
My Oxford Year review: An imperfect yet effective slow-burn anchored by Sofia, Corey
Carson and Mylchreest are both deeply watchable. Their simmering chemistry doesn't demand attention, it earns it. Theirs is a love language of poetry, long walks, unspoken glances, and one particularly poignant moment where a simple 'thank you' is met with 'I love you too.' It's heartbreakingly beautiful. The film leans into the old-school, slow-burn charm of nerdy romance. There's palpable romantic tension, which is backed by thoughtful writing that never overplays its hand. Sofia and Corey bring a quiet depth to their roles, never making their characters feel like genre cliches.That said, not everything works seamlessly for the film. The subplot involving Jamie's family dynamics feels undercooked, which, if explored, would have provided a better emotional arc to the story. Some scenes glide past moments that deserve more narrative weight.However, where 'My Oxford Year' truly succeeds is in its emotional takeaway. Much like Aman from 'Kal Ho Naa Ho', Jamie's arc isn't just about romance, it's about choice, and finding beauty in impermanence. The film gently nudges you to live - deliberately, honestly, and with a full heart. Remember what Aman said? 'Jiyo, Khush raho, Muskurao. Kya Pata Kal Ho Naa Ho (Live, Be Happy, Smile, you don't know about tomorrow!)''My Oxford Year' is a romantic drama that rewards patience. It may not be perfect, but it leaves you thinking, feeling, and wondering about the kind of love that doesn't need to be loud to be unforgettable. For anyone who still believes in letters over texts and love over logic, this one might just be for you.'My Oxford Year' is now available on Netflix.- Ends3.5 out of 5 stars to My Oxford Year.You May Also Like
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Indian Express
an hour ago
- Indian Express
Are Pamela Anderson and Liam Neeson in a fauxmance? Friends reveal the naked truth about their relationship
Pamela Anderson and Liam Neeson have been turning heads lately. The co-stars, out promoting The Naked Gun, have reportedly gotten close off-screen too. Their chemistry on-screen sizzled, and now fans are asking if there's something real happening behind the scenes. While both Pamela and Liam are staying tight-lipped about the budding romance, some are calling it a classic Hollywood fauxmance, a PR move to hype the film. But those close to them say that's not the case. A source close to the couple told Page Six, 'It's very sincere how they feel. That is the truth.' They added, 'They're not going to show up on the red carpet and be adorable just to be fake, that's not either of them.' Pamela and Liam first met last summer on the set of The Naked Gun reboot, which was shot in Atlanta. The movie is a remake of the 1988 comedy that originally starred Leslie Nielsen and Priscilla Presley. While they didn't stay in touch for a while after filming, sources say they recently 'rekindled' their bond. During a recent interview, the two played along their romance buzz, even pretending to kiss on the Today show before brushing it off as just a 'joyful experience' on set. At the New York premiere, they posed for photos with their kids, Pam's sons Brandon and Dylan, and Liam's sons Micheál and Daniel. Also read: 'Who is Salman Khan?' A clueless Pamela Anderson charged Rs 2.5 cr for 3 days in Bigg Boss, said Indian clothes made her claustrophobic Liam, now 73, had said he was done with dating, and Pamela, 58, has been through a lot in her love life, married five times and involved in multiple affairs, which ended on a messy note, including with Tommy Lee, Kid Rock, Rick Salomon, and Adil Rami. She's also had a short-lived marriage to her bodyguard Dan Hayhurst and even a rumoured romance with Julian Assange. Despite all, she's rebuilt her life. She now lives quietly in Canada and focuses on a healthy lifestyle. She's also been making big comebacks lately, including her Golden Globes-nominated performance in The Last Showgirl. As for Liam, he gave a major hint about his feelings for her last year when he said, 'I'm madly in love' and called her 'terrific to work with.' Pamela told ET, their connection is 'sincere and loving' and that Liam is a 'good guy.' Friends and family close to Pamela believe Liam is actually the best man she's ever dated, calling him 'a gentleman' and 'very present.' Even Andy Cohen, a close friend of Liam's late wife, Natasha Richardson, has given the couple his blessing. 'She's an independent woman, just like Tash was,' he said on his radio show, adding that the relationship 'just works.' Also read: Liam Neeson, 73, and Pamela Anderson, 58, break silence on romance as dating rumours surface: 'We discovered a silly bone in each other' Pamela recently headlined her Netflix documentary, where she opened up about the trauma she faced growing up. Titled Pamela, a Love Story and her memoir Love, Pamela, the doc mentions several instances of sexual abuse before age 18, including one where she was molested by a 25-year-old when she was just 12. She also revealed the violent nature of her marriage to Tommy Lee, who served jail time for assaulting her. In recent years, Pamela has stayed away from Hollywood drama. Meanwhile, Liam has mostly stayed single since Natasha Richardson's tragic death in a ski accident in 2009. He did have a relationship with PR exec Freya St. Johnston for two years but has kept a low profile since.


Time of India
3 hours ago
- Time of India
From Scam to Sagas: Applause expands slate with Archer titles
As streaming platforms ramp up their demand for scalable IP and cross-market appeal, Indian content studios are increasingly looking beyond domestic formats and entering the global literary market. Applause Entertainment , backed by the Aditya Birla Group , is the latest to make a move, acquiring exclusive screen rights to six novels by British author Jeffrey Archer . The acquisition, which includes The Clifton Chronicles, Fourth Estate, First Among Equals, The Eleventh Commandment, Sons of Fortune, and Heads You Win , marks Applause's first foray into global fiction IP . While notable, the development fits into a broader trend of Indian studios building slates that can travel across languages, territories, and platforms. Applause plans to adapt them as series and films across multiple Indian languages and distribution platforms, including global streaming services. 'We have just closed the deal and now we are getting started in earnest,' said Sameer Nair, managing director of Applause Entertainment. 'We want to move fast. The idea is to identify a showrunner or creative director for each title and begin working on adaptation, deciding the context, setting, and treatment.' Nair added that the studio hopes to have at least one or two properties entering the pre-production phase in the next three to six months. 'Everything we develop will be run past Jeffrey Archer and will go through our own iteration process. We want to make sure we're doing justice to the original material, while also adapting it meaningfully for screen,' he said. From local books to global IP Applause's earlier successes have largely come from Indian non-fiction adaptations like Scam 1992 and Black Warrant and scripted versions of international formats including Criminal Justice, Hostages, Call My Agent . This move into global fiction marks a strategic expansion geared toward meeting a rising demand for high-concept IP that can be localised but is inherently global in theme and structure. 'Jeffrey Archer's stories are sagas, not single-incident plots,' said Nair. 'They lend themselves to both long-form drama and feature films, depending on how we reimagine them.' While Archer's books are widely read in India, Nair acknowledged that a large segment of India's tier II and tier III viewers may not be familiar with them. 'The larger Indian mass has not heard these stories. That's the excitement you can take these stories to them. Once it comes on a streamer or platform, it reaches,' he said. He drew a parallel with Scam 1992, which was based on Sucheta Dalal and Debashis Basu's book The Scam. 'I don't think many people had read the book before the show came out, but more people saw the show. Hopefully, that encouraged some to go read the book,' Nair said. 'We only used a small part of it but the book itself is far deeper.' Stabilising and expanding Applause's expansion comes at a time when the Indian content market is undergoing a cost correction, following years of aggressive investment between 2020 and 2023. Several production houses were forced to scale back due to unsustainable content spends and shifting platform strategies. However, Applause has avoided major disruption by maintaining cost discipline. 'We've always been frugal,' said Nair. 'When others were spending INR 100-INR 200 crore on a single show, we were building profitable units. All our projects aim to recover cost and make a margin. That allows us to reinvest continuously.' He estimated that the company has already invested and reinvested over INR 2,500–INR 3,000 crore and continues to operate on a reinvestment-led growth model. 'There's no fixed number for how much we will invest in the next two years,' Nair said. 'We just keep doing it.' Applause evaluates all projects on a unit economics basis, aiming for profitability at the project level rather than relying solely on large upfront investments or slate deals. While budgets have come under pressure, Nair said the overall outlook for the industry is positive. 'There was a lot of pressure on content cost in the past couple of years, but now things are levelling out. It's fair, platforms also need to be profitable,' he said. Alongside the literary acquisition, Applause is also diversifying its production slate with a growing focus on theatrical films and digital-first animation . The company has signed filmmakers Kabir Khan and Imtiaz Ali for upcoming Hindi projects and is producing a Tamil feature film Bison with director Mari Selvaraj, targeted for release around Diwali. Nair said the move into theatrical films is a natural extension of the studio's capabilities. 'Hopefully, in the next couple of years, you'll see us as a major movie studio,' he said. In the kids content space, Applause launched a YouTube channel ApplaToon earlier this year, leveraging its animation rights to Amar Chitra Katha 's intellectual property. The channel, aimed at a digital-first audience, focuses on mythological and historical narratives. 'YouTube turned out to be the most effective distribution channel for children's content,' Nair said. 'Many streamers and broadcasters are currently re-evaluating their kids' programming slates, but YouTube remains consistent. We've made a strong start and we plan to build aggressively in that direction.' For Applause, the Archer collaboration is not a one-off prestige play, but part of a deliberate expansion into IP-driven content development. 'This is a milestone moment for us,' Nair added. 'To reimagine these stories with scale and style, and position them for audiences across the globe, that's the creative opportunity we're excited about.'


Time of India
4 hours ago
- Time of India
Tougen Anki: Watch episode 5 online today; check the release date & streaming platforms for these countries
Tougen Anki episode 5 is almost here, and the story is about to shift gears. After last week's chaotic test and Naito's sudden call from Kyoto, fans have been waiting to see what comes next for Shiki, Jin, and the rest. The anime has quickly picked up steam with its slick animation, intense fights, and mysterious plot developments. Tougen Anki episode 5, titled 'Bad News,' looks set to introduce new characters, new missions, and possibly new dangers. Whether you're already hooked or just catching up, here's when and where you can watch the latest episode of Tougen Anki. Tougen Anki episode 5 release date and time Tougen Anki episode 5 will be released on Friday, August 8, 2025, at 11:00 pm JST in Japan. It will first air on Nippon TV, followed by other local networks. International fans will be able to stream the episode shortly after its Japanese broadcast, depending on the service and region. Here's when episode 5 drops around the world: Pacific Time – 7:00 am, August 8 Eastern Time – 10:00 am, August 8 UK (BST) – 3:00 pm, August 8 Central Europe – 4:00 pm, August 8 India – 7:30 pm, August 8 Philippines – 10:00 pm, August 8 Japan – 11:00 pm, August 8 Australia (ACST) – 11:30 pm, August 8 Where to watch Tougen Anki episode 5 online? TOUGEN ANKI Anime Climbs to #1 in Japan, Enters Netflix's Global Top 5! 🔥✨More: Japanese viewers can catch the anime on Nippon TV, BS NTV, and major streaming platforms like Hulu, Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+, ABEMA, and d Anime Store. Internationally, REMOW has licensed Tougen Anki, making it available on various platforms, including: Crunchyroll (Most Asian markets, US) Netflix (India, US) Amazon Prime Video Samsung TV Plus Anime Onegai Anime Digital Network Bandplay Anime Generation Availability may vary by region, so fans are advised to check local listings or supported services. Tougen Anki episode 4 recap Last episode, things got intense when Naito Mudano checked on Shiki and Byoubugaura. However, Jin was still determined to continue the test and attacked Naito. That didn't end well. Naito effortlessly restrained him. Later, Shiki freed Jin, and the two finally worked together to pass the test. Just as success seemed near, a sudden call from Kyoto changed everything. Naito abruptly cancelled the test and instead asked the students to join him on a mission. Tougen Anki episode 5 spoilers Titled 'Bad News,' the new episode is likely to take the team to Kyoto. There, they might meet members of the Support team at the Kyoto Oni Agency and prepare for the Momotarou Agency's next move. However, not everyone is excited about playing support. Expect some pushback, tension, and maybe even a few rule-breakers from the group who want to fight on the front lines. #TougenAnki #桃源暗鬼 As Tougen Anki heads deeper into its first season, episode 5 might just mark a turning point for the anime's core cast and for the fans following their journey. FAQs about Tougen Anki episode 5 Q1: When will the Tougen Anki episode 5 be released? It will air on Friday, August 8, 2025, at 11:00 pm JST in Japan. Q2: What is the title of Tougen Anki episode 5? The episode is titled 'Bad News.' Q3: Where can I watch Tougen Anki episode 5 online? It will be available on streaming platforms like Crunchyroll, Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+, and Hulu, depending on your region. Q4: What happened in episode 4 of Tougen Anki? Shiki and Jin teamed up to pass their test, but a call from Kyoto interrupted everything. Naito cancelled the test and brought them into a new mission. Q5: Will Tougen Anki episode 5 introduce new characters? The students may likely meet the Support team at the Kyoto Oni Agency during their new mission.