Latest news with #TheAssessment
Daily Mail
16-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Alicia Vikander puts on a leggy display in a black disc-embellished mini dress as she joins glamorous Zoë Kravitz at star-studded Moët Hennessy party in London
Alicia Vikander and Zoë Kravitz were dressed to impress as they attended the Moët Hennessy Dom Pérignon Revelations dinner party at Tate Modern in London on Thursday. Swedish actress Alicia, 36, looked sensational in a black disc-embellished mini dress that showcased her long, toned pins. She added height with a pair of pointed black court heels and styled her brunette tresses in loose waves for the evening. Keeping her accessories minimal to let the outfit take centre stage, Alicia completed her look with a radiant makeup palette. Meanwhile, Zoë, 36, looked phenomenal as she went braless in a black silk body, featuring a sleeveless design and a high neckline. She paired it with a classic black midi pencil skirt and added inches to her frame with pointed, shiny black slingback heels. To finish the look, she accessorised with a black leather croc-embossed belt and bold red drop earrings. The Batman star styled her short, dark hair in a sleek, wet look and opted for a glowing makeup palette as she posed alongside her pal. Also in attendance at the soirée were Elena Ora, David Mayer de Rothschild, Iggy Pop, Alison Mosshart, Damian Lewis, Tilda Swinton, Erin O'Connor, Jefferson Hack, and Vincent Chaperon. Alicia's appearance at the event comes after she and Elizabeth Olsen attended a special screening of The Assessment at The Rhymers Club in New York. The actress and Marvel star, both 36, are starring together in the dystopian sci-fi flick, which was released in US cinemas in March. Promoting the new movie in America then, Alicia looked nothing short of incredible in a figure-hugging black maxi dress, which boasted a high neckline and shoulder cut-outs. She added inches to her height with a pointy pair of heels and swept her long brunette tresses back into a slick bun. The actress opted for a glowing palette of makeup to elevate her natural beauty and accessorised with a slew of sparkling diamante earrings. Meanwhile, Zoë styled her short, dark hair in a sleek, wet look and opted for a glowing makeup palette as she beamed alongside pal Tilda Swinton She posed up a storm alongside Elizabeth, who dazzled in a navy PVC gown, which cinched in at the waist before flowing out into a long pleated skirt. She wore her dark locks in a naturally straight style and added a glamorous swipe of makeup to complete her look for the screening. The duo seemed to be in high spirits as they posed together before heading inside to watch their movie. They then departed the venue together, with Alicia wrapping up warm in a tan trench coat and Elizabeth adding a black blazer jacket to shield themselves from the rain. The sci-fi movie is set in a not-so-distant future where parenthood is strictly controlled. It follows Mia (Elizabeth) and Aaryan (Himesh Patel), a successful couple who hope to become parents in a near future where resources are extremely limited and the government keeps firm control over reproduction. They are assigned an assessor named Virginia (Alicia Vikander), who moves into their home for seven days to evaluate whether they deserve to move forward in their parenting journey. What Mia and Aaryan are hoping is that a routine test quickly unravels into a psychological nightmare, forcing them to question the very foundations of their society and what it truly means to be human. It debuted at the Toronto International Film Festival in September last year and was acquired by Prime Video, and the UK release date is yet to be set.
Daily Mirror
08-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Amazon adds thriller with Oscar winner that deserves more buzz
It has been added to the service without much fanfare Amazon Prime has just thrown a hidden gem into the mix with an 'under the radar' sci-fi thriller that's left viewers on edge. The second to none streaming platform has expanded its ever-evolving treasury of cinematic pieces with The Assessment from today (May 8). The film features a blockbuster roll call, starring Marvel's beloved Elizabeth Olsen and the multi-talented Himesh Patel, recognizable from EastEnders to Yesterday fame. Joining the duo is Charlotte Ritchie of Ghosts and You acclaim, alongside Minnie Driver and the Academy Award-winning Alicia Vikander. As per the film's official synopsis, we're thrust into a near-future where childbearing comes with strings attached—courtesy of government control. A couple embarks on a haunting seven-day vetting process for the privilege to parent, only to find their lives spiralling into a waking nightmare, prompting them to reckon with the very bedrock of their world. Critics have lavished the flick with an 83% fresh rating on the Rotten Tomatoes barometer. Applause has been heaped upon its story-driven narrative and thematic depth, eschewing reliance on flashy CGI fireworks, reports Surrey Live. Accolades for the sublime camera work, spell-binding central performances, and the movie's resonating themes that stick with viewers as the credits roll. One reviewer was particularly moved, stating: "From the score to the performances to the cinematography, script, and direction, The Assessment is a singular work I won't soon forget and (the director) Fortuné crafts some imagery here unlike anything that has come before in cinema." Another remarked: "Chilling because it's both outlandish and alarmingly grounded and plausible, this sci-fi drama is likely to be scrutinised in your own dome long after the credits roll." The film has similarly left a lasting impression on cinema-goers who've caught an early glimpse, with many singing high praises for Elizabeth Olsen and Alicia Vikander's portrayals. A fan shared online: "Elizabeth Olsen and Alicia Vikander deliver phenomenal performances. This was a great dystopian sci-fi thriller, and had me constantly guessing what was coming next." Another curious movie enthusiast questioned the lack of pre-release chatter on social media platforms, commenting: "This movie needs more buzz. It's going under the radar for no reason. Alicia Vikander brings in the big guns as she drives home a performance that rivals her role in Ex Machina." They endorsed Vikander's range: "She gets to play the gamut of emotions here, from adult to child to toddler.. it's an actor's wet dream! There are so many scenes in this movie that will be discussed for ages to come." Meanwhile, another viewer encapsulated the experience of watching the film with their thoughts: "What a movie. It's so uncomfortable. But in a good and bad way, like the bad is good. Definitely one of the more interesting sci-fi films." They gushed about the film, saying: "The story is very different and interesting, I was left deeply disturbed yet amazed and still curious. And on top of that, the acting? Fantastic. Seriously everyone did a great job but Elizabeth and Alicia- holy. Fabulous performances. I know this is an independent film but I really hope this gets some recognition. It was that good."
The Independent
06-04-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Everything Marvel star Elizabeth Olsen has to say about the franchise
Elizabeth Olsen, known for her role as Wanda Maximoff (Scarlet Witch) in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), expressed her candid views on the superhero genre. Despite her prominent role in several MCU films and the WandaVision series, Olsen stated that the genre doesn't fully align with her personal artistic preferences. She feels a need to demonstrate her personal taste in film and literature, especially in professional settings, given her extensive involvement with Marvel. Olsen's initial attraction to the MCU stemmed from its grand, Greek-style narratives that reflected political and cultural aspects. She has recently focused on independent projects like The Assessment and His Three Daughters, showcasing her actual artistic preferences.
New European
01-04-2025
- Entertainment
- New European
The Assessment and the mother of all battles
My interview with Fortuné has lower stakes and the atmosphere is considerably less fraught. I'm meeting Fleur at a hotel in Norway, during the Tromsø International Film Festival, where her film is screening. Outside, an atmospheric effect is creating rainbow clouds, scallops of prismed light high in the Arctic winter sky. Fleur is wearing a black polo neck and speaks with a strong French accent. Fleur Fortuné's new film The Assessment is strange, stylish and – it turns out – surprisingly personal. It is set in a dystopian future where permission to have children is only granted after the arduous vetting procedure of the title. Alicia Vikander is the government official, Virginia, tasked with grilling married couple Mia and Aaryan, played respectively by Elizabeth Olsen and Himesh Patel, in order to determine their eligibility to be parents via a week-long series of interviews. Fortuné started out as half of the directing duo Fleur&Manu, who gained a considerable reputation directing visually stunning music videos for the likes of Tricky and Drake. Parting ways with partner Emmanuel Cossu, Fleur went solo to direct high-profile ads for Armani and Chanel featuring the likes of Cate Blanchett and Pharrell Williams. A promo for Travis Scott's song Birds in the Trap pushed the music video format into a 14-minute short movie, half of which is dedicated to setting up the context for the song – a near-fatal car accident with hints of Gaspar Noé's Enter the Void. The move to a feature film was the obvious next step. 'I didn't write the script for The Assessment,' she tells me. 'During lockdown, I was writing another script in French and a friend of mine who was a producer, Eric Tavitian, met with Steven Woolley, the producer on the project. And Eric knew I was struggling to have kids. I was doing a lot of IVF and adoption meetings, and all that. He read the script of The Assessment and he said to Steven, 'I think you should meet with Fleur.'' Fleur immediately empathised with the characters in the film, having gone through her own tortured path to becoming a mother. 'I was connected emotionally to the story. I met with the writers Neil Garfath-Cox and Dave Thomas and they were super happy to collaborate. So we worked together for a couple of years. There was so much dialogue that we brought in another writer who was more like a playwright, John Donnelly, and who helped with the humour and to set the specific weird tone I wanted.' The film is basically a three-hander, a ménage à trois of awkwardness, as Virginia's assessment starts to cross lines of intimacy and normalcy. Mia and Aaryan's desperation to be parents traps them in a growing nightmare of roleplay and shifting power dynamics. This is a stripped-down science fiction film, where the most impressive special effects are in the performances. Particularly, Vikander as the arch-manipulator who plays at being a child and Olsen as a woman full of raw maternal yearning. 'Because I come from a very visual background, what was stressing me the most was that I was doing almost a chamber piece in English, which is not my language, with tons of dialogue. So directing actors was my biggest worry.' This meant that the casting had to be spot-on. 'We discussed it for four years, so I knew some names were wrong and some names were going to be great,' Fleur says. Following her prolonged tenure in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Olsen was the first to sign on. Oscar-winner Vikander joined next, and Patel, whose career has spanned everything from EastEnders to HBO's Station Eleven, completed the trio of leads within the year. 'Once we agree on the story and the angle, the actors do all the work. I create a safe creative space, then I can concentrate more on the universe, the visual side and the tone, and the actors do the rest.' With the overturning of Roe v Wade in the United States and a push back on reproductive rights across the world, the film strikes a topical note. 'Because we developed the film for five years, it became more and more real. It started as a nice idea, but this wasn't that much of a subject five or six years ago.' The political subtext is brought out explicitly in a nightmarish dinner party, organised by the assessor, and which sees Minnie Driver, Indira Varma, Nichola Pinnock and Charlotte Ritchie show up as various friends and exes from hell. 'We took four days to shoot that scene, even though it was a 30-day shoot in total. It was great, because for so long it was just Alicia, Elizabeth and Himesh in the house, and then suddenly there were four days when everyone was here.' We're living in an age where dystopias have to run just to keep up with reality and depicting the future presents its own problems. 'Now change is exponential,' Fleur says. 'When we didn't have the internet, it was slower, but right now it's crazy. It's going to be dated in six months. 'So I took out all the devices, and then I tried to create a world that would feel a little bit futuristic, but with elements we know so that you can relate to them emotionally. With the production designer Jan Houllevigue, we had references from the '70s and then you feed a lot of stuff from the location.' Shot in Tenerife, the setting gives the film its otherworldly and vaguely post-apocalyptic flavour. 'It's volcanic, and very intense, and windy. When we were there, we discussed and said: OK, there's no forest any more. So there's no wood. So everything comes from the sand, which means glass, concrete. It helps you create a world. Mia and Aaryan's house in the rocks is a troglodyte house. And then it comes from the characters. So Mia's greenhouse is very much like her: very human. She can fix and touch things herself.' Meanwhile, Aaryan creates hyper-real VR animals as pets in the basement in a pitch black space in the basement: 'He has nothing, which is basically what we are going towards: a kind of nothingness.' Fleur has several new projects lined up: a script she is writing in French as well as a potential adaptation of Giuseppe Berto's novel The Anonymous Venetian, working from a script by Ilaria Bernardini and produced by Francesco Melzi d'Eril, Luca Guadagnino's collaborator. 'We are rewriting with an angle on the female character because that book was written in the '60s, so it's more centred on the male lead. The balance is better. It's more centered on her and the problems are different also. But I love the setup of having just two characters, a simple story. Another chamber piece.' Outside the rainbow clouds have disappeared and the short day is already darkening. The Assessment likewise offers a dim view of our prospects, but its director is an exciting new talent and a career to be watched. The Assessment is released in the UK on April 3 John Bleasdale is a writer, film journalist and novelist based in Italy
Yahoo
22-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Alicia Vikander recalls 'struggle' to get pregnant
Alicia Vikander faced a "struggle" to get pregnant. The 36-year-old actress - who has two sons, who were born in 2021 and 2024, with husband Michael Fassbender - went through an "obsession" with having a child when she didn't conceive as quickly as she'd have liked, and recalled putting "pressure" on herself. Alicia can next be seen in 'The Assessment' as an assessor spending a week with a couple in the dystopian near future to determine their suitability as parents and told how one of her "first conversations" with director Fleur Fortune was about her "struggle to get pregnant". She added to People magazine: "That lasted for quite a long time before I had my first son. "[I remember] both pressure that I put on myself and the hard times I went through, but also the kind of dedication [to having a child]. "It was almost like an obsession by the end, which I think, after speaking to a lot of other people [who went through it], is something that we all share. "So I think even though, of course, this film and story is taking itself to a far extent when it comes to its imagination, it's still at its core, feelings that I think a lot of people can relate to." Alicia previously discussed how parenthood had changed her acting because it gave her "new emotions" to draw on. Discussing her role in 'Firebrand', she told Britain's HELLO! magazine: 'As an actor, I think you always draw on your own life experiences and fantasies as well as your imagination. 'I had played a mother before I became a parent myself. 'I gave birth on screen three times before I gave birth for real. 'I definitely feel you get access to endless new emotions to draw on the second you become a parent. 'It impacted the way I did this film, for sure.' And the 'Tomb Raider' star previously revealed she had suffered a "painful" miscarriage. She told The Times newspaper: "We have a child now, but it took us time." She also compared her experiences to her 2016 movie 'The Light Between Oceans' in which she starred opposite Michael playing a childless couple who adopt a baby girl who is lost at sea. Alicia added: "[The miscarriage] was so extreme, painful to go through and, of course, it made me recall making that film [The Light Between Oceans]. That film has another meaning now."
