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Vice TV’s “Dark Side of the Cage” returns for its second episode, shifting its focus to the complicated story of UFC veteran Diego Sanchez. This isn’t a typical sports biopic, though; instead, it’s a cautionary tale of exploitation and manipulation. The episode chronicles Sanchez’s descent into a “living nightmare” orchestrated by a self-styled guru. How […]

Dark Side of the Cage “Diego Sanchez: The Fighter and The Guru”...

As we have mentioned many times before, the documentary is currently experiencing one of its golden periods, with the fact that reality goes beyond any script becoming quite obvious throughout the plethora of entries we have been seeing during that last few years. Furthermore, as a number of courageous filmmakers shed light to issues that are dangerous to depict (to say the least) or even hard to watch, the quality of the category continues to improve. Add to that the biographical ones, the ones that present real but relatively unknown sides of each country’s society and you have the majority of reasons for what we mentioned in the beginning.

Without further ado, here are the 15 Best Asian Documentaries of 2024, in reverse order. Some may have premiered in 2023, but since they mostly circulated in 2024, we decided to include them.

15. Parama: A Journey With Aparna Sen Aparna Sen © Mayaleela Films

“When actors become mainstream stars,...

For over four decades, James Ivory and Ismail Merchant collaborated to produce some of the most acclaimed period films of all time. Working under their banner, Merchant Ivory Productions, the American director and Indian producer created lavish literary adaptations and costume dramas that brought 19th-century worlds to life. Their films like A Room with a View and Howards End not only enthralled audiences but earned widespread critical acclaim.

In 2019, filmmaker Stephen Soucy paid tribute to Ivory and Merchant’s remarkable partnership with the documentary Merchant Ivory. Through interviews and behind-the-scenes glimpses, Soucy celebrated these cinema greats and their incredible bodies of work. However, the documentary also left some wanting more analysis of exactly what made Merchant Ivory’s films so special. This review will examine what the documentary did well in honoring Ivory and Merchant’s legacies, as well as areas that could have provided deeper insight into their enduring artistry.

India's “renaissance woman” Aparna Sen – actress, director, producer, fighter for women's right, diversity and ethnic & religious minorities – whose career in the film business spans over six decades, was presented with the Red Lotus Lifetime Achievement Award 2024 in Vienna. The filmmaker was unfortunately not able to fly over to recieve it, and the award was presented to the winner through the German film critic and editor of the film magazine Shomingeki, Rüdiger Tomczak.

Parama: A Journey With Aparna Sen screened at Red Lotus Asian Film Festival Vienna

Only a few months ago, Sumah Ghosh's documentary “Parama: A Journey With Aparna Sen” about the Indian helmer celebrated its world premiere in the Cinema Regained strand of IFFR, and it was only logical to include it in the repertoire of Red Lotus Asian Film Festival. It is a film that gives a deep insight into the life and work of one of the...

Avatar: The Last Airbender has given several reasons for fans to love the animated series. From its intriguing fictional world to its mystical spiritual theme and more, there is much to be enjoyed in the series. While fans love its themes of honor, redemption, friendship, and loyalty, they have also come to love the romantic elements of the series.

A still from Avatar: The Last Airbender (image credit: Nickelodeon)

Although romance is not as idealized as is in its successor series, The Legend of Korra, Avatar: The Last Airbender does have some romantic tropes with Aang and Katara’s relationship occupying the central space. One instance has fans particularly swooning over Aang’s love for Katara, which could have proven detrimental to the existence of their world.

Aang’s Affection for Katara Could Have Jeopardized Their World

Aang with Guru Pathik in Avatar: The Last Airbender

Avatar: The Last Airbender...

The Avatar: The Last Airbender saga has never failed to amuse its fans. From its immaculate action sequences to a jaw-dropping storyline, the anime of the saga has managed to keep fans constantly at the edge of their sets. And it isn’t just the children who were amazed by the anime: The anime is enough to leave even the adults entertained.

Avatar: The Last Airbender.

But while the rest of the lore is one thing, there is one specific episode helmed by the showrunners that literally people of all ages could find relatable. And the mastermind co-creators of the 2005 masterpiece, Michael Dante Dimartino and Bryan Konietzko seem to have similar thoughts and opinions on that episode, having created the superhit fan-favorite animated series themselves.

The Avatar: The Last Airbender Episode Everyone Could Relate To

While it is indeed true that the Atla universe may seem like child’s play...

His portrayals of the idiosyncratic, moustache-fanatic, and rule-imposing Bhawani Shankar or the stern Acp Dhurandhar Bhatawadekar in a brace of breezy Bollywood comedies are undeniably unforgettable, but he played a more realistic role in ‘Guddi’ – that gentle deconstruction of the glittering yet hollow edifice of filmdom.

