Star 2023-12-15

Nicolas Cage goes delightfully, derangedly meta in Dream Scenario, a smart, dizzyingly entertaining horror- comedy that morphs into scathing social satire. Written and directed by Norwegian film-maker Kristoffer Borgli – here making an auspicious English-language debut – Dream Scenario is the kind of heady, imagistic, sharply attuned film we’ve come to expect from the likes of Charlie Kaufman (Adaptation) and Michel Gondry (Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind); at its darkest and most vividly cinematic, it evokes the work of Ari Aster, who serves as one of the film’s executive producers. Mostly, it’s a showcase for Cage to prove once again why he’s a national treasure – never more so than when he’s in bemused normie mode. The nondescript Everyman in question is Paul Matthews, a mild-mannered college professor whose…

While South Africans are still trying to process the passing of Zahara, another pioneer in the music industry has sadly passed on. Chris Ghelakis, who made his life’s work the promotion and celebration of the country’s vibrant music scene, has died after a long battle with cancer. He was 70 years old. Ingrooves Music Groove confirmed his death in a media statement. Ghelakis, who began his musical journey as a bassist in the ’70s, later developing into not only a band manager, but also a tour accountant and sound engineer, was described as a mentor to a plethora of industry leaders. “How does one say goodbye to a person who has been a constant in your life for 45 years? Perhaps it is not a ‘goodbye’, but a, ‘see you…

Conversations about Zahara’s royalties have become a focal point on social media and in the news since her death on Monday. The controversy is centred on her initial record label, TS Records, who were responsible for recording her breakthrough album, Loliwe. In a series of candid discussions across various platforms, the 36-year-old singer had openly addressed the issue of being underpaid, despite the commercial success of her albums. Zahara has in the past pointed the finger at TS Records. However, DJ Sbu, associated with TS Records, is now refuting these accusations. Speaking to Newsroom Afrika, DJ Sbu said that Zahara was not working with them in the past few years. “We made sure that she owns her own publishing, which she does with Sheer music publishing. Sheer pays her royalties…

Netflix and Shondaland have announced the return of Bridgerton for an ultra-sexy, lavish season 3 in 2024. The season’s part 1 will premiere on May 16 followed by part two on June 13. As previously announced, the series will be split into two four-episode parts, with the budding romance between Penelope Featherington (Nicola Coughlan) and Colin Bridgerton (Luke Newton), affectionately known by fans as Polin. Featherington has decided it’s time to take a husband, preferably one who will provide her with enough independence to continue her double life as Lady Whistledown, far away from her mother and sisters. But lacking in confidence, Penelope’s attempts on the marriage mart fail spectacularly. Meanwhile, Colin has returned from his summer travels with a new look and a serious sense of swagger. But he’s…

RECENT studies have revealed three surprising signs that indicate your brain may be staying youthful despite the passing years. If you’ve ever wondered whether your brain is keeping up with your youthful spirit, buckle up and get ready to uncover the mysterious clues that might just hold the secret to a youthful brain! Speaking more than one language According to a team of Canadian and Spanish researchers, being bilingual isn’t just about fluency; it’s about giving your brain a fantastic workout. It turns out bilingual folks have supercharged neural connections that work more efficiently, kind of like a turbo boost for your brain. This helps conserve precious brain energy and shields your noggin from wear and tear, lowering the risk of cognitive ageing and dementia. Feeling younger than your actual…

ANC veteran Mavuso Msimang is back in the ANC fold after he retracted his resignation from the party following a meeting with ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula. Msimang’s withdrawal of his resignation followed a meeting that was facilitated by the ANC Veterans’ League. He resigned last week citing “endemic corruption, with devastating consequences on the governance of the country and the lives of poor people, of whom there continue to be so many”. Msimang had noted in his resignation letter the dramatic decline in the ANC’s popularity due to perceptions that its members and “deployees” were corrupt, and that the deployment of unsuitable people accounted for the government’s deplorable levels of service to the public. But he has since made a 360-degree about-turn. Mbalula had accused the party’s veterans of campaigning…