Cinema has long been a powerful medium for telling human stories, offering audiences a mirror to society’s struggles, triumphs, and transformations. For queer communities, film has been both a battleground and a stage. It reflects the shifting perceptions of sexuality, gender identity, and the fight for visibility.

The history of queer representation in cinema reveals much about cultural attitudes toward sexuality, the evolution of artistic expression, and the ongoing need for inclusion.

From early silent films to modern blockbusters, queer stories have emerged in varied forms, each adding a layer of meaning to how these narratives are understood. This exploration traces how queer lives have been portrayed, the barriers filmmakers have faced, and how representation has changed over the decades.

Hidden beginnings in early cinema

In the earliest days of film, queer identities were rarely portrayed openly. Silent films occasionally hinted at same-sex attraction through subtle gestures or coded imagery. Filmmakers faced strict social restrictions and censorship laws, which meant queer themes were often veiled. Characters were sometimes presented as eccentric or villainous, reflecting societal prejudices rather than authentic lived experiences.

For instance, early horror and noir genres occasionally used queer-coded villains as a way to signal danger or moral ambiguity. A tactic that reinforced stereotypes rather than genuine representation. These portrayals reveal that queer existence was visible, but only in hidden, distorted forms. These coded narratives laid the groundwork for both creative resistance and the challenges that lay ahead for queer filmmakers.

The rise of queer narratives in mid-20th Century

As cinema moved into the mid-20th century, queer themes began to gain more visibility, though still under heavy constraints. The Motion Picture Production Code in the United States, for example,  enforced strict guidelines that prohibited explicit discussion of homosexuality.

Filmmakers responded with subtext, symbolism, and coded references, allowing queer viewers to find meaning where mainstream audiences might not recognise it.

International cinema, especially in Europe, began to push boundaries earlier. Directors like Rainer Werner Fassbinder and Jean Cocteau explored queer themes more openly, creating a niche for queer cinema that was both daring and poetic. These films challenged the perception that queer stories could not belong to art or mainstream narratives, planting seeds for later cultural shifts.

Read more: The groundbreaking LGBTQ+ icons throughout history…

Breaking barriers: The 1980s and 1990s

The 1980s and 1990s marked a turning point in queer cinema, driven by activism and social change. The HIV/AIDS crisis brought queer issues into urgent public discourse, influencing how queer lives were represented in film. Filmmakers began telling stories that centred queer experiences with greater honesty and urgency.

Independent cinema flourished during this period, offering platforms for authentic queer voices. Films such as Paris Is Burning and My Own Private Idaho explored queer identity with emotional depth and complexity. This era marked a significant expansion of narratives beyond stereotypes, allowing queer cinema to examine themes of love, loss, identity, and resilience with nuance.

Shifting perspectives on LGBTQ+ representation

The discussion of queer representation in film today is more prominent than ever, reflecting both progress and ongoing challenges. Also, LGBTQ+ representation in film is no longer confined to niche art houses; it has expanded into mainstream cinema and television. There is greater visibility of queer characters in diverse roles. This ranges from romantic leads to multifaceted protagonists in genres such as drama, comedy, fantasy, and science fiction. Yet representation still faces obstacles. Issues of tokenism, stereotyping, and underrepresentation remain prevalent.

Authentic representation requires more than the inclusion of queer characters. It demands depth, complexity, and respect for lived experience. The presence of queer filmmakers and storytellers is essential to achieving this, as they bring lived insight that shapes narratives beyond surface-level portrayals.

Contemporary queer storytelling

In the last decade, queer storytelling in film has become increasingly varied and bold. Advances in technology, greater access to filmmaking platforms, and evolving social attitudes have opened new spaces for queer narratives. Streaming services have broadened opportunities for queer filmmakers, allowing stories to reach global audiences without relying solely on traditional distribution channels.

Films such as Portrait of a Lady on Fire, Moonlight, and The Half of It have achieved critical acclaim, not only for their artistry but also for their nuanced portrayals of queer lives. These stories challenge viewers to move beyond assumptions and engage with queer identity as a complex, universal human experience.

Today’s queer cinema is not confined to representation alone; it is actively shaping culture and influencing how society perceives diversity.

Challenges and future directions

While queer stories in film have achieved remarkable progress, there remains significant challenges to overcome. Many queer filmmakers face barriers such as funding shortages, restrictive industry gatekeeping, and cultural censorship in different parts of the world, which can limit the scope and authenticity of storytelling.

Representation still often leans toward certain narratives, frequently prioritising stories that fit mainstream expectations while sidelining more diverse voices. This creates a gap where intersectional experiences, such as those of queer people of colour, trans individuals, disabled queer people, and queer voices from non-Western cultures, may remain underrepresented.

Another challenge lies in avoiding tokenism, where queer characters exist only as symbols rather than fully developed individuals, which risks reducing representation to mere visibility rather than meaningful storytelling. Expanding the scope of queer storytelling means embracing diversity in all its forms, across genres, perspectives, and cultural contexts. This requires both structural change within the industry and deliberate creative risk-taking from filmmakers willing to challenge norms.

Audience support also plays a role…

As demand for inclusive and authentic stories can push studios and producers to take chances on narratives that have historically been ignored. The future of queer cinema depends on building spaces where a wider range of queer voices can be heard and respected, shaping a richer, more inclusive cinematic world where every story has the possibility of being told.

Queer narratives have travelled far from their early coded origins, evolving into a rich and complex realm of storytelling that reflects both progress and the struggles that remain. The history of queer representation in film is a chronicle of resilience, creativity, and the fight for visibility.

As society continues to evolve, queer cinema will remain a vital part of cultural conversation, illuminating identities and experiences that deserve to be seen and understood. The journey of queer stories in film history is ongoing, and every new film adds a chapter to this unfolding narrative of inclusion, resistance, and transformation.

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I was a massive fan of Trigger Happy TV back in the day. It’s wild to remember having to wait a week to see each episode whereas now you can binge an entire series in one sitting. But I’d be ready and waiting – quite possibly stoned – to watch the show every time.

So sitting down to interview Joly all these years later was a bit of a thrill. The man himself is now in his fifties, like me, and the conversation kicked off with the inevitable talk of age (he’d said he thought the idea of Silver Magazine was “a bit sad”). I’d just come back from a festival where my brain had been having fun, but my knees told a different story. I said I’d decided my body might be too old for festivals.

“I always think I’m 21,” agreed Joly. “It’s pathetic, but there you go. Festivals are just full of people our age acting like 21-year-olds, whereas the 21-year-olds are just sitting there getting really embarrassed.”

He isn’t wrong about GenX, behaving like kids where many younger people behave more like adults than we do. But Trigger Happy transcends, apparently. I mention how my daughter, who’s in her twenties, and her friends are obsessed.

Her reaction when I told her I’d be interviewing him? “Oh my fucking God, we all love Trigger Happy TV,” she said, and promptly messaged all her mates.

I wondered if he knew he has an army of younger fans

Joly seems nonplussed. “I had no idea at all,” he said. “Even my own children don’t know who I am.” I assured him this new audience is real. For younger viewers, part of the appeal is the jump-scare quality, the surreal surprises, the ‘cringe’. But most of all, I suspect, it’s the authenticity.

Joly agrees the landscape has changed. “When I did Trigger Happy, the whole point was to make hidden camera cool. I grew up on Game for a Laugh and Beadle’s About, which were just naff. I think I did make it cool.

“But hidden camera has always been the lowest rung in comedy. If you’re smart in comedy, you’re supposed to go and write sitcoms. In America, improv goes on to make Curb Your Enthusiasm and Spinal Tap. Here, improv has a terrible name.”

