World Leaks

THE SUBSTANCE

(18) 140mins  

Working Title

Demi Moore stars in The Substance as Elizabeth Sparkle[/caption]

FOR many, Demi Moore will always be associated with that tender pottery making scene in Ghost.

But if you choose to watch The Substance that image will be smashed and pulverised into eternal oblivion.

This is the least gentle movie you’ll see this year, or perhaps even this decade.

The Substance grabs you by the throat and doesn’t let go for over two hours of pumping, garish, gore-laden, head-messing madness.

I spent much of the time wincing, shuddering and trying my best to keep my eyes open as needles repeatedly pierced skin, while body parts ended up in places they should never be.

The craziness begins when Demi’s character Elizabeth Sparkle is offered a secret drug called The Substance which promises a new improved version of herself.

The 50-year-old TV star Sparkle, who has been heartlessly dumped from her workout show, takes the plunge.

Out pops Sue, played by Margaret Qualley who is half Demi’s age, to admire her naked, nubile body.

Elizabeth rests while Sue steps out in the world.

The one rule the pair must observe “without exception” is that they need to swap roles every seven days.

As you can imagine things don’t quite go to plan.

French director Coralie Fargeat delivers this satire on our beauty obsession with great wit.

The opening and final scenes are a delicious take down of fame.

But The Substance is about as subtle as a needle being jabbed in your backside.

All the men are cartoonishly vile specimens.

That’s not a problem when Dennis Quaid is not only chewing the scenery but spitting it out in the most OTT performance of his career.

And it’s not like the women are particularly saintly.

Neither Sue or Elizabeth care little for anyone, not even their other selves.

Massive credit should go to Demi for an Edvard Munch-like Scream of a performance, one which you’ll not be able to forget because it will give you nightmares.

It could be argued that this mash-up of Cinderella, Beauty And The Beast and The Fly isn’t saying anything particularly new.

But it’s just the injection of energy that cinema needs right now.

200% WOLF

(U) 96 mins

★★☆☆☆

PA

200% Wolf, the sequel to kids’ movie 100% Wolf will leave parents howling at the moon[/caption]

THE great thing about little ones is that they’re easily pleased – give them a cardboard box to play in and they’ll be happy.

The bad thing is that kids’ movie makers know this.

That’s how you end up with 200% Wolf, an animated sequel to 100% Wolf that young children will lap up, but which will leave their parents howling at the moon.

Someone has thrown a whole load of elements that entertain infants – dogs, wolves, rainbow colours, magic and a cute creature from outer space – into a very recognisable plot.

Our main character Freddy Lupin (Ilai Swindells) is your typical outsider, a werewolf who isn’t accepted by the pack because he’s a poodle.

It’s an amusing idea undone by often repeated lines involving “misfits” and hackneyed dialogue about “the balance” being threatened.

His quest to help a cute alien go home is familiar as well.

To be fair the Australian made animation is decent quality and there are some amusing slapstick gags.

Jennifer Saunders also livens up proceedings as the voice of Max, a werewolf cast out for performing dangerous magic.

But it’s hard not to conclude that this script required 0.200 per cent effort.

GR

THE GOLDMAN CASE

(12A)116mins

★★★☆☆

PA

French courtroom drama The Goldman case centres on one very irate man – Pierre Goldman[/caption]

NEVER mind 12 Angry Men, this French courtroom drama centres on one very irate man – Pierre Goldman.

Having been jailed for murdering two pharmacists in a botched robbery in 1969, Goldman spends most of his appeal against his conviction raging at anyone within spitting distance.

The “racist” police, “fascist” judiciary and even his own lawyers get a mouthful.

Arieh Worthalter puts in a pugnacious performance as far-left radical Pierre, his contempt simmering under the surface whenever he’s not erupting.

Ably supported by an excellent cast, it is the superb acting that keeps the Goldman Case alive.

But given that the real life Goldman had such an action packed story of guerilla warfare, boozing and carousing to tell, it’s a shame this drama never gets out of the dock.

Director Cedric Kahn gropes for something far more intellectual, musing on justice and prejudice.

Is everyone out to get Goldman because he’s Jewish? Or is there something else beneath all that anger?

Despite presenting this as a detached study of historical events it is clear Kahn wishes to steer the audience in a particular direction..

Meanwhile, too much shouting conspires to wear you down.

By Grant Rollings

The Chicago Bears star got Biles' initial tattooed on his left ring finger over the summer. The couple met in 2020 and wed three years later.

