Coming Soon
Out this week:
* Albums
- Starboy by The Weeknd: Third album by the Canadian singer; follows 2015’s Beauty Behind the Madness; includes the tracks ‘Starboy’ (featuring Daft Punk), ‘Stargirl Interlude’ (featuring Lana Del Rey), ‘Sidewalks’ (featuring Kendrick Lamar), ‘All I Know’ (featuring Future), and ‘I Feel It Coming’ (featuring Daft Punk).
* Movies
- Moana (with the voices of Auli’i Cravalho, Dwayne Johnson) - animation; the teenage daughter (Cravalho) of the chief of a tribe sets sail for an island with a legendary demigod (Johnson) to help save her family.
- Allied (starring Brad Pitt, Marion Cotillard, Jared Harris) - thriller; the relationship of a Canadian intelligence officer (Pitt) and a French resistance fighter (Cotillard) is tested by the complexities that arise because of war.
- Lion (starring Dev Patel, Nicole Kidman, Rooney Mara, David Wenham) - drama, based on Saroo Brierley’s non-fiction book A Long Way Home; an Indian boy adopted by a couple in Australia sets out to find his lost family 25 years later.
Books
- Talking as Fast as I Can: From Gilmore Girls to Gilmore Girls (and Everything in Between) by Lauren Graham: Non-fiction; a collection of personal essays sharing stories from the actress’s life.
- Scrappy Little Nobody by Anna Kendrick: Non-fiction; a collection of humorous autobiographical essays by the actress.
Star
Katherine Evelyn Anita Cassidy
- Born on the 25th of November 1986 in Los Angeles, California, U.S.
- Is the daughter of actor David Cassidy and model Sherry Benedon.
- Has a younger paternal half-brother, Beau.
- Was a cheerleader in her youth.
- Recorded a cover version of the Partridge Family’s ‘I Think I Love You’ in 2002, which was a hit for her father in 1970.
- Made her acting debut in an episode of the drama series The Division (2003), before getting recurring roles in 7th Heaven (2005), Supernatural (2007 - 2008), and Gossip Girl (2010 - 2012).
- Also starred in the short-lived series Harper’s Island (2009) and Melrose Place (2009 - 2010) before gaining recognition for her main role in Arrow (2012 - 2016). Has also appeared in the other Arrowverse shows, The Flash and Legends of Tomorrow.
- Has starred in a number of horror films, including When a Stranger Calls (2006), The Lost (2006), Black Christmas (2006), and A Nightmare on Elm Street (2010); is regarded as a modern scream queen.
- Can play the guitar and piano.
Also born today: Tim Armstrong, John F. Kennedy Jr., Amy Grant, Ben Stein
Spotlight
Trolls
Voice cast: Anna Kendrick, Justin Timberlake, Gwen Stefani, James Corden, Russell Brand, Icona Pop, Ron Funches, Kunal Nayyar, Christine Baranski
Directors: Mike Mitchell and Walt Dohrn
Tagline: Find your happy place.
- Animated musical; two trolls, Poppy (Kendrick) and Branch (Timberlake), try to save their village from creatures who eat trolls.
- Based on the dolls of the same name created by Thomas Dam. A film inspired by the toyline had been in the works since 2010; Chloë Moretz and Jason Schwartzman were initially attached to this project.
- Had a budget of $125 million; has made around $227 million in two weeks.
- Has received mixed to positive reviews from critics who found it sweet and colourful but familiar and unexceptional.
- Score composed by Christophe Beck. The cast members also contributed to the soundtrack, which includes Justin Timberlake’s ‘Can’t Stop the Feeling!’,