Two and a half decades on from the show, you realise just how much the world has changed

When Joly filmed those original sketches, nobody else was standing on the street with a camera. Today, everyone is – and they’re all uploading to socials before he’s even finished the gag.

He found this out the hard way when he revived his old traffic warden sketch. “I put on the old outfit, parked a car in the West End with forty tickets and four clamps. Before I’d even done the sketch, there were a hundred people around me filming. I got angry! It felt like I was providing content for their Instagram.”

Some things still work though. “One of my favourites was going into a builder’s yard with a crazy list: bag of MC Hammers, a forty-foot bastard, soggy chimps. That yard’s still there by Paddington. We did it again, new list, and it was even funnier. That’s going out and I’m really excited.”

He hates how fake much of the genre has become. “Hidden camera is the biggest format in the world because it’s everywhere online. But it’s almost entirely faked, and that really irritates me. Real people tend not to react weirdly. In fake ones they always overreact. You can smell it a mile off.”

I asked how he copes with the awkwardness of putting strangers in surreal situations. “I thrive on awkwardness, actually. People have called it cringe, and I hate that. The Office is supposedly cringe comedy. I don’t cringe. I positively encourage awkward situations because I like weirdness. I’m most alive when that’s happening.”

This attitude spills into his online life too…

Joly is notorious for sparring with trolls on social media. “It’s a war I’m never going to win,” he admitted. “But it just makes me… I think people don’t realise how toxic online is. I love an argument. If you wouldn’t say something to my face, don’t say it on here.”

He knows he’s not converting anyone. “I’ll kill one online, and another hundred pop up. It’s like whack-a-mole with wasps. I call it whack-a-cunt.”

For him, the internet has destroyed nuance. “Most of us are in the middle, with nuance. And nuance doesn’t exist online. Basically, you don’t get clicks for saying, ‘Well, on one hand, but on the other…’ The internet is a fucking nightmare. If I didn’t have to use it – and I do, it’s part of my job – I’d go offline in a second.”

What irritates him most is the online commentary that comes with resurfacing old clips. “Every time I show an old clip, half the comments are: ‘London, back when it was British. You do that now, you’d be stabbed.’ Total bollocks. I’ve just been and done it, no difference at all.

“The problems aren’t that people don’t have humour. The problems are things being stolen, or people assuming you couldn’t do it because it’s all ‘woke.’ What was un-woke about Trigger Happy? It’s ridiculous.”

We circle back to Trigger Happy TV

The show ended in 2002, but its legacy is everywhere. “Every day I get people going, ‘All you’ve got is one joke, shouting into a phone.’ And I’m like, wow, there were forty jokes in each show. I’m proud of it. Then suddenly I thought – fuck, it’s 25 years old!”

The prompt to create a new show came from a reuniting with his co-creator Sam Cadman, who had returned from years working in LA. Over a drink, the pair decided it was time to mark the anniversary. “It’s like my wedding,” Joly reflected. “I’m still married to Stacey and incredibly happy, but I didn’t enjoy my wedding. It just happened. I didn’t realise how big [Trigger Happy] was. I loved making it, but I never really celebrated it at the time.”

The result is Trigger Happy Live, a stage show designed not as a reboot but as a celebration.

“Essentially, I get asked the same questions every day about Trigger Happy. So this is all the questions you’ve ever wanted to ask but were too afraid to. Showing clips, what happened behind the scenes, some old characters on stage, stuff happening to members of the audience. If you love Trigger Happy, come along.”

“People say, ‘Is that all you’ve got, 25 years on?’ And I go, I bet you’ve got Oasis tickets. What do you think Oasis are doing? They’re just playing their first two albums.”

He’s tested the idea by screening two episodes in a cinema. “Watching it in a communal setting is incredible,” he said. “Everyone laughed. Watching as a group really holds up, it’s still funny. It’s nostalgic.”

Critics who accuse him of laziness miss the point

“People say, ‘Is that all you’ve got, 25 years on?’ And I go, I bet you’ve got Oasis tickets. What do you think Oasis are doing? They’re just playing their first two albums. For me, it’s just fun. I’m proud of Trigger Happy, I’ve got all these stories, why not?”

I obviously asked about the giant phone. The official story has been that it was stolen but I said I suspected it was because he was sick of it. “I couldn’t possibly comment,” he says, looking mock shifty. Turns out I was right, as the phone made an appearance on Saturday morning TV a week after our conversation. I strongly suspect it will make an appearance in the shows – how could it not?!

The Trigger Happy Live tour begins in October, with four shows planned. Southampton was meant as a dress rehearsal, but Joly pulled it in favour of playing it properly. “If those go well, maybe I’ll do some [more] next year,” he said. “I don’t know if I want to. It is a retro show, and I’m not massively interested in doing retro. But if it works, if it’s funny, maybe.”

There’s a lot more to Joly than Trigger Happy, though…

The truth is Joly has never wants to sit still. “Yeah, I’ve always called myself a crap polymath,” he told me. “I think I have two skills. One comes from nowhere: the ability to be funny in improv. I don’t use a script, I don’t know where it comes from, but I’m good at it. But I do need Sam. He’s like the bass player in Coldplay – Chris Martin’s the face, but something about us working together makes it work.

“And [the other thing is] travel writing. I grew up obsessed with it, and Trigger Happy opened doors. I started with The Sunday Times, I’m now on my tenth book. If I could just live on travel writing, I’d do that. I’ve been to 108 countries. I love writing, love that no one can fuck with it. It’s yours, you hand it over.”

It frustrates him that people can’t reconcile the man in the squirrel suit with the man writing serious travel books. “People don’t like you jumping lanes. Trigger Happy was such a big hit, I’m pigeonholed. That’s fine, but I think some don’t take me seriously as a writer. I’ve done six serious travel books, a million words in print. What more can I do?”

Still, he loves the variety. “I like not being bored. It’s not a bad life. I’ve been lucky, but you have to keep working, keep reinventing, or you fade. Hunger is a creative drive.”

His new book takes him down yet another path

After immersing himself in conspiracy theories for his last project, he needed an antidote. “My new book is called The Soul Tourist: In Desperate Pursuit of Happiness. The idea being: as a late middle-aged, grumpy ex-goth, can I find happiness? Really, it’s me taking the piss out of wellness and happiness, but with the tiny hope I might stumble on something that works.”

His travels took him everywhere from India to Denmark. “I went to Rishikesh, where the Beatles went in ’68. I went to an Ayurvedic place in Bangalore. Drove around Denmark, supposedly the happiest country. Checked into a Benedictine monastery – didn’t last long. I went fly fishing, because my neighbour swore by it. It wasn’t for me. So yeah, I’ve been looking for happiness.”

…as a late middle-aged, grumpy ex-goth, can I find happiness? Really, it’s me taking the piss out of wellness and happiness…

I asked about comedy heroes. “Weirdly, I didn’t really grow up into comedy. I don’t watch much comedy, don’t go to see it. I was more into music. But Dennis Pennis was massive. I love Seinfeld. I’m obsessed with Larry David, and Spinal Tap.

“But the person that really influenced me, you’ll maybe never have heard of – Noël Godin. A Belgian anarchist. His philosophy was: there’s no better way of determining a person’s character than how they react when they’re custard-pied. He pied one newsreader twelve times because the guy kept overreacting. [And they never recorded it or screened it.] Totally pointless, gloriously weird. That’s what I love.”

It feels like a fitting influence. Before we wrap up, I asked what advice he’d give younger comedians today.

“When people say, ‘You couldn’t do this today,’ I don’t think that’s true. Whether something is funny or not is simple: if you’re punching down, it’s not funny. Punching up, it is. Absurd is just life. Don’t be frightened of stuff. It’s about intent.

