Nine was much talked up before it appeared on screen. It boasted a cast that included Daniel Day-Lewis, Sophia Loren, Judi Dench, Marion Cotillard, Nicole Kidman and Penelope Cruz.
It was part-penned by the late Anthony Minghella, directed by Rob Marshall (Chicago, and helming the fourth Pirates of the Caribbean) and produced by a Weinstein (Harvey). A smorgasbord of Hollywood egos all crammed into one, in other words. How could that possibly go wrong, people mused. Surely it was destined for box-office greatness?
Not quite. True, it was nominated for four Oscars and five Golden Globes, but it won none of them and upon release there was a vague sense from critics and moviegoers alike that it had disappointed.
Perhaps the first problem with Nine is that it lacks originality. Twice over.
Starting out as the 1963 Oscar-winning Fellini film 8, it was then transformed into a multi-Tony-winning stage musical by Arthur Kopit and Maury Yeston in 1982.
This, the latest incarnation, has taken the stage musical and turned that back into a film. How very postmodern.
The story opens with Daniel Day-Lewis as Guido Contini, an adored Italian film director, who is shortly to start the cameras rolling for his next film.
Trouble is, there isn't much of anything to shoot. Guido appears to be suffering some kind of mid-life crisis, and 10 days ahead of the start date he still hasn't penned a word of the script.
Chivvied by his producer, Dante (Ricky Tognazzi), he puts out his cigarette and puts on a tie to appear at a press conference in Rome at which is it announced the film is simply to be called "Italia" and will star the seductive, screen siren Claudia Jessen (Nicole Kidman).
Guido then panics and disappears to the Italian seaside, trying to escape from the pressure of creating his masterpiece. But he is, after all, a hugely famous movie director, constantly told by everyone how they love his early films, although generally not so much the later ones - "The flops", as Guido himself admits ruefully at one point.
'Top Gun: Maverick'
Rating: 4/5
Directed by: Joseph Kosinski
Starring: Tom Cruise, Val Kilmer, Jennifer Connelly, Jon Hamm, Miles Teller, Glen Powell, Ed Harris
Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
Price: From Dh439,000
Available: Now
THE SPECS
Range Rover Sport Autobiography Dynamic
Engine: 5.0-litre supercharged V8
Transmission: six-speed manual
Power: 518bhp
Torque: 625Nm
Speed: 0-100kmh 5.3 seconds
Price: Dh633,435
On sale: now
The five pillars of Islam
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
The%20specs
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The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
Skewed figures
In the village of Mevagissey in southwest England the housing stock has doubled in the last century while the number of residents is half the historic high. The village's Neighbourhood Development Plan states that 26% of homes are holiday retreats. Prices are high, averaging around £300,000, £50,000 more than the Cornish average of £250,000. The local average wage is £15,458.
more from Janine di Giovanni
A little about CVRL
Founded in 1985 by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, the Central Veterinary Research Laboratory (CVRL) is a government diagnostic centre that provides testing and research facilities to the UAE and neighbouring countries.
One of its main goals is to provide permanent treatment solutions for veterinary related diseases.
The taxidermy centre was established 12 years ago and is headed by Dr Ulrich Wernery.
Our legal consultant
Name: Dr Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
THE SPECS
Engine: 6.75-litre twin-turbocharged V12 petrol engine
Power: 420kW
Torque: 780Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Price: From Dh1,350,000
On sale: Available for preorder now
Test
Director: S Sashikanth
Cast: Nayanthara, Siddharth, Meera Jasmine, R Madhavan
Star rating: 2/5
States of Passion by Nihad Sirees,
Pushkin Press
T20 SQUADS
Australia: Aaron Finch (c), Mitchell Marsh, Alex Carey, Ashton Agar, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Chris Lynn, Nathan Lyon, Glenn Maxwell, Ben McDermott, D’Arcy Short, Billy Stanlake, Mitchell Starc, Andrew Tye, Adam Zampa.
Pakistan: Sarfraz Ahmed (c), Fakhar Zaman, Mohammad Hafeez, Sahibzada Farhan, Babar Azam, Shoaib Malik, Asif Ali, Hussain Talat, Shadab Khan, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Usman Khan Shinwari, Hassan Ali, Imad Wasim, Waqas Maqsood, Faheem Ashraf.
