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Review: Nicole Kidman’s ‘Holland’ is an underwhelming thriller

Review: Nicole Kidman’s ‘Holland’ is an underwhelming thriller
Nicole Kidman and Gael García Bernal star in 'Holland.' (Supplied)
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Updated 30 March 2025

Review: Nicole Kidman’s ‘Holland’ is an underwhelming thriller

Review: Nicole Kidman’s ‘Holland’ is an underwhelming thriller

LONDON: If you think there’s something unnervingly familiar about “Holland,” then you’re in good company. In this new thriller from Prime Video, directed by Mimi Cave (2022’s excellent “Fresh”), Nicole Kidman plays a permanently frowning wife who just can’t quite shake the feeling that something about her picture-perfect life isn’t quite right – which, when you think about it, could also be the logline for the actor’s turns in “The Stepford Wives,” “Big Little Lies,” “Expats,” “The Perfect Couple” and probably a half dozen others.

This time, Kidman’s Nancy suspects that her optometrist husband Fred (Matthew Macfadyen) may be having an affair. We don’t really ever find out why she thinks this, beyond the fact that she has ‘a feeling’ and suffers from weird, surreal dreams in which the town they live in — the titular Holland, Michigan — merges with the model village Fred is building in their garage. So, despite having no obvious reason to do so, Nancy and her work colleague-turned-extramarital crush Dave (Gael García Bernal) decide to follow Fred to find out what he’s up to.

The setup for discovering Fred’s secret takes up the majority of the movie. Macfadyen, here simply playing a more homely version of his character in “Succession,” makes for an entertaining enough man of mystery while, for the most part, Kidman and García Bernal are fine as co-workers with an obvious attraction and a shared interest in what Fred is really up to. The main problem with “Holland” is eccentricity for eccentricity’s sake — Cave plays up the town’s Dutch colonial traditions seemingly because they just lend an air of unfamiliarity and weirdness, Nancy’s feelings of dread manifest in those surreal dreams, but none of it has any real-world relevance beyond making for some odd-looking visuals.

The twist, when it inevitably comes, feels disproportionate and overblown given the small-town buildup. Elements, such as Dave’s experience as the only immigrant in town, or Nancy’s issues with their babysitter, are mentioned once and never touched on again. The film suffers from too many vague ideas at the outset, before dumping most of them to make way for the most shocking story arc. Turns out, not only have we seen this film a bunch of times before, we’ve seen it done a lot better too.


Makkah hotels showcase rich Saudi culture for National Day

Makkah hotels showcase rich Saudi culture for National Day
Updated 23 September 2025

Makkah hotels showcase rich Saudi culture for National Day

Makkah hotels showcase rich Saudi culture for National Day
  • Pilgrims call celebrations ‘uplifting’ and ‘joyful’ as traditions take center stage in hotels
  • Hotels across Makkah had programs featuring folk dance troupes and Ardah sword dancers performing to national songs

MAKKAH: International pilgrims in the holy city’s hotels have been treated to several cultural activities as a part of Ƶ’s 95th National Day festivities.

Egyptian visitor Ahmed Abdulrahman told Arab News he was amazed: “I never anticipated discovering such beautiful national spirit.

“The folk performances provided wonderful opportunities to explore Saudi culture within an atmosphere brimming with joy and celebration.”

Hotels across Makkah had programs featuring folk dance troupes and Ardah sword dancers performing to national songs.

Pakistani pilgrim Mohammed Ali praised the organizers: “The celebration was impeccably organized and genuinely uplifting. We felt completely integrated into this momentous day.

“The traditional Saudi folklore and national Ardah performances added extraordinary richness to our spiritual journey.”

For Indonesian pilgrim Fatima Nour, the celebrations underscored Ƶ’s generosity.

“Witnessing guests from so many different countries participate in these festivities demonstrated the generosity of Saudi people and their deep love for their homeland,” she told Arab News.

“It created a truly distinctive spiritual and cultural experience for all of us.”

Abdulaziz Al-Abbadi, assistant director of public relations and marketing for the Accor Hotels Clock Tower group, said National Day embodies deep pride, belonging, and unity.

“The hotel sector in the holy capital is experiencing extraordinary momentum during these celebrations, perfectly aligned with the spirit of this beloved occasion that touches the hearts of Saudi citizens, residents, and pilgrims,” Al-Abbadi told Arab News.