“I say things that would probably get me ‘cancelled,’ but not because I mean harm. Some people think you can’t do things, but if it’s funny, it’s funny. If you don’t like it, scroll on. There’s no joke everyone finds funny – it’s subjective.

“So what I’d tell young comedians is: just start. Do it.”

Trigger Happy TV Live shows are in October
There are some Work in Progress shows too
Find out all the details at www.domjoly.tv/dom-joly-tour/

Sam Harrington-Lowe

Sam is Silver’s founder and editor-in-chief. She’s largely responsible for organising all the things, but still finds time to do the odd bit of writing. Not enough though. Send help.

The post Talking Trigger Happy, trolls, and travel with Dom Joly appeared first on Silver Magazine.

Forty years after This Is Spinal Tap redefined the mockumentary, Nigel Tufnel, David St Hubbins and Derek Smalls are back. Spinal Tap II: The End Continues hits cinemas tonight, promising one last encore for the world’s ‘loudest band’. But does the sequel live up to the legend, or should the amps have stayed unplugged? Is the new Spinal Tap film any good? Critics in the UK and US are divided.

Sigh. I loved the first Spinal Tap film. Launched in the ‘80s when I was young and had the brain space to remember endless lines of script, I watched and re-watched it, joyously engaging in shouting dialogue in the pub with my friends. It was a work of genius.

So I’ve been anxious about this sequel. Even more so when I saw the trailers and promo shots. I was also worried that it might not be as good as the first one. Things rarely are (with a very few notable exceptions – Godfather II, Dark Knight, Terminator 2…). So maybe it was a subconscious block when I was invited to preview screenings and found I couldn’t get there. I think I was just too wary of heartbreak.

But braver souls than me got there, and so in a cowardly fashion, here is a little roundup of the best and the worst of the reviews. You will go and watch it, I’m sure, and make up your own mind. I expect I will too, now. See what you think anyway…

A warmish welcome – with caveats

Christopher Guest, Harry Shearer, and Michael McKean in Bleecker Street’s SPINAL TAP II. Credit: Bleecker Street / Kyle Kaplan

The (fairly threadbare) storyline here is that the Tap are essentially forced to reunite when Hope Faith (Kerry Godliman), daughter of their late manager Ian Faith (originally played by Tony Hendra, who died in 2021), uncovers a clause in their contract demanding one final performance. Spinal Tap are forced to play one final gig to honour the terms of the contract, and so in the immortal words of Jake Blues, ‘We’re getting the band back together.’

From the get-go, many reviews acknowledge the nostalgic pleasure of seeing ‘the Tap’ together again – albeit with reservations. Christopher Guest, Michael McKean, and Harry Shearer are here, still bickering and blundering with deadpan delivery. The Guardian called the film “affectionately melancholy,” noting that “there’s a sadness underpinning the comedy, as these once-wild rock gods face down mortality with the same lack of self-awareness that once made them funny.”

The Financial Times was more upbeat, praising the film’s commitment to giving fans what they want. “There are moments of comic gold,” its review declared, “and the band’s chemistry is still a joy to watch. It may not break new ground, but it plays the hits well.”

Cameos also provided a boost. Paul McCartney’s brief turn has been widely mentioned, as have appearances from Elton John and Garth Brooks. “McCartney almost walks away with the film,” said the FT, “his deadpan contribution reminding you why these films work best when reality and parody collide.”

Paul McCartney, Christopher Guest, Harry Shearer, and Michael McKean in Bleecker Street’s SPINAL TAP II. Credit: Bleecker Street / Kyle Kaplan

But the problems pile up

Yet for every chuckle, several reviewers found themselves cringing. The Independent was scathing: “Spinal Tap II is startlingly unfunny… a film that confuses affection with inspiration. The jokes are fewer, the timing worse, and the nostalgia feels like a hollow excuse.”

Empire was just as damning. Its verdict? “As unfunny as the original was funny.” The magazine lamented a lack of sharpness, describing the film as “a limp setlist of reheated gags and sketch-like scenes that never quite build into a song.”

The Associated Press echoes the frustration, criticising the film’s pacing. “Scenes drag on long past the punchline,” its reviewer wrote. “What was once quickfire wit now feels sluggish, as though everyone is waiting for the laugh track that never comes.”

Older men, even older jokes

One of the biggest sticking points is the reliance on callbacks. The Stonehenge gag reappears, as do nods to exploding drummers, and amps that go up to eleven. Some critics found this reassuring. Others rolled their eyes.

“The film leans so hard on nostalgia it topples over,” wrote the Independent. “It’s less a sequel than a scrapbook, recycling lines and situations with the weary air of a band forced to play their biggest hit night after night.”

Yet for some, that’s the point. The Guardian suggested the repetition had an unexpected poignancy: “They are trapped in their past, still defined by the same ridiculousness. That makes the comedy bittersweet – a reminder that the world moved on, even if Tap didn’t.”

Ageing rockers, ageing jokes

Perhaps inevitably, much of the humour now centres on the band’s advancing years. Smalls runs a glue museum, St Hubbins writes jingles for a true-crime podcast, and Tufnel runs a cheese shop – which surely has to be a nod/dig at Alex James from Blur?! These sketches earned chuckles from some reviewers, groans from others.

Christopher Guest as Nigel Tufnel / Bleecker Street

The FT argued they “land with just enough wit to keep the film alive,” while AP felt they “play like Saturday Night Live leftovers.”

Still, the film’s reflection on ageing struck a chord in places. The Guardian noted: “The moments where the band face their mortality head-on, however absurdly, are the most affecting. The film may not be consistently funny, but it has a heart.”

Critical consensus? A middling encore

So where does that leave the verdict? On Rotten Tomatoes the film sits at around 73%, suggesting audiences and critics alike are lukewarm but not hostile. For die-hard fans, it’s a chance to spend more time with beloved characters. For others, it’s a reminder that lightning rarely strikes twice.

The Guardian summed it up best: “It’s not as funny, not as sharp, and nowhere near as groundbreaking – but it still manages to strum a chord of nostalgia and pathos.” Empire, by contrast, dismissed it outright: “Spinal Tap II is a sequel that turns down the comedy, leaving only the feedback.”

In the end, Spinal Tap II may be judged less as a film and more as a reunion tour. For those who once memorised every line of the original, like me, the sight of Guest, McKean and Shearer back in costume may be enough. For everyone else, this might be one comeback gig best caught when it hits the small screen.

TLDR; Critics on Spinal Tap II – the best and the worst

The Guardian

“Affectionately melancholy… there’s a sadness underpinning the comedy, as these once-wild rock gods face down mortality with the same lack of self-awareness that once made them funny.”

The Independent

“Startlingly unfunny… the nostalgia feels like a hollow excuse.”

Empire

“As unfunny as the original was funny… a limp setlist of reheated gags.”

Financial Times

“There are moments of comic gold… the band’s chemistry is still a joy to watch.”

Associated Press

“Scenes drag on long past the punchline… what was once quickfire wit now feels sluggish.”

Rotten Tomatoes (critics’ score ~73%)

“Not as funny, not as sharp, and nowhere near as groundbreaking – but it still strums a chord of nostalgia and pathos.”

Watch the trailers etc

Sam Harrington-Lowe

Sam is Silver’s founder and editor-in-chief. She’s largely responsible for organising all the things, but still finds time to do the odd bit of writing. Not enough though. Send help.

The post The new Spinal Tap film. Is it any good? appeared first on Silver Magazine.

