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New York Times
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- New York Times
‘Cloud' Review: Buyer's Remorse
Just as Yoshii (Masaki Suda), sitting on the bus with his girlfriend, is beginning to dream about a better future early on in 'Cloud,' the camera gradually inches over, and the outline of a dark figure suddenly hovers over him. Things go deathly quiet and Yoshii turns, but the figure has dashed off the bus. It's the kind of breathtaking moment you'd expect from the writer and director Kiyoshi Kurosawa whose breakout masterpiece, 'Cure' (1997), showcased his virtuosic control of tension and atmosphere. That consummate formal ability has one ready to follow the eclectic Japanese auteur wherever this taut suspense might take us, even if, in this latest work, it might end up in some disjointed directions. Here, Kurosawa's story of what might initially appear to be sinister morphs boldly and almost irreverently into a tale of slapstick vengeance that carries with it whiffs of Michael Haneke's 'Funny Games' and Quentin Tarantino's 'Reservoir Dogs.' Underneath all that is perhaps something sinister still, though not from an expected place. As an online reseller who poaches just about any product he can find to sell at a higher price, Yoshii has recently had a windfall, selling a batch of medical devices. He quits his factory day job and moves to a house in the woods with his girlfriend, hoping to expand his business. Yet, eerie instances have him looking over his shoulder, and his dubious reselling practices begin to attract enemies. The gears switch hard in the film's second half, as Yoshii's karmic retribution comes knocking. But the gunslinging that ensues is not slick nor even particularly gruesome. This is the story of desperate men, pummeled by failure and itching for violent catharsis; although mostly what they get is clumsy death. That incongruence, in the movie's eyes, embodies the distinction and friction between the digital world and the real one. Online, everyone represents either cash to be made (at seemingly every turn of real and present danger, Yoshii is still just thinking of his rinky-dink hustle) or a scapegoat for one's anger. But in the physical world, those visions of revenge play out differently. Often, at decisive moments, these characters take on the persona of a villain, shouting out their machinations like they would on an online forum, only for reality to bluntly knock them over the head. It's a surprisingly funny film in that way, but also disturbing. For all of his genre-bending on display, Kurosawa is interested in something more real and more dark about humanity's capacity for greed and bitterness, and the quiet ways that the internet can further mutate those diseases in us. But that subtext gets muddled in the director's primary desire to construct playful surprises, even if some of which, particularly by the end, can be wonderfully, terrifyingly strange. Ultimately, 'Cloud' is constructing a highway to hell for Yoshii in which the demons are not phantom, but us. CloudNot rated. In Japanese, with subtitles. Running time: 2 hours 4 minutes. In theaters.
The Star
13-07-2025
- Health
- The Star
Advancing post-transplant care
Triumphant: Dr Sharifah Shahnaz with her award. SURGERIES carry the risk of infections – including transplants. In Malaysia, where cytomegalovirus (CMV) prevalence is high, hospitals face the challenge of CMV infections following haematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Recognising this, Dr Sharifah Shahnaz Syed Abd Kadir, a consultant haematologist at Hospital Ampang, conducted research on the topic, which she recently presented at the 28th Annual Scientific Meeting of the Malaysian Society of Transplantation. Her effort clinched first prize in the Best Paper Oral Presentation category, earning her a trophy, a certificate, and a cash prize of RM1,000. Themed 'Compassion to Cure: The Transplant Journey', the conference, held from May 22 to 24 at a hotel in Selangor, convened experts and scholars committed to improving transplantation outcomes. Dr Sharifah Shahnaz – a third-year Doctor of Philosophy (Medical Science) student at the Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman (UTAR) M. Kandiah Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences – expressed gratitude for the honour. 'This award affirms the significance of our work in advancing transplant-related care, especially in resource-limited settings. 'It motivates me to pursue impactful research that bridges immunology and clinical practice, and opens doors to collaboration and further innovation,' she said in a press release. Titled Cytomegalovirus (CMV) Infection/Disease and CMV-Specific Cell-Mediated Immunity (CMI) after Allogeneic Stem Cell Transplantation (SCT) in a High CMV Seropositivity Rate Population, Dr Sharifah Shahnaz's research project involved a study at Hospital Ampang, where she followed 72 transplant patients and employed the QuantiFERON-CMV assay to evaluate immune responses post-transplant. Her research found that early impaired immunity and the presence of gut graft-versus-host disease were key predictors of CMV infection – insights that could significantly inform post-transplant care. These findings underscore the importance of immune monitoring and point towards the integration of immunological markers into clinical risk models for better patient outcomes. Her success is also a reflection of the mentorship provided by her supervisors, Assoc Prof Dr Leong Pooi Pooi and Emeritus Prof Dr Cheong Soon Keng from UTAR, as well as Dr Tan Sen Mui from Hospital Ampang, the press release read. It added that the achievement illustrates UTAR's ongoing commitment to fostering high-calibre medical research that addresses real-world healthcare challenges.
Los Angeles Times
09-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
‘The dreamiest boss of all time': Olivia Rodrigo paid for crew's therapy while on tour
It seems the therapists Olivia Rodrigo found for her band really helped. The 22-year-old 'Vampire' singer and her tour manager Marty Hom provided free and accessible therapy for the entire 'Guts' tour crew, rhythm guitarist Daisy Spencer revealed on 'The StageLeft Podcast.' 'I have never had anything like that,' Spencer, 31, told host Chris Simpson. 'And that reignited the importance of therapy to me because I had kind of fallen off for so long.' Rodrigo and Spencer just wrapped the 102-date 'Guts' world tour July 1 and completed a successful headlining set at Glastonbury, where they were joined on stage by the Cure's Robert Smith. While on the podcast, Spencer described Rodrigo as 'the dreamiest boss of all time' and opened up about taking care of her mind and body on the road. 'Suddenly I had this free resource of incredible therapists and I utilized the crap out of that,' she said. 'I was going, you know, once a week, once every other week, whenever I could. And it was even during the off time — we also still had access to this resource.' Rodrigo's dad, Chris Rodrigo, is a family therapist, and the singer has been very open about starting therapy at 16. 'That was a really big, life-changing moment,' she told CBS Sunday Morning in 2021. 'I've learned so much about myself.' And she's not the only musician promoting therapy. Lewis Capaldi, who returned to the stage after a two-year break from performing to focus on his all-around health, announced Monday that he's partnering with BetterHelp to provide 734,000 hours of free online therapy. Ariana Grande has also partnered with the virtual therapy platform several times in the past. Though the 'Guts' tour has concluded, Rodrigo still has several festival engagements lined up for the summer, including a headlining set Aug. 1 at Lollapalooza.
Yahoo
02-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Olivia Rodrigo Makes First Post With Boyfriend Louis Partridge After Glastonbury
Olivia Rodrigo Makes First Post With Boyfriend Louis Partridge After Glastonbury originally appeared on Parade. Love may be embarrassing, but that doesn't seem to be keeping Olivia Rodrigo from making her relationship Instagram official. After almost two years of rumors and hopeful speculation from adoring fans, Olivia Rodrigo, 22, confirmed that English actor, Louis Partridge, 22, is most definitely her boyfriend in an Instagram post recounting her wildly successful weekend headlining Glastonbury Music Festival. The caption on Rodrigo's post reads, "glasto. best weekend there ever was. so happy and grateful🌼🌼🌼." And, while it might look like she's only talking about her performance at first, fans who scrolled through the carousel took note of the short video on the 8th slide, the clip of the Vampire singer on the shoulders of none other than Louis Partridge, rocking out in the crowd. Rodrigo's Lowercase shades may be shielding her eyes from the hot Glastonbury sun, but blissful, unadulterated joy is written all over her face. Over the weekend, Olivia Rodrigo performed an iconic headlining set, during which she invited '80s legend Robert Smith of the Cure to join her on stage. The pair performed two of Smith's greatest hits from the Cure's discography: Friday I'm In Love and Just Like Heaven. Fans raced to the comments to celebrate the couple's launch. "THE 8TH SLIDE OMG HELLO LOUIS WE FINALLY GOT HALF HIS FACE ON OLIVIA'S FEED WE WON😭," commented one fan, who had absolutely no chill, but in the best possible way. While rumors have surrounded Rodrigo and Partridge for the better part of the last two years, this is the first time Rodrigo has shared anything about her relationship on social media. Partridge also made a point of posting about Rodrigo on his own Instagram account, praising her performance and her work ethic both on and off-stage. "You are the sweetest most supportive boyfriend and I love the two of you together! ❤️❤️❤️" wrote a commenter on Partridge's post. Olivia Rodrigo Makes First Post With Boyfriend Louis Partridge After Glastonbury first appeared on Parade on Jul 1, 2025 This story was originally reported by Parade on Jul 1, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
30-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Watch the Cure's Robert Smith Join Olivia Rodrigo for ‘Friday I'm in Love'
Olivia Rodrigo tapped Robert Smith for a surprise appearance during her set at Glastonbury on Sunday night. The pair joined forces for a rousing duet of the Cure's 1992 hit 'Friday I'm in Love' and their 1987 tune 'Just Like Heaven.' Rodrigo introduced Smith by saying, 'He's perhaps the best songwriter to come out of England. He is a Glastonbury legend and a personal hero of mine.' The artists showcased the two songs on acoustic guitar and vocals. More from Rolling Stone Charli XCX Responds to Criticism of Her Glastonbury Set: 'the Best Art Is Divisive' Glastonbury Bosses 'Appalled' by Bob Vylan's 'Death to IDF' Chant at Festival Kneecap Hit Out at Keir Starmer, Rod Stewart at Much-Discussed Glastonbury 2025 Set Sunday evening marked Rodrigo's first time headlining Glastonbury's Pyramid Stage. 'Holy fucking shit, this is the most people I've ever seen in my entire life,' she told the audience, per Variety. 'This is a dream come true, I actually can't believe this is my life right now.' Last week, Rodrigo teamed up with Ed Sheeran for a performance of 'The A Team' during a sold-out show in London's Hyde Park. 'I want to introduce one of my favorite Brits and one of the best songwriters of all time,' Rodrigo said before bringing out Sheeran. With both singers sporting acoustic guitars, the pair trades verses on Sheeran's 2011 hit and debut single, which Rodrigo said on social media is 'literally one of my fav songs ever.' She also covered Fontaines D.C.'s hit 'I Love You' in Dublin as part of her performance at Marlay Park. 'Lately I've been obsessed with this band Fontaines D.C.,' Rodrigo told the audience. 'I've been playing this song alone in my room for fun, and I was wondering if it'd be cool if I played it for you guys.' Rodrigo's tour continues in Manchester tonight and tomorrow night before she heads to Europe for a series of shows and festival appearances. Best of Rolling Stone Sly and the Family Stone: 20 Essential Songs The 50 Greatest Eminem Songs All 274 of Taylor Swift's Songs, Ranked
