Film

Joe Strummer, two video cassettes and the 1973 movie he couldn’t stop watching

• Strummer scored Alex Cox’s film *Walker* after The Clash split.
• *Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid* was a key influence.
• Strummer also drew inspiration from Kurosawa’s *Ran*.

After The Clash split in 1985, Joe Strummer turned to film soundtracks and worked with director Alex Cox on films including *Sid and Nancy* and *Walker*. Cox recalled that Strummer repeatedly watched two films while composing the *Walker* score, with Sam Peckinpah’s *Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid*…

Taiwan’s Sole Busan Competition Title ‘To Be Ordinary’ Marks Lee Yun Chan’s Return to Features After Two Decades

• Lee Yun Chan has made her first feature in 20 years.
• The film is the only Taiwanese entry in Busan’s competition.
• Taiwan’s cinema release is set for 13 November.

Lee Yun Chan has returned to feature filmmaking with “To Be Ordinary”, her first feature in two decades and the only Taiwanese film in competition at the Busan International Film Festival. The family drama follows a household struggling financially and emotionally after a college student is injured in…

Pressure mounts on McEntee over Garda crisis as Real Madrid beats Villarreal

Irish coalition colleagues express alarm at Minister McEntee's handling of the Garda whistleblower crisis, with no-confidence calls mounting. Real Madrid beat Villarreal but Vinícius Júnior's red card overshadowed the victory.

Ann Hui, Busan Camellia Award Recipient, Talks Learning From Women Bosses & Hong Kong New Generation

• Five women bosses helped Hui establish her career.
• Hong Kong now has around 10 to 20 active women directors.
• Hui sees promise in the city’s younger filmmakers.

Hong Kong filmmaker Ann Hui received the Camellia Award at the Busan International Film Festival and spoke about the women who supported her early career. She said five women bosses gave her freedom and constructive criticism when she began working in television in the 1970s, helping her establish…

5 Perfect Animated Movies on Netflix Better Than ‘KPop Demon Hunters’

• KPop Demon Hunters became a Netflix phenomenon, but other animated films deserve attention
• Three alternatives include The Mitchells vs. the Machines, The Willoughbys, and Rise of the TMNT
• Each film offers unique qualities beyond mainstream hype

An entertainment writer recommends five animated Netflix films they argue surpass the phenomenon of KPop Demon Hunters, which became a streaming sensation following its June 2025 debut. - The Mitchells vs. the Machines: Sony Pictures Animation film that achieved over 50 million views in its first month, praised…

SNL mocks Hegseth over sailors’ conditions and proposed execution livestream

• SNL mocked Hegseth’s proposed livestream of an execution.
• The USS Lincoln had reportedly spent 265 days at sea.
• The sketch also satirised the eagle logo and recalled meat.

Saturday Night Live’s cold open featured Colin Jost as Pete Hegseth addressing sailors aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln, which the article describes as having spent 265 days at sea without a port call. The sketch lampooned the sailors’ reported poor conditions and low morale, and Hegseth’s real proposal…

Shane Gillis Struggles Through Third SNL Hosting Stint With Bomb Monologue and F-Bomb Gaffe

• Third hosting stint ended with a monologue that drew few laughs from the audience.
• He was fired in 2019 for offensive podcast comments but creator Michaels brought him back.
• The 38-year-old comedian has since built a successful career with specials and Netflix deals.

Shane Gillis hosted Saturday Night Live for the third time since his contentious 2019 firing. His monologue, which covered gym culture, women's fashion and a joke about his resemblance to Adolf Hitler, received few laughs from the studio audience. The appearance reflects the complicated position Gillis holds with…

Green MSP faces quit calls over Israel swastika post; Trump urges Ukraine

Scottish Green MSP Ariane Burgess faces resignation calls after liking an antisemitic post, whilst Donald Trump urges Ukraine to choose a new leader.

Forget a ‘Halloween’ Rewatch, Dan Stevens’ Best Horror Movie Is a Slasher Surprise

• Dan Stevens plays a charming but deadly government super soldier in Wingard's 2014 film
• The film deliberately deconstructs American suburban ideals through contrasting bright visuals and violence
• Connected to Wingard's 2026 slasher Onslaught in a shared universe

Adam Wingard's 2014 thriller "The Guest" offers a stylish alternative to annual Halloween rewatches and has renewed relevance following its connection to Wingard's 2026 slasher "Onslaught". Dan Stevens plays David Collins, a seemingly benevolent U.S. soldier who arrives at his deceased friend's family home offering help, but is…

Shane Gillis Bombs ‘SNL’ Monologue (Again): ‘You’re Either Gay or You’re Hitler’

• Gillis’s latest “SNL” monologue drew groans and few laughs.
• His jokes focused on weight, women, family and his hairline.
• He has hosted three times since being fired in 2019.

Shane Gillis’s third time hosting “Saturday Night Live” was marked by a monologue that drew few laughs and groans from the studio audience. He joked about weight, women’s gym clothing, his sisters and his hairline, including a line comparing his hairstyle choices to being gay or Hitler; the…