Directed by Chris Columbus (Harry Potter, Mrs Doubtfire), the story follows four retirees at Coopers Chase retirement village: Elizabeth (Helen Mirren), Ron (Pierce Brosnan), Ibrahim (Ben Kingsley) and Joyce (Celia Imrie). All of whom pass at least some of their time investigating cold cases, as the Thursday Murder Club, until a real murder actually lands on their doorstep.

Sir Ben Kingsley, Helen Mirren, Pierce Brosnan. Giles Keyte/© 2025 Netflix, Inc.

Between them they have a bunch of skills well suited to the job – particularly Elizabeth, who has a shady past as a spy, or something equally secretive in MI6. Also Joyce, who was a nurse and is excellent at knowing things like how long it takes a stab victim to bleed out, and so forth. Joyce’s other skill is making cakes.

If you’ve read the book – and with over 15 million copies of the debut novel sold already, many have – you’ll be familiar with the story. If you haven’t, there are no spoilers in this article. Not that you need worry about it. The book managed to keep me guessing whodunit for quite a while, but somehow on screen it seems less of a challenge to work it all out. I’ll admit that might be down to the fact that I do actually know who dun it. But anyway.

The casting

When you read a book, you picture the characters in your mind. It’s one of the best things about reading as opposed to watching, and I was curious to see how the TMC would translate. Generally, I think this is well cast, although I had Elizabeth down as less emotional and warm. I pictured Eileen Atkins, but got the softer Helen Mirren. Ben Kingsley as Ibrahim was a shoo-in, and Celia Imrie is a cracking Joyce.

But Pierce Brosnan as Red Ron is wildly miscast. Not the lairy, bumptious gobby socialist of the book, Brosnan is way too charming, with a very reserved energy, and don’t get me started on the wildly fluctuating accents. For Ron, I imagined Ray Winstone, not Remington Steele. But not only that, I’m afraid Brosnan is missing the comedy bone. The man is not funny, and Ron’s character in the book is heavy on the comedy.

Pierce Brosnan, Tom Ellis. Giles Keyte/© 2025 Netflix, Inc.

I loved Jonathan Pryce as the delightful Stephen, slowly disappearing into dementia – an excellent bittersweet performance. And there’s a pretty stellar British cast lined up for the other characters, including Naomi Ackie as Donna, Tom Ellis as Jason Ritchie – Ron’s son, David Tennant as Ian Ventham, and Richard E. Grant as gangster Bobby Tanner. Does Grant make a good villain? I’ll let you have a guess at that. I love Grant, but this is not his metier. He’s about as menacing as one of Joyce’s cakes. Daniel Mays makes a great DCI Chris Hudson, with the right touch of comedy and brash faux Sweeney vibes.

Naomi Ackie and Daniel Mays. Giles Keyte/© 2025 Netflix, Inc.

There is some eye candy in the shape of Henry Lloyd-Hughes, who plays a very sexy Bogdan. Perhaps one of the major upgrades in terms of characterisation. And I always love to see David Tennant, although his Ian Ventham is far too much like his recent Tony Baddingham in Jilly Cooper’s Rivals on Disney+. Is this what he does now, play English baddies? I don’t care really, he’s always watchable, but it’s not exactly a stretch for this fine actor.

David Tennant, Henry Lloyd Hughes. Giles Keyte/© 2025 Netflix, Inc.

Mirren, long tipped by fans for the role of Elizabeth, called the book “utterly charming” and said she relished playing the sharp, enigmatic leader of the group. Brosnan described Ron as “a stout fellow of good character… humorous, theatrical, with wonderful set pieces.” Kingsley compared his psychiatrist Ibrahim’s empathy and analysis to his own craft as an actor, while Imrie said she “fell in love” with Joyce’s warmth and innocence.

Helen Mirren, Celia Imrie. Giles Keyte/© 2025 Netflix, Inc.

Great location

Shot at Shepperton Studios and on location in Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Hertfordshire, the film brings Coopers Chase vividly to life. Columbus calls it “the Hogwarts version of a retirement community.”

Since its release in 2020, Osman’s debut novel has become the UK’s best-selling book of the decade. He says he was inspired by his mother’s retirement village. “I thought, what if there was a murder here? I bet you these people could solve it.”

This is not challenging or groundbreaking in any sense of the word. Except perhaps for the premise that the main protagonists are in a care home. But it’s great viewing for a Sunday afternoon, and will absolutely appeal to the billions of Agatha Christie et al fans that crowd the world. Myself included. I enjoyed the book, and I enjoyed the film – although the latter perhaps rather less so.

The Thursday Murder Club lands on Netflix globally on Thursday 28 August 2025

Sam Harrington-Lowe

Sam is Silver’s founder and editor-in-chief. She’s largely responsible for organising all the things, but still finds time to do the odd bit of writing. Not enough though. Send help.

The post The Thursday Murder Club – more hit than miss, just about appeared first on Silver Magazine.

The simmering resentments, the unspoken rivalries, the caustic one-liners that only two people who once adored each other could ever inflict. The Roses, opening in cinemas this weekend, captures all of that – only louder, sharper, and with a lot more collateral damage.

Directed by Jay Roach (Bombshell, Meet the Parents), the film pairs Benedict Cumberbatch and Olivia Colman on screen for the first time, playing Theo and Ivy Rose. At first glance, theirs is a charmed life: two successful careers, a seemingly solid marriage, children, and a dream home.

But then Theo’s architectural career implodes. He’s on the verge of fame with a high-profile nautical museum in San Francisco, but on the day of its unveiling, a storm hits. The building collapses due to a structural flaw, instantly ruining his reputation.

To make it worse, the same storm reroutes traffic to Ivy’s seafood restaurant, where a prominent critic happens to dine. Her career takes off overnight, just as his falls apart.

As Ivy’s culinary success and ambitions soar, that picture-perfect façade fractures. What begins as witty sparring escalates into full-blown emotional combat.

It’s a modern reimagining of Warren Adler’s novel and the 1989 black comedy The War of the Roses. But this version, scripted by Tony McNamara (The Favourite, Poor Things), digs into contemporary pressures: ambition, perfectionism, social media success, and the capitalist grind pulling couples apart.

“Real life, only turned up”

Director Jay Roach is clear about what drew him to the project. “The tone is unique, it’s basically real life,” he explains. “I often use humour to navigate tough moments, and I think people in relationships who can joke and tease their way through awkward situations show signs of a healthy bond. But this film explores how that love language can turn from teasing to outright attack – and sometimes, it’s hard to tell the difference.”

That grey area – when affection mutates into cruelty – is something McNamara’s script skewers with savage wit. Cumberbatch loved it from the outset. “This is a laugh-out-loud script, filled with bad behaviour,” he says. “It’s so much fun, so inventive and so witty.”

Colman agrees. “Tony is so good at doing proper hilarity that you forget there’s also this intense emotion in there. He sprinkles it in, and it breaks your heart.”

Olivia Colman and Benedict Cumberbatch in The Roses. Photo by Jaap Buitendijk, Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures. © 2025 Searchlight Pictures All Rights Reserved.

Theo and Ivy: recognisable, messy, real

Cumberbatch sees Theo and Ivy as characters audiences will immediately recognise. “As a couple, they are very identifiable,” he says. “This film will have something recognisable in it for everybody, whatever stage their relationship is at. Hopefully not too much, though. This is a cautionary tale at the end of the day.”

For Colman, Ivy was a joy to play. “Ivy Rose is ace; she’s quite a free spirit. She’s a chef, she’s funny, passionate, loving, a good mum. When Ivy and Theo meet, it’s explosive. Then they have children, and it all goes a bit wrong. Both Ivy and Theo are brilliant at what they do, but it’s hard for them to find a balance between their careers and family life.”