Utpal Dutt, as Prof Gupta in the 1971 film, knows neither scolding nor advice will change the filmstar-struck teenager (then Jaya Bhaduri in her first Hindi film), and the only way out is to let her indulge in fascination with films and learn first-hand the artificiality, heartbreaks, and struggle that lies behind them.

Portraying a teacher, with innovative ideas, was not difficult for Dutt, who was born on this day (March 29) in Bengal’s Barisal (now in Bangladesh) in 1929. He had been an English teacher in (then) Calcutta’s South Point School in the 1950s and earned his students’ admiration for his insights into literature,...

Revered Indian actor and filmmaker Aparna Sen is the subject of Suman Ghosh’s documentary “Parama: A Journey with Aparna Sen,” which has its world premiere at International Film Festival Rotterdam‘s Cinema Regained strand.

Sen came to notice as an actor with the “Samapti” segment in Oscar winner Satyajit Ray’s “Three Daughters” (1961). She acted in several more films by Ray and also worked with Indian cinema greats Mrinal Sen, Tapan Sinha and Rituparno Ghosh. Her acting credits also include Merchant-Ivory films “The Guru” (1969) and “Bombay Talkie” (1970).

“36 Chowringhee Lane” (1981), Sen’s directorial debut, won her best director at India’s National Film Awards. She has directed several acclaimed films since, including “Paroma” (1984), “Sati” (1989), “Paromitar Ek Din” (2000), “Mr. and Mrs. Iyer” (2002), “Goynar Baksho” (2013) and “The Rapist,” which won the Kim Jiseok prize at Busan in 2021.

Sen starred in Ghosh’s “The Bose Family” (2019). Ghosh is a prolific filmmaker who is...

Prepare for an insightful and thought-provoking evening as 60 Minutes returns with a lineup of compelling stories in this post-season edition. On Sunday, May 28, from 7:00 to 8:00 Pm Et/Pt, viewers will be taken on a journey to uncover the truth behind crucial global issues and explore inspiring tales of resilience and self-discovery.

First on the list is “Radio Free Europe,” a segment that sheds light on the transformation of Radio Free Europe from a relic of the Cold War era to a vital tool in the battle against disinformation and authoritarianism, particularly since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Bill Whitaker takes viewers inside the Rfe headquarters in Prague, where brave journalists tirelessly combat falsehoods and deliver fearless reporting. Discover the bipartisan support that has bolstered Rfe’s $140 million budget, funded by American taxpayers. Graham Messick and Jack Weingart skillfully produce this eye-opening segment.

Next, embark on a journey to...

And this was recognised by his peers. There is a story that once he and Raj Kapoor were at the Calcutta airport in 1973, when a cinema fan went to the latter to get his autograph and was told to approach Dutt first, with the master showman saying that he was only a "star", but Dutt was an actor!

While Dutt’s sense of timing, the funny intonation, and the maniacal gleam and laughter he could produce at will, served him well in comedy as "Gol Maal" (1979), "Rang Birangi" – with its slapstick chase through a children’s playground, "Kissi Se Na Kehna" (both 1983), "Lakhon Ki Baat" (1984), et al, attest, he could deftly turn the same mannerisms to display a marked unrepentant villainy.

Be it as the leader of the 40 thieves in "Marjina Abdulla", the crafty munim Ghoshal who drives the hero (Uttam Kumar) to utter despair in "Amanush", as corrupt and...

No two ways about it: April’s a great month for the Criterion Channel, which (among other things; more in a second) adds two recent favorites. We’re thrilled at the SVOD premiere of Hamaguchi’s entrancing Wheel of Fortune and Fantasy, our #3 of 2021, and Bruno Dumont’s lacerating France, featuring Léa Seydoux’s finest performance yet.

Ethan Hawke’s Adventures in Moviegoing runs the gamut from Eagle Pennell’s Last Night at the Alamo to 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days, while a 14-film John Ford retro (mostly) skips westerns altogether. And no notes on the Delphine Seyrig retro—multiple by Akerman, Ulrike Ottinger, Duras, a smattering of Buñuel, and Seyrig’s own film Be Pretty and Shut Up! That of all things might be the crown jewl.

See the full list of April titles below and more on the Criterion Channel.

—

3 Bad Men, John Ford, 1926

Aar paar, Guru Dutt,...

Exclusive: Heather Graham (Half Magic), Brandy Norwood (Queens), Jason Biggs (Outmatched) and Matt Cedeño (Power) have signed on to star in the Netflix holiday film Best. Christmas. Ever. from director Mary Lambert.

