Latest news with #UptownFunk
News18
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- News18
Ishaan Khatter Brings The House Down With His Dance At Miss World 2025 Finale
Last Updated: Ishaan Khatter not only nailed the rhythm but also wowed fans with a flawless moonwalk. Ishaan Khatter is undeniably among the finest dancers in Bollywood. From his flawless moves in chart-topping songs to energetic dance videos with brother Shahid Kapoor, he always leaves fans mighty impressed with his performances. The actor has once again proved his dancing prowess after busting out some killer moves to a medley of songs at the Miss World 2025 finale. The actor's electrifying performance, featuring global hits and desi chartbusters, had the crowd cheering and social media buzzing. Among the standout moments was Ishaan's show-stopping performance on Bruno Mars' Uptown Funk. He not only nailed the rhythm but also wowed fans with a flawless moonwalk, a move that surely became the highlight of the evening. Videos of his performance are spreading rapidly across platforms, with fans praising his electrifying energy, style and stage charisma. Much to his fans' delight, the Dhadak star further surprised his audience by grooving to BTS's global hit track Mic Drop. His energetic dance on the iconic track went viral on social media. Many Indian K-pop fans were thrilled to discover that Ishaan is part of the BTS ARMY. The actor also grooved to Zingaat from his film Dhadak. View this post on Instagram A post shared by aaru💜(thv) (@aradhya_fab7) The 72nd edition of the global pageant, held on May 31 at the HITEX Exhibition Centre in Hyderabad, saw 108 contestants from around the world competing for the prestigious crown. Leaving behind other beautiful ladies, Opal Suchata Chuangsri from Thailand was crowned Miss World 2025. She was presented with the prestigious title by the outgoing Miss World 2024, Krystyna Pyszkova of the Czech Republic. Speaking about his cinematic front, Ishaan Khatter is gearing up for the release of Neeraj Ghaywan's directorial Homebound. Co-starring Janhvi Kapoor and Vishal Jethwa in lead roles, the poignant drama had its world premiere at the prestigious Cannes Film Festival 2025 under the festival's Un Certain Regard section. Ishaan Khatter will reprise his role as Aviraaj Singh in The Royals season 2. Directed by Priyanka Ghose and Nupur Asthana, the rom-com show will also feature Bhumi Pednekar, Zeenat Aman, Sakshi Tanwar, Nora Fatehi, Vihaan Samat, Dino Morea and Milind Soman reprising their characters. First Published:
Time Magazine
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time Magazine
How Disney Did Stitch Dirty
Perhaps the most unlikely character to become ubiquitous in the world of Disney is Stitch, an alien who pretends to be a dog in 2002's Lilo & Stitch. Though the diminutive agent of chaos is a far cry from the nonthreatening affability of Mickey Mouse, his character design has an undeniable appeal. Just look at those big floppy ears and toothy grin, those Tasmanian Devil-meets-Hula dancer moves, and try to keep a straight face. Since that film proved something of a surprise hit for the studio, Stitch's impact has been felt worldwide. He's had three animated sequel films and three TV series, including the anime series Stitch! The merch is bountiful, with over 100 items currently listed on the Disney Store website, never mind the knock-offs. So when the news came that Stitch would return in a live-action remake, helmed by Marcel the Shell With Shoes On director Dean Fleischer Camp, expectations were reasonably high for the adorable alien's return to center stage. So high, in fact, that prognosticators predict it could out-earn even Tom Cruise jumping out of airplanes in its opening weekend. Yet in the new Lilo & Stitch movie, releasing May 23, Stitch is alien non grata. As the remake is more than 20 minutes beefier than the original, which was written and directed by Chris Sanders and Dean DeBlois, one would naturally expect an expanded role for one of the most treasured characters in animation. The movie's marketing certainly promises this—if you've so much as left the house in the last few months, you've likely been inundated with sightings of Stitch on clothing, housewares, and just about anything you can put a price tag on. You'd be forgiven for assuming he's the only character in the film. The extended run time offers an opportunity for an expanded backstory, flashbacks to the damage he caused that resulted in his exile from outer space, and a deepening of his bond with Lilo, to name just a few. Instead, that extra time is spent with Stitch on the sidelines, taking a back seat to the relationship between Lilo and her big sister Nani, who was thrown into a guardian role after their parents died in an accident. Nani has ambitions of being a marine biologist and even received a full ride from a big university, but her