“We continuously work to ensure our distinguished services meet the diverse expectations of visitors, pilgrims, and Umrah performers from every corner of the earth,” he said.

Makkah holds nearly two-thirds of the Kingdom’s hotel infrastructure, with more than 250,000 rooms available, he explained.

He said there has been expansion across central districts near the Grand Mosque and beyond, reinforcing the city’s position as a premier hospitality destination.

He credited Makkah’s service culture to centuries-old traditions of generosity.

“This has always been a land defined by hospitality and historical significance, qualities that shine through in every aspect of service we provide to visitors from around the world,” he said.

“We pledge to remain a model of excellence in the hospitality sector, fully aligned with the Kingdom’s vision that positions Makkah at the absolute forefront of global destinations for religious and humanitarian tourism.”


Hail’s iconic Quraishyyat coffee pot is symbol of hospitality

Hail’s iconic Quraishyyat coffee pot is symbol of hospitality
Updated 23 September 2025

Hail’s iconic Quraishyyat coffee pot is symbol of hospitality

Hail’s iconic Quraishyyat coffee pot is symbol of hospitality
  • Distinctive design crafted in the northern city for hundreds of years
  • Item traditionally used for special occasions remains popular today

RIYADH: The northern city of Hail in Ƶ has been crafting a specific type of Arabic coffee pot known as the Quraishyyat for hundreds of years.

This distinctive vessel features a longer neck and a slimmer body than the typical receptacle, and was traditionally reserved only for special occasions.

“Al-Quraishyyat is a coffee pot made of green and yellow copper and has several names such as the palace coffee pot, the khateeb coffee pot, or Hail’s Quraishyyat,” Hamid Al-Dhuwaili, owner of Al-Dhuwaili Heritage Museum in Hail, told Arab News.

He explained that making such coffee pots had been part of the culture in Hail for hundreds of years, and added: “People have practiced this craft since ancient times, before the founding of the First Saudi State. There are well-known craftsmen in Hail who excel in this industry. Currently Hail is home to a coffee pot factory considered one of the best in the Middle East.”

While other handicrafts, including carving, tent making and weaving, are also native to Hail, it is its coffee pots that most visitors and tourists find attractive.

Thanks to its cool weather, rocky landscape and groundwater resources, Hail was one of the main stopping points for traveling merchants and migrants.

It was a resting point for travelers to feed their cattle, which fostered a culture of hospitality among the people of Hail. Coffee has been a significant part of that culture for centuries.

Along with the Quraishyyat, there are other kinds of coffee pots that are also prominent in the city, including the Baghdadiyyat, which is believed to have been introduced by travelers from the Iraqi capital.

Another variation is the Raslan, which consists of pots of different sizes. The Raslan is believed to have been brought to Hail through merchants from the Levant region.

The crafting of coffee pots in Hail has been significant throughout its history as a trading post, and remains so today as the tradition welcomes visitors from near and far.


Elyanna gears up for Global Citizen Festival show in New York

Elyanna gears up for Global Citizen Festival show in New York
Updated 23 September 2025

Elyanna gears up for Global Citizen Festival show in New York

Elyanna gears up for Global Citizen Festival show in New York

DUBAI: Palestinian Chilean singer Elyanna will perform at the Global Citizen Festival in New York on Sept. 27, alongside Colombian superstar Shakira, US rapper Cardi B and South African singer Tyla.

The festival will take place in New York’s Central Park with the goal of “ending extreme poverty.” The annual event supports campaigns to improve energy access across Africa and defend the Amazon against deforestation.

It aims to secure commitments to bring clean, reliable energy to 1 million people in Africa, mobilize $200 million for indigenous and local entrepreneurs to protect a chunk of the Amazon rainforest the size of Italy, and raise at least $30 million to help community-based education programs improve children’s literacy.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

The festival is timed to coincide with the UN General Assembly that takes place in New York each September. The inaugural event, in 2012, drew 60,000 attendees.

This year, it will be hosted by Hollywood star Hugh Jackman.

Elyanna has a busy schedule for the rest of 2025, including performing at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix post-race concert on Dec. 5 at Etihad Park on Yas Island.

The Los Angeles-based singer’s music is a mix of Arab and Western beats, which she attributes to her multicultural upbringing. In 2023, she became the first Palestinian artist to perform at Coachella, the popular music festival held annually in Indio, California. She also set a precedent as the first Arabic-language artist to perform at the event.

