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2016-36/0813/en_head.json.gz/8357 | Suicide Squad (Movie Review)
After the relatively lukewarm receptions gotten by both Man of Steel and Batman v Superman, expectations were indeed quite high for the DC Extended Universe's third entry, Suicide Squad. And just like the aforementioned films, the movie is already proving to be just as divisive among critics and audiences alike.
In the wake of the growing threat of metahumans, a high-ranking government official named Amanda Waller (Viola Davis) is given the go-ahead to assemble a task force of criminals with special abilities. Known as the Suicide Squad/Task Force X, the team is made up of Deadshot (Will Smith), Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie), Captain Boomerang (Jai Courtney), El Diablo (Jay Hernandez), Enchantress (Cara Delevinge) and Killer Croc (Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje).
It doesn't take long into the movie before one of the squad members goes rogue, and in their first field mission, the other members are tasked with securing a high-profile target from the site of the rogue member's base of operations. They are joined by their field leader, Rick Flag (Joel Kinnaman), as well as his bodyguard, Katana (Karen Fukuhara). Added into the mix is the Joker (Jared Leto), the crown prince of crime who is willing to go to any lengths to rescue a target of his own, his love interest, Harley Quinn.
Primed as being DC's offbeat take on the superhero genre, Suicide Squad was expected to infuse some much-needed humor and color into a universe many considered too dark and brooding. And on those very grounds, it succeeds. But all the color and humor in the world couldn't possibly mask a plot that was generic and derivative, or a pair of villains that simply fail to leave an impression.
On the plus side, the movie boasts strong performances by the likes of Viola Davis and Margot Robbie, as well as some killer tunes on its soundtrack. But overall, what we have here is all style and very little substance.
Michael Abayomi
Stranger Things (Season 1 Review)
This past weekend marked the debut of the Netflix original series, Stranger Things, an eight-episode miniseries with science fiction and horror trappings. Drawing inspiration from the decade it takes place in, the show is clearly a homage to the works of Steven Spielberg, John Carpenter and Stephen King. And even though the tribute to said works can feel a bit heavy-handed sometimes, it is never to the point of downright cheesiness.
Set in a small town in 1983, the story follows a group of close-knit boys as they investigate the mysterious disappearance of their friend, Will, who'd gone missing on his way home after a marathon session of Dungeons & Dragons. Their search eventually leads them to find Eleven, a young girl with supernatural abilities who'd escaped from a nearby government research facility. They form an unlikely alliance, even as their small town is plagued with "strange" happenings.
Stranger Things works on so many levels. There is that sense of mystery as we are left guessing even as we try to connect the dots. Then there is the opening music, with its electronic swells and sweet 1980s nostalgia. In terms of actors and their performances, the biggest name on the roster is Winona Ryder, who kills it as the missing boy's distraught mother. But the true standouts of the show are the child actors themselves, all of whom are interesting and more importantly believable.
My primary fear going into Stranger Things was whether or not the showrunners would be able to tie up the multiple threads of its story line, given the show's relatively low episode count. But the Duffer Brothers not only managed to do that, they've also managed to leave things just open-ended enough, should the show happen to be picked up for a second season.
I sincerely hope that it does, because I'm afraid I have grown quite attached to these kids and their small town adventures.
The Legend of Tarzan (Movie Review)
The purpose of a good trailer is to sell the movie it depicts, and I was partly sold months ago by The Legend of Tarzan's, with its over-the-top action and overall ballsiness. But the main draw for me was the movie's director, David Yates, who is best known for helming the final four Harry Potter films, as well as its upcoming prequel/spinoff, Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them.
Here, his directorial skills are used on yet another work of literary fiction, namely Tarzan of the Apes, a book that has been adapted and expanded upon more times than I care to count. And it is clear from the very beginning that he has set out to make his adaptation as far from the 1999 Disney animated film version as possible.
In fact, the movie plays like more of a sequel than an origin story, choosing to fill in the blanks with flashbacks that more often than not break the flow of the story being told. That story is of a Tarzan (Alexander Skarsgård) who has already adjusted to living in the civilized world. He is married to love interest, Jane (Margot Robbie), and has inherited the family estate, as well as taken on the name, John Clayton III. It isn't long before he is drawn to his home in the African jungle though, after he is convinced by the American emissary, George Washington Williams (Samuel L. Jackson), of a growing slave market in the region. There, he is lured into the trap of villainous Captain Léon Rom (Christoph Waltz), who seeks to deliver Tarzan to the vengeful chief of a local tribe (Djimon Hounsou) in exchange for a truckload of diamonds.
The Legend of Tarzan was plagued by pacing issues, and a script that left more to be desired in terms of character development and backstory. Also, the film's special effects pale in comparison to the impossibly high standard set by the likes of The Jungle Book and the recent Planet of the Apes movies. The result is a film that is far from essential viewing, but is still worth the price of admission.
Finding Dory (Movie Review)
A few years back, I had reviewed the 2003 Pixar animated film, Finding Nemo, as part of the 2012 Blogging from A to Z Challenge. In that review, I had remarked on how Dory had "more than stolen the show," so you can imagine my elation after I'd found out that a sequel was not only in the works, but was going to center upon everyone's favorite amnesiac blue fish. Finding Dory is that long-overdue sequel. The movie also serves as an origin story of sorts, and as such it opens with a young (and totally adorable) Dory being schooled by her parents. It isn't long before tragedy strikes, and she is soon separated from her family and left to wonder the ocean on her own. We see her transform into the Dory we know in the course of this opening sequence, and this segues beautifully into the opening from Finding Nemo, when Marlin was about to begin his search for Nemo.
Flash forward one year, and Dory is living with the reunited clownfish family. Although still struggling with her short-term memory loss, she starts having flashbacks from her childhood. This sparks an unquenchable desire to find her long-lost parents, and soon the trio are on an adventure across the Pacific to the Jewel of Morro Bay in California.
Getting there, Dory is inadvertently captured by volunteers from a rehabilitation center for marine animals, and in an all-too-familiar twist ripped straight out of the first movie, it is left to Marlin and Nemo to try rescuing her. But it is also here that things take a turn for the unexpected, as we are introduced to a colorful cast of new characters that include a pair of territorial sea lions, a nearsighted whale shark named Destiny, and the cynical seven-legged (tentacled?) Octopus, Hank.
Finding Dory is everything an animated sequel should be; it is bigger, bolder, and beautiful to behold, plus that climax is guaranteed to have you gasping for breath.
Friday, 6 May 2016
Captain America: Civil War (Movie Review)
Phase Three of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) is off to a start folks, and what an amazing start too. The Russo brothers have proven that the highly-acclaimed Captain America: The Winter Soldier was no mere fluke, and this they've done by not only delivering a worthy sequel, but arguably what is the best MCU experience I've had till date.
Notice I said experience, because as far as storytelling goes, The Winter Soldier is still the better of the two movies. Besides, nothing quite trumps the sheer exhilaration of watching the Avenger's assemble for the first time, not even last year's somewhat-bloated sequel. But as a fan of comic book movies in general, I have to say that Civil War ticks all the right boxes, in a way that the recent Batman v Superman never could.
Much like BvS, Civil Wars deals with the debate of whether or not superheroes should be held accountable for the collateral damage that invariably follows in their wake. Here, that debate gives rise to the Sokovia Accords, a UN legislation that would effectively govern when and how the Avengers can use their powers for the greater good.
Naturally, there are those that see the Accords for what it truly is (Team Captain America), and the dangers that lie ahead should they give up their full autonomy, as well as those that are overburdened by the many deaths they'd caused or were unable to prevent (Team Iron Man), and that see the Accords as some form of atonement.
Despite the presence of so many heroes, this is still a Captain America movie true and true, and at the core of the movie is his trust of his former best friend, Bucky Barnes (aka The Winter Soldier), who has been accused of being behind a deadly bombing that serves as a catalyst for the movie's central conflict. But where the movie truly excels is in the deft manner it juggles its many characters and the various subplots that they bring to the table, with newcomers Spider-Man and Black Panther being the obvious standouts.
There are so many other things I loved about Civil War, but my biggest takeaway was the opening sequence which was set in Lagos, Nigeria (or a close Hollywood approximation of it). While it would have been nice if the actual sequence had been filmed over here, it was still surprising to see that much attention to detail in a movie of this kind.
Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (Movie Review)
As far as epic showdowns go, there hasn't been one more anticipated these last couple of years than the one between the Dark Knight and the Man of Steel. So you can imagine my disappointment when the reviews started coming in and the movie was getting torn apart by critics. I’ve never been one to hop on such bandwagons, so I would try to keep this review as balanced (and of course spoiler-free) as I can.
Right off the bat (no pun intended), the movie opens with a young Bruce Wayne grieving the recent deaths of his billionaire parents. Thereafter it shifts to a scene we are already familiar with, and we get to watch the destruction of Metropolis during the fight between Superman and General Zod, but as seen from the perspective of Bruce Wayne, lending a human angle to the battle between gods.
This sets the stage for the confrontation that has been promised in all those trailers you’ve undoubtedly seen, while also addressing one of the biggest criticisms leveled against Man of Steel, namely the collateral damage and death toll resulting from its climatic battle. Personally, I couldn’t care less about such details in a movie of this kind, but it was nice to see Zack Synder and the screenwriters taking something many considered a shortcoming, and using it to advance the story they were trying to tell.
Speaking of shortcomings, the latest entry in the DC Extended Universe isn’t without its fair share. At two and a half hours, the movie felt overlong. But what puzzled me the most was how little character development we got to see during that time. Superman felt just as wooden and one dimensional as he did in Man of Steel, and while Ben Affleck’s portrayal of Batman was more than adequate, the character showed nowhere near as much growth as what we saw in Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight trilogy.
But let’s face it, you wouldn’t be watching this movie purely for the monologues and moments of character introspection. To the contrary, you want to see two of DC’s finest duke it out till there is only one left standing. And on those grounds, Batman v Superman delivers… to a degree. My main problem here is the fairly predictable outcome of their fight, which is doubly so for anyone who has read the 1986 graphic novel, The Dark Knight Returns, or seen its more recent animated movie adaption.
The movie isn’t just about the two superheroes, though, as you’ve no doubt noticed from its subtitle, Dawn of Justice. So how does it fare as an introduction to the Justice League? Well, not so good, at least for those not already familiar with its members. Wonder Woman was underutilized for the most part, while Aquaman, Cyborg, and Flash felt like they were literally being checked off a check list.
All in all, the movie felt like buildup for a better movie to come somewhere down the line. But the question is would people be patient enough to allow the filmmakers connect the dots? Only time (and the box office numbers) would tell.
My Thoughts on the 58th Grammy Awards
The 58th Grammy Awards were held on Monday. This broke the tradition from previous years where the ceremony was always held on a Sunday. Once again, I was not able to watch the live telecast, due to timezone differences, but I have scanned through a recording of it to get a feel for what went down.
Kendrick Lamar had the most nominations going into the show, with 11 nominations including Album of the Year for his critically-acclaimed album, To Pimp A Butterfly. He was followed by Taylor Swift and The Weekend with 7 nominations apiece. All three artists were vying for Album of the Year, but it was Taylor Swift that eventually took home the award for her hit album, 1989.
Other notable wins include Skrillex and Diplo for their collaborative effort, Jack Ü. The duo won Best Electronic Album as well as Best Dance/Electronic Recording for my favorite song from 2015, Where Are Ü Now. The Weeknd won Best R&B Performance for his song, Earned It (50 Shades of Grey), as well as Best Urban Contemporary Album for his album, Beauty Behind the Madness.
Kendrick Lamar cleaned out in the Rap categories, eventually winning 5 Grammys, the most by any artist for the evening. He also gave a powerful performance of his songs, The Blacker the Berry and Alright. This was in sharp contrast to Pitbull, who closed the ceremony with one of the weakest closing performances in recent memory.
Author of the epic fantasy series, Guardians & The Lost Paradise.
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2016-36/0813/en_head.json.gz/8417 | Inkheart
Rated: fantasy adventure action, some scary moments and brief language Runtime: 1 hr. 45 min. Genres: Action/Adventure, Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Director:Iain Softley
Cast:Brendan Fraser, Paul Bettany, Jim Broadbent, Helen Mirren, Andy Serkis. Full cast + crew
Author Cornelia Funke's best-selling children's novel comes to vivid life on the big screen with this family-friendly tale about a bookbinder whose storytelling skills possess the curious power to transport the characters he speaks about into the real world. When a nefarious villain from a bedtime story that the father is currently reading to his daughter emerges to kidnap the stunned storyteller, it's up to the young girl and her...more
The library is a better use of your time.
All Inkheart photos
All Inkheart cast + crew photos
The Pagemaster
The Indian in the Cupboard | 影视 |
2016-36/0813/en_head.json.gz/8471 | Dog ran from fireworks ... Retired Navy chaplain to speak at Memorial Day event ... Historians plan Memorial Day ceremony ... Dog ran from fireworks ... Retired Navy chaplain to speak at Memorial Day event ... Historians plan Memorial Day ceremony ... Leonardo DiCaprio brings Jay Gatsby to life
Jay Gatsby is a strikingly handsome, incredibly wealthy man who’s shrouded in mystery, at least involving the source of his riches. He’s terribly lonely, and regularly throws wild parties in his opulent mansion, just so there are people around him. He’s hopelessly in love with a (married) woman from his past, and will do anything he can to win her. What actor wouldn’t want to play the lead in “The Great Gatsby?” Well, five have attempted it on film, to varying degrees of success. There was Warner Baxter in the long-lost 1926 silent version, a stiff Alan Ladd in 1949, a slightly long-in-the-tooth Robert Redford in 1974, and a close-to-sneering (rather than smiling) Toby Stephens in a 2000 TV version. Now Leonardo DiCaprio tries the role on for size in Baz Luhrmann’s new adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s celebrated novel, and he comes closest yet to capturing the character that was on the page. DiCaprio discussed the character and the movie in New York last week.You’ve spoken before about growing up without much money, just as Gatsby does in the book and film. Did you identify with him?I think everyone has some sort of connection to Gatsby as a character. He’s someone who has created himself according to his own imagination and dreams, lifted himself by his own bootstraps as a poor youth in the Midwest, and created this image that is the great Gatsby. It’s a truly American story in that regard. Here’s this emerging democracy that is America in the 1920s, and he wants to emulate a Rockefeller of that time period. He, of course, creates his wealth in the underworld, but this is the new land that is America. It was a very exciting time, and I think we can all relate to that dreamer in Gatsby. Each one of us gets excited by the prospect of somebody that has that much ambition.Do you recall when you first read the book?The “Gatsby” that I remember reading in school when I was 15 years old was far different than the “Gatsby” I read as an adult. What I remember from back then was this hopeless romantic that was solely in love with this one woman, and created this great amount of wealth to be able to respectably hold her hand. But to re-read it as an adult was fascinating. It is one of those novels that’s still talked about, nearly a hundred years later, for a reason. It’s incredibly nuanced, it’s existential, and here, at the center of it, is this man who has attached himself to this relic, this mirage, known as Daisy. For the first time, I was struck by the sadness in him, and I looked at him completely differently. I looked at him as someone who’s very hollow, and searching for some sort of meaning.Page 2 of 2 - So how do you go about inserting yourself into the character?One very telling sequence in the book that was very important for me was after he’s lured Daisy into his castle, he’s holding her, yet he’s still staring out at the green light. He’s finally got her in his arms, but he’s still searching for this thing that he thinks is going to complete him. That was the Gatsby that I was so excited about playing. So as I got older, it took on new meaning, and I think that’s what’s so incredible about the novel. Everyone who reads it has their own interpretation of who these characters are. Of course, when you’re making a movie, you have to be very specific. That’s what’s very difficult in making a movie of it, because everyone has their own personal attachment to the book, and they feel that they know these characters on a very intimate level.Ed Symkus covers movies for More Content Now. | 影视 |
2016-36/0813/en_head.json.gz/8500 | 'Liberating' GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY Not in the Regular 'Marvel Scheme of Things' by Jim McLauchlin
Date: 21 July 2014 Time: 10:48 AM ET
CREDIT: Marvel Studios
Guardians of the Galaxy is a major departure for Marvel movies. The August 1 debut deals with more emotion and much more humor than previous Marvel films, and has only a single thread of continuity—yes, Thanos—tying it back to the rest of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The cast and crew gathered to discuss the flick at a press conference Saturday in Burbank, Calif.
Guardians is centered on Star-Lord, played by Chris Pratt. Through outrageous circumstance, Star-Lord is thrown together with Drax the Destroyer (Dave Bautista), Gamora (Zoe Saldana), Rocket Raccoon (the voice of Bradley Cooper) and Groot (voiced by Vin Diesel). The five Guardians are drawn into an epic, cosmic conflict with Kree zealot Ronan the Accuser (Lee Pace), while intergalactic bandit Yondu (Michael Rooker) waits to take sides.
The film is directed and co-written by James Gunn, who, for his part, was happy to helm a flick that didn’t take place at the dead center of the MCU.
“Frankly, I found it liberating,” Gunn said. “I would have had a harder time fitting into the ‘regular’ Marvel scheme of things.”
James GunnCREDIT: Marvel StudiosView full size image
Part of what makes Guardians left-of-center for Marvel is the dual action/comedy and over-the-top performance of Chris Pratt in the lead role. Pratt is happy the role found him when he got a call to test for the character.
“At the time, I was in an identity crisis as an actor,” he said. “Was I a comedy guy? An action guy? Maybe I could be both.”
Gunn certainly thought Pratt could. “We screen-tested 20 people. Big stars, no-names, you name it,” he said. “We wanted someone to take it beyond the page, in the same way Robert Downey Jr. did in Iron Man. Within 20 seconds of seeing Chris, I knew. It was ‘Holy sh*t, that’s him. That’s the guy we’re looking for.’”
And Pratt found he enjoyed mixing action with comedy. “The whole process was one of trusting James, taking big swings and sometimes falling on your face, and getting over the embarrassment.”
Comedy comes in a heavy dose in Guardians of the Galaxy, largely delivered by Star-Lord and the wisecracking Rocket Raccoon. But Gunn went searching for deeper emotion as well. Star-Lord carries a Walkman cassette player—in space!—with him everywhere he goes, and listens to a constant ’70s soundtrack.
“It’s about a son’s relationship to his mother, and how that affects him through the rest of his life,” Gunn said. “The first thing I thought of was the Walkman and the cassette tape. That’s [Star-Lord’s] connection to Earth, home, and it’s the emotional center of the movie.”
Vin Diesel also found an emotional note in his performance, invoking the death of his friend and Fast and Furious co-star, Paul Walker.
“This was in December, and the first time I came back to dealing with human beings after dealing with death, so playing a character who celebrates life in the way Groot does was very nice,” he said.
Groot is effectively a walking, talking tree who says very little in the movie other than “I am Groot.” But the character somehow still shows emotion. Diesel was guided by a script that Gunn marked up for him with extensive notes.
“I don’t think anyone’s ever seen my script, but man…you should see my script,” Diesel said. “The left side might just say ‘I am Groot,’ but the right side would have a whole paragraph on what ‘I am Groot’ meant in that situation.”
—Guardians of the Galaxy hits theaters on August 1. | 影视 |
2016-36/0813/en_head.json.gz/8539 | Love on the Run: The Films of François Truffaut
Love on the Run L’amour en fuiteFrançois TruffautFrance, 1979
Victoria Large
Criterion Collection DVD
The evocative title of the final Antoine Doinel film, Love on the Run, does a fair job of summing up our story so far. Since we first met Antoine in The 400 Blows, he’s been looking for love. But he has also been running: away from school, from his parents, from the juvenile detention center, from the army — and, in the penultimate installment Bed and Board, he seems forever on the brink of running away from his young family. Though Bed and Board concludes on a note of arch optimism, suggesting that Antoine and Christine are settling into life as the kind of married couple who are perpetually exasperated with one another but nevertheless inseparable, Love on the Run finds the pair finalizing their divorce. (In a twist that’s hard to write off as coincidence, Antoine and Christine’s young son Alphonse is sent off to camp early in the film, a strategy that Antoine’s negligent parents favor in The 400 Blows.) Antoine has a new lover, Sabine, but he can’t commit to her: she wants him to move in with her; he won’t even keep a razor at her place. As an audience, we can relate to Sabine’s frustration: we’ve watched Antoine grow up (or at least older) over the course of the previous four films only to disintegrate into some truly impressive self-sabotage. We’re waiting for him to stop running.
Love on the Run is clearly fashioned as a final chapter, including as it does the return of most of the women who have mattered in Antoine’s life. In addition to Christine, we run into Antoine’s early girlfriend Colette (who snubs him so decisively in Antoine and Colette) and there is even a visit to the cemetery, where it is at last suggested that Antoine has made peace with his mother, whose treatment of him in The 400 Blows has echoed throughout the subsequent films despite her physical absence. Indeed, while the other Doinel films are subtly haunted by the past, Love on the Run openly confronts it. Antoine has finally published his autobiographical novel, Les Salades d’amour (the title of which winkingly lifts a line of dialogue from Day for Night), and the book inspires the people in Antoine’s life to retell and rethink the past.
Antoine’s meeting with his mother’s former lover, M. Lucien, followed by a visit to her grave at Père Lachaise, feels appropriate to the film. It’s an admirable attempt to chase away the ghosts that have dogged Antoine, one made more interesting by M. Lucien’s assertion that Antoine’s mother was misunderstood, an “anarchist” whose discontent as a mother reflected her discontent with society at large. But it is another woman from the past, Marie-France Pisier’s Colette, who emerges as one of the film’s most important and interesting characters. Now a lawyer, she runs into Antoine again during his divorce proceedings and hastens to pick up his novel. There wasn’t much to Colette in Antoine and Colette, and she was relegated to a brief cameo amid the myriad romantic complications of Stolen Kisses, but here she is something of a revelation: a woman of outward success and inward pain who chooses to help the typically hapless Antoine toward his happy ending. A scene regarding the loss of Colette’s child is one of the only newly-filmed flashback scenes in the film, and one of the most moving memories in a film that’s rife with them.
Those memories often offer Truffaut fans a sense of déjà vu. Released on the cusp of the home video era, Love on the Run contains roughly eighteen minutes of footage from other movies — there is a repurposed snippet of Day for Night in addition to the generous helping of scenes from the previous Doinel films — something that feels increasingly curious with time. Truffaut included the clips in order to take advantage of the unique situation created by his longtime collaboration with Jean-Pierre Léaud: Truffaut had most of Antoine Doinel’s life on film. The clips occasionally feel redundant in our own YouTube age — we take it for granted that we have all five Doinel films more or less at our fingertips — but sometimes they give the film added emotional heft. When Colette dips into Antoine’s novel for the first time, we see what she sees: a wince-inducing recollection of corporal punishment from the author’s school days. Truffaut also heightens the effect of Love on the Run’s ecstatic final scene by interspersing it with clips of Antoine’s happy, heady carnival ride from The 400 Blows. At best, the clips offer the film a fitting sense of circularity.
Truffaut’s challenge with this film was surely to create that sense of a circular journey without leaving us feeling that he, and Antoine, have simply been running in place. Léaud’s Antoine, noticeably older and maybe just a bit weary, might have left us permanently frustrated with his flightiness by now. “He’s always falling apart. He needs a wife, a mistress, a little sister, a nanny, and a nurse,” says another of Antoine’s ex-lovers, Liliane, echoing a complaint that Christine makes in Bed and Board. But he can still charm us, never more so then when, late in the film, he recounts the fantastic, outrageously romantic tale of how he first came to meet Sabine. In an interview quoted in the illuminating chronicle Truffaut by Truffaut, the director explains that after all of the melancholy and memory of the Doinel films, and Love on the Run in particular, he wanted to leave his most famous character with an ending that was “deliberately, brazenly, or if you wish, desperately HAPPY!” He delivers it: the last few moments of the film, buoyed by Alain Souchon’s wonderful title song, genuinely soar with joyous emotions. The final freeze-frame of The 400 Blows crystallizes Antoine’s isolation, but the breathless, jittery camerawork that signals the close of Love on the Run is seemingly unable to contain his elation.
All of this happiness comes with a caveat: as Sabine, French actress and TV presenter Dorothée is sweet but tough, and as much as she loves Antoine, she espouses little tolerance for his indecisive, infuriating approach to relationships. “…We can’t be certain it will last,” she says to Antoine. “But we can pretend it will.” “Right!” Antoine agrees. “Let’s pretend and see what happens.” It’s a perfect closing sentiment for the Doinel cycle, a series of films that have, from the start, acknowledged the uncertainty of life and the fragility of love — but celebrated the beauty of both, all the same.
By Victoria Large ©2010 NotComing.com
More Love on the Run: The Films of François Truffaut
Les Mistons
Une histoire d’eau
Shoot the Piano Player
Jules and Jim
Antoine and Colette
The Soft Skin
The Bride Wore Black
Stolen Kisses
Mississippi Mermaid
The Wild Child
Bed and Board
Two English Girls
Such A Gorgeous Kid Like Me
Day for Night
The Story of Adele H.