Theo, meanwhile, is as magnetic as he is flawed. “I love his directness,” Cumberbatch says. “He knows what he wants and goes for it. Some of those decisions are devastating, some heartbreaking, some funny. At times he’s his own worst enemy. He gets lost in retribution and in his emotional state and can’t see the other people involved. He’s just not that self-aware.”

In short, they’re the sort of couple you might admire across the dinner table – until you realise their witty banter is really a declaration of war.

Olivia Colman and Benedict Cumberbatch in THE ROSES. Photo by Jaap Buitendijk, Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures. © 2025 Searchlight Pictures All Rights Reserved.

Fun hating each other

What makes The Roses irresistible is not just the script but the pairing of its two stars. Although Cumberbatch and Colman have been friends for years, this is their first project together. And both threw themselves into the escalating venom with relish.

“I think really it’s because in this film she gets to be the very worst version of Olivia Colman there could ever be,” Cumberbatch says. “And I’ve relished watching her do it.”

Colman agrees. “Yes, it has been lots of fun, hating each other. There’s something rather therapeutic about getting to be utterly horrible to someone, and then having a good laugh about it later.”

Their chemistry on set was instant. Writer Tony McNamara recalls the first day of shooting: “In their first scene, we were like, ‘Oh my God, they feel like they’ve been married for so long.’ They had such a connection and rhythm. It felt incredible.”

Even the crew found themselves divided in their loyalties. Producer Michelle Graham recalls: “It was fascinating to see who related to Theo or Ivy at various stages of the story.”

A Gen X cautionary tale

For those of us who came of age in the late 80s and 90s – who maybe watched the original War of the Roses with both horror and fascination – this new version feels more relatable. McNamara points out that the pressures on modern couples are different. “Today’s world is different… ambition, desire for perfection, individualism, and the capitalist system pull people apart. It’s not great for a happy marriage.”

That’s the sting in the comedy: the very real challenge of holding a relationship together while careers, kids, and self-image all compete for space. As Colman puts it, “Both Ivy and Theo are brilliant at what they do. But it’s hard for them to find a balance between their careers and family life.”

And as McNamara notes, the story works because it doesn’t let either character off the hook. “I want people to root for Theo and Ivy to be together but recognise how difficult that is. I don’t think as an audience you want them to suddenly be nice to each other.”

Why it matters now

By the end, audiences may laugh, wince, and perhaps eyeball their partners a little too knowingly. Roach hopes the film prompts reflection. “I hope this film causes every person watching it to turn to their partner and say, ‘Wow, we need to talk honestly and drop the surface stuff, because if we don’t, we might misunderstand each other.’”

For Cumberbatch, the takeaway is simpler: “This is a cautionary tale.”

For Colman: “It’s about human mess in all its glory.”

And for married couples watching, perhaps the most sobering recognition is that the line between playful banter and destructive warfare is a lot thinner than we’d like to admit.

The Roses
In cinemas from 29 August 2025

Sam Harrington-Lowe

Sam is Silver’s founder and editor-in-chief. She’s largely responsible for organising all the things, but still finds time to do the odd bit of writing. Not enough though. Send help.

The post The Roses: when love turns into warfare appeared first on Silver Magazine.

Since its creation in 1964 the Addams Family has lured in audiences with its Halloween-chic sparkle and lovable cast of glamorous misfits. The 2022 interpretation, Wednesday, created by Alfred Gough and Miles Millar and directed by Tim Burton, saw Jenna Ortega (Wednesday) in the titular role. And suddenly we were in the gothic glamour of Nevermore Academy.   

See the ‘fits on the glam red/purple carpet event here.

A procession of British actors   

Discussions around unexpected casting for Wednesday Season 2 are buzzing, but let’s take a look at the casting history for this high profile series. Because, frankly, it’s never been driven by pop-culture frenzy.

The cast of the first seasons of Wednesday was full to the brim with British actors. Welsh star Catherine Zeta Jones, 55, took on the role of Morticia. We all remember her from her earlier career, including starring in the likes of Zorro and Titanic. Having taken multiple sabbaticals from acting in the last two decades, we wouldn’t necessarily have pegged her as a lead role in Netflix’s ‘next big thing’. But wow, is she perfect for the scary yet seductive role.   

Wednesday. (L to R) Catherine Zeta-Jones as Morticia Addams, Joy Sunday as Bianca Barclay in episode 202 of Wednesday. Cr. Jonathan Hession/Netflix © 2025

Season one of Wednesday also saw Game of Thrones star Gwendoline Christie, 46. Unlike Zeta Jones, Christie has typically played characters who are, shall we say… not so glamorous. From warrior Brienne of Tarth in GOT to fully armoured fighter, Captain Phasma in Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Wednesday saw Christie fully embrace her feminine side as principal Larissa Weems – she puts a refreshing feminine twist on the stern character. What could have easily become a bit ‘Miss Trunchball’ is instead layered and mysterious.   

Season one also saw some lesser-known Brits such as Georgie Farmer playing Ajax Petropolus, and Iman Marson as Lucas Walker. 

Who’s joining for Season 2? 

Now, with the second season launching, the series is doubling down on its British DNA – and the casting news has the potential to be pure gold. 

Okay, so this is exciting. Remember the character Grandmama Hester Frump? Portrayed in previous incarnations by Blossom Rock (1964-66), Carol Cane (1993) and Jackie Hoffman (2010). This is a character who is the embodiment of gothic glamour. This lover of death is being undertaken by the one and only Joanna Lumley, 79. British acting royalty. Famous of course for Absolutely Fabulous amongst a myriad of other successes including Sapphire and Steel, The New Avengers, and loads more. 

Having previously worked with Tim Burton on the 2005 animated film, The Corpse Bride, Lumley was thrilled to get the chance to work with him again. In an interview with Dermot O’Leary and Rochelle Hummes on This Morning, she recounted the phone call with Burton as he offered her the role, saying, “…before he’d even finished the sentence, I said, ‘how much do I need to pay you to do this?’ It’s just divine.” 

Lumley gushed over his attention to detail describing how absolutely everything is done with absolute precision. The tiniest props, like distant croquet wickets, made to look like bones. Everything is considered. 

Wednesday. Joanna Lumley as Grandmama in episode 204 of Wednesday. Cr. Owen Behan/Netflix © 2025

Lumley isn’t the only new Brit joining the Wednesday cast for Season 2. Doctor Who icon Billie Piper, who has had a varied career – from appearances on cult music show Top of the Pops to the risqué drama Secret Diary of a Call Girl. She recently shocked the nation by appearing in the plot twist ending of Doctor Who… as the Doctor, if that’s to be believed!?  Despite this, Piper is another actress who one wouldn’t necessarily have anticipated seeing in a wacky cultural phenomenon such as Wednesday. Then again, considering Doctor Who’s knack for the weird and wonderful, she might just be a perfect fit. 

Wednesday. Billie Piper as Isadora Capri in episode 205 of Wednesday. Cr. Bernard Walsh/Netflix © 2025

What’s striking is how Wednesday sidesteps the usual trend-chasing in casting. These choices feel intentional, curated. Like someone raided the vaults of British screen history and invited only the most intriguing players to join the gothic party. 

The purple carpet premier  

This week saw the Wednesday Season 2 premiere take place in London. It was very Wednesday, from The Hand on the DJ booth, and a purple carpet so rich it felt conjured by Morticia herself. The addictive gothic glamour vibes and attention to detail were evident throughout the event. 

The cast were additionally in keeping. Jenna Ortega wore her Wednesday style makeup. Now that’s a lot of eyeliner. Billie Piper went full goth in the dramatic black dress and Joy Sunday arrived dressed head to toe in a blood red dress with matching tights, shoes and hat.   

