Review: Vince Vaughn-starring black comedy ‘Bad Monkey’ is another hit for Apple
Updated 18 August 2024
Matt Ross
LONDON: Apple is carving out quite the niche for itself when it comes to its original programming. These shows tend to have a big-name star, high production values, and a story that casts said star slightly against type in an idiosyncratic role that calls out for a later-career-defining performance. Just look at “The Morning Show,” “Severance”, “Shrinking”, “High Desert” and a dozen or so others.
“Bad Monkey”, developed by “Scrubs” and “Ted Lasso” creator Bill Lawrence, shows there is plenty of life in that formula yet. This time round it’s the turn of Vince Vaughn to star as Andrew Yancy, a suspended police detective living in the Florida Keys who winds up embroiled in a murder case involving a missing arm, a crooked property developer and corruption in both Florida and the Bahamas. As a motormouth, world-weary cop, Vaughn delivers his best turn since “Swingers” and he’s ably backed by an ensemble cast that includes Natalie Martinez as a well-intentioned medical examiner, Michelle Monaghan as Yancy’s enigmatic sometime girlfriend, and Rob Delaney as slimy developer Christopher.
Sure, there’s a certain amount of disbelief suspension required — why does such a cynical washout as Yancy feel compelled to pursue the case he’s been taken off? How does a medical examiner from a neighboring county have such wide-ranging access to a murder case, and why are all these people zipping back and forth to the Bahamas with barely a bag inspection?
But you know what? It doesn’t matter. Like a lot of Apple’s series from the last few years, you’ll forgive a show like “Bad Monkey” a lot, because it represents an opportunity to see a charismatic lead in a role stuffed with potential, in a story with real zip and poise — that “Bad Monkey” is adapted from Carl Hiaasen’s 2013 novel of the same name certainly helps in that regard. That big budget has been well spent, too — “Bad Monkey” looks great and, if the first two episodes (available at launch) are anything to go by, it’s set to be another addition to the Apple hall of TV fame.
DHAHRAN: Ithra, the King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture, is presenting a special vintage car exhibition, which began on Thursday.
The exhibition is part of the Japan Cultural Days event, hosted at Ithra headquarters in Dhahran to celebrate 70 years of Japan-Saudi relations.
The exhibition is part of the Japan Cultural Days event. (Supplied)
The exhibition is being held outdoors in the Energy Exhibit area, which provides a distinctive setting for this unique display.
Maha Abdulhadi, creative programs specialist at Ithra, told Arab News: “With help from Japanese classic car enthusiasts Ali Aldhamin and Nazar Alqlaf, we curated this display to showcase a broad range of vehicles that represent a significant chapter in the history of the Japanese car industry, which is highly appreciated in Saudi Arabia.”
The exhibition features 13 cars, most of which are owned by private collectors in Qatif, and spans a variety of classic models, modern designs, and concept vehicles. “This is a rare opportunity for car enthusiasts in the Kingdom to experience Japanese engineering and design up close,” Abdulhadi said.
The exhibition is being held outdoors in the Energy Exhibit area. (Supplied)
The display highlights the design, technology and innovative features of Japanese vehicles, with the cars available for viewing from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. each day.
“This unique exhibit showcases Japan’s innovative designs, precision engineering, and passion for performance, enhancing the festival experience,” Abdulhadi said. “A Japanese car show as part of the Japan Cultural Days highlights Japan’s rich automotive heritage, fosters community engagement, and promotes cultural exchange. It also attracts car enthusiasts.”
The exhibition ends on February 8, marking the conclusion of the Japan Cultural Days celebration.
Tayeh, known for her roles in Austrian filmmaker Kurdwin Ayub’s “Mond” and Netflix’s hit series “Al Rawabi School for Girls,” expressed her excitement on Instagram and wrote: “I am thrilled and honored to embark on this new journey with Armani beauty.
“This marks a real milestone for me, as the brand embodies values I have always cherished: timeless elegance, dramatic simplicity, and women empowerment,” she added. “Armani beauty reveals one’s charismatic personality in the most subtle and natural way. It’s this pure simplicity that creates an impact, and this is exactly what I hope to bring to the Arab cinema world.”
Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates his 40th birthday in Saudi Arabia
Updated 07 February 2025
Arab News
DUBAI: Portuguese football star Cristiano Ronaldo marked his 40th birthday in Saudi Arabia, surrounded by family and friends.
