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Culture news, opinion, video and pictures from the Guardian
Site URL: www.theguardian.com/us/culture
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Primate review – pet chimp gone wild makes for giddy, gory good time
https://www.theguardian.com/film/2026/jan/09/primate-horror-movie-review-monkey
Published: January 8, 2026 20:17
There’s a great deal of unpretentious B-movie fun to be had in this brief, brutal and slickly made creature featureThere’s a refreshing lack of subtext and pretension to this week’s gory creature feature Primate, a straight-to-the-point riposte to the…
Seth Meyers on Trump officials justifying Venezuela assault: ‘Lamest dorks on the planet’
Published: January 8, 2026 16:19
Late-night hosts discussed the Trump administration’s posturing over Greenland amid widespread condemnation of its actions in VenezuelaLate-night hosts mocked the Trump administration’s bullish rhetoric on Greenland after the surprise takeover of Nicolás…
Greenland 2: Migration review – disaster sequel is disastrously self-serious
https://www.theguardian.com/film/2026/jan/08/greenland-2-migration-movie-review
Published: January 8, 2026 15:04
Gerard Butler returns to keep his family safe from post-apocalyptic chaos in a glum and misjudged follow-up to the superior 2020 adventureGerard Butler has made his fair share of sequels, but few have held as much potential as Greenland 2: Migration. The…
Singer-songwriter Bill Callahan: ‘I’m not a craftsman – I’m more of a drunk professor who likes coincidence and mistakes’
Published: January 8, 2026 15:00
Preceding the release of My Days of 58, the Americana legend once known as Smog discusses his Yorkshire youth, why Spotify is like the mafia and the bleak state of AIWe got married to [Smog’s] Our Anniversary. When you write songs, do you think about how…
Matt Damon’s best films – ranked!
https://www.theguardian.com/film/2026/jan/08/matt-damons-best-films-ranked
Published: January 8, 2026 14:35
Ahead of his reunion with Ben Affleck in thriller The Rip – as well as his starring role in Christopher Nolan’s upcoming Imax epic The Odyssey – we run through the best work of one of Hollywood’s most reliable heroesMatt Damon is essentially a bland dish…
What is Stranger Things’s Conformity Gate craze – and why did it crash Netflix?
https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2026/jan/08/what-is-stranger-things-conformity-gate-netflix
Published: January 8, 2026 13:07
An online conspiracy theory has left hysterical fans believing that the Netflix show’s finale was a fake. Could Vecna still come back with a secret episode?In recent days, my 14-year-old daughter has been exhibiting signs of becoming a conspiracy theorist.…
Add to playlist: the mysterious chillout milieu of False Aralia and the week’s best new tracks
Published: January 8, 2026 12:00
Somewhere between record label and artist project, False Aralia harks back to microhouse and dub techno with its deep, detailed productionsFrom San FranciscoRecommended if you like Rhythm and Sound, Ricardo Villalobos, Vladislav DelayUp next Double LP from…
With Venezuela, Trump has achieved his dream of making his own 80s action movie
Published: January 8, 2026 11:30
Given his rise during the ego joyride of the 1980s, it’s no shock that Trump’s foreign policy is to emulate that decade’s belligerent cinemaThe box office barnstormer of 2026 arrived early this year. A sleazy banana-republic dictator flooding the American…
Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles review – remastered 1997 classic is even more politically resonant now
Published: January 8, 2026 10:00
PlayStation 4/5, Nintendo Switch/Switch 2, Xbox, PC; Square-EnixThis landmark role-playing game remains a revolutionary tour de forceAt first glance, Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles, first released in 1997 and now available in newly…
His & Hers review – this glossy thriller is ideal new year TV
Published: January 8, 2026 08:01
