Margot Robbie & Colin Farrell’s A Big Bold Beautiful Journey draws mixed reviews. Stunning visuals but weak chemistry and poor box office hurt its success.
Director Kogonada’s new movie A Big Bold Beautiful Journey receives mixed reviews from critics. It shows a story which is blended with romance, fantasy, and personal insight in a style that feels like a fairy tale. Margot Robbie and Colin Farrell first collaboration brings Academy Award nomination. The romantic fantasy film story is written by Seth Reiss.
Kogonada is famous for his thoughtful movies including “Columbus” and “After Yang.” while Seth Reiss is previously scripting for “The Menu”. A Big Bold Beautiful Journey was shot in California with a production budget of $45 million. Joe Hisaishi scored and was his first time for a Western film with additional songs by Laufey and a Mitski cover.
The film gets mixed reactions from critics. This film scores 55% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and Metacritic gave a 42/100 rating to this film as Kogonada’s skill for making this film with high quality material and the strong acting from the leads. Despite the best directorial work, they are concerned about the script’s execution.
Critical Concerns is about tone mismatches and uneven pacing from the actors. Variety noted that “Farrell and Robbie seem remote and oddly flat, even in moments of deep intimacy and vulnerable feelings.” The New Yorker‘s Richard Brody suggested about directorial talent and pointing it to going in a wrong way. Rolling Stone hit hard, calling it a “disaster” which shows very tough pinching on director’s talent and actors’ wrong choice by taking this movie.
Overall, the film’s cinematography and theme is fantastic which received good reviews. Peter Bradshaw of The Guardian rated it 3/5 stars. He also suggests that film needs to polish its work of art and let go of doubts. Little White praised Kogonada’s “singular, warm sensibility which is worth the ride for fans of its soft emotions, and gave 80/100.
As Deadline noted, Unfortunately, the film faced big troubles at the box office. A Big Bold Beautiful Journey was released on 19 September, 2025 in 3330 theatres and earned only $3.5 million in opening. With a $45 million budget production film received just $8.9 million worldwide is a disaster.
This represents a sharp difference from Margot Robbie’s last hit film, “Barbie.” which earned about $70.5 million on its opening day. A Big Bold Beautiful Journey” 98% lower, the poor performance led to rapid decline in theatrical run.
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NPR says, The story follows Sarah (Margot Robbie) and David (Colin Farrell), two single strangers met at their mutual friend’s wedding. Both characters are suffering from their past relationships and not ready for commitment. This movie is inspired from films like “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind” and “Howl’s Moving Castle“, these movies are a blend fantasy of characters who deep dive into love, sorrow, faithfulness. The reflection of these movies are shown in A Big Bold Beautiful Journey.
The Hollywood Reporter mentioned, Kogonada’s unique way of shooting stands out in every scene. He uses neat frames and bright colors. The movie’s dramatic feel, like a stage production, reflects its exploration of performance and realistic love bond.
A Big Bold Beautiful Journey is receiving positive and negative reviews from critics and audiences. Positive review received for the film’s visual and blend of fantasy, and introspection but criticized for Actors low energy in some shots and Direction of Kogonada. The critical concern impacted the movie’s further theatrical run. Margot Robbie as Sarah and Colin Farrell as David performed well but seems too distant at the point which makes romantic fantasy film score less. Overall, the movie is still liked by some viewers, as the emotional comedy and artistic ambitions.
AI star Tilly Norwood, created by Eline Van der Velden’s Xicoia studio, is drawing major Hollywood talent agencies—reshaping the future of acting.
Meet Tilly Norwood – Hollywood’s First “Fake Real” Star introduced by Dutch comedian-producer Eline van der Velden through her AI studio Xicoia. According to Variety, Norwood “has drawn the interest of several talent agents” after being debuted at industry-targeted Zurich Film Festival summit. Van der Velden informed the Zurich Summit panel that studios – early doubters of AI actors in early 2025 – are now “moving quietly ahead with AI projects,” and that she anticipates an imminent announcement of which agency will have Norwood as their client. And lo and behold, some talent agents are already swooping around her.
