Latest news with #AnthonyHopkins
West Australian
24-05-2025
- West Australian
Charm, peace & movie stars at lakeside Locarno
'Buona sera,' says the smiling receptionist, wishing me a good evening, as I check in, showing her my passport and reminding myself that I'm not in Italy, but Switzerland. The Hotel Belvedere Locarno will be my base for savouring Ticino, the only Swiss canton that has Italian as its sole official language. I've only been here a matter of minutes but there's already a lot to like about this hotel, from the magnolia tree flourishing beautifully by the entrance to the artworks adorning the gardens and public areas. With 90 south-facing rooms and suites, all with views of Lake Maggiore, this hotel has (four) star appeal. It's the partner hotel for the Locarno International Film Festival, an event founded in 1946 and each August drawing actors and fashion icons to this beguiling lakeside resort town. Posters of past editions of the festival line the hotel's corridors, while black-and-white photographs of previous festival attendees — among them Harrison Ford, Anthony Hopkins and Daniel Craig — grace the bar. Other, more classical paintings and sculptures pepper the interiors and grounds of a hillside hotel that has been welcoming guests since the late 1800s but has a history long predating that, with the location home to a noble family in the 15th century. Also around this time, the sanctuary of Madonna del Sasso was built on a crag high above the hotel and remains an important site of Catholic pilgrimage. Its wedding cake-like features are visible from the hotel's gorgeously-manicured gardens and you can reach it — in about 20 minutes — on a path that ascends beside the Belvedere or more quickly on a funicular that stops outside the hotel and connects the sanctuary with central Locarno. Public and shuttle buses also wind down to the town's historic core and the lake, but you can walk down in about 10 minutes (and up again to the hotel in about 15). This I do several times during my four-night stay at the Belvedere. Whether I'm out hiking in the glorious valleys above Locarno, boarding boat rides on Lake Maggiore, strolling through the historic city of Lugano, or day-tripping to the Piedmont region of Italy (a scenic train journey from Locarno), I'm happy to have a pleasant, comfortable base to return to. I start my mornings in the hotel's sleek Fontana restaurant with a cappuccino or two and a good buffet breakfast, filling up on fruits, cereals, pastries, cold cuts and cheeses (and usually adding cooked-to-order eggs with smoked salmon or spiced chipolatas). I look out to the patio where water bubbles from a fountain erected in 1815. I dine at Fontana one evening too, enjoying the Italian-Ticinese cuisine — puff pastry with robiola cheese and asparagus, creamed pea risotto with burrata cream, lamb shank confit, and mascarpone and pistachio parfait — with red wine made with the merlot grapes that dominate this canton's vineyards. Tasting menus are from CHF125 ($237) with a la carte dishes (CHF26-58, $49-$109) also available. Most of my fellow guests are from the French and German-speaking cantons of Switzerland, and several staff are conversant in all these languages as well as English. Other pleasing aspects of the Belvedere include the spa and solarium which has a pool and jacuzzi free for guests to use (you can also book paid-for massages and other treatments). Pilates and yoga classes are held in the garden, which has tidy lawns, loungers, giant chess, ping pong tables and even a sandy beach volley court. The Belvedere toasted its 125-year anniversary in 2017 and has undergone numerous renovations over the decades, including to its rooms, which range from 17sqm Comfort Chics to two-bedroom suites, and are spread between the hotel's original mansion and its newer annexes. My 21sqm Superior Chic room is in the Casa Luna block. It has a contemporary style with timber flooring and a large ensuite with a double vanity sink and walk-in shower with camellia-scented lotions. One daily late-afternoon ritual I enjoy is making an espresso with my in-room coffee machine and sipping it on my room's covered outside balcony. I relax, ponder my day so far and take in the views over Locarno and Lake Maggiore. It's late March, snow still caps the peaks above the water, but it's mild, the sun is out, the sky is blue and — between the northern spring and autumn especially — I'd definitely recommend this hotel, Locarno and Ticino to you. + Steve McKenna was a guest of Ticino Tourism and Switzerland Tourism. They have not influenced this story, or read it before publication. fact file + Expect to pay from around CHF267 ($507) for a room at Hotel Belvedere Locarno. Overnight guests receive a free Ticino Ticket, which allows for complimentary travel on public transport around the canton for the duration of your stay. To book a room see + For more information on planning a trip in Ticino and across Switzerland, see and
Economist
19-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Economist
Presentations: It's all in the knees
RADA, a world-famous acting school, has trained Anthony Hopkins, Alan Rickman and Phoebe Waller-Bridge. Add to that list Boss Class host Andrew Palmer. In this episode, he gets tips on how to be a better public speaker. To listen to the full series, subscribe to Economist Podcasts+. Episodes are out on Mondays. If you're already a subscriber to The Economist, you have full access to all our shows as part of your subscription. For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs page or watch our video explaining how to link your account.
Geek Tyrant
16-05-2025
- Automotive
- Geek Tyrant
Al Pacino Joins Bobby Moresco-Directed Biopic MASERATI
Academy Award-winner Al Pacino ( The Godfather , Dog Day Afternoon , Hunters ) has joined the cast of the upcoming film, Maserati: The Brothers , the biopic directed by Bobby Moresco about the family behind the high-performance automobiles that, along with Ferrari and Lamborghini, Italy is known for. In Maserati Pacino will be playing businessman Vincenzo Vaccaro, who supported the Maserati family and invested in the early days of the company. Also joining the star-studded film's cast are Gina La Piana ( Intentional ) and Tatiana Luter ( Rudy Valentino ). Previously announced Maserati cast members include Anthony Hopkins, Andy Garcia, Jessica Abla, Michele Morrone and Salvatore Esposito. Maserati was founded in 1914 in a garage in the central Italian city of Bologna by three brothers: Alfieri, Ettore and Ernesto. The trident that is the company's emblem is a replica of the one found in the Fountain of Neptune in Bologna. From early on, the company –which is now known for exotic luxury cars — was tied to the world of auto racing. Maserati's first Grand Prix racing car, called 'Type 26,' is the vehicle that Alfieri Maserati was driving in the 1927 Messina Cup race when he had a near fatal crash. Alfieri died a few years later, on March 3, 1932, at the age of 44 from complications related to that accident. In 1937, the brothers, while remaining involved, sold a controlling stake in the company that is now owned by Fiat. The second and final phase of filming of 'Maserati' will start in June in Rome. The film is slated for a worldwide premiere in early Fall 2025. via: Variety
Digital Trends
06-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Digital Trends
If you have to watch one Netflix movie in May 2025, stream this one
Table of Contents Table of Contents It's anchored by two incredible performances It's set in beautiful locations It's filled with fascinating conversations Following the news of the death of Pope Francis, there's been plenty of joking about how this whole thing is some sort of viral marketing campaign for Conclave. Coincidentally, there was just a movie about the conclave, the process of selecting a new pope. A few years earlier, Netflix released a less heralded film about Pope Francis. The Two Popes, which dropped on the streamer in 2019, follows Pope Benedict XVI and future Pope Francis as they have a spirited debate about God, religion, and their roles inside the Vatican. Here are three reasons you should check the movie out this May: Recommended Videos It's anchored by two incredible performances For most of its running time, The Two Popes plays out like a stage play, and a movie this intimate almost requires two immensely talented actors to anchor it. Thankfully, Anthony Hopkins and Jonathan Pryce are more than up to the challenge. Hopkins has played this kind of role before, but his Benedict XVI is curmudgeonly in ways that push past the most basic version of this character. Benedict believes in rules and tradition, however alienating they might be. Pryce's Francis, meanwhile, wants the Catholic Church to adapt and change with the world, and the tension between these two worldviews is what gives the movie its juice. It's set in beautiful locations You might think that a movie that's mostly about two people debating the merits of their various views on the Catholic Church would be a little boring, but it certainly helps if your film is set in the Vatican, which is famously one of the more ornate, beautiful places on Earth. The indoor and outdoor locales that make up the film's primary settings help to reinforce the argument at the center of the film. What is all this excess for? Why does the church, an organization that helps the poor and destitute, appear so wealthy? Of course, the settings are nice to look at. It's filled with fascinating conversations A conversation between two people who spend all their time thinking about Catholicism might not seem like the most interesting or accessible movie. Whether you're a religious person or not, The Two Popes is filled with conversations that get at the heart of people's beliefs. These two figures are diametrically opposed on basically every issue, even though they practice the same religion. It's a reminder of all the ways there are to be in the world, and that while religion might seem like one thing to you, it can look entirely different from someone else's perspective. You can watch The Two Popes on Netflix.
Yahoo
18-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Deepfake-Enabled Fraud Has Already Caused $200 Million in Financial Losses in 2025, New Report Finds
Financial losses from deepfake-enabled fraud exceeded $200 million during the first quarter of 2025, according to Resemble AI's Q1 2025 Deepfake Incident Report, which was released on Thursday. The report suggests an 'alarming' escalation and growing sophistication of deepfake-enabled attacks around the world. While 41% of targets for impersonation are public figures — primarily politicians followed by celebrities — the threat isn't limited to these groups, as another 34% of targets are private citizens, the findings suggest. The top four uses, according to the report, were non-consensual explicit content, scams and fraud, political manipulation and misinformation. As to activity by geographical areas, the report found that the highest number of incidents during the first quarter occurred in North America (38%), particularly for political figures and celebrities. That was followed by Asia (27%) and Europe (21%). However, the data also revealed that 63% of records involved 'significant cross-border elements.' According to the report, deepfake use is now led by video (46%), followed by images (32%) and audio (22%). The report finds that voice cloning now requires just three to five seconds of sample audio to create a convincing voice. In facial manipulation, 68% of deepfakes are now 'nearly indistinguishable from genuine media.' A combination of these to create synchronized impersonations have now reached 33% of cases, according to the report, which also found that evasion techniques may enable security to be bypassed. 'The report emphasizes the urgent need for a multi-faceted response to the deepfake threat,' said Resemble AI in the announcement of the report. 'This includes technical solutions such as increased investment in deepfake detection technologies, standardized watermarking protocols and content authentication mechanisms. Harmonized legislation across jurisdictions is urgently needed to define harmful deepfakes, establish liability for platforms and create effective enforcement mechanisms. Public resilience must be enhanced through expanded media literacy programs, accessible victim reporting mechanisms and comprehensive support systems. Finally, international cooperation is crucial to address the transnational nature of deepfake incidents through cross-border collaboration.' Best of Variety New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week What's Coming to Disney+ in April 2025 The Best Celebrity Memoirs to Read This Year: From Chelsea Handler to Anthony Hopkins