The film written by Charles Shyer (Father of the Bride) and Todd Calgi Gallicano (Sam London Adventure book series) centers on Jackie (Norwood), who every Christmas, without fail, sends a boastful holiday newsletter that makes her old college friend Charlotte (Graham) feel like a lump of coal. When a twist of fate lands Charlotte, her husband Rob (Biggs), and their family on Jackie’s and her husband Valentino’s (Cedeño) snowy doorstep just days before Christmas, Charlotte seizes the opportunity to prove her old friend’s “perfect” life can’t possibly be that perfect. But in her overzealous attempt to expose Jackie, Charlotte nearly ruins Christmas for both families and must team...

Italy’s Stand By Me and Rai have partnered on “The General’s Men,” a high-end drama that delves into the country’s battle against Red Brigades terrorism by portraying a special paramilitary unit set up by a high-ranking police official played by Sergio Castellitto.

Castellitto (first look image above) plays General Carlo Alberto Dalla Chiesa, the heroic chief of the Carabinieri paramilitary police force who in 1974 set up the Nucleo Speciale Antiterrorismo, a unit of elite young officers, to fight Red Brigades terrorists who were running rampage. In 1978 the Red Brigades abducted and killed then Italian prime minister Aldo Moro.

“They are all young [both the terrorists and the elite police officers] and they represent two distinct groups who have decided to be on different sides of history,” said Stand By Me chief Simona Ercolani.

“The show’s underlying theme is the defense of democracy, which is very timely,” she added.

The eight-episode show directed by Lucio Pellegrini...

Suppress your bitter aching loneliness this holiday by watching some very anti-Valentine’s Day cinematic relationships on Shudder! We here at Trailers From Hell have culled through all of the least romantic flicks currently showing on that spookiest of movie streaming platforms, and found some intriguing viewing fodder if you’re less-than-receptive to the typical amorous pablum.

Valentine (2001)

This hokey slasher, starring such staples of the early aughts as Denise Richards and David Boreanaz (plus a pre-Grey’s Anatomy Katherine Heigl). A serial killer wanders the streets of San Francisco (with a Los Angeles interlude) wearing a creepy marble Cupid mask, using a variety of slick household items, including an electric drill and a hot iron. Not the healthiest form of romantic self-expression for our Cupid.

White Zombie (1932)

The Haitian-set Bela Lugosi horror classic so memorable it inspired the name of a multiplatinum hard rock band five decades later! In White Zombie,...

RuPaul Charles, the Emmy-winning host and executive producer of RuPaul’s Drag Race, has signed a first-look scripted deal with Sony Pictures Television. Under the pact, Charles is ramping up his RuCo production banner, with former State Street Productions executive Jay Marcus joining the company as Head of Film and Television.

At Sony TV, RuCo will focus on telling queer, character-driven stories, centered around RuPaul’s signature brand of positivity, empowerment, humor, and music. The company will develop drama, comedy, and animated projects across all platforms.

“Not only I am thrilled and honored to join the Sony Pictures Television family, but I’m also extremely grateful for the opportunity to tell unique stories that push the conversation forward,” Charles said.

Charles started expanding into scripted television several years ago, teaming up with Michael Patrick King to produce the Netflix original comedy series, Aj & The Queen, in which RuPaul also starred, and with J.

The comedian and former The Daily Show correspondent talks about his favorite Blaxploitation movies with hosts Josh Olson and Joe Dante.

Show Notes: Movies Referenced In This Episode

Casablanca (1942) – John Landis’s trailer commentary

The Castle (1997)

The Spook Who Sat By The Door (1973) – Bill Duke’s trailer commentary

Pressure (1976)

Robinson Crusoe On Mars (1964) – Mick Garris’s trailer commentary

Boss (1975)

Django Unchained (2012) – Brian Trenchard-Smith’s trailer commentary

The Thing With Two Heads (1972) – Stuart Gordon’s trailer commentary

The Incredible 2-Headed Transplant (1971)

The Liberation of L.B. Jones (1970)

Last of the Mobile Hot Shots (1970)

Black Samurai (1977)

Truck Turner (1974)

Schindler’s List (1993)

Black Caesar (1973) – Larry Cohen’s trailer commentary

Hell Up In Harlem (1973) – Larry Cohen’s trailer commentary

Judas And The Black Messiah (2021)

Friday Foster (1975)

That Man Bolt (1973)

Blacula (1972)

Foxy Brown (1974) – Jack Hill’s trailer commentary

Dr. Black, Mr. Hyde (1976)

Willie Dynamite (1973) – Glenn Erickson’s Blu-ray review

Billy Jack (1971)

John Wick (2014)

The Matrix (1999)

Cleopatra Jones...

While many people assumed the Tokyo Olympics 2021 opening ceremony would feature video games in some way, few suspected that the whole event would be scored by some truly incredible video game music.