The Man Who Loved Women
Love on the Run
The Last Metro
The Woman Next Door
Confidentially Yours! | 影视 |
2016-36/0813/en_head.json.gz/8696 | //Home//Film//Columns//Short Ends & Leader//Shutter Island
'Shutter Island'
The Fragile Intersection Between Sanity and Insanity
by Thomas Britt
Tweet Shutter Island concerns the surrender of one’s own subjective memory and identity to another individual or institution. In order to make that choice -- to become a passive player in someone else’s version of reality -- must one be sane or insane?
Shutter IslandCast: Leonardo DiCaprio, Mark Ruffalo, Michelle WilliamsUS DVD: 8 Jun 2010Amazon Review [19.Feb.2010]
Martin Scorsese’s feature film adaptation of Dennis Lehane’s 2003 novel Shutter Island delivers the kinds of cinematic references one has come to expect from the exceptionally film-literate director. A psychological thriller of this sort allows Scorsese to indulge in a kind of visual storytelling that synthesizes many of his own known favorites – most obviously Val Lewton and Sam Fuller – into a plot about a missing woman, the U.S. Marshal trying to find her, and the spooky setting in which the tale unfolds. Rachel Solando (Emily Mortimer) has disappeared from Ashecliff Hospital, which is located on Shutter Island and holds/treats criminally insane patients. Marshal Teddy Daniels (Leonardo DiCaprio) arrives on the island with his new partner, Chuck (Mark Ruffalo), determined to find Solando, but as is always the case in this sort of plot, he finds much more than he originally intended. This description befits any number of generic B-pictures throughout past decades of cinema, and much of the tension with Shutter Island is in Scorsese’s attempt to preserve the nostalgic Shock Corridor/Wicker Man thrill but simultaneously aspire to aesthetic excellence, all in the form of a modern, healthily-budgeted, star-driven movie. He mostly succeeds, thanks to his always-sharp direction, excellent actors who know how to respect the film’s crucial line between text and subtext, Robert Richardson’s signature cinematography, and Robbie Robertson’s brilliant modern classical soundtrack selections.
Though these formal elements are basically as good as they get in a mainstream Hollywood film these days, it is the psychological territory of the film that is ultimately the standard by which it will succeed or fail for most viewers. In a time when wearying visual spectacle (and the undead tyranny of yet another 3D trend) take up far too much studio and audience attention, it is refreshing to see the popular discussion about a multimillion dollar film concern its story rather than its loud and eye-popping qualities. Lehane’s source material and a script credited to Laeta Kalogridis become, under Scorsese’s direction, a kind of Rorschach test for the viewer. While this is appropriate and appreciated in a film about the selectivity and subjectivity of memory, there are some problems in the film’s connection of memory to the corresponding visual world.
From the very beginning of the movie, there is a heavy-handedness to certain thematic concerns like “water” and “violence” that indicates their importance to the viewer. Preventing this obviousness from sinking the film altogether is a building awareness by the protagonist, Teddy Daniels, that there is a conspiracy being constructed and enacted around him. Additionally, the preferred technique of the doctors and officers at the hospital is to know how to handle each individual visitor to the island, so it stands to reason that their questions and actions would be purposefully in sync with the character’s past and present action. In short, the film’s hyper-constructedness is motivated by the setting and dramatic situation. Without predetermination, a place like Ashecliff Hospital would spiral out of control. Everybody is “in on it” by necessity.
Yet the subjective flashbacks of the Daniels character are so fluid that they become arbitrary and, at their worst, they trivialize the historical context of the film. The main action of the character is to find Solando, who appears to have vanished. Daniels’ backstory, however, becomes more important to the plot than the film’s ongoing action, and Scorsese integrates the past action through flashbacks and the introduction of ghostly characters to the physical environment. Long before the point in the film when Dr. Naehring (Max von Sydow) actually lectures Daniels on the etymology of “trauma”, the audience understands that it is subject to a wounded and unreliable narration. Early on, Daniels tells Chuck about his dead wife Dolores (Michelle Williams) who died in an apartment fire, and that initial story develops to include visions of her killer and her repeated intervention from the grave into Daniels quest for Solando. The problem with this development, regardless of the film’s several careful motivations for such visions and dreams – and especially given the way the film concludes – is the creation of too many red herrings and the related, gradual draining of stakes from the plot. The viewer who “figures out” the film’s central mystery before the film is ready to reveal it is likely to be unmoved by the variations on Daniels’ traumatic loss. Alternatively, those who remain transfixed by the visual storytelling regardless of the shifting narrative are faced with a separate (and larger) issue, which is the trivialization of events such as the liberation of the Dachau concentration camp.From Titicut Follies
The incidents that supposedly resulted in Solando’s institutionalization were the drowning of her children and subsequent refusal to acknowledge her actions. This expository, off-screen violence becomes linked to Daniels’ own trauma, as his desire to rescue his wife from her sealed fate morphs into a desire to do the same for Solando and her deceased children, represented in his fantasy by a sad little girl who accompanies Solando. For a while, this amorphous flashback strategy gives the film some energy. For instance, the first extended vision of Dolores with ash floating down around her is truly spellbinding, and the radiant Michelle Williams uses her comparatively scant screen time to create a deeply sympathetic character. Her ability to do so is even more impressive when one considers the turn Dolores takes in the final, revelatory flashback sequence. However, any momentum the film hopes to gain by merging the two events comes to a stop when they intersect puzzlingly with the third major flashback thread – Daniels’ presence at the liberation of Dachau. From a certain perspective, the initial Dachau footage does establish Daniels as a “man of violence”, as Dr. Naehring describes him. Yet the film uses Daniels’ recollection of the horrifying mass of dead bodies at Dachau not to make any observation about war or the Holocaust, but instead to capriciously provide another site for the substitution of the haunting bodies that are closest to his own fixations. So, just as easily as she crept into his crumbling remembrances of Dolores, Rachel Solando “becomes” a victim of the concentration camp. This is the point where the transposable body strategy reaches the end of its dramatic usefulness and risks a tastelessness that distracts from the enjoyment of the film.
Shutter Island tangentially addresses other period-specific historical realities, such as the atomic bomb and the proliferation of medical experiments and lobotomization, but unlike the Dachau sequence, these fit into the rest of the plot concisely and seamlessly rather than showily, amplifying the possible threats without hijacking the plot. Credit also goes to Patricia Clarkson, who enters the film late but serves a pivotal function as a cave-dwelling variation on a character the audience thinks it has already met. Without spoiling her identity, it is safe to say that one’s acceptance of this character as either a) real and reliable or b) imagined and illusory determines one’s perspective on protagonist Teddy Daniels. The information she gives him deepens his suspicion that there is some plot at work around him, and the rest of the film concerns the mechanics of his paranoia. After sharing his mad visions throughout the film, the audience is ready for Daniels to finally confront that which has caused him to come undone.
The film’s protracted conclusion is rooted in a literary mystery tradition of reaching a climax through the long-winded unveiling of crucial details and missing pieces. Traditionally, purposeful misdirection prevents this information from being in full view, with the expectation that subsequent readings and viewings will reveal it to have been part of the narrative fabric from the very beginning. Guillaume Canet’s recent adaptation of Harlan Coben’s Tell No One is similarly faithful to this tradition, though that film is considerably less on-the-nose than its source material. Compared to Shutter Island, Tell No One is also more rewarding in its final revelations because it has allowed some degree of genuine confusion to bind both the protagonist and viewer as the third act commences, so that our need for answers has intensified. By contrast, despite its several red herrings, Shutter Island is so eager to both show and tell its relevant clues throughout, that there is not much left to actually discover in the film’s finale. Therefore the “great whatsit” of Shutter Island is (to borrow a phrase from Matmos) Daniels’ “struggle against unreality”. This overarching struggle encompasses any number of actual or imagined threats, but it is ultimately his mental state, and how it came to be, that is the key to resolving the film’s dramatic action. As over-constructed as the film is at times, there are parallel quotations from two significant characters towards the end of the film that thoughtfully frame the limits of Daniels’ situation (and the film’s “reality”), yet also leave plenty of space for various interpretations of that reality. The lady in the cave tells him, “Once you’re declared insane, then anything you do is called part of that insanity.” Dr. Cawley (Ben Kingsley), the man who seems to know more than anyone else about the hospital and its inhabitants, says, “You’ve uncovered a conspiracy so that anything we tell you about who you are—what you’ve done—you can dismiss as lies.” Neither scenario allows Daniels to be in full control of the truth; at least while he is on this island and in the presence of someone like Dr. Cawley, for whom the manipulation of Daniels’ selective memory is a project of paramount importance. In the end, Shutter Island concerns the surrender of one’s own subjective memory and identity to another individual or institution. In order to make that choice—to become a passive player in someone else’s version of reality—must one be sane or insane? Finally, is the total elision of memory a possible means of restoring one’s grasp of truth? These are the questions that confront the central character and audience of Shutter Island and elevate the film beyond the modern “twist” picture. Of all the past movies that Scorsese acknowledges in this film’s style and substance, none covers the intersection of sanity and insanity more dramatically than Frederick Wiseman’s landmark 1967 documentary Titicut Follies. Shot at the Bridgewater State Hospital for the criminally insane, the film is rife with problems of consent and invasion of privacy, and its observational style has the potential to seem disconnected and dispassionate with regard to the patients it documents. However, unforgettable patients like Jim, who is cruelly taunted by the guards, and Vladimir, whose logical declarations of his own mental soundness are coldly received as evidence of insanity, are preserved in the film as victims of an institution that created considerably more madness than it cured. Shutter Island entertains with its story of a cocksure, but troubled, U.S. Marshal reduced to a pawn in larger conspiracies, but the horrors the film addresses have very real origins in recent history. Although Wiseman’s film lacks narrative context, it offers disturbing evidence of institutional wrongdoing that is both historically significant and relevant to the present-day understanding of mental health issues. Conversely, the complete absence of bonus features on the Shutter Island DVD (and the film’s previously mentioned trivialization of historical events) frustratingly indicate a lack of interest in exploring the many past realities that the script uses to forward its mystery. While the film looks and sounds great, and the somewhat ambiguous conclusion is satisfying with regard to the provocations of the plot, it would be nice to see additional effort put into addressing the greater world of the story—to flesh out the film’s relationship to reality.
Associate Professor of Film and Video Studies at George Mason University.
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2016-36/0813/en_head.json.gz/8740 | Photos Sundance
Alicia Keys and Jennifer Hudson Screen Film at Sundance
Alicia Keys landed in Park City, Utah, on Thursday for a surprise appearance at the Sundance Film Festival to promote her new film The Inevitable Defeat of Mister and Pete. While she does not star in the coming-of-age story, the “Girl on Fire” is an executive producer and handled the score. Her Secret Life of Bees co-star Jennifer Hudson leads the cast, which also includes Jordin Sparks, Anthony Mackie, and Skylan Brooks.
“I was really drawn to the script immediately and I loved the fact that it was so powerful,” Alicia told HitFix. “It was very engaging in a way that was unique and I felt like it really got to the heart of the human experience.”
She was excited to share the movie with festivalgoers for the first time. “Headed to #Sundance for the first time! So proud to share the film I produced with the world!” tweeted Alicia, who will kick off her “Set the World on Fire” tour with Miguel on March 7 in Seattle.
For her next role, she is rumored to be playing the legendary Lena Horne in an upcoming biopic. “That would be a dream project for me,” said Alicia, who would not confirm the reports.
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2016-36/0813/en_head.json.gz/8807 | Film reviews: Frances Ha| Days of Grace| The Heat
The Heat starring Sandra Bullock and Melissa McCarthy. Pictrue: Gemma LaMana
Alistair Harkness
Frances Ha (15) Directed by: Noah Baumbach
Starring: Greta Gerwig, Mickey Sumner, Adam Driver
* * * *Having been joined at the hip since college, the split is more hurtful than her amusingly casual break-up with her actual boyfriend, but her efforts to put a brave face on it while attempting to be proactive about her life lead to a series of increasingly disappointing encounters that test her fundamental optimism to the core. Baumbach uses Frances’s various abodes to demarcate her baffled progress through New York’s boho hinterland and watching her trying to figure out who she is a rare treat, one encapsulated by a loving homage to Leos Carax’s 1986 film Mauvais Sang that sees Frances running through the streets to the strains of David Bowie’s Modern Love. The sheer joy on Gerwig’s face as she leaps and pirouettes across roads and between pedestrians is infectious. Days of Grace (15) Directed by: Everardo Valerio GoutStarring: Paulina Gaitan, Dolores Heredia, Carlos Bardem* * * *There’s something thrillingly unhinged about Days of Grace, a full-tilt Mexican crime epic about a trio of kidnappings that takes place against the backdrop of three successive World Cups. Very much of a piece with Brazilian exploitation flicks such as the Elite Squad movies, co-writer/director Gout’s debut feature serves up a barrage of bullets and bloodshed in the barrios of Mexico City, upping the ante with crazy surveillance-style camera work that puts us viscerally in the moment with its characters to give us a trench-eye view of the random urban warfare being unleashed on a daily basis. The film’s main innovation is its purposefully confusing structure, which uses references to the unfurling 2002, 2006 and 2010 World Cup finals to signify the differing timelines of three interconnected stories, all linked by the increasingly frenzied actions of a whatever-it-takes-to-get-the-job-done cop (Tenoch Huerta) as he attempts to dispense justice in a world overrun with criminality and corruption. This makes Days of Grace tricky as hell to follow, but Gout cleverly uses the unpredictability of the sporting action as a guideline for his own tripartite narrative, ensuring that the story remains highly volatile at all times. Blackfish (15)Directed by: Gabriela Cowperthwaite* * * *Jacques Audiard’s magnificent 2012 film Rust and Bone was built around a whale trainer losing her legs during an orca attack and watching Blackfish – a horribly compelling investigation into the practices of SeaWorld Orlando in relation to its hugely profitable orca shows – makes it clear that such a plot twist isn’t as uncommon as one might think. Indeed, Cowperthwaite’s documentary does a good job of highlighting just how psychologically damaging and barbaric it actually is to keep whales in captivity for the purpose of entertainment. Revealing that there have been no recorded attacks on humans in the wild, the film traces the history of Tilikum, a marine park whale that has been implicated in the deaths of three people in Canada and the US to expose how his conditions may have made this highly intelligent creature violent towards humans. Ex-trainers talk with horror at their own naivety regarding the mammals they dreamed of working with and, having been denied an interview with SeaWorld representatives, director Cowperthwaite juxtaposes to devastating effect official PR spin with news reports and eye-witness accounts of marine park tragedies.The Heat (15)Directed by: Paul FeigStarring: Sandra Bullock, Melissa McCarthy, Demian Bichir, Marlon Wayans * * *It takes a while for The Heat to warm up, but after about 30 minutes of straining-for-effect comedy, this buddy cop vehicle for Sandra Bullock and Melissa McCarthy proves a much funnier proposition than the thinness of its premise suggests. They play mismatched partners, forced to work together when Bullock’s prissy, by-the-book FBI agent is relocated to Boston to bring down a drug kingpin whose stranglehold on the city is choking the neighbourhoods McCarthy’s slovenly street cop is still proud to call home. It’s the sort set-up that’s been seen hundreds of times before, but the simple gender reversal gives it a surprising freshness that makes its familiarity a little more entertaining, not least because it delivers the sort of outlandish violence not seen since the heady days of the Lethal Weapon franchise. This is a movie about finding a friendship rather than a man and, as such, the male characters are amusingly relegated to the action sidelines.Like Someone in Love (12A) Directed by: Abbas KiarostamiStarring: Rin Takanashi, Ryo Kase, Tadashi Okuni, Reiko Mori* * *Iranian director Abbas Kiarostami specialises in playing with form. His latest infuriating – but also fascinating – effort looks at intimacy and whether it’s truly achieveable in life, given the roles people play and the deceptions they commit on a daily basis. Yet it also once again draws attention to its status as a film, one in which Kiarostami refuses to play the traditional role of the director by obfuscating meaning and avoiding anything that could be satisfyingly referred to as narrative closure. Which would be all well and good if he didn’t conform to the clichés of the arthouse auteur in other ways by exhibiting that fascination many male film-makers seem to have with the ins-and-outs of high-end prostitution. This provides a rather obvious scenario in which to explore the nature of love and deceit, although the Tokyo setting in which Kiarostami chooses to set the film’s rendezvous between an elderly academic and a student moonlighting as a call girl does allow him to represent the world in an exquisitely strange and unusual way. | 影视 |
2016-36/0813/en_head.json.gz/9004 | Michael C. Hall, Toni Collette, Marisa Tomei, and Tracy Letts to Premiere The Realistic Joneses on Broadway
Will Eno's dark comedy will be directed by Sam Gold this spring.
Broadway, New York City
Golden Globe winners Michael C. Hall (Dexter) and Toni Collette (The United States of Tara), along with Academy Award winner Marisa Tomei (My Cousin Vinny) and two-time Tony winner Tracy Letts (Homeland), will star in the Broadway premiere of Will Eno's The Realistic Joneses, the Associated Press reports. Previews for the production, directed by Sam Gold, will begin in February, with an opening night in March at a theater to be announced.
The Realistic Joneses, which had its world premiere at Yale Repertory Theatre in 2012 under Gold's direction, follows two couples who discover that they have more in common than the same last name. Eno is also the author of the plays Middletown, Title and Deed, and the Pulitzer Prize finalist Thom Pain (based on nothing).
Letts reprises the role he played in the Yale Rep production, which also starred Johanna Day, Parker Posey, and Glenn Fitzgerald. Jeffrey Richards, Jerry Frankel, and Jam Theatricals serve as producers of the Broadway run.
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2016-36/0813/en_head.json.gz/9036 | There�s a certain magic about Academy Awards night in Hollywood. All the glitz and glamour of Hollywood is on display, and actors and actresses turn out in their best tuxedos and glittering gowns. The red carpet is rolled out, and everyone waits in hushed excitement to see who will win the night's coveted gold statuettes. However, in recent years, some of that magic seems to have faded from Hollywood�s grandest tradition. Viewership has been declining, as more and more television programs compete for audience members� attention, and some have criticized the awards show for being out of touch with the average moviegoer�s tastes. Right or wrong, the biggest movie blockbusters of the year typically don�t receive many nominations, and viewers may not feel as emotionally connected to, or as invested in, the films that are nominated. The Academy has tried various methods to boost public interest in the show, experimenting with different hosts and formats. This year, they generated quite a bit of discussion (and perhaps a bit of controversy) when they hired Seth MacFarlane � the creator of "Family Guy" and "Ted" � to host the show. McFarlane is known for his edgy and often raunchy sense of humor � not necessarily the tone you�d expect the Academy Awards ceremony to have. Due to the fact he was given quite a bit of creative leeway, I wasn�t sure what to expect when he took the stage Sunday night at the ceremony.To be honest, I still haven�t quite decided how I feel about McFarlane as a host. Many of his jokes were genuinely funny � I loved the sock puppet re-enactment of "Flight" and enjoyed the joke about Ben Affleck�s now infamous snub for "best director": "The film is so top secret that the film�s director is unknown to the Academy." He certainly brought some unexpected touches: from an appearance by William Shatner as Captain Kirk to a sketch involving McFarlane dressed as a flying nun and skipping out on the Oscars with Sally Field. However, I think some of his jokes did cross the line and were perhaps a little too crude or offensive for this particular venue.Still, I think that in basic terms of accomplishing the job he was hired to do, McFarlane was a success. The producers of the Academy Awards wanted McFarlane to generate buzz and increase viewership, and he appears to have done just that. Ratings were up this year, especially in the coveted 18-to-49 age category. McFarlane has proven to be a polarizing host � some people loved how he handled the ceremony, others hated it � but he certainly got people talking.As for the ceremony itself, my favorite musical numbers were the rendition of "One Day More" by the cast of "Les Mis�rables" and Adele�s spot-on performance of "Skyfall." There seemed to be a bit of a sound problem, and I couldn�t always hear Adele�s voice very well, but it was a powerful and thrilling rendition. Adele went on to win a much-deserved "best original song" Oscar for her James Bond theme. I also was glad the Academy included a Bond 50th anniversary tribute in the ceremony but wished they would have done more with that segment. I would have loved to see all the actors who have played James Bond throughout the years make an appearance during the ceremony, or at least maybe Sean Connery and Daniel Craig, as the first Bond and the current Bond. This year, I thought the Academy had a nice mix of nominees for "best picture," including several that have been successes with both critics and audiences. If the offbeat romantic comedy "Silver Linings Playbook" wasn't quite your cup of tea, maybe the true-life spy thriller "Argo" or the historical drama "Lincoln" was your favorite movie of the year. As always, there were a few surprises and snubs: Daniel Day-Lewis ("Lincoln") and Anne Hathaway ("Les Mis�rables") won Oscars, as expected, but Steven Spielberg ("Lincoln") lost the "best director" Oscar to Ang Lee ("Life of Pi"), and "Wreck-It Ralph" lost the "best animated feature" to Pixar�s "Brave." I�m glad Ben Affleck�s "Argo" won "best picture"; I thought this was a nice gesture after his snub for "best director." I also thought it was nice that Affleck acknowledged Steven Spielberg in his speech (Spielberg�s "Lincoln" was another front-runner for "best picture"). Probably the award I was most excited about was Jennifer Lawrence�s win for "best actress." Lawrence may be only�22, but she�s already shown a lot of promise. She brings an intense dedication to every role she plays, and she seems like a very down-to-earth, authentic person. I doubt this is the last time we�ll be seeing her up on the Academy Awards stage.So overall, was this year�s Academy Awards a hit or miss? The three and a half hour ceremony seemed a bit too long, but I did like the mix of elements in the show � the humor, the tributes, and the song and dance numbers, especially Charlize Theron and Channing Tatum�s dance at the beginning of the show. Even if these elements didn�t always transition smoothly, I think this combination is a good formula for the show to follow. It�s nice to have a modern flavor while also honoring Hollywood traditions.What did you think of the Oscars this year? What was your favorite part, and what was your least favorite part? What would you like to see next year?� | 影视 |
2016-36/0813/en_head.json.gz/9191 | Related Item
'Come and See' By Rita Kempley
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Elem Klimov, the new head of the Soviet Filmmakers Association, explores the horrors of war in his classic coming-of-age drama "Come and See." Directing with an angry eloquence, he taps into that hallucinatory nether world of blood and mud and escalating madness that Francis Coppola found in "Apocalypse Now." And though he draws a surprisingly vivid performance from his inexperienced teen lead, Klimov's prowess is his visual poetry, muscular and animistic, like compatriot Andrei Konchalovsky's in his epic "Siberiade.""Come and See," an impassioned, pastoral indictment of the Nazis, haunts us with its painterly after-images of World War II as seen through a 14-year-old farm boy's eyes. Alexei Kravchenko, who has never acted before, plays Florya, the innocent destroyed. He's the Soviet Charlie Sheen, if you will, a familiar figure in war lore, but he suffers with an agony torn from his Russian core. He was, in fact, hypnotized during filming to aid him in his physical transformation from an apple-cheeked waif to a wizened, hollow-eyed witness of genocide.It begins when Florya steals a gun from a soldier's shallow grave and runs off to join the Resistance fighters in rural Byelorussia in their stand against the ruthless storm troopers. But after he's left behind by the older partisans, Florya returns home to find his mother and baby sisters have been slaughtered, along with the other villagers. The grieving boy travels on to nearby Perekhody, where he watches drunken Germans herd the townspeople into a barn and burn them alive. Florya, stunned like a rabbit in a headlight's glare, escapes physical harm, but his soul is destroyed.Klimov does go overboard with his portrayal of the maniacal Nazis, slobbering and rabid as the red demons who crucified Rambo. And despite his liberal reputation, he even tosses a tiny crumb to the Politburo when one of the Nazi prisoners explains why they burned the Byelorussian babies: "Your nation doesn't have a right to exist. Inferior races spread the microbe of communism," he snarls."Come and See" sounds like an invitation to a child's game. Nothing could be further from the truth.Come and See, at the Biograph, in Russian with English subtitles, is unrated but may not be suitable for younger children. | 影视 |
2016-36/0813/en_head.json.gz/9472 | David Yates, Gary Ross, and Susanna White Up for WB’s ‘Tarzan’
Written by Nick Newman on June 18, 2012 In a Deadline story pertaining to screenwriter Adam Cozad — most notably, the scribe behind Kenneth Branagh and Chris Pine‘s upcoming Jack Ryan reboot — there’s a brief, albeit promising update on Tarzan, WB’s proposed spin on the classic character; another possible adaptation has Craig Brewer (Hustle & Flow) attached to direct.
But the stakes are raised, and this one “has the interest of” David Yates, Gary Ross, and Susanna White (Nanny McPhee Returns). A rundown of plot, character, tone, or anything else of that crucial nature is still not out in the open — so, for now, let’s just consider the options.
Yates, being a godsend for Warner Bros. after taking over Harry Potter and, to incredible success, carried the series up to its finish line, really jumps out at first sight. Should anything make him a less-than-certain candidate, it would have to be his slightly-delayed Your Voice in My Head, a bizarre Doctor Who feature, and Cicero, a Tom Hardy-led trilogy chronicling the life of Al Capone. I think that, in regards to the lattermost, the question of a preferable choice is already answered. But he’d still be a solid pick, nonetheless.