(COLORADO) — The Colorado Department of Agriculture Animal Health Division confirmed that cases of equine West Nile Virus have been detected in Colorado. So far, four cases of WNV have been confirmed in horses. The first case was detected in Pueblo County, an unvaccinated 18-month-old Quarter Horse filly was euthanized on July 15 after presenting [...]

A FIRM linked to exploding pagers in Lebanon is registered to an anonymous, shabby apartment block in Bulgarian capital Sofia.

Norta Global Ltd is among hundreds of foreign companies listed at a ground floor attorney’s office there.

AFP

Norta Global Ltd, the firm linked to exploding pagers in Lebanon, is registered to this shabby apartment block in Sofia, Bulgaria[/caption]

X/Rulaelhalabi

A damaged device discarded on the ground[/caption]

Bulgarian security agency Dans entered the building yesterday as it said it will probe any links to the sale of pagers to Hezbollah.

The devices exploded across Lebanon in coordinated attacks this week.

Bulgarian media reported Norta Global took delivery of parts from Taiwan before manufacturing the pagers.

At some stage, they were turned into weapons.

Hungarian company BAC Consulting was also linked but said it was only an “intermediary” to a deal with a Taiwanese supplier.

Norta Global chief Rinson Jose has fled to the US.

A source said: “His colleagues have tried to reach him, but he’s on business in America and is not answering calls.”

AFP

People gather as fire fighters put out the fames at the scene of a reported device explosion in Lebanon[/caption]

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Funeral of pager blast victims in Lebanon[/caption]

Australian fans are expected to see a lot more of Kylie Minogue - here’s why.

The man was shot at a suburban home, early Friday morning.

A FAMILY favourite pizza chain has revealed its major menu change with three new lunch deals added, starting at just £3.99.

Pizza Hut is launching a new menu featuring three different flavours for its lunch deals.

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Pizza Hut has confirmed their new lunch deals menu[/caption]

Facebook/PizzaHut

Customers can choose to select The Spicy G.O.A.T[/caption]

Facebook/PizzaHut

The Pepperoni & Spicy ‘Nduja is perfect for those who enjoy spice[/caption]

Facebook/PizzaHut

The Chicken Fajita pizza is topped with sour cream and peppers[/caption]

Customers will be able to choose from, The Chicken Fajita, The Spicy Goat and the Pepperoni & Nduja flavour combinations.

Pizza fans will be rushing to their nearest branch as the popular chain announced the price of their new lunch deals.

For just £3.99, Pizza Hut is offering a 9″ pizza with two toppings and half a classic side.

Fans can also opt for the Melts Lunch Meal for One, which contains Crispy, Cheesy filling-packed Melts plus half a classic side.

However, if you prefer the restaurant chain’s side, Pizza Hut has added its Sides Lunch Meal for One to the deal, featuring any two full-sized sides.

Customers can choose from cheesy garlic bread, wedges, chicken wings or breaded chicken strips.

The lunch deals will be available only from Monday to Friday, between 11am and 4pm and can be ordered for delivery or collection.

Pizza Hut-goers can also upgrade their deal with a 500ml drink for just £1.

Jana Ulaite, Chief Marketing Officer, Pizza Hut said: “We want to create memorable moments with great pizza.

“Lunch and pizza are a winning combination, so we are excited to offer these exclusive deals to make your lunches both affordable and delicious.

“Hut Lunch is for every occasion, whether you want to eat with friends, reward yourself at work or enjoy some me-time before picking up your kids, we want to create lunch memories that will last for a lifetime.”

It comes after the popular chain brought back two discounted fan favourites to menus after nearly a decade.

FAN FAVOURITE

Pizza Hut decided to respond to fans’ pleas by reintroducing the popular chilli and hard cheese shakers last year.

After an outpouring on social media calling for the return of the condiments, bosses at Pizza Hut returned them.

The chilli and hard cheese shakers have been present in restaurants since 1973 when the first Pizza Hut opened in Islington.

But they were removed almost a decade ago, much to the disappointment of fans.

The hard cheese shaker was removed in 2014 and the chilli shaker in 2020.

The return of the shakers will come as welcome news to the social media users who have been messaging Pizza Hut after their demise.

One said: “Oh I miss those parmesan shakers, where did the cheese trust go?”

And another said: “Always mourn the loss of the chilli flakes and parmesan shakers when I come to Pizza Hut.”

While another added: “Went to Pizza Hut with my dad today and felt like I was telling him Santa wasn’t real when I had to tell him they took away the cheese shakers and chilli flakes away years ago.”

It follows a famous fast-food chain announcing the closure of all of its branches across the UK.

THE fourth album from London Grammar is a record about self-confidence and the London trio finally believing in themselves.

“It’s the theme that sums up the record,” says singer Hannah Reid.

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London Grammar members Hannah Reid, Dan Rothman and Dot Major ‘evolving’ in imagery from the new album The Greatest Love[/caption]

Rex

“We don’t care what people say about us.

“We’ve closed the door on those feelings as a band and we just make music that we love.

“This confidence comes with time and with age.”

The Greatest Love is an album that shows off a new inventive side of their music.

Reid adds proudly: “Our music has already stood the test of time and we have amazing fans that have stuck with us.”

London Grammar was this huge beast that the record labels had to wrestle with, no one really knew what was going to happen with us.

Hannah Ried

It’s been ten years since London Grammar — Reid, Dot Major and Dan Rothman — emerged and Reid says that time has been a learning curve.

“When we started, no one knew what to do with us or where we fitted in,” says Reid.

“London Grammar was this huge beast that the record labels had to wrestle with, no one really knew what was going to happen with us.”

The band has sold three million records and all their albums have reached No1 or No2 in the charts.

This week, The Greatest Love is just behind Snow Patrol’s The Forest Is The Path in the midweek charts.

They have also been nominated for a number of Brit Awards and received a prestigious Ivor Novello.

For Reid there have been a lot of personal changes since she last released a record.

We chat on a video call while Reid’s new baby boy sleeps.

The blonde singer, who is also an artist, is sat among paints, canvases, baby clothes and bottles of baby formula as we chat.

Reid and her partner Sean O’Connor became proud parents to Josh nine months ago, and today she is juggling motherhood with the demands of promoting a new album.

Finding love

“My life is very different now I’m a mum, but there’s been a lot of growing up for us as a band, too,” she says.

“When I think back to when we started, and I was 24, I thought I was really grown up.

“But really, when you’re that age, you don’t know what is going on.

“The other day, Dan said how much I’d changed over the past couple of years. And on this album, there’s a lot about letting things go, but it’s all framed in a celebratory way.

“Change is a good thing and, on the record, there is a lot about shedding stuff and finding the greatest love.”

When London Grammar released their debut album If You Wait in 2013, which peaked at No2, Reid received a lot of attention for her looks as well as her amazing emotive vocal range.

“I was so confused about who I was back then,” she admits.

“I thought I should want the fame and attention, and sometimes I tried to fit in.

“But any time I tried that life, I became so miserable.

“I can’t do ‘celebrity’. I just can’t do it at all, and that’s fine.

“I’m much happier accepting that.

“Don’t get me wrong, it’s so easy to get sucked in.

“There have been times I’ve been at the Brits and I’ve had such a good night out with Dan and Dot.”

Being in London Grammar, we just take stuff more in our stride now. It took us time to learn how we were going to survive in the music industry and not fizzle out.

Hannah Reid

The Greatest Love is a reflection of self-expression that’s captured in a window of time.

“It’s about self-love but love is always in our songs,” says Reid.

“That’s often the way for a lot of artists, like Taylor Swift — she writes about love predominantly.”

Standout songs include You And I, Fakest Bitch, House and Kind Of Man.

Reid says: “I just love You And I. I think it’s still London Grammar, but it’s a bit more celebratory and musically really self-indulgent.

“Then, Fakest Bitch — I keep getting asked about that song.

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The band members say they feel a new confidence working together[/caption]

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Hannah, pictured in 2014, is proud of the band’s longevity and is looking forward to their next chapter[/caption]

“It’s a made-up narrative based on a set of images that I had talking to my boyfriend at the bar, bonding over panic attacks.

“But it’s actually fictional — it’s a feeling everyone has experienced.

“It’s a song that came together in just one day.”

Reid is proud of the band’s longevity and is looking forward to their next chapter.

Closer than ever

“Being in London Grammar, we just take stuff more in our stride now,” she says smiling.

“It took us time to learn how we were going to survive in the music industry and not fizzle out.

“It’s been a bit of a process — from worrying about those things to learning that we don’t need to worry about them anymore, at least not in the same way.

“Awards and fame don’t matter to London Grammar’s career.

“We have a solid fanbase who come to our shows.

“However, I’m still a very insecure artist and feel perpetually shocked that people want to come and see us play live.

“I definitely had moments in the pandemic where I thought we might not survive as a band.”