Sure, it would have been easy to throw a couple of legendary video game songs into the ceremony’s soundtrack and call it a day, but the event’s organizers went one step further and found some surprising deep-dive tracks from the history of video game music. They’re all great tunes, but what’s more impressive are the ways that they so perfectly fit the energy and spirit of the Olympics.

Here’s a look (and a listen) at every video game song that was featured during the Tokyo Olympics opening ceremony:

Ace Combat – “First Flight”

The Ace Combat soundtracks are filled with gems, but this sweeping song from Ace Combat 5 may just be one of the...

A special two-part episode. From the movie Werewolves Within, director Josh Ruben discusses a few of his favorite movies. Then, Werewolves Within writer Mishna Wolff plays a game of “find the woman” in some of her favorite movies.

Show Notes: Movies Referenced In This Episode Josh Ruben:

Werewolves Within (2021)

Werewolves On Wheels (1971) – Adam Rifkin’s trailer commentary

Wrath of Man (2021)

Trapped Ashes (2006)

The ’Burbs (1989) – Ti West’s trailer commentary

The Fly (1986)

To My Great Chagrin: The Unbelievable Story of Brother Theodore (2007)

Road To Perdition (2002)

Stephen King’s Cat’s Eye (1985)

Nightmare On Elm Street Part III: Dream Warriors (1987)

Flight of the Navigator (1986)

Grease (1978)

Honey I Blew Up The Kid (1992)

Big Top Pee-Wee (1988)

A History of Violence (2005)

The Dead (1987)

The Peanut Butter Solution (1985)

Irreversible (2002)

Hunter Hunter (2020)

Man Bites Dog (1992)

The Human Centipede: The First Sequence (2009)

A Serbian Film (2010)

Planes Trains And Automobiles (1987)

Lost In Translation (2003)

JFK (1991)

Home Alone (1990)

The Second Civil War (1997) – Glenn...

Mike Myers is heading to Netflix for a new TV show. The Austin Powers and Love Guru star is creating and executive producing a Netflix limited series called The Pentaverate, in which he will play seven “brand new characters” alongside a cast that includes Ken Jeong (Community), Keegan Michael-Key (Key and Peele), Debi Mazar (Goodfellas), […]

The post ‘The Pentaverate’: Mike Myers to Play Seven Characters in New Netflix Series, Which Sounds Like a Threat appeared first on /Film.

New Delhi, May 20 (Ians) After examining 23 Android applications, mobile app developers potentially exposed personal data of over 100 million users through a variety of misconfigurations of third-party cloud services, a report said on Thursday.

According to Check Point Research (CPR), it recently discovered that in the last few months, many application developers have left their data and millions of users' private information exposed by not following best practices when configuring and integrating third party cloud-services into their applications.

The misconfiguration put users' personal data and developers' internal resources, such as access to update mechanisms, storage and more, at risk, the report said.

Personal data includes emails, chat messages, location, passwords and photos, which, in the hands of malicious actors, could lead to fraud, identity theft and service swipes.

According to the report, the researchers found that Astro Guru -- popular astrology, horoscope and palmistry app with over 10 million downloads -- has a misconfiguration.

Society may progress, particularly through implementing new technologies in every day life, but no matter how beneficial this procedure may be, there are always some people left behind, particularly those who cannot or will not adjust. Gurbhej Guru presents such a part of the population, the people who manufacture diva, the lanterns used during the Diwali, from soil, an art that has become preterit due to the extensive use of plastic and steel.

“Diva – The Base of Diwali” review is part of the Submit Your Film Initiative

The documentary follows two interconnecting narrative paths, one comprising of interviews with three generations of people dealing with soil pottery and the other one showing the production method. Both paths are quite eloquent in their message. The job is back-breaking, dirty, and essentially does not leave much earning, since people do not prefer these products anymore. The tiredness and sense of abandonment is...

Darren Lynn Bousman joins Josh and Joe to discuss his favorite over-the-top musicals of the 70s.

Show Notes:

Movies Referenced In This Episode

Repo! The Genetic Opera (2008)

Exorcist II: The Heretic (1977)

Sorcerer (1977)

Star Wars (1977)

Death of Me (2020)

Jesus Christ: Superstar (1973)

Pennies From Heaven (1981)

A History Of Violence (2005)

Requiem For A Dream (2000)

The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975)

The Movie Orgy (1968)

Gremlins (1984)

The Room (2003)

Rocky (1976)

Hair (1979)

The Apple (1980)

Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band (1978)

Tommy (1975)

Quadrophenia (1979)

Altered States (1980)

The Devils (1971)

Trapped Ashes (2006)

Apocalypse Now (1979)

Devil’s Carnival (2012)

Phantom of the Paradise (1974)

Rent (2005)

Wild In The Streets (1968)

A Hard Day’s Night (1964)

Willy Wonka And The Chocolate Factory (1971)

The Wizard of Oz (1939)

The Jazz Singer (1980)

Forbidden Zone (1982)

Eddie and the Cruisers (1983)

The First Nudie Musical (1976)

Chatterbox (1977)

Goldilocks and the Three Bares (1963)

Cabaret (1972)

Saw II (2005)

Other Notable Items

Final Draft

Paris Hilton

Elvira

Angelyne

The William Friedkin podcast episode

Leonardo DiCaprio

Jesus Christ Superstar...

Gang Starr have updated “Bad Name,” their standout track from DJ Premier and the late Guru’s acclaimed 2019 LP One of the Best Yet, with a new remix featuring fresh verses from Method Man and Redman. Rolling Stone has the exclusive premiere of the “Bad Name” remix, which DJ Premier says was one of his priorities following the duo’s first album in 16 years.

“My plan all along was to include and do special remixes after One of the Best Yet was released and I knew Red & Meth would be...

“The greatest illusion of this world is the illusion of separation. Things you think are separate and different are actually one and the same. We are all one people, but we live as if divided.” - Guru Pathik, Episode 2.19 “The Guru” One of the most prolific animations of recent times, Avatar: The Last Airbender, is once again getting the live-action treatment. According...

Saeed Jaffrey in My Beautiful Laundrette

Titles like Ram Teri Ganga Maili and Shatranj Ke Khiladi made him one of India's greatest screen star, but Saeed Jaffrey was also beloved of British viewers, starring in classics like A Passage To India, My Beautiful Laundrette and Gandhi. Now he has died at the age of 86.

A Punjabi actor who got an early break in Z-Cars, Jaffrey got his first big screen role in James Ivory's British-Indian co-production The Guru in 1969. He would later appear in TV series The Advetures Of Black Beauty, Gangsters, Tandoori Nights and Coronation Street. The first Indian to receive an OBE, he also won praise for his work in radio and theatre, taking his theatre company across the Us to perform Shakespeare plays.

Jaffrey is survived by his daughters Meera, Zia, and actress Sakina Jaffrey, from his marriage to actress and writer Madhur Jaffrey, which ended in 1965. His death was.

Den Of Geek Staff Sep 21, 2018

We have the highlights of what's coming and going from HBO Now and HBO Go in October 2018.

You may or may have not noticed it but HBO's horror options have gotten pretty grim. Not grim as in scary but grim as in incredibly sparse.

Thankfully the cavalry is arriving in HBO New Releases for October 2018. This is a company that wisely realizes the importance of scary movies around Halloween time. 18 scary movies are coming to HBO Now and HBO Go streams this October. Cool! The catch is that they'll all be gone by month's end. Not cool! Oh well, it's better than nothing. The Descent will also be arriving at the beginning of the month for a much longer stay.

In terms of non-horror programming, HBO has plenty to offer in October. Recent favorites The Post and Game Night make their debut while slightly older classics Dances with Wolves,...

The Guru of dance aka Shiamak blew Iifa audiences away with his amazing dance pieces at the Iifa weekend this past April in Tampa. We were there and experienced his magic and all we can say is wow! Now the world will get to see his spectacular choreography and of course the stars because StarPlus is airing the awards show on Sunday June 15th.

A few weeks before the Iifa weekend we got some scoop on what to expect, and right after the weekend had wrapped we chatted with Shiamak about his fab Iifa 2014! Now as a special bonus and to celebrate the television premiere we have even more!

Check out what Shiamak told us about Iifa, the choreography, working with Madhuri, Hrithik, Deepika, Kareena, Ranveer, Sonakshi, Priyanka and so much more!

How exciting is it now that you have thrilled audiences in Tampa that you now are going to...

London, Dec 30: Indian origin British actor Jimi Mistry, who starred as a sex guru in "The Guru", has married his dancer girlfriend Flavia Cacace here.

The duo exchanged wedding vows at the St. Pancras Renaissance Hotel here Sunday, reports dailymail.co.uk.

Cacace confirmed the news by sharing one of the couple's wedding pictures on her Twitter page, and she even changed her surname on the social networking site from Cacace to Cacace-Mistry.

"Had the most amazing day with family and friends St. Pancras Renaissance," she captioned the photograph.

Jimi, 40, had teamed with the dancer in British TV reality.

New Delhi, Dec 11: Rizwan Manji, an American actor of Indian origin, will be seen in Leonardo DiCaprio-starrer "The Wolf of Wall Street".

The "Outsourced" actor plays the role of Khalil, a stockbroker in the firm of Jordan Belfort, portrayed by DiCaprio. Directed by Martin Scorsese, "The Wolf of Wall Street" also stars Margot Robbie and Matthew McConaughey, among others.