This six-part adaptation of the bestselling 2020 novel about a murder investigation is twisty, absurd and bingeable. It’s great January viewingA woman lies bloodied and twitching her last on the bonnet of a car parked deep in a wood. Another woman arrives…
Sébastien Tellier: ‘I thought I’d be famous after Eurovision - but nobody noticed’
Published: January 8, 2026 08:00
The musician’s elegant electropop marked him out as one of the ‘cool French dudes’, before an attempt to literally crash the Song Contest fell badly flat. Now back with an adventurous new album, he talks about the man who stole his identity and why he…
Trump’s assault on the Smithsonian: ‘The goal is to reframe the entire culture of the US’
Published: January 8, 2026 05:00
The president has vowed to kill off ‘woke’ in his second term in office, and the venerable cultural institution a few blocks from the White House is in his sightsOn 30 May last year, Kim Sajet was working in her office in the grandly porticoed National…
María Corina Machado to publish book on political vision for Venezuela amid upheaval
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/jan/07/venezuela-opposition-leader-machado-book
Published: January 7, 2026 19:51
Venezuelan opposition leader and Nobel peace prize winner will lay out vision for the country in book publishing in USVenezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado will publish a book in the US that lays out her vision for Venezuela’s political…
One Battle After Another and The Studio lead Actor awards nominations
https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2026/jan/07/sag-actor-award-nominations
Published: January 7, 2026 19:06
Paul Thomas Anderson’s epic thriller and Apple’s comedy series lead nominations for the renamed Sag awards with an impressive showing for Sinners and AdolescenceOne Battle After Another and The Studio lead the nominations for this year’s Actor awards.The…
Kimmel on Trump’s whitewashing of January 6 anniversary: ‘Don’t give in to this revisionist history’
https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2026/jan/07/jimmy-kimmel-january-6-anniversary
Published: January 7, 2026 16:41
On the fifth anniversary of the January 6 riots, late-night hosts discuss the Trump administration’s efforts to rewrite history as ‘peaceful protests’Late-night hosts observed the fifth anniversary of the January 6 insurrection and recapped Venezuelan…
Chloé Zhao says ‘feminine consciousness’ incompatible with current Hollywood model
Published: January 7, 2026 16:31
Responding to new reporting finding only nine of the directors behind 2025’s 100 top-grossing US films were women, Hamnet film-maker questions industry’s capacity for inclusivityChloé Zhao, the Oscar-winning director of Nomadland, has said that the US film…
‘It felt like she was asking me to save her’: the film based on a five-year-old Palestinian girl’s dying pleas
https://www.theguardian.com/film/2026/jan/07/the-voice-of-hind-rajab-film-palestinian-girl
Published: January 7, 2026 16:09
The Voice of Hind Rajab has stunned audiences with its use of the real-life audio of a girl’s call for help after her family’s car was attacked by an Israeli tank in Gaza. Its director explains why she had to tell Hind’s tragic storyWhen Kaouther Ben Hania…
‘This might be too hot to touch’: Gwyneth Paltrow says conscious uncoupling cost her a movie role
Published: January 7, 2026 14:42
Actor thinks derisive response to her description of divorcing Chris Martin led to her being dropped from filmThe actor Gwyneth Paltrow has said she was fired from a film due to media interest in her divorce from Chris Martin in 2014.Speaking on Amy…
Dolly, Dreamgirls and Daniel Radcliffe: the biggest Broadway shows of 2026
Published: January 7, 2026 10:03
After a record-breaking season, big stars and big revivals hope to lure in New York audiences over the next 12 monthsThe year 2025 found Broadway at a major inflection point – New York theater finally fully rebounded to pre-pandemic levels, as the…
‘It was overwhelming’: Katie Leung on Harry Potter, sudden fame, insecurity – and starring in Bridgerton
Published: January 7, 2026 10:00
