Finish him! ‘Mortal Kombat’ stars reflect on bringing hugely popular game to life

The cinema adaptation of much-loved video game Mortal Kombat recently hit the silver screen. (Warner Bros. Pictures)
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Updated 21 April 2021
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Finish him! ‘Mortal Kombat’ stars reflect on bringing hugely popular game to life

LOS ANGELES: The cinema adaptation of much-loved video game Mortal Kombat recently hit the silver screen — and fans can breathe a sigh of relief as it’s a fairly faithful take on the hugely popular game in that the plot and characters are mostly an excuse to string together a series of fight scenes.

For action fans and players of the famously gory fighting games — which featured the ominous and oft-quoted phrase “Finish Him” just before violent wins — while not flawless, the movie is a victory.

“A lot of people grew up with these iconic video games and these pop culture icons,” said Ludi Lin who plays series mainstay Liu Kang. “The more I grow the more I learn that I’m still a kid inside. I think a lot of adults pretend to be someone that they’re not. So, I want these characters and this story to tell people that ‘your childhood actually meant something.’”

The film features several of the franchise’s iconic characters testing their might in a tournament to defend Earth and earns its audience, and its R-rating, with its fight scenes, choreographed and expertly executed by experienced stunt performers, including members the Jackie Chan Stunt Team, a group of stuntmen and martial artists who work alongside the legendary actor.

“All the actors or most of them in this film have extensive martial arts training,” Max Huang, who plays fighter Kung Lao, told Arab News. “Acting or stunts, that’s all part of the whole process in order to create a great film. So having an understanding of creating action definitely helped me to then be in front of the camera and pull off certain types of movements.”

The cast is noteworthy not only for its fighting ability but also for mostly featuring actors of Asian descent — a definite positive in Hollywood, where filmmakers have long been accused of whitewashing.  

“It familiarizes people with the culture of who we are and with seeing us in a different light… we are telling and controlling the storyline,” said Lewis Tan, who portrays series newcomer Cole Young. “I think that that will have an ever-lasting impact eventually, but there’s obviously a lot more that needs  to be done.”


Amina Muaddi joins starry front row at Jacquemus show

Updated 21 sec ago
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Amina Muaddi joins starry front row at Jacquemus show

DUBAI/ PARIS: Jordanian Romanian footwear designer Amina Muaddi joined the celebrity guest list at Sunday’s Jacquemus show during Paris Fashion Week for menswear.

The show took place on the final day of menswear fashion week at Versailles.

Muaddi, who showed off a casual monochrome look, was joined by the likes of Camila Alves McConaughey and her Hollywood actor husband Matthew McConaughey. South Korean singer Kim Hong Joong was on hand as US actress Emma Roberts also made an appearance.

Camila Alves McConaughey and Matthew McConaughey pose outside the Jacquemus show. (Getty Images)

Jacquemus has long attracted a cult celebrity following, with many glittering names attending its shows.

The spectacle of celebrity is a trend that dominated the global fashion industry this season — eclipsing fabric, form and even the wildest silhouettes.

In a year marked by global anxiety and a hunger for fantasy, star power flooded Paris Fashion Week, turning runways into gladiator arenas where A-list icons, K-pop idols and digital megastars became the main event.

Beyonce and Jay-Z didn’t just attend Louis Vuitton’s blockbuster show — they became the show.

As they swept into the Pompidou Center, cameras flashed and phones shot skyward. Before the first look even hit the runway, images of the couple ricocheted across the globe. K-pop idols like J-Hope and Jackson Wang livestreamed their arrival to millions, while crowds outside flooded social feeds with every glimpse of a star.

As the industry’s spring season wrapped up Sunday, it’s clear: Fashion’s global audience is focused less on what’s worn and more on who’s wearing it.

This interplay between celebrity and fashion is hardly new, but in 2025, the desire for escapism and star-driven spectacle is peaking like never before.

“It’s about celebrity clickbait, and it’s at a tipping point now. Celebrities have replaced the designers and stylists as the tastemakers,” said Anna Barr, a fashion magazine editor who attended shows.

Beyonce's appearance this week encapsulated a truth that every major brand — from Louis Vuitton to Dior, Hermès to Saint Laurent — now understands: The real front row isn’t in Paris, but on Instagram, TikTok and Weibo. And nothing sells quite like a star.

What once was a private preview for buyers and editors is now a worldwide entertainment event. Designers don’t just stage shows — they produce spectacles.