Rizwan has also played small parts in Hollywood movies like "The Guru" and "Transformers" in the past, but this is the first time he has bagged a crucial role, said a statement.

"The Wolf of Wall Street", distributed by Mvp Entertainment and PVR Pictures, will release Dec 25.

DiCaprio's another film "The Great Gatsby", which came out this.

Hollywood actress Heather Graham, who is best known for roles in films such as The Hangover and The Guru, has recently been in Goa, India promoting her latest 3D live-action movie, The Flying Machine.

Speaking to the Indian media, the actress revealed that she has been approached to act in a Bollywood movie. Heather told the media, “I’ve already talked to someone and I hope it works out. I can’t name him right now, though the project

is interesting. I’ll wait to see how things go. When you hear about it, you’ll know what I was talking about.”

Graham, who attended the International Film Festival of India (Iffi) in Goa, also told the media about her brief meeting with Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan, who also attended the Iffi’s opening ceremony. Heather was full of praises for Shah Rukh Khan who she referred to as ‘the big star.

Subject: Heather Graham, 41-year old American actress

Date of Assessment: June 8, 2011

Positive Buzzwords: Nudity, beauty, sleep

Negative Buzzwords: Romcom, limited appeal and talent

The Case: People like to talk about the so-called "downward trajectory" that Heather Graham's career has supposedly taken. Still, she's worked steadily since her first movie role in 1988's License to Drive (the one where both Coreys stuffed her in a car trunk), which she followed up with an acclaimed turn in Drugstore Cowboy and an adorable character, Annie Blackburn, on the second season of "Twin Peaks." Then, she toiled away in relative obscurity for nearly five years until she stunned audiences (or at least myself) as Jon Favreau's dance partner in the last act of Swingers and appeared alongside Robert Downey Jr. in Two Girls and a Guy. Then, Heather became the very naked Rollergirl in Boogie Nights, which was a pretty overrated movie...

By Jeffrey M. Anderson

Though the multitalented Tom McCarthy, 45, made his acting debut in Mike Binder's Crossing the Bridge (1992), the nineties gave him very little follow-up work. But in the 2000s things began to happen for him, including small parts in movies like Meet the Parents (2000), The Guru (2002), Good Night, and Good Luck (2005), Syriana (2005), and Flags of Our Fathers (2006). However, McCarthy answered his true calling when he was able to write and direct his first film, The Station Agent (2003).

That film may have seemed on the surface a slight, indie comedy, but had subtle depth of character in addition to sharp writing, clever casting, and strong performances, and it was a modest success story. The same thing happened with McCarthy's second film, The Visitor (2008), which still serves as a model for cross-cultural Hollywood tales. An achingly good Richard Jenkins earned an Oscar nomination for his lead performance. McCarthy himself...

London, Nov 9 – British actor of Indian origin, Jimi Mistry has been eliminated from popular dance show ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ based on viewers’ votes.

The 37-year-old actor scored his highest ever for his last sequence, but failed to impress the viewers, reports dailymail.co.uk.

Mistry, who starred as dance teacher-turned sex guru Ramu Gupta in ‘The Guru’ wiped a tear from his eye before leaving the show. He also received a standing ovation from both the judges and the studio audience.

Ians...

Jimi Mistry has reprised his role of Tariq Khan in new film West Is West. The Guru actor Mistry agreed to shoot a cameo for the sequel to East Is East, which premiered yesterday at the London Film Festival. The actor, who attended the event with Strictly Come Dancing partner Flavia Cacace, said: "You should go and see West Is West because it follows the footsteps of the dysfunctional Khan family. "If you have enjoyed the first (more)...

London, Oct 9 – Indian origin British actor Jimi Mistry, who is participating in ‘Strictly Come Dancing’, hopes the raunchy moves that he learnt for his role as a sex guru in ‘The Guru’, come in handy to impress the judges of the popular dance show.

The 37-year-old starred as dance teacher-turned sex guru Ramu Gupta in ‘The Guru’, and made many provocative moves in the film. He plans to use those to attract attention on the dance show, reports thesun.co.uk.

‘Doing sex scenes in ‘The Guru’ helped me feel at ease with the raunchier ‘Strictly…’ moves. I’m lucky to have been.

Strictly Come Dancing contestant Jimi Mistry has stated that he is confident about looking "sexy" on the dancefloor. The ex-EastEnders actor, who split from his wife of five years in 2006, explained that his starring role in risqué 2002 comedy The Guru had educated him on the kind of moves that impress women. "Doing sex scenes in The Guru helped me feel at ease with the raunchier Strictly moves," he told The Sun. "I'm lucky to have been an (more)...

Strictly Come Dancing hopeful Jimi Mistry has revealed that he is nervous about his debut on the show next month.

