The Independence Day director's totally unnecessary "conspiracy theory" drama wheels out the tiresome thesis that William Shakespeare was not the author of his plays.

i Newspaper
 
TheIPaper
The Independent around the web
E-break Time
Independent Crossword

Joan Smith: It's the aristo that was the Bard – or maybe the giant lizard

Poor old William Shakespeare hasn't had much luck in movies. He didn't get his girl in the truly appalling Shakespeare in Love, and now he's about to be accused of not writing his own plays in a new Hollywood film.

Rhys Ifans to star in new James Bond film

Rhys Ifans is set to star in the next James Bond film.

DVD: Mr Nice (18)

When choosing where to file Bernard Rose's diverting take on the life of Howard Marks in your DVD collection, put it perhaps in the non-fiction section, but at the end closest to comedy.

Jackson's Way: The London Jacksathon, Gate Theatre, London

In spite of winning the 2004 Perrier Award, Will Adamsdale's show never got much of an airing in the capital, something that this Jacksathon, playing 26 London venues in 26 days, is designed to rectify.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 (12A)

Starring: Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint, Ralph Fiennes

Mr Nice, Bernard Rose, 121 mins (18)

You would have to indulge in Howard Marks's premium brand not to find this flat biopic, starring an irritating Ifan Rhys, smug and self-congratulatory

Mr Nice (18)

Based on the memoirs of Welsh drug-trafficker Howard Marks, this tale of a louche life is rather like its subject – tall, self-indulgent and rather windy. Rhys Ifans brings a scapegrace charm to the role, at least in the early days of small-town Wales and Oxford, where Marks, a capable student ("My success went completely to my head") first embraced the joys of psychotropic drugs.

DVD: Greenberg, For retail & rental (Universal)

Greenberg, Noah Baumbach's latest comedy stars Ben Stiller as a washed-up indie musician who drifts around LA, hanging out with an old bandmate (Rhys Ifans) and getting to know his brother's twentysomething PA (Greta Gerwig).

David Thewlis - The punk who got Naked to become an acting wizard

David Thewlis only took up acting to further his music career but, thanks to Mike Leigh, it took off. He tells Chris Sullivan about his new role in the Howard Marks biopic

DVD: Greenberg (15)

Roger Greenberg is prickly, paranoid and petty. It's Ben Stiller's best role since his winning "loser" in There's Something about Mary.

Hot films on cold nights: Autumn's unmissable movies

From vampires to Voldemort, Facebook to family crisis and Wall Street to Welsh drug smugglers, Ben Walsh previews a great season of cinema

Former Stereophonics drummer Stuart Cable laid to rest

Rock star Stuart Cable was laid to rest today to the raucous sound of high decibel heavy metal.

Career Services

Day In a Page

Special report: Tamil asylum-seekers to be forcibly deported

Special report

Tamil asylum-seekers to be forcibly deported
The problem with social mobility

The problem with social mobility

Politicians who say they want to break down Britain's social barriers have been told to unlock closed-shop professions – starting in their own backyard
France's sixth biggest city* goes to the polls (*that's London, by the way)

France's sixth biggest city* goes to the polls (*that's London, btw)

Next month expats in the stronghold of South Kensington will have a big say in who is returned as the first French overseas MP
Aftershock: How Haiti's quake hit the whole of Hispaniola

Aftershock: How Haiti's quake hit the whole of Hispaniola

Two years on from the disaster that shook the Caribbean state, its eastern neighbour, the Dominican Republic, fears a new wave of illegal immigrants could hurt its economy
Mean streets at the movies

Mean streets at the movies

Plan B's new film explores the urban tensions that led to last summer's riots – and he's not the only one finding cinematic inspiration in social unrest
Romney hits the magic number, but his smartphone app fails crucial spelling test

Romney hits the magic number...

... but his smartphone app fails crucial spelling test
Car-crash TV: Ferrari quits news after gaffes, rows and poor ratings

Car-crash TV: Ferrari quits news after gaffes, rows and poor ratings

Weeks after the demise of Sarkozy, the TF1 star he's said to have dated finds herself out of office too
Meet your doctor (please don't unplug it)

Meet your doctor (please don't unplug it)

Can a network of hi-tech terminals and online medics make the connection?
The 10 Best cycling gear

The 10 Best cycling gear

It’s summer, it's sunny... it’s the perfect time to get on your bike.
Song of the suicide bomber: How 'Babur in London' negotiated a cultural minefield

Song of the suicide bomber

Daring new opera 'Babur in London' features British terrorists planning an attack.
The school that brought the International Baccalaureate to the East End

Bringing the IB to the East End

The International Baccalaureate is not just for pupils in leafy suburbs.
England must beware brilliant Belgium

England must beware brilliant Belgium

They may have missed out on the Euros but the Belgians have a rash of young players who, thanks to the unifying skills of their coach, look to have a bright future
James Lawton: Liverpool must show new man the respect he needs to do the job

James Lawton

Liverpool must show new man the respect he needs to do the job
2012: the year when England's support decided to stay at home

2012: the year when England's support decided to stay at home

Three Lions will play their Euro 2012 games in front of only a few thousand of their fans
What's wrong with Rory?

What's wrong with Rory?

Is the trouble with the defending US Open champion in his head, in his swing, with his girlfriend – or is it all in the minds of others?