Ross has been trying to find a suitable follow-up to The Hunger Games, with an actioner entitled The Secret Life of Houdini being a very distinct possibility. Any expectations one may have for that shouldn’t be a factor, though; he’s a director who really needs some deliberation before choosing a film. That, in and of itself, could hurt his chances with Tarzan.
White is clearly the dark horse, but a small payday that comes with her small profile makes her the most financially reasonable pick of the litter. We saw something like that happen with sequels to Thor and Captain America; Warner Bros., unlike Marvel Studios, aren’t notoriously stringent on the financial side of things, but good work that comes at a cheap price is one hard-to-reject combination.
Or maybe it’ll be none of them. We haven’t a clue what the studio wants to do with Tarzan — or if they ever even bother to make the time and room for it — and any of these choices would, in one way or another, be a slight surprise for yours truly. It’s something of a blessing that none of them would be unpleasant.
Might any of these helmers swing toward Tarzan? Is there a best choice amongst these three?
See More: Craig Brewer, David Yates, Gary Ross, Susanna White, Tarzan Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus. | 影视 |
2016-36/0813/en_head.json.gz/9489 | Kristin Chenoweth Goes Back To Her Opera Roots
NEW YORK (October 20, 2006) --Kristin Chenoweth is going back to her roots as an opera singer.The Tony winner will give a solo concert at the Metropolitan Opera on Jan. 19 and make her formal Met debut as Samira in John Corigliano’s “The Ghosts of Versailles” in March 2010.“I kind of trained that way and now I actually get to do it,” she said Thursday. “I’m just happy to get back to how I was.”Chenoweth, 38, won a “most talented up-and-coming singer” award and a scholarship in the Metropolitan Opera National Council auditions as a lyric coloratura but turned down the scholarship for her first off-Broadway role.She won a Tony in 1999 for her portrayal of Sally in “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown”’ and was nominated for a Tony two years ago for Glinda in “Wicked.” Chenoweth returns to Broadway as Eve in “The Apple Tree,” scheduled to open Dec. 14.Her concert will include both opera arias and her familiar Broadway repertoire, and she’ll be backed by dancers and a 12-piece orchestra.The role of Samira was originated by Marilyn Horne in December 1991. Angela Gheorghiu is scheduled to perform Marie Antoinette, originally sung by Teresa Stratas.“Although Kristin is a Broadway star, she was first trained as an opera singer,” Met general manager Peter Gelb said. “John Corigliano was so taken with the idea of casting Kristin as Samira in `Ghosts’ that he is rewriting the role to fit Kristin’s beautiful lyric soprano voice.” Chenowethwas on “The West Wing.” Now, she’s featured in the new movie, “Running with Scissors,” in a surprising role opposite Annette Bening. Copyright ©
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2016-36/0813/en_head.json.gz/9572 | The AHA's First Film Festival
121st Annual Meeting
Chris Hale, March 2007
Illuminating the routine of the 121st annual meeting in Atlanta, was the AHA's first (and hopefully annual) film festival. Organized by Vanessa Schwartz (Univ. of Southern California) and the AHA's Mériam Belli, and Debbie Ann Doyle, and sponsored in part by the University of Iowa, the film festival was a two-day event, screening past winners of the AHA's John E. O'Connor Film Prize and a couple of newly released films. The festival was generally viewed as another welcome addition to the many recent changes that are transforming the traditional annual meeting format.
The film festival began on the morning of Friday, January 5, and concluded on the evening of Saturday, January 6. It was a relatively informal affair that mixed differing styles of documentary filmmaking with differing historical subjects, and attracted numerous annual meeting attendees throughout the two-day period.
The festival began with a screening of the 2005 winner of the John E. O'Connor Film Award, Proteus: A Nineteenth Century Vision, directed, produced, and, edited by David Lebrun. A lucid examination of the life of German biologist, naturalist, philosopher, physician, professor and artist Ernst Haeckel (1834–1919), Proteus visually conveyed the clash between science and art that formed Haeckel's unique vision.
Midday on Friday, the festival screened Morning Sun, winner of the 2004 John E. O'Connor Film Award. Morning Sun is an interesting look at China's Cultural Revolution, blending dazzling, never-before-seen color film footage of Maoist propaganda, with contemporary interviews of those who lived through it.
Ending the Friday line-up of the festival was a screening of Stranger with a Camera, written and produced by Elizabeth Barrett of Appalshop Films, who also participated in an informal Q & A session following the screening. Winner of the 2001 John E. O'Connor Film Award, and presented in conjunction with the AHA session, "Documentarians as Historians, Historians as Documentarians, Part 2. Putting History into Documentary: The Making of Stranger with a Camera," the film explored the relationship between documentary filmmakers and the subjects they portray, through an examination of the 1967 murder of Canadian filmmaker Hugh O'Connor—examining Lyndon's Johnson's so-called "War on Poverty" in Appalachia—by a local Kentucky man named Hobart Ison. The film powerfully juxtaposed O'Connor's 1967 film footage, with new interviews and reflections of those involved, to explore the issues of class that led to the murder, and how over thirty years later, those issues still remain.
The standing-room-only screening of Nuremberg: The Nazis Facing Their Crimes early on Saturday morning, January 6, proved that one can never underestimate the draw of Nazis on film, even at 9:00 in the morning. Written and directed by Christian Delage, Nuremberg brilliantly compiled the film footage of the Nuremberg trial as shot by John Ford and the Field Photographic Branch of the OSS into a cohesive, narrative structure. Delage also answered audience questions following the screening. The film's recent release also made it a festival favorite.
Immediately following Nuremberg was a screening of A Country Between, part one of the PBS series The War That Made America, written and directed by Eric Strange, who was also on-hand afterwards for an informal Q & A session. Using reenactments and actors portraying and reciting letters of historical figures, A Country Between looked at the burgeoning military consciousness of a young George Washington (embodying the emerging American spirit) during the French and Indian Wars.
Probably the most popular of the festival films was the last to be screened, The U.S. vs. John Lennon, written and directed by David Leaf and John Scheinfeld. Like Nuremberg, the film's recent theatrical release, mixed with the FBI's announcement in December in which it agreed to make public the final documents pertaining to its surveillance of John Lennon, made The U.S. vs. John Lennon a top attraction in the film festival. The film presented a heartfelt look at John Lennon's solo music career in the early 1970s, his leftist political awakening during that time, and his and wife Yoko Ono's eventual clash with the Nixon Administration. Lighthearted and biting by turns, the film examined the conflict between free thought and conformity during a time of major political discord, and was an enjoyable cap to the festival. Jon Wiener, the historical consultant to the film, was joined by Vanessa Schwartz after the screening for an informal Q & A.
The AHA hopes to continue the film festival for the 122nd Annual Meeting in Washington D.C. (January 3–6, 2008). Any ideas and/or suggestions can be sent to filmfest@historians.org.
—Chris Hale is the production manager for AHA Publications.
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2016-36/0813/en_head.json.gz/9682 | All TV & Showbiz All TV & Showbiz Bizarre TV Popcorn Music Clubz Great US Bake Off
thesun 19th October 2012, 11:00 pm
GREAT British Bake Off judge Paul Hollywood reckons the US remake of the hit show will be brilliant and has even expressed interest in taking a role on it.
Hollywood, who is a judge on the UK series, said: “I think it’s going to be fantastic.
“They’ve got things like Mississippi mud pie and pumpkin pie. They’re known for their baking so I think it will be a great success.”
Hollywood said he “would be interested” in being involved in the programme but remained coy about whether there were any plans for him to take a part.`
“I couldn’t even say if I was,” he teased.
The US version of the show has the working title Bake Off, and is expected to air next year. | 影视 |
2016-36/0813/en_head.json.gz/9785 | FamilySuperheroes should maintain their super values
By Jim BennettFor the Deseret News Published: Aug. 2, 2012 5:00 p.m.
The latest Batman movie is raising a bunch of questions.
For instance, should "The Dark Knight Rises" be held responsible for the senseless murders in Colorado? (The answer: no.)
Is the villain Bane an attempt by the producers to smear Mitt Romney and his tenure at Bain Capital? (The answer: no.) The only question that matters is this: What's the deal with all these superhero movies?
Our cineplexes have long been teeming with guys in tights. Last summer, Captain America made a big splash while Green Lantern belly-flopped. This year, we've got Batman rising, Spider-Man being amazing, and six Avengers scarfing down shawarma. Umpteen more superflicks are in the works, including an Ant-Man movie, which just goes to show that these studios are so desperate for costumed crimefighter material that they're willing to scrape the bottom of the superbarrel.
But who can blame them? These pictures make scads of money and generate endless sequels, which means they'll keep popping up like weeds for years to come. So is there something to the whole superhero motif, or are these movies just so much cinematic crabgrass?
I'm probably the wrong guy to ask. I had a paper route as a kid, and I blew all of my hard-earned money on comic books. The truth is that I still have a few hundred of them in boxes up in the attic. They're all dog-eared and mangled from having been read and reread so many times. These weren't collector's items to me; they were stories I loved. They were stories that mattered. Hollywood seems to believe that the only stories that matter are the ones where the heroes aren't really that heroic and the villains are just misunderstood. In all of the "important" movies and TV shows, "complexity" is the order of the day. Right and wrong are buried in endless nuances and shades of grey. Comic books, by contrast, offer clarity in bold colors. The hero is the good guy and is clearly labeled as such, while the villain is pure evil and dresses like a penguin. The stakes are high; the battle lines are drawn, and the right side always wins. That may be a na?e way to view the world, but there's something reassuring about it, too. It doesn't surprise me that young boys looking to understand the world are drawn to tales of a fantasy world that makes more moral sense than the real one does. Those fantasy worlds are changing, however — and not always for the better. Take Superman. When the Man of Steel got the big screen treatment in 1978, Christopher Reeve announced unabashedly that he stood for "truth, justice and the American way." By 2006, when "Superman Returns" hit theaters, that was changed to "truth, justice, (and) all that stuff." Last year, in Action Comics #900, Superman actually renounced his American citizenship. (I'm not sure how a Kryptonian gets a green card, much less citizenship, but apparently nobody asked him for his birth certificate.) Nuance has crept into Superman's fictional world, and I'm not convinced that's a good thing. What gives me hope is that the cinematic versions of these characters still retain the clarity that made them popular in the first place, despite the best efforts of "complex" producers to muddy the waters. I'm convinced that one of the reasons Heath Ledger's performance as the Joker was so unsettling in "The Dark Knight" was that there was no attempt to explain or justify him.
"Some men just want to see the world burn," Alfred the butler tells Bruce Wayne.
That's true. And some of us just want to watch heroes do everything in their power to stop them.
There's still tremendous value in that idea, and if the studios want to keep selling tickets to superhero movies, they'd do well to remember that. Jim Bennett is a recovering actor, theater producer and politico, and he writes about pop culture and politics at his blog, stallioncornell.com. +
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2016-36/0813/en_head.json.gz/9855 | Shawn Ryan 12
“Last Resort” — the best show you’re not watching — delivers a standout episode
Posted on October 25, 2012 by Chuck Barney One of the biggest frustrations of being a TV critic (or any TV fan, for that matter) is watching a solid, creatively ambitious show fail to become a giant hit.
To wit: ABC’s military thriller “Last Resort.” Despite producing easily the best pilot of the fall season, the drama series about a rogue U.S. submarine crew led by Andre Braugher launched to only so-so ratings a few weeks ago and has been struggling to stay afloat ever since. It’s the best show you’re not watching.
We can spend a lot of time parsing through various theories: It faces strong competition on Thursday nights … It’s too sprawling and complex … Or maybe, at this point in time, people simply don’t want to watch a show where the U.S. government is shown in a bad light and/or U.S. forces are pitted against each other. Or we can just put all that aside and continue to encourage you to check out the show.
The good news is that tonight’s episode — “Skeleton Crew” (8 p.m., ABC) — is a great time to jump aboard (or reaffirm your commitment). It’s an epic, tense and suspenseful piece of television that ranks as the show’s best hour since the pilot.
Even this fervent supporter of “Last Resort” must admit that it hasn’t always fired on all cylinders during its maiden voyage. After having my mind blown during the pilot, I thought the follow-up episode was a disappointing letdown. And co-creators Shawn Ryan and Karl Gajdusek haven’t always succeeded at pulling the disparate elements of their heavily populated series together.
For example, the conspiracy stuff going on in Washington D.C. has been frustratingly murky — and not nearly as compelling as the stories happening on the sub or the tropical island where our embattled crew has sought refuge.
“Skeleton Crew,” however, gets it right. The episode, largely shot on Oahu’s beautiful North Shore, has Marcus (Braugher) and Sam (Scott Speedman) entering into tense negotiations with the Secretary of Defense (Jay Karnes), who arrives on the island, backed by a small crew of U.S. forces. Meanwhile, Grace (Daisy Betts) leads the USS Colorado on a perilous repair mission when a critical underwater system fails.
From the start, we’ve been praising the performance of Braugher, who is simply mesmerizing as the Colorado’s commander — a man who refused orders to fire upon Pakistan and now is being accused of treason. But let’s not overlook the efforts of Speedman, who not only looks great in Navy whites, but has gone toe-to-toe with Braugher in many scenes and held his own.
In tonight’s episode, the Secretary of Defense basically tries to paint Marcus as a lunatic and pit Sam against him. That leads to several tense moments between the two key characters and Speedman is electrifying.
Meanwhile, the always reliable Robert Patrick continues to shine as a tough-talking chauvanist who routinely tangles with Betts’ earnest, under-the-gun female officer. Thus far, I’ve had my issues with Betts who sometimes comes across as flat and unconvincing, but she has some breakout moments in this episode. And back in Washington, it’s good to see the hard-nosed defense contractor played by Autumn Reeser and Sam’s tormented wife (Jessy Schram) come together in an attempt to get to the bottom of the government’s apparently duplicitous actions. As I mentioned, this end of the saga hasn’t fully resonated so far and/or done enough to make us care. Their us-against-the-world pairing could be a sign of good things to come.
“Last Resort” has been compared by some to “24” and tonight the show delivers a stunning, “24”-like twist that pretty much plunged my jaw to the floor. Rather than provide any spoilers connected to this “wow” moment, I’ll just encourage you to watch. And enjoy.
TV ABC, Andre Brauigher, Daisy Betts, Last Resort, Scott Speedman, Shawn Ryan 4
Brace Yourself For “The Shield” Finale
Posted on November 25, 2008 by Chuck Barney We don’t do the spoiler thing here at TV Freak. So you’ll get no big hints at what happens in tonight’s spectacular 90-minute finale of “The Shield.”
All I can say is that this groundbreaking crime series goes out the way all great shows should (but few do), which is brilliantly. And, yes, we get a definitive ending to the Vic Mackey (Michael Chiklis) story. There is no munching on onion rings in a roadside diner. There is no abrupt fade to black.
This is probably one of the best drama finales I’ve seen. It contains tantalizing twists, a couple of real shocks and some highly poignant moments. It’s a finale you really feel.
There are some great acting performances from the usual suspects that we’ve come to expect (Walton Goggins as Shane is particularly effective) and even one from a guest star — Andre Benjamin of Outkast — that you might not expect. He is excellent as a rabble-rousing political shyster.
Even if you’ve lost track of “The Shield” over the years, it’s worth your while to return to the Barn tonight to see what creator Shawn Ryan and his remarkable ensemble have concocted as their going-away gift. No doubt about it, this show will definitely be missed.
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2016-36/0813/en_head.json.gz/9943 | More Cover Stories Crew Call Photos Videos 'Meadowland' Star Olivia Wilde On How Her Toughest Scene Stopped Semi-Trucks – AwardsLine
By Matthew Grobar
At this point, talk of “brave” performances seems to be an awards-season cliché. But Olivia Wilde is an actress who fully merits that descriptor—her performance in Meadowland as a woman undone, struggling to cope with the unexpected loss of her young son, is not only brave but also outright fearless.
'Meadowland' With Olivia Wilde & Luke Wilson Lands At Cinedigm
Wilde loved the role so much she took on double duty as producer on the drama, presenting her with the logistical challenges of indie production to match her emotional ones.”Every actor should at some point in their lives produce and/or direct because it certainly fuels your resolve on set as an actor to do the best job you can. Because you’re suddenly very aware of what a miracle it is to get a movie done,” she says.
The result speaks for itself; acclaimed DP Reed Morano’s directorial debut, which garnered her a Best Cinematography nom at the Indie Sprits, features some of the finest performances of the year. Below, Wilde discusses the aspects of the script that compelled her, the excitement in working with fledgling artists, and what she takes away from this familial tragedy being a new mother herself.
How did you first hear about the project and why did you want to take on the difficult lead role in the film?
I got the script from my agent, called him immediately and said, “What is this? I want this. I love this character. I love this script. What’s going on with it?” And he said, “Reed Morano is directing it.” Being a well-known DP–one of the only female DPs, a DP with such distinct style that she has a following even before becoming a director–people knew she had a voice and an eye that was very exciting.
I went into this meeting knowing that it was competitive, and maybe it made me a little more determined in my approach, but it all happened very organically because once I sat down with Reed, she and I connected immediately. What was supposed to be a 45-minute sit-down turned into three-plus hours at the Bowery Hotel in New York. We agreed on how the approach to this character should be and how we didn’t over-judge this character, though she was doing unsympathetic things.
I asked Reed if I could read for her because I knew that she was going to be pulled in other directions, casting-wise. There were a lot of actresses who had done this type of film before who were obviously being considered before me. I said, “Listen, I get that, but I just want to show you my take on this.” So now we joke that I kidnapped her for the role because I forced her to come to my house. It was something that I had never experienced before–maybe only with Spike Jonze–that even in an audition setting, they show you a different side of your own performance that you didn’t realize existed. They are able to pull another interpretation out of you in a very short period of time, even not on the actual set, so it was exciting, and that’s how it all started.
The script is filled with beautiful imagery but is otherwise fairly minimalistic, in an interesting way. What was it that spoke to you?
What struck me was the unpredictable nature of the script. I found it to feel almost like a thriller, reading it. I didn’t know what this character was going to do because I found her to be capable of almost anything. She’s slipping into madness in a way that made her very dangerous. And the way I think about it is that she lives in that very dangerous realm of depression when people lose the instincts for self-preservation, and I think that only happens with extreme pain.
So I found it to be unpredictable in its nature, and I thought that was impressive for a story that had been told in different ways before. I liked that it was more an exploration of grief and pain and what we’re capable of when we’re lost within it. I loved the character of Sarah in so many ways, but I loved that she was not written to be likable or sympathetic. She was, in many ways, cold and responding to grief in a sort of inappropriate and anti-social way, and I thought that was an interesting sort of gender flip, because typically, women are expected to grieve in a more nurturing way. I like that this story was focusing on a couple that seemed to be grieving in opposite ways. And Phil, the husband, was taking on the more feminine role.
Meadowland is Reed Morano’s directorial debut and Chris Rossi’s first screenplay credit. Is there something about working with newer or developing artists that’s exciting, or brings an added energy to the process?
I enjoy when people show up to work really excited and grateful to be there, and when you’re working with new artists, there tends to be an inherent enthusiasm for the process, which is absolutely necessary when you’re pulling together a film of this size. You need everyone to share that new appreciation for every moment we actually have to make the film. That can happen with a veteran–I’ve also now worked with Martin Scorsese, who has made dozens of films and still somehow maintains that enthusiasm. I think it’s the goal for us never to become jaded. But yes, I find that working with new artists, you do get this energy that comes from a place of gratitude.
You had your first child just prior to filming. How did that impact the experience for you?
It made it a lot more intense. I found myself going home at the end of the night and feeling incredibly grateful to be alive, and to have my son, and for him to be alive. People have asked me after every single screening how I could possibly work on this film while having a new child and did I go home depressed every day? But of course, it’s the opposite. I went home so elated because I had recognized my good fortune. Sometimes it takes the exploration of darkness to recognize light. I find that it’s important for people to engage in the more difficult stories to be able to recognize the positive parts of life.
It brought my interpretation of the character to another level because, although I had confidence that I could have played this character without having a child, and I think Luke Wilson did a tremendous job of playing a father without being an actual father, I found that it allowed me to understand the depths of her pain and loss, and I understood the instinct to dislodge oneself from society, and to feel like there’s nothing left for one within that society. I can imagine the isolation of that pain would be so powerful that even within the most crowded place in New York City, I’d feel completely alone, and I needed to be able to understand and empathize with her completely in order to play her.
It was not a character I could judge, and certainly that’s the goal, right? We should never judge our characters, even if you’re playing a horrendous villain. But sometimes it’s harder than others–even when there is the kidnapping of a child, I found myself empathizing with her completely. Having a child myself helped me be able to do that.
In spite of your gratitude, I have to imagine that there were times when you felt the huge weight of the sorrow that fills this story on a deep level. Is going to those dark places one of the hardest things to do as an actress?
It’s extremely hard because the further the departure from your own life, the more focus and relaxation is necessary, and the more risky it is because you are jumping off a cliff within yourself, and you have to do that with abandon. The point of doing it is not just this masochistic exercise; the point of doing it is that there are millions of people in the world experiencing extreme loss and pain and struggling every day, and it is our job as storytellers to reflect that side of humanity; We, being the fortunate ones who have the ability to do so, have a responsibility to do so. That’s what inspired me throughout.
Was there a most difficult scene to shoot, from an emotional standpoint?
There were so many, and they were hard for different reasons, but the scene by the side of the road, where I finally get the news of what’s happened to my kid, was logistically very difficult–emotionally, yes, kind of exhausting, but I also had to do the scene in a very short period of time because we had to lock down this massive road in Jersey that is actually a thoroughfare for 18-wheelers. We had about three minutes of traffic lockdown to get one take, so it wasn’t like I could spend a few minutes finding my moment.
I had to pull that car over, get out of the car, do the scene, get back in the car, and get the f*ck out of the way, because a massive truck was about to run us down. So that was challenging because that’s the kind of tricky moment for a film or television actor that you don’t find on stage. Those are the skills we master for the screen because it is necessary to be able to snap into character quite quickly when you’re dealing with the logistical challenges of the set. You are creating this in-sync world, and it may be completely shot out of sequence, but you have moments to capture what may be the emotional crux of the film. You have to be able to just get there regardless of the situation around you.
Being a producer on the film helped me with that challenge because I was intimately aware of what had gone into the logistics of getting us there, and so it allowed me to have a certain ownership over that challenge, so that I mastered it. I believe that is why every actor should at some point in their lives produce and/or direct because it certainly fuels your resolve on set as an actor to do the best job you can. Because you’re suddenly very aware of what a miracle it is to get a movie done.
Was the film shot in sequence? When were you shooting the scenes at the beginning of the film with the actor playing your child?
No, we started in the school and did about a week getting everything there. I think that’s when Luke Wilson arrived and started his work, and that’s when we moved to the scene with Jesse disappearing. I have to hand it to Luke. It was his first day of work. He had to lose his child on his first day of work and he was so game, so present. He brings a really focused, calm energy to set, and I found that tremendously helpful. He’s also a very generous actor. There was nothing demonstrative about his approach; It was all very honest. I really like working with comedians because they’re always on their toes. They’re boxers.
What can you tell us about your upcoming projects, Vinyl and Black Dog, Red Dog?
Vinyl is Terry Winter’s new HBO series, and Mick Jagger and Martin Scorsese are producers. It’s great. I actually just watched the pilot this morning and it blew my mind. I’m still kind of high off of it. But it is a tremendous project. The cast is insane, incredible, and actually by a stroke of good fortune, Reed Morano was our DP on Vinyl. So I was able to leave the set of Meadowland and have my partner, because Reed and I really, truly became partners on that film. I was able to go to my new job and have her there, too, so we’re kind of going through post-production of Meadowland while working together on Vinyl, which was really fun. She’s such a good DP, but I wanted to talk about range–just the way she shot Meadowland with a very specific palate and style, and then Vinyl being a completely different world, 1973 New York, very gritty, about the music scene, which is a very different tone set by Scorsese, who directed the pilot.
Black Dog, Red Dog is James Franco’s production he put together based on different artists and students he had worked with. He asked me to come on board and it was a wonderful opportunity– a very New York moment–when someone says, “Can you come to the East Village and shoot?” “Yeah, man.” I come play an interesting character and improvise and have fun. I actually haven’t seen that project. Whereas Meadowland is my baby, there are other projects that you kind of jump into, offer your best self for a couple of days, and then you’re out.
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2016-36/0813/en_head.json.gz/9973 | Television and film festival will offer fun, entertainment for everyone
Aug 15, 2013 | 4548 views | 0 | 113 | | A screen shot from the trailer for “Called to Serve,” an itvfest entry about two young male Mormon missionaries who are sent to Los Angeles to spread the word about their church and the attractive girls they meet but can’t socialize with. The festival will feature many premieres.
