Coming Soon
Out this week
* Albums
- Assume Form by James Blake: Fourth album by the English singer; comes after The Colour in Anything (2016); includes the songs ‘Mile High’ (featuring Travis Scott and Metro Boomin), ‘Tell Them’ (featuring Moses Sumney and Metro Boomin), ‘Barefoot in the Park’ (featuring Rosal’a), and ‘Where’s the Catch?’ (featuring Andre 3000).
- Also out this week: American singer Mike Posner’s third album, A Real Good Kid; rapper Future’s seventh release, The Wizrd; and rock band Papa Roach’s tenth album Who Do You Trust?
* Movies
- Glass (starring James McAvoy, Bruce Willis, Samuel L. Jackson, Sarah Paulson, Anya Taylor-Joy) - horror thriller, sequel to Unbreakable (2000) and Split (2016); David Dunn (Willis) pursues Kevin Wendell Crumb (McAvoy) in the shadowy presence of Elijah Price (Jackson).
Celeb Tweets
- Tim Carvell (timcarvell): I’ve never been cool enough to get mad about my favorite indie band hitting it big, but I’m the parent of a 3-year-old, and I just want you to know: I was sick of “Baby Shark” waaaay before you knew what it was.
- Ricky Gervais (rickygervais): The universe isn’t fair. But it isn’t unfair either. It’s indifferent. To you and everyone else. Which seems fair.
Star
Jason Jordan Segel
- Born on 18th January 1980 in Los Angeles, California, U.S.
- Has an older brother, Adam, and a younger sister, Alison.
- Played basketball in his youth.
- Got his first major acting role in the comedy drama television series Freaks and Geeks (1999 - 2000).
- Gained fame for his role in the popular sitcom How I Met Your Mother (2005 - 2014).
- Has since starred in several films, including Knocked Up (2007), Forgetting Sarah Marshall (2008), I Love You, Man (2009), Despicable Me (2010), Bad Teacher (2011), Jeff, Who Lives at Home (2011), The Muppets (2011), The Five-Year Engagement (2012), This Is 40 (2012), The End of the Tour (2015), and The Discovery (2017).
- Has been writing children’s and young adult novels with author Kirsten Miller. Together they have written the Nightmares! trilogy and the Otherworld series.
- Upcoming projects include the television series Dispatches from Elsewhere (2019).
Also born today: Estelle, Mark Rylance, Kevin Costner, Cary Grant
Spotlight
Mary Poppins Returns
Cast: Emily Blunt, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Ben Whishaw, Emily Mortimer, Julie Walters, Colin Firth, Meryl Streep, Dick Van Dyke, Angela Lansbury
Director: Rob Marshall
Tagline: In a place we hold dear, where wonder once lived... but soon from above, a new story begins.
- Musical fantasy; Mary Poppins (Blunt) returns to help the Banks family through a difficult time.
- Based on P. L. Travers’ Mary Poppins book series.
- Is a sequel to the 1964 film Mary Poppins. Marks the longest gap between a live-action film and its sequel in history.
- Had a budget of $130 million; has made nearly $288 million in around a month.
- Has received positive reviews, earning praise for the acting, direction, costumes, music, and visuals, although some critics have found it too familiar and derivative of its predecessor.
- Julie Andrews turned down a cameo as the balloon lady, as she wanted the focus to remain on Emily Blunt. The part went to Angela Lansbury, who had been considered for the titular role in the original film before Andrews was cast.
- Score composed by Marc Shaiman. Soundtrack features songs performed by the film’s cast.
- Is likely to be followed by a sequel; a third film in the series is in the early stages of development.