Wicked review – Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande are a blast in sugar-rush Wizard of Oz fantasy

Stephen Schwartz’s musical prequel has been brought to the big screen, with Erivo’s charismatic Elphaba exerting a planetary pull over a star-studded cast

Sergio Leone, ‘the Man with No English’, mimed directions to spaghetti western star Clint Eastwood

The Italian film-maker overcame the language barrier with his actors by using mime, as revealed in previously unseen photographs

Colm Tóibín: ‘Ireland today is a much freer place’

The Irish author on how the sequel to his bestselling novel Brooklyn was inspired by the film, life in LA, and his thoughts on Trump’s victory

In brief: Nobody’s Empire; Cocktails With George and Martha; Never: The Autobiography – review

A touching coming-of-age novel from the Belle and Sebastian singer; a blow-by-blow account of a classic film; and pop star Rick Astley’s idiosyncratic life story

On my radar: Peter Biskind’s cultural highlights

The film historian and cultural critic on his love of Gentleman Jack, why blueberries from Maine are superior, and how Tana French’s crime novels transcend genre

Post your questions for Billy Bob Thornton

The Oscar-winning actor, writer, director, musician and star of Bad Santa, Armageddon and The Man Who Wasn’t There is ready to answer your questions

The American No by Rupert Everett review – blackly comic short stories

The actor, writer and director mines his own backlog of unmade projects to create an exhilarating collection

Trailer for Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy released

Footage from the forthcoming comedy shows Renée Zellweger in her signature role for the fourth time

Paul Bailey obituary

Writer best known for the novel Gabriel’s Lament and a sympathetic biography of the brothel madam Cynthia Payne

The Guide #164: The quit list – when to give up on that book, TV show and more

They say quitters never prosper, but then what do ‘they’ really know? When we’re inundated with things to read, watch, hear and play, don’t be afraid to throw in the towel

A Game of Thrones movie may be coming – but do we really need it?

With multiple prequel shows already in production – and George RR Martin showing no signs of finishing his book series – what can a Thrones movie really add to the franchise?

Box Office Poison by Tim Robey review – Hollywood’s fascinating flops

A hilarious account of film’s most stunning failures takes in hubris, stupidity and an assortment of disastrous animals

Emma Calder obituary

Animator and illustrator whose film Beware of Trains led to a retrospective of her work in Austria in 2023

Kneecap leads nominations for British independent film awards

Belfast-set rap comedy leads the charge with 14 nominations, with Love Lies Bleeding and The Outrun close behind

David Stratton on a life reviewing films – and the one TV show he thinks is ‘pretty damn good’

The 85-year-old critic has finished his huge history of Australian cinema from 1990 to 2020 – which involved rewatching 650 films. So which beloved classic has he changed his mind about?