As a teenager, the actor landed her first ever job in the blockbuster film series. The experience was fun – but also led to horrendous online abuse. Now she’s back, playing a tough and surprising matriarch in the Regency smash hitSome actors might have…
The 15 best Xbox Series S/X games to play in 2026
https://www.theguardian.com/games/2026/jan/07/the-15-best-xbox-series-sx-games-to-play-in-2026
Published: January 7, 2026 10:00
This now venerable hardware remains an ideal platform for classics such as Minecraft and daring experiments from the brightest new developersNow surely approaching their twilight years, the Xbox Series S and X machines nevertheless still have plenty to…
What’s to like? Why you can hate Timothée Chalamet’s character and still love Marty Supreme
https://www.theguardian.com/film/2026/jan/07/marty-supreme-timothee-chalamet-likability
Published: January 7, 2026 09:47
Chalamet’s nogoodnik ping-pong hustler character is the latest in cinema’s rich history of protagonists with shabby morals. So why the backlash?In the new hit movie Marty Supreme, the story is pushed forward by how lead character Marty Mauser keeps making…
Beast Games season two review – this mindless, vibeless reality show is like Squid Game meets Love Island
Published: January 7, 2026 05:00
Is this big-money challenge cruel? Yes. But it’s mainly just tedious to watch these immature players and their teenage machinations as they battle for cashThe first season of Beast Games – the big-money reality challenge masterminded and hosted by internet…
Rosalía’s Lux is more than epic Catholic pop – it grapples with a world fraught with complexity and crisis | Carlos Delclós
Published: January 7, 2026 05:00
Behind its lavish ‘nun-core’ aesthetic, the Spanish star’s hit album pushes us to think beyond good and evil – to see that we contain multitudesI went into Lux primed not to like it. Not because I doubt Rosalía’s virtuosic talents or her intense…
The most exciting US art exhibitions in 2026
https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2026/jan/06/us-art-exhibitions-2026
Published: January 6, 2026 17:17
The next 12 months promise blockbuster surveys of noted greats and introductions to intriguing lesser-known artistsFrom old masters to pop artists, contemporary greats and even a major Mexican film-maker, art museums and galleries across the US have some…
‘You can’t drink Fanta. You have to smoke marijuana’: Fela Kuti’s artist recalls their wild collaborations
Published: January 6, 2026 16:35
When the Afrobeat sensation first saw Lemi Ghariokwu’s work, he said, ‘Wow!’ Then he plied him with marijuana and asked him to design his album sleeves. The artist recalls their extraordinary partnership – and the day Kuti’s Lagos HQ burned‘There were…
Jon Stewart on Trump’s military intervention in Venezuela: ‘This is all exhausting’
https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2026/jan/06/jon-stewart-trump-venezuela-military-raid
Published: January 6, 2026 16:19
Late-night hosts react to Trump’s shocking attack on Venezuela and surprise capture of Nicolás MaduroLate-night hosts tore into the Trump administration’s surprise military attack on Caracas, capture of president Nicolás Maduro and vague plans to “run”…
Putin as a Russian James Bond? Jude Law’s Vladimir film seems to have swallowed Kremlin myths | Natasha Kiseleva
Published: January 6, 2026 15:26
In The Wizard of the Kremlin, Jude Law plays Russia’s president as a cool, reluctant leader, a strategist who got the job because he was young, athletic and a spy. This is a creation far removed from the man himselfLast year, speaking at the Venice film…
Béla Tarr, Hungarian director of Sátántangó and Werckmeister Harmonies, dies aged 70
Published: January 6, 2026 14:35
The internationally acclaimed film-maker was renowned for beautifully shot cinematic epicsBéla Tarr, the Hungarian film-maker renowned for lengthy, challenging and beautifully shot films including Sátántangó, Werckmeister Harmonies and The Man from London,…
The strangest thing: is the future of cinema … not new movies?