DEERFIELD VALLEY- The itvfest, an independent television and film festival that will be held in the Deerfield Valley from September 26 to 28, isn’t just for industry insiders, says festival organizer Philip Gilpin, it’s for anyone who loves entertainment.Like the annual Sundance Film Festival in Utah, the itvfest will offer an opportunity for film and television fans to see what’s new in independent television and film making. And in addition to the actors, directors, and producers who have a vested interest in the event, Gilpin thinks it’s going to attract people from around the Northeast, including local residents. “We’ve been aggressively marketing the festival,” Gilpin says, “from local media in Vermont, Boston, and New York, social media sites, and sites like Groupon and Living Social. It’s one of the biggest advertising campaigns to feature Dover and Wilmington – second to the campaign after Tropical Storm Irene.”In addition to the public marketing campaign, Gilpin says he’s also targeted people in entertainment and related business. He was recently invited to speak to a crowd of about 1,000 film industry insiders about the festival. And he and his staff are contacting every theater group, art school, and university on the East Coast, and issuing press releases to every publication in the Northeast. “If there’s an opportunity, we’ve been jumping on it,” Gilpin says. “It’s a major push.”Gilpin, who owns Green Mountain Marketing Group, met with valley business owners at Memorial Hall Monday evening to discuss the upcoming festival and its impact on the valley. This year the festival will celebrate its eighth anniversary, and its first time on the East Coast. The festival was launched in 2006 by Gilpin’s friends, television producer Adam Tesler and his wife Jenny Tesler, in Los Angeles. Initially, it included television, film, and web content. “It was launched at the same time as YouTube,” Gilpin noted. “Nobody knew what to expect from the web at that time.”The festival grew, and eventually the Teslers contracted production of the festival out to a company that refocused it as more of a pop culture celebration, Gilpin said, and interest from artists and producers waned. The last year of the contract was 2012, and Gilpin saw a chance to revive the festival’s original character, and bring it to Vermont. “One of the big questions was, in moving it from Hollywood to Vermont, is that going to kill the festival?” Gilpin said. “They were making about 40 to 50 selections (for screenings during the festival) and getting a few thousand people. Last year, the festival in Los Angeles got about 11,000 people per day.”Gilpin isn’t expecting 11,000 people to show up for the first year in Vermont, but he says the move has been well received, even by people on the West Coast. “People are excited to be coming here, they’re already asking where to stay, where to eat, will there be foliage when we’re there. People are even more interested in the valley than I expected them to be. Some people have told us they’re glad we moved it to the mountains of Vermont because they’ll get a vacation from the city.”Gilpin said this year’s festival has also attracted more project submissions from Europe, which he attributes to the new location. “They usually get two or three European projects,” he said. “We picked up 14.”Overall, the number of project submissions is down from the 200 to 300 that the Los Angeles festival received. But Gilpin said the 176 submissions he received indicated to him that the festival, which is one of only two independent television festivals in the United States, still held the attention of people in the industry. And, he said, the quality of the submissions was so high, this year’s festival will offer 60 screenings to festivalgoers, more than previous festivals. But the festival includes more than television and film screenings at various venues around the valley. The festival also includes discussions with actors, directors, and producers; vendors; specials at local restaurants; and music. Gilpin says the main action will be along Route 100 in West Dover, or “festival mile,” as he calls it. “People coming into Dover along festival mile are going to see huge tents at Layla’s Riverside Lodge and Dover Forge, vendor booths, and the movie theater. It will be a little like the Blueberry Festival.”In addition to “festival mile,” there will be a tent at the Cooper Hill Inn for screenings, and other screenings will be held at Memorial Hall in Wilmington. Each of the screening tents will have a tiered, solid floor and be large enough to seat about 300 people. Each tent will also have a bar, and ticket holders can hang out in the screening tent to listen and participate in discussions with producers, directors, and actors. But Gilpin says he expects festivalgoers will spend plenty of time visiting local bars and restaurants, as well. “People are going to come into town, and figure out where they want to go to see this drama or that comedy, and maybe they’ll go next door to eat. A lot of the restaurants will have acoustic acts or standup comedy in the evening. Some people may want to watch a couple hours of screenings, then go hike Haystack. People attending screenings at Memorial Hall may have lunch at Jezebel’s and shop in the village. We’re going to encourage people to get out and see the area.”Festival passes are already on sale, available at www.itvfest.com. There are four pass categories, ranging from a two-day $59 weekend pass to a $299 VIP pass with access to all events, including VIP parties and red carpet events. And for locals, Gilpin has teamed up with the Mount Snow Valley Chamber of Commerce to offer a $60 dual pass for admission to itvfest as well as the Vermont Life Wine and Harvest Festival (www.theVermontFestival.com) on September 20 – 22. “We don’t want people to think that, because Hollywood types are coming in, they have to hide for three days. Just the opposite, there’s going to be a lot for everyone to see and do,” Gilpin said. Copyright 2016 Deerfield Valley News. All rights reserved.
Blueberry Block Party: fun for all
Enjoy the sweet sounds of the dulcimer | 影视 |
2016-36/0813/en_head.json.gz/10150 | thinkgibson
Inglourious Basterds Play trailer
thinkgibson Following Follow Inglourious Basterds
★★★★★ Reviewed
thinkgibson’s
Lovers of cinema, gather ‘round – Quentin Tarantino’s latest movie has landed in theatres in a spectacular fashion. Inglourious Basterds (sic) is the type of film that grabs you by the throat, roughs you up, and then leaves you in a heaving heap wondering what exactly just happened. Set in World War II, Inglourious Basterds features an ensemble cast of oddball characters constantly working against and with each other. Brad Pitt plays a US Lieutenant with a Louisiana accent and a penchant for Nazi scalps leading a rag-tag group of American Jews in a vengeance campaign across occupied France. Colonel Landa, a top Nazi played brilliantly by Christoph Waltz, works to hunt down these so-called “Inglourious Basterds” and other Jews-in-hiding. Various locals and turncoats also join in on the drama, conspiring for (or working against) a plot to firebomb Hitler and the Reich elite. It’s a typical Tarantino plot, filled with twisting storylines that converge to a climactic and all-revealing ending. Don’t let this description fool you, however, as Inglourious Basterds is not an action movie nor a typical war movie in any fashion. The handful of scenes are softly paced and dialogue heavy, but not in a manner which is boring or slow. It is a testament to Tarantino’s brilliance that the audience can sit for two-and-a-half hours in absolute awe of the characters on screen without so much as yawning. Every single word or gesture is absolutely quintessential in building the tense emotions on which each scene thrives. When the action does come, it is fast-paced and over-the-top gory. The scattering of violent scenes, though short in actual length, dangle in the viewer’s mind, casting shadows of doubt over the rest of movie. Adding to this haunting sense is the cinematic fashion in which the scenes are shot. Extended close-ups offer a sort of facial study, allowing for all the fear and tension the characters feel to be transmitted into the viewer. Wide shots composed of contrasting figures in domineering positions create a compressive, surrounding effect. Add to this the slowly building soundtrack (in which David Bowie’s “Cat People” has a beautiful role) and the overall film takes on an offsetting tone of emotions under pressure. It is this nagging doubt that leads to the underlying meaning of the movie, that of a mocking indignation of revisionist history. The uber-vilification of Nazi Germany in modern society and the uncontrollable rage it cultivates is shown for all its hyperbolic nonsense in Inglourious Basterds. The immense violence perpetrated by the supposed “heroes” only serves to disgust, creating a moral dilemma regarding the act of vengeance. Inglourious Basterds serves as an anti-war movie movie, a sort of condemnation of the modern cinema goer’s lust for bloody revenge on film. From the superb acting to riveting dialogue to intelligent plot, Inglourious Basterds is the greatest cinematic experience 2009 has offered so far.
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2016-36/0813/en_head.json.gz/10165 | August 25, 2016 home | celeb | music | movie | tv Home > News > Movie Soulja Boy and Nick Cannon to Collaborate for a Movie
August 12, 2010 (9:12 am) GMT The 'Pretty Boy Swag' rapper reveals that he is set to star in the film written by the comedian when he was 17 years old.
Soulja Boy and Nick Cannon are set to team up, not for a song or an album, but for a big screen project. The 20-year-old rapper has told MTV Movie News that he is on board to tackle a role in a movie which is written by the "America's Got Talent" host. "Me and Nick Cannon have been talking back and forth for, like, the last year about a movie idea," Soulja stated. "We were talking back and forth, and he wants me to star in a movie that he wrote when he was, like, 17." The "Crank That" hitmaker refused to spill a lot on the details but did mention that a production will begin in November. He additionally shared his vision on the future of his acting career, saying that he plans a biopic about himself. "I want people to know my story. Because a lot of people know Soulja Boy and know my songs, but a lot of people don't know where I'm from or where I came from, how I did it," he reasoned, before adding "A lot of people do know, but a movie would paint the picture so much better. I wanna do a movie that's my story, my legacy; what got me here and why I'm still here." Recently, Soulja Boy and Nick Cannon have teamed up for TV Movie "School Gyrls" which also stars Justin Bieber. "I did a movie with him earlier this year with Justin Bieber, and it went straight to Nickelodeon. It was a good movie, but it was mostly for kids," he gushed about the project. Soulja is currently working on his next album, "The DeAndre Way", which is slated for a fall release. As for Nick, he has previously announced that he is going to embark on a comedy tour in the Fall 2010 beginning at the Just for Laughs festival in Montreal. TODAY'S HEADLINES | 影视 |
2016-36/0813/en_head.json.gz/10227 | Megan Zheng
in Singapore
Megan Zheng (also known as Megan Tay, simplified Chinese: 郑智允; pinyin: Zhèng Zhìyǔn) is a Singaporean actress who starred in two Singaporean movies: Homerun and One More Chance. For her role in Homerun, Zheng, then 10 years old, became the first Singaporean to win a Golden Horse Award, sharing her Best New Performer award with Wang Baoqiang.
When Zheng was five, she accompanied her elder sister (who had a part in a documentary) to a TV station. Upon realising that the producer wanted her to play a part, a terrified Zheng hid behind a sofa.
Jack Neo, who wrote and directed Homerun, placed a newspaper advertisement about auditions for a role in the movie, stating that he was looking for a "girl about nine, [who is] dark, skinny, and can cry and act". After seeing the advertisement, Zheng's father joked that she fitted the bill, prompting the girl to call Neo's J Team Productions and arrange an audition. Just before the audition ended, Zheng reminded Neo that he had yet to see her cry and she then proceeded to demonstrate her ability to do so. This anecdote, coupled with Neo's belief that Zheng was directable and "her eyes could communicate", convinced Neo to select Zheng over 1006 | 影视 |
2016-36/0813/en_head.json.gz/10248 | National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation [Blu-ray] New Releases Movies National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation [Blu-ray]
Make merry as Chevy Chase, Beverly D’Angelo, Randy Quaid and an ensemble of comedy favorites strive to gift-wrap the “perfect Christmas” for the Griswold family. The most successful of the three vacations. Year: 1989 Director: Jeremiah S. Chechik Starring: Chevy Chase, Beverly D’Angelo, Randy Quaid,You know exactly what you’re getting in National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation: another goofball, slapstick comedy of chaos and catastrophe with Clark Griswold (Chevy Chase) and family. This time, there’s no traveling involved: Clark and Ellen (Beverly D’Angelo) prepare for a nice Christmas with the kids (played by none other than Juliette Lewis and Roseanne star Johnny Galecki), when their home is invaded by backwoods cousin Eddie (Randy Quaid) and his brood, along with assorted other crazy and/or stuffy relatives. Complications, of course, are inevitable. The film is preceded by National Lampoon’s Vacation (1983) and National Lampoon’s European Vacation (1985) and followed by National Lampo
Rating: (out of 456 reviews)
List Price: $ 28.99
bluray christmas National vacation October 19, 2010
A “Golden” Opportunity For Gold Promise Spokesperson Mr. T → ← Ke$ha “We R Who We R” Song Dedicated To Victims Of Bullying 5 thoughts on “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation [Blu-ray] ” john thomas says: October 19, 2010 at 4:46 pm Review by john thomas for National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation [Blu-ray]
Rating: With apologies to Jimmy Stewart and Ralphie Parker, this is my favorite Christmas movie of all time. If you are reading this because you have never seen “Christmas Vacation”, stop right now and go to the video store and rent it. Then come back here and order your own copy because you’ll want to watch it over and over again each holiday season.The undisputed gem of the National Lampoon ‘Vacation’ series, the plot can be summed up very simply: idealistic family man Clark Griswold wants to host the perfect old-fashioned fun family Christmas. As all of us idealistic family men have discovered, there is no such thing as a perfect holiday, and that just about sums it up. The appeal of this film is that we can all relate to the disasters that holidays can become, regardless of how well-meaning we are and how hard we work to achieve them. The cast is terrific. Chevy Chase and Beverly D’Angelo (Ellen) are back as the Griswolds, with Juliette Lewis and Johnny Galecki assuming the roles of Audrey and Rusty. John Randolph and Diane Ladd are Clark’s parents, while E.G. Marshall and the ultimate mother-in-law, Doris Roberts are Ellen’s parents. Nicholas Guest and Julia Louis-Dreyfuss are Todd and Margo, the yuppie neighbors. William Hickey and Mae Questel (the voice of Betty Boop and Olive Oyl) nearly steal the show as Uncle Lewis and senile Aunt Bethany. Randy Quaid does steal the show – his “cousin-in-law” Eddie is one of the all-time great characters in recent comedy history.The self-inflicted situations that befall Clark in his holiday quest are peppered with memorable dialogue and slapstick, yet believable enough to bring flickers of recognition to most viewers. Witness his mishaps on the roof putting up the lights; getting trapped in the attic; spending his Christmas bonus before he gets it; dealing with his snooty neighbors; and getting hilariously tongue-tied at the lingerie counter and being remarkably eloquent when he gets his “bonus”. Admit it. We’ve all been there.A holiday movie should be one that holds up to repeated viewings, and this one does. Besides the excellent cast and the familiar situations, there is a great score by Angelo Badalamenti (Twin Peaks), the animated opening credits sequence, and some fine tunes such as “Hey Santa Claus” by the Moonglows! There are numerous little touches that you might not catch the first several times – check out the shape of the packages in Mr. Shirley’s office when Clark gives him his gift, and see what happens to the light bulbs Clark puts in the cart at the Wal-Mart.I suspect, like in our home, “Christmas Vacation” has become a sort of institution in many homes each holiday season. We like to get together with friends to watch it, with everyone dressing as a character from the movie. We eat green jello with “cat food” in it, stand and join in the Pledge of Allegiance and the Star Spangled Banner, recite the lines along with the characters, and give thanks that our holidays are at least a little better than the Griswolds’.
Reply Anonymous says: October 19, 2010 at 4:42 pm Review by for National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation [Blu-ray]
Rating: Every Christmas Eve I put the presents under the tree, straighten the stockings, and never forget to watch National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation. Chevy Chase returns as Clark Griswald and gives his funniest performance yet. Beverly D’Angelo is also back as Ellen, and not to mention Randy Quaid has also returned to play good old Uncle Eddy. This movie will have you laughing the whole time. The DVD could have a better selection of extra’s but trust me, the movie is satisfying enough. What makes this movie different from the rest of the Vacation movies is the fact that the Griswalds don’t actually take a vacation. Instead they stay home and invite the in-laws to join them for the holidays. One of the greatest moments in the movie would have to be when Eddy kidnaps Clark’s boss to fufill Clark’s Christmas wish. Forget “The Santa Clause”, “A Christmas Story”, and “A Miracle on 34th Street”. Christmas Vacation is the new Christmas DVD classic!
Reply Jeffrey Leach says: October 19, 2010 at 4:16 pm Review by Jeffrey Leach for National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation [Blu-ray]
Rating: You really take your life in your hands every time you sit down with a Chevy Chase film. Let’s face reality here: Chevy Chase is responsible for several of the worst movies ever made. Does it take more than a few minutes of viewing to see the mind numbing folly of “Nothing But Trouble,” “The Three Amigos,” and “Spies Like Us”? Chase has sure had his truly embarrassing moments on the big screen. What redeems the guy, at least in my eyes, are several films that play up to the comedian’s smart alecky, deadpan delivery. “Fletch,” of course, is the gold standard of Chevy Chase films, but other movies showcase his talents just as well. I always thought “Deal of the Century” a classic Chase film, as well as “Foul Play” (although the latter was more of an ensemble picture). But we need look no further than the four National Lampoon Vacation films to truly judge the merits of this comedian turned actor. Actually, I should say three Vacation films since the second installment, where the Griswold family went on a tour of Europe, ranks as one of the most dreadful stories ever put on film. Of the three successful entries, “Christmas Vacation” is the best, perhaps even eclipsing the first movie that started it all.
You won’t hear the familiar strains of Lindsey Buckingham’s “Holiday Road” in “Christmas Vacation,” and there are no corpses strapped to the top of a station wagon either. Instead, the film invites us into the Griswold home for an old fashioned Christmas celebration the likes of which soon reach catastrophic levels. Clark (Chevy Chase) and Ellen (Beverly D’Angelo) Griswold, along with their disinterested kids Audrey (Juliette Lewis) and Russ (Johnny Galecki), invite the whole family over for a season filled with happiness. Clark’s parents Clark Sr. (John Randolph) and Nora (Diane Ladd) show up, as does Ellen’s folks Art (E.G. Marshall) and Frances (Doris Roberts). And yes, even Cousin Eddie (Randy Quaid) makes an appearance to save the day. Of course, along with the family comes the inevitable frustrations and stresses everyone who has ever dealt with a reunion dreads. Clark Griswold refuses, at least initially, to fall into a morass of cynicism and despair amidst the bickering and insults. His invention of a new milk preservative has our hero hoping his Christmas bonus will be extra big this year, big enough so he can install an in ground swimming pool in the backyard. Unfortunately, his boss Frank Shirley (Brian Doyle-Murray) is a scrooge with plans to make the company more fiscally conservative. While he waits for the check to arrive at the house, Clark embarks on several hilarious projects that haul in the belly laughs. His attempts to cover every square inch of his house with Christmas lights is a chore requiring several falls off a ladder, pointed verbal repartees with his snotty neighbors Margo and Todd Chester (Julia-Louis Dreyfus and Nicholas Guest), and repeated failures to get the strands to light up. The acquisition and installment of the Griswold family Christmas tree is another chore handled in Clark’s inimitable style. Imagine the pine they string up in Rockefeller Square every year, subtract roughly five feet from its height, and you have the tree Clark insists on setting up in the house. This thing is so huge that the branches knock out the windows when Griswold cuts the rope holding the branches together. No Yuletide season, however, would be complete without a trip to the slopes for a sledding excursion, an event filled with disastrous implications when Griswold comes up with the bright idea to cover the bottom of his sled with a Teflon based substance. My favorite scenario involves Clark trapped in his attic for a few hours. He spends his time dressed up in women’s clothing (to stay warm) watching old home movies of his childhood. His abrupt fall through the trap door had me laughing for hours afterwards.
The cast of “Christmas Vacation” gels fantastically, far better than any cast in the other three films. Kudos as always go to Randy Quaid as the squirrelly moocher Eddie; a film in this series just wouldn’t be the same without this character driving Clark to fits of distraction. Beverly D’Angelo is one of those actresses who get hotter and hotter with age. The linchpin of the film is, as always, Chevy Chase as the disaster prone Clark Griswold. This is a role tailor made for his brand of clumsy, caustic humor. I don’t know about you, but Chase’s depiction reminds me in many ways of my own father–he won’t listen to the advice of anyone else, his ideas are the best ideas, he tosses safety to the wind when working on dangerous projects, etc. But like my Dad–and probably countless other fathers–Clark is sincere and wants his loved ones to have wonderful family memories. The film works so well, I suspect, because most of us instantly recognize his character traits in our own beloved family patriarchs. Especially when Clark can’t stand the pressure anymore and launches into one of his over the top tirades, again a trademark of our own fed up fathers.
Although the DVD carries the “Special Edition” tag, the extras are surprisingly sparse. A trailer and a commentary constitute the sum total of goodies available on the disc. Moreover, the commentary doesn’t include Chevy Chase. At least you hear Randy Quaid, Beverly D’Angelo, Johnny Galecki, Miriam Flynn (Eddie’s wife Catherine), director Jeremiah Chechik, and producer Marty Simmons, but why no Clark W. Griswold? Perhaps he wanted too much money. His absence is unfortunate and mars what is otherwise a great commentary track. I don’t even wait until Christmas to watch this movie; it’s fun works year round. If you haven’t seen it yet, you ought to immediately. You’ll love it.
Rating: With the Christmas season approaching, I thought I’d give my review of Christmas Vacation. While some people are watching It’s a Wonderful Life, I’m watching the hilarious antics of Clark W. Griswold. If you’ve seen the other Vacation movies, you know that poor old Clark W. Griswold brings disaster with him wherever he goes. Although, with this go-round, he stays home this time, trying to throw a “Good-old-fashioned-family Christmas”. But, of course, there’s disaster at every corner. Clark staples himself to a storm gutter putting up Christmas lights, which cause brownouts. A squirrel lives in his Christmas tree. His cousin’s doberman brings down the house. Literally. His snooty neighbors won’t cut him any slack. He puts an experimental kitchen lubricant on his pan sled. And, on top of that, his hilariously goofy cousin (Randy Quaid) shows up without warning. The cast is great. Chevy Chase is, as always, histerical, as is Beverly D’Angelo as his smart-aleck wife. Julia-Louis Dreyfus is great as one of Clark’s stuck-up neighbors, but the funniest role has to be Randy Quaid as Clark’s redneck cousin, Eddie. Quaid was perfect for that role, as well as the rest of Clark’s and Ellen’s families. I also like the animated Santa intro to the movie, where Santa visits the Griswold residence. If you think you’re having a bad holiday, one viewing of this film will quickly change your mind. If you don’t laugh at this movie, I will come over to your house and force you to watch this movie several times over. You have to see Christmas Vacation at least once. How could you not laugh at Clark’s antics?
Reply Andy Radke says: October 19, 2010 at 3:13 pm Review by Andy Radke for National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation [Blu-ray]
Rating: Finally, after all this time, Warner Brothers have come to their senses. On October 7th, we will be treated to a heftly helping of one of the greatest Christmas films to ever grace the silver screen…………in WIDESCREEN.I was extremely disappointed with the previous DVD release of this film which contained a pan & scan presentation and nothing more than a theatrical trailer in the extras department.What we have here is a special edition of this great movie, which will contain audio commentary from both Beverly D’Angelo and Chevy Chase, a “making of” featurette, as well as other stocking stuffers which have yet to be disclosed at this present time. Being a huge fan of this movie, I honestly can’t wait for this release. “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation” has become a holiday tradition in my home, and to be able to see it the way it was intended to be seen is truly a treat for me.Aside from the features of the disk, the film itself is the true gift. One of the funniest movies today which still withstands the test of time even 15 years later. The premise is simple. Clark W. Griswold (Chevy Chase) is hell bent on having an old-fashioned family Christmas in his home, relatives and all. Of course, the hilarity kicks in when things start to go awry. There are so many hilarious scenes in this movie, it would be difficult to list them all. You have everything from an electrocuted cat, to a house with the brightest Christmas light display known to man. Let’s not forget the dried up turkey, the saucer sled and the dog/squirrel chase! There’s so much more I could say to praise this movie, but if you haven’t already seen it, [I won’t say more]
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2016-36/0813/en_head.json.gz/10256 | Blog Feed Post
Shelly Palmer Radio Report – February 14, 2014
By Shelly Palmer
February 14, 2014 03:01 AM EST
Netflix may be the streaming site claiming awards for its original shows, but Amazon has started to bring the heat. Amazon recently released its second batch of 10 original pilots, and is its Prime customers to vote on which they want to see turn into full series. Amazon’s first batch of pilots last year led to two new shows: Betas and Alpha House. Both were fairly well-received, but neither was a critical darling like Netflix’s House of Cards. Could Amazon’s second batch of pilots hold its breakout hit? Five of the ten new shows are aimed at kids, but others include a series from X-Files creator Chris Carter that’s vaguely reminiscent of LOST, while another follows a Los Angeles detective in a story based off a best-selling novel from Michael Connelly. Watching any of these shows will make it obvious that Amazon’s production values were much higher this time around. Time will tell if any of these series will take off, but one thing is clear: Netflix should watch its back.
Published February 14, 2014 Reads 263 Copyright © 2014 SYS-CON Media, Inc. — All Rights Reserved.
More Stories By Shelly Palmer
Shelly Palmer is the host of Fox Television’s "Shelly Palmer Digital Living" television show about living and working in a digital world. He is Fox 5′s (WNYW-TV New York) Tech Expert and the host of United Stations Radio Network’s, MediaBytes, a daily syndicated radio report that features insightful commentary and a unique insiders take on the biggest stories in technology, media, and entertainment. | 影视 |
2016-36/0813/en_head.json.gz/10293 | AMC Website Goes Retro for The Prisoner Remake
By Christopher Rosen • 01/07/09 4:12pm With a third season of Mad Men still up in the air for 2009–hey Lionsgate, take your time in cutting a deal with Matthew Weiner–it is nice to see that AMC has planned ahead to fill the gaps in their programming slate. The network has recently wrapped shooting on its six-hour mini-series remake of the famed BBC show The Prisoner with the expectation that it will air sometime in 2009 (our best guess: summertime). The original series, which influenced everything from The Truman Show to Lost, starred Patrick McGoohan as Six, a former British agent trapped in "The Village"–a place where he is constantly watched by his captors as he tries to escape and get "information." In a questionable casting move, James Caviezel stars as Six, while the more appropriate Sir Ian McKellen plays the nefarious role of Two.
