Aurelia Butler

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    A New Age of Iranian Cinema Is on Display at the Oscars

    “The Seed of the Sacred Fig,” an Oscar-nominated movie filmed in secret in Iran, highlights the Iranian film world’s groundbreaking new work, inspired by the women-led protests in 2022.A wife, wearing a nightgown and her hair uncovered, lies down next to her husband in bed. An older man and woman, drunk on red wine, dance wildly and discuss the complexities of sex and nudity at their age. A distressed young woman navigates the sexual advances of a male employer in a job interview.These scenes may seem to be simply ordinary life snippets on the big screen. But their existence — in three Iranian films released over the last few years — is nothing short of extraordinary, representing a new era of filmmaking in Iran’s storied cinema.These movies, and the trend they represent, have gained recognition and accolades internationally. One of them, “The Seed of the Sacred Fig,” written and directed by Mohammad Rasoulof, will compete for best international feature film at the Academy Awards on Sunday.Mr. Rasoulof, 52, is among a number of prominent Iranian directors and artists who are flouting government censorship rules enforced for nearly five decades since the 1979 Islamic revolution. These rules ban depictions of women without a hijab, the consumption of alcohol, and men and women touching and dancing; they also prevent films from tackling taboo subjects like sex.In a collective act of civil disobedience and inspired by the 2022 women-led uprising in Iran and many women’s continued defiance of restrictive social laws, Iranian filmmakers say they have decided to finally make art that imitates real life in their country.Director Mohammad Rasoulof’s movie “The Seed of the Sacred Fig” is up for an Oscar in the international movie category on Sunday.Kristy Sparow/EPA, via ShutterstockWe are having trouble retrieving the article content.Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings.Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and log into your Times account, or subscribe for all of The Times.Thank you for your patience while we verify access.Already a subscriber? Log in.Want all of The Times? Subscribe. More

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    How to Watch the Oscars 2025: Date, Time and Streaming

    Conan O’Brien will host the annual awards, which will be available to watch live on a streaming service for the first time.It seems like a lifetime ago that Sean Baker’s screwball comedy “Anora” first emerged as the favorite in the best picture race (no one was yet even thinking about holding space for “Wicked”).But we’re now right back where we started in the fall with both math and our Projectionist columnist, Kyle Buchanan, predicting that “Anora” will emerge triumphant. It’s by no means a sure thing — last weekend’s big Screen Actors Guild Awards winner, the papal thriller “Conclave,” could play spoiler.In the acting races, Demi Moore appears to be the one to beat after notching another win at the SAGs (though Buchanan says not to count out Fernanda Torres, who delivers a tour de force performance in the quiet Brazilian drama “I’m Still Here”).But could Adrien Brody, who plays a Jewish architect who survives the Holocaust in “The Brutalist,” be in for an upset from the 29-year-old Timothée Chalamet, who has embarked on a decidedly unconventional — and very online — Oscar campaign for his lead role in the Bob Dylan biopic “A Complete Unknown”?Here’s everything you need to know.What time does the show start and where can I watch?This year’s show is again one for the early birds: The ceremony is set to begin at 7 p.m. Eastern, 4 p.m. Pacific, at the Dolby Theater in Los Angeles.On TV, ABC is the official broadcaster. Online, you can watch the show live on the ABC app, which is free to download, or at abc.com, though you’ll need to sign in using the credentials from your cable provider. There are also a number of live TV streaming services that offer access to ABC, including Hulu + Live TV, YouTube TV, AT&T TV and FuboTV, which all require subscriptions.We are having trouble retrieving the article content.Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings.Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and log into your Times account, or subscribe for all of The Times.Thank you for your patience while we verify access.Already a subscriber? Log in.Want all of The Times? Subscribe. More

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    Best Picture Oscar Nominees: Behind the Scenes of ‘Anora,’ ‘Conclave’ and More