That’s not all the news. Just this week Netflix confirmed that Wednesday will be returning for a third season. In fact, it’s already in the works. Question is, who will crawl out of the crypt and into the cast? 

Luis Guzmán attends the Global Premiere of Netflix’s ‘Wednesday’ Season 2, Part 1 at Central Hall Westminster, London on July 30th, 2025. (Photo by StillMoving.Net for Netflix)

(L to R) Joy Sunday, Isaac Ordonez, Luis Guzmán, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Jenna Ortega, Joanna Lumley, Fred Armisen, Emma Myers, Georgie Farmer, Billie Piper and Steve Buscemi attend the Global Premiere of Netflix’s ‘Wednesday’ Season 2, Part 1 at Central Hall Westminster, London on July 30th, 2025. (Photo by StillMoving.Net for Netflix)

So when and where can you watch it?   

Wednesday Season 2 will be released in two parts, both on Netflix. Part one will come out on 6 August 2025, with the second part releasing on 3 September – both on Wednesdays of course… very clever Netflix.  

Just like the first season, there will be a total of eight episodes in the season, each promising an abundance of deadpan humour and gothic glamour.  

Wednesday. (L to R) Billie Piper as Isadora Capri, Jenna Ortega as Wednesday Addams in episode 202 of Wednesday. Cr. Helen Sloan/Netflix © 2025

Emma Cruickshank

Emma is a literature, TV, and film enthusiast. When she’s not writing, she can normally be found out in the Sussex countryside, walking her dog Herbie, or in a restaurant drinking an overpriced cocktail and dreaming up ideas for her next literary endeavour.

The post Wednesday Season 2 sees a swell of British TV royalty  appeared first on Silver Magazine.

Back in 2022, Gary Numan stated that he really didn’t expect his comeback to take 41 years. Maybe four, he suggested with a laugh. Of course, Numan never quite left the spotlight – the ‘comeback’ in question only refers to his return to big stadiums. And in particular a return to Wembley – something of a symbolic and anxiety-ridden journey for Numan; coming full circle after previously announcing his farewell from live shows at the capital’s stadium in 1981.

Numan at the Agra Hall in Liepzig, June 2022. Photo by Stefan Bollmann, Wikimedia Commons.

Glastonbury at last

Fast-forward again to 2025, and Numan needn’t look back now. Fresh off the back of a stellar Glastonbury debut aged 67, he’ll be embarking on both a US and UK tour starting in the autumn.

But this – amazingly first ever – Glasto appearance wasn’t just a novelty because of how late in his life it happened. In fact, the turnout at the Park Stage to see the new-wave singer points towards a prevalence and relevance that can never fade.

Gothic icon?

At any of his new shows, you’ll find a crowd plenty full of silver hair, but balanced equally with plenty of young heads. Who, in fitting fashion, might also still have a deliberate silverish look in their hair.

Numan’s place as a goth artist has always been a touchy subject in the goth community. He came from humble, working-class roots, and his handling of fame was almost punk-like.

But his popularity amongst the masses and the unapologetic pop-appeal of tracks like Cars left him on the gothic side-lines for many years, in spite of his undeniable role in pioneering dark, electronic sounds. Even in a forum from 1999, Google users still bickered over the subject.

As a pretty avid Numan fan, I could dispute this by simply referencing the fact that he tried to sign gothic icons Depeche Mode after seeing them in 1979, as told to Amoeba in 2013. But now, to the kids of today, his status is totally undisputed anyway.

One TikTok video by silver dance creator Lunie Moon depicts her dancing expressively and enigmatically to Numan’s M.E. One young user in the comments stated: ‘I see my future and it’s bright.’

@luniemoon Post punk dystopia Sunday vibes. #garynuman #danceimprovisation #kitchendance #80smusic #dancelife #fitcheck ♬ M.E. – Gary Numan

Numanoids: the Numanites and Numanarti

The fairly recent introduction of TikTok and Instagram reels has been pivotal in younger people discovering his music. During the pandemic, the shared boredom of lockdown saw younger users form communities and shared meaning after becoming inspired by the lives, oral histories, or even just the vibe of certain older users, such as Lunie (above).

The masses of this content resulted in certain elements of goth and other subcultures becoming absorbed into an all-encompassing subculture, umbrella term, and stylised hegemony of ‘alternative’, or simply known as ‘alt’ – where it is often used as a self-describing label.

The fact that Numan has prevailed as a key alternative idol probably says enough about his relevance in goth and popular culture. Cars has been used in over 50,000 videos on TikTok, and features on 15,000 Instagram reels along with plenty more of his tracks hitting the thousands on both platforms.

Furthermore, there’s also the hugely popular samples of Numan out there, such as the use of not one – but two – samples in Basement Jaxx’ Where’s Your Head At. Such uses (honourable shoutout to the Suga Babes’ Freak Like Me) demonstrate how beloved and important his music is to all generations.

M.E’ is used in Where’s Your Head At‘s bassline and ‘This Wreckage’ for the bridge, for those interested.

On a fan level, one user calls Are Friends Electric a ‘retro banger’, whilst comments under videos of Numan posted by his daughters Raven and Persia state how much of a ‘flex’ it is to have him as a father, or call Numan an icon.

@ravennuman uh what the hellyberry #garynuman #fyp ♬ original sound – FreshOutTheCrate

@debussywoman Since dads song is trending rn @Gary Numan #garynuman #fypviralシ #fypシ ♬ original sound – FreshOutTheCrate

It’s clear that Numanoids are no longer just the hardcore fans that stuck with Numan throughout his live hiatus the (the -oids). They are now those who continued to be inspired by Numan, either abstractly as fans, or by creating work derivative of his gritty synth sounds (the –arti). The amount of eighties-reminiscent tracks and an ‘edgy’ wave is monumental, and truly dominates pop music at the moment.

But of course this in itself is still nothing new. Nine Inch Nails’ Trent Reznor claimed to have listened to the track every day in the making of his band’s album Pretty Hate Machine. All roads lead back to Gary.

Even his daughters clearly find their father cool, both during and after growing up. All three have featured on stage multiple times in the past few years. Raven and Persia – his eldest and middle children – even had their own spotlight as artists during his Glastonbury show. Raven performed one of her own songs, which she co-wrote with her father, entitled Nothing’s What It Seems, while Persia contributed backing vocals to the song My Name Is Ruin.

I can tell you now, there’s not a whole host of dads out there who can wear that badge.

The new sound: he’s gone electric again

Numan’s new work brilliantly reflects both his own evolution and his absorption (or at the least recognition) of the changing world around him. His 2021 album, Intruder (which hit No.2 in the UK charts) features heavy use of guitars combined with industrial soundscapes. Whilst these sonics are distinctively him, and certainly resemble his 1980 album Telekon, it meets the ears as cinematic, eerie, and brooding. A fresh and fitting feel for the 2020s.

The future of Numan’s music will likely continue to reflect this mutual influence, where the new world and younger generations around him affect him as much as he might affect them. Speaking to BBC 6 Music, out of all his back catalogue he was most excited to play the new, unreleased song titled Nothing’s What it Seems, which he wrote with Raven.

@bbc6music Synth-pop legend @garynuman makes his Glasto debut a family affair. Listen on @bbcsounds | Watch on #bbciplayer ♬ original sound – BBC Radio 6 Music

Catch him while you can

Off the back of the US tour, and starting off with a show at the 02 Academy in Glasgow and finishing at Liverpool’s 02 this November, there’s plenty of opportunities along the way to catch Numan performing the classics with an extra chance to catch his inevitable next sound.