Review: ‘Holes’ is a prime example of quiet, impactful storytelling

Updated 7 min 11 sec ago
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Review: ‘Holes’ is a prime example of quiet, impactful storytelling

DHAHRAN: Saudi film “Holes” continues to make its mark with screenings at film festivals around the world. The quietly arresting drama follows Rakan, a man in his mid-40s, as he returns to his hometown to be with his wife, Reem. He struggles to re-enter a society that no longer trusts him — and one that he also does not fit into.

The film starts with a literal clock — which we don’t see — persistently ticking in the otherwise vacant interior of a residence, the loud but constant sound in the midst of silence sets the tone.

With a fiery but contained temper, eyes welling with sadness, we find out that Rakan is prone to fits of rage. He is portrayed as only having a soft spot for his aging mother and his wife, all while dodging men from his past who haunt him.

The film doesn’t linger on the specifics — there are many gaping holes in the story. Instead, it centers on how the weight of reputation, judgment and suffocating silence shapes a person trying to begin again.

It stars Mariam Abdulrahman and Meshal Almutairi and was produced by Ayman Alnaqeeb and Abdulrahman Altikhais.

Abdulmohsen Aldhabaan, the director of “Holes,” is an independent Saudi writer and filmmaker. He co-founded Talashi Films in 2008 and has directed several shorts and a TV series.

Aldhabaan‘s debut feature film, “Last Visit” (2019), gained international recognition, becoming the first Arab film selected for the East of the West Competition at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival. It also earned the Jury Award at the Marrakech International Film Festival.

With “Holes,” Aldhabaan continues his signature style of quiet, impactful storytelling marked by restraint and emotional depth.

In “Holes,” Aldhabaan crafts a slow, thoughtful narrative. Rather than relying on heavy dialogue or exposition, the film builds its emotional landscape through atmosphere — solitary walks at night, avoiding tiny puddles in the alleyways, prolonged pauses and distant glances — to explore isolation and inner conflict. The pacing may feel slow to some, but it seems deliberate — offering space for reflection and tension to build.

A persistent image in the film is a literal hole in the wall of Rakan and Reem’s new home. It is never ignored but also never fixed, and that choice is telling. At one point, it gushes water as Reem tries to stuff pretty-colored cloths to stop it — to no avail. It floods their bedroom and the couple tries to contain it together.

The hole becomes a powerful metaphor representing wounds that haven’t healed, things left unresolved, and the parts of a life that remain open to scrutiny or misunderstanding. It defines the space around it — the hole is a character all its own.


Em Sherif Art Foundation reimagines global restaurants as cultural hubs

Updated 29 June 2025
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Em Sherif Art Foundation reimagines global restaurants as cultural hubs

DUBAI: With 24 outposts around the world, the minds behind Lebanese restaurant Em Sherif are keenly aware of their responsibility when it comes to sharing the country’s culinary culture with international audiences.

Now, they are taking things one step further with the launch of the Em Sherif Art Foundation that aims to provide increased visibility for artists through restaurants — in Doha, Monaco, London, Paris and Dubai, among other cities — which are being reimagined as cultural hubs.

Earlier this year, the Em Sherif Cafe in Paris showcased the work of Lebanese photographer Ziad Antar, and part of the initiative sees diners at all Em Sherif locations presented with three menus — a food menu, a drinks menu and an art menu — inviting guests to engage with the evolving story of contemporary Lebanese art.

'Kiev' (2024) by Ziad Antar at Em Sherif Cafe in Paris. (Supplied)

Em Sherif CEO and co-founder of the art foundation, Dani Chakour, spoke to Arab News about the cultural initiative.

“The art menu is not intended for commercial or financial purposes. Rather, it serves as a curated catalogue that showcases the artworks currently on display,” he said.

The decision to focus exclusively on Lebanese artists was intentional, Chakour added.

'Potato Portraits' (2025) by Ziad Antar at Em Sherif Cafe in  Paris. (Supplied)

“In Lebanon, it is often the private sector that drives meaningful cultural and artistic initiatives, as government support for the arts remains limited. Through this foundation, we aim to be an added value for our artists, helping them gain the visibility and recognition they deserve on a global scale.

“We need active public-sector involvement: We need more art fairs, modern infrastructure, supportive tariffs and dedicated museums. Without this foundational support, our artists will continue to be overlooked, despite their remarkable talent,” he said.

Chakour, who has a personal collection of more than 600 artworks, spotlighted celebrated names in the international art industry who he says benefited from working abroad.