Her debut? An all-AI comedy sketch called AI Commissioner — from script to performance, it was all generated. Eline even went on to state that she wishes Tilly to become “the next Scarlett Johansson or Natalie Portman.” Daring, isn’t it?
News of Norwood’s agency buzz triggered swift backlash from working actors. Hollywood stars publicly criticised on social media, asking how a computer-generated “actress” would fill the role of actual actors. The Wrap covers –
Actress Melissa Barrera (In the Heights) took to Instagram: “Hope all actors repped by the agent that does this, drop their a$. How gross, read the room.”
Others sarcastically predicted that contracting an AI “actress” would be a PR debacle at best, a catastrophe at worst. The Independent’s report included similar zingers by stars such as White Lotus’s Lukas Gage: “She was a nightmare to work with!!!!”.
Van der Velden compares AI to previous technologies such as animation or CGI – “a new brush, a new paintbrush” – that enhance storytelling without doing away with live performance. She underlines that “nothing – certainly not an AI character – can take away the craft or joy of human performance”.
Overall, some people think that it can jeopardize the real talent of real performance and their careers too but some believe that this is an experimental creative tool of Norwood.
Tilly Norwood’s appearance has fueled controversy for the classic acting roles in the future. Critics caution that if studios or agencies start dealing with AI characters as commodities, human actors may see fewer opportunities, stated by Deadline. The 2023 SAG-AFTRA agreements already contain firm safeguards (negotiated under union pressure) to avoid unapproved AI use of actors’ likenesses. Union officials have maintained that any application of a performer’s digital double needs to be affirmatively approved and paid for. On the agency front, some reps may consider an AI actor to be a publicity stunt worthy of consideration — industry speculation about an agency inking Tilly to garner press attention has been out there – but most agents are cautious.
According to Hollywood Reporter, agencies that try to sign Norwood could destroy confidence: “If your agent does this, drop their a$.” Practically speaking, even if Norwood or other AI talent land the occasional job (commercials, voiceovers, background), big stars will continue to be required for bankable leads, and productions will need to work with union rules.
In the short term, Norwood’s case has placed agencies on notice that AI is a “hot” issue – agents can softly scout for AI talent or ignore the trend, but they risk blowback either way.
The Hollywood studios seem cautiously interested in generative AI. At the Zurich panel, Van der Velden saw a change in studio mindset from skepticism (“this is nothing”) early in 2025 to interest (“we need to do something”) mid-year. Industry analysts point out that studios might view AI tools as means to reduce costs and speed content production (e.g., automating background extras, pre-visualization, or editing). Experts have indicated that AI may allow even smaller studios to “make high-end content at a fraction of the expense,” possibly expanding competition.
The Deadline reports that the web’s leading “digital influencer,” Lu do Magalhães, boasts more than 8 million fans despite being a complete computer simulation. This pairing demonstrates that although mainstream cinema audiences first refuse to accept blatant deepfakes, younger or more computer-literate audiences occasionally accept or indeed prefer artificial celebrities on the web.
As van der Velden contends, if Norwood can provide compelling performances, audiences may be more concerned about story than she is machine. But at least for now, many industry observers believe AI actresses like Tilly will remain curiosities rather than genuine replacements for popular live performers.
Tilly Norwood is only one example of AI’s growing footprint in entertainment. Industry analysts are forecasting that AI tools will become widespread in production pipelines (storyboarding, visual effects, language dubbing, etc.), though leadership in creativity will still be human-driven in the near term. Some believe AI will unleash a deluge of cheap content (offering regulation or curation), while others envision it as fueling indie innovation. What is certain is that Hollywood will incorporate AI increasingly – though cautiously.
As the case of Tilly Norwood shows, studios and tech companies might chase “AI actors” as an experiment, but mass acceptance will depend on how audiences respond and union negotiations. If Norwood is successful at finding employment and garnering eyeballs, it will inspire more AI productions; if she crashes or incites consumer hostility, the market will tap the brakes.