The actor who strutted his stuff in ‘The Guru’ revealed that while he may be able to attempt a bit of ‘slinky hip action’, he anticipates having more difficulty with the ballroom routines.

Jimi told The Hornsey Journal:

“I’m quite nervous about the ballroom. Who knows, maybe I’m just going to click into this and I might be able to do this. But I can relate to a little bit of slinky hip action, the whole ballroom foxy trotty stuff I’ve never really had to do that on a dance floor.”

Mistry added that while he never had any formal dance training, he did used to enjoy robotics and break dancing as a child.

“From the age of about 10 to 15 I had this affliction for robotics and...

In cinema it is oftentimes the simplest of concepts that yields the most rewarding results. While the splashy - and usually braindead - antics of filmmakers such as Michael Bay or Jerry Bruckheimer may garner a lion’s share of the media’s admittedly short attention span, there are dozens of other more quiet and intelligent films that are also deserving of our collective interest.

Case in point: Exam (review here) (available on Video on Demand from IFC starting July 23rd, 2010). Directed by veteran screenwriter Stuart Hazeldine and budgeted at approximately six hundred thousand dollars, this “job interview from Hell” story offers the discerning and patient viewer a compelling platform from which it addresses a myriad of issues - ambition, drive, morality, ethics, and the lengths that some people will go to get ahead - as well as an eye-catching and inventive storytelling paradigm.

Dread Central recently spoke with the...

'The Guru 'farewell' letter reeks of fakeness,' one fan writes.

By MTV News staff

Gang Starr's Guru and DJ Premier

Photo: Gregg Delman/ MTV.com

Within moments of publishing the news that former Gang Starr Mc Guru had died at age 43 after a long battle with cancer, dozens of reactions began flooding in paying tribute to the pioneering Mc.

"Rip my dude. You were the realest performer I have ever had the pleasure to meet," wrote fan Cody James.

Russell said, "One of the slickest rhyme-sayers has moved on," predicting that although he has passed, the classic Guru songs will "forever bang in somebody's CD player or iPod."

Reader Alex went further, saying a bit of hip-hop died on the day Guru passed, praising him for the fact that his unique jazz/hip-hop sound stretched from New York to the West Coast, while Julio said Guru and Premier...

With pictures of Kristen Stewart as a stripper in the upcoming Sundance player "Welcome to the Rileys" hitting the Internet last week, we decided to take a look back at five Hollywood actresses who starred as a stripper in the past, and how the decision impacted their careers. Some were launched into success stories, while others took a sharp downward turn. Hopefully, Stewart will take some pointers from those who came before her and avoid squashing the success "The Twilight Saga" has given her. If that's even possible.

One unusual fact that's worth noting: three of the five names on this list -- Demi Moore, Lindsay Lohan and Heather Graham -- all followed up their stripper appearances with roles in the Emilio Estevez-directed film, "Bobby." It's hard to say what that means, though three counts as a trend. Apparently, fake stripping drives female actors to Emilio Estevez. Go figure.

New Delhi, Nov 14 (Ians) He played Ramu Gupta, an Indian sex guru in ‘The Guru’ and essays the role of an Indian origin astrophysicist in latest Hollywood release ‘2012′. Indian origin British actor Jimi Mistry now says he would love to feature in a typical Indian potboiler.

‘I’d like to work in an Indian film,’ said Jimi. ‘We tried to work things in the past, but it certainly didn’t happen. I am hoping there is some other opportunity to work (outside Britain and Hollywood). I’d love to do something for sure,’ Mistry told Ians in a telephonic interview from London.

Asked if he has been approached.

Anglo-Indian actor Jimi Mistry has haunting memories of the 9/11 attack on New York because he filmed his wife breastfeeding the couple's two-month-old baby on the steps of the World Trade Center a week before the Twin Towers fell.

The Blood Diamond and RockNRolla star was in the Big Apple filming The Guru when he took a day off to show his wife and daughter the sights.

He tells WENN, "I remember very, very vividly it was a week to the day before 9/11 and me and my two-month-old daughter and my wife went downtown to get the Staten Island ferry for our final hurrah to New York.

"It was a dead quiet, a beautiful sunny day and I was videoing my wife breastfeeding on the steps of the World Trade Center, and walking to the ferry going, 'Wow, wow, wow' the whole time.

"I got on the plane the next day to London and then a week later I watched what happened on the television at my gym. I felt so privileged to have witnessed and lived in New York before the city changed."

But Mistry is so haunted by the memory of his last day in New York he hasn't been able to watch the footage he shot: "It's in my loft. I also have two tickets for the top of the World Trade Center, which we never got to use; they haven't been ripped.

"I haven't taken my daughter back to New York since then but I'm going to take her back one day."...

Actress Heather Graham is a practitioner of Tantra. But according to Rajan Zed, president of the Universal Society of Hinduism, the star of "Boogie Nights" and "The Hangover" is promoting a flagrant misconception of the ancient movement which has influenced the philosophies of Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism.

Graham owns an investigative mind when it comes to Hindu spirituality and religious philosophy. Coincidentally, she played a porn star offering mind-body mystical guidance in 2002's "The Guru."

While promoting her upcoming bit part in "The Hangover", Graham told U.K. newspaper The Daily Mail that she "first got into it when I was filming The Guru in 2002 and I haven't looked back". She added the intense ritual "works for me".

But it's not just sex. Zed contends Tantrism extends way beyond the healing power of sexual energy.

Heather Graham has her role in The Guru to thank for her happy home life - it taught her the joys of tantric sex.

The actress learned the techniques for increased pleasure during lovemaking while filming the 2002 movie, in which she played a porn actress who coaches a sex expert.

And she admits she's been a fan of the method ever since, and uses it to improve her performance in the bedroom.

She says, "You haven't lived until you've tried sexual healing. I first got into it when I was filming The Guru in 2002 and I haven't looked back.

"What most people know about tantric sex is that Sting does it and it lasts eight hours. But he's not having sex continually.

"You can take a bath, massage your partner, listen to music. The idea is that you let the whole thing build very slowly until finally you merge with your partner. It works for me".

Heather Graham says people "haven't lived" unless they've tried tantric sex. The 39-year-old actress insists the practice - which involves meditating during sex to heighten pleasure - brings couples closer together and helps improve relationships. She said: "You haven't lived until you've tried tantric sexual healing. I first got into it when I was filming 'The Guru' in 2002 and I haven't looked back. "What most people know about tantric sex is that it lasts eight hours. But you're not having sex continually. You can take a bath, massage your partner, listen to music. The idea is that you let the whole thing build very slowly until finally you merge with your partner. It works for me."...

Heather Graham has revealed she enjoys tantric sex, it has been reported. The actress has admitted the sexual practice "works" for her and discovered it while filming a movie a few years ago. Graham told the Daily Mail: "I first got into it when I was filming The Guru in 2002 and I haven't looked back. What most people know about tantric sex is that Sting does (more)...

Heather Graham and Sting have something in common. While promoting her small role in "The Hangover," Graham told a UK paper how she enjoys tantric sex. Graham is currently dating director Yaniv Raz. She told the Daily Mail of tantric sex: I first got into it when I was filming The Guru in 2002 and I haven't looked back. What most people know about tantric sex is that Sting does it and it lasts eight hours. But he's not having sex continually. You can take a bath, massage your partner, listen to music. The idea is that you let the whole thing build very slowly until finally you merge with your partner. It works for me. What's not working for her is levitation, although Graham claims she has a goal to do that: So far I've only succeeded in my dreams. I practice transcendental...

By Neil Pedley

Halloween week offsets some of the recent nice with a little bit of nasty that duly chucks the blood around. Kevin Smith's also back, along with a culture clash rom-com and an eclectic mix of docs.

"Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son About His Father"

As anyone who's seen this documentary as it's collected audience awards on the festival circuit can attest, the less one knows, the better -- but if we must, composer and filmmaker Kurt Kuenne channels his grief over the murder of his best friend Andrew Bagby into a cinematic celebration of Bagby's life so that his son might have something of the father he will never know. Inviting loved ones to share memories and experiences, Kuenne assembles this memorial to his friend's memory while Andrew's parents enter into a bitter custody dispute with their son's murderer, who's out on bail in...

Hollywood beauty Heather Graham is single again - after splitting with new love Josh Lucas. The Guru star, 35, and the Sweet Home Alabama heart-throb, 33, began dating in December, several months after Graham ended her relationship with film-maker Chris Weitz. Graham has previously dated Heath Ledger and Ed Burns, while Lucas romanced Salma Hayek. American gossip site Pagesix.Com reports Lucas attended a party at New York nightclub Gypsy Tea with former love, model Liliana Dominguez on Thursday.

Michael London Prods. has entered into a three-year first-look production deal with Paramount Pictures. London's recent films include Vadim Perelman's House and Sand and Fog, from DreamWorks, and Catherine Hardwicke's thirteen, from Fox Searchlight. Both films received Academy Award nominations, with House earning three and thirteen claiming one. London recently completed production on Alexander Payne's Sideways, starring Paul Giamatti and Thomas Haden Church. Searchlight has scheduled an Oct. 20 release. A former executive vp production at 20th Century Fox, London became an independent producer, working on such films as 40 Days and 40 Nights and The Guru. Jane Garnett, who joined Michael London Prods. in November, will oversee Paramount projects for the company.