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The Japanese action-comedy film 'Ghost Killer' presents a unique blend of supernatural elements and high-octane action. Akari Takaishi stars as Fumika, a college student and part-time waitress who, after picking up a bullet casing, becomes connected to the ghost of Kudo, a recently murdered hired assassin.Kudo's ghost inhabits Fumika's body, allowing him to use her as a karate-chopping, gun-slinging martial arts vessel to right wrongs and avenge his own murder. This setup enables the film to deliver thrilling action sequences, showcasing fisticuffs and fancy fight choreography.Director Kensuke Sonomura, who previously worked on the successful 'Baby Assassins' franchise, brings his expertise in action direction to the film. Takaishi, who collaborated with Sonomura on 'Baby Assassins,' demonstrates her charisma and impressive range as Fumika, convincingly portraying both her vulnerability and deadly efficiency when possessed by Kudo.The film's script, written by Yugo Sakamoto, balances action with meaningful themes, including women's rights and the fight against male aggression. Notably, Fumika's character is presented in a practical and empowering way, often wearing tracksuit trousers, a puffer coat, and a knitted beanie, avoiding objectification.'Ghost Killer' is set to release on digital platforms from April 6, offering a fresh take on the action-comedy genre with its blend of supernatural intrigue and martial arts excitement.

The 2000 film 'The Beach', directed by Danny Boyle and starring Leonardo DiCaprio, evokes a sense of nostalgia and adventure in its viewers. The movie follows Richard, a young traveler who embarks on a journey to discover a hidden beach in Thailand, symbolizing the pursuit of freedom and the unknown. At its core, 'The Beach' is about living wildly and embracing uncertainty, a theme that resonates with many travelers. The film's protagonist, Richard, is driven by a desire to escape the monotony of daily life and find something more meaningful. This sentiment is echoed in the film's iconic soundtrack, which features tracks like 'Porcelain' by Moby. However, the film also critiques the impact of mass tourism on local environments and cultures. The movie's portrayal of a utopian island community, led by the enigmatic Sal (played by Tilda Swinton), ultimately unravels into chaos, highlighting the fragility of idealistic worlds. The article's author reflects on the film's enduring appeal, noting that it continues to inspire a sense of wanderlust and adventure in viewers. Despite its dated CGI and mixed reviews, 'The Beach' remains a beloved film that captures the raw spirit of travel and exploration. In a poignant twist, the real-life beach where the film was shot is now overrun with tourists, serving as a testament to the film's prophetic commentary on the consequences of unchecked tourism.

Gianna, a 23-year-old Camden-based artist, has released her debut EP 'Behind the Wings', which blends polished boho-pop with elements of trip-hop and Balkan folk. Her music is reminiscent of early 2000s Nelly Furtado and All Saints. Gianna's songs are bright and effervescent, making a strong case for the revival of coffee-shop pop.Other notable new tracks include:Nia Archives – Danger: A UK junglist's return with a catchy playground chant acronym and swerving beats.deBasement – Aftermarket Bass (ft Nikki Nair): Fuzzed-out dancefloor bass and commanding icy vocals.Downtown Boys – No Me Jodas: Rhode Island punks return with an expanded sound, blending spit-and-sawdust squall with doom.Brennan Wedl and Waxahatchee – Six O’Clock News: A beautiful essay on outlaw love, combining Lucinda Williams and Sheryl Crow styles.Empress Of – Dream House: Sweet, shuffling R&B; offering to her family, whose home burned down in the Altadena fires.Lee “Scratch” Perry and Mouse on Mars – Rockcurry: Lee “Scratch” Perry's final sessions with a German electronic duo, producing synth-winking music.Khun Narin Electric Phin Band – Poet Wong Pt 1 (เปิดวง ตอน 1): Serene, intricate, psychedelic, and pulverising music from a marching band in northern Thailand.Subscribe to the Guardian's rolling Add to Playlist selections on Spotify or transfer it to Apple, Tidal, or other services.

Katie Payne's raw and raucous one-woman play, 'My Mix(ed-Up) Tape', is a vivid and pacy exploration of a young woman's return to her Welsh roots for a cousin's wedding. Payne plays Phoebe, a complex and troubled character, navigating her past and present with fury and vulnerability.Directed by Stef O'Driscoll, the production is a tour-de-force performance that zips between characters and emotions, tackling weighty themes such as feeling left behind, failure, and the consequences of violence. The play's sharp edge is evident in its portrayal of Phoebe's struggles and her ultimate recognition of her anger as a human emotion.The production features a dynamic DJ set by DJ Onai, which soundtracks the night and adds to the play's energetic and immersive atmosphere. With its breakneck speed and wildly distinct physicality and voices, 'My Mix(ed-Up) Tape' is a must-see for theatre enthusiasts.

