God speed the green screen

The Independent’s entertainment newsletter [The Independent]( October 08, 2022 [View in browser](   Christian Bale has admitted it. Green screen acting is, apparently, very boring. He gave an interview this week where he admitted working on Thor: Love and Thunder was [“the definition of monotony”](. To this I say: respect. I’ve written [this week’s State of the Arts column]( about how we shouldn’t be snobby about green screen acting when actors are sacrificing their souls and their dignity in the name of our entertainment. I reviewed Bale’s new film, [Amsterdam](, this week. It’s the first film from David O Russell since 2015, and it seems like [he’s stuffed it with every idea he’s had since then](. It looks incredibly chic though, even if it does feel like it lasts three days. Clarisse Loughrey reviewed the new big screen adaptation of Matilda the Musical, which opened this week at London Film Festival, [writing that "it’s intrinsically British enough that I half expect it to be soon absorbed into the Paddington cinematic universe".]( I stan the 1996 Danny DeVito film very hard, but I’m very excited to see this one as Tim Minchin’s lyrics make me weepy. Paul Cezanne, 'Bathers', 1874–75 (The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York) Jake Lacy was one of the best bits about The White Lotus – Amanda Whiting[caught up with him this week]( about his creepy new role. Louis Chilton had [a chat with the super-talented Sheila Atim](, who has clocked up two Olivier Awards and now stars in The Woman King. And the Tate Modern’s new Cezanne exhibition comes with Mark Hudson’s highest recommendation – [he gave it the full five stars](. My weekend tip: cosy up with a copy of Alan Rickman’s diaries, which were published this week. Who knew he was a fan of both Mamma Mia AND Gogglebox? I wrote this week about [the endless allure of the Harry Potter and Die Hard star’s disdain](.   [The Saturday Interview – Shygirl]( [Oscars image]( Shygirl's debut album, 'Nymph', is out now (Samuel Ibram) This week, the sought-after UK rapper Shygirl [spoke to Annabel Nugent]( about the sex-positive persona she shares on her debut album, loving poetry and period dramas, and searching for her name online. [Spoiler alert: she’s not actually that shy.]( [Oscars image]( The 29-year-old rapper found her breakout moment during lockdown (Jacqueline Landvik) Read an extract from our Saturday Interview below… Like many emerging artists, she has a devoted online fanbase. And like any emerging artist with a social media account, she has a complicated relationship with that fan base. “The opinions of your audience are heard way more than ever before and it took me a minute to acclimate to that.” You wouldn’t blame her, or anyone in the public eye, for turning off their comments. Or at the very least, avoiding them. “Nah, I literally read everything,” she cackles. “I definitely search my name all the time.” Muise does put up some boundaries, though. For one thing, her phone is always on Do Not Disturb. “I check my messages when I’m ready to because otherwise once I see something, I need to address it straight away – and that’s a weird by-product of being too accessible. It means the other person is deciding that they’re ready to engage rather than you who is deciding.” [Read the full interview here](   What to binge this week [The Walk In]( Give Stephen Graham all the parts. Seriously. Is there any British actor better than him right now? He is the mark of quality in ITV’s chilling new drama about the rise of the far-right in the UK. [As Nick Hilton writes in his four-star review](, the part of Matthew Collins, a neo-Nazi activist turned anti-hate campaigner, is “a role that suits Graham down to a tee: he has always had a stocky, pugilistic physique softened by kind, searching eyes”. 'The Walk In' is on ITV Hub Stephen Graham in 'The Walk In' (ITV)   Out and about The Band's Visit This musical about an Egyptian band's evening in a small Israeli town won 10 Tony Awards in 2018, and [opened at the Donmar Warehouse this week](. It will charm the pants off you. My review is in Sunday's Week on Stage column.   INDYBEST / [BEST BUYS]( Stranger Things and Quiksilver launch an Eighties-inspired collection that’s worn by the cast in season 4 As the second half of series four unfolds, inject some retro style into your wardrobe [Read more](   Essential reading [The 17 absolute worst sex scenes in movie history]( [The 17 absolute worst sex scenes in movie history]( [Furious mother condemns local cinema after it bans children from new ‘Minions’ film]( [Furious mother condemns local cinema after it bans children from new ‘Minions’ film](   OTHER NEWSLETTERS YOU MIGHT LIKE [Race Report] The Race Report Fortnightly, 7am (UK time) Written by Nadine White [Join now]( [Health Check] Health Check Every Thursday, 7am (UK time) Written by Rebecca Thomas [Join now]( If you can spare a minute we’d love your [feedback]( on our newsletters. 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