Author: Ewang Johnson
Movie angels are a curious bunch. Take that malicious crew in The Prophecy series, jealous combatants in Legion (2010), or the unhelpful cherubim in Constantine (2006). Then there’s Wim Wenders’ spiritual meditation Wings of Desire (1987), skillfully remade as the romance City of Angels (1998). In both pictures the angelic majority consists of Watchers, the bene ha’elohim of ancient Jewish writings, who stand around, compare notes, and observe. Except for a few that can’t resist mortal women. With angels like these, who needs demons? I prefer film angels that seem more interested in serving God than themselves. Even if it’s in…
Award-winning British writer RJ Ellory tells us about his new novel, “The Bell Tower”, which has been translated as “Everglades” in French, and why he chooses to set many of his storylines in the United States. We also discuss the golden age of cinema, the great “Noir” authors and talk about a philosophical question at the heart of his book, which deals with the use of the death penalty for convicted criminals. Source link
ParamountThe return of Marvel, Final Destination and Mission: Impossible franchises are among this month’s unmissable films to watch and stream.SonyKarate Kid: LegendsCobra Kai began life as a YouTube series which picked up from where the 40-year-old Karate Kid franchise left off. In short, it didn’t sound like essential viewing. But the series went on to be an Emmy-nominated, critically acclaimed, six-season hit, and it put the star of the 1984 film, Ralph Macchio, back in the limelight. Now Macchio is starring in a Karate Kid sequel, Karate Kid Legends, featuring Ben Wang as the new Kid on the block, a…
Eastern and Southern Africa are at a pivotal moment to transform their food systems into engines of economic growth, and development. With a rapidly growing population, urbanization, and shifting dietary preferences, the region is experiencing a surge in demand for safe, nutritious, and accessible food. At the same time, challenges like climate change, land degradation, and supply chain inefficiencies are forcing a rethinking of how food is produced, processed, and distributed. The region is home to over 230 million people, many of whom are extremely poor and face significant challenges accessing adequate, safe, and nutritious food every day. In 2024, approximately 62.9…
World Exclusive In Conversation Ebrahim Rasool, former South African ambassador to the US Now that the dust has settled following the astonishing decision in March by the Donald Trump administration to effectively expel the South African Ambassador Ebrahim Rasool over a speech he made, we are privileged to interview the former ambassador. He discusses with Mushtak Parker the state of relations between South Africa and the United States, the implications for Sub-Saharan Africa and the shifting shape of the global power order. For a man who sports ‘the badge of honour’ of being the first and hitherto only senior diplomat…
In this edition of arts24, we explore a major retrospective in Paris dedicated to legendary French photographer Robert Doisneau, best known for his iconic image “Le Baiser de l’Hôtel de Ville” (“The Kiss by the Hôtel de Ville”). The exhibition celebrates his poetic vision and timeless moments captured on film. Source link
Serenity Strull/ BBCFrom Tina Fey’s new relationship comedy to an action drama from the creator of Lost, and the return of Sarah Jessica Parker and co in the third season of the Sex and the City sequel.Netflix1. The Four SeasonsTine Fey stars in and co-created this comedy about three couples, long-time friends with enough disposable income to vacation together four times a year through different seasons. As in the 1981 film it is based on, everyone is rattled when one pair heads for divorce. Fey and Will Forte play one of the couples. Colman Domingo and Marco Calvani are another,…
The United Nations has warned that Sudan is sliding deeper into catastrophe, with growing famine and surging violence – particularly in North Darfur – driving mass displacement and an alarming rise in civilian deaths. In a statement issued by his Spokesperson on Wednesday, UN Secretary-General António Guterres said he was “appalled” by the deteriorating situation in North Darfur, where the regional capital, El Fasher, is under intense and sustained attack. The onslaught comes just two weeks after deadly assaults on the nearby Zamzam and Abu Shouk displacement camps, where hundreds of civilians, including humanitarian workers, were reportedly killed. Mass displacement More than 400,000 people have…
Michel Leclerc has never shied away from delicate social topics and the French director has now managed to inject humour into the issue of sexual assault in “Not all men, but…”. Critic Perrine Quennesson tells us why his gamble has paid off and why entertaining performances from Léa Drucker and Benjamin Lavernhe bring levity to a heavy subject. We also hear about Régis Wargnier’s long-awaited feature “La Réparation”, a family mystery set between France and Taiwan which unites a stellar cast. Meanwhile, filmmaker Lawrence Valin marks himself out as a rising talent with “Little Jaffna”, a thriller set in Paris’s…
AlamyA new Apple TV+ series explores the life of the so-called “King of Chefs and the Chef of Kings” – shown as a wild enfant terrible in post-Revolutionary France who blazed a trail for future generations of cooks.It’s described as “the story of the first celebrity chef”. The French language series Carême is a dramatisation of the life of Antonin Carême, who was born into poverty in pre-Revolutionary Paris around 1784. His talent would make him chef for the French diplomat Charles Talleyrand, the Emperor Napoleon, the future George IV of Britain, Tsar Alexander of Russia and the Baron de…