Elyanna has a strong relationship with British rock giants Coldplay, collaborating with the band on the song “We Pray” and joining them on stage in multiple cities, including Los Angeles, Buenos Aires, Tokyo, Barcelona and Paris.

One of her standout appearances was during Coldplay’s four-night concert series in Abu Dhabi earlier this year, part of their “Music of the Spheres” world tour.

In April, Elyanna teamed up with the band to release a new version of “Ma Meilleure Ennemie,” a track originally performed by Belgian artist Stromae and French singer Pomme.


Mo Amer to return with third Netflix special

Mo Amer to return with third Netflix special
Updated 23 September 2025

Mo Amer to return with third Netflix special

Mo Amer to return with third Netflix special

DUBAI: Palestinian American comedian Mo Amer is all set to return with “Wild World,” his third Netflix comedy special, streaming from Oct. 28. Filmed at the historic Warner Theatre in Washington, D.C., the special follows his earlier Netflix stand-up shows “The Vagabond” (2018) and “Mohammed in Texas” (2021).

In “Wild World,” Amer will deliver a timely and personal hour of comedy that weaves together his Palestinian heritage, the life-changing experience of becoming a father and sharp-witted commentary on the Transportation Security Administration, said Netflix.

Amer also co-created and stars in the acclaimed Netflix comedy-drama “Mo,” which follows the life of a Palestinian refugee in the US. The award-winning, semi-autobiographical series returned in January with its second and final season.

In an interview with Arab News before the release of his TV show “Mo,” Amer said, “Making money is great, and I want to make what I can, but it’s about telling great stories. I’m less concerned about money and more concerned about punching above my weight. Creating a masterpiece is a worthy trek. That’s how I feel. That’s where I’m at right now with my stand-up and my TV show.”

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Before his new special premieres, Amer will appear at the Riyadh Comedy Festival, where he is performing for one day only on Oct. 7 at the Sef Arena in Boulevard City. He will also return to this year’s Dubai Comedy Festival, where he will perform two shows a day on Oct. 9 and 10.
 


Sarah Taibah stars in campaign for US luxury jewelry house

Sarah Taibah stars in campaign for US luxury jewelry house
Updated 22 September 2025

Sarah Taibah stars in campaign for US luxury jewelry house

Sarah Taibah stars in campaign for US luxury jewelry house

DUBAI: Ƶ actress and filmmaker Sarah Taibah has nabbed a role in a social media campaign for US luxury jewelry house Tiffany & Co.

The actress shared a post on her Instagram account, in which she goes about her day adorned in various pieces by Tiffany & Co.

“Sketchbook in hand, eternal sunshine of a stormy mind, and days rarely slow down. Absolutely in (love) with HardWear by @Tiffanyandco, it’s been my little talisman throughout,” she captioned the short clip.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

The HardWear collection draws on a design from 1962, according to the brand.

“HardWear is an expression of love’s transformative strength. Like New York, the city in which it was born, the collection embodies an enduring resilience and ability to be free,” the label wrote on its website.

The collection features necklaces, bracelets and earrings with interlocked links, veering into a more industrial aesthetic than the dainty jewelry the house is known for.

Taibah shows off a pair of diamond encrusted earrings, along with a necklace and watch from the collection that was handcrafted in Switzerland.

Taibah shot to fame for her show “Jameel Jeddan,” the first local production that was wholly created and starred in by a Ƶ woman.

The plot of the 2022 release was anything but typical. Strong-headed Jameel wakes up from a five-year coma and is forced to finish her last year in high school and rejoin an unfamiliar society.

As a coping mechanism, she begins to experience glitches in the form of an animated alternative reality.

Taibah is working on an offbeat Saudi romcom “A Matter of Life and Death,” which she wrote. The film is being directed by Anas Batahaf and will star Taibah and Yaqoub Al-Farhan.

Her collaboration with Tiffany & Co. is not the first time she has worked with a global luxury brand.

In February, Spanish fashion house Loewe unveiled a Ramadan campaign directed by Lebanese-Sudanese auteur Dana Boulos and starring Taibah and Ƶ Olympic rower Husein Alireza.

The cast included Omani artist Mays Almoosawi, Kuwaiti visual artist Najd Al-Taher, Emirati film director Sarah Al-Hashimi, Kuwaiti DJ Cascou and Bahraini contemporary artist Salman Al-Najem.