Latest news with #TheHorseWhisperer
Tatler Asia
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Tatler Asia
10 inspiring horse movies that gallop straight to your heart
2. 'Seabiscuit' (2003) This Depression-era underdog story stars Tobey Maguire, Jeff Bridges and a scrappy horse with the soul of a heavyweight champ. Based on a true story, Seabiscuit is the ultimate against-all-odds tale: a horse too small, a jockey too broken and a nation too sad—until they all start winning. Bonus: the movie features lavish 1930s costuming and enough slow-motion horse galloping to bring a tear to even the most stoic cowboy. 3. 'War Horse' (2011) Bet you didn't think horse movies could make you cry. Steven Spielberg delivered a sweeping World War I drama centred on a horse named Joey and the teenage boy devoted to him. Joey ends up on the frontlines, galloping through barbed wire and breaking hearts on both sides of the trenches. Bring tissues and a blanket. 4. 'The Horse Whisperer' (1998) Robert Redford plays a horse therapist, while Scarlett Johansson (in her breakout role) is a traumatised teen. Add a majestic Montana ranch and a horse recovering from a terrible accident, and you've got yourself an emotionally charged romance-drama that's equal parts cowboy ASMR and soul-repair retreat. 5. 'Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron' (2002) This animated gem follows a wild mustang voiced by Matt Damon. Spirit battles humans, captivity and colonisation to keep his herd and freedom intact. The movie features Bryan Adams power ballads, sweeping Western landscapes and the kind of noble, untamed energy that makes you want to quit your job and move to Wyoming. 6. 'Horse Girl' (2020) This one veers sharply into psychological territory. Alison Brie stars as an awkward woman obsessed with her childhood horse and increasingly unsure of what's real. It's more of a meditation on mental illness than dressage, but it's a reminder that for some, horse girl isn't a phase but a cosmic calling. This film is a must-watch if only for its unique take on horse movies. 7. 'Dreamer' (2005) A wholesome entry starring Dakota Fanning and Kurt Russell about a broken-down racehorse and the little girl who refuses to give up on her. It's got all the warm-and-fuzzy underdog energy of Seabiscuit , just in a more family-friendly, mid-2000s cardigan aesthetic. 8. 'The Black Stallion' (1979) Part survival epic, part mythic friendship tale, this film follows a boy and an Arabian stallion stranded on a desert island. What follows is gorgeously shot bonding and a comeback story so poetic, it could've been written by Lord Byron (if Lord Byron had a GoPro and a deep affection for slow-motion). See more: The sport of kings: investing in thoroughbred horses 9. 'Racing Stripes' (2005) We need to include this on a list of horse movies because there's not enough material for a curation of zebra films. Here, a zebra that thinks it's a racehorse dreams of competing. Absurd? Absolutely. Delightful? Undoubtedly. This talking-animal family comedy proves that with enough heart and a training montage, even a striped outsider can win the Kentucky Derby—or at least your Saturday night. 10. 'Hidalgo' (2004) Viggo Mortensen, playing a half-Lakota cowboy, rides his mustang across the Arabian desert in an epic endurance race. The horses are majestic, the vibes are Lawrence of Arabia -meets-Wrangler ad, and Viggo looks like he's been kissed by the sun.
France 24
19-05-2025
- Entertainment
- France 24
Five things to know about Scarlett Johansson
Here are five things to know about the teen star turned Hollywood A-Lister: Starlet Scarlett When baby Johansson was born into a Jewish family in Manhattan in 1984, early signs suggested stardom was ahead. Her parents named her after Scarlett O'Hara in "Gone With the Wind", and at a young age she was drawn to tap dance and theatre. Barely into double-digits she made her screen debut, and soon after Robert Redford cast her in "The Horse Whisperer" for her first major role. Then, just shy of 20, she hit the big time with Sofia Coppola's art-house classic "Lost in Translation". In the film, which unfolds in the alienating surroundings of a Tokyo hotel, Johansson manages to touch the heart of an ever-sardonic Bill Murray as well as charming spectators and critics worldwide. Cha-ching! Over the next decades, Johansson has starred in a string of hits and top directors have queued up to cast her, from Wes Anderson and the Coen brothers to Jonathan Glazer and Christopher Nolan. Catapulting her into movie stratosphere, she joined the Marvel universe as the indomitable Black Widow in 2010 and made eight films with the franchise. During this collaboration she topped the Forbes list of highest-paid actresses and featured in hits including "Avengers: Infinity War" (2018), one of the top-10 highest grossing films of all time according to IMDB Pro. Other missions But Johansson the box-office megastar has also missed out on, or sidestepped, plenty of big roles. There was a potential "Mission Impossible" movie but this was shelved, officially due to scheduling clashes. She did not land the lead in "Les Miserables", which went to Anne Hathaway, who won an Oscar for it, nor did she get Lisbeth Salander in "Millennium". But she was plenty busy, often starring in lower-budget films that wowed critics and audiences. These included a stand-out performance as an alien in Jonathan Glazer's remarkable "Under the Skin" (2013), shot in wintery backstreets, abandoned houses and seedy minivans. So far, she has not won an Oscar, but she was nominated for best actress and supporting actress in 2020 for her roles in indie favourites "Marriage Story" and "Jojo Rabbit". That voice It is unmistakable and Johansson has capitalised on it, though sometimes with unwanted repercussions. She brought her deep, distinctive vocals to the voice of Samantha in "Her" (2013) by Spike Jonze, about an artificial intelligence system Joaquin Phoenix falls for. But in May last year Johansson accused tech firm OpenAI of using her voice in their own generative AI ChatGPT, which responded by modifying its tone. She can also be heard in hit animations including "The Jungle Book" and the two "Sing" films. Johansson has also released two albums, "Anywhere I Lay My Head" in 2008 and a year later "Break Up". They did not rock the music world, but reviewing the inaugural album, Pitchfork called it a "curio" while praising the "wide textural range" of Johansson's voice. Against the grain Never reluctant to speak her mind, Johansson has been outspoken on various social and film-related issues. She has supported victims of harassment, pushed for gender-equal pay and spotlighted the impact of streaming on theatrical releases. She is also willing to take more controversial stances, not least in defending Woody Allen -- who has cast her in three films -- when much of Hollywood has shunned him over a long-running sexual assault scandal. "I love Woody. I believe him, and I would work with him any time," she told The Hollywood Reporter in 2019.