“Huguette Caland, Gibran Khalil Gibran, Etel Adnan, Mona Hatoum, Walid Raad, Yvette Ashkar, Amin Maalouf, they are some of Lebanon’s most celebrated names. But what do they all have in common? They each spent the majority of their careers abroad, in environments that offered the right ecosystems … this is not a reflection of a lack of talent in Lebanon. On the contrary, it’s a reflection of what’s missing structurally; the institutional support, the infrastructure, the public funding, the museums, the cultural policies and the global exposure.

“At Em Sherif Art Foundation, we’re driven by a mission to help bridge that gap — to create opportunities within and beyond Lebanon so that our artists don’t need to leave home in order to rise,” Chakour said, noting that showcases by artists Christine Safa, Willy Aractengi, Ayman Baalbaki, Hussein Madi and Bibi Zogbe will be hosted in the coming months.


Palestinian solidarity takes center stage at Glastonbury

Updated 29 June 2025
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Palestinian solidarity takes center stage at Glastonbury

DUBAI: Glastonbury Festival 2025 is making headlines not just for its music, but for the powerful pro-Palestinian messages echoing across its stages and crowds.

Irish rap group Kneecap drew one of the festival’s largest crowds at the West Holts Stage. Dozens of Palestinian flags flew in the crowd as the show opened with an audio montage of news clips referring to the band’s critics and legal woes.

Mo Chara of Irish rap group Kneecap wearing a keffiyeh at Glastonbury festival. (AFP)

Between high-energy numbers that had fans forming a large mosh pit, the band members — sporting keffiyehs — led the audience in chants of “Free Palestine” and “Free Mo Chara.” They also aimed an expletive-laden chant at UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who has said he didn’t think it was “appropriate” for Kneecap to play Glastonbury.

One member wore a T-shirt emblazoned with “We Are All Palestine Action,” referencing the direct-action network that targets arms factories supplying Israel.

Earlier that day, punk duo Bob Vylan also stirred controversy with a performance that included the chant “Death to the IDF.” The statement has prompted a police investigation and sparked a broader debate over the limits of free speech in live performance.

Across the festival, Palestinian flags were visible in every direction — raised by artists, waved in the crowd, and printed on T-shirts and posters. Activist installations, including a projection mapping Gaza’s destruction, drew foot traffic near the Apocalypse Museum area, while several artists circulated an open letter calling for an immediate ceasefire.


Amira Al-Zuhair walks for AWGE in Paris

Updated 29 June 2025
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Amira Al-Zuhair walks for AWGE in Paris

DUBAI/PARIS: Saudi French model Amira Al-Zuhair hit the runway at the AWGE show as part of Paris Men's Fashion Week.

The 24-year-old model showed off an ensemble featuring a trench coat  layered over a white vest and tartan-style miniskirt by A$AP Rocky’s label.

Amira Al-Zuhair hit the runway at the AWGE show. (Getty Images)

Rapper-designer A$AP Rocky’s second fashion show was attended by his long-term partner Rihanna, who sat front row with their son Riot. His sophomore collection, titled “Obligatory Clothing,” was just (about) how you take the simple uniform or the purpose of a uniform, and how people correlate that to profession, lifestyle and everything,” Rocky said after the show, according to WWD.

The show was a riot of color, with its precision tailoring praised by a number of fashion critics.

Rihanna sat front row with her son Riot. (Getty Images)

It came as colors ran wild and silhouettes softened at Paris Men's Fashion Week, which ended Sunday, as designers brought a rare breath of fresh air to a gloomy fashion climate.

Despite the economic turbulence affecting the luxury sector, this Fashion Week was a “shot of creativity that felt incredibly good,” Alice Feillard, men's buying director at Galeries Lafayette, told AFP.

The Spring/Summer 2026 season “is much more creative than the previous ones, which were a bit duller”, said Adrien Communier, the fashion editor at GQ France.

Both experts observed a more relaxed vibe, with Feillard pointing to “good humor” and “optimism,” while Communier noted a “lighter mood.”

“With so many debuts, there was a sense of renewal. And so, I found that people were more curious,” he added.

After a notable women's show in March, Julian Klausner made waves Thursday with his first menswear show for Dries Van Noten, while Jonathan Anderson's long-awaited debut at Dior drew applause on Friday.

A renewed burst of creativity lit up the runways, most visibly through bold color choices. Brown tones and pastels made way for a richer, more saturated palette for next summer.

Saint Laurent opened the week with violet, navy, orange and moss green, while Pharrell Williams at Louis Vuitton channeled Indian motifs and hues.

Dries Van Noten made a splash with bold fuchsia and blood red, while Kenzo exploded with candy pink, aquatic blue and chick yellow.