Latest news with #BenditLikeBeckham
Straits Times
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Straits Times
Arise, Sir David Beckham: The football star will be knighted
While David Beckham's honour has been widely reported in the British news media, it is not expected to be formally announced until next week. PHOTO: REUTERS NEW YORK – It was perhaps the biggest moment of David Beckham's decorated football career. England needed to score against Greece in 2001 to qualify for the World Cup, and he stood over a free kick with little time left. He duly bent the ball into the net, setting off paroxysms of joy throughout England. Announcer Gary Bloom spoke for the nation when he shouted: 'Give that man a knighthood!' It took 24 years, but now he is getting one. How do you get a knighthood? In the modern age, knighthoods are conferred by the British royal family upon citizens who have achieved great success in their fields and served their country in one way or another. 'Recipients range from actors to scientists, and from school head teachers to industrialists,' the royal family's website says. It might now add 'impossibly handsome and famous ex-football stars'. Those conferred with a knighthood get the title 'Sir'. Let's hear the credentials of Beckham, er, Sir David. Beckham, 50, was a brilliant football player, most memorably for Manchester United and England's national team. His famous right foot had the uncanny ability to curl balls through the air and into the net, inspiring the title of the 2002 film 'Bend it Like Beckham'. His post-football career has included co-ownership of Inter Miami, a Major League Soccer team. He has been a UNICEF ambassador, and his charisma helped London secure hosting duties for the 2012 Summer Olympics. In 2003, he was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire, or OBE, a common starter title on the path to knighthood. Who else bears the exalted title of knight? A few thousand folks, some of whom you have probably heard of. A sampling: Formula One driver Lewis Hamilton; tennis player Andy Murray; actors Michael Caine and Anthony Hopkins, singers Elton John and Mick Jagger; and former Prime Ministers Tony Blair and John Major. What happens at the knighthood ceremony? Beckham will kneel on his right knee on a knighting-stool before King Charles III, who will lay the blade of a sword on Beckham's right shoulder, followed by his left. You would hope that the king would then say: 'Arise, Sir Beckham.' But disappointingly, the royal family says on its website that those words 'are not used' in the ceremony. While Beckham's honour has been widely reported in the British news media, it is not expected to be formally announced until next week. The ceremony is expected in the following weeks or months. Isn't Beckham chummy with the royals? Yes. Princes William and Harry, the sons of the king and both big sports fans, have hung out with Beckham, who attended their weddings. He has done charity work with King Charles as well. Beckham waited in line with the general public for 12 hours to pay his respects when Queen Elizabeth II's coffin lay in state at Westminster Hall in 2022. Still, e-mails from 2013 leaked to the British news media showed that Beckham had grown frustrated with his wait for a knighthood. So I guess he's going to sit at the roundtable with Lancelot now. Knighthoods, which date to the Roman era in Britain, are most closely associated with the Middle Ages, when knights were trained in battle and protected the sovereign. (The royal family notes that a knighthood currently 'carries no military obligations to the sovereign'.) The quasi-mythical King Arthur had his famous crew of Bedivere, Galahad and Gawain. But in modern times, knights participate in significantly less questing. More important: What does this mean for Posh? Beckham's wife, Victoria, the pop singer and fashion designer perhaps best known as Posh Spice of the Spice Girls, will also get a title and will henceforth be known as Lady Beckham. She, too, has an OBE, for 'services to the fashion industry'. No word on future titles for Scary, Ginger, Sporty or Baby Spice. NYTIMES Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Yahoo
06-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
'Picture This' Doesn't Work As A Comedy Or Romance
Prime Video's 'Picture This' begins with Pia (Simone Ashley), its non-marriage-minded leading lady, being forced to engage in a pre-wedding task for her much sassier sister. It's an appointment to look at the wedding jewelry that her mom is storing in a safety deposit box. Of course, Pia has forgotten the appointment (she doesn't care about marriage, remember?). Rushing, she puts on an outfit that makes her look like 'Cynthia from the 'Rugrats,'' loses a flip-flop and goes to see 'the magic treasure' barefoot. However, even though she's shoeless, Pia makes it clear that she is no Cinderella. 'What if I don't want to get married?' Pia asks her mom. 'What if I want to continue to grow the [photography] studio, make a positive contribution to the world, and not be a part of… a social contract that's just going to distract me from focusing on my career.' Like its Indian rom-com predecessors, 'Picture This' opens with soccer, a female Indian protagonist and a spirited sister who is about to get married, but it is no 'Bend it Like Beckham,' the 2002 rom-com about an English soccer player who falls for her non-Indian coach, or 'Wedding Season,' Netflix's 2022 movie about an economist who falls in love with the man she takes as a fake date to more than 14 Indian weddings. Like the soccer-loving Jess (Parminder Nagra) in 'Bend It Like Beckham' and number-crunching Asha (Pallavi Sharda) in 'Wedding Season,' Pia has goals. She wants to be a successful photographer, a portraitist who never feels pressured to take passport pictures to make rent. As a driven protagonist not looking for love, she is often annoyed by her overbearing Indian family members (some viewers may see some similarities to Ashley's role as Kate in Netflix's 'Bridgerton'). However, even though 'Picture This' uses the same combination of elements as those films, it does not utilize them to its benefit. The latter two make you laugh as the characters develop inconvenient feelings for each other. By the end of those films, you are rooting for both professional success and the complicated relationship. In contrast, by the end of 'Picture This,' I wondered how the film had squandered so much potential. The movie stars two popular actors in a premise that has been done before but hasn't been done enough times to feel boring, but somehow this movie just doesn't work as either a comedy or a romance. The thread that is supposed to tie the plot together is Pia's parents and sister forcing her to go on five blind dates with the intention of picking one of those suitors to take to her sister's wedding. Of course, it's not that simple. The love of Pia's life, Charlie (Hero Fiennes Tiffin), is the groom's best man, and Pia's business is failing. It shouldn't be a surprise that the dates don't go well. From a psychotic billionaire to a beau who is more interested in someone else to a guitar-strumming actor with zany ideas, Pia not only doesn't meet her match but also doesn't even make it through all five dates. Additionally, while the dates do give the plot some structure, they are really mined for their comedic potential without adding any depth. As a result, the humor isn't enough to compensate for the flat characters (they are all more caricatures than fully fleshed people, including Pia) or the lack of emotional development between Pia and her ex. In other words, this is a movie that breaks the cardinal rules of good storytelling; It tells instead of shows. This lazy storytelling also takes place within a plot filled with holes. For example, Pia and her ex broke up before university (he didn't attend), he's close enough to her future brother-in-law to be the best man, but they have apparently not seen each other or interacted with each other for a decade. Also, while Pia and Charlie have on-screen chemistry when they banter in the few scenes that they do share, that chemistry flatlines when they eventually kiss. This undeveloped and lackluster romance may be especially disappointing for fans who have followed Tiffin since his dramatic role as Hardin in the 'After' franchise. Pia's personal development is also disappointing. For someone who is determined to succeed, she doesn't work harder or take any steps to advance her career. Instead, she lucks into it (I won't spoil how, but that moment feels very Gen Z even though she's a millennial), and the ease with which she finds success radically undermines the film's premise that she is someone who wants to put herself before a relationship. She doesn't prioritize herself in any way except to go on disastrous dates. Instead, the character and romance that deserves more attention in the film is the one that develops between Akshay (Nikesh Patel) and someone else. It has the potential to be far more interesting than Pia's. (Admittedly, I have a soft spot for Patel because of the phenomenal job he does in 'Starstruck,' but his acting and comedic timing as Akshay are some of the best parts of the movie.) Overall, as a lover of 'Bend it Like Beckman' for over two decades and someone who thinks 'Wedding Season' is one of the best, if not the best, Netflix-produced rom-coms, I had high hopes for 'Picture This.' But, as each minute of the movie passed, those hopes were dashed. Despite the movie's poor quality, I'm sure a lot of people will still watch it, especially because of Ashley and Tiffin. I'm also certain that clips will start circulating on social media that make the movie look better than it is. This is one of the problems with anything new now. It doesn't matter if it's good or bad, it will still climb the streaming charts and make the fact that it was made seem worth it. However, if you're looking for more substance in an Indian rom-com or feeling nostalgic, 'Bend it Like Beckman' is streaming on Hulu. You can watch 'Wedding Season' on Netflix. This Genre Almost Got The Oscar Recognition It Deserved 'Paradise' Is Restoring The Feeling Of Must-See TV What 'Harriet The Spy' Taught Millennials Who Could Not Be Silenced
Yahoo
06-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
'Picture This' Doesn't Work As A Comedy Or Romance
Prime Video's 'Picture This' begins with Pia (Simone Ashley), its non-marriage-minded leading lady, being forced to engage in a pre-wedding task for her much sassier sister. It's an appointment to look at the wedding jewelry that her mom is storing in a safety deposit box. Of course, Pia has forgotten the appointment (she doesn't care about marriage, remember?). Rushing, she puts on an outfit that makes her look like 'Cynthia from the 'Rugrats,'' loses a flip-flop and goes to see 'the magic treasure' barefoot. However, even though she's shoeless, Pia makes it clear that she is no Cinderella. 'What if I don't want to get married?' Pia asks her mom. 'What if I want to continue to grow the [photography] studio, make a positive contribution to the world, and not be a part of… a social contract that's just going to distract me from focusing on my career.' Like its Indian rom-com predecessors, 'Picture This' opens with soccer, a female Indian protagonist and a spirited sister who is about to get married, but it is no 'Bend it Like Beckham,' the 2002 rom-com about an English soccer player who falls for her non-Indian coach, or 'Wedding Season,' Netflix's 2022 movie about an economist who falls in love with the man she takes as a fake date to more than 14 Indian weddings. Like the soccer-loving Jess (Parminder Nagra) in 'Bend It Like Beckham' and number-crunching Asha (Pallavi Sharda) in 'Wedding Season,' Pia has goals. She wants to be a successful photographer, a portraitist who never feels pressured to take passport pictures to make rent. As a driven protagonist not looking for love, she is often annoyed by her overbearing Indian family members (some viewers may see some similarities to Ashley's role as Kate in Netflix's 'Bridgerton'). However, even though 'Picture This' uses the same combination of elements as those films, it does not utilize them to its benefit. The latter two make you laugh as the characters develop inconvenient feelings for each other. By the end of those films, you are rooting for both professional success and the complicated relationship. In contrast, by the end of 'Picture This,' I wondered how the film had squandered so much potential. The movie stars two popular actors in a premise that has been done before but hasn't been done enough times to feel boring, but somehow this movie just doesn't work as either a comedy or a romance. The thread that is supposed to tie the plot together is Pia's parents and sister forcing her to go on five blind dates with the intention of picking one of those suitors to take to her sister's wedding. Of course, it's not that simple. The love of Pia's life, Charlie (Hero Fiennes Tiffin), is the groom's best man, and Pia's business is failing. It shouldn't be a surprise that the dates don't go well. From a psychotic billionaire to a beau who is more interested in someone else to a guitar-strumming actor with zany ideas, Pia not only doesn't meet her match but also doesn't even make it through all five dates. Additionally, while the dates do give the plot some structure, they are really mined for their comedic potential without adding any depth. As a result, the humor isn't enough to compensate for the flat characters (they are all more caricatures than fully fleshed people, including Pia) or the lack of emotional development between Pia and her ex. In other words, this is a movie that breaks the cardinal rules of good storytelling; It tells instead of shows. This lazy storytelling also takes place within a plot filled with holes. For example, Pia and her ex broke up before university (he didn't attend), he's close enough to her future brother-in-law to be the best man, but they have apparently not seen each other or interacted with each other for a decade. Also, while Pia and Charlie have on-screen chemistry when they banter in the few scenes that they do share, that chemistry flatlines when they eventually kiss. This undeveloped and lackluster romance may be especially disappointing for fans who have followed Tiffin since his dramatic role as Hardin in the 'After' franchise. Pia's personal development is also disappointing. For someone who is determined to succeed, she doesn't work harder or take any steps to advance her career. Instead, she lucks into it (I won't spoil how, but that moment feels very Gen Z even though she's a millennial), and the ease with which she finds success radically undermines the film's premise that she is someone who wants to put herself before a relationship. She doesn't prioritize herself in any way except to go on disastrous dates. Instead, the character and romance that deserves more attention in the film is the one that develops between Akshay (Nikesh Patel) and someone else. It has the potential to be far more interesting than Pia's. (Admittedly, I have a soft spot for Patel because of the phenomenal job he does in 'Starstruck,' but his acting and comedic timing as Akshay are some of the best parts of the movie.) Overall, as a lover of 'Bend it Like Beckman' for over two decades and someone who thinks 'Wedding Season' is one of the best, if not the best, Netflix-produced rom-coms, I had high hopes for 'Picture This.' But, as each minute of the movie passed, those hopes were dashed. Despite the movie's poor quality, I'm sure a lot of people will still watch it, especially because of Ashley and Tiffin. I'm also certain that clips will start circulating on social media that make the movie look better than it is. This is one of the problems with anything new now. It doesn't matter if it's good or bad, it will still climb the streaming charts and make the fact that it was made seem worth it. However, if you're looking for more substance in an Indian rom-com or feeling nostalgic, 'Bend it Like Beckman' is streaming on Hulu. You can watch 'Wedding Season' on Netflix. This Genre Almost Got The Oscar Recognition It Deserved 'Paradise' Is Restoring The Feeling Of Must-See TV What 'Harriet The Spy' Taught Millennials Who Could Not Be Silenced
