Culture and Entertainment

Disease shows no respect even for pop music's most revered figures In “I Am: Celine Dion,” a documentary about the global singer on Amazon Prime Video, it quickly becomes clear that Dion can’t even move her body, let alone sing a soulful ballad with all the strength she has, since she was a teenager, has raked in millions. The film, from director Irene Taylor, records the singer’s painful reality as she battles the rare neurological condition called Stiff Person Syndrome. In a December 2022 Instagram post, Dion tearfully revealed her diagnosis to fans, but by then the documentary was already…

When French filmmaker Catherine Breillat was 40, her husband left her for a much younger woman. Soon after, she began dating a man 12 years her junior. "Men often dismiss their older wives, saying they can no longer be loved," Breillat said in a recent interview, through an interpreter. "But that's not true. I want to tell other women that there is no reason to despair." In her new film Last summerhitting theaters on Friday, explores this concept through a provocative plot. Since the 1970s, the acclaimed director, now 75, has focused on the troubled sexual awakenings of young girls,…

At the climax of Stephen Sondheim's "A Little Night Music," the orchestra reaches what Sondheim called its Max Steiner moment, evoking the great scores of "Casablanca" or "Gone with the Wind." During a pivotal scene, Désirée and Fredrik, former lovers on the verge of losing their happiness, meet and kiss as the orchestra swells to a stirring reprise of "Send in the Clowns." Jonathan Tunick’s new orchestration premiered Thursday at David Geffen Hall with the 53-piece St. Luke’s Orchestra. Strings and winds soared, supported by rich, staggered chords and flourishing counterpoint, creating a moment fit for both film and opera.…

What does AI sound like? Hollywood has been thinking about this for a long time, and now AI developers are following suit, creating voices for real machines inspired by movie adaptations. OpenAI recently introduced updates to its AI chatbot, ChatGPT, which now boasts the ability to hear, see, and speak in a natural voice. This voice, called Sky, bears a striking resemblance to the operating system voiced by Scarlett Johansson in the 2013 film “Her.” With a husky, soothing tone, Sky’s voice was designed to be pleasant and versatile. However, Johansson has expressed concerns about the similarities, having previously declined…

Did Alicent actually believe that Viserys's final words were about her son, or was she simply interpreting them in a way that suited her own wishes? (And, more critically, should a serious drama base its central conflict on a misunderstanding more suited to a sitcom? Resolving that question at this point may be beyond the scope of this summary.) Rhaenyra's brave secret return to King's Landing, aided by Mysaria, to confront her arch-enemy-friend sets the record straight. Alicent is convinced that Viserys means Aegon. Rhaenyra, for her part, truly believes that Alicent holds this belief. But when the Queen Mother…

Ewan Mitchell, like many, is used to anonymity. However, that changed during a recent trip to Manhattan, when a hotel concierge surprised him with the question, "You didn't put on your eyepatch?" It was a nod to his role as Aemond Targaryen, the one-eyed warrior who rides a dragon in "House of the Dragon." Mitchell, who doesn't usually wear an eye patch, is still getting used to being recognized in public. "I didn't think people would recognize me, but they do," he noted. "I think it's because of my big chin." One afternoon in May, Mitchell, 27, was sipping a…

Alec Baldwin's complicated legal battle over the fatal shooting on the set of the movie "Rust" will go to trial this week in New Mexico. A jury will determine whether his involvement in the death of the film's cinematographer, Halyna Hutchins, amounts to manslaughter. The incident occurred on October 21, 2021, when a gun Baldwin was handling fired a live round, killing Hutchins and wounding the director, Joel Souza. The gun was supposed to be loaded with inactive rounds that could not be fired. The initial news of Baldwin’s criminal charges shocked Hollywood, where many industry professionals believe that on-set…

This week's TV lineup features exciting programming that is sure to capture viewers' attention. On ABC, Jenn Tran continues her journey to find love on "The Bachelorette." The reality dating show, known for its dramatic rose ceremonies and heartfelt moments, promises another week of emotional highs and lows as Jenn navigates her relationships with the remaining contestants. Viewers can expect romantic dates, intense conversations, and maybe a few surprises as Jenn gets closer to finding her potential match. Meanwhile, on ABC, another show is gaining traction for its unique premise. "Claim to Fame," hosted by Kevin and Franklin Jonas, brings…

It was their private club. Five women who collaborated at the Public Theater, who met to drink and dream, to share frustrations and ideas, to commiserate, to brainstorm and laugh together. They coined their alliance "Women and Ambition," a cheeky nod to the fact that "ambitious" still had a strong connotation for young women. Their meeting at Public in the mid-2010s proved more than just a fond memory: each has now become an empowered leader in a field desperately in need of fresh inspiration. “These women changed the course of my life,” said Maria Goyanes, now artistic director of the…