Latest news with #JamesStewart
Forbes
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Forbes
One Of The Best Thrillers Ever Made Just Landed On Netflix
Rear Window If you're looking for something great to watch, sometimes it's best to look to the classics. There are plenty of top-notch movies being made these days, but few promise to withstand the test of time. Fortunately, a number of really terrific films just dropped on Netflix and one of these in particular qualifies as one of the most brilliant thrillers of all time. Rear Window is often considered Alfred Hitchcock's best movie, though it ranks second in terms of Rotten Tomatoes scores, behind the much less-known Shadow Of A Doubt from 1943, one of the storied director's earliest films and Hitchcock's personal favorite. As far as I'm concerned, the 1954 thriller is the best of the bunch – up there with Vertigo and North By Northwest – a tightly-paced, incredibly intense movie that would work just as well as a theatrical production as a film thanks to its confined set and small cast. Few films reach this level of suspense, though it's far from the type of action-thrillers most modern audiences are accustomed to these days. The story follows photojournalist L.B. 'Jeff' Jefferies, played by James Stewart, as he recuperates with a broken leg in his Greenwich Village apartment. Jeff is a bit of a voyeur or peeping Tom, though not in a perverted way. There's an oppressive summer heat wave and he's confined to his apartment, with the occasional visit of his middle-aged nurse, Stella (Thelma Ritter) and his pretty socialite girlfriend, Lisa (Grace Kelly). He's bored with nothing to do, so he watches his neighbors go about their lives. The neighbors are entertaining enough. One is a professional dancer. Another is a songwriter with writer's block. An old spinster puts on elaborately staged, and entirely fake, date nights with her pretend suitors. He refers to her as Miss Lonely-Hearts. But one couple in particular stands out: A traveling costume jewelry salesman, Lars Thorwald, and his nagging, bedridden wife. One night, Jeff hears a woman scream and notices some very suspicious activity in the Thorwald apartment. When Mrs. Thorwald is mysteriously missing the next day, Jeff begins to suspect foul play. With the help of Stella, he begins investigating the woman's disappearance. I won't spoil it any further. Suffice to say, what follows is a masterclass in filmmaking and the art of suspense, not to mention a brilliant study of voyeurism and our own morbid curiosity. The screenplay by John Michael Hayes was based on the 1942 short story It Had To Be Murder by Cornell Woolrich. The film was shot at stage 17 at Paramount Studios, with a massive set created to replicate the Greenwich Village courtyard and building. Despite the relatively limited setting, this was the largest set of its kind at Paramount at the time. The set designers even included a complex drainage system to accommodate the rain scenes. The lighting design was set up to portray an entire day and night cycle. The film uses primarily diegetic music – music characters can hear in the film also – rather than a traditional score. Jeff hears music drifting in from other apartments, including the piano from the songwriter's apartment and songs by Nat King Cole, Dean Martin and Leonard Bernstein. Anyone interested in filmmaking or who just wants to enjoy an intense, suspenseful drama with some of the greatest actors of the era, should absolutely check this one out on Netflix as soon as possible. It's the perfect summer thriller. Even better, several other Alfred Hitchcock movies have also just landed on the streaming service, including Vertigo and The Birds. For all the new TV shows, movies and Netflix Original landing on Netflix in June, check out my streaming guide right here.
Forbes
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Forbes
One Of The Best Thrillers Ever Made Time Just Landed On Netflix
Rear Window If you're looking for something great to watch, sometimes it's best to look to the classics. There are plenty of top-notch movies being made these days, but few promise to withstand the test of time. Fortunately, a number of really terrific films just dropped on Netflix and one of these in particular qualifies as one of the most brilliant thrillers of all time. Rear Window is often considered Alfred Hitchcock's best movie, though it ranks second in terms of Rotten Tomatoes scores, behind the much less-known Shadow Of A Doubt from 1943, one of the storied director's earliest films and Hitchcock's personal favorite. As far as I'm concerned, the 1954 thriller is the best of the bunch – up there with Vertigo and North By Northwest – a tightly-paced, incredibly intense movie that would work just as well as a theatrical production as a film thanks to its confined set and small cast. Few films reach this level of suspense, though it's far from the type of action-thrillers most modern audiences are accustomed to these days. The story follows photojournalist L.B. 