Review: Ferrell and Witherspoon can’t raise heat in lukewarm ‘You’re Cordially Invited’
Wedding planners collide in by-the-numbers rom-com
Updated 47 sec ago
Matt Ross
LONDON: Usually, the phrase “less than the sum of its parts” serves as a neat intro to an absolute evisceration of a movie. But in the case of new Prime Video rom-com “You’re Cordially Invited,” it’s a slightly more literal take. Because, as the trailer (and all the promo materials) would have you believe, this Will Ferrell/Reece Witherspoon movie is a high-energy battle royale between a pair of warring wedding planners at a double-booked venue, each trying to ruin the other’s ceremony by (initially) fair means, before descending into a series of foul-mouthed schemes and increasingly elaborate set-pieces.
But there’s actually little of that faux-antagonistic “Bride Wars” vibe about this movie from “Forgetting Sarah Marshall” and “Bad Neighbors” director Nicholas Stoller. In an attempt to make the two leads more than just cookie-cutter rom-com characters, each is given a fairly elaborate and emotionally nuanced backstory. Widower Jim (Ferrell) is desperate to throw daughter Jenni a romantic wedding that her mother would have loved, but winds up projecting his fears of obsolescence and solitude onto the young couple, while successful TV producer Margot (Witherspoon) wants to arrange the perfect wedding for her sister Neve, but struggles to hide her resentment towards her emotionally unavailable mother and her frustration with her wider family for not showing an interest in her life and career.
And those emotional complexities wind up being more engaging than the movie’s by-the-numbers comedy beats. Because while Ferrell and Witherspoon are both more than capable of shouldering the burden of the big laughs, these wedding-based capers are nothing we haven’t seen a hundred times before. But a slightly saccharine, slightly comedic take on fears of emotional estrangement and abandonment, fronted by two charismatic leads? That’s something different, at least.
So there’s a degree of frustration that the movie didn’t take the time to at least explore this slightly different direction. Instead, “You’re Cordially Invited” is the kind of film you’ve forgotten the second the credits roll — a fairly satisfying way to waste a couple of hours, but nothing to make it stand out from all those other wedding-based comedies.
Man charged in 2020 killing of rapper Pop Smoke pleads guilty to manslaughter to avoid trial
Corey Walker, 24, pleaded guilty Wednesday to voluntary manslaughter
He was accused of leading the group to the rented mansion where the 20-year-old New York rapper Pop Smoke was killed
Updated 57 min 52 sec ago
AP
LOS ANGELES: A man charged in the 2020 killing of rapper Pop Smoke during a robbery at a Hollywood Hills mansion accepted a plea deal, averting a trial on a murder charge that was to have started Thursday.
Corey Walker, 24, pleaded guilty Wednesday to voluntary manslaughter and two counts of robbery in exchange for a sentence of 29 years in prison, which he will receive at a later hearing.
He was the only adult charged in the case along with three who were juveniles at the time of the crime, including a then-15-year-old gunman. All have already reached separate deals.
An email sent to Walker’s lawyers seeking comment was not immediately answered.
He was accused of leading the group to the rented mansion where the 20-year-old New York rapper Pop Smoke, whose legal name was Bashar Barakah Jackson, was killed on Feb. 19, 2020, during what was to be a four-day trip to Los Angeles. A 911 call from a friend of someone in the house reported armed intruders inside, police said.
The robbers knew the address because a day earlier, Pop Smoke had posted a photograph on social media of a gift bag he had received and the address was on a label, authorities said.
The rapper was in the shower when masked robbers confronted him. During a struggle, the 15-year-old, pistol-whipped him and shot him three times in the back, according to court testimony.
The attackers stole his diamond-studded Rolex watch and sold it for $2,000, a detective testified.
Born and raised in Brooklyn, Pop Smoke arrived on the hip-hop scene in 2018 and broke out with “Welcome to the Party” an anthem with boasts about shootings, killings and drugs that became a huge sensation, and prompted Nicki Minaj to drop a verse on a remix.
He had several other hits, including the album “Shoot for the Stars Aim for the Moon,” which was released posthumously.
Any restaurant claiming to provide the “best Thai food in Riyadh” should be ready to stand up to comparison.
Plucky The Villa, hyped-up Thai Soi, and well-loved Baan Thai are some contenders that might take issue with the declaration.
But Azian Hauz, whose social media accounts are emblazoned with the assertion of being No. 1, might turn out to be worthy competition.
A fairly unassuming exterior in the city’s Yarmuk district gives way to an airy, bright interior replete with what feels like a forest of admittedly artificial greenery.
While the service cannot be faulted, the uninspiring chicken satay did not get us off on the right foot.
The skewered meat lacked panache and the sauce was thinner than I would have preferred.
At the same time, our lumpia rolls delivered several satisfying crunches of flavor.
For the main course, a red curry lamb shank emerged, a delectable Thai take on a slow-cooked favorite.
But the absolute standout was my companion’s beef sisig. Admittedly not a Thai dish, this incredible concoction of Filipino origin alone makes the restaurant a must-visit.
The salty, sizzling, umami-laden plate was made complete tableside by an egg freshly cracked and stirred into the liver, steak and onions to create an almost transcendent course.
This was capped off by an obligatory round of mango sticky rice, which delivered everything that could be asked of it.
So, does Azian Hauz live up to its bold claim to serve the best Thai food in Riyadh?
I think more culinary research is required before a conclusion is drawn.
Nonetheless, the restaurant is a solid all-round choice with some outstanding areas and I would not hesitate to recommend it.
A timeless tribute: Celebrating Mohammed Abdul Wahab at Ithra
Event promises a masterful blend of classical and contemporary arrangements, breathing new life into Abdul Wahab’s most iconic compositions
Concert includes Amal Hayati, a song immortalized by the legendary Umm Kalthoum in 1965 with lyrics by Ahmed Shafeek Kamel
Updated 06 February 2025
Jasmine Bager
DHAHRAN: The King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture, or Ithra, is honoring the legendary composer and singer Mohammed Abdul Wahab with a multi-day grand musical event, “Abdul Wahab: A Tribute to a Legend.”
The first show was held on Wednesday evening and will be performed live nightly until Feb. 8 at the Ithra Theater.
With a career spanning more than six decades, the Egyptian icon famously bridged the authenticity and rich heritage of Arabic music for generations — decades after his death.
Under the direction of Maestro Hisham Gabr, the event promises a masterful blend of classical and contemporary arrangements, breathing new life into Abdul Wahab’s most iconic compositions.
Archival footage played on a screen as the musicians performed live.
The performance featured a selection of Abdul Wahab’s timeless works, including “Khayef Aool Elly Fe Alby,” a 1929 classic with lyrics by Ahmed Abdel Mageed, originally performed by the composer himself. Another beloved piece, “Ya Mesafer Wahdak,” first performed in 1942 with lyrics by Hussein Elsayed, was also brought to the stage.
The concert includes “Amal Hayati,” a song immortalized by the legendary Umm Kalthoum in 1965 with lyrics by Ahmed Shafeek Kamel. The poetic masterpiece “Aghadan Alqak,” written by Alhady Adam and performed by Umm Kalthoum in 1971, further highlights Abdul Wahab’s remarkable ability to compose for the greatest voices of his time. A lighter, yet equally memorable piece, originally performed by Fouad Al-Mohandes in 1966 with lyrics by Hussein El-Sayed, adds a touch of charm to the evening’s repertoire.
The audience was treated to three Egyptian soloists; Mohamed Shatta, Ahmed Nasser and Hanan Essam, who came together for the grand finale song which got the entire crowd on their feet.
They ended with the romantic ballad “Ahwak,” made famous by Abdelhalim Hafez in the late 1950s, and which showcases the deep emotional resonance of Abdul Wahab’s compositions.
“I was singing along — we love Abdul Wahab. I always enjoyed his music,” attendee Amira Kashgary told Arab News after the show.
“I really enjoyed tonight’s concert because it was an opportunity to see Abdul Wahab, who represents an icon in Arabic culture, Arabic music. I grew up with his music. He is a musician for all generations.
“The performance was great, excellent in so many ways. The orchestra was fantastic,” she said.
“Ithra is really a cultural establishment that nourishes our souls and minds, and bodies as well,” she added.
Fans can look forward to chart-topping tracks such as “If You Had My Love,” “Jenny From The Block,” “Love Don’t Cost A Thing” and “On The Floor.”
Fresh off her critically acclaimed Sundance world premiere of “Kiss of The Spider Woman,” Lopez is joining a star-studded lineup for the second edition of Saadiyat Nights, including Robbie Williams, Michael Buble, and Boyz II Men, with much-anticipated performances still to come from Christina Aguilera on Feb. 15, Gwen Stefani on Feb. 21 and Lionel Richie on Feb. 22.
Hammer time: Highlights from the Kingdom’s first international auction
From local legends to international icons, Sotheby’s Feb. 8 sale is packed with classics
Updated 06 February 2025
Arab News
RIYADH: On Feb. 8, the auction house Sotheby’s will host “Origins” in Riyadh. The sale is billed as “the first international auction in Saudi Arabia’s history.” Many of the lots have already been on display in the accompanying week-long exhibition in Diriyah’s Bujairi Terrace, which ends tomorrow.
Here, Ashkan Baghestani, Sotheby’s head of contemporary day sale, contemporary art, New York and Middle East, talks us through some of the highlights from the artworks up for sale in “Origins.”
Abdulhalim Radwi
‘Untitled’
He played a crucial role in the development of Saudi modernism, alongside Mohammed Alsaleem and a few others. He was actually one of the first artists to be sent abroad by the Kingdom to study in Europe, and he’s one of the rare artists who blends European traditions like cubism and expressionism with Saudi traditions. Personally, he’s one of my favorite Saudi modernists — maybe because of his European influences. This particular work hasn’t actually been seen since the Eighties. It was acquired directly by the current owner from the artist himself. We selected this one from a few others we were offered because we felt it really described Saudi culture and the color palette is quite rare for Radwi. You see a lot of his work with blue hues or green tones, but rarely with red.
No one created works like Monir — blending Western abstraction with Persian traditions — she’s so distinctively unique; a lot of her practice and technique was very much informed by traditional Persian craftsmanship that you would find in mosques and palaces from the Safavid era up to the Qajar era. The specific technique is called aina-kari, which is mirror work. So she brought some of these sophisticated American techniques of construction and building and architecture and sculpture into traditional Persian craftsmanship with mirror works like this one.
Monir Farmanfarmaian, Variations of Hexagon, 2008 (estimate $120,000-180,000). (Supplied)
René Magritte
‘L’État de Veille’
Magritte may be the most celebrated European surrealist of all. He’s broken records season after season. He’s of Belgium origin. He died in 1967. This work is from 1958, so later in his career, but very much informed by his most iconic motifs — the architectural blend with the environment. This is a gouache that depicts the bright blue skies dotted with cottony clouds, and what seem very close to old Belgian facades. And there’s always this idea of trompe l’oeil with Magritte, where you’re not really sure what you’re looking at or when you’re looking at it.
René Magritte, L'État de veille (estimate $1,000,000-1,500,000). (Supplied)
Refik Anadol
‘Machine Hallucinations: Mars’
Anadol embraces new technology, but his works are deeply human-centric, exploring emotions and the interplay between people and their environments. “Machine Hallucinations” is his best-known body of work. He collaborated with NASA, feeding millions of pictures from satellites and spacecraft of deep space into an algorithm which generated these images that are constantly morphing and transcend any understanding of what we’re seeing. They’re extremely abstract. They’re also very spiritual. They’re constantly in flux. This one is blends images from the International Space Station, the Hubble Telescope, and the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. One of the reasons I really wanted a digital artwork is that I thought it was a perfect nod to a country that’s heavily invested not only in many forms of traditional art but also in the art of the future.
Refik Anadol, Machine Hallucinations Mars (Infinite AI Data Painting), 2021 (estimate $800,000-1,200,000) - in situ. (Supplied)
Louay Kayyali
‘Then What ??’
This is probably the most important iconic Arab modern work ever to come to auction. It’s a very important moment for us and for the market. Kayyali is regarded as one of the most socialist artists in the region, alongside Mahmoud Sabri, and he was really committed to representing ‘normal people.’ He was deeply angered and moved by the Naqba — the exile of the Palestinians — and the title of this painting asks: After the exile, what is left? There’s real psychological depth and a real division in the canvas. On the left, looking at the past, and on the right looking towards God and the future.
Louay Kayyali, Then What__, 1965 (estimate $500,000-700,000). (Supplied)
Asim Abu Shakra
‘Untitled’
Abu Shakra died aged 28. He painted a cactus most of his life, and his works are always in these earthy colors — greens, browns, gray. They have a certain nostalgic tone to them. And the brush strokes are sudden, they’re very spontaneous. They sort of sit in nothingness. Abu Shakra was living in Israel as an Arab artist, so there’s this analogy of a cactus surviving in arid conditions in the desert, without much help. It doesn’t need a lot of water. It has the needles to protect it from exterior harm. It’s a symbol for dislocation and endurance but also a deeply personal reckoning with the artist’s own mortality. The cactus offered hope because some actually produce flowers when they’re about to die, which is a beautiful analogy.
Asim Abu Shakra, Untitled (est. $60,000-80,000). (Supplied)
Fernando Botero
‘Society Woman’
Botero has transcended every generational guideline and every geographical region; he speaks to such a wide audience. His works became iconic in the Nineties. They are easy and playful, but they’re also serious paintings. Botero anchors himself in the tradition of Old Master paintings, but gives them a twist: most of his paintings and sculptures are always a bit inflated. And regardless of the size and the scale, they have an elegant, commanding posture. He showed that even if you’re voluptuous, you can have grace, femininity, confidence and celebrate your fullness. He often highlights the contrast between the soft sensuality of the body and the sculptural qualities of the human form. He really reconsidered conventional ideals of beauty and proportion.
Fernando Botero, Society Woman (estimate $800,000-1,200,000). (Supplied)