    In these videos, directors walked us through pivotal scenes from their 2025 Academy Award-nominated films.Sometimes all it takes is one scene. One scene to understand where a movie may take you. One scene to connect with its characters. One scene to give a sense of its style.In this collection of sequences from the 10 movies nominated for best picture at the 2025 Academy Awards (airing Sunday, March 2), you will hear director commentary that illuminates each nominee. A few scenes play out largely in one shot, others build out their world from a song. But each one required an intensive combination of craft and planning to pull off. Watch those narrated scenes below.Sean Baker on ‘Anora’The writer, director and editor Sean Baker narrates a sequence from his comedy featuring Mikey Madison and Mark Eydelshteyn.NeonBrady Corbet on ‘The Brutalist’The director Brady Corbet narrates a sequence from his film, starring Adrien Brody. The movie is nominated for 10 Academy Awards.Lol Crawley/A24James Mangold on ‘A Complete Unknown’James Mangold narrates a sequence from his film, starring Timothée Chalamet.Macall Polay/Searchlight PicturesEdward Berger on ‘Conclave’The director Edward Berger narrates a sequence from his film, featuring Ralph Fiennes.Philippe Antonello/Focus FeaturesDenis Villeneuve on ‘Dune: Part Two’The director Denis Villeneuve narrates a battle sequence from his film, featuring Austin Butler.Niko Tavernise/Warner Bros. PicturesJacques Audiard on ‘Emilia Pérez’The director Jacques Audiard narrates a sequence featuring the song “El Mal” from his film, with Zoe Saldaña and Karla Sofía Gascón.Shanna Besson/NetflixWalter Salles on ‘I’m Still Here’The director Walter Salles narrates a scene from his film, which has an Oscar nomination for best picture.Alile Onawale/Sony Pictures ClassicsRaMell Ross on ‘Nickel Boys’The director RaMell Ross narrates a sequence from his film, which has been nominated for best picture.Orion PicturesCoralie Fargeat on ‘The Substance’The writer and director Coralie Fargeat narrates a sequence from her film starring Demi Moore.MubiJon M. Chu on ‘Wicked’The director Jon M. Chu narrates a scene in “Wicked” that features the song “Popular,” with Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo.Universal Pictures More

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    The Best Movies and TV Shows Coming to Disney+, Amazon, Max, Apple TV+ and More in March

    “Anora” and “Happy Face” arrive, and “‘Dark Winds,” “The Wheel of Time,” “The Righteous Gemstones” and more return.Every month, streaming services add movies and TV shows to their libraries. Here are our picks for some of March’s most promising new titles. (Note: Streaming services occasionally change schedules without giving notice. For more recommendations on what to stream, sign up for our Watching newsletter here.)New to Amazon Prime Video‘The Wheel of Time’ Season 3Starts streaming: March 13Season 1 of this handsome-looking fantasy series introduced the major characters and concepts from the first book of the novelist Robert Jordan’s hefty “The Wheel of Time” saga. Season 2 adapted parts of the second and third books, moving pieces into place for the grand apocalyptic battle prophesied at the start of the story. In Season 3, adapting “The Shadow Rising,” the heroes are tested by a journey into a desert wasteland. Rosamund Pike returns as the mystic Moiraine, who is helping a group of young people escape the shadowy forces pursuing them, leading them on a journey across a magical realm in danger of falling into ruin — just as it did thousands of years ago. Josha Stradowski plays Rand al’Thor, who could be his land’s last best hope to stand up against The Dark One, or the one to usher in a new age of chaos.Also arriving:March 6“For the Win: NWSL”“Picture This”March 11“Iliza Shlesinger: A Different Animal”March 27“Bosch: Legacy” Season 3“Holland”Zahn McClarnon in “Dark Winds.”Michael Moriatis/AMCNew to AMC+‘Dark Winds’ Season 3Starts streaming: March 9The novelist Tony Hillerman’s “Leaphorn and Chee” series provides the inspiration for this combination neo-western and neo-noir. Zahn McClarnon plays Joe Leaphorn, a lieutenant in the Navajo Tribal Police, who looks after his own people while holding a healthy suspicion of outsiders. Kiowa Gordon plays Jim Chee, Joe’s deputy, who used to work undercover for the F.B.I., gaining intelligence on Indigenous political groups. “Dark Winds” combines complex mystery plots with an insider’s take on Navajo culture. Season 3 finds Joe and Jim investigating a mysterious disappearance in their jurisdiction while their colleague Bernadette Manuelito (Jessica Matten) begins a new job with the Border Patrol. Guest stars include Jenna Elfman and Bruce Greenwood, in a story that will leave Joe questioning his life’s purpose.Also arriving:March 3“Recipes for Love and Murder” Season 2March 7“Starve Acre”March 10“The Gone” Season 2March 18“Wicked City” Seasons 1 and 2We are having trouble retrieving the article content.Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings.Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and log into your Times account, or subscribe for all of The Times.Thank you for your patience while we verify access.Already a subscriber? Log in.Want all of The Times? Subscribe. More