Legendary musician Paul McCartney has unveiled his 18th solo album, titled The Boys of Dungeon Lane. The album's title is a nod to the route from Liverpool to the Speke shoreline, an area where McCartney spent his early childhood. Described as McCartney's most introspective album to date, The Boys of Dungeon Lane offers 'a collection of rare and revealing glimpses into memories never-before shared, along with some newly inspired love songs'. The musical styles on the album span McCartney's entire career, including 'Wings-style rock, Beatles-style harmonies, McCartney-style grooves, understated intimacy, melody-driven storytelling, character songs'. The lead single, Days We Left Behind, references Dungeon Lane and was debuted on BBC Radio Merseyside. McCartney, 83, shared that the song is 'very much a memory song for me', reflecting on his days in Liverpool and his friendship with John Lennon. The album was produced by Andrew Watt and features 14 tracks, including As You Lie There, Lost Horizon, and Ripples in a Pond. McCartney and Watt worked on the album between dates on McCartney's five-year global tour, in studios in Los Angeles and Sussex. The Boys of Dungeon Lane is credited solely to McCartney, following the style of his 1970 solo debut McCartney and its 1980 counterpart McCartney II. The album promises to offer listeners a glimpse into a world that existed before the Beatles, 'offering memories never previously shared and revealing, with extraordinary honesty, the human story behind a global icon'.

Classical music has long struggled to find relevance and impact in modern times, but a surprising solution may have been found in the form of a blue heeler puppy. Bluey, the Australian cartoon for children of all ages, has become a global phenomenon with over 45 billion minutes watched in the US alone and over 1 billion streams of its albums and soundtracks. The show's music, composed by Joff Bush, is a key factor in its success. Bush's soundtrack is remarkably diverse, incorporating a wide range of genres, including classical music. He seamlessly weaves in classical pieces from renowned composers like Bach, Beethoven, Mozart, and Holst, making them an integral part of the show's narrative. One notable example is the use of Mozart's Rondo alla Turca in the show's first episode, Magic Xylophone. This introduction to classical music is not done in a forced or condescending way; instead, Bush uses these pieces to enhance the emotional impact of each scene. For instance, Holst's Jupiter from The Planets is used in the Sleepytime episode to create a cosmic journey for Bingo. The new Bluey album, Up Here, continues this trend, featuring a three-and-a-half-minute orchestral tone-poem on the Bluey theme tune. This piece serves as a Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra for 2026, introducing listeners to various musical sections and instruments. The album also includes quotes and transformations of famous classical pieces, such as Mozart's Eine Kleine Nachtmusik and Vivaldi's Spring from The Four Seasons. Bush's approach to incorporating classical music into Bluey is refreshing and effective. Unlike previous cartoons that used classical music to parody or mock its elitist pretensions, Bluey presents these pieces in a joyful and organic way. This approach has the potential to introduce classical music to billions of listeners worldwide, making it a significant development in the classical music landscape.

Irvine Welsh's cult classic novel Trainspotting is to be reimagined as a musical, with its West End debut scheduled for July at the Theatre Royal Haymarket in London. The musical adaptation, also titled Trainspotting, will be a collaboration between Welsh and composer Stephen McGuinness.Welsh's 1993 debut novel has already been adapted into a film and a play, and has spawned several sequels and soundtrack albums. The musical will feature a mix of original songs and tracks from Danny Boyle's 1996 film adaptation, including Iggy Pop's 'Lust for Life'.“It wasn’t the most obvious book to be successful,” Welsh noted. “And it wasn’t the most obvious movie or stage play to be successful. It’s confounded expectations – especially my own.”The story follows four friends struggling with addiction and crime in Edinburgh. Welsh cited musicals like West Side Story, Oliver! and Rent as examples of successful adaptations of complex, serious material.The musical will include a couple of new characters and contextual material from Welsh's 2012 prequel, Skagboys. Robbie Scott, 26, will play the lead role of Mark Renton, marking his West End debut.“It’s got real sass and vigour in the way the actors spark off against each other,” Welsh said. “I’m really looking forward to an audience seeing it.”

Raye's sophomore album, 'This Music May Contain Hope', is a bold, 73-minute concept album divided into four sections. The album tells the story of an emotional breakdown caused by romantic woe, online criticism, and a troubling call from her grandmother.The album features a wide range of musical styles, from retro soul to swing-era jazz, house music, and show tunes. Raye's soprano is occasionally deployed in distinctly operatic style, while her vocals take on the careful enunciation of a musical theatre star.The album boasts rococo orchestration reminiscent of Hollywood's golden era, with guest stars like Al Green and Hans Zimmer. While the album occasionally feels like A Bit Much, its highlights are 'skyscraping,' with tracks like 'Nightingale Lane' and 'Beware … the South London Loverboy' showcasing Raye's incredible vocal range and genre-bending style.Despite some flaws, the album pays off more often than it fails, making it a rare event in the 21st-century music scene: a wildly ambitious and fascinatingly messy miscellany of ideas that refuses to be pigeonholed.

Huw Marc Bennett's third album, Heol Las (Blue Street), takes traditional tunes from Glamorgan and submerges them in languid arrangements, touched by global influences and woozy doses of surf rock and sitar. The album thrums with a fitting beauty and energy, as it drifts from the industrial valleys to the Gower peninsula.The album features synthesiser-driven tracks such as Cân Gwasael (Wassail Song) and Yr Abaty (The Abbey), which sound like lost library-music theme tunes for spooky children's TV dramas. Other tracks, such as Y Fedwen (The Birch), are like sparkling radio-friendly nuggets of lost Sain Records psychedelia.Bennett's album also explores themes of Welsh heritage and identity, with Angela Christofilou adding lyrics inspired by Bennett's nieces being the first generation in his family to experience Welsh-medium education. The album is a revitalising and revelatory blend of Wales's past and future.Other notable albums out this month include Joshua Burnside's It's Not Going to Be Okay, Akkajee's Pölynkerääjä (The Dust Collector), and the Weaving's Dlúth & Inneach (Warp & Weft).