Find Gary Numan tour dates

For those interested, the run up to Numan’s Wembley homecoming is documented in the documentary Gary Numan: Resurrection, and you can fill in the other gaps with his 2017 autobiography ‘(R)EVOLUTION’.

Numan’s new album A Perfect Circle: Live is out now.

Finn Norris

Finn is a writer and musician. He has written on internet culture, technology, and reviewed music, film, and television. When not frantically tapping away he can be found kicking back with the simpler things: coffee, cats, and football.

The post Gary Numan, Gen Z and beyond: why all ages are tuning in appeared first on Silver Magazine.

Autobiographies often straddle the line between memoir and storytelling. And many beloved memoirs include inaccuracies, intentional or not. A Guardian review recently noted that “scandal has stalked memoir since the genre was invented”. So not something particularly unusual. Yet when The Salt Path by Raynor Winn came under scrutiny, the fallout felt pretty catastrophic.

So why does The Salt Path drama feel different? And does it really even matter, if stories still move you? Is the point of a book simply to entertain?

I asked a couple of people to give me their thoughts on this…

Gillian Anderson and Jason Isaacs in The Salt Path

I believe it does matter – Fiona, 56

I picked up The Salt Path because I felt seen. A couple my age, forced to rebuild from ruin, walking the coast to heal – that resonated with me. But now the Observer alleges serious omissions: Winn allegedly embezzled about £64,000, owned property in France, and her husband’s condition may differ from what’s in the book.

I ask myself: does that change my experience? Yes it does. Emotional truth is not enough if the facts are false. Plenty of memoirs stretch the truth; James Frey’s A Million Little Pieces claimed he spent 87 days in jail, but he only spent hours. Oprah confronted him. Publishers inserted disclaimers and even offered refunds. Margaret Seltzer’s Love and Consequences and Binjamin Wilkomirski’s wartime memoir were also debunked.

But those were cases of outright falsehood in critical events – abuse, war crimes, addiction. Those fabrications misled readers and harmed real communities.

With The Salt Path, the stakes feel different. This is a story of resilience and walking, on the face of it. Yet the central pivot – homelessness after loss of their home – may apparently be untrue. That matters! If the foundation is faulty, the emotional journey feels hollow.

We trust memoir writers. We expect honesty. The moment that trust is broken, the emotional impact diminishes. We start questioning every tender moment, every revelation. The message – hope through hardship – turns hollow.

And yes, there’s a mild ageism in the backlash. Many suggest older authors shouldn’t pretend. But honesty should matter at every age.

Map of The Salt Path travelled by the Winns in the book (right)

I don’t think it matters – Mark, 53

I still love the book. It moved me. It made me walk more, worry less, feel more capable. The heart of the story doesn’t change if Raynor’s steps or missteps happened differently.

Memoirs aren’t biographies. They’re memories. They’re stories. They’re shaped by emotion. They’re selective. Every writer chooses what to include. When [James] Frey’s book came out and he was busted making things up, he defended himself, saying his book was 85 percent true and that it offered ‘emotional authenticity’ over literal fact. Readers accepted that. The book survived.

Why pick on The Salt Path now? Maybe it’s because it was so successful? Two million copies sold, a film adaptation with Gillian Anderson and Jason Isaacs… The higher the success, the harder the fall. It feels like schadenfreude to me. We don’t want people to succeed.

Win half a million in royalties and film deals, and suddenly their journey seems less authentic? Bit unfair. Success doesn’t erase struggle.

What if Raynor was less than accurate – surely she still felt emotionally homeless? What matters is the story she tells. The landscapes, the healing, the bond with her husband: that remains.

The drama signals something else: we’re uncomfortable with imperfect memoirs. We want truth – real truth. But perhaps we should learn to accept a messy form of truth, one lived on the page, not proven in a court.

Why the uproar?

The Salt Path hit a nerve perhaps because published ‘truth’ is under increasing scrutiny. Publishing has little fact‑checking – Penguin itself admits so. Penguin has no dedicated fact-checking department for books, and relies on author warranties for veracity in its autobiographies. We trust and expect honest stories. So when the cracks appear, the trust collapses.

It’s probably also true to say that in a world where almost everything you read online increasingly seems to have been created with AI, it would be lovely if you could actually trust book publishers to exercise some due diligence.

But it also feels a bit personal for older readers. Winn and her husband were in their 60s. Their message – that it’s never too late to start – is powerful for readers in the same age group. And so their experiences felt close to home. We’re wrestling with our own stability, our own stories of resilience. We wanted to believe theirs.

* Interviews have been edited for clarity.

Sam Harrington-Lowe

Sam is Silver’s founder and editor-in-chief. She’s largely responsible for organising all the things, but still finds time to do the odd bit of writing. Not enough though. Send help.

The post The Salt Path – is the fallout drama really justified? appeared first on Silver Magazine.

Bob Dylan’s 2025 tour comes to the UK this November. The icon is back touring his 2020 album Rough and Rowdy Ways, following a run of performances at the Royal Albert Hall late last year.

Dylan is visiting eight different cities across the UK and Ireland this November, from Brighton to Killarney. Interestingly, no London date is scheduled for this tour. Fans in the south of England will have to try their luck at getting tickets to the one Brighton show scheduled. Or maybe head to Swansea where he’ll be performing for three nights!

Read more: Gary Kemp on ageing in the music industry

Keeping it exclusive

If you’re a Dylan fan, getting tickets to the tour is your only chance at seeing the 84 year old perform though. Dylan has partnered with Yondr (which works with educators, artists, organisations and individuals around the world to create phone-free spaces) to keep these shows completely phone free. So, for those who can’t get tickets, there’ll be no chance of watching footage on social media the following day. Or maybe little chance. It’ll be interesting to see if anyone snags any secret footage!

It seems like a rigorous effort though. Individuals will have to pop their phone away in a pouch when arriving at shows. The pouch locks in certain areas of the venue, preventing attendees from accessing them in auditoriums.

The phone free environment aims to encourage fans to connect with the music, and engage with the artist in the moment.

Bob Dylan sings “The Times They Are A-Changin’” in the East Room of the White House

This isn’t the first time Bob Dylan has employed phone locking pouches at his shows. In 2024, phones were banned in several shows of his European leg, including Dylan’s three-night run at the Royal Albert Hall. Other artists like Bruno Mars and Swedish rock group, Ghost, have also employed phone locking pouches at their shows in recent years.

Exclusive or exclusionary? It certainly brings a ‘you had to be there’ element to live shows, but does leave fans high and dry who couldn’t get a ticket or had other commitments clashing with tour dates.

After tickets?

Set your alarms, tickets for the UK & Ireland dates go on sale Friday 18 July at 10am.

You can find all dates and ticket availability on Bob Dylan’s website. (We’ve popped them down below for ease too!)

UK & Ireland tour dates

7 Nov: Brighton Centre, Brighton
9 Nov: Building Society Arena, Swansea
10 Nov: Building Society Arena, Swansea
11 Nov: Building Society Arena, Swansea
13 Nov: Building Society Arena, Coventry
14 Nov: First Direct Arena, Leeds
16 Nov: Armadillo, Glasgow
17 Nov: Armadillo, Glasgow
19 Nov: Waterfront, Belfast
20 Nov: Waterfront, Belfast
23 Nov: INEC, Killarney
24 Nov: INEC, Killarney
25 Nov: 3Arena, Dublin

GET TICKETS HERE

Lana Hall

Lana can usually be found spinning her collection of records, or writing odd poems in her phone notes. Her mixer of choice is a ginger beer, and you’ll never find her away from the sea for more than a few weeks.