Ronaldo hosted an intimate gathering at Nozomi, a renowned Japanese restaurant in Riyadh. The night featured a private performance by Puerto Rican artist Rauw Alejandro, who entertained guests with hits such as “Punto 40” and “Todo de Ti.”
He shared pictures from the celebration on Instagram, and wrote: “Thank you all for the amazing birthday messages! Had a great day with family and friends, couldn’t wish for anything better.”
As part of the festivities, Al-Nassr, Ronaldo’s current club, presented him with a special birthday cake featuring images of his five Ballon d’Or trophies and childhood photos. The cake was also displayed at the intimate gathering.
Rodriguez shared a birthday message for Ronaldo on Instagram, writing: “Happy birthday to our great love. Thank God for bringing a man like you into my life, and thank life for giving us the greatest happiness — our family, our children. To a life together, always holding each other tightly. Wishing the best to the best.”
The Kingdom went the extra mile to ensure the footballer’s milestone celebration was memorable.
The Light Ball at Boulevard World illuminated in celebration of Ronaldo’s birthday. The message “We celebrate with you, CR7. Happy birthday. Saudi loves you,” was displayed on the sphere alongside videos of the footballer performing his trademark celebration.
Rodriguez also took to Instagram to share shots of billboards in Riyadh lighting up to honor the star’s 40th birthday.
Ayman Yossri Daydban: ‘The discrepancy between visual appeal and cultural awareness is key’
The Saudi-Palestinian artist discusses his solo exhibition ‘Winter,’ now showing in Jeddah
Updated 07 February 2025
Jasmine Bager
JEDDAH: In his solo exhibition “Winter” at Jeddah’s Athr Gallery, the Saudi-Palestinian artist Ayman Yossri Daydban provides a compelling exploration of ihram clothing — the humble garments worn by pilgrims for the rituals of Hajj and Umrah — and how it connects to climate change.
“This exhibition is part of my Ihramat collection, which uses the ihram to highlight its significance in popular culture, religious identity, and as clothing and fabric,” Daydban tells Arab News. “The idea behind the color and material is inspired by the climate during Hajj season, the usual hot weather during pilgrimage, and how the ihram fabric is lightweight, designed for enduring the heat.”
“Winter,” he explains, refers not only to the season but also to what climate change could mean for the future of pilgrimage — suggesting that traditions once defined by their specific environmental contexts may eventually be disrupted.
Winter from the Ihramat series, 2025. (Supplied)
“White, which is symbolically associated with purity and clarity, is a color that reflects sunlight. When you think about the Hajj happening in the summer, and considering new climate realities and changes, you understand that the idea of ‘winter’ in this context is a metaphor that references the future moments when climate changes may affect pilgrimage,” Daydban says.
The exhibition, which runs until March, revisits Daydban’s iconic works from previous years, particularly “Ihramat” (2012) and “Muss” (1996), recontextualizing the material and its meanings within the lens of contemporary concerns such as climate change and the commodification of culture and spirituality.
Daydban, born in Palestine in 1966 and now based in Jeddah, is poised and calm, neatly tying together the philosophical strands of his conversation. His last name means “watchman” in Arabic, and Daydban is an insightful observer of cultural shifts and national identity. His art features in several major international collections, including the British Museum, underscoring his importance as a leading voice on identity, alienation and belonging.
Winter X, from Ihramat series, 2025. (Supplied)
In “Winter,” Daydban simultaneously weaves together and challenges traditional notions of materiality and spirituality. His use of the ihram fabric in a radically different form emphasizes the fluid nature of cultural objects. Instead of using the fabric as a garment for spiritual purification, he transforms it into everyday items, shifting their role and associations.
“The way I use the ihram fabric here is quite different from its original context—it’s more like towels or blankets, which changes the associations we have with the material,” he says. “For instance, the blankets, although made of similar fabric, are sourced from China. These blankets are available in stores and contribute to my idea of global trade and the commercial aspects of such cultural items.”
Daydban has stretched the fabric over identical rectangular wooden panels — uniform, like Muslims praying in rows — with an empty square at the center, seemingly hinting at the Kabaa. One lone piece is the invert of that, furry and full, a rectangle that one could argue fits into the void the others carry.
Winter V, From Ihramat series, 2025. (Supplied)
In his transformation of the ihram fabric, Daydban emphasizes the economic and cultural implications of how these objects move through global systems. “The materials have a significant connection to economic matters,” he says. “Although the cloths may appear similar, each has its own unique pattern and design. The variations offer a chance to explore cultural identity, to consider how these designs hold individual meaning, yet can be visually selected without awareness of their cultural background. The patterns in the cloth might be taken for granted without understanding the cultural implications behind them. This discrepancy between visual appeal and cultural awareness is key in my work.”
Through the juxtaposition of global trade and religious symbols, Daydban highlights the dissonance between the sacred and the commercial.
“What I’m trying to achieve is a reflection on beauty in the details of cultural symbols — taking a material like the ihram and transforming it into something that holds contemporary meaning,” he explains. “Through ‘Winter,’ I examine how fabric can transcend its usual associations with ritual to become a statement about today’s world. It’s a critique of how these items, which once carried deep religious significance, are now sold and consumed globally, detached from their cultural roots.”
Winter Ten. (Supplied)
The exhibition addresses how even the smallest details within the fabric can carry powerful meanings. “(It) is deeply connected to trade, materials, and economics — using the ihram as a tool to reflect on the broader systems that control these items,” Daydban says. “In terms of design, each square in the exhibition holds a specific visual and symbolic weight. Even though they may seem similar at first glance, they each possess a unique quality that highlights how even the smallest details make a difference when exploring identity.
“The show invites viewers to experience a connection between the material and the emotion it conveys, to understand how ihram is not merely a religious garment but a global symbol of cultural exchange and transformation,” he adds. “As an artist, I’m trying to make sense of how such materials are used across different contexts, with their significance becoming diluted as they move through systems of commerce.”
The idea that art can challenge the commodification of cultural symbols is central to “Winter,” with Daydban urging his audience to reconsider their understanding of material value and cultural meaning.
“I encourage viewers to reflect on this transformation and the relationship between artistic practice and commercial influence,” he says. “Take a moment to consider the process of how cultural objects are commodified and how, through art, we can bring awareness to their deeper meanings.”
REVIEW: Mo Amer’s comedy drama ‘Mo’ makes triumphant return with season two
Updated 07 February 2025
Adam Grundey
DUBAI: Season two of Mo Amer’s semi-autobiographical comedy drama is apparently its last. Amer has said the events of the series had to stop before Oct. 7, 2023, to avoid the horrors that have since been perpetrated in Gaza overtaking the narrative. Though understandable, that’s a real shame, because “Mo” is one of the best shows on television, exploring incredibly complex and divisive topics — family, religion, imbalance of power, exile, mental health, parenthood, multiculturalism and much more — with an artful lightness of touch, without ever taking them lightly. In season two, the ensemble cast are once again excellent, always serving the story, never looking to outshine it.
Amer plays Mo Najjar, a Kuwait-born Palestinian refugee living in Houston, Texas. Mo, his mother Yusra (the superb Farah Bsieso), and his older brother Sameer (Omar Elba) have been waiting more than two decades to have their asylum case heard.
Season two begins with Mo in Mexico, six months after the events of season one saw him stranded there. He’s living with the aunts of his ex-girlfriend Maria (Mo believes the fact he told her to “move on” will not prevent them reuniting — he’s wrong), and his family’s asylum hearing is just days away, but bureaucracy is preventing him from returning to be with them.
In one of several examples of the way “Mo” tackles dark topics with rare grace and humor, Mo attempts to illegally cross back into the US but is captured by border patrol and incarcerated (though not before his country music impersonation nearly convinces his captors he’s a red-blooded American). When he does eventually get back ‘home,’ he finds the family olive oil business is thriving, and that Maria has indeed moved on, starting a relationship with an Israeli chef.
Seeing friends and family prospering without him isn’t something Mo is necessarily ready to celebrate. That’s one of the great things about the show: Amer is as comfortable pointing out Mo’s own failings — his neediness, his pride — as he is railing at, say, the Kafkaesque officialdom that plagues his family’s existence. “Mo” is beautifully balanced in so many ways — from the blend of tragedy and comedy to the mix of maddening realism and fantastical dream sequences. Even the family’s joyous return to Palestine in the finale must be weighed against their stoicism in the face of the iniquities visited on them by the Occupation.
“Mo” isn’t just a great show, but a necessary one.