House is a song that came from lockdown.

Reid says: “I love that song.

“It came from being in our houses, which were a boundary at that time.

“We were pitching for an advert for a very big brand, but we didn’t get it.

“It’s a song about defining yourself and rules.”

We make this really emotional sad music, but it is not really a reflection of who we are as people.

Hannah Reid

London Grammar formed while the trio were studying at the University of Nottingham, but how is their friendship today, a decade on?

“We are a lot closer now, probably more so than ever before,” answers Reid.

“When we were young, aspects of our three different personalities clashed more — especially when we were starting out in in this business.

“Now I know it sounds cringe, but they really are both my best friends.

“The three of us are so nerdy together.

“There are things I find funny and I know the only other people in the world who will find it funny are Dan and Dot.

“We make this really emotional sad music, but it is not really a reflection of who we are as people.

“I am lucky as they are good guys.

“I’m also very close to Dan’s wife, who I lived with at university.

“We’ve got that nice family relationship as I know his kids well.”

When it comes to her own son, Reid says: “My son loves Dot.

“He is obsessed with him and follows him around the room.

“It’s very sweet.”

The Greatest Love was written before Reid became a mum, however she wrote a solo album while she waited for her baby to arrive.

“I did a lot of writing, which was good, but the majority of the album had been written.

“I wrote a solo album when I was pregnant, but I think maybe I am not supposed to talk about that!” she laughs.

“I wrote a lot because I couldn’t sing at all when I was pregnant — I think my lung capacity had shrunk as he was pushing my lungs up.

“My voice was pretty terrible for a while and I was getting really frustrated that I couldn’t sing.”

Reid says she loves being a mum, but motherhood is something she’s still getting used to.

“I haven’t really been a working mum yet because other than this week I’ve only been an artist in the studio, so I’ve not experienced the juggling.

“I have experienced the conflict of being a singer in a band and also a mum, though.

“I didn’t have the best recovery as I got quite a serious mastitis infection, which took months to recover from.

“There were moments when I didn’t know if I could play any shows or if we would have to push the album back.

“I felt the conflict.

“I didn’t feel myself when we played Glastonbury — it was one of the hardest gigs I’ve ever done.

“I found it very emotional as Josh was at the side of the stage but I found the separation, even at six months, really difficult.

“I knew he was there, but I couldn’t be with him.

“I was like, who am I? Mum or singer?

“Luckily it turned out to be an amazing show, but it had been a bit touch and go.

“We have a tour coming up soon and I’ve just started thinking about how we are going to do it.

“I think Josh is going to come with me.

“I’m praying that he’s going to be a better sleeper, but he isn’t at the moment. It’s going to be an interesting tour.”

It’s important for Reid to keep fit when she is on tour as she suffers with fibromyalgia, the long-term condition that causes widespread pain in the body.

I can’t overwork

She says: “I’ve learned quite a lot about fibromyalgia since my journey to motherhood.

“It got a lot better during pregnancy — I’m a lot better at managing it.

“On tour, I can’t afford to overwork or I’ll end up having a flare-up or relapse and get really sick.

“I found Glastonbury quite hard because I didn’t feel physically fit enough to do a show.

“I watch what I eat and avoid anything inflammatory and too much dairy.

“It’s the classic things to avoid like gluten and dairy, and I don’t drink.

“I haven’t had a single drink in years as I need to be annoyingly healthy.”

Reid is also an artist and often shows off her paintings on her Instagram.

She says her art compliments her music as they are connected.

These songs are in my bones now and I want to get out there and perform more.

Hannah Reid

“My painting is a lot more introverted than the songs, because no one can come in and make another version of a painting like they can with a song.

“A song is constantly evolving and even though they are my songs, our songs, they don’t really ‘belong’ to me.

“That’s how a painting is different.

“My painting is becoming more and more important.

“I’m not ready to exhibit or sell anything yet, but it’s becoming just as important as the songs.

“But I will be terrified when it comes to doing anything on my own, like an art exhibition or a solo album, without Dan and Dot.

“They are my safety blanket.

“I cannot imagine going on stage without them.

“The most terrifying thing I’ve done was singing with Chris Martin when we supported Coldplay.

“It didn’t feel right.

“But I’ve taken the first step now and even though I found Glastonbury quite hard, I’m ready for more.

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‘These songs are in my bones now and I want to get out there and perform more’, says Hannah of the new album[/caption]

“These songs are in my bones now and I want to get out there and perform more.

“As soon as I’m out there and the boys strike the first chords, and I sing the first note of Hey Now, I know I’m ready.

“Even though I will get nervous about the tour, and putting out this album, I’ve never been as excited as this before.”

• The album The Greatest Love is out now

LONDON GRAMMAR

The Greatest Love

★★★★☆

(EL PASO COUNTY, Colo.) -- The El Paso County Sheriff's Office (EPSO) has released the identity of the victim in a suspicious death south of Fountain on Saturday, Sept. 14, and is asking anyone with information to reach out to the Sheriff's Office. According to EPSO, the El Paso County Coroner identified the man killed [...]

ISRAEL has accused Iran and Hezbollah of a twisted cyber attack where phones across the country were flooded with sick messages.

One of the texts read “Say goodbye to your loved ones”, while another said “Don’t worry, you will hug them in hell”.

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One of the messages in Hebrew[/caption]

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Another message sent on Thursday with a link[/caption]

Twitter

One of the five million messages sent out on Thursday[/caption]

AFP

Smoke billows from the site of an Israeli strike that targeted the southern Lebanese border area of Alman al-Shumariyah on Thursday[/caption]

The cyber attack was aimed at an unnamed mobile service provider, Israel’s National Cyber Directorate confirmed today.

Some five million messages were sent to Israelis in Hebrew on Wednesday night, purporting to be from the Home Front Command.

The government dubbed it an “unsophisticated attempt to incite public panic”.

It was not clear whether customer data was also compromised.

The Cyber Directorate said Israelis were sent three versions of the messages, all containing harmful links to unknown websites.

The links were made inactive within a short period of time, the Directorate said.

There was no immediate response to the Israeli allegations from Hezbollah or Iran.

It comes as tensions across the border between Lebanon and Israel are at an all-time high.

Israel launched a double-pronged hack attack at Hezbollah this week – remotely detonating a series of hand-held devices across southern Lebanon.

At least 37 people were killed and over 3,000 injured in the pager and walkie-talkie blasts – as Mossad spies seek to take down the Iran-backed terror group.

Hezbollah and Iran vowed to seek revenge with Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps promising “a crushing response from the axis of resistance”.

The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) launched airstrikes above southern Lebanon on Wednesday night.

Their air barrage continued into Thursday and this evening dozens of strikes were carried out in a “major intensification of bombing”.

Three Lebanese security sources told Reuters it was the most intense bombing since October last year when war exploded between Hamas and Israel in Gaza.

The IDF said their attacks today are intended to “degrade Hezbollah’s terrorist capabilities and infrastructure”.

They claim to have struck some 100 Hezbollah launchers and “terrorist infrastructure sites”.

A statement from the army read: “Over the last two hours, directed by IDF intelligence, the IAF [Israeli Air Force] struck hundreds of rocket launcher barrels that were ready to be used immediately to fire toward Israeli territory.

“Since this afternoon, the IAF has struck approximately 100 launchers and additional terrorist infrastructure sites, consisting of approximately 1,000 barrels that were ready to be used in the immediate future to fire toward Israeli territory.

“The IDF will continue to operate to degrade the Hezbollah terrorist organisation’s infrastructure and capabilities in order to defend the state of Israel.”

At least 70,000 Israelis have been evacuated from northern Israel amid almost-daily attacks from Hezbollah in Lebanon over the border.

Israel vowed to return them to their homes as it marked a “new phase of war” and shifted hordes of troops north yesterday.

Lebanese security forces claim Israeli spooks planted explosives inside thousands of pagers used by Hezbollah, months before the blitz.

Top brass inside the militant group had ordered its fighters to swap phones for pagers in a failed move to keep Israel from tracking them.

Mossad reportedly intercepted the devices on the supply route and packed them with the explosive PETN.

After the initial wave of pager blasts on Tuesday, other devices including walkie-talkies, fingerprint scanners, home solar systems and radios also exploded in Lebanon on Wednesday.

Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah hit out against Israel in a speech today, saying the “enemy” had crossed “all limits, rules and red lines” in a “massacre”.

He dubbed it a “declaration of war”.

British Foreign Secretary David Lammy has warned the situation in the Middle East could “deteriorate rapidly” and urged Brits to leave while they still can.

He tweeted today: “My message to British nationals in Lebanon is leave while commercial options remain.

“Tensions are high and the situation could deteriorate rapidly.”

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An IDF jet used to strike launchers in Lebanon on Thursday[/caption]

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The site of a pager explosion in Lebanon on Tuesday[/caption]