Cork Film Festival has launched the programme for what will be its diamond anniversary. The event last night saw the unveiling of a roster featuring some of the jewels in Leeside’s crown.

The ‘Martian Panic’ was a myth for which mainstream media was largely responsible, writes Terry Prone

MUSIC NEWS: You’ll be hearing a lot of Jamie xx in the coming weeks, with his appearance at Forbidden Fruit tomorrow coming just a day after the release of his much anticipated album, In Colour. 

By John Szwed

We’re going to Ibiza! Yes, that’s right.

Rita de Brun was a widow before 40, so she is sceptical of research that says we are happiest at any particular time. It’s different for everyone. Some people thrive later, into their 60s and 70s. We asked three celebrities in their prime if they were less or more content now.

What's on telly tonight? These shows are, and you should watch them.

I can be very lazy. I think many people who work as hard as I do can be. 

The lines "Bond, James Bond" and "He's not the Messiah. He's a very naughty boy" feature in a shortlist of favourite film quotes.

With the release this week of Philip Seymour Hoffman’s last film ‘A Most Wanted Man’, Declan Burke takes a look at the most influential spy films ever made

MUSIC NEWS: Hozier is in Mitchelstown this weekend, and has also released a video of a duet with Karen Cowley on his single ‘In A Week’ that was recorded at Kilkenny Castle.

Our pick of what’s best on the box tonight.

Vivien Leigh’s archive — including letters sent to husband Laurence Olivier and diaries written until just before the Gone With The Wind star’s death — have been acquired by London’s Victoria and Albert Museum&.

IT’S one of the oldest kickstarters of a dull dinner party: ‘What’s your favourite film, and why?’

Are you looking forward to the 'reboot' of 1991 classic Point Break? Neither are we…

Dec 21 2012 is the most eagerly-awaited date since 2000. But we’ve a history of getting it wrong, says Oliver Moore

The passing of an 86-year-old writer has sparked a lot of comment in the last couple of days.

Alfred Hitchcock’s Vertigo has climbed to the top of the British Film Institute’s poll of the greatest films ever made, dislodging Citizen Kane for the first time in 50 years.

Celebrated author, playwright and commentator Gore Vidal has died at the age of 86, his nephew said today.

The Gare St Lazare Players have brought their take on Moby Dick to its home town of New Bedford, says Gerry McCarthy

AT the moment, there’s just no stopping Michael Fassbender.

At the moment, there’s just no stopping Michael Fassbender.

AS A young boy Steven Spielberg sent his toy trains crashing into one another, filming the result on 8mm home-movie film; Orson Welles once described making movies as the biggest electric train-set a boy ever had.

PROOF that intelligent life exists elsewhere in the universe is unlikely to upset modern earthlings, an expert claimed.

Zac Efron likes to “live out his fantasies” through his movies.

Zac Efron performed such an over-the-top audition as a child that he was asked to leave the room.

ONE THIRD of Cork’s starting 15 took the bother to present themselves for press questioning on Tuesday, an unseasonally healthy number. All starters too, but it wasn’t so much the utterances as their demeanour that left a lingering sense of what can be achieved at the end of the Championship campaign.

Michael Parkinson today hit out at the television output of property programmes and police chases in the wake of the announcement that the 'South Bank Show' is to be axed.

Al Pacino is joining forces with filmmaker Michael Radford for their second shot at Shakespeare - a big screen adaptation of 'King Lear'.

Eartha Kitt, the sultry singer, dancer and actress who rose from South Carolina cotton fields to become an international symbol of elegance and sensuality, has died.

Rachel Weisz dazzled on the red carpet at the gala screening of 'The Brothers Bloom' tonight.

Mike Tyson talked about the “miracle” that he is still alive today.

Michael Parkinson fought back tears as he brought down the curtain on his talk show career.

BELGIANS were still recovering yesterday after a television channel announced in a spoof programme that the Flemish part of the country had declared independence and that Belgium was no more.

LAST week we happened to mention an old hero, one Gore Vidal — essayist, novelist, screenwriter, former homeowner in west Cork — and used one of his many bons mots in this very space.

Kilted bagpipers inspired Sean Connery to perform an impromptu jig on the Kodak Theatre stage in Los Angeles as he accepted the American Film Institute’s highest honour.

Check out the Screen Legends (Universal/Sony €35.49), each a four-disc collection on Fred Astaire, Bing Crosby, Cary Grant, Robert Redford, James Stewart and Orson Welles.

ACTRESS Alida Valli, the remaining survivor of my all-time favourite movie, The Third Man, has been finally edited out of life by that great director in the sky.

Four men have been bailed following their arrests for allegedly drenching Hollywood star Tom Cruise with water at the London premiere of his new film.

Hollywood star Tom Cruise and new fiancee Katie Holmes will be on the red carpet in London tonight for the premiere of his latest film War of the Worlds.

IT'S the question everybody's asking: when the Oscars are handed out tomorrow night, will Clint Eastwood and his Million Dollar Baby clip the wings of Martin Scorsese's The Aviator's wings and burst Sideways bubble?

DANIEL O’HERLIHY, an Oscar-nominated character actor whose 50-year career extended from the Irish stage to television and Hollywood movies, has died aged 85.

Talk show host Michael Parkinson has bowed out from the BBC, after more than 20 years with the corporation.

CHAT show host Michael Parkinson yesterday sensationally quit the BBC and defected to ITV.