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    Meet the New Owner of the Bathtub Used by Jacob Elordi in “Saltburn”

    Anyone who has watched “Saltburn” probably remembers the scene, and some who have not seen the dark coming-of-age thriller about two Oxford students may remember it, too: The part when middle-class Oliver (Barry Keoghan), while visiting the country estate of his wealthy friend Felix (Jacob Elordi), surreptitiously watches him take a bath and then slurps up the leftover water as it streams down the drain.After the film’s release in late 2023, the scene spread widely online — and became the inspiration for candles, cocktails, bath bombs and thousands of discussion threads.And the bathtub featured in it? It’s now on display in Massillon, Ohio, at the home of Kyle Harvey, 36, who bought the tub for $4,375 in an online auction last September. Mr. Harvey, who owns a local car dealership with some relatives, drove 18 hours round-trip to get it, he said.“It’s a piece of history,” said Mr. Harvey, adding that he won the prop after a bidding war. “That bathtub had TikTok going for days.”The fiberglass bathtub is in a room adjoining Mr. Harvey’s at-home movie theater. Other “Saltburn” memorabilia he bought in the auction are also on display there, including a framed photo of Mr. Elordi and Mr. Keoghan and ensembles that the actors wore in the film, which earned awards for both is costume and production design.The tub, center, came complete with stains around its drain. Mr. Harvey bought it at auction, along with costumes from the film.We are having trouble retrieving the article content.Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings.Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and log into your Times account, or subscribe for all of The Times.Thank you for your patience while we verify access.Already a subscriber? Log in.Want all of The Times? Subscribe. More

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    Geoffrey Rush Lives for the Roar of the Crowd

    “If you sit at home, you are not sharing your own private experience of what the general pulse of the world is,” said the actor, who stars in the horror film “The Rule of Jenny Pen.”Geoffrey Rush has rarely met a physical task he didn’t want to attempt, be it sword fighting for “Pirates of the Caribbean” or playing the piano for his Oscar-winning role in “Shine.”The new horror movie “The Rule of Jenny Pen,” starring Rush as a supercilious former judge living in a nursing home, required yet another unfamiliar skill set: He had to use a motorized wheelchair.“I got very good at getting up to speed, but in narrow corridors, it was not the same story,” Rush, 73, said of the feature directed by James Ashcroft and also starring John Lithgow as a psychopathic fellow resident. A lot of the final day’s goof reel “was punctuated by me running into staircases or James leaping over furniture because I went, ‘It’s just not responding.’”In a video call from his native Australia, Rush discussed his cultural essentials, many of them — to his surprise — from his childhood and early professional life. These are edited excerpts from the conversation.The TreniersThey were the first band to use the words “rock” and “roll” in lyrics, way back in the late ’40s and early ’50s, when they were a blues band hovering between swing and boogie-woogie. Their energy was definitely sexy and audacious. They beat Bill Haley by about a half decade. My mum was a great jiver during my childhood, and she loved Little Richard. She used to dive onto the dance floor.Silent Film ClownsBob Monkhouse, who was an English comedian, had a show that I used to watch every Saturday night called “Mad Movies.” I got introduced to silent film and not necessarily the big guns. He looked at a lot of the minor characters, and I became obsessed by that.We are having trouble retrieving the article content.Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings.Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and log into your Times account, or subscribe for all of The Times.Thank you for your patience while we verify access.Already a subscriber? Log in.Want all of The Times? Subscribe. More