As Variety and others point out, the controversy surrounding Tilly Norwood illustrates broader issues of whether AI is merely “another tool” for directors or a force that might disrupt conventional acting work. The long-term direction will depend on the degree to which Hollywood harmonizes progress with art and labor considerations – and a chapter that continues to be written.
Learn about Tom Lehrer – mathematician, satirical singer, Harvard professor and cultural icon. Celebrate his lasting impact at 97. Learn more visit website..!
Thomas “Tome” Lehrer, the genius mathematician who studied from Harvard. He is the most incisive and audacious satirist in the 20th century. The excellent parallel mind of Tom Lehrer, — math expert turned his mind into a songwriter which symbolises the words “Truth” and “Passion”. He published his first album “An Evening Wasted with Tom Lehrer.” It became an underground sensation, passed from one astonished listener to another. The brilliant mind was born in 1928 in New York City. He understands numbers very easily and is also passionate about music. He nailed both of his goals where he taught mathematics to top universities like Harvard and MIT and entertained his colleagues and friends with his songs.
Tom Lehrer’s songs are funny and fulfill his wish to aid human anxiety during the cold war. He makes fun of politicians, leaders, education and everyday life but he always did it in a witty and intelligent way.
Many fans admired his bravery to spit out the truth of reality in a very fun way. A clever move by a math genius, “Poisoning Pigeons in the Park” and “The Elements” these two songs got very popular in the 50’s and 60’s. It’s rare to think that a mathematician can also be a satirical songwriter, his songs still influencing the modern music industry. He made the two different paths for himself and followed till his last breath.
Tom Lehrer soon disappeared from the music, he returned to teaching math. In the early 1970s, he stopped his steps from moving forward on his satirist journey. He loves to keep private, even though he became famous with his funny songs. He made the faces smile and passed away at 97, The world of satire is quieter today. It is heartbreaking to lose one of the brilliant minds and a sharp wit person.
The melodies are often light, cheerful and reminiscent which makes the peace inside the mind chaotic just like a man at the piano sings with a clear, precise, and soulful voice. However the lyrical content is more critical with the pure and harsh truth of reality of the world, which makes it a pure acid. He nourished love song at pigeons in the song “Poisoning Pigeons in the Park”, he poked fun at nuclear war in the song “We Will All Go Together When We Go”, and a rousing tribute to the morally flexible rocket scientist Wernher von Braun, who hadn’t cared about where the rocket came down.
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He has a short recording career but that was mind-blowing, from the first album An Evening Wasted with Tom Lehrer to That Was the Year That Was, tackled the topics where no one makes a joke about it. He entirely made a fun song about unity “National Brotherhood Week.” “So Long, Mom is prescribing the fear of world war III. The “The Vatican Rag.” showcasing of weaponizing religion to do businesses. Meanwhile, he never wanted to become a songwriter for chasing fame and popularity but the audience caught him from anywhere because of his unapologetic intelligence of his work.
Then, as suddenly, Tom Lehrer — the sharp wit, the lyrical complexity, and the courage to tackle dark subjects disappeared from his musical life. The most popular reason for his disappearance is most reasonable and perfect to make him a legend, who thinks for the truth not just fame. When Henry Kissinger was awarded the Nobel Prize in 1973. Lehri’s disappointment is getting him more honest about his decision to leave his satirical life.
He also admired private life more than fame and popularity, he doesn’t want repetition of performance and fulfilling the audience demands every night. So, he quietly moved from this life and chose to teach mathematics. He simply preferred a different life, and so he chose it.
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In 2020, Tom Lehrer shocked everyone when he released his entire catalogue of music and lyrics on public domain. Now, anyone can listen to his music freely from anywhere at any time. This act by Tom shows that he never wanted to write songs for fame but he only wants to tell the truth about what most people have feared. It was a gift, given freely, from a mind that saw the world with unflinching clarity, he may be gone but his work remains a perfect, acid, and priceless masterpiece for seeing the humour in the darkness.