https://www.theguardian.com/film/2026/jan/06/non-traditional-cinema-releases
Published: January 6, 2026 12:04
Netflix’s big-screen release of the Stranger Things finale is estimated to have made over $25m at the US box office, the latest example of event cinema proving popularIt was a lucrative holiday period at the North American box office these past two weeks,…
‘They’re all bad – but some are worse than others’: every Harlan Coben show rated
Published: January 6, 2026 11:49
From gaping plot holes to television so confusing it’s actually distressing to watch, here’s our ranking of the US author’s TV adaptationsThe American novelist Harlan Coben is, by commercial fiction standards, one of the most successful writers working…
‘I wouldn’t take a nickel of charity’: Mickey Rourke denounces fundraiser set up in his name
https://www.theguardian.com/film/2026/jan/06/mickey-rourke-denounces-gofundme-appeal
Published: January 6, 2026 11:37
Denying any prior knowledge of the appeal, the actor said he would ‘rather stick a gun up my ass and pull the trigger’ than accept the moneyActor Mickey Rourke has denounced an online fundraiser that was set up in his name, and designed to pay off $60,000…
The 15 best PS5 games to play in 2026
https://www.theguardian.com/games/2026/jan/06/the-15-best-ps5-playstation-5-games-to-play-in-2026
Published: January 6, 2026 10:36
New mind-bending puzzlers, landmark RPGs and furry multiverse adventures await you as the PlayStation 5 enters its sixth yearEntering its sixth year, the PlayStation 5 has built up a formidable library of epic adventures, button-pummelling shooters and…
Narnia! Dune! Charli xcx! The 2026 films Guardian writers are most excited about
https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2026/jan/06/new-film-releases-2026
Published: January 6, 2026 10:02
From much-anticipated sequels to music mockumentaries to auteur returns, the next 12 months offers up a wide variety of intriguing new moviesDoomed lovers, high heels, and The Odyssey: more films to get excited about this yearThe 50 must-see TV shows for…
‘A front row seat to witness history’: Ed Kashi’s astonishing global images – in pictures
Published: January 6, 2026 07:00
From a thriving miniature city inside a Cairo cemetery to a goat sacrifice in Nigeria, the photojournalist’s eye-opening images are celebrated in a new book•Warning: this gallery contains images that some readers may find distressing Continue reading...
The Score by C Thi Nguyen review – a brilliant warning about the gamification of everyday life
Published: January 6, 2026 07:00
From Duolingo to GDP, how an obsession with keeping score can subtly undermine human flourishingTwo years ago, I started learning Japanese on Duolingo. At first, the daily accrual of vocabulary was fun. Every lesson earned me experience points – a little…
Hamnet review – Paul Mescal and Jessie Buckley beguile and captivate in audacious Shakespearean tragedy
Published: January 6, 2026 07:00
Chloé Zhao’s film version of Maggie O’Farrell’s myth-making novel powerfully reimagines the agonising loss of a child as the source of Hamlet’s grand stage drama‘The joys of parents are secret, and so are their griefs and fears …” This is Francis Bacon’s…
How far can James Cameron’s Avatar saga go after its billion-dollar box office triumph?
Published: January 5, 2026 17:16
Cameron warned that Avatars 4 and 5 might end up as novels if third instalment Fire and Ash bombed. But noise about its slow start is beginning to look like a ritual movies in the series must go through before the money pours inFor a movie saga that is, on…
‘There’s this whole other story’: inside the fight to end slavery in the Americas
https://www.theguardian.com/books/2026/jan/05/carrie-gibson-the-great-resistance
Published: January 5, 2026 15:52
The Great Resistance, an expansive new book by author and historian Carrie Gibson, brings together often unheard narratives to tell the bigger picture of a difficult timeThe Great Resistance is Carrie Gibson’s third book, and her third about the history of…
‘I wanted that Raiders of the Lost Ark excitement – you could die any minute’: how we made hit video game Prince of Persia
Published: January 5, 2026 15:00
‘There was no animation software in those days. So I videotaped my brother David running, jumping and climbing in a car park’Programming was very open back in the 1980s. You had to teach yourself, either from magazines, or by swapping tips. When you wrote…
Timothée Chalamet and Jessie Buckley in Oscar surge as they win Critics Choice awards
Published: January 5, 2026 14:06
The Marty Supreme and Hamnet stars are jockeying for pole position for the big Hollywood prize after a night in which One Battle After Another and Adolescence were also recognisedTimothée Chalamet and Jessie Buckley have surged into serious contention for…
In ending, Stranger Things committed TV’s ultimate crime
Published: January 5, 2026 12:38
It felt like a punishing endurance test, coming to a head countless times … and yet it’s not over. Where the Upside Down is concerned, it’s never overWe’ve all had a few days to sit with the Stranger Things finale now, and reaction has been mixed. For…
‘I find it all a bit comforting’: why Zodiac is my feelgood movie
https://www.theguardian.com/film/2026/jan/05/zodiac-feelgood-movie
Published: January 5, 2026 10:00
The first 2026 entry in our ongoing series of writers calling attention to their comfort films is David Fincher’s thrillerIt begins with a murder, and then another. A woman is killed, a man grievously injured, and a letter is sent to the news media. The…
Made in America by Edward Stourton review – why the ‘Trump doctrine’ is no aberration
Published: January 5, 2026 09:00
From territorial overreach to deportations, the current president is not as much of an anomaly as he might seem‘Almost everyone is a little bit in love with the USA,” declares Edward Stourton in his introduction to Made in America. And why not? It is the…
Mickey Rourke launches fundraiser to pay $60,000 in rent after threat of eviction
Published: January 5, 2026 05:12
The 73-year-old Oscar-nominated actor was issued with an eviction notice in DecemberMickey Rourke has turned to fundraising to pay the US$59,100 (£44,000, A$89,000) he allegedly owes in rent, after being sued by his landlord and facing eviction from his…
Evangeline Lilly reveals she has brain damage after hitting her head in fall
https://www.theguardian.com/film/2026/jan/05/evangeline-lilly-brain-damage-beach-fall
Published: January 4, 2026 23:29
Marvel, Lost and Hobbit actor says ‘almost every area in my brain is functioning at a decreased capacity’ after she fainted and fell face-first into a boulderEvangeline Lilly has revealed she has brain damage, months after she suffered a concussion when…
‘I’ve got a fearlessness to being laid bare’: how Yungblud became Britain’s biggest rock star
Published: January 4, 2026 14:00
In 2025 the Doncaster-born singer-songwriter has earned two UK No 1s, three Grammy nominations and the respect of rock’s greats – and he says it’s all down to putting fans firstIn November, Dominic Harrison, better known as Yungblud, received three Grammy…
‘This is where it all started’: Nina Simone’s childhood home gets long-awaited rehabilitation
https://www.theguardian.com/music/2026/jan/04/nina-simone-childhood-home-north-carolina
Published: January 4, 2026 12:00
North Carolina home preserved to commemorate legendary musician and civil rights activist, and to serve as arts hubIt was a surreal experience for Dr Samuel Waymon, Nina Simone’s youngest sibling, to walk back into the renovated childhood home that he once…
From K-pop and The Traitors to Dune and the return of Madge: your A-Z of the biggest culture of 2026
Published: January 4, 2026 10:00
With 2025 but a distant memory, it’s time to get stuck into a huge year of entertainment. To help with this daunting task, we’ve provided a handy, alphabetised guide to the big releases and trends coming in the next 12 months, from AI’s continued rise to a…
Sex object, animal rights activist, racist: the paradox that was Brigitte Bardot
Published: January 4, 2026 06:00
A fantasy figure for men and women, a victim of press intrusion, a defender of animals … the French actor was also a mouthpiece for racial hatred whose views grew uglier over timeBrigitte Bardot inspired many fantasies, from the wanton, panting reveries of…
Miranda Otto: ‘It can be a gift when things go absolutely the wrong way’
Published: January 3, 2026 19:00
The stage and screen actor on turning gaffes into gifts, the impact of Eowyn, and the Lord of the Rings stew scene fans won’t stop asking aboutGet our weekend culture and lifestyle emailYour latest role is Queen of the Cuttlefish, in The Pout-Pout Fish; if…
Dreaming of writing your novel this year? Rip up all the rules!
Published: January 3, 2026 09:00
After 35 years of teaching fiction writing, the prize-winning author shares her wisdom. First tip? Don’t write what you know… I don’t think it’s a bad thing to want to write a first sentence so idiosyncratic, so indelible, so entirely your own that it…
We Bury the Dead review – Daisy Ridley tackles the undead in solid zombie twist
https://www.theguardian.com/film/2026/jan/02/we-bury-the-dead-movie-review-daisy-ridley
Published: January 2, 2026 21:38
Star Wars alum gives an impressively modest performance in this slightly smarter-than-average survival taleUnlike some other less resilient horror subgenres, the zombie movie is, fittingly, never going to really die. Neither will film-makers attempting to…
‘Suspension of entry into the US’, paparazzi – and wine: three other reasons George Clooney moved to France
Published: January 2, 2026 18:21
A UK government warning that Amal Clooney risks US sanctions over her role in the issuing of an arrest warrant for the Israeli prime minister is key among reasons the couple have sought French citizenshipThe exodus from Hollywood to shores not presided…
Will Smith accused of ‘predatory behaviour’ and ‘grooming’ by tour violinist
Published: January 2, 2026 11:03
Brian King Joseph claims the rapper and actor was ‘priming’ him for ‘sexual exploitation’. Smith’s lawyer has called the allegations ‘false, baseless and reckless’Will Smith is being sued by a violinist from his 2025 tour, who claims the rapper and actor…
New year, old warnings: what can films set in 2026 teach us?
https://www.theguardian.com/film/2026/jan/02/films-set-in-2026-hollywood
Published: January 2, 2026 10:03
From Doom and Dawn of the Planet of the Apes to Metropolis, Hollywood hasn’t predicted the most stable of years ahead2025 sounds more futuristic. Maybe it’s the “f” sound on “five.” But 2026 is one step beyond, and it’s where we are now, with every…
Victoria Jones, daughter of Tommy Lee Jones, found dead in San Francisco
Published: January 2, 2026 09:12
Reports say actor, 34, found unresponsive in corridor of Fairmont hotel in early hours of New Year’s DayVictoria Jones, the daughter of the actor Tommy Lee Jones, has been found dead in a San Francisco hotel.Jones, 34, was discovered in the early hours of…
‘No one can know’: Heated Rivalry’s gay love story exposes ice hockey’s culture of silence
https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2026/jan/02/heated-rivalry-nhl-hockey-culture-silence
Published: January 2, 2026 09:00
The surprise hit series has reopened a familiar debate: why, in the National Hockey League, visibility is still treated as a problem rather than a possibilityAt around the midpoint of the first episode of Heated Rivalry, just after Shane Hollander and Ilya…
More than 60 Henri Matisse artworks donated to Musée d’Art Moderne in Paris
Published: January 2, 2026 06:00
Artist’s daughter Marguerite features in most of the pieces, kept in the family until ‘complete surprise’ donationThe Musée d’Art Moderne in Paris has received an “extraordinarily generous” donation of 61 works by Henri Matisse that have been kept in the…
George Clooney fires back at Trump after US president mocks his French citizenship
https://www.theguardian.com/film/2026/jan/02/george-clooney-trump-french-citizenship
Published: January 2, 2026 00:51
Trump called the actor and his wife, Amal, ‘two of the worst political prognosticators of all time’ after they were awarded French passportsGeorge Clooney has lashed out at US president Donald Trump for criticising France’s decision to grant the Hollywood…
The Night Manager review – no naughty bum-flashing? It’s still a class above all other spy thrillers
Published: January 1, 2026 22:05
The racy espionage blockbuster caused a global frenzy a decade ago – and set an unbelievably high bar. As Tom Hiddleston’s M16 agent Jonathan Pine returns to take down a new supervillain, he just about pulls it offFinesse was the selling point of The Night…
Wuthering Heights, Michael Jackson and the ‘Trump effect’ – will 2026 see the end of the ‘woke’ blockbuster?
Published: January 1, 2026 14:00
The president is scrutinising studio deals, and was rewarded with the promise of a Rush Hour reboot. With Supergirl, Hoppers and a live-action Moana on the way, can Hollywood stand up to Trump?It’s fair to say that Hollywood is in crisis, or at least in…
Songs about new beginnings – ranked!
https://www.theguardian.com/music/2026/jan/01/songs-about-new-beginnings-ranked
Published: January 1, 2026 13:00
From CMAT and the Carpenters’ fresh starts to the Beatles’ Here Comes the Sun and Nina Simone’s Feeling Good, starting again is a rich theme in pop. Here are some of the best examplesIt’s hard to imagine anyone’s heart not being lifted a little by Right…
Song Sung Blue review – Neil Diamond tribute act gets sweet treat of movie thanks to Jackman and Hudson
Published: January 1, 2026 10:22
Film that follows a Milwaukee married couple as they rise to fame with a real-life band called Lightning and Thunder is undeniably entertainingHere is a startlingly strange, undeniably entertaining true-life story from the heartland of American…
Our 2026 listening resolutions: from Radiohead to Kendrick Lamar, critics try to get into music they’ve never liked
Published: January 1, 2026 10:00
Streaming’s algorithms make it easy to avoid whole discographies – so in the interest of deeper listening, our writers dedicate time to the ones who might have got awayThe first time I heard Joni Mitchell, in 1997, she was looped across the chorus of Janet…
NewJeans member Danielle sued for millions after bitter feud with K-pop record label
Published: January 1, 2026 06:19
Ador terminated the Australian-born singer’s contract on Monday and is now suing her, a family member and the band’s former producerThe K-pop record label Ador is suing a former member of megaband NewJeans for millions in damages, it has announced, a day…
Doomed lovers, high heels and The Odyssey: films to get excited about in 2026
Published: January 1, 2026 06:00
Margot Robbie busts her corset in Wuthering Heights, the Devil Wears Prada sequel goes fashionably to war, and Christopher Nolan brings us a Greek epic. Plus much more in our pick of the best films coming to UK cinemas this year• More from the 2026 culture…
Cecilia Giménez’s botched Monkey Christ became a global meme. The real marvel was the humble, graceful woman behind it | Sam Jones
Published: January 1, 2026 05:00
The restorer, who died on Monday, brought unwanted attention to herself – and her small Spanish town. Then, slowly, a small miracle took placeVery few of us find fame quite as late, or quite as brutally, as Cecilia Giménez did in the summer of 2012. The…
What happened next: how KPop Demon Hunters became a global phenomenon and outranked Lady Gaga
Published: January 1, 2026 05:00
It’s the Korean fantasy movie that came out of nowhere to become Netflix’s most-watched film ever. And social media mentions of its characters are outranking those of real-life superstarsWhen KPop Demon Hunters landed on Netflix in late June, no one…
‘Life is pain without you’: Cary Elwes and Martin Scorsese pay tribute to Rob Reiner as autopsy reports sealed
Published: December 31, 2025 12:25
As a judge puts a security hold on Rob and Michele Reiner’s cases and Joe Rogan criticises Donald Trump’s comments about Reiner’s death, collaborators continue to pay tributeMore than two weeks after the deaths of the film director Rob Reiner and his…
I’m Chevy Chase and You’re Not review – abundant talent showcased in profile of SNL’s champion insult comic
Published: December 31, 2025 09:00
Archive material shows Chase’s abilities but the times have changed around the self-aggrandising actor and comedian – and not always to his benefitFeature films and documentaries can sometimes struggle to fasten down viewers’ attention if the central…
Lily Allen’s live return, Charli xcx’s Wuthering Heights and Simon Rattle’s Janáček: music to listen out for in 2026
Published: December 31, 2025 06:00
Raye, Deftones and Yungblud do UK tours, Jill Scott returns for more neo-soul, and the classical world gears up to celebrate Hungarian composer György Kurtág at 100• More from the 2026 culture previewSeventeen years on from the release of her debut single,…
Staying in with the old: the best films to watch on New Year’s Eve
Published: December 31, 2025 06:00
For those not going out to celebrate, you can still party with Harry and Sally, play cards with Jack Lemmon and make merry hell at the Overlook HotelAt the end of any especially troublesome year it’s always good to revisit The Apartment, Billy Wilder’s…
Demon Slayer economics: how the anime juggernaut became a saviour
Published: December 31, 2025 05:00
Once underground art form now props up slumped box office sales and is used by governments to build soft powerAn animated drama featuring hordes of carnivorous fiends might not sound like classic box office fodder, but that’s exactly what Demon Slayer:…
More musicians drop out of Kennedy Center shows after Trump name change
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/dec/30/trump-kennedy-center-nye-band-cancellation
Published: December 30, 2025 15:57
The Cookers on Monday pulled out of a New Year’s Eve jazz gig at the controversially renamed ‘Trump-Kennedy’ centerA second jazz band has pulled out of performing at the controversially renamed “Trump-Kennedy” center in Washington DC, giving just two days’…
The 10 most anticipated video games of 2026
Published: December 30, 2025 14:00
As 007 makes his gaming return, you can climb a mountain in Cairn, play a scaredy-cat in Resident Evil, and play a criminal couple in GTA VILive your mountaineering fantasies and brave the elements in a wonderfully illustrated climbing game. You must…
Megalopolis: the $120m Coppola flop that just won’t go away
https://www.theguardian.com/film/2025/dec/30/megalopolis-francis-coppola-movie-flop
Published: December 30, 2025 11:54
A screening tour, a New Year’s re-release, a documentary, an incoming director’s cut … will we ever be rid of this historic misfire?At first, it appeared to end with a whimper. After decades of talk, Francis Ford Coppola’s forever-gestating dream project…
‘Move fast, break stuff’: how tech bros became Hollywood’s go-to baddie in 2025
Published: December 30, 2025 09:07
From Stanley Tucci’s imperious tech titan to Lex Luthor’s distractingly hot CEO and Elon Musk-esque blowhards, films this year took us inside the billionaire mindsetBetween the slash-and-burn US government reboot led by a dank meme fan and the relentless…
‘You don’t really see it in fiction’: how one novelist brought ‘Detty December’ party season back from Ghana
Published: December 30, 2025 09:00
Jessica Carmichael’s coming-of-age YA novel is set during the huge annual diasporic return to west Africa, which ‘changed the trajectory’ of her lifeEach December, hundreds of thousands of diaspora Nigerians and Ghanaians travel to their ancestral home…
Beyoncé is now the fifth billionaire musician, Forbes reports
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/dec/29/beyonce-billionaire-forbes
Published: December 29, 2025 23:38
Grammy-winning artist joins husband Jay-Z and artists like Taylor Swift following the success of Cowboy Carter tourBeyoncé is now a billionaire, according to a report from Forbes – becoming the fifth musician to obtain the status.The Grammy award-winning…
George Clooney and wife Amal granted French citizenship
https://www.theguardian.com/film/2025/dec/29/george-clooney-wife-amal-granted-french-citizenship
Published: December 29, 2025 19:06
The actor said privacy laws protecting children from paparazzi were a key factor in the family’s decisionGeorge Clooney has been granted French citizenship, along with his wife Amal Clooney and their two children, according to an official decree in…
Packing a punch: the true story behind the first Zimbabwean film to qualify for Oscars
Published: December 29, 2025 14:00
A small boxing academy helping street children in Victoria Falls has inspired an award-winning short featuring Hollywood actor Tongayi ChirisaTobias Mupfuti was eight years old when he found himself homeless and living on the streets of Victoria Falls…
‘The most culturally Iranian of all Iranians died so far from Iran’: the towering legacy of Bahram Beyzaie
Published: December 29, 2025 12:54
Beyzaie, who has died aged 87, wove myth, folklore and classical Persian literature into stories that defend against a regime which sought to obliterate themOne of the last messages I sent to the great Iranian stage and screen writer-director Bahram…
‘He has come back from the dead’: Chevy Chase spent eight days in a coma during Covid pandemic
https://www.theguardian.com/film/2025/dec/29/chevy-chase-eight-days-coma-covid-pandemic
Published: December 29, 2025 12:09
In documentary I’m Chevy Chase and You’re Not, the actor and his family revealed that doctors told them to ‘prepare yourselves for the worst’Chevy Chase suffered “near fatal” heart failure which led to him being placed in an induced coma during the…
‘A total knockout!’ The best television you never watched in 2025
Published: December 29, 2025 12:00
From the most beautiful show Netflix has ever made to a thriller about a menopausal hitwoman and a dazzling documentary set in outer space, here are some TV gems that may have passed you by this yearIn a bizarre move, Netflix released this series by…
‘Pure euphoric escapism’: why Adventureland is my feelgood movie
Published: December 29, 2025 10:00
The latest in our series of writers highlighting their most rewatched comfort films is an ode to the charming 80s-set comedyWhile casting his knockout quasi-biopic The Social Network, film-maker David Fincher must’ve really dug how eventual Mark Zuckerberg…
Arc Raiders review – pure multiplayer pleasure
https://www.theguardian.com/games/2025/dec/29/arc-raiders-review-pure-multiplayer-pleasure
Published: December 29, 2025 10:00
PC, Xbox, PlayStation 5; Embark StudiosThe breakout hit, which has players coming together (or turning on each other) to battle intimidating robots in an apocalyptic future, is worth the hypeArc Raiders is an extraction shooter from Embark Studios – so, a…