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    Bruno Mars Is Pop’s Most Reliable Male Star. Who Is He, Really?

    A schmaltzy ballad. A bubble-gum pop song. A raunchy rap anthem. All three Hot 100 hits feature Mars, a blockbuster singer and songwriter who is largely a cipher.It’s a free-for-all on the Hot 100 chart right now. “Die With a Smile,” a slick, sappy Lady Gaga ballad destined for oldies radio rotation in about 20 years, has been hovering around No. 1 since summer. “Apt.,” a peppy new wave-inspired cut by Blackpink’s Rosé that speaks the rhythmic, hyperactive language of TikTok, is also in the Top 10. And a little further down, there’s Sexyy Red’s “Fat, Juicy and Wet,” the kind of raunchy, would-be strip club anthem that seems to float into the mainstream every few years. Nothing really links these songs — except for the fact that Bruno Mars appears on all three.Mars checks many of the boxes of an A-list pop star. But unlike those who usually occupy the top slot of Spotify’s most-streamed artist ranking — which the 39-year-old musician has for the bulk of 2025 — it’s not always easy to discern his specific viewpoint, or even a favored niche. Pop has long rewarded shape-shifters like Madonna, whose careers are marked by bold artistic reconfigurations, but Mars is a different beast: a performer with such a malleable identity at one moment that his name stands for little except its association with hits.Depending on your vintage, you might best remember Mars as a sappy adult contemporary crooner, thanks to his early No. 1s like “Grenade” and “Just the Way You Are.” On “Locked Out of Heaven,” certified diamond for 10 million sales, he was in full Sting drag, belting over shimmery new wave. Silk Sonic, his collaboration with Anderson .Paak that yielded a 2021 album, reveled in a kind of throwback sleaze, perhaps in tribute to his semi-adoptive hometown, Las Vegas, where he has held down a residency at the Park MGM for an astonishing near-decade.In one of his early guises, Mars was an adult contemporary-style crooner.Chad Batka for The New York TimesRather than try to distill his essence into one sound, Mars has remained stubbornly chameleonic — though rooted in old-fashioned music-making, the kind that employs acoustic instruments and appeals to Grammy voters (he has 33 nominations and 16 wins). “Die With a Smile” hearkens back to his days as a Jason Mraz-esque wedding song maestro; despite its title, the song is pure soft-rock schmaltz, finding both singers indulging their worst impulses toward lounge act cosplay. “Apt.” taps into the new wave pep of his 2012 “Unorthodox Jukebox” album, this time cribbing familiar elements of hits by the Go-Go’s, Blondie and Bananarama.Both songs came with their own distinct visual aesthetic — ’60s Americana, and a shambolic, pseudo-punk look — and were colossal hits on TikTok, radio and beyond. While “Apt.” was always intended for Rosé’s December 2024 debut album, “Rosie,” Gaga initially said that “Die With a Smile” was a one-off, and had nothing to do with her forthcoming album, “Mayhem.” Six months later, fans noticed the song had been tacked on at the end of the “Mayhem” track list; it’s hard to argue with some two billion extra streams.We are having trouble retrieving the article content.Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings.Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and log into your Times account, or subscribe for all of The Times.Thank you for your patience while we verify access.Already a subscriber? Log in.Want all of The Times? Subscribe. More