The post Bob Dylan 2025 tour goes device free appeared first on Silver Magazine.

From fighter jets to Formula 1, makers of Top Gun: Maverick director Joseph Kosinski and producer Jerry Bruckheimer are once again putting audiences in the driver’s seat. Designed specifically for IMAX, F1: The Movie offers an unprecedented, immersive racing experience.  

Shot during actual live F1 races and enriched by the expertise of Lewis Hamilton as producer, this groundbreaking film captures the speed, danger, and drama of motorsport like never before. Take it from us. You are RIGHT there in the driving seat, literally and figuratively. 

We sent along F1 fan and aficionado Emily Tate to the premiere to check out the film before it hits the theatres. Here’s everything you need to know, from the first lap to the checkered flag. But first, a word from Brad.

A scene from Apple Original Films’ “F1® The Movie,” a Warner Bros. Pictures release.

A (Brad) Pitt-stop 

The A-list cast from F1: The Movie has certainly revved-up expectations. Star of Fight Club, Inglorious Bastards and Bullet Train, Brad Pitt is no stranger to an action film. Speaking about F1: The Movie, Pitt share his awe at driving real F1 cars. 

“I still don’t know how we got away with it,” he said about how he, alongside producer Jerry Bruckheimer and director Joseph Kosinski, made what Pitt called “the most visceral driving experience that’s ever been put on film.”

And what they got away with was putting Pitt and his fellow actor Damson Idris into professional race cars and filming them at top speeds. “The forces in these cars, the high-speed corners, the physics of it all want to rip your head from your shoulders,” says Pitt. “It’s shocking what these cars can do. And it’s a high unlike any high I’ve ever experienced before. We just couldn’t capture it any other way.”

Brad Pitt as Sonny Hayes in Apple Original Films’ “F1® The Movie,” a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Photo by Scott Garfield Courtesy Warner Bros. Pictures / Apple Original Films

Joseph Kosinski and Brad Pitt on the set of Apple Original Films’ “F1® The Movie,” a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Photo by Scott Garfield. Courtesy Warner Bros Pictures / Apple Original Films

It’s a film that will appeal to everyone, not just F1 fans…

Pitt says that the magic of the movie is the way it will appeal equally to longtime fans of the sport and to anyone who’s never even heard of Formula 1. “Threading that needle was the biggest challenge. But I think we’ve done that; made it enlightening enough and understandable for newcomers without dumbing it down for ultra fans. It’s funny, it’s aggressive, it’s driving, and it’s surprisingly heartwarming. I love all these characters. I think this film is so damn entertaining on so many levels.”

Joining Pitt is Damson Idris as his teammate-come-rival Joshua Pearce. Poised as one of Hollywood’s most dynamic rising stars, you may recognise him from his role as drug kingpin Franklin Saint in FX’s Snowfall. Or from his roles in Black Mirror and Swarm.

Pursuing something more adrenaline-driven, Idris has always hankered after a heart-stopping physical opportunity like this film. Speaking to GQ recently, Idris says, “I said I wanted to play an athlete and along came F1.” Later, discussing the film in an interview with the NME he adds, “It’s relatable for people who aren’t even F1 fans because it’s not only about being an underdog, but about being given a second chance. That’s something everyone deserves.” 

DAMSON IDRIS as Joshua Pearce in Apple Original Films’ “F1® The Movie,” a Warner Bros movie. Photo by Scott Garfield Courtesy Warner Bros. Pictures / Apple Original Films

Rounding out the star-studded crew (and offering the only strong female character in the whole show) is Kerry Condon, most recently from Star Wars: Skeleton Crew. And Javier Barden, who played a key role in the viral and critically acclaimed series Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story. Capping this all off is Game of Thrones star, Tobias Menzies. 

Read more: You’re never too old, and it’s never too late

The premiere – our take on the film 

We asked Emily to attend this exclusive event for us because she’s an experienced F1 fan who’s worked in live events for years. She’s spent a lot of time at F1 tracks, and knows what’s she’s talking about. So, what did she think? 

“From what I had heard and seen I had a feeling it would be very different to any sport-based film I’d seen before, as it had been filmed so closely alongside the actual sport,” she says. “I thought it would give a good insight behind the scenes of Formula One. 

“I think the film felt amazingly immersive. Not just like being in an F1 car, but also the real-life races and racing environment. I loved that the film included real-time F1 drivers, team principals, broadcasters, and press.”

“I was also pleasantly surprised with the humour and comedy elements that were brought into it. You really felt as though you were almost watching a documentary or someone’s real life.” 

The film seems very male-oriented. In fact, most of the characters throughout are male. Is it just a lot of dick-waving macho behaviour, or is there more to it? 

“Kerry Condon, who played the first female engineer, really showed the strength that women in F1 actually have. It’s obviously a very male dominated sport, but her character really represented a strong and intelligent woman in a role that would have stereotypically been seen as a male role. 

(l-r) Kerry Condon as Kate and Kim Bodnia as Kaspar in Apple Original Films’ “F1® The Movie,” a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Photo Courtesy Warner Bros. Pictures / Apple Original Films

“I think Brad Pitt and Damson Idris were brilliant. Damson really stood out, and I think you could pick up the influence that Lewis Hamilton has had on the film. Maybe how he may have felt at the start of his own career as a young black, British F1 rookie.” 

Let’s talk about the driving scenes… 

“These were amazing and something I’ve never seen done so well in a movie before. Both drivers actually drove the cars in the film during live races. And you really felt as if you were in the car with them. Because the races were shot during real race weekends with the current drivers it felt very current, and very real! 

“It’s also something that true-blue F1 fans will love. There are so many references to in-jokes within the sport circles. There’s a lot of the real team owners, principals and drivers in it too, so you get to see the sport from so many different angles.” 

A scene from Apple Original Films’ “F1® The Movie,” a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Photo Courtesy Warner Bros. Pictures / Apple Original Films

The storyline is perhaps inevitably secondary to the incredible tech and visual experience that the film offers. And to be fair, it’s not exactly a plot that will have anyone scratching their heads to understand. Without giving away too many spoilers: 

“The storyline about the team being the underdog and the outcome of the races felt very predictable, until the final race comes around where it is touch and go, and you don’t know what might happen. I won’t say any more than that! 

“With the romance plot (there is one!), again because this did feel completely predictable. But I think it worked well within the overall story line so that it wasn’t just about the racing.” 

And so, any final words?  

“You could definitely feel the influence of Lewis in this film heavily. From how the drivers would interact with each other, how strategy meetings are led, how everyone interacts in the team garage to everything that goes on back at the teams HQ it just felt very real.”  

“Everyone and anyone will enjoy this film. It’s not an intellectual challenge, but equally, you really don’t have to be an F1 fan to enjoy it.” 

What do the critics say? 

So far, F1: The Movie has received glowing reviews:

• IMDb: 7.9/10
• Rotten Tomatoes: 88%
• Common Sense Media: 4/5
• The Guardian: ★★★★ – “Spectacular macho melodrama”

The consensus? F1: The Movie is ‘fresh’ and ‘fast-paced’. It delivers the emotional punch of an underdog story with the high-octane thrills of a live Grand Prix. Whether you’re a racing diehard or a total newcomer, this film puts you right on the track – and doesn’t ease off the gas.

F1: The Movie in UK cinemas from 25 June 2025.
F1: The Movie official website

Emma Cruickshank

Emma is a literature, TV, and film enthusiast. When she’s not writing, she can normally be found out in the Sussex countryside, walking her dog Herbie, or in a restaurant drinking an overpriced cocktail and dreaming up ideas for her next literary endeavour.

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