For folks like us who only know The Prisoner from that crazy episode of The Simpsons where Homer ends up on a mystery island and keeps getting drugged, AMC has been kind enough to create an entire site devoted to the original 1967-1968 series. You can watch all seventeen fifty-minute episodes, or if you don’t have time, check out the Cliff Notes "Prisoner-in-a-Minute" episode recaps. Additionally, there are photo galleries and a trivia contest; the site is a virtual cornucopia of Prisoner fandom. The only problem? An awful Spanish-language banner ad that features a cartoon version of Death (looking like something out of Nightmare Before Christmas) who maniacally (and annoyingly) laughs anytime the mouse glides over it. After some research (we clicked on it), we figured out that the site is one of those that can tell you what time you’re going to die. Scary! But now, the ad has mysteriously disappeared and we can’t find the site. Hmmm. Could it be the handiwork of Number One? Cue The Prisoner theme…
Filed under: AMC, Ian McKellen, Jim Caviezel, O2 Daily, The Culture Czar, The Prisoner Trending Now | 影视 |
2016-36/0813/en_head.json.gz/10483 | The Winter Soldier Speaks: Sebastian Stan Talks Injuries, That Hair & His Action Figure!
Bucky Barnes has gone to the dark side!Sebastian Stan returns as Captain America's BFF in "Captain America: The Winter Soldier," but he's got a whole new look and one baaaaad personality.Though he was presumed dead after the events in "The First Avenger," Barnes reappears in the present day as a ruthless, brainwashed assassin with a bionic arm.toofab's Brian Particelli sat down with Stan before the film's US premiere, where they talked about his return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, picking up the fast-paced fight choreography, and, most importantly, who had the best hair flip on set."Listen, in that department I think Black Widow's got everybody beat," Stan says with a laugh. "Pretty much all of it was mine and it was a lot," he adds, talking about his mane in the flick. "I actually kept a lot of it for a couple months afterwards for as long as I could. I felt like a whole other person and sometimes you want that."It's true, he looks like a totally different person in this movie -- sporting a costume straight out of the Marvel comics."Thank God I actually have a cool costume and it's not like a weird one," says Stan. "It helped everything because it was just such a transformation for me. There's a little kid thing about it, because you're like 'Wow! You guys really took this off the page!'"The 30-year-old actor says he didn't find out his character would return until two years after "The First Avenger," though he thinks Marvel head honcho Kevin Feige probably knew "maybe a week after the first one came out."He tells toofab he has a "really good time" playing this character -- and loved doing the fight scenes for this sequel."We had excellent stunt guys and they were amazing; they choreographed everything," he says of the epic hand-to-hand combat. "It's hard, you have to have patience, but it's only time that really gets you to get it." "We got hurt a lot," he adds. "You saw some of the sets that we were on. There were metal bars and things and I ran into them so many times [and hurt] my ribs. We all got hit and banged up pretty well."And while he didn't share any fight scenes with the actor, Sebastian says working with Robert Redford on the flick was incredible."It was kind of surreal because you're sitting there kind of going like, 'Wow, look who I'm sitting across from," but it was just so nice that there was such a rapport in the way he carried himself," says Stan. "He treated me like his equal no matter what and was actually working with me," he adds. "At his age and after everything he's gone through, that's a really cool thing."Another cool thing: Getting his own action figure!"Well, I had to approve of it, so I have seen one and I know there's a few," he says of the toy version of himself. "It's very surreal. Very strange."See Sebastian in action when "Captain America: The Winter Soldier" hits theaters his weekend.
#SebastianStan#Movies#TvMoviesMusic
Chris Evans Says He’s Ready to Retire from Acting
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2016-36/0813/en_head.json.gz/10520 | HomeSceneAwards Nominee reaction: Joe Letteri
Visual effects, 'Rise of the Planet of the Apes'
Joe Letteri, visual effects supervisor “Rise of the Planet of the Apes,” says the team on the film was pushing for motion-capture technology from the start in order to make the apes appear as lifelike as possible.
“We felt that they had to look like real apes,” he said. “It had to feel as if you were seeing them at a zoo or in a documentary.”
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2016-36/0813/en_head.json.gz/10521 | HomeTVColumns Web prod’n spikes but will it pay off?
Cynthia Littleton
Managing Editor: Television
@Variety_Cynthia 0
October 9, 2012 | 05:00AM PT
Production activity for online growing at a fast clip
Netflix’s announcement of the Feb. 1 premiere date for its David Fincher-Kevin Spacey drama “House of Cards” is sure to bring more attention to the gold rush of investment in wholly original scripted content made for Internet platforms.
Aside from Netflix’s high-profile gambles, with “Cards” and the revival of “Arrested Development,” the dollars committed to these made-fors are not huge, but industry pros’ production activity for the Web is growing at a fast clip.
YouTube primed this pump considerably by passing out seed money to Hollywood creatives as part of its push to launch 100 dedicated channels offering original content. The Internet behemoth is so enamored with its powers of creation that on Sunday, YouTube content boss Robert Kyncl unveiled in a blog post plans to add more than 50 more channels and expand its focus beyond the U.S. to France, the U.K. and Germany. YouTube also intends to spend more than $200 million just to market its myriad channels in the coming year, according to the New York Times. You can do that when your parent company’s stock hasn’t closed below $500 in more than a year.
Zeroing in on scripted content, I remain extremely skeptical about the prospects for made-for-Internet productions from a business perspective. Setting aside the creative opportunities, which are considerable, the path to profitability seems to focus on using the Web as an incubator to pique network and studio interest in developing a property as a traditional TV show or film. Think Cartoon Network and “Annoying Orange” or CBS and “S*** My Dad Says.” Comedy Central added fuel to the fire on Monday by ordering a pilot based on the Web skein “Broad City.”
Because I am such a skeptic, I reached out to two established filmmakers who have thrown themselves into the new-media world order, Jon Avnet and Rodrigo Garcia. The pair spearhead the YouTube channel Wigs, which has served up an impressive array of scripted skeins and shorts since it bowed in May. After more than a year of developing content, most of it served up over three to 10 episodes running 6 to 10 minutes apiece, Avnet and Garcia have seen the future, and it is now.
“We are the studio. We are the network. We are the producers and the writers and the directors,” Garcia said. “And we are the completion bonds,” Avnet added.
With seed money provided by YouTube, the pair rented studio space in Culver City and reached out to industry friends and associates to get projects going. The response has been overwhelming, even from creatives who have no shortage of higher-paying gigs. Marta Kauffman, Neil LaBute, Scott Turow, Mitch Albom, Lesli Linka Glatter, Jennifer Garner, Maura Tierney, Jason O’Mara, Jena Malone and Julia Stiles are among those who’ve worked on Wigs productions.
Avnet and Garcia have had a number of calls from traditional biz outlets interesting in pursuing development deals for Wigs properties. That may happen over time, Avnet says, but that’s not the endgame. For now, they’re more intrigued by the interest from advertisers in doing more expansive deals with Wigs that would allow them to expand the scope of their activities.
“Just from a learning point of view, it’s been very instructive to learn how to write and direct for this format,” Garcia said. “I don’t think the whole enterprise (of scripted Internet content) will be a bust. If it’s not Wigs, there’ll be someone who finally breaks through on this new platform. This is going to stick.”
Avnet and Garcia are also quick to note that Wigs productions are all done under new media-specific guild contracts — a point that was important to them in proving the legitimacy of the platform.
“Creating a new model for production and challenging your assumptions about what things cost — that keeps you nimble,” Avnet says. “As the industry tries to figure out how movies are going to be made and financed in the future, the things that YouTube is doing right now may be a big part of it in the next five years.” | 影视 |
2016-36/0813/en_head.json.gz/10574 | Actor Ralph Fiennes On Taking Risks With "Coriolanus" By NPR Staff
Caius In Charge: Ralph Fiennes directs co-star Vanessa Redgrave in his big-screen adaptation of Shakespeare's Coriolanus.
Larry D. Horricks
/ The Weinstein Co.
Bad To The Bone? No stranger to characters with autocratic tendencies, Fiennes played the evil wizard Voldemort in the Harry Potter films.
Warner Bros. Films
For his directorial debut, actor Ralph Fiennes brings William Shakespeare's work to the big screen with a modern adaptation of Coriolanus. Fiennes also stars as the eponymous Roman general, a role he played on the stage 11 years ago. The original play, Fiennes tells weekends on All Things Considered host Guy Raz, is complex. "I had this feeling that if you were to clear away a lot of the denser passages, and shorten it and edit it, you are left actually with a very visceral, sinewy political thriller," Fiennes says. Fiennes worked closely with screenwriter John Logan, best known for co-writing the Academy Award-winning Gladiator and writing Hugo, on interpreting the play and turning it into a modern-day tragedy for the big screen. Remaining loyal to Shakespeare's original language and verse was seen as a risk by many in Hollywood. "Some producers and people did ask me would I rewrite the project," Fiennes says. "I carry a flag for Shakespeare's verse. It was the reason I became an actor, because I was moved and excited by Shakespeare's language and Shakespeare's stories." Fiennes' career as an actor is impressive and extensive, but he'd never directed himself in a film. Coriolanus forced Fiennes to watch himself closely, analyzing his acting in a way that he never had before. "You are confronted with all kinds of facial takes, vocal mannerism, things that make you embarrassed, recoil," Fiennes says. "That was painful and I still feel slightly awkward when I see myself up there, but I felt I learned a lot about acting." In both the movie and the play, the character of Coriolanus is filled with an enduring rage. Fiennes says this rage, both thrilling and terrifying, makes the role difficult. Fiennes has played some of the most critically acclaimed villains on screen. In Schindler's List, he earned an Oscar nomination for his portrayal of Amon Goth; in recent years, he made his mark as Lord Voldemort, the dark wizard in the Harry Potter movies. But when NPR's Raz asked Fiennes about his dream role, his answer veered from the roles for which he's known. "What I really would love is the unknown part, the part that's going to be written," Fiennes says. "I guess I'd love to be surprised by something I had never thought of."Copyright 2012 National Public Radio. To see more, visit http://www.npr.org/. Related Program: All Things ConsideredView the discussion thread. © 2016 WMOT | 影视 |
2016-36/0813/en_head.json.gz/10587 | Quentin Tarantino’s Players Party as MoMA Fetes Director
Jamie Foxx, Diane Kruger, Harvey Keitel and Steve Buscemi were at the museum's annual film benefit on Monday.
By Matthew Lynch on December 4, 2012 Share This Article Reddit
13 Photos With apologies to the appropriate artists, the greatest mixed-media piece at Manhattan’s Museum of Modern Art on Monday night had nothing to do with the museum’s collection. RZA, the Wu-Tang Clan impresario turned cultural jack-of-all-trades, was at a piano in the museum’s second-floor atrium. Accompanied by a backing band of Club Monaco model-looking twentysomethings, he repackaged a medley of hits that themselves had previously been repackaged by Quentin Tarantino for his film soundtracks — “Jungle Boogie,” “Son of a Preacher Man,” Luis Bacalov’s score for the 1972 spaghetti Western “The Grand Duel,” etc. and so on.
If the proceedings were a little loose for so meticulous a venue, it worked. It was, after all, MoMA’s fifth annual film benefit, this year honoring Tarantino, that high reverend of reference. The setting had the director reminiscing about his first trip to New York, at the suggestion of Harvey Keitel in order to fill out the casting of “Reservoir Dogs.”
“[I said] ‘I agree Harvey, but what the f–k are we going to do about it? We don’t got any money,’ ” Tarantino said in an acceptance speech laden with stops, starts and asides. “Through a casting director friend of his we got a little office space and we started seeing some actors….We did casting. In that casting we found the great Steve Buscemi, who immortalized Mr. Pink for all time.”
Keitel and Buscemi joined a group of the director’s stars both past and present making cameos during the evening. Jamie Foxx and Diane Kruger were also there, as was the director’s longtime benefactor, Harvey Weinstein, alongside wife Georgina Chapman. Katie Holmes took in the action on an off-night from “Dead Accounts.” Perhaps her appearance might portend some far-off casting announcement. | 影视 |
2016-36/0813/en_head.json.gz/10628 | Grammy audience down, still 2nd highest since 1993
NEW YORK — While the Grammy Awards couldn’t come close to the freakishly high ratings generated in 2012 because of Whitney Houston’s death and Adele’s smashing success, this year’s show had the second-largest audience for the program since 1993.
The Nielsen company said Monday that music’s annual awards show was seen by 28.4 million people Sunday night on CBS.
The Grammys this year were packed with high-powered musical moments and, in its awards, celebrated the industry’s diversity rather than overwhelmingly honoring one artist. It also had a few water-cooler moments: Which boyfriend was Taylor Swift specifically dissing in her latest performance of “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together?” Was Chris Brown flaunting his revived relationship with Rihanna?
The music academy’s decision to turn the televised Grammys into more of a showcase than an awards show appears to be bearing fruit, too.
The show’s audience was nearly 2 million higher than the 26.7 million who watched in 2011. From 2005 to 2009, the Grammy Awards audience fluctuated from 17 million to 20 million viewers.
Last year, 39.9 million people tuned in to see how the industry would react to Houston’s death just before the awards and celebrate the coronation of its hottest star, Adele, who won six Grammys.
This year’s show featured the musical return of Justin Timberlake, collaborations honoring Bob Marley and Levon Helm, and performances by the majority of stars up for major awards.
The Grammys far outpaced the Emmys, which had 13.3 million viewers last September for its more traditional awards show, and the Golden Globes, which had 19.7 million viewers in January. The upcoming Oscars usually get more than 30 million viewers. | 影视 |
2016-36/0813/en_head.json.gz/10723 | Anime Site
BellaOnline's Anime Editor
Guest Author - Lesley AeschlimanOreimo (which is known as Ore no Imoto ga Konna ni Kawaii Wake ga Nai in Japan) is an anime based on a light novel series written by Tsukasa Fushimi and illustrated by Hiro Kanzaki.
Kyosuke Kosaka is a regular 17-year-old high school student, and his younger sister Kirino is a 14-year-old middle school student. The two siblings haven't had much of a relationship in years, due to Kirino basically igoring Kyosuke. It also doesn't help that Kirino is pretty and smart, while Kyosuke is simply average. However, something happens that causes the siblings to start talking to one another again.
One day, Kyosuke and Kirino accidentally bump into each other, causing Kirino's bag to fly. After Kirino quickly picks up her things and bats Kyosuke away, she makes a hasty retreat out of the house. After she leaves, Kyosuke notices a DVD case that had fallen under some furniture in the entryway. The case is for a magical girl anime series, but inside the case is a disc for an adult game that focuses on little sisters.
Through some deduction, Kyosuke comes to discover that the DVD and game belong to his little sister, which surprises him. One night, Kirino takes Kyosuke to her room and admits that she's an otaku with an extensive collection of not only moe anime, but younger sister-themed adult games. Kyosuke promises to keep the collection a secret from their parents. By the end of the first episode, Kirino is trying to include Kyosuke in her hobby, much to his chagrin.
I have to admit that at first, I thought Kirino's interest in the younger sister-themed adult games was a little odd, but by the end of the first episode, it's made clear that in some respects, she is a little naive about her interest. Also, it's made clear that Kirino is more interested in the cuteness of the little sisters than in the other aspects involved in these games. By the end of the first episode, I also saw that Oreimo has the potential to have some interesting things to explore in regards to relationships between siblings.
Oreimo has a very "cute" look to it, especially in the character design for Kirino. However, due to the fact that adult games play a pivotal role in this series, it's not one I would recommend to younger viewers; however, I will stress that in the first episode, there are only a couple of shots shown of a game, and what is shown from the game is very innocent. But even with that, I still would hesitate to recommend this series for younger viewers.
Personally, I would recommend Oreimo to anime viewers who are 15 or 16 years of age and older.
TitleEpisodesRelease Year(s)DirectorStudioN.A. LicensorOreimo122010Hiroyuki KanbeAIC BuildAniplex of AmericaOreimo42011Hiroyuki KanbeAIC BuildN/AOre no Imoto Konna ni Kawaii Wake ga Nai132013Hiroyuki KanbeA-1 PicturesAniplex of AmericaThis site needs an editor - click to learn more!
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2016-36/0813/en_head.json.gz/10727 | AP predicts who will and should win at the TonysMark Kennedy AP Drama WriterPosted:
06/06/2014 09:34:13 AM EDTClick photo to enlargeThis image released by the The O+M Co. shows, from left, Jefferson Mays as Henry D'Ysquith, Jennifer Smith, and Bryce Pinkham as Monty Navarro in a scene from "A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder." The production was nominated for 10 Tony Awards, which will be held on Sunday, June 8, 2014 in New York. (AP Photo/The O+M Co., Joan Marcus)«12»NEW YORK (AP) — It's been a year on Broadway so unpredictable that the only thing for certain at the Tony Awards on Sunday is that Hugh Jackman will be the host. There have been no clear juggernauts — although some wonderful performances — and critics have largely bemoaned the lack of strong new good musicals and plays. In fact, the best revival categories this year easily overshadow anything new. That has led to uncertainty in most of the categories, and the nominating committee made no friends with choices that left many scratching their heads. CBS won't be too happy that the likes of Denzel Washington, Daniel Radcliffe, James Franco and Rachel Weisz didn't get nominations. To make matters worse, the telecast faces off against Game 2 of the NBA Finals between the Miami Heat and the San Antonio Spurs. So, into the breach, The Associated Press handicaps some of this year's messy races. BEST MUSICAL Will win: "A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder." Should win: "Aladdin." "A Gentleman's Guide" is the only one of the four nominees to have all original music and is a hard-working, witty, fun work that deserves its win. But "Aladdin" has everything a big musical should have — humor, high-step dancing, big sets and costumes, a bona fide leading man in James Monroe Iglehart and tried-and-tested songs. It's even got a flying carpet. Who could ask for anything more? Actually, we could ask for more nominations: "The Bridges of Madison County," ''If/Then," ''Bullets Over Broadway" and "Rocky" — though each was somewhat flawed — all deserved to be here, too.Advertisement
BEST PLAY Will win: "All The Way." Should win: "Mothers and Sons." The first turbulent year of Lyndon Johnson's presidency is the gripping focus of Robert Schenkkan's play and it owes its likely win to Bryan Cranston, who is spellbinding in the lead role. But the play is bloated and gets bogged down in the second half. Terrence McNally's "Mothers and Sons" is gentle in a way "All the Way" is showy. And in its subtle dialogue, McNally's play often seems more authentic than Schenkkan's. The other contestants — "Act One," ''Casa Valentina" and "Outside Mullingar" — are delightful without leaving a lasting impression. REVIVAL-PLAY Will win: "The Glass Menagerie." Should win: Any of the four. Want great acting in brilliant works? Step right down to the best play revival category. "The Glass Menagerie," with Cherry Jones and Zachary Quinto, was dreamy and sublime. "A Raisin in the Sun" with Denzel Washington is powerful and resonant. "Twelfth Night" with Mark Rylance was Shakespeare at its best. And "The Cripple of Inishmaan" is an ensemble, sets and a playwright firing on all four cylinders. No one should have to choose among these standout productions. REVIVAL-MUSICAL Will win: "Hedwig and the Angry Inch." Should win: "Les Miserables." The breathtaking 90-minute revival of "Hedwig and the Angry Inch" is full of energy and bravado, with a leading transvestite in Neil Patrick Harris who sings with real feeling and saucily spits up at the audience. So it's easy to overlook the new "Les Mis," with its gloomy, aching heartbeat. It has two superb leads in Ramin Karimloo and Will Swenson and new orchestrations, stagecraft and costumes. The third candidate, the understated "Violet," could sneak in to steal the trophy if its two glitzy rivals spit the vote. ACTOR-PLAY Will win: Bryan Cranston. Should win: Bryan Cranston. Are you going to argue with Walter White? Cranston, fresh off his triumph as a drug kingpin in "Breaking Bad," shows what he can do in a Broadway debut, and it's astonishing. He looks nothing like President Lyndon B. Johnson in "All the Way" but no matter: With his hair slicked back, his pants hiked up and in a pair of thick black glasses, Cranston stretches his rubbery face into a near-constant Johnson scowl and makes that good ol' boy accent run riot. He makes Mark Rylance's "Richard III" look like a cub scout. The other competitors — Chris O'Dowd, Tony Shalhoub and Samuel Barnett — need not have a speech ready. ACTRESS-PLAY Will win: Audra McDonald. Should win: Audra McDonald. McDonald will have her sixth Tony for a role that showcases all her stage skills — singing and acting and just being Audra McDonald. In "Lady Day at Emerson's Bar & Grill," she plays Billie Holiday with humor and grit. You get to hear "Stormy Weather" live and somehow enjoy Holliday and McDonald at the same time. Cherry Jones, who was marvelous in "The Glass Menagerie," had this wrapped up until McDonald decided to join her on Broadway this season. Their other competitors — Tyne Daly, Estelle Parsons and LaTanya Richardson Jackson — were great too but none can beat McDonald and Holiday. ACTOR-MUSICAL Will win: Neil Patrick Harris. Should win: Jefferson Mays. Not to take anything from NPH, but Mays puts everything he has into his eight roles in "A Gentlemen's Guide to Love and Murder." Harris will win for a tour de force as a German transsexual in "Hedwig and the Angry Inch," and he deserves it. He is willing to eat cigarettes and lick the stage. But May deserves applause, too, as the four noblemen and two noblewomen standing in the way of an inheritance. Both actors are sweating at the end. One has killed, and one has been killed, over and over again. Other competitors — Ramin Karimloo, Andy Karl and Bryce Pinkham — all are young and will surely be back. ACTRESS-MUSICAL Will win: Idina Menzel. Should win: Kelli O'Hara. Menzel lets her impressive lungs loose in the dual heroine lead of "If/Then," which should have produced two paychecks. But O'Hara, in "The Bridges of Madison County," also put her heart and the imprint she puts on her songs will outlast her rival, even though the show hasn't. Sutton Foster in the understated "Violet" is a worthy competitor and Jessie Mueller is an appealing Carole King, but no one can beat the vocal fireworks of the woman who taught us to let it go. ——— Mark Kennedy can be reached at http://twitter.com/KennedyTwitsPrint Email Font ResizeReturn to Top Welcome to your | 影视 |
2016-36/0813/en_head.json.gz/10735 | Remove ads with our VIP ServiceRatings / Reviewslanguage throughoutReader ReviewsQuick Summary
Clint Eastwood's big screen version of the Tony Award-winning musical tells the story of the four young men from the wrong side of the tracks in New Jersey who came together to form the iconic `60s rock group The Four Seasons. Their trials and triumphs are accompanied by the hit songs that influenced a generation, and are now being embraced by a new generation of fans through the stage musical.Starring John Lloyd Young, Erich Bergen, Christopher Walken, Vincent Piazza, Freya Tingley, Francesca Eastwood, Kathrine NarducciDirected by Clint EastwoodRunning Time - 2:14Genre - DramaOpened in Theaters - Friday, June 20th, 2014 Add Movie to Favorites Showtimes
This movie is not currently playing in theaters.Home VideoThis movie is likely available now on home video.Search Amazon.com for Jersey Boyson Blu-ray, DVD, and Instant Video | 影视 |
2016-36/0813/en_head.json.gz/10767 | Home › Archives › Raj Kapoor is my childhood hero: Israeli filmmaker Raj Kapoor is my childhood hero: Israeli filmmaker Kolkata, Nov 11 (IANS) Indian films are a great success in Israel, especially the classics, said Israeli filmmaker Dorn Eran, for whom Raj Kapoor has been an inspiration.
"Raj Kapoor is my childhood hero. I have been very influenced by his spontaneous acting, flawless direction and the subjects of his films. Realism has always dominated most of his films like 'Awara' and it has really inspired me," Eran told reporters at the 14th Kolkata Film Festival here.
Eran said Israelis are very fond of Indian films.
"Indian films are great hits in Israel. But we mostly watch the old classics of Indian cinema," Eran said.
Having produced about 42 films in his 20-year long career, Eran said he makes films not just for his people but also for the international market.
"Of course, I want to make films about my people (Israelis) till the last day of my career. But the local market in Israel is so small that I have to think internationally. After all, there is no point in making films without making any profit, especially when movies now are the best channel for corporates to merchandise their products," the 54-year-old producer-director said.
Eran said producing films in Israel is quite risk-free.
"Till now I have made only 10 films with government funds. For the rest, there are private investors who are interested in putting money into films as they get tax rebates if they invest in this field. Besides, if a film flops, the government refunds 50 percent of their investment," Eran said.
Five of Eran's films, "Stalin's Disciples", "The Voice of Ein Harod", "God's Sandbox", "Over Dose" and "Marriage Licence" are being screened at the film fest.
While "Stalin's Disciples" is a comical exploration of the 50s in the Israeli Kibutz movement, "The Voice of Ein Harod" is a tale of friendship during the political turmoil and military occupation of the country. "God's Sandbox" is a love story between a western tourist and an Arab Bedouin. "Over Dose' is based on the real life story of an young actress who dies of drug overdose - a crucial problem in Israel. "Marriage Licence" is about a married couple who seek lost passion after 20 years of marriage.
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2016-36/0813/en_head.json.gz/10807 | American Idols Live
American Idol is a reality show competition that seeks new solo musical talents. The show was created by Simon Fuller. It aired in 2002, and has since become one of the most popular shows on American television.
The show hunts for the best singer in the United States through a series of auditions. The American public decides the results of the later stages of the show through phone voting. The judges of the show include: award-winning record producer Randy Jackson; Award-winning music executive and music manager Simon Cowell; Grammy award-nominated singer-songwriter and record producer Kara DioGuardi, and the Emmy Award winner actress and comedian Ellen DeGeneres. Many of the American Idol's talents have gone to have a successful solo music career.
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2016-36/0813/en_head.json.gz/10829 | �Do you want to see a movie tonight?� asked my husband.It was a perfectly reasonable question. It was a Saturday afternoon. We had no plans. But having been married to this guy for 20 years, I knew this question wasn�t as innocent as it seemed. There was a hidden meaning. It was actually code for, �Do you want to see that new action movie with lots of special effects, a huge body count and bad guys with fake foreign accents?� �What did you have in mind?� I asked innocently.�The new James Bond movie,� he responded.I snorted to myself. My husband and I have a lot of similar tastes, which is probably one of the reasons we have stayed married so long. But when it comes to movies, we are clearly divided along gender lines. He likes sports-themed films and big action movies, and I like chick flicks. This is not to say that I don�t like an occasional football film or action movie, too. I was actually sitting in an action movie when I went into labor with my son. Truthfully, it�s much easier to have contractions when things are blowing up on screen than when two people are discussing their relationship issues. But I like to mix it up and every once in a while see a good rom-com or foreign film or something that does not include zombies, intergalactic battles, Tom Cruise rappelling off a building, or men in tight spandex superhero costumes. Actually scratch that last one. I�m OK with that.On the flip side, my husband is not much of a fan of chick flicks. Although he admits that seeing one is a good opportunity for him to catch up on his sleep, most of the time, I have to drag him kicking and screaming with promises of large quantities of Twizzlers to get him to go. Then he will sit in his seat, chewing Twizzlers and looking wistfully at the wall separating the multiplex where sounds of extreme violence and things exploding come from the theater next door.This being the case, when he asked me to see another action film, he knew that it was going to be a tough sell, so he decided to take a different tack .��Skyfall� is an action movie, but at it�s heart it�s really a love story,� he said.�How do you figure?� I wondered.�The movie is about the unresolved relationship between Bond and Miss Moneypenny,� he explained. �It�s really a romance with some action thrown in.�Having seen a dozen or so other James Bond movies, I was fairly certain this description was about as fitting as calling �The Godfather� a comedy. Although I was impressed that he had obviously put a great deal of effort into this argument, I still wasn�t biting.�Actually, I had something else in mind,� I replied. �There�s this new baseball movie I think you�d really like that I�d be willing to see.��Baseball? Cool! What�s it called?��Pitch Perfect.�Tracy�s new book, �Lost in Suburbia: A Momoir. How I Got Pregnant, Lost Myself, and Got My Cool Back in the New Jersey Suburbs� is now available for PRE-ORDER! To reserve your copy, got to Amazon or any online bookseller. | 影视 |
2016-36/0813/en_head.json.gz/10906 | Terrorists To SupremacistsWhile director Charles and the other producers learned to expect the unexpected when it came to the mind of Sacha Baron Cohen, one thing they were not prepared for was the actor's intentions for Brüno to help negotiate peace in the Middle East. The production's general policy for interviews is that Baron Cohen allows subjects to keep going and give the most honest reaction they can to the scene he's created with his fellow writers. With the suggestion that the company mingle with terrorists, however, the reaction among the normally brave key players was: "How the hell are we going to be do this and not get everyone killed?” They knew they couldn't safely go to Jordan, Israel or the West Bank to set these up. Well, at least that's what they thought. Before they embarked upon the plan, the team met with Middle East experts to learn what lines could never be crossed; they engaged the help of key Palestinian, Jordanian and Israeli advisors to understand these unwritten codes of conduct. Whether they followed them, however, was another story. This region proved to be the most intimidating and life-threatening location in which the team would shoot. After slyly getting the former Jordanian prime minister to take part in a 90-minute interview at his home, Baron Cohen needed to meet with the country's royal family to smooth things over. And if that—coupled with engaging members of Mossad and other fundamentalist politicians in the region—wasn't enough, Baron Cohen as Brüno headed to an area of the West Bank (in Zone C) that is not under Israeli control. If anything went wrong, there would be no help from the Israeli army. The filmmakers were truly on their own. Surprisingly, the head of the Bethlehem unit of terrorist group al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigade agreed to meet with this correspondent. The leader of a sect known for suicide bombings sat with Brüno while an aide translated curious, highly offensive statements from the interviewer. And while they spoke, they were surrounded by the terrorist's bodyguards…who grew more and more agitated by the barbs. Once Baron Cohen and Charles arrived at the secret location in the West Bank, they were informed that Palestinian intelligence knew they were there and were keeping an eye on their every movement. With no time to waste, the team got the footage they needed and quickly headed back into protected territory. What peace process would be complete without getting feedback from the other side? One of the more rapid experiments for the production was Brüno's sashay through a Hasidic neighborhood in Israel. Among this conservative community, men and women are forbidden from showing much skin (including legs and arms). In retaliation for his offenses, furious members of the crowd chased Baron Cohen after Brüno took a stroll in skin-tight short shorts and a Little Debbie-inspired bonnet. They were out for blood. A large, angry crowd of Hasidic Jews began to gather, intent upon harming Baron Cohen for his actions. The performer was forced to hide in the store of a compassionate shopkeeper until a van could reach him and assist his getaway. Only then could he hunch down on the floor of the getaway vehicle and avoid the growing potential riot situation. Back in the U.S., the production assumed it would be on safer ground. Wrong. They engaged with a domestic terrorist who was as dangerous as any they'd encountered overseas. While the scenes they shot didn't make it into the final cut of Brüno, the team lensed at a prominent white supremacist's house. The man who had spent a decade in prison for violent hate mongering did not take it very well when Brüno introduced him to his then-gay lover, Diesel. The supremacist cocked his fist and went to attack Baron Cohen, who was able to avoid his punch and make it safely out of the house. Next Production Note Section
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2016-36/0813/en_head.json.gz/11041 | Writer Boyens Talks The Third “Hobbit”
By Garth Franklin - Monday, March 17th 2014 11:56 pm “The Hobbit” trilogy co-scribe and producer Philippa Boyens is out and about doing promotion for the upcoming Blu-ray/DVD release of “The Hobbit: The Desolation Of Smaug”. Speaking with Empire, she says that the third film in the series still has a long way to go:
“I can legitimately say right now that the third film doesn’t exist. Pete’s cutting it. As an entity, it’s coming together. Actually that’s not true – we have a rough assembly, so to speak, of the shape of the film and the performances. I am excited, because one of the storylines I care a lot about is the Thorin one.”
Asked about the Lake-town cliffhanger of the second film, Boyens says the break felt natural to her:
“It felt so natural that I got a shock when the audience got a shock! If you can imagine what transpires next and what’s coming, it’s quite a huge chunk of storytelling. Not only that, but you enter into the tone of the third film, which is very definitely – as is the book, by the way – moving towards the world of Middle-earth as it becomes in Lord Of The Rings. Some dark stuff goes on.”
That’s one of the reasons the dwarves were split up in the second film as the audience:
“[Can] experience the attack on Lake-town through the eyes of people we’ve come a long way with. We wanted some of the dwarves to understand what happened in that firestorm, that holocaust that rains down upon Lake-town. Bofur (James Nesbitt) comes more into his own in the third film. A rift begins to open up. And I can’t say much more without going into spoilers for film three, but it’s primarily because we needed him to be there when the dragon attacks.”
“The Hobbit: There and Back Again” is currently slated for a December 17th release.
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2016-36/0813/en_head.json.gz/11108 | Doug Benson Hypocritical Oaf
Comedy Central // CD // $15.98 // August 31, 2010
Review by Francis Rizzo III | posted August 30, 2010
M U S I C
Doug Benson is best known as a pot comic, thanks in part to his film Super High Me, and the fact that he frequently talks about smoking the marijuana in his act. The fact that he recorded his latest album, Hypocritical Oaf on April 20th, otherwise know to the more intoxicated among us as 4|20, just further serves to certify his stoner credentials. He's been all over TV, including Comedy Central Presents and Last Comic Standing, as well as hosting his own popular podcast, Doug Loves Movies. He also enjoys McDonalds. A lot.
As stated before, this album was recorded on 4/20 (2010) in Minneapolis, Minnesota at the Acme Comedy Co., and it's his third disc in three years, marking him as one of the more productive potheads out there. Whereas most comics have a thing they do or style they perfect, Benson is a more liquid comic, floating through ideas without much in the way of structure or rhythm. This stream of (un)consciousness is a bit weird at first, but it becomes utterly charming, like you're hanging with a friend and just talking about stuff (or more to the point listening to him talk about stuff. While you know he's going to hit his holy trinity of pot, McDonald's and the internet, he'll take trips to airplane land and AIDSville, and a short stopover in Tim Gunn Town.
It's actually stunning to hear him move from a solid joke about Vegas, betting and prostitution to a bit about dumb stuff you do while high, only to get sidetracked by saying the word "do" twice in a row. If this silliness is just a scripted part of his act, he's an incredibly accomplished performer, because it comes off as utterly real. It's the little throwaway notes that really help shape his set, because they sell his image as a goofy, casual dude. When he accidentally (?) refers to the area as Wisconsin, only to make, in his words, a "smooth-ass save," it seems a bit too sharp for someone with senses supposedly dulled by weed, but again, he just makes it work.
While jumping all over the place, with jokes about shorting words, getting pretzels on a place and the benefit of TV marathons to pot smokers, his relaxed enthusiasm is a bit infectious. When he starts talking about performing for an audience made up of a large group of mentally handicapped people, it got the biggest laugh out of me of the whole disc. It's not what he says really (though the line "Let me at them" is hysterical.) He just delivers his jokes so smoothly and enjoyably. He also manages to craft a few longer-form bits, including his usual McDonald's jokes (including the magic time known as the Breakfast Window), a reading of some of his popular tweets and a run on getting a medical marijuana license, but two in particular stand out. One, tied to his weak imitations, is easily the best stand-up take on Silence of the Lambs that I've heard. Perhaps it's because I find Buffalo Bill's voice to be hysterical after years of hearing Opie and Anthony joke about it, but Benson's advice for dealing with him is really quite funny. The other runs the risk of not working, because it's something of a visual joke, but the premise is enough to carry it, as he talks about his inability to focus and the detrimental effect that had on him when he had a sign-language interpreter on stage once. Watching her use her hands, he decides there's a word he wants to see signed. It's such a natural idea and his view of it is so amusing that you can't help but laugh, no matter how ridiculous it is. If anything here completely speaks to his role as a pot comic, it's the way he ends the disc. After opening it up for the audience to request a final joke (which results in calls for both the tried and true and the truly bizarre) he kind of just ends the show after making a half-hearted joke about Carlos Mencia and Jay Leno, just sort of wandering away. Perhaps he saw something good on a nearby TV, but it's certainly the opposite of the stand-up tradition of ending on a high note. He does come back for an amusing trio of jokes as a hidden track, but it's funny mainly for the way he does it, again showing he's a strong performer with OK material.
The Tracks
1) Deets
2) Peanut Lady
3) The Track with the Stupid Fart Joke
4) Breakfast Window
5) Time to Go Fred Travalena on Your Asses
6) Weak Back Problems
7) Pot the Vote
8) Sitting There In Your Own Filth
9) Booty/Weedy Text
10) Follow Me
11) To Trunk to Dweet
12) Big Finish
The audio is clean and clear, allowing you to hear Benson without any issues, while capturing the audience's reaction well also. It's just a standard comedy CD mix, keeping the channels balanced, and as such, it does a good job. The Extras
Like many Comedy Central albums, this one comes packed with a bonus DVD, in this case bringing forth two episodes of Comedy Central Presents featuring Benson. He's not my favorite stand-up comic, and these aren't my favorite episodes of CCP, but he's got this goofy charm that makes him very easy to watch. Some of the material is repeated from the CD (it was in these specials first) including his overwhelming enjoyment of McDonald's, his imitations and, of course, his pot comedy. Seeing him does add a bit to his act in places, like his demonstration of his reaction to getting good cards during blackjack. If you enjoy him, getting these shows is a definite plus.
I don't think Doug Benson will ever be on my list (he's not speaking on my wavelength) but I can't say he didn't make me chuckle a few times, more for his delivery and stage persona, rather than his material. I think he's definitely got an audience and that audience probably enjoys seeing him...on weed. For them, this is going to be a fun CD with enough bonus content to make it well worth a purchase. | 影视 |
2016-36/0813/en_head.json.gz/11148 | Oscars Flashback '99: Dench is Royally Humble
by Robert Pace 3:10 AM PST, December 19, 2012
In her many years on the stage, on television, and in film, Judi Dench has possessed an air of reverence and humility that is rare in her profession. That inimitable aura about her has granted her some royal roles, including multiple roles as the Queen of England. One of those regal roles led to her first Oscar, which she didn't believe she deserved.In 1998, Mrs. Dench was nominated for her first Oscar for portraying Queen Victoria in Mrs. Brown. She didn't receive the Best Actress award that year, but after releasing her second Bond film (Tomorrow Never Dies), the English actress was once again nominated for an imperial role; this time as Queen Elizabeth I in Shakespeare in Love.
RELATED: Dame Judi Dench: I'm Not Going Blind
To her surprise, Mrs. Dench was granted her first Oscar that year for her supporting role as the Queen. Having only appeared in a minor portion of the film, she reveals that she had no anticipation of winning an award that night."I'm absolutely over the moon," she says after winning the Oscar. "I can't believe it. I can't get my breath...I'm basically a realist and I didn't for a second think that eight minutes worth of somebody...was worth an Oscar, I have to say.The unassuming actress elaborates that she would have been surprised to receive an award for any role, which she attributes to her upraising in a religious school that never encouraged competition.
RELATED: Judi Dench: Daniel's Bond 'Could Kill a Man'
"I think it comes from...being at a Quaker school," she says. "We never competed with anybody; we didn't compete with each other and we didn't compete with other schools, and I somehow think that that might have been instilled in me. I don't like competition on the stage...I like the bit of being nominated all of us together. I just think it's a pity somebody's got to win."Pity or not, that somebody was her that year. While that has proven to be Mrs. Dench's only Oscar to date, the quite-calm-but-never-at-peace actress reveals her plans to party and bask in the moment."Oh, yes! You bet," she says when asked if she plans to party. "[I'm going to have a] party and some champagne and a bit of hug."
VIDEO: Globes Flashback '98: Leo & Kate's Titanic Hit
She may be popping the bubbly once more this year for The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, for which she has already received a Golden Globes nomination. Powered by Livefyre
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2016-36/0813/en_head.json.gz/11181 | NYFF '68: 2 or 3 Things I Know About Her - 2 ou 3 choses que je sais d'elle
The “her” of Jean-Luc Godard’s 1967 masterpiece (presented in NYFF the same year as Weekend) is Paris in the throes of redevelopment. It’s also a Parisian housewife (the glowing Marina Vlady) who moonlights—or, rather, daylights—as a prostitute in order to afford the luxuries of urban living. Less a narrative than a succession of loosely interconnected scenes laced with Godard’s whispered musings on everything from the origins of language to the war in Vietnam, 2 or 3 Things finds one of cinema’s greatest innovators at the height of his playfulness, quoting his earlier films, making astringent observations about the individual’s relationship to the city and flooding the screen with candy-colored wide-screen compositions worthy of a Hollywood musical. To quote the film: “Living in society today is like living in a vast comic strip.”
“The film is an expansion of themes and techniques from Alphaville, Une Femme Mariée and Made in USA; but content and form are so satisfyingly played off one against the other that it represents a climax to his whole career.” —NYFF6 program note
Image courtesy of ARGOS/PARC FILM / THE KOBAL COLLECTION
French with English subtitles | 影视 |
2016-36/0813/en_head.json.gz/11199 | Dan Ackman
The Kid, The Journalist And The Movies
“Just because I give you an answer, doesn’t mean I know,” says Lawrence Turman
Turman
. Turman is a producer with 35 features to his credit and he was talking about Hollywood’s sudden interest in Jonathan Lebed
Lebed
, the 15-year-old kid who got in hot water with the Securities and Exchange Commission for touting lightly traded stocks on Yahoo!
message boards and then selling into the hype. Lebed, from Cedar Grove, N.J, was in all the papers back in September when he signed a consent decree with the SEC. “This is the first time the Commission has brought charges against a minor,” the commission said at the time. As it turned out, he cleared almost $800,000 and only had to disgorge about one-third of his profits. The news came and went and then it came back in a big way when The New York Times Magazine published a cover story by Michael Lewis
. Within days, Lebed had signed with Creative Artists Agency and his agent’s phones were ringing. For sale are Lebed’s “life rights” and Lewis’ article, which captures Lebed, his bewildered mother, and his Vesuvian father with a bad heart “in Sopranos-land out there in New Jersey.” There is no deal yet, but Hollywood insiders speculate that Lebed could be paid in the low six figures. Then the winning bidder would have to pay a screenwriter and put the project into development. Why the interest in Lebed? Hollywood makes movies about business, but not very often. The list of movies having to do with securities trading includes Wall Street, Trading Places and Boiler Room. The language of business is arcane, not visual. No one dies. The Lebed story does combine the current mania for money and the financial markets and the Internet. But it lacked a hero, or even an appealing character. Lewis’ account paints Lebed himself as a sullen teen at best, and a greedy punk at worst. The writer portrays the SEC as hopelessly lost in the wired world. Lewis thought little enough for the movie rights to his story that he traded them to Lebed in exchange for access to the kid. “Clearly, the article is not a movie pitch,” he says. “You need a girl, right? That would be first.” Screenwriters and producers, like Turman, who made a stab at the rights himself, do see a movie in Lebed, but only if key facts and circumstances are changed. “Every once in a while there is a person who is really the hero of his own life,” says Robert McKee, a famed lecturer on screenwriting. But not often. In Hollywood, they call Lebed a “found story,” says McKee. With “reality” in vogue, film executives pounce on stories from the headlines. But then the hard work begins. “From my experience, what’s interesting is how rarely they ever do become a movie,” says McKee. For him, the reason is that stories are written, not found, and once the news fades, initial excitement dies down. Writers and producers are left wondering why they were interested in the first place. The interest in this case started not with Lebed–the essential facts of his story were known months earlier. It started with Lewis and The New York Times. Lewis wrote Liar’s Poker about his experience at Salomon Brothers in the 1980s, and the book defined business in that era. He repeated the trick with The New New Thing about Jim Clark
and in the Internet business in the 1990s. The placement of Lebed on the cover of the magazine may help movie executives overcome their innate paralysis, says Richard Walter, a screenwriter and professor at UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television. Lewis, who has no stake in this project, went down a similar road with Liar’s Poker. It was bought by Warner Brothers, now owned by AOL Time Warner
, which poured roughly $2 million into the project before shelving it. “Early scripts had me running all over New York sleeping with all these women,” he says. Lewis admires that idea, but notes it’s nowhere in the book. To this day, Lewis gets calls from producers who tell him they want to do the movie. He refers them to Warner Brothers. Warner Brothers says, pay us our $2 million. Deals fall apart. Some producers say a Lebed movie would be like War Games, a 1983 film in which Matthew Broderick hacks his way into a military computer and almost starts World War III. Others cite Boiler Room, about a college-age kid who gets involved in a crooked brokerage on Long Island and finds himself in an ethical pickle. That movie includes a scene in which the young stockbrokers mouthed the words to Wall Street, especially Gordon Gekko’s “greed is good” speech. This scene is absolutely true to life, says Jennifer Todd, one of the film’s producers. The Jonathan Lebed story could contain a similar scene. Lebed’s favorite movie is Boiler Room. More From Forbes Celebrity Index Michael Lewis on the Forbes Celebrity 100 Comments are turned off for this post. | 影视 |
2016-36/0813/en_head.json.gz/11368 | Kevin Costner Tells Anderson Cooper... Princess Diana In Talks For 'Bodyguard 2'
Kevin Costner has made the sensational claim that Princess Diana was interested, properly, all joking aside, in the prospect of making The Bodyguard 2 with him. The American actor told talk show host Anderson Cooper: "Diana and I had been talking about doing Bodyguard 2. I told her I would take care of her just the same way that I took care of Whitney.
'She let me know that her life might be changing at some point, so she was having her own internal struggles."
Costner claimed he never brought the subject of the film up in public after Princess Diana's death in August 1997, but admitted it to a reporter about a year later. He said: "She wanted me to write it for her. I said, 'I'll tailor it for you if you're interested.' She goes, 'I am interested.'"
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2128179/Princess-Diana-talks-star-The-Bodyguard-2-reveals-Kevin-Costner.html#ixzz1rkqcrN3s
Costner spoke at the funeral of his original Bodyguard co-star Whitney Houston in February. He told Cooper that he had written a couple of letters to her after their time on screen together, at the prompting of a friend of hers, who thought it might help the troubled star. Costner said: "She would always be someone I appreciated. I saw pretty much what everyone else saw. But when someone asked me to write a letter I did. I don't know if those letters were ever read."
Film Whitney Houston Film Drama Princess Diana Kevin Costner | 影视 |
2016-36/0813/en_head.json.gz/11498 | What if a serial killer was so charismatic that he could activate and control an army of other serial killers? This is the question posed by Fox�s new series �The Following,� and it wants you to find the answer both interesting and horrifying.Joe Carroll (James Purefoy) is the charismatic serial killer who murdered 14 female students on the college campus where he taught literature. He is caught in 2003 by FBI agent Ryan Hardy (Kevin Bacon), but not before leaving Hardy with physical and psychological scars. When we meet Carroll, it is the present, he has escaped death row and Hardy is recalled as a consultant on the case.But this isn�t a show about the weekly hunt for an escaped serial killer. Carroll quickly ends up back on death row and the FBI discovers that he has spent his years in jail building a network like-minded killers who will do anything he commands. He is their high priest and he has a plan � a very elaborate plan that suggests he is an amazing mastermind. This is where you either suspend your disbelief or lose interest in the premise because there are a few things you have to let go.Carroll spends years online during his permitted jail time library visits to build a vast social network of psychotics. I can maybe accept that he�s really good at social networking, but why is he allowed computer access in the first place? His followers appear anywhere and everywhere committing gruesome murders on his command. This is part of the show�s horror. No one is safe and every scene could suddenly turn into a blood bath. It�s a good strategy for keeping the audience on edge and it works but only for a short time. After a while, I was anticipating the plot device and just trying to guess who the next crazy killer will be. The core group of followers, including his son�s seemingly sweet nanny and two straight guys who pretended to be gay for years so that they could gain the trust of the one female student who survived Carroll�s rampage, are in charge of carrying out their mentor�s plan. They look like models but are actually deranged killers and fairly creepy. There�s also an obsession with the works of Edgar Allen Poe and the idea that Carroll�s plan is actually a �story� where Hardy is the central character and the junior killers all have a �chapter.�In the third episode, the lead FBI agent on the case, who specializes in alternative religions, says that she doesn�t �get� this cult. It�s a good point. Other than a convoluted Poe subplot about killing being a path to living and Carroll�s extraordinary powers to charm anyone he meets, which are only demonstrated in flashbacks to his teaching days, it�s not clear what drives his devotees. If the series doesn�t spend more time answering this question, viewers might start wondering the same thing.If you can get past all the above, you can enjoy the show for its psychological darkness which it does best in a storyline involving Carroll�s young son. While his mind games with Hardy form the backbone of the series, they are far less horrifying than the plans he has for his child. �The Following� is on Mondays at 9 p.m. EDT on Fox.Melissa Crawley is the author of �Mr. Sorkin Goes to Washington: Shaping the President on Television�s �The West Wing.�� She has a PhD in media studies and is a member of the Television Critics Association. To comment on Stay Tuned, email her at staytuned@outlook.com or follow her on Twitter at @MelissaCrawley. | 影视 |
2016-36/0813/en_head.json.gz/11660 | The Stones and Scorsese
Cole Haddon
By Cole Haddon
Keith gets by with a little help from pal Buddy Guy.
Shine a Light makes even the biggest comic-book superhero collaborations look lame. The upcoming concert documentary, previously released on IMAX, recently arrived at regular movie theaters. And it teams up one of the greatest rock bands in history, the Rolling Stones, with one of the greatest American movie directors ever, Martin Scorsese, in a duet of sorts.The idea for the film came to frontman Mick Jagger, he says, during the buildup to the Stones' A Bigger Bang tour, which ran from August 2005 to August 2007 and ultimately grossed more than half a billion dollars. The goal was to shoot the band's biggest concert ever, in Rio de Janeiro for an audience one million strong, and present it on the biggest consumer screen ever: the IMAX.But shooting something of this magnitude meant recruiting a filmmaker just as big. Scorsese, who has used the Stones' music in many of his movies, agreed to the job in the autumn of 2006. It was just months before The Departed — which also used Stones' music — was released and won him a long-deserved Oscar for Best Director.But Scorsese says he quickly came to the conclusion that the Stones were making a mistake trying to give movie viewers an arena-size experience, so he nixed plans for a 3-D presentation. The Stones, at their essence, were about the four guys onstage — Jagger, Keith Richards, Ronnie Wood, and Charlie Watts. And capturing that meant finding a smaller venue than the one in Rio. The answer was the Beacon Theatre, in New York. Upcoming Events
"The Beacon Theatre is special for some reason," says lead guitarist Richards, sporting his trademark headband. He's gathered with his bandmates and Scorsese at the New York Palace Hotel on a recent afternoon to discuss their cinemtic opus. "It wraps around [you], especially if you're going to play there for more than one night" — which the Stones ultimately did for Shine a Light, playing two nights — "and every night it's warmer. [Besides], this band didn't start off in stadiums," he adds, laughing.Scorsese is no stranger to music docs, having edited Woodstock and directed The Last Waltz and No Direction Home. And he sees it this way: "I think I'm better suited to try to capture the group onstage, on a small stage, more for the intimacy, the way you see the band work together and work each song."Jagger laughs at this. "The funny thing really is that Marty, after looking at all the options, decided he wanted to make this small, intimate movie, and I said, 'Well, the laugh is, Marty, that, in the end, it's going to be blown up on this huge IMAX thing. So the intimate moment is now shown in IMAX.""The slight imperfections might be revealed," guitarist Wood points out, chuckling.More than 18 cameras, along with a collection of celebrated directors of photography, were packed into the Beacon for the big night, which also served as a fundraiser for the Clinton Foundation's efforts to bring awareness to climate change. (In fact President Bill Clinton opened for the Stones — he and Hillary are seen early in the movie.)"The idea [was] to capture the spontaneity of the group, and the word capture means you have to control it," Scorsese says. "But you can't control spontaneity, so, therefore, the cameras had to be in the right positions." Ten-minute-long reels were used, and extra cameras had to be available to take over while others were reloaded; even more were on hand, which seemed redundant but was necessary to make sure no shots were lost due to poor focus."I didn't realize [directing] was such hard work, Marty," Richards says, laughing.Besides the Clintons, there were other guest stars. Among those appearing for superduets in the film are Jack White of the White Stripes, Buddy Guy, and even Christina Aguilera. "[Duets] don't always work," Jagger says, "but I think everyone likes [these] duets. They really came off."Meanwhile, Scorsese's devotion to the Stones is evident. At age 65, he's pretty much the mean age of the bandmates and grew up with their rock. As a filmmaker, he continues to show their influence on him via his soundtracks. It's led to Jagger joking that Shine a Light is the only Scorsese movie not to feature "Gimme Shelter.""[They] remind me of when I went to see The Threepenny Opera back in 1959, 1960, and how the music affected me and what [the] play was saying," Scorsese says of the musical about working-class antiheroes. "The lyrics were so important to me. I found I grew up in an area that was in a sense like The Threepenny Opera, and I think ... the Rolling Stones' music had a similar effect on me. It deals with aspects of the life that I was growing up in.... It was tougher, had an edge — beautiful and honest and brutal at times."His belief in the group's longevity is apparent as well, especially in the way the director intercuts concert scenes with archival news footage of the band members from their first couple of decades. Even back then, journalists repeatedly pestered them about how long they could keep rocking.Shine a Light has been called a meditation on aging. And Richards simply laughs when asked if he'll still be performing at age 70. "That's only five years away!" In other words, don't expect the Stones to slow down anytime soon. Judging by Scorsese's energy, he won't be either.
Contact: Cole Haddon | 影视 |
2016-36/0813/en_head.json.gz/11701 | 'The Fault in Our Stars' Sheet Music: Featuring some of today's biggest mainstream and indie artists, 'The Fault in Our Stars: Music from the Motion Picture' quickly shot to the top of the soundtrack charts. Download popular sheet music from the film today, including Ed Sheeran's "All of the Stars," Birdy's "Not About Angels," Kodaline's "All I Want" and many more!
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Let It Go (Movie Version)'Frozen'
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Are You Maleficent? from ''Maleficent''
Still I Fly from ''Planes: Fire & Rescue''
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Digital sheet music is in many ways superior to the sometimes cluttered, difficult to read, old-style printed sheet music. Optimized for on-screen or print-out viewing, each bar of our digital sheet music contains appropriate notations for expression and playing dynamics. And vocalists love our Singer Pro arrangements, specially notated for vocalists with a vocal line separate from the accompaniment.
Buying digital sheet music is very straightforward, and often more budget-friendly than conventional retail. All you need to do is select the music you want, pay for it using your credit card or PayPal, and download. Then you're free to print your purchases and/or sync with our free iOS, Android and Musicnotes Cloud apps. If you're having trouble finding the music you want or need help with product selection, don't hesitate to contact us, we're always happy to assist. | 影视 |
2016-36/0813/en_head.json.gz/11809 | RECORDINGS VIEW
RECORDINGS VIEW; Eloquent Movies With Eloquent Soundtracks
By STEPHEN HOLDEN
IS IT POSSIBLE TO PUT MUSIC TO the Holocaust without obscenely softening its horror? Could any popular song begin to encompass the tragedy of AIDS? Can instrumental music depict and even speak for a character who is mute? Such thorny questions are raised by the soundtrack albums for three of the most serious films to be released late last year. In the scores for "Schindler's List," "Philadelphia" and "The Piano," music is asked to do far more than fulfill its ordinary functions of pushing emotional buttons, decorating scenes and filling holes. It seeks to evoke and, in some small way, to heal deep human wounds. For the soundtrack of "Schindler's List" (MCA MCAD-10969; CD and cassette), John Williams, Hollywood's master of epic-scale musical pastiche, has reinvented himself almost as astonishingly as has the director Steven Spielberg. The composer, whose finest previous score was the grandiose parting-of-the-heavens music for Mr. Spielberg's "Close Encounters of the Third Kind," has created for "Schindler's List" a soundtrack that is as haunting as it is unobtrusive. The main theme is a winding Eastern European-flavored tune that has a folk-dance pulse ingrained in its melodic swoops and dips, along with just the right touch of schmaltz. As played by Itzhak Perlman with an intense, almost gypsylike fervor, it mirrors the film's elegaic sadness and reinforces its historicity, ultimately becoming a wordless song of remembrance. The main models for Mr. Williams's score are Mahler and Shostakovich, two composers whose symphonic music often combines a crushing sense of history with a tragic view of human nature. In fact, the opening bars of the theme titled "Immolation" quote from the Adagietto of Mahler's Fifth Symphony. But the score's darkest moment, its "Auschwitz-Birkenau" theme, owes no obvious debts. Against a distant rising and falling thunder of bass violins and drums, Mr. Perlman's solo violin conjures the naked human soul, shivering in the face of unspeakable degradation. The theme is astonishing for its delicacy and understatement. Because Mr. Williams's score is a collection of thematic fragments accompanying pictures, it naturally lacks the cohesion and narrative sweep of a symphony, opera or oratorio. It is far more effective, however, than Hollywood's often meretricious appropriation of classical music in high-minded movies. Oliver Stone's insertion of Samuel Barber's gossamer "Adagio for Strings," amplified to an arena-rock screech, as accompaniment to a battle sequence in "Platoon" bordered on the ridiculous. So did Roland Joffe's use of Puccini's aria "Nessun dorma," from "Turandot," in a scene from "The Killing Fields" in which the Sam Waterston character searches his soul. Although the actual soundtrack for "Schindler's List" has its uncomfortably pushy insertions (the worst is the incongruous sound of Billie Holiday singing "God Bless the Child"), they are not included on the soundtrack album. What distinguishes the soundtrack for "Philadelphia" (Epic 57624; CD and cassette) is its audacious use of songs by Bruce Springsteen and Neil Young as the film's musical bookends, instead of conventional orchestral scoring. During the opening scene, in which the camera glides through the slums of Philadelphia, a sorrowful-sounding Mr. Springsteen mutters "Streets of Philadelphia," the most compelling ballad he has written in years. In a spare musical production in which distant background vocals conjure up a despairing choir of urban voices, Mr. Springsteen plays a homeless man talking to himself while staring at his reflection in a store window and wondering, "Oh brother are you gonna leave me/ Wastin' away/ On the streets of Philadelphia?" Mr. Young's ballad, "Philadelphia" comes near the end of a prolonged tear-jerking sequence of home movies showing Tom Hanks's character as a child. The singer, accompanied on piano and adopting the same little-boy-lost voice he used on early records like "Sugar Mountain" and "The Needle and the Damage Done," pleads, "City of brotherly love/ Place I call home/ Don't turn your back on me." Without specifically mentioning homophobia or AIDS, his lyric touches on the story of a gay lawyer who is dismissed from his firm by recalling childhood fear and shame. ("when we were boys and girls/ And the secrets came unfurled"). "I won't be ashamed of love," he promises in a cracked manchild voice. That the two songs work so powerfully attests to the director Jonathan Demme's sensitivity to pop music in films. THE SOUNDTRACK ALBUM FOR "Philadelphia" has its share of uninspired filler, most notably a lackluster version of John Fogerty's "Have You Ever Seen the Rain?" by the Spin Doctors. But it also includes the overwhelmingly passionate 1950's Maria Callas recording of "La Mamma Morta," from "Andrea Chenier" that gives Mr. Hanks his biggest scenery-chewing moments. Another high point, Peter Gabriel's "Lovetown," is scarcely noticeable in the film. Written and produced in a modified Philadelphia soul style and containing a lyric that speaks of matching wounds to the teeth that caused them, it is as anguished as Mr. Springsteen's ballad, although not nearly as direct. The most problematic of the three scores is Michael Nyman's music for "The Piano" (Virgin 88774 29; CD and cassette). In Jane Campion's visionary film, the main character, Ada, is a mute piano teacher who migrates to colonial New Zealand to marry a man she has never met. In his notes for the soundtrack album, the composer describes his intention of writing an imitation mid-19th-century music that is not a pastiche and obviously contemporary. Because the character came from Scotland, he explains, he used Scottish folk as its melodic core. Since Ada doesn't speak, he adds, "the sound of the piano becomes her character." All of Mr. Nyman's announced aims are realized on the soundtrack album. Both the orchestral and solo keyboard music suggest a modern minimalist gloss of Chopin and Liszt but spun off plain, abrupt folk tunes. And the pianism suggests someone doggedly trying to speak through the keyboard. As distinctive as it is, the music is strangely cramped and emotionally arid. While the score's wafting orchestral passages achieve a certain intensity, the solo piano passages sound too much like elementary practice exercises to soar into the stratosphere. Mr. Nyman's halting, percussive pianism is so intent on defining Ada's stubbornness that it shortchanges her passion. But like the soundtracks for "Schindler's List" and "Philadelphia," the music for "The Piano" is exceptional simply because it aspires to so much more than the cliched emotional scene-setting of most movie music. In their concerns for time, place and character, and in their exploration of human anguish, all three soundtracks ennoble a genre in which cynical musical button-pushing too often substitutes for genuine empathy. Photos: Neil Young, above (Michelle V. Agins/The New York Times), and Bruce Springsteen, at left (G. Paul Burnett/The New York Times) -- The soundtrack for "Philadelphia" makes audacious use of their songs as the film's musical bookends, rather than more conventional orchestral scoring. More Theaters Near You » | 影视 |
2016-36/0813/en_head.json.gz/11897 | Stefan Gruber's Both Worlds Animation Show at The Trunk Space
Marcelino Quiñonez to Debut Che Guevara Play at Phoenix Center for the Arts
The animated work of Stefan Gruber A
Stefan Gruber wants you to join him in an animated world where hollow glass men learn to meditate, a mute liberator is granted three wishes, and cartoon gods share gardening tips high atop mountains.The Seattle-based animator is currently on tour showcasing his latest performance art animation piece, Both Words, which he'll be presenting at The Trunk Space on July 19. The highlight of the evening will be a 10-minute cartoon featuring a live musical score performed by local artist Good Amount, and live vocal score improvised by Gruber. And because of its improvisational nature, anything can happen."It changes every time we perform," Gruber says. "There's an overall concept behind it, but all the script just comes from improvisation, and it's been revised because I've done it so many times. It's never actually been on paper." Upcoming Events
Gruber says he's been animating since first grade, and currently teaches animation at Nova Alternative High School in Seattle. While he's reluctant to reveal what Both Worlds is about, he does admit that there are certain autobiographical elements."It has a lot of meaning for me," says Gruber. "The liberator is absolutely autobiographical, but so are the hollow glass men who are fragile, and the flowers that move in a certain way. It's essentially all a self-portrait."While it's unclear what facets of Gruber's life are represented in the self-portrait that is Both Worlds, it's safe to assume that his infatuation with dance is reflected in the flowers.Gruber's mother was a modern dancer, and her dance partner was an oil painter that taught Gruber how to paint at an early age. The artist believes that animation and dance are quite similar."They're both about movement," says Gruber. "Because animation is about movement, and dance is about movement, it actually makes them, in my opinion, more related than animation is to drawing."Like dance, Gruber's best animation happens after long hours of practice. He says that if he's been animating for about six hours, the seventh, eighth, and ninth hour tend to be "really fruitful."Speaking of fruitful, Gruber's tour is more of a passion project than it is a steady source of income."I'm asking for donations on the tour, and those go towards gas and food while I'm on the tour," he says. "The donations I get on the road tend to be just enough, and if I end up having to put $100 of my own money at the end of the trip, it's so worth it. It's like an incredible vacation where I get to share this work with hundreds of people."Catch Stefan Gruber's Both Worlds on Tuesday, July 19, at The Trunk Space.Follow Jackalope Ranch on Twitter and Facebook. | 影视 |
2016-36/0813/en_head.json.gz/11929 | Lincoln,' Les Mis,' Playbook' lead SAG awards
This film image released by Universal Pictures shows Hugh Jackman as Jean Valjean holding Isabelle Allen as Young Cosette in a scene from "Les Miserables." (AP Photo/Universal Pictures, Laurie Sparham)
By David Germain, AP Movie Writer
LOS ANGELES � The Civil War saga �Lincoln,� musical �Les Miserables� and comic drama �Silver Linings Playbook� boosted their Academy Awards prospects Wednesday with four nominations apiece for the Screen Actors Guild Awards.
All three films were nominated for overall performance by their casts. Also nominated for best ensemble cast were the Iran hostage-crisis thriller �Argo� and the British retiree adventure �The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel.�
Directed by Steven Spielberg, �Lincoln� also scored individual nominations for Daniel Day-Lewis in the title role as best actor, Sally Field for supporting actress as Mary Todd Lincoln and Tommy Lee Jones for supporting actor as abolitionist firebrand Thaddeus Stevens.
�Les Miserables,� from �The King�s Speech� director Tom Hooper, had nominations for Hugh Jackman for best actor as Victor Hugo�s long-suffering hero Jean Valjean and Anne Hathaway for supporting actress as a woman fallen into prostitution, plus a nomination for its stunt ensemble.
�Silver Linings Playbook,� made by �The Fighter� director David O. Russell, also had lead-acting nominations for Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence as lost souls who find a second chance at love and Robert De Niro for supporting actor as a football-obsessed dad.
Besides Lawrence, best-actress nominees are Jessica Chastain as a CIA analyst pursuing Osama bin Laden in �Zero Dark Thirty;� Marion Cotillard as a woman who finds romance after tragedy in �Rust and Bone;� Helen Mirren as Alfred Hitchcock�s strong-willed wife in �Hitchcock;� and Naomi Watts as a woman caught in the devastation of a tsunami in �The Impossible.�
Joining Cooper, Day-Lewis and Jackman in the best-actor field are John Hawkes as a polio victim aiming to lose his virginity in �The Sessions� and Denzel Washington as a boozy airline pilot in �Flight.�
One of the year�s most-acclaimed films, Paul Thomas Anderson�s �The Master,� earned only one nomination, supporting actor for Philip Seymour Hoffman as a mesmerizing cult leader. The film was snubbed on nominations for ensemble, lead actor Joaquin Phoenix and supporting actress Amy Adams.
Other individual performances overlooked by SAG voters include Anthony Hopkins in the title role of �Hitchcock,� Keira Knightley in the title role of �Anna Karenina,� Bill Murray as Franklin Roosevelt in �Hyde Park on Hudson� and �Argo� director Ben Affleck, who also starred in the film.
The SAG Awards will be presented Jan. 27. The guild nominations are one of Hollywood�s first major announcements on the long road to the Feb. 24 Oscars Awards, whose nominations will be released Jan. 10.
Nominations for the Golden Globes, the second-biggest film honors after the Oscars, come out Thursday.
Maggie Smith had four individual and ensemble nominations. Along with sharing the ensemble honor for �Best Exotic Marigold Hotel,� Smith joined the cast of �Downton Abbey� among TV ensemble contenders and had nominations for supporting film actress as a cranky retiree in �Marigold Hotel� and TV drama actress for �Downton Abbey.�
Nicole Kidman earned two individual nominations, as supporting film actress as a woman smitten with a prison inmate in �The Paperboy� and best actress in a TV movie or miniseries as war correspondent Martha Gellhorn in �Hemingway & Gellhorn.�
Bryan Cranston had three overall nominations, as best actor in a TV drama for �Breaking Bad,� an ensemble honor for that show and a film ensemble honor for �Argo.�
Along with �Breaking Bad� and �Downton Abbey,� best TV drama ensemble contenders are �Boardwalk Empire,� �Homeland� and �Mad Men.� TV comedy ensemble nominees are �30 Rock,� �The Big Bang Theory,� �Glee,� �Modern Family,� �Nurse Jackie� and �The Office.�
Online:http://www.sagawards.org | 影视 |
2016-36/0813/en_head.json.gz/12051 | Top 10 Drama Movies
The list of the top 10 drama movies includes some of the greatest films of all time. Movies have been one of America’s favorite pastimes for a century, making us laugh, cry, and think about ourselves as a society. Good drama is high art, and when done well, can leave memories that last a lifetime. “Citizen Kane.” This is perhaps the best of the top drama movies of all time. An Orson Welles’ classic, it’s considered a masterpiece, art on film, and technically perfect. Quasi-fictional, it follows a newspaper magnate, told in flashback, seeking to discover the meaning of “Rosebud.” It was nominated for nine Academy Awards. “Casablanca.” Legendary actors Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman star in this film, one of the top drama movies. Bogart plays Rick, a café owner in World War II Casablanca. Bergman is his lost love, who has come to him with her new man, a hero of the war effort. Will Rick help them…or help himself? It won three Oscars, including best picture. “The Godfather.” Marlon Brando plays the title role in this mob classic, one of the top drama movies ever. As Don Corleone, he heads a powerful mafia family, with a great cast of Al Pacino, Robert Duvall, and James Caan as his power structure. The movie set the tone for mafia movies forever. “Gone With the Wind.” This Civil War classic stars Clark Gable as the suave and dashing Rhett Butler. An epic movie covering decades, this movie, one of the top drama movies ever, details the relationship between Butler and Scarlett O’Hara. Often tumultuous and ending in marriage, the movie is part adventure tale, part history, and part love story. “The Graduate.” This 1960’s film was a new kind of movie, giving a voice to the coming-of-age baby boom generation with an anti-hero protagonist. Benjamin, played by Dustin Hoffman, begins a relationship with a friend of his parents, several years his senior. Things get more complicated from there. “Schindler’s List.” This haunting Steven Spielberg film, one of the to drama movies ever, tells the real story of Oskar Schindler, who saved the lives of over a thousand Jews during World War II. The movie won an incredible seven Oscars, including best picture and best director. “The African Queen.” Humprey Bogart and Katharine Hepburn headline this film, about a rugged ship captain who leads a prudish missionary down a river in Africa, fleeing from advancing adversaries. One of the top drama movies in history, it was nominated for four Oscars. “2001: A Space Odyssey.” Stanley Kubrick directed this artsy flick that took cinematography to a new level. It was set in space, and the on-board computer takes over the spacestation, reflecting the fear of the public of the oncoming computer age. “Raging Bull.” Robert De Niro plays real-life boxer Jake LaMotta in this gripping and edgy black-and-white film from 1980 and director Martin Scorsese. It was nominated for eight Oscars. “To Kill a Mockingbird.” This telling of the famous book starred the incredible Gregory Peck as Atticus Finch. Nominated for eight Academy Awards and winning three, the film movingly tells the story of the man, his two children, and the issues of justice and race in the south.
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2016-36/0813/en_head.json.gz/12107 | Days of our Lives Robert Scott Wilson says playing Ben is a blast
Robert Scott Wilson (Ben Rodgers, Days of our Lives), has a plan in motion, and that is, he hopes to stay in Salem and continue in the role that he loves.
"Without out a doubt, I want to be around. I'm having a blast playing him," Wilson said. "The character of Ben has a lot to offer. I trust the writers' who are doing a fantastic job. I love being able to take Ben in different directions. There is more to him than tending bar, or meets the eye." | 影视 |
2016-36/0813/en_head.json.gz/12121 | Cantinflas
Film Actor
Fortino Mario Alfonso Moreno Reyes, was a Mexican comic film actor, producer, and screenwriter known professionally as Cantinflas. He often portrayed impoverished campesinos or a peasant of pelado origin. The character came to be associated with the national identity of Mexico, and allowed Cantinflas to establish a long, successful film career that included a foray into Hollywood.… Read More
Learn about the memorable moments in the evolution of Cantinflas.
Born on August 12, 1911. LATE ADULTHOOD
In 1993, after his death in Mexico City of lung cancer, thousands appeared on the rainy day for his funeral. … Read More
The ceremony was a national event, lasting three days. His body lay in state in the Rotonda de Las Personas Ilustres (The Rotunda of Illustrious Persons, formerly known as Rotunda of Illustrious men) and he was honored by many heads of state and the United States Senate, which held a moment of silence for him. Read Less
Original Authors of this text are noted on http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cantinflas. | 影视 |
2016-36/0813/en_head.json.gz/12133 | The Young and the Restless Hits Ratings Milestone
Last week, The Young and the Restless celebrated its 24th year at the top of the daytime drama ratings, The Associated Press reports.See photos of the sexiest soap opera stars and share your favorites!The feat is something to celebrate despite the current decline of daytime dramas. When Young and the Restless premiered in 1973, there were 13 soaps on air, but only four remain today. Y&R averaged 4.4 million viewers last week.Though The Young and the Restless is the only soap to see a decline in viewership this year, its ratings still trump those of runner-up The Bold and The Beautiful and General Hospital and Days of Our Lives, which rank third and fourth, respectively.Has your favorite show been canceled?"It's definitely not something that we take for granted," Angelica McDaniel, senior vice president of daytime for CBS, told the AP. The soap, which follows the exploits of the people of Genoa City, features such mainstays as Jeanne Cooper, Eric Braeden, Melody Thomas Scott and Peter Bergman. McDaniel credits the series' relevant storytelling and multigenerational characters as key to Young and the Restless' success.What's your favorite soap opera?View original The Young and the Restless Hits Ratings Milestone at TVGuide.comOther Links From TVGuide.com The Young and the RestlessDays of Our LivesThe Bold and the BeautifulGeneral Hospital | 影视 |
2016-36/0813/en_head.json.gz/12169 | The History Boys
Nicholas Hytner
TV Rating:
TimeDayNo airtimes found. The History Boys is a 2006 British comedy-drama film adapted by Alan Bennett from his play of the same name, which won the 2005 Olivier Award for Best New Play and the 2006 Tony Award for Best Play. It was directed by Nicholas Hytner, who directed the original production at the Royal National Theatre in London, and features the original cast of the play.
The school scenes were filmed in Watford in the two grammar schools, Watford Grammar School for Boys and Watford Grammar School for Girls. The film uses the uniform of Watford Boys. Locations in Elland and Halifax, West Yorkshire are used to create the broader landscape of Sheffield in which the story is set.
The story is set in a boys’ grammar school in Sheffield in 1983. Crowther, Posner, Dakin, Timms, Akthar, Lockwood, Scripps, and Rudge have recently obtained the school’s highest ever A-level scores and are hoping to enter Oxford or Cambridge, taking a seventh-term entrance exam in History. The General Studies teacher, known by staff and boys alike by his nickname “Hector” (Richard Griffiths), is their favourite, and works alongside their deputy head and regular History teacher, Mrs. Lintott (Frances de la Tour).
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2016-36/0813/en_head.json.gz/12199 | Two for the Seesaw(1962)
FOR Two for the Seesaw (1962) YOU CAN
Two for the Seesaw
A conservative attorney...
Two for the Seesaw (1962)
In 1962 United Artists released Two for the Seesaw, the film version of the successful stage play by William Gibson. In the theatre, the production starred Henry Fonda and Anne Bancroft, but the desired casting choices for the film version were Paul Newman and Elizabeth Taylor. When talks fell through, however, the focus shifted to Shirley MacLaine and Robert Mitchum. MacLaine was an easy sell compared to Mitchum, who initially turned the role down. Hearing MacLaine was involved, however, intrigued the actor - and so did the promise of a share in the receipts profits; the capper, however, was the hiring of Robert Wise as director. Mitchum, having worked together with Wise in the Western Blood on the Moon (1948), declared, "I'm not the kind of guy who thinks he knows it all. I can be talked into things." Wise, fresh from his Oscar-winning success with West Side Story (1961), was eager to get his leads together to gauge whether there was any on-screen chemistry between them - the film's story of two lost souls finding romance in New York City required a palpable connection between the lovers. Wise wasn't disappointed - on the contrary, he was a little overwhelmed. In her 1995 autobiography My Lucky Stars, MacLaine recalls her first meeting with Mitchum: "It was a case of opposites attracting when he walked into the small office on the Goldwyn lot. I stood up and looked in his face. He shook my hand. 'Don't let me take up too much space,' he said. 'I'm basically a Bulgarian wrestler. I'm not right for this part.' "You're wonderful," I said. "I've admired you for so long, I think you'll be great." Indeed, MacLaine - seventeen years his junior - had grown up watching Mitchum in such flicks as Out of the Past (1947) and was smitten. In her words, "The die was cast. I willingly fell into the role of rescuer, saving him from himself. It gave me something to do . . . unlock the great Mitchum so the world could witness what gold there was underneath." It was the beginning of a three-year love affair; even the famously aloof Mitchum would later write of Shirley: "So much talent it was embarrassing. Quick. Responsive. Open and honest. Best of all, she had a weird sense of humor. What more could anyone ask?" Even as the budding romance flourished under his nose, Wise appeared oblivious. In the 2001 biography Robert Mitchum by Lee Server, he conceded, "Mitchum and Shirley liked each other very much, that was obvious. They kidded each other and it was pretty spicy kidding, pretty ribald. I had to have a closed set for a while; I was kind of embarrassed over what they were saying to each other. . . Maybe they were having an affair. I don't know. I couldn't tell. But I had a difficult time getting them settled down to do a scene." Mitchum's wife Dorothy, however, was a little more clued in: aware of her husband's propensity to wander into the arms of his costars, she was rattled when the relationship with MacLaine extended past the wrap party. During production, things only intensified; as MacLaine explained, "We never spent any time together away from the set. Then, during a period when I had a few days off, I went to Hawaii to think and be alone. When I returned, Robert said to me, "When I didn't see you, I felt deprived. You are too much with me." From then on things changed. Despite Mitchum's intense relationship with MacLaine on the set, he did managed to spend some time with other cast members: Malachy McCourt, brother of Angela's Ashes author Frank McCourt, had an uncredited role in the film, but a memorable experience with the actor. In Mitchum's biography, the author noted that "Mitchum invited McCourt to his dressing room one morning and brought forth products from the homeland, bottles of Guinness and Irish whiskey. 'We had a long talk as we sampled these refreshments, and I found him to be a highly intelligent man, very well read. . . I found him to be a very bright man who had become a bit lost in his stardom. A man who thought he ought to be doing something else besides standing before the camera for a living.' McCourt remembers Frank Sinatra popping by to say hello, and getting talked into staying for a stout and whiskey: Sinatra gulped with dismay, drinking at that time in the morning, but he bravely downed a very good portion of both, and then made his farewell. He was still a very thin man, Sinatra, and I'm sure it was hitting him harder than it hit Mitchum or myself. But at that hour of the morning it was a bit much even for me, to be quite honest!" Two for the Seesaw opened to uneven reviews; while most critics were pleased with MacLaine's performance, Mitchum's notices were not so kind. One review from Newsweek declared, "Mitchum, rigid to begin with, plays the movie as if he were wearing tight shoes." Ironically, some critics bemoaned the lack of onscreen chemistry between the two. However, Two for the Seesaw picked up two Oscar nominations - one for Best Song (by Andre Previn) and one for Best Cinematography (Ted McCord). MacLaine and Mitchum continued their affair all over the world, traveling together to locales such as New Orleans, New York, London, Paris, and even West Africa. The relationship, however, would end after a couple of years, with Mitchum returning to his wife, and MacLaine to her husband, Steve Parker. In her memoirs, however, MacLaine recalled a conversation years later with Used People (1992) costar Marcello Mastroianni: "We laughed about the time he and Faye Dunaway, who believed they were being successfully discreet, ran into Robert Mitchum and me on a London street. We believed we were being successfully discreet. And so the conversation led to the dilemma of falling in love with one's costar. "One must love one's costar," said Marcello. "Otherwise how will the audience believe it?"Producer: Walter MirischDirector: Robert WiseScreenplay: Isobel Lennart, based on a play by William GibsonCinematography: Ted D. McCordFilm Editing: Stuart GilmoreArt Direction: Boris LevenMusic: Andre PrevinCast: Robert Mitchum (Jerry Ryan), Shirley MacLaine (Gittel Mosca), Edmon Ryan (Frank Taubman), Elisabeth Fraser (Sophie), Eddie Firestone (Oscar), Billy Gray (Mr. Jacoby).BW-120m. Letterboxed.by Eleanor Quin | 影视 |
2016-36/0813/en_head.json.gz/12200 | Berlin Express
"Berlin Express (1948) is really two movies - one in the background, the other in the foreground," proclaimed a May 3, 1948 Timemagazine review. The movie in the foreground is a fairly typical Hollywood plot about Nazis and a kidnapped international leader. It stars Robert Ryan as an American officer who's teamed up with a Brit (played by Robert Coote), a Russian Lieutenant (Roman Toporow) and a French secretary (Merle Oberon) to rescue peace movement champion Paul Lukas from the Nazis. The second movie serves primarily as a backdrop, but stands more importantly as a historical document. Interspersed in the post-war intrigue, is actual post-war footage of Berlin and Frankfurt, making Berlin Express the first Hollywood production allowed into Germany after the war. And Lucien Ballard's stark cinematography of urban ruin is often as fascinating as the story it supports. The idea for Berlin Express came from a Life article about an army train moving through the Russian Sector of the city. Producer Bert Granet worked with writers Curt Siodmak and Harold Medford to develop the story. On the surface a simple rescue yarn, the movie also serves as an allegory for Allied cooperation. The choice of the characters' nationalities is obviously symbolic. Each player represents one arm of the Allied forces. The Big Four, whose combined efforts won the war, must work together in this movie to free Paul Lukas and thus further the peace process. Once the script was finished, Granet applied to the U.S. Army for assistance. The Berlin Express crew was not only the first allowed into Germany, but it was the first American feature to be shot in post-war Europe. And it certainly was no easy task. Film equipment was very hard to come by on the continent. Billy Wilder reportedly had to wait for Berlin Express to finish filming so he could borrow what he needed for A Foreign Affair (1948). The European leg of the Berlin Express shoot lasted seven weeks with location filming in Paris, Frankfurt and Berlin. Footage was shipped back to Hollywood for processing as they went along. The experience was said to have made Robert Ryan a strong anti-war advocate as he finally saw the horrible aftermath of the war close-up while filming the movie. Granet later remarked on the film's look (which has been called a noir-documentary), "we could never have made the picture if we'd had to duplicate the ruin and devastation of Germany. I figure we got about $65 billion worth of free sets." Perhaps it was the wartime reliance on newsreels, but audiences had developed a taste for movies shot on location. The trend was most apparent in Italy, where lack of money played a big part in the emergence of the Neorealist movement (which used a documentary style, real life settings and often non-actors). But Hollywood too, began the move out of the studio to real and natural locations. Cinematographer Ballard was careful in his approach in Berlin Express, realizing the importance of what they were shooting and the film's schedule was even revised "to take full advantage of cross-lighting by the sun" on the bombed out remains of Frankfurt. Ballard had been hired for the project against Granet's wishes, at the insistence of his wife, Merle Oberon. But Granet had hand picked Jacques Tourneur to direct, based on his previous work in films like Cat People (1942) and Out of the Past (1947). And the partnership was a happy one. Tourneur remembered Berlin Express as one of his longest scheduled film shoots, but one that he liked. And years later, Granet would give Tourneur work again, on two television series he was producing -- The Walter Winchell File and The Twilight Zone. Producer: Bert Granet Director: Jacques Tourneur Screenplay: Harold Medford, Curt Siodmak Art Direction: Albert S. D'Agostino, Alfred H. Herman Cinematography: Lucien Ballard Editing: Sherman Todd Music: Frederick Hollander Cast: Merle Oberon (Lucienne), Robert Ryan (Robert Lindley), Charles Korvin (Perrot), Paul Lukas (Dr. H. Bernhardt), Robert Coote (Sterling), Reinhold Schunzel (Walther), Roman Toporow (Lt. Maxim). BW-87m. Closed captioning. By Stephanie Thames
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The Expendables 3: watch the new trailer An action-packed new trailer for The Expendables 3, starring Sylvester Stallone, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Mel Gibson and Harrison Ford, has been released By Lowenna Waters
12:25PM BST 19 Jun 2014
The new trailer for the third part of the action film franchise the Expendables has been released. In this film, the titular group of mercenaries come face-to-face with their old leader, Conrad Stonebanks (Mel Gibson) who defected and has now become a ruthless arms dealer. In the second instalment, their current leader Barney Ross (Sylvester Stallone), had been ordered to kill Stonebanks, but he survived and has now made it his mission to destroy the Expendables. Ross has recruited a new and younger generation of Expendables to overcome the team’s adversary. The Expendables franchise is an homage to the greatest action stars of the Eighties, Nineties and today, and is directed by Patrick Hughes, from a script by Creighton Rothenberger, Katrin Benedikt and Sylvester Stallone. READ: THE BEST FILMS TO SEE IN CINEMA THIS WEEK Related Articles
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It also features an all star returning cast, including Sylvester Stallone, Jason Statham, Jet Li, Dolph Lundgren, Randy Couture, Terry Crews and Arnold Schwarzenegger. New additions for Expendables 3 are Wesley Snipes, Antonio Bandores, Mel Gibson, Harrison Ford and Kelsey Grammer. There is one notable exception, however; Steven Seagal has snubbed all offers of being a cast member on the Expendables. Despite being a huge action star in the Eighties, Seagal has declined to be part of the franchise because of a personal rift between him and Sylvester Stallone, along with other members of the cast. There have been rumours that Sylvester Stallone once slammed Seagal up against a wall, and that Van Damme, a villain in the Expendables 2, had challenged Seagal to a fight twice. Seagal, told the Big Issue in an interview: “I just don’t like some of the people involved. Life is too short to work with funny people.” The Expendables 3 is released in the UK on August 14 and in the US on August 15 READ: The 30 best films on Netflix Cinema Trailers
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Video Netflix's true crime documentary series has become a viewing sensation | 影视 |
2016-36/0813/en_head.json.gz/12308 | today > entertainment > pop_culture
'Spider-Man' team defends Julie Taymor
Director was dumped after delays, accidents, poor audience reaction and money woes
Jacob Cohl
Actor Reeve Carney portrays Spider-Man in a scene from "Spider-Man: Turn Off The Dark."
By JOHN CARUCCI
Many elements of Taymor's original vision remain, but the sequence of events and some of the characters she wrote expressly for the show have been changed. The songwriters, U2's Bono and The Edge, also reworked the music.
The so-called Geek Chorus — four comic-book fans who framed the plot and represented Taymor, Bono, The Edge and co-book writer Glen Berger — have been cut from the show. The role of a villainous spider-woman named Arachne has been scaled back into a fairy godmother. Meanwhile, the Green Goblin's role has been enhanced. Even so, many of Taymor's visual touches are still in the musical.
Story: Bono talks of 'Spider-Man' struggles, triumphs
Aside from problems with the story, the show was beset with technical malfunctions, ranging from stunt actors left dangling helplessly over the audience to the near-fatal fall by stunt actor Christopher Tierney in December.
Tierney, who does most of Spider-Man's aerial stunts, suffered a fractured skull, a fractured shoulder blade, four broken ribs and three broken vertebrae when he tumbled in front of a shocked audience after a safety harness failed. He has since returned to the show.
Berger, who has been with the project for six years, says Taymor was unjustly blamed for everything wrong with the show, including Tierney's fall. "Julie was unfairly named for any number of things including the safety aspect," he says.
Members of the creative team cite injuries at other shows. Carney points to a similar accident that happened at "The Little Mermaid" in 2008 when actor Adrian Bailey fell nearly 20 feet through a trap door that was supposed to be closed.
"He is still recovering from that (fall) two years later, and Chris recovered in three months, thank goodness," Carney said, adding that the "Littler Mermaid" accident isn't talked about as much.
Story: Fired 'Spider-Man' director seeks royalties
Taymor, whose press representative did not return a request for comment, spoke at the Technology Entertainment and Design conference in California in March and discussed how she's dealing with the Spider-fiasco, saying, "Anyone who creates knows — when it's not quite there. Where it hasn't quite become the phoenix or the burnt char. And I am right there."
The bad press for "Spider-Man" started as soon as previews began on Nov. 28, when an actress was injured by a length of rope. Its planned opening was initially set for Dec. 21, but that was pushed back to Jan. 11, then again to Feb. 7 and then March 15. It has easily broken the record for having the longest preview period in Broadway history.
All the bad press — including critics who slammed the show in February — didn't hurt at the box office, where the musical regularly sold out and was among the highest earners on Broadway. But ticket sales had softened considerably the by time the show shut down in April. Consistently strong weekly revenues are critical for the show to break even and to begin repaying investors.
T.V. Carpio is shown in a scene from "Spider-Man: Turn Off The Dark," in New York.
Getting fired from her own musical caps a bad stretch for Taymor, lauded for her vision in the long-running "The Lion King." The Tony Award-director's film "Across the Universe" did poorly a few years ago and her current movie, "The Tempest," is not setting box-offices afire.
But many members of the "Spider-Man" team have lately come to Taymor's defense, including Bono, who called Taymor a "card-carrying genius," and T.V. Carpio, who plays Arachne and says, "The foundation of what makes the show amazing and magical is what came out of Julie's head."
Berger acknowledges that audiences were confused by their original tale, which fused the traditional Spider-Man origin story with a mythical Spider-Woman. The climactic battle between Spider-Man and the Green Goblin happened long before the finale and the love story between the lead characters was perfunctory. He says the original story made sense on paper, but admits "undeniably" that his writing did not translate as smoothly on stage. He blames complex stage directions and multiple plotlines as the culprit.
He and newly hired playwright Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa, who has written comic books and for the HBO series "Big Love," toned down the story's darker themes, and expanded the romantic angle between Peter Parker and Mary Jane.
While there may be affection and admiration for Taymor from many in the cast, there are also unresolved financial matters. The Stage Directors and Choreographers Society filed an arbitration claim last week against the show's producers, saying they had "failed to pay to Ms. Taymor any royalties for the run of the production."
Lead producer Michael Cohl acknowledged that there were some lose ends: "There are some deals that have expired and that we've parted company. There are others that we still haven't quite finished up the business yet and there are things to be resolved." Added fellow producer Jeremiah J. Harris: "All in all, and there's a lot of moving pieces in this project, we've had a successful collaboration."
For 20-year-old Jennifer Damiano, who plays the heroine, the spectacle accelerated her experience level. And while she acknowledges she didn't realize what she was signing up for when she took the part, she is grateful Taymor gave her the opportunity.
"I wouldn't take back a second of the experience, even the negative," Damiano said.
Once downtrodden, the cast and crew say they have been reinvigorated by the overhaul of the musical. They've even taken the show's main song, "Rise Above" — with the lyrics "You can rise above/Open your eyes to love" — as an anthem of their journey.
Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. More on TODAY.com | 影视 |
2016-36/0813/en_head.json.gz/12331 | Jim Garner
I am a 40ish gamer geek with a sharp sense of humor and a dull sense of exercise! I am TVFanatic's resident artist and former Senior Staff Reviewer. Shows I have covered include Defiance , Agents of S.H.E.I.L.D., Warehouse 13, Leverage, Castle, Lie to Me, Criminal Minds, Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior, Burn Notice, Hawaii Five-O, Elementary, The Glades, and I started with CSI. For other shows that I like that I don't cover, I enjoy BBC shows such as Torchwood and Primeval and I was a huge fan of King and Maxwell and I have a softspot for the mindless silliness that is Storage Wars. When not watching TV I am either playing a video game or reading authors such as George R.R. Martin, Jack Campbell, and Anne McCaffrey. I am always up for discussing Sci-Fi or Fantasy.
Authors Jim Garner Page 35 | 影视 |
2016-36/0813/en_head.json.gz/12384 | Guitar Hero: Greatest Hits Review
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood...
Monopoly Review
Buzz! Junior: Ace Racers Review
Canis Canem Edit
God Hand
God of War 2 News for PS2On: PS2Review Verdict Read Review9Out of 10Back to game info
God of War movie to feature around 30 minutes of Kratos character buildingOriginal script being re-written as movies such as Clash of the Titans, Wrath of the Titans, 300 and Immortals have been released since.
31st Aug, 2012 - 9:23am
The God of War movie looks set to feature plenty of character development, with script writers Marcus Dunstan and Patrick Melton revealing to IGN that there'll be around 30 minutes at the start of the film dedicated to introducing Kratos.The pair also detailed why they were brought in to re-write the screenplay, noting that the original was fine but a bit outdated."The only problem with that is it was written before Clash of the Titans, Wrath of the Titans, 300 and Immortals, and those movies borrowed quite a bit from the God of War stories," said Dunstan. "It was just a little bit outdated, so we wanted to differentiate it from those other movies."With all the character building, the writing duo are attempting to do something similar to what Christopher Nolan did with Batman."In the same way that Batman was grounded with Christopher Nolan's rendition, we were attempting to do that with Kratos so that when we meet him - like they're doing in this newest game, which is sort of a prequel to the original - we're seeing him before he became the Ghost of Sparta, when he was just a Spartan warrior and he had family and kids," stated Dunstan."In the game... there's that attack from the barbarians and Kratos has to call upon Ares to help him. Really, that's going to be our first act break," added Melton. "Before then, he's going to be mortal, and he's going to have his family. We're going to learn about him and understand how he operates. So it's potentially 30 minutes - give or take - of building up this character so that, when he does turn and becomes the Ghost of Sparta, we understand him as a human and we understand the journey that he's going to take. We're emotionally invested, so that it could go beyond just this one movie."Anyone worried that the Ghost of Sparta isn't going to get the budget a big-screen debut deserves shouldn't be worried."With God of War, the studio's saying, 'We're going to spend $150 million to make this movie," revealed Melton. "We really need to understand this character and get behind him and feel his pain and feel his emotions so that, when he is in these giant set pieces, we're in there with him and we're feeling it.' That is a critique of some of these big action films is that they often get too big and just become noise; you're not invested in the character."Other than the movie's opening segment little is known about the plot and characters, but Melton did reveal that they are trying to build Ares up "so that he can become a true villain."Dunstan and Melton are still working on the screenplay, but no director is currently attached to the movie.God of War: Ascension is due for release on PlayStation 3 on March 15.
PS Plus August games include Lara Croft PS4, Limbo & God of War6 Comments
No plans for other God of War PS4 Remasters
God of War Ascension multiplayer DLC free for a limited time
bboi7581
seriously? why rewrite, it is a pretty good storyline from the game, it shouldn't take that many modifications to it, just put it on the big screen and make us all happy
Posted 19:05 on 13 March 2013 Game Stats
Sony Santa Monica
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2016-36/0813/en_head.json.gz/12669 | The Movie Studio System, Part 1
Story by Mark McLemore
last updated August 1, 2014
Thomas Edison's first movie studio
The movies have always been driven by the search for "the next big thing," but have the century-old traditions of the Hollywood studio system done more to help or harm the film industry in the 21st century? Chris Dashiell goes back to the beginning to look for answers, and finds that the movie studio might be considered one of Thomas Edison's most overlooked inventions...
Hollywood movies in the classic era of the 1930s and '40s were created by a remarkable system of film studios that controlled every aspect of the business. To understand how this happened, it helps to go back to the beginnings of American film in the silent days. For the first ten years or so, from the mid-1890s through 1905, the movie business was a wild free-for-all, with scores of entrepreneurs all over the country trying to get a piece of the action by producing or distributing films. A movie was just one reel then, about 12 to 15 minutes long, and the novelty value of this amazing new form of entertainment was enough for just about any company to make a profit. The pictures were often screened as an added attraction at vaudeville shows, concerts, and other stage productions. Then, in 1905, something new exploded onto the scene: the nickelodeon, a storefront theater showing movies for just a nickel. It was easy for any enterprising business person to set one up, and so many did, that the nationwide demand for films skyrocketed. After the dust had settled from this boom, the three biggest companies, all based in New York City, had taken a dominating position.
First, there was the Edison Company. Thomas Edison didn’t invent the movies, but his company devised the first efficient movie camera, and Edison’s 35-millimeter sprocketed film became the industry standard. The company churned out product at a remarkable pace. Edwin S. Porter, one of the cinema’s early innovators, worked for Edison—1903s' The Great Train Robbery was one of his films.
Thomas Edison with a movie camera of his own design
The second big company was Biograph. Biograph overtook Edison to become the most popular and most profitable studio, and that was because of its development of the story film. Audience preferences were shifting away from scenes of real life towards stories, and Biograph was the pioneer in this regard. Its best and most famous director, D.W. Griffith, developed story-telling techniques that were far in advance of anything attempted before. His films were different, more interesting than anyone else’s, and audiences knew it. He successfully expanded film into two reels, but when he tried to go even longer, to what we now think of as a normal feature-length film, the executives at Biograph wouldn’t allow it. In hindsight it seems foolish, but at the time they just couldn’t imagine people sitting still for a film that was longer than a half hour. Griffith left Biograph to become independent, and of course went on to prove them all wrong.
The third big studio was Vitagraph. It was the first to really concentrate on genre films—the western, the comedy, the crime film, and it was also known for using very few intertitles, trying to tell most of the stories by action alone.
In 1907, Edison took a fateful step. He decided to copyright motion pictures. The camera and other equipment, and the very film itself, were declared to be Edison owned and patented. If a company wanted to make films, it had to join an Edison-operated trust, The Motion Picture Patents Company. Most of the other companies fell into line, including, eventually, Biograph and Vitagraph. It was a stranglehold designed to eliminate all the smaller operators, so that the fat cats could have the entire pie to themselves. And for a while, it worked. But many of the minor producers who had made their start with the vaudeville circuit and the nickelodeons, largely Jewish businessmen on the outskirts of the industry, started moving to southern California to try to avoid the legal arm of the Patents Company.
Thomas Edison's first foray into motion picture exhibition, the kinetoscope
The Los Angeles area had already attracted a few small studios because of its ideal filming conditions—mostly sunny weather year round meant more hours to shoot pictures, and the scenery was perfect for many different kinds of stories. A lot of the mavericks set up shop in a little town with orange groves called Hollywood. The Patents Company sent lawyers and then enforcers to put a stop to these upstart film outfits. Some directors saw their productions actually broken up by gunfire. But then, in 1912, after a long series of legal battles, the Patents Company lost its case in the courts, which ruled that it violated the antitrust laws. The monopoly was over, and the era of Hollywood dominance began. Biograph ceased production in 1916; Edison went under two years later. Vitagraph was the only major patents company that survived and got a foothold in Hollywood. It was eventually absorbed into Warner Brothers.
The new studios were a motley bunch. Mack Sennett started the Keystone Company. You’ve probably heard of the Keystone Kops. Sennett revolutionized comedy with his films of fast-paced slapstick anarchy, often starring Fatty Arbuckle and Mabel Normand. Charlie Chaplin was of course Sennett’s biggest discovery. Keystone’s comedy rival was Hal Roach and his Rolin Studio, with Harold Lloyd, Laurel & Hardy, Charlie Chase, and Our Gang.
Then there was Jesse Lasky’s outfit, Feature Play. Its top director was Cecil B. DeMille, who made the first feature-length Hollywood film, The Squaw Man, in 1914. Adolph Zukor ran the Famous Players company, specializing in film versions of stage classics. Those two merged to form Famous Players Lasky, which ended up becoming Paramount. William Fox started the company that still bears his name—he made a fortune from westerns with Tom Mix.
Independent Movie Productions, IMP, later called Universal Studios, was owned by Carl Laemmle, and it was the first studio to give credit to a performer in a film, Florence Lawrence, the first star. From then on, stars were the key to promoting films.
The first major star, and in some ways the biggest movie star ever, was Mary Pickford, and she started a pattern of moving from studio to studio demanding, and getting, bigger and bigger salaries as she went. This procedure was imitated by Chaplin and other stars. The money was there to pay them, because by this time, the 1920s, business was booming.
Film reviewer Chris Dashiell There were many other studios in the silent days, too numerous to mention. The producers held the purse strings, but the creative part was generally the province of the directors, writers, and actors. That all changed with the coming of sound. Next time I present part 2: a crash course in Hollywood studios—their methods, their styles, and their stars.
Who is Chris Dashiell?
Chris Dashiell has been writing about movies for seventeen years, serving as the editor of the online film lovers' guide Cinescene for ten of them. He currently reviews films for Flicks, a weekly program on Tucson's community radio station KXCI, and he confesses to shamelessly idolizing Carl Dreyer, Jean Renoir, and Luchino Visconti. MORE: Arts and Life, Culture, History Comment
Connect with Mark McLemore
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Mark McLemore, Host of Arizona Spotlight, Reporter/Producer, NPR 89.1
Sir Alec GuinnessFilm writer Chris Dashiell chooses his favorite performances from an actor who later became a space hero in a galaxy far, far away.
The Movie Studio System, Part IIIFim writer Chris Dashiell looks at the legacy of the smaller production houses that still managed to make a major contribution to the Hollywood golden age.
The Movie Studio System, Part IIChris Dashiell looks back to a time in Hollywood