'Jeff' Jefferies, played by James Stewart, as he recuperates with a broken leg in his Greenwich Village apartment. Jeff is a bit of a voyeur or peeping Tom, though not in a perverted way. There's an oppressive summer heat wave and he's confined to his apartment, with the occasional visit of his middle-aged nurse, Stella (Thelma Ritter) and his pretty socialite girlfriend, Lisa (Grace Kelly). He's bored with nothing to do, so he watches his neighbors go about their lives. The neighbors are entertaining enough. One is a professional dancer. Another is a songwriter with writer's block. An old spinster puts on elaborately staged, and entirely fake, date nights with her pretend suitors. He refers to her as Miss Lonely-Hearts. But one couple in particular stands out: A traveling costume jewelry salesman, Lars Thorwald, and his nagging, bedridden wife. One night, Jeff hears a woman scream and notices some very suspicious activity in the Thorwald apartment. When Mrs. Thorwald is mysteriously missing the next day, Jeff begins to suspect foul play. With the help of Stella, he begins investigating the woman's disappearance. I won't spoil it any further. Suffice to say, what follows is a masterclass in filmmaking and the art of suspense, not to mention a brilliant study of voyeurism and our own morbid curiosity. The screenplay by John Michael Hayes was based on the 1942 short story It Had To Be Murder by Cornell Woolrich. The film was shot at stage 17 at Paramount Studios, with a massive set created to replicate the Greenwich Village courtyard and building. Despite the relatively limited setting, this was the largest set of its kind at Paramount at the time. The set designers even included a complex drainage system to accommodate the rain scenes. The lighting design was set up to portray an entire day and night cycle. The film uses primarily diegetic music – music characters can hear in the film also – rather than a traditional score. Jeff hears music drifting in from other apartments, including the piano from the songwriter's apartment and songs by Nat King Cole, Dean Martin and Leonard Bernstein. Anyone interested in filmmaking or who just wants to enjoy an intense, suspenseful drama with some of the greatest actors of the era, should absolutely check this one out on Netflix as soon as possible. It's the perfect summer thriller. Even better, several other Alfred Hitchcock movies have also just landed on the streaming service, including Vertigo and The Birds. For all the new TV shows, movies and Netflix Original landing on Netflix in June, check out my streaming guide right here.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Business Insider recommended nonexistent books to staff as it leans into AI
Business Insider announced this week that it wants staff to better incorporate AI into its journalism. But less than a year ago, the company had to quietly apologize to some staff for accidentally recommending that they read books that did not appear to exist but instead may have been generated by AI. In an email to staff last May, a senior editor at Business Insider sent around a list of what she called 'Beacon Books,' a list of memoirs and other acclaimed business nonfiction books, with the idea of ensuring staff understood some of the fundamental figures and writing powering good business journalism. Many of the recommendations were well-known recent business, media, and tech nonfiction titles such as by Andrew Ross Sorkin, by James Stewart, and by Mike Isaac. But a few were unfamiliar to staff. by former Target CEO Gregg Steinhafel was nowhere to be found. Neither was , which was supposedly published by the company Charles River Editors in 2019. Semafor could not find any evidence that either book exists. The list also recommended a book called , supposedly written by an author named Jasper Robin. While a Goodreads page exists for the book, which claims it is only 61 pages long, the page has no reviews or other information. It is not available for purchase on Amazon or from any other retailers. Another recommendation was by Fredric Morgan, though no such book exists. The company likely meant to recommend by Ron Chernow. by Andrew MacCarthy was on the list of suggested reads, though no such book exists. (BI could have been meaning to recommend by Scott Perry, a how-to guide for how to use the photo messaging platform.) The company also recommended by someone named Celeste Olivier, published in 2008. The real version was written by Larry Gerston in 2003. A Business Insider spokesperson declined to embarrassing incident was shared with Semafor last week after the company said it was doubling down on AI amid steep staff reductions. In a note on Thursday, CEO Barbara Peng said that the company had launched multiple AI-driven products including gen-AI onsite search and an AI-powered paywall, and would soon be rolling out additional products. She also noted that 70% of staff were already using enterprise ChatGPT, and the company was building 'prompt libraries and sharing everyday use cases that help us work faster, smarter, and better.' 'The media industry is at a crossroads,' Peng wrote. 'Business models are under pressure, distribution is unstable, and competition for attention is fiercer than ever. At the same time, there's a huge opportunity for companies who harness AI first. Our strategy is strong, but we don't have the luxury of time. The pace of change combined with the opportunity ahead demands bold, focused action — and it's our chance to lead the pack.' Some employees have been wary of the incorporation of AI into everyday work tasks, believing that the company will eventually replace journalists with AI. In a statement after the move, Business Insider's union expressed frustration with the cuts and the simultaneous embrace of AI. 'Tone deaf doesn't even begin to describe this,' the union wrote.
Daily Mail
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Home and Away star Sarah Roberts confirms she has found love after 'unhealthy relationship' with ex-husband James Stewart
Sarah Roberts has opened up about a new romance after her high-profile split from her former Home and Away co-star James Stewart. The 40-year-old actress, who split from Stewart last year, has described her marriage to the soap star as something that 'wasn't healthy'. Sarah said she has since 'found herself' - as well as a new man. 'I've fallen in love with a man, I'm so in love,' she said during an interview on the latest episode of Stellar's Something to Talk About podcast. Sarah said she feels 'grateful' to have found her new partner because he has 'allowed me to grow in beautiful and unexpected ways'. From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the DailyMail's new showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop. 'I finally found myself, as clichéd as that may sound,' she continued. Shortly after her split, Stewart moved on with their Home and Away co-star Ada Nicodemou. Elsewhere in the chat, Sarah discussed her anguish of having to go through her separation with her former husband in the public eye. 'Dealing with it in the spotlight, and then everything that came out in the media after, absolutely ripped my heart into a million little pieces. 'But I can't change anyone else's actions or the way people behave. What I can take responsibility for is the way that I feel. 'And I know that hurt people hurt people, but healed people can heal people – and I'm so happy with where I'm at today. I've finally found a love for myself which I didn't have. 'I have beaten myself up for a long time over the fact I stayed in something that wasn't healthy.' The dark-haired beauty also appeared in a feature story for Stellar on Sunday. The former soapie star showed off her slim legs in a pair of shorts, she paired with an oversized pink blazer. Sarah rose to fame playing the character of Willow on Home and Away from 2017 to 2021 and recently revealed she still keeps close with her former soap co-stars - and why Hollywood is her next stop. 'One of my best friends was one of my cast mates on Neighbours. That goes way back. Another one of my best friends, Emily Weir, she's from Home and Away,' Sarah told Daily Mail Australia in February. 'I've also made friends with a lot of the new cast from Home and Away because Emily is friends with them and we all hang out together. 'I just had my 40th birthday party at the end of last year and I had a party on a boat on the Sydney Harbour. It was full of a lot of the Home and Away cast. I get really close to people and really value my friendships.' She is currently reprising her role as reporter Beth Ramachandran on the Stan Original series Scrublands. Sarah went on to say a large part of the reason she is still so close with her former castmates, despite having left soap shows behind four years ago, is because of how vulnerable the stars become with each other during filming. 'You share so many deep dark secrets about yourself and you have to develop a lot of trust between each other. That lends itself to strong friendships,' she said. Sarah also did two stints on Neighbours, making her debut in 2010 and later appearing as the character Sienna in 2014. As for what's next for the TV star, Sarah said she has her sights set on the next big HBO hit in Hollywood, adding she wants something she 'can sink her teeth into'. 'My next dream it would be to book a television show where I'm in a contract for five years. I would like that to be a character I can sink my teeth into. I'm not sure I'd want to do another soap,' she said. 'I would have loved to have done something like Breaking Bad or Game of Thrones. That would be a dream job for me.'
News.com.au
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- News.com.au
‘Nothing glamorous about shooting sex scenes!' Former Home And Away star Sarah Roberts addresses reality of on-screen sex
Former Home And Away actor Sarah Roberts says shooting sex scenes on a TV set is in 'no way glamorous', as she confirms she has found love again after her high-profile divorce from ex-husband, James Stewart. In a new interview with the Stellar podcast, Something To Talk About, Roberts discusses the role intimacy co-ordinators play in racy scenes – and how it's nothing like real sex. As she unveils Make It Look Real (a documentary about the topic), Robert recalls one instance where 'there weren't any crazy sex scenes; they were more kissing scenes with an actor that I hadn't worked with before,' Roberts tells Something To Talk About, in a new episode out today. 'It was about, 'How are we going to film this kiss? Do you want to use tongue? Do you not want to use tongue? Where are you going to put your hands? Where should I put my hands?' Listen to Sarah Roberts on the Stellar podcast, Something To Talk About, below: 'There's absolutely nothing glamorous about shooting intimate sex scenes or kissing scenes in front of a massive crew,' she adds. 'My first kissing scene on Home And Away was with my now ex-husband [James Stewart, whom she married in 2019]. 'No-one had walked us through what we were doing. It's hard. Having an intimacy co-ordinator just make it all so much cleaner; it takes the stress away.' Meantime, after a turbulent period of her life – including the loss of her beloved brother in 2019 and her divorce from Stewart last year – Roberts has some happy news: she's found love again. 'I love two people now: I've finally found a love for myself, which I know now in retrospect I didn't have for so long,' Roberts told Something To Talk About. 'I am still finding myself, but I have beaten myself up for a long time because I stayed in something that wasn't healthy. But now I have found this love for myself – and also fallen in love with a man. I'm so in love.' The actor and DJ also revealed she used to be a 'yes girl' with 'absolutely no boundaries.' 'Now that I'm 40, I look back on my life so far and it would have been great to have some boundaries and some respect for myself as well,' she said reflectively. 'I would sometimes bend over backwards so far that I would break my back and I got very sick for a moment in time. 'Now I feel very confident walking onto sets. I feel more confident in my day-to-day life as well in relationships. I know what I'll stand and what I won't stand for.' Listen to Sarah Roberts on the Stellar podcast, Something To Talk About, below: In terms of her personal life, Roberts and Stewart met in 2017 on the set of Home and Away and married two years later. Stewart is now dating his co-star, Ada Nicodemou. Speaking to Stellar, Roberts said it was difficult to navigate heartbreak and her marriage breakdown in the public eye. 'I imagine dealing with a divorce is hard enough,' she said. 'Dealing with it all in the spotlight – and then everything that came out in the media after – absolutely ripped my heart in a million little pieces,.' Listen to the full interview with Sarah Roberts on the latest episode of the Stellar podcast, Something To Talk About, wherever you get your podcasts. See the shoot with her inside the latest issue of Stellar, out in the Sunday papers today.