priority is Lilo. There's also Tūtũ (Amy Hill), their neighbor who is fiercely protective of them. These new elements are neither remarkable nor unwelcome, but devoting time to them at the expense of Stitch is an utterly baffling decision. It's not just that Stitch's role is reduced. When he is onscreen, the film prioritizes debauchery over depth. We get a new scene of him destroying a wedding reception because he wants to eat the cake, set to 'Uptown Funk.' He eats voraciously. He burps on numerous occasions. He swallows a lava lamp and burps again. He does lots of silly, goofy things because he's a silly, goofy guy. But his true character is subsumed by a flurry of moments that seem designed to be memed or turned into future merchandising opportunities. He has no arc, no real story of his own. What was once a misunderstood creature trying to find his own identity has morphed into a party animal who wouldn't be out of place in a frat house. You get the sense that if the film flashed forward to the future, he'd be chugging beers and crushing a nacho platter. Audiences didn't fall head over heels for Stitch because he's a quirky goofball who brings chaos wherever he goes, nor because he's cute, blue, and fluffy (though that certainly helps). They related to him because the 2002 Lilo & Stitch was about an outsider who wanted nothing more than to belong. You could see Stitch actively trying to keep his destructive instincts at bay to strengthen his new family bond with Lilo and Nani. Stitch wanted so desperately to fit in, to be part of a world he always felt on the outside of, looking in. Lilo, outcast by her schoolmates and coping with a gutting loss, felt the same way. The film is about two unlikely souls coming together to take on a world that's dealt them nothing but hardship. Worse still is that the scenes most essential to the development of Stitch in the original film are nowhere to be found in the new one. In the animated film, after causing wanton pandemonium for the sisters, Stitch is restless at night. He's being watched by his creator Jumba, who reflects to his colleague Pleakley: 'I never gave him a greater purpose. What must it be like to have nothing? Not even memories to visit in the middle of the night?' Looking for something to do, Stitch rummages through Lilo's bookshelf, struck by a picture book: The Ugly Duckling. He wakes Lilo to explain it to her. 'He's sad because nobody wants him,' Lilo explains, 'But on this page, his family hears him crying, and they find him. Then the Ugly Duckling is happy, because he knows where he belongs.' This means a lot to him, as he takes the book back to his bed and closes his eyes. Before he can fall asleep, he's interrupted by Lilo introducing him to the music of Elvis, solidifying their bond. Later in the film, Stitch inadvertently causes Nani to lose her job, meaning the social worker, Mr. Bubbles, will have no choice but to separate the sisters and place Lilo in foster care. Overwhelmed by guilt, Stitch abandons Lilo, taking only The Ugly Duckling with him. It's here that Lilo delivers the unforgettable mantra central to the film: 'Ohana means family. Family means nobody gets left behind.' Though he's moved by Lilo's words, Stitch still chooses to leave, desperate to find himself and even more keen to stop hurting someone he cares for so deeply. In the forest, he opens the book to the same page he was looking at with Lilo, with the duckling crying, 'I'm lost!' Somberly, Stitch repeats those words: 'I'm lost.' He means it more than just literally. He's all alone in the world, having left the one person who loved him unconditionally. He has no idea who he is. It's a bracing moment of sadness that's rare for a family film. Disney movies deal with death and tragedy on a fairly regular basis, sure, but they hardly ever spend time truly interrogating how those events leave lasting effects like they do in Lilo & Stitch. Instead of these vital scenes, we get a brief moment in Lilo's bedroom where she asks Stitch if he has a family. He simply responds with a 'no.' When you think there might be a moment of introspection, the film moves swiftly on. A retelling of a beloved story doesn't have to be a shot-for-shot remake to be valuable; taking things in a new direction helps justify the process of remaking these films in the first place, and it's a distinct mark of the few worthwhile live-action remakes in the Disney canon. But there's a balance to strike between adding something new and maintaining the core of what made the story worth telling in the first place. 2025's Lilo & Stitch offers mere sketches of this pivotal relationship. The Disney Live-Action Industrial Complex has made a lot of strange decisions in bringing their animated classics into the realm of live-action, but fundamentally misunderstanding what makes one of their most universally adored characters worthwhile may be its most egregious.
Chicago Tribune
07-05-2025
- Chicago Tribune
For families and foodies, Charlotte, North Carolina, offers ‘a surprise and delight factor'
Charlotte, North Carolina, a prominent banking city, has emerged as a major tech hub in recent years, and while that has certainly helped contribute to the spectacular skyline, it's also had a widespread effect on the cultural attractions and culinary offerings. 'My favorite thing about Charlotte is my ability to be who I am,' said Greg Collier, one of Charlotte's most beloved chefs and restaurateurs. 'I've never felt like I needed to fit in. I get to be myself in a place that is inclusive.' Collier specializes in Southern classics and soul food with a thoughtful personal touch at breakfast spot Uptown Yolk, famous for its chicken and waffles, and 3rd & Fernwood, where casual comfort food rules the day. 'People all have their ideas of what Southern food is,' he said, 'but we're looking at it through a lens of the dope farmers and dope ingredients here, and creating a dish from heritage and homage.' Collier has earned national accolades for his food and is proud to be an ambassador for his city. 'We've always been known for banking,' said Collier's wife and business partner, Subrina. 'Now, Charlotte has a soul too, and our soul is diversity.' Charlotte also has one of the busiest airports in the country, so getting there is easy, with daily direct flights from Chicago. Whether you're in town to catch one of the six pro sports teams that call Charlotte home or visiting to try out one of the 13 restaurants that have received James Beard nominations in the past few years, you're sure to fall in love with the Queen City. The nickname pays homage to Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, the queen consort of Britain's King George III at the time the city was founded in 1768. First-time visitors can take an hourlong walking tour with Uptown Funk for just $15 for an overview of the city's history, sports and arts, then visit museums like the Bechtler Museum of Modern Art and Mint Museum, which are just around the corner from one another. Visitors to the recently renovated Sullenberger Aviation Museum can see the Airbus 320 'Miracle on the Hudson' aircraft that Capt. C.B. 'Sully' Sullenberger landed on New York's Hudson River on Jan. 15, 2009. The Sullenberger museum, a Smithsonian Institution affiliate, is on the grounds of Charlotte Douglas International Airport and expects more than 120,000 visitors a year for tours and private events since a renovation. Arts scene 'There's a rising creative energy here,' said Matt Olin, co-founder of Charlotte is Creative, a nonprofit dedicated to connecting artists and creatives to business training, funding, networking and paid gigs. 'We're championing the idea of artists as creative entrepreneurs and small businesses,' Olin said. 'Charlotte is really beginning to recognize, value and support its creative community, and that's a mindset shift that needed to happen.' One of the best places to experience this newfound creative energy is Camp North End, a former Ford Motor Co. factory and missile production plant that's now a 76-acre playground home to more than 60 shops, restaurants and small businesses, with vibrant murals covering seemingly every door and dumpster and wildflowers blooming between the abandoned railroad tracks. Grab a coffee or wine at HEX and go for a wander. 'There's a surprise and delight factor here,' Olin said. 'You never quite know what you're going to get.' He recalled once stumbling upon an impromptu breakdance battle in a screen printing shop. Throughout spring and summer, concerts, outdoor markets, festivals and even a pop-up roller-skating rink keep Camp North End lively. 'It's really become a canvas for our growing local arts scene,' Olin said. It's also a great place to shop for locally made souvenirs, from stationery and plants to art, accessories and vintage records and books. Another great place to view street art year-round is TAOH Outdoor Gallery, Charlotte's first graffiti park. Fuel up with good food Three Charlotte chefs and restaurants were nominated for James Beard Awards this year, including Sam Diminich from Restaurant Constance, a small farm-to-table gem in the up-and-coming Wesley Heights neighborhood. The menu here is dictated by seasonal produce from nearby farms, but Diminich infuses these local ingredients with global flavors, like pork belly pupusas and sea scallops with sweet potato spaetzle, or a signature chocolate miso caramel tart. Optimist Hall is a great place to dine midday, with a brewery and more than 20 food stalls, ranging from tapas and wood-fired pizza to Ethiopian and Indian food, plus plenty of indoor and outdoor seating. For a hearty family-style meal, Supperland is a rustic steakhouse in a restored mid-century church with banquette seating from refurbished pews and an open kitchen with roaring fires in place of a pulpit. Most everything touches the flames, from steaks to ember butter roasted oysters, bone marrow grilled broccoli and even a s'mores cobbler for dessert. Charlotte's newest fine-dining darling is Albertine, with impressive food and service. The ambitious menu offers unique Middle Eastern flavors in a glamorous dining room filled with plush, velvety booths and marble tables. Begin with a meze platter, selecting red or green schug, black-eyed pea hummus, stracciatella, white Turkish anchovies and chorizo-stuffed dates, accompanied by buttermilk man'oushe sourdough flatbread generously dusted with za'atar. Succulent golden tilefish, grilled short rib and spit-roasted vegetables are flavored with spices and condiments like green tahini, peanut dukkah and ras el hanout. Desserts here are a standout, too. Family-friendly fun For an active day of outdoor adventure, head to Whitewater Center, home to the world's largest manmade whitewater river. While whitewater rafting is the calling card here, there are also treetop ropes courses, zip lining, 40 miles of mountain biking trails, kayaking, stand-up paddleboarding, rock climbing and bouldering. If you're feeling particularly daring, try free-solo climbing over a 20-foot deep pool. You might not make it to the top, but you're sure to make a splash. There's also a new 70-acre off-leash dog park and Wildwoods playground with tree houses and boulder gardens for younger children. Kids and teens will love Carowinds, just outside the city. The amusement park has nearly 60 rides, including Fury 325 for daredevils, the world's fastest and tallest giga coaster. There's also a 26-acre waterpark and family-friendly Camp Snoopy, with two new rides this year, including Charlie Brown's River Raft Blast, where you can drench family and friends with water cannons along the way. Daniel Stowe Botanical Gardens has a fun new addition for kids. Lost Hollow Kimbrell Children's Garden already features an amphitheater, sunken pond and play spaces; a new adventure trail and medieval castle-inspired wooden playground at the edge of the prairie provide even more opportunities for imaginative play in nature.
Black America Web
25-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Black America Web
POTC: Trinidad James Explains Why He's No One-Hit Wonder
Source: Reach Media / Urban One Being called a one-hit wonder isn't quite the insult that people make it out to be when you think about it. Imagine being so good in the art of making music that you only need to do it once in order to solidify your legacy — one single song that leads to a lifetime of lucrative opportunities if you've really got a banger on your hands. READ MORE STORIES ATL native Trinidad James knows exactly what that feels like following the decade-spanning success of his 2012 debut single, 'All Gold Everything.' Officially released just five days before Christmas that year, the Southern trap hit has gone on to be a gift that keeps on giving for James thanks to its Top 40 status on the charts and an interpolated sample two years later on Mark Ronson and Bruno Mars' 2014 worldwide number 1 smash, 'Uptown Funk,' that reportedly paid out with over $150,000 in royalties. STAY INFORMED! CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTER! RELATED: Real Talk, Real Life, Real Atlanta With RHOA Kelli Ferrell | Posted On The Corner Sure, the debut album under his multimillion-dollar deal with Def Jam never panned out, and we never really got anything that matched up to the hype of 'All Gold Everything.' Nonetheless, Trinidad James has extended his 15 minutes of fame into a lifestyle that also includes songwriting for others, the media world as co-host of Complex's Full Size Run and even a budding acting career (see: Uncut Gems ). The multifaceted creative joined us here at Posted On The Corner to remind both his city and the world at hand that he's always been a star and, by the moves he's making in 2025, probably will always be one. Take a look below to watch our full interview with the ATL goldsmith himself, Trinidad James, exclusively for Posted On The Corner : SEE ALSO
CNN
03-04-2025
- Entertainment
- CNN
Mark Ronson recovering from stage injury
A Mark Ronson performance didn't go so well for him. The award-winning producer and artist shared on social media that he hurt himself during a recent DJ set. The 'Uptown Funk' star posted a photo of himself apparently in a hospital bed with a caption that explained what happened. 'That time the house PA was so bad that I tried to one-hand turn the stage monitor towards the crowd mid-mix to give them some extra juice,' he wrote. 'Turns out they weigh more than I thought…Two popped bicep tendons and one finished gig later, here we are, baby! #tornthisway' It resulted in some good nature ribbing from fellow producer/DJ Diplo, who wrote in the comments, 'looks like you just gave birth 🫃.' Had it happened earlier, the incident may have made his recently announced book. Ronson announced last week that his upcoming memoir, 'Night People: How To Be A DJ in '90s NYC,' will release in September.' 'It chronicles three of my great loves: the art of DJing with all its emotional highs and lows, the electric energy of New York after dark, and the wild, wonderful clubland characters who became my second family,' he posted. 'This book is my love letter to a vanished era that shaped not just my career but my identity—a time when finding my craft put me on the path to finding myself.' The book is currently available for pre-order.
