does alongside Eve in Ballerina. Most speculation is that there are about six months between Parabellum and Chapter Four, and we know that during that time, however long it is, he is recovering from his extensive injuries with The Bowery King (Laurence Fishburne). We also know that Wick has been expelled from the Ruska Roma by The Director, yet it is Wick whom she calls to help Eve in the village of their rivals. There is no possible way that he could have gotten back in fighting shape and back on good terms with The Director in those few months between the third and fourth movies. The only possible explanation is that there is a much larger time jump between the first time Eve meets him at the theater and when he joins her in the mountain village. It has to come after the events of Chapter Four, and after Wick has again recovered from the injuries he received in that movie. Unfortunately, none of that is made clear, so we're left to wonder just what is going on. It seems entirely possible that the final fight scene in Ballerina could have come many months after the scene in the theater, as Eve has already completed both her training and her first mission protecting the daughter of a rich client. BUT – that's not actually possible either, as at the end of Ballerina we see Eve checking in to The Continental with Charon (Lance Reddick) at the front desk, and Charon was tragically killed in Chapter 4. In the end, there just isn't a way to explain how the timeline isn't screwed up by Ballerina. Either John Wick would be too beat up to be that powerful in the village, or Charon has come back from the dead. Either way, it makes no sense. That's not to say it ruins Ballerina or the John Wick franchise. Given the complications of the production and the film's delays, we all just need to be okay with the glitch in the matrix, so to speak. This film still delivers in the ways I want to see in the John Wick universe film, it's just a little frustrating that the creative forces behind the franchise have elegantly built a really fun world, and this is a blemish on it. If you want to catch up or rewatch all four John Wick movies, you can do so with a Peacock subscription, which is how I made sure I wasn't going crazy with these timeline questions. Peacock TV: from $7.99 a month/$79.99 a yearCatch up on all the John Wick movies and the prequel show The Continental only on Peacock. For as little as $7.99 a month, you can also pay more for Peacock Premium and enjoy ad-free streams of both and much Deal
New Indian Express
16-06-2025
- Entertainment
- New Indian Express
Ballerina Movie Review: Rides high on aggression and panache
There is a flamethrower duel in Ballerina that culminates in a way that could only be described as visual poetry. Anyways. Between a generic prologue and a uncharacteristically tepid ending, the film is burgeoning with infectious energy. It's not when the punches land, knife plunges, or guns fire, that we feel the apparent intensity. It is during the quiet moments when Ana de Armas' Eve pauses to catch a breath, tends to her wounds, and fails for the hundredth time to get back again, that we feel the simmering heat of Eve's unstoppable will. Her stoic perseverance to go up against seemingly improbable odds acts like an untameable Formula One car as it navigates the dangerous contours and difficult terrains of the progressively developing action set pieces. The result is an unceasing dosage of adrenaline straight to the heart for two hours. Director: Len Wiseman Cast: Ana de Armas, Anjelica Huston, Lance Reddick, Ian McShane, Keanu Reeves Unlike the John Wick films, in Ballerina, we begin with Eve's past; her father is ruthlessly hunted down by a mysterious group and she is raised to be an assassin by the rigid ways of the Ruska Roma. However, we do get traces of the John Wick films' DNA, but it is never overpowering. The neon aesthetics, subtle hints at the humungous network of assassins, diligent adherence to rules, and the signature magazine flip gun reload. They serve to accentuate the film rather than remind you of its roots to the mother franchise. The only exception to this rule is when John Wick returns for a second cameo towards the end, which betrays the effortless charm of the first cameo appearance. But by then, you are already invested in Eve's story, her unstoppable crusade to avenge her family is replete with creatively designed stunts that brim with childlike glee. The film, however, is not a mindless chain of stunts. Even before the Ruska Roma unleashes Eve into the real world, we see her tenacity building up, her aggression being reinforced to fight IQ, and the philosophy of her character is laid out. This makes up for the lack of emotional depth in the character and anchors our perspective to the protagonist. Eve shows how you don't need to know the entire emotional bandwidth of a character to empathise with them. We understood the laser-like unbending will of John Wick by seeing how he prepared to take down an entire army of assassins to avenge his puppy (Even if it's not 'just' a puppy). Here, Eve's core personality is revealed not through a training montage or a tattoo reveal. She is practising ballet, fails and raises to perfect her pirouette for the hundredth time, and the stage is stained with her blood. And that's how we know she will stop at nothing, even the Baba Yaga, to get what she wants. Ballerina might have the most gorgeous lighting put to film in recent times. Towards the end, when the story moves to a snowy, hillside landscape, the makers go all out to play with searchlights and the dark of the night, punctuated by gunfire and flamethrower discharge at regular intervals. There are micro-subversions in how every stunt plays out as well. The tension doesn't build or snap when you would typically expect it to, the guns start firing just a second before you think they would and that amps up the adrenaline rush. Every action set piece, and close combat sequences, are choreographed with the grace and precision of a ballet dance and the aggressive intensity of a high-speed car chase. Ballerina tries to pack all its extraordinary stunts into a larger theme, there is an interesting commentary on fate and how choices still shape our road to that inevitability. While it is satisfactorily woven into the story, it is not nearly as interesting as everything else the film has to offer. And whether you enjoy the film or not largely depends on whether or not that is a deal-breaker for you. There is a tedious sequel bait, a passable, functional story to glue everything together, but what Ballerina offers is everything best about the world of John Wick, unblemished, with the added charm of Ana de Armas.
Yahoo
15-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Ballerina: 'a total creative power cut' for the John Wick creators
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Fans of the John Wick series approach each new film expecting that "extreme violence will be dispensed and kill shots administered with abandon", said Helen O'Hara in Time Out. And on that level, this action-packed spin-off from the franchise does not disappoint. Set between "John Wick: Chapter 3" and "John Wick: Chapter 4", "Ballerina" stars Ana de Armas as Eve, a young woman who, as a girl, witnessed the assassination of her killer father, and was taken under the wing of Winston (Ian McShane), a hotel owner and Wick-verse regular. Thus the orphaned child ends up being brought up by the Ruska Roma international crime syndicate in a large house in New York, where she learns both ballet from the organisation's director (Anjelica Huston) and far deadlier arts. Initially, the trainee assassin does as the director tells her, said Adam Nayman in Sight and Sound. We see a lot of her "bumping off various mobsters en masse and earning her stripes in the form of tattoos". But when one of her "many (many) vanquished henchmen" turns out to have connections to her father's killer (Gabriel Byrne), she goes rogue and sets out on her own quest for vengeance. There's a "short but welcome" cameo from Keanu Reeves as Wick, but Huston chews through her dialogue "like a bored kid playing with her food". Nor can de Armas do much with her "lethally dull" role, said Tim Robey in The Daily Telegraph. Eve has a "spirit-sapping portentousness" that drains any fun from the film. The action scenes, meanwhile, boil down to "lowest-common-denominator sadism". The previous John Wick films have been entertaining enough, but "Ballerina" is "an exercise in flailing tedium that shows all the signs of a total creative power cut".
News18
14-06-2025
- Entertainment
- News18
Ballerina X Reviews: Ana De Armas' Action-Packed Spin-Off Receives Love In India
Last Updated: Directed by Len Wisemen, the events of Ballerina act like a bridge between John Wick: Chapter 3—Parabellum and John Wick: Chapter 4. From The World of John Wick: Ballerina, starring Ana de Armas as Eve Macarro, a ballerina-turned-assassin, has received positive reviews in India. The story of the new action-thriller, a spin-off from the John Wick universe, revolves around Eve's life. It begins by showing her past and how her father was killed by a group called Cult. She is then taken in by the Ruska Roma, who secretly trains ballerinas to become assassins. Eve trains for years and becomes a skilled assassin. She then hunts down her father's killers. Directed by Len Wisemen, the events of Ballerina act like a bridge between John Wick: Chapter 3—Parabellum and John Wick: Chapter 4. The movie premiered in India on Friday, June 13, and the reviews on X (formerly Twitter) are mostly positive. A user wrote, 'Whenever life throws you into an abyss with an unaccomplished goal, you tend to assist someone with a similar issue in life so that you can witness them get what you're denied. #BallerinaMovie explores this 'Circle of Life" with great passion and engages us with solid action sequences. #AnaDeArmas is good and witnessing #JohnWick again makes it worthwhile. Action lovers will be thrilled, yet emotional connect is pretty low. A decent addition to spin-off Wick-verse." Whenever life throws you into an abyss with an unaccomplished goal, you tend to assist someone with a similar issue in life, so that you can witness them get what you're denied. #BallerinaMovie explores this "Circle of Life" with great passion and engages us with solid action… — Survi (@PavanSurvi) June 13, 2025 Another called Ana de Armas' Ballerina 'is pure adrenaline. No complex story, just non-stop thrill. #AnaDeArmas is, and #JohnWck steals the show even in a cameo." From the world of John Wick, Ballerina is pure adrenaline. No complex story, just non-stop thrill. #AnaDeArmas is 'It's the most faithful spinoff from Hollywood in a decade. Ana de Armas absolutely dominated the screen. Perfectly captured the DNA of the original John Wick franchise. Time to fast-track Ballerina 2 immediately," another moviegoer wrote. #BallerinaMovie It's the most faithful spinoff from Hollywood in a decade. Ana de Armas absolutely dominated the screen. Perfectly captured the DNA of the original John Wick franchise. Time to fast-track Ballerina 2 immediately. — Midhun (@1whodunnit) June 13, 2025 An individual said, 'Just finished watching Ballerina it was a solid action movie filled with revenge, stylish action, and brutal fights. Ana de Armas truly delivered and brought that magic back that made John Wick so special. Definitely a must-watch for action & Johnwick fans." Just finished watching Ballerina it was a solid action movie filled with revenge, stylish action, and brutal fights. Ana de Armas truly delivered and brought that magic back that made John Wick so special. Definitely a must-watch for action & Johnwick fans. — Vikasu (@itsvikasu) June 13, 2025 '#Ballerina delivers a sleek, high-octane spin‑off in the John Wick universe. Ana de Armas dazzles in electrifying action, though the plot feels thin and Keanu Reeves' cameo divides fans. Stylish violence and stunt work shine, but emotional depth is lacking," read another review. #Ballerina delivers a sleek, high-octane spin‑off in the John Wick universe. Ana de Armas dazzles in electrifying action, though the plot feels thin and Keanu Reeves' cameo divides fans. Stylish violence and stunt work shine, but emotional depth is lacking. — TheAbhitakes_ (@TheAbhitakes_) June 13, 2025 Besides Ana de Armas, Ballerina also stars Gabriel Byrne, Catalina Sandino Moreno, and Norman Reedus, and those who reprised their roles from the previous films include Keanu Reeves, Anjelica Huston, Lance Reddick, and Ian McShane. Ballerina was released in the US on June 6. Directed by Len Wisemen, the events of Ballerina act like a bridge between John Wick: Chapter 3—Parabellum and John Wick: Chapter 4. First Published:
