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Constructing a great romantic comedy is harder than it looks. Without straying much from the formula—first the meet-cute, then many false starts, all culminating in happily ever after—the creators have to provide some element of novelty. Bringing Up Baby had a leopard. Obvious Child had an abortion. And the beloved 1994 rom-com Four Weddings and a Funeral was built around three delightful ingredients: the extreme Britishness of screenwriter Richard Curtis, who would further distinguish himself in the genre with Notting Hill, Bridget Jones’s Diary and more; a charming lead actor in Curtis muse Hugh Grant, making his kooky-dreamboat breakthrough; and a script that avoided everyday life in favor of the events listed in the title.

Sadly, the much-anticipated Hulu adaptation that will debut on July 31 has none of these elements (or their equivalents) to recommend it. Spearheaded by Mindy Kaling and billed, confusingly, as a “limited anthology rom-com series,” this new Four Weddings and a Funeral plays like a remix more than a straightforward remake. Both versions follow a group of friends through that dizzying period of their early 30s when everyone suddenly get hitched. From the original, Kaling and her collaborators (among them Curtis, an executive producer) repurpose bungled best man speeches, secret crushes, rich older men wooing young women, weddings that end abruptly at the altar. They even quote Grant’s floppy bangs in the untamed hair of bookish Duffy (John Reynolds of Search Party and Stranger Things). Grant’s co-star Andie MacDowell appears in a small role.

The object of Duffy’s unspoken affections is Maya, a communications specialist who stayed in the U.S. to work in politics after college while Duffy moved with their friends Ainsley (Mindy Project alum Rebecca Rittenhouse) and Craig (Brandon Mychal Smith) to London. Played by Nathalie Emmanuel, in her first big TV role since her moving performance as Game of Thrones’ tragic Missandei, Maya is a gender-flipped update of Grant’s indecisive bachelor character, and her visit for Ainsley’s wedding throws the expat clique into flux even before she has a heart-to-heart with a cute Brit at Heathrow who turns out to be the groom, Kash (Nikesh Patel). Meanwhile, Ainsley’s haughty English neighbor (Downton Abbey‘s Zoe Boyle) is jealous of Maya’s history with her new best friend. And in a fairly gratuitous side plot, Craig has a tumultuous romance going with working-class Londoner Zara (Sophia …read more

Source:: Time – Entertainment

(LONDON) — Booker Prize winners Salman Rushdie and Margaret Atwood are contenders again for the coveted fiction trophy.

Rushdie, who won in 1981 for “Midnight’s Children,” makes the 13-book longlist for his latest novel, “Quichotte.” Atwood won in 2000 for “The Blind Assassin” and is nominated for “The Testaments,” a follow-up to “The Handmaid’s Tale.”

The eight women and five men on the list announced Wednesday include Britain’s Max Porter for “Lanny”; Nigerian-British writer Oyinkan Braithwaite for “My Sister, the Serial Killer”; British-Turkish author Elif Shafak for “10 Minutes 38 Seconds in This Strange World”; and Lucy Ellmann, the only American finalist, for “Ducks, Newburyport.”

Founded in 1969, the 50,000-pound ($67,000) prize is open to English-language authors from around the world.

Six finalists will be announced Sept. 3, with the winner revealed Oct. 14.

…read more

Source:: Time – Entertainment

Andrew Glennon appears to have finally had it with Amber Portwood.

The father of a 14-month old son named James has made this pretty clear by filing first for an order of protection against his estranged girlfriend… and then for primary custody of their shared toddler.

This all happened, of course, after Portwood was arrested for allegedly attacking Glennon on the morning of July 5.

Now, however, we hear that Glennon is truly trying to move on from Amber — by flirting with another woman!

What’s the evidence? And where do things really stand behind Portwood and Glennon?

Scroll down to find out!

1. Looks Can Be Deceiving

Glennon, Amber and their son look like the picture perfect family here, huh? But we know that isn’t the case.

2. It All Came to an Ugly Head on July 5

As you must have heard about by now, Portwood is accused of assaulting Glennon very early on the morning of July 5 because she blamed him for the family missing a local fireworks show.

3. Can We Have the Details Again?

Sure: Portwood supposedly hurled a shoe at her live-in boyfriend, an act she has admitted to. Andrew says the act left a major mark, while Amber told police is barely grazed Glennon.

4. From There?

YIKES! Andrew reportedly ran into the bathroom to hide with James… only for Portwood to grab a machete and try to break through the door with it.

5. Equally as Disturbing?

Glennon says Amber downed a bunch of pills, saying her goal was to kill herself… only to later throw them back up.

6. Police Were Then Called to the Scene

And Amber ended up being charged with three felonies: Domestic battery; Criminal recklessness committed with a deadly weapon; And domestic Battery committed in the presence of a child less than 16 years old.

View Slideshow …read more

Source:: The Hollywood Gossip