Entertainment

In the movie “Alpha,” the central theme revolves around the turmoil of attempting to rescue someone from their self-destructive path, as portrayed by Tahar Rahim’s character, Uncle Alpha (Mélissa Boros plays 13-year-old Alpha with a mature demeanor). When Alpha was previously in her life, she was merely a child marking the tracks of his addiction on his arm with a marker. Alpha resides with her mother, a doctor who works at a hospital and in their home office, growing increasingly frustrated by her daughter’s adolescent misconduct.

At a party, Alpha gets a stick-and-poke tattoo of an ‘A’ on her arm, causing her mother to worry about the sterility of the equipment used. Fearing a new, deadly virus, she rushes Alpha for testing. It’s the 90s, and this virus has been causing panic, illness, and death in an uneducated populace about its transmission. The afflicted cough up dust, gradually transforming into what resembles marble statues, their skin hardening and cracking along their veins, making each step heavy.

While this could be seen as a metaphor for AIDS, it more accurately represents AIDS in all aspects except the fantastical symptoms – spread through sexual contact and needles, it seems to eventually claim the life of everyone infected with it and before that, it ostracizes those who have it.

The upcoming movie, adapted from Ben Shattuck’s short story, has sparked quite a buzz online, and viewers will be thrilled to know that the chemistry between Mescal and O’Connor is palpable and convincing. They share numerous longing gazes, find themselves drawn together in hallways and tents, and even doze off on each other’s chests. There are many moments of deep emotion between Lionel and David that remain unsaid; instead, Mescal and O’Connor deliver a compelling portrayal of their profound connection through extended singing scenes, where they harmonize exquisitely while looking at one another across a room or over a piano. A fittingly somber rain fell on the day before the premiere of The History of Sound, and I had the opportunity to speak with Mescal and Hermanus (O’Connor, who was filming a new Steven Spielberg project, was unable to attend the festival).

Essentially, the storyline stays much the same, yet with a twist: Stitch, an unusual creature born from extraterrestrial research in a distant part of the cosmos, manages to break free and lands on the water-rich planet “Eee-aawrth,” which is located off the coast of Hawaii. Assuming the role of a pet dog, he’s taken in by Lilo Pelekai (played by Maia Kealoha), an ornery child who lives with her older sister Nani (Sydney Elizebeth Agudong). The two girls share a challenging upbringing as they grapple with the absence of their parents and Nani’s efforts to keep their heads above water financially while fulfilling her responsibilities as a guardian. The mischievous Stitch, voiced by Chris Sanders, complicates matters even further, given that he’s now being chased by the peculiar pair of aliens – Agent Pleakley (Billy Magnussen) and Dr. Jumba (Zach Galifianakis), who have taken human form but still struggle to master the intricacies of human walking and behavior.

In essence, we are left pondering the enigma of Masha herself. The series “Jesse” begins by unveiling a glimpse into Masha’s tumultuous past: A brief title card informs us it is 2014, and we witness Masha arriving at Zauberwald for her own therapeutic journey under Helena’s guidance, following the tragic demise of her daughter. However, who is David Sharpe in this narrative? Could he have played a role in her professional life or been part of her family in Russia? Their shared history hints at intimacy, possibly even romance: Masha secludes David in his room upon his arrival, only to visit him at the episode’s conclusion, share an intimate moment, and vow that from now on, their interactions will be strictly professional, maintaining a distance.

Apart from passionately summarizing events and delving into backstage gossip, Wise – a journalism graduate – is well-known for dishing out insider cast information, such as SK’s infidelity scandal in season three and Tyler’s “secret-children controversy” in season seven. During the Minneapolis season, she conducted interviews with several women for a two-part video about Alex, featuring screenshots and location-tagged photos. (He has yet to address the video’s allegations, which include hosting parties where he supplied minors with alcohol at age 20, making inappropriate comments about sexual assault in texts and an essay, respectively.) Sometimes, relevant parties provide information directly, but Wise credits her audience for also aiding her in finding rumors online to verify. “Without them, I wouldn’t know half of what I know,” she says, explaining that this often begins with viewers sending her Reddit posts or Facebook group links and asking, “Is this true?” She notes that she has debunked false gossip in the past. “I appreciate it when my followers say, ‘We won’t believe it unless Rikkii confirms it, because then we know it’s been verified.’

This doesn’t mean it lacks humor; quite the contrary, even the least amusing episodes of “The Studio” are brimming with infectious energy and hilarious jokes. The episode titled “The Presentation” is no exception, as it opens with an unexpectedly awkward scene featuring Griffin Mill, the Continental CEO who’s still high out of his mind, engaging in a questionable act with a statue of Aphrodite while Patty watches approvingly. Little does she know that her confidence in him not embarrassing himself in public is crucial, as she even calls Matt Belloni to witness this moment, unaware that this could be the very evidence Continental’s owners need to finalize their sale to Amazon. Hearing about this development only intensifies Patty’s anxiety and she joins the Continental crew in their efforts to keep the situation under wraps.

In the second season, we are left wondering if Masha’s self-centered intentions from last season have evolved in the time she has been communicating with her deceased daughter, Tatiana. Has Masha undergone a transformation as she claimed she would for clients at Tranquillum? Is it possible that the psilocybin treatment, which allowed her and the Marconis to reconnect with Tatiana, has gone awry, causing Masha to be tormented instead of comforted by her daughter’s presence? Can the past and history of Zauberwald, the secluded Bavarian clinic where Masha practices, impact or conflict with her unconventional methods?

When he speaks, his guidance to Jesse isn’t bad per se; he advises him to focus on positive aspects of life and avoid negativity, including toxic people. However, ironically, the person he labels as toxic is Michelle. I understand she has flaws, but compared to Jesse, who behaves like a layer of polluted “black mayonnaise” from the Gowanus Canal, Michelle is relatively harmless.

Regarding the Santa Barbara weekend incident, Scott explains that when Jesse interacts with Michelle, he transforms into a devilish character, hurling insults and inappropriate remarks at her. This behavior, in turn, makes people overlook Michelle’s two years of infidelity. Scott suggests that this is a clever tactic, implying that Michelle might be intentionally provoking Jesse to act poorly so the public forgets about his wrongdoings.

As a devoted admirer, I can’t help but notice how cigarettes seem to cast a significant shadow over our relationship, Friendship. Austin, the focus of my affection, casually indulges in smoking – not bound by addiction, but rather treating it as an everyday affair, even going as far as rolling his own. From my office window, I often observe my colleagues sharing cigarettes during breaks, a group I don’t particularly care for or respect. The act of smoking, to me, symbolizes an exclusive club that remains elusive, leaving me amused yet disheartened by my inability to join. It’s not that Friendship endorses smoking as a desirable activity, but rather, it intertwines smoking with the individuals I find difficult to connect with.

Throughout the 11 seasons of the show, Wendt portrayed the character Norm, a sophisticated bar-dweller known for his charm and astronomical tabs. Despite not winning, he was nominated for an Emmy for Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series for six consecutive years from 1984 to ’89. Moreover, Wendt reprised his role as Norm on other shows such as the spinoffs of Cheers, specifically Frasier and The Tortellis, appearing in individual episodes.