LONDON: George Clooney is back behind the camera for "The Tender Bar", a coming-of-age story starring Ben Affleck and Tye Sheridan.
The feature film, Clooney's eighth as director, is based on the memoirs of American author J.R. Moehringer, who found substitutes for his absent father at his uncle Charlie's New York pub.
"It was nice. It was gentle. It was kind, and I don't often do films like that," Clooney told Reuters on Sunday, at the London Film Festival premiere of the drama.
"I wanted to have something that didn't necessarily reflect all the things that we've been going through. I wanted to have something that reminded us that we all kind of like each other in general."
The film sees JR, played by Sheridan and newcomer Daniel Ranieri, being taken under the wing of his barman uncle played by Affleck, and finding shelter in his establishment. Influenced by the stories told by the bar's colourful cast of patrons, JR matures from an insecure boy to an acclaimed writer.
Casting his friend Affleck as the larger-than-life Uncle Charlie was a no-brainer, said Clooney.
"This character is really smart and he's a bit of a goofball and Ben is all of those things."
Clooney said turning 60 in May had made him re-evaluate his priorities.
"Sixty changes the dynamic a little bit. Amal and I talk about it all the time," he said, referring to his wife, human rights lawyer Amal Clooney.
"It doesn't mean not working, because working is really important to both of us, but also making sure that we also spend time with each other and with our family."
Released in U.S. cinemas on Dec. 17, "The Tender Bar" starts streaming globally on Amazon Prime from Jan. 7, 2022.
Clooney goes for kindness with new movie ‘The Tender Bar’
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Clooney goes for kindness with new movie ‘The Tender Bar’
- The film sees JR, played by Sheridan and newcomer Daniel Ranieri, being taken under the wing of his barman uncle played by Affleck
Film Review: ‘Mother’s Instinct,’ a psychological thriller that keeps you guessing until the end
- Anne Hathaway plays "the perfect mother" in this 2024 psychological thriller in a remake of a French film, which itself was a novel adaptation
Anne Hathaway has played many roles over the course of her career: a surprise princess, an assistant to a fashion magazine editor, a recovering addict, Cat Woman. In “Mother’s Instinct,” she plays a mother — the perfect mother.
In this 2024 psychological thriller — a remake of a French film which itself was a novel adaptation — Hathaway is joined by Jessica Chastain. The two play best friends who are living the American dream.
They are next-door neighbors. Their husbands are the best of friends, as are their eight-year-old sons. They live in an affluent neighborhood in cookie-cutter 1960s’ suburban America. Everything seems idyllic.
The film begins with Celine’s (Hathaway) birthday. Alice (Chastain) and the women’s husbands throw a surprise backyard party. Celine receives a pearl necklace, a joint gift from their family and friends. It’s a wonderful celebration.
But the next day, there’s a tragic death.
One of the young boys falls from a balcony under suspicious circumstances. At the time, he was being supervised by the other mother.
The film forces us to ask: How can a mother live with herself after she entrusted her son’s life to her friend? Could anyone forgive themselves? Could they forgive their friend?
By mid-film, there are still two mothers — but now one is childless. The one whose son has survived feels guilt. The one who lost her boy feels fury. Both feel grief.
As the story unfolds there are more deaths and we begin to wonder: Did one mother deliberately harm the other’s son? Who is innocent here? Who is evil? Was it an accident or a deliberate act? And who will die next?
Events become more sinister. Nothing seems perfect anymore. Even the beautiful pearl necklace ends up broken on the floor, the tiny gems rolling around chaotically.
First-time director Benoit Delhomme does a good job of leading our eyes where he wants them to go. The cinematography is beautiful, while the styling and outfits are divine.
This film keeps you guessing until the end. And there is no happy ending; sometimes, the happy ending is that there is one at all.
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US animation lights up Saudi Film Festival
DHAHRAN: Saudi filmmakers of the future were given a masterclass in the latest animation techniques as part of the Saudi Film Festival this week.
The animation workshops were led by experts from the US as part of a collaboration between the festival and the American Chamber of Commerce and US Consulate in Dhahran.
Todd Albert Nims, one of the pioneers in shaping the Saudi film industry over the past decade, told Arab News that with a population of 36 million, many under 35, Saudi Arabia is ripe with potential in the film sector.
Nims, an American who was born and raised in Dhahran, is now head of the AmCham Arts, Culture and Entertainment Committee, and has been involved in all aspects of Saudi-centered films, from acting to producing.
“I went to the first Saudi Film Festival in 2008 and worked with them on bringing the Saudi Film Festival into Ithra … I was there with them, and I’ve been here within this journey for the last 16 years,” he said.
Nims said that many Saudis grew up watching Disney films, and began their filmmaking efforts creating short content on YouTube.
He said there is huge potential for the Saudi market to grow, adding that he wanted to offer young filmmakers the opportunity to “gain expertise right in their backyard.”
Travis Blaise, who has over three decades of experience in animation, and has worked on Disney classics such as “Beauty and the Beast” and “The Lion King,” was on hand to conduct a five-day workshop.
“I was brought on to bring something new and unique to this Saudi Film Festival, which was bringing storytelling, or visual storytelling, to script,” he told Arab News.
Together with fellow American William Winkler, Blaise dedicated each day to bringing the overall picture to life, sketching ideas, developing the story structure, and even discuss the backstory of characters.
The goal was for each student to develop their own 30-second script. The workshop began with 11 students, but the figure soon ballooned to 20.
“Every single student was Saudi; most of them were women from several universities, while a couple were already professionals working in the industry,” Blaise said.
“I love the excitement and passion that they (the Saudi students) share because I have shared that same passion for the last 34 years, and the fact that I can bring something of my own experience to someone who is passionate and open-minded and willing to learn about film really is exciting,” he said.
The experts told Arab News that they are committed to building connections between the US and Saudi film industries, recognizing its potential to inspire, educate, and entertain audiences both domestically and internationally.
“Through filmmaking, we aim to strengthen ties between the US and Saudi Arabia by fostering mutual understanding and creative collaboration,” Alison Dilworth, the US deputy chief of mission, told Arab News.
British Council, Saudi Cinema Association working to ‘drive’ industry growth
- Two organizations collaborated for 10th Saudi Film Festival
- Aim to find emerging talent and foster cultural exchange
DHAHRAN: The partnership between the British Council and the Saudi Cinema Association this week for the 10th edition of the Saudi Film Festival will help boost the industry, showcase emerging talent, and foster cultural exchange, say officials and creatives.
The event at the King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture, or Ithra, in Dhahran, began on May 2 and concludes on Thursday.
For the occasion, Studio Ulster and the SCA offered a training program to empower Saudi Arabia filmmakers with cutting-edge animation skills. The program commenced online and continued during the festival.
As part of the festival’s program, the British Council showcased a curated selection of UK short films, providing a platform for filmmakers to engage with Saudi Arabia audiences and forge meaningful connections.
Furthering this initiative was a series of masterclasses hosted by animation legends from Blue Zoo Productions, who offered insights into the nuances of building a thriving animation industry within the cultural framework of the country.
“We believe in the power of the arts to drive socio-economic development and are committed to fostering long-term partnerships that empower artists and enrich communities,” Amany Abouzeid, regional arts director of British Council MENA, said of the festival’s role in elevating the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 goals.
UK-based film producer Tony Humphreys, who came from London to attend the event, had high hopes for the week.
“I’m a producer and I’m also a consultant over here at the moment in the Saudi Film Festival to help try and link Saudi businesses and Saudi creatives with UK businesses and UK creatives,” Humphreys told Arab News.
The experience exceeded his expectations.
“I’ve met lots of very interesting people; lots of energy, lots of desire to do more and succeed creatively and lots of collaboration potential between our two nations,” he said.
“I’ve seen several of the programs, particularly the short film programs, I think there’s been a really interesting mix across all sorts of storytelling; some more traditional, some quite challenging in terms of themes and content. I think there’s a real vibe and a positive sort of drive of wanting to take the industry further very quickly.”
Ahmed Al-Mulla, who founded the SCA, said: “Our filmmakers were dreamers; they made their films underground and then went outside the country to screen them … Now, things changed in the blink of an eye.”
‘Star Wars: Tales of the Empire’ revisits under-explored characters from the Dark Side
- Focus on characters Morgan Elsbeth and Barriss Offee
- Second anthology of the ‘Star Wars’ animated shorts
DUBAI: The second anthology of the “Star Wars” animated shorts “Star Wars: Tales of the Empire” — following the 2022 collection “Tales of the Jedi” — offers a look behind the curtain at two powerful but under-explored characters from the franchise, Morgan Elsbeth and Barriss Offee.
The first three episodes of the six-parter go back in time to explore how Nightsister Elsbeth was initially drawn to the Empire. Fans of “Star Wars” will be familiar with the character after her live-action appearances in “The Mandalorian” and “Ahsoka.”
Now, with “Tales of the Empire,” Elsbeth makes her animation debut. Diana Lee Inosanto, who plays Elsbeth in both live-action and animation, said she did not feel there was much difference between the two mediums.
In the recording booth, Inosanto — a trained martial artist and godchild to the late Bruce Lee — moved her body to match the action of the scene.
“In my acting approach, I don’t see any difference between being on the set and being in the recording studio, other than the fact that I had to kind of create my own little bubble in being in this space. I still physically do the same preparation and work and the breathing,” said Inosanto in a recent interview with Arab News.
“But yeah, when I first initially read the script for ‘Tales of the Empire,’ I went: ‘Oh my gosh, finally, I understand her,’ because all of those little details were now filled in for me as well. So, I hope the same happens for all the fans. I really think fans are really going to understand now why Morgan was shaped the way she was mentally, why she was wired the way she was, and that she was really coming from a place of being a survivor all her life.”
Meanwhile, the last three episodes of “Tales of the Empire” reveal what becomes of Barriss Offee after Order 66 toward the end of “Star Wars: The Clone Wars” series. A Jedi prodigy, Offee’s character was forever branded a traitor after she turned her back on her kind by bombing the Jedi Temple and framing her friend Ahsoka Tano for it.
Actress Meredith Salenger, who has been waiting for more than a decade to find out what happens to Offee, said to Arab News about her character: “Barriss at the very beginning of ‘Tales of the Empire,’ she is in jail. She has recently been jailed by the Republic. And I think she is particularly conflicted, because she can see what’s happening to the rest of the Jedi. I think she knows when the Jedi Temple explodes and all of these things. She knows it’s gone perhaps too far.”
“And when she’s approached by the Fourth Sister, who is an Inquisitor, it’s sort of like: ‘This is not what I thought my journey would be. I don’t know if I should go along with this. But I also know it’s the only way I’m going to survive.’ There’s a fear that anyone at any time can be killed. I think she’s curious as to what the next step is going to be for her.”
Best & Worst: Saudi teen social media star Rateel Alshehri talks fashion and outdated apps
DUBAI: The 13-year-old Saudi social-media personality, host of the “Rateel Alpha Talk” podcast, recently topped the ranks of content creators born in the Kingdom on the US site Famous Birthdays. Here, she talks fashion, time management and more.
Best fashion trend of 2024?
Denim tops. I think they can get styled very easily and they look casual and nice.
Worst fashion trend of 2024?
Maxi shorts. They’re not really my style. I tried them, but I didn’t really like them. Also, I love animals, so anything leather — I don’t like harming animals to create fur and exotic skins for clothes. The fake ones are OK.
Best fashion accessory for any outfit?
Confidence. It’s the best accessory. And a smile! If you’re in an outfit and you’re not confident in it, it’s not going to look as nice.
Worst fashion accessory?
I’d say anything that it’s difficult to move in or breathe in. I would much rather be comfortable.
Best hairstyle for you?
I love many hairstyles, but it’s probably when I keep it plain and keep my hair down. I have curly hair and I like keeping my curls natural.
Worst hairstyle you’ve ever had?
A high,slicked-back bun. Generally, this hairstyle looks so good, but it looks bad on me. It makes me look bald. It is very trendy but you have to have the right face shape for it.
Best way to deal with exam stress?
Stay focused on what you can control. I don’t stress too much. I try not to focus on the time. I just do my thing and finish it. I avoid taking lots of breaks, because if I do that I get lazy and don’t continue. I like to have all my tools in front of me, too, so I don’t need to go get them.
Worst distraction when trying to study?
My phone. I get distracted by social media. I try to control it, but my mom takes my phone away to help me when I study, because sometimes I can’t properly focus.
Best way to balance work and play?
Have a stable routine. If you don’t, then everything will be crazy and messed up. It can be hard. I just filmed my podcast yesterday. Seventh grade is, like, really hard, so I have to focus, then I have to film content. It’s easier when I have a good, stable routine.
Best compliment you’ve received?
I like it when someone compliments my personality over my looks — because you didn’t do anything to get your looks, but your personality is (unique). I like it when they tell me I’m “such a vibe.” It makes me so happy knowing I have a fun personality.
Worst compliment you’ve received?
I hate when people tell me I’m old for my age. I think they just live in a different generation.. People think that, for example, skincare… I know there are some products you shouldn’t use until you’re older or have more mature skin, but you can start skincare from any age with a cleanser and a moisturizer. Some (young people) really struggle with their skin and then some adults make it harder for them.
Best way to start your day?
I like to have something exciting going on in the week that I can remind myself about. So like, I get done with the boring stuff and then I have fun things to look forward to.
Worst way to start your day?
Being negative in the morning. If you start off positive, your whole day will be positive.
App you can’t live without?
I have a lot of apps, but the best one isn’t really an app — just my brain. My imagination is an app for me. I could live with just my brain: I could watch a movie in my head. I can sit down and think of movies in my head and just imagine everything. My head is like a phone.
Worst app?
It’s not really the ‘worst’ app, but I feel like WhatsApp is really for older people. I only use it to communicate with my mom. Most people my age communicate on Snapchat and Instagram. So it’s not a bad app, I just don’t use it and I don’t really like it.
Best advice you’ve ever received?
“Dream big and don’t let anyone stop you from dreaming.” And another thing my mom told me is that just because something is trending doesn’t mean you have to like it. Just follow what you love. You don’t need to follow other people.
Worst advice you’ve ever received?
“Follow the crowd.” The best way to live life is to be yourself. Don’t be afraid to stand out.
