Latest news with #DavidYates
Daily Record
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Record
Harry Potter film with 96% rating dubbed 'perfect as entire franchise ranked
The Harry Potter films are a mix of fantasy and adventure, and we've ranked all 10 of them from best to worst, according to their Rotten Tomatoes scores - so you can see how they stack up Author J.K. Rowling is in the spotlight once more for her controversial views on the trans community, this time drawing criticism from Stephen Fry – the voice behind all seven Harry Potter audiobooks – who has labelled her a "lost cause". Despite the controversy surrounding its creator, the Harry Potter film series has continued to fare well. And now all the movies, including the less-celebrated Fantastic Beasts spin-offs, have been ranked by Rotten Tomatoes, with some doing better than others. Topping the list as the most acclaimed adaptation is Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, hailed as a fitting adieu to the cherished magical realm by both critics and fans alike. At the opposite end of the spectrum sits the 2018 release, Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald, which failed to win over many viewers, reports the Express. Below is the Rotten Tomatoes ranking of the Harry Potter films, from the highest to lowest rated Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (2011) Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 96% Helmed by director David Yates One critic perfectly captured the sentiment towards the final instalment, stating: "For a grand finale to a truly epic, good-natured franchise, this is a perfect goodbye that's very hard to beat." Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004) Rotten Tomatoes rating: 96% Directed by Alfonso Cuarón The third instalment in the Harry Potter film series garnered effusive accolades from reviewers, particularly lauding Cuarón's contribution: "Prisoner of Azkaban is a standout entry in the Harry Potter franchise - it establishes an effective tone under Alfonso Cuarón's stellar direction." Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2005) Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 88% Directed by Mike Newell Describing the fourth film, a succinct Wall Street Journal critique exclaimed: "It's downright scary how good this movie is." Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2009) Rotten Tomatoes rating: 83% In the directorial hands of David Yates One reviewer's insight into the penultimate Harry Potter chapter spoke volumes: "The strangest thing about the new Harry Potter movie is not that it's unusually good, which it is, but that it unequivocally illustrates just how poorly we've been served by the previous five instalments in the franchise." Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002) Rotten Tomatoes rating: 82% Helmed by Chris Columbus Columbus' second venture into the wizarding world was met with observations of progress: "Director Chris Columbus has pushed the envelope farther, made a sequel that is pacier and more swashbuckling. Yet it still feels cautious and reined-in." Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (2001) Rotten Tomatoes rating: 80% The first foray with Chris Columbus at the helm. Critics were unanimously taken by Harry Potter's initial cinematic adventure, noting: "The quickest, zappiest two and a half hours of entertainment you'll ever see." Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007) Rotten Tomatoes rating: 78% Directed by David Yates, the fifth instalment in the Potter series didn't quite live up to expectations, with one critic bluntly stating: "Brought me straight back to one of the most enduring of childhood feelings: boredom." Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 (2010) also saw Yates at the helm Rotten Tomatoes rating: 77% The seventh film received its fair share of criticism as one reviewer observed: "The trouble with Harry, as becomes clear from this seventh and penultimate installment, is not that we have lost the plot -- the film is as tangled and as corkscrewed as Bonham Carter's hair -- but that we are in danger of losing everything else." Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (2016), another Yates-directed venture, struggled to impress, with a commentator noting: "The film strains considerably under the weight of all its plot lines-it's never fun to be the movie with the origin story." Rotten Tomatoes rating: 74% The subsequent Fantastic Beasts instalment, Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore (2022), directed by Yates too, faced similar critique. Rotten Tomatoes rating: 46% A disappointed reviewer remarked: "Even taken on its own merits, it's a case of a sequel too far. There's no getting away from the fact that, without Harry Potter, this (movie) doesn't seem to know where to go." Furthermore, the prior Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald (2018) had also seen Yates in the director's chair. With a disappointing 36% rating, The Crimes of Grindelwald sits at the bottom of the Harry Potter series, receiving a drubbing from both critics and cinema-goers alike. One reviewer described it as: "About as exciting as a trip to Hogwarts's most neglected lavatory." For those in the UK looking for a magical fix, the complete Harry Potter collection is now on Netflix, ready for streaming. Across the pond, US folks can find all the Harry Potter films up for rent on Amazon Prime Video.
Yahoo
09-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Sen. David Yates launches campaign for Jefferson County clerk
Democratic state Sen. David Yates launched his 2026 campaign for Jefferson County clerk at the Roots 101 African American Museum on June 9. Yates, who has represented District 37 since 2021 and currently serves as the state Senate minority whip, said he is running for the position because it presents an "opportunity to better serve my people and get them real, genuine results and propel Jefferson County to be a leader for the nation." County clerks are responsible for overseeing elections and maintaining official records, among other responsibilities. The current Jefferson County clerk is Republican Bobbie Holsclaw, who first stepped into the local office in 1998. In announcing his campaign, Yates said, "We want to make sure that we have the very best processes in place, best practices, so that we're not only leading for the Commonwealth of Kentucky, but for the nation." Prior to serving in the Kentucky Senate, Yates held a seat on the Louisville Metro Council from 2010 through 2020. He is also a practicing attorney and maintains a law office in downtown Louisville. Former Metro Council president and current Deputy Mayor David James spoke in support of Yates' campaign, calling him an "extremely compassionate person." "David has led the Metro Council through a lot of hard times and times where he had to really work with others across the aisle, many times, in order to get things accomplished," James said. Democrats currently hold a super minority in the state Senate, with six of the body's 38 seats. When asked if it's been difficult to get legislation passed as a member of the minority party and whether that influenced his decision to run for county clerk, Yates said the office presents an opportunity to "have a very large and big impact on my hometown." "I know that being part of a super minority is tough sometimes, but if you look at the record, I actually did get several bills passed, bipartisan bills and amendments to things over and over again, and I felt like I was being successful in leadership there," Yates said. Yates isn't the only Democrat in the race. Rosalind 'Roz' Welch, vice-chair of the Louisville Democratic Party, also recently announced her candidacy. A Louisville native, who lived in Lexington for several years before returning home, Welch said her background in guest services and customer relations, along with her ties to the local political scene, would give her the 'expertise' needed to succeed as county clerk. Her priorities, she said, include improving communication with Jefferson County residents so they understand services provided by the county clerk, ensuring personal information is secure and opening a clerk's office closer to the Watterson Expressway corridor. 'The work that is happening in the clerk's office is monumental, and we need somebody in there that not only understands the work but understands the people and understands the guest-facing part of this work so that we can get the job done,' she said. Reporter Lucas Aulbach contributed to this report. Reach reporter Hannah Pinski at hpinski@ or follow her on X, formerly known as Twitter, at @hannahpinski. This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Kentucky state Sen. David Yates to run for Jefferson County clerk
Yahoo
30-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Kentucky Senate Democratic leader prepares a run for local office
Sen. David Yates, D-Louisville. (Kentucky Lantern photo by Isabella Sepahban) A Kentucky Senate Democratic leader is preparing to run for local office in Jefferson County. A campaign website and social media account for Sen. David Yates, the Democratic Whip from Louisville, were updated Friday to reflect his plans to run for Jefferson County clerk next year. His website now has a campaign kick-off scheduled for Monday, June 9, with appearances by Louisville area Democrats, including U.S. Rep. Morgan McGarvey and former U.S. Rep. John Yarmuth. Yates' updated website comes on the heels of another Democratic senator leaving the caucus. Sen. Robin Webb, of Grayson, changed her party affiliation Friday to join the Republican Party. Bobbie Holsclaw, the Jefferson County clerk since 1998, is an elected Republican in Louisville, a Kentucky city where voters tend to favor Democrats. She faced some criticism after the November election following an issue with e-poll books that delayed lines early in the day. Democrats sued to keep the polls open longer in the day, but a Jefferson Circuit judge denied their emergency request. Yates' campaign did not immediately return an emailed request for comment. An attorney, Yates was elected to the Senate in 2020. He won reelection in November for the 37th Senate District, taking more than 60% of the vote in the general election. Yates isn't the first Democrat to announce a candidacy against Holsclaw. Rosalind 'Roz' Welch, a long time election worker, entered the race Thursday. Democrats hold six seats in the Kentucky Senate. Republicans have 32.
Daily Mirror
27-05-2025
- Sport
- Daily Mirror
OPINION: A new marketing drive to promote horse racing ignores one big thing
David Yates says the "Going Is Good" campaign is wholesome but should have looked gambling right in the eye RACING has launched its latest marketing drive - and there's something missing. The Great British Racing campaign, which will run through the summer with the aim of attracting more people to the sport, is called The Going Is Good and is funded to the tune of £3.62m by the Levy Board. A chorus of voices in a 40-second video released last week painted the thrill of a day at the races. 'Hey, girl!' starts the clip, before telling us 'the girls' all got ready 'under one roof' and ended the day 'dancing in our heels - we haven't had a singalong like that in a long time'. A male contributor, meanwhile, informs that 'Hollie Doyle rides - and she's in great form'. And that's as close was we get to the activity that got the vast majority of us into racing - betting. The Going Is Good is guilty of the same omission - at least so far - as all the similar ventures that preceded it. Given that the harm done by gambling to a very small percentage of the population is never far from the news, the reason is obvious. But ignoring the umbilical link between racing and punting makes no sense. It's a relationship that stretches back centuries and, without betting, racing would be nothing like the professional sport we enjoy today. When I took my first job in racing, 'doing the board' - look it up if you're lucky enough to be under 50 years of age - in a Bedford betting shop in 1987, horseracing was the dominant sport when it came to bookmaker turnover. But its share of the pie gets smaller, year on year, and football now holds sway. Many of the punters who bet on football have never had any interest in racing. Surely that's a market we should be aiming at, in addition to - if not at the expense of - the great-day-out brigade? I'm not writing this to rubbish The Going Is Good initiative. I am lucky enough to learn my living from horseracing and hope against hope that it succeeds. The wholesomeness of their initial offering is all very well, but the marketeers have to look gambling in the eye. Betting business is booming - every time you check an odds-comparison site, there's a new firm listing its prices. And we need to harness that bond with gambling, rather than pretending it doesn't exist.
Khaleej Times
18-03-2025
- Business
- Khaleej Times
UAE: Up to Dh1-million fine, jail for sharing prohibited content on social media
UAE residents who post and share anti-social and morally unethical content on social media that goes against the country's tolerance and co-existence policy could face up to Dh1 million fine and imprisonment, say lawyers. Under the UAE law, an individual who shares, reposts, or distributes prohibited content is considered equally responsible as the original poster. UAE's National Media Office (NMO) this week said social media users in the UAE must uphold national values and the principles of respect, tolerance, and coexistence. It warned against content that disrespects national symbols, public figures, or friendly nations and their societies. Those who violate the law could face administrative fines ranging from Dh1,000 to Dh1 million, which can be doubled to Dh2 million for repeated violations; temporary closure of violating media establishments for up to 6 months (subject to renewal); permanent closure for unlicensed media institutions; and cancellation of licenses, permits, or approvals, under the Federal Decree-Law No. 55 of 2023 concerning Media Regulation and Cabinet Resolution No. (68) of 2024 Concerning the Executive Regulation for Federal Decree-Law No. (55) of 2023 Regulating the Media. 'This applies to persons, establishments, or media institutions involved in the violation. Violators may be required to pay the expenses and costs of removing and remedying the damages resulting from the violation, if they do not remove it themselves,' Fatma Al Zadjali, associate, digital and data at Al Tamimi & Company, told Khaleej Times. Social media usage is very popular in the UAE among both expats and nationals. On average, each resident owns more than one social media account on popular platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, X, TikTok and others. A survey of UAE's Gen Z and Millennials by research firm Toluna revealed that YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok dominate their daily interactions on social media, while Facebook continues to maintain strong engagement. A person who shares the content is equally responsible as those who post it under UAE social media laws, according to David Yates, partner, digital and data at Al Tamimi & Company. 'In practice, individuals who share, repost, or distribute illegal content are considered equally responsible under UAE law. Whether someone creates, forwards, or republishes prohibited material, they can face the same legal consequences as the original poster,' he said. Defamation case In addition to general media law violations, specific actions committed on social media can also lead to severe legal consequences in the UAE. 'One of the most significant offences is defamation, which is treated as a criminal matter rather than a civil one. In the UAE, defamation includes both written (libel) and verbal (slander) statements that harm someone's reputation, honour, or dignity. The penalties for defamation can be severe, with libel carrying up to 2 years in jail and/or a fine up to Dh20,000, and slander carrying up to 1 year in jail and/or a fine up to Dh20,000. Stricter penalties apply if the defamation is aimed at public servants, damages family honour, or is published in newspapers or printed materials,' Fatma said. True statements can be defamatory also The UAE's Federal Decree by Law No. 34 of 2021 on Countering Rumors and Cybercrimes specifically criminalises defamation through online platforms, including social media, with additional penalties for such actions. Defamatory statements can include false allegations of criminal activity, unfounded claims about personal or professional misconduct, and spreading false rumours. 'Even true statements can be considered defamatory if they cause humiliation or punishment within the community. Therefore, content creators must ensure their statements do not exceed 'normal limits' of criticism and do not affect the honour of individuals,' Fatma said. In addition to defamation, social media users must also be aware of the UAE's strict privacy rules, which prohibit recording or eavesdropping on private conversations, taking or sharing photos of individuals in private places without consent, and publishing private information, even if true. Violations of privacy can result in imprisonment and fines, with additional measures such as confiscation of devices and erasure of unlawfully obtained materials. The Cybercrime Law also prohibits invasion of privacy using information networks or electronic means, with penalties including imprisonment and fines. What must not be shared To ensure compliance with UAE Media Laws and maintain social harmony, UAE residents must avoid sharing content that: Respect for national symbols The UAE places great importance on respecting its national identity, symbols, and leadership. This means there is zero tolerance for those who violate their sanctity. Under UAE law, according to David, the following national symbols and elements must be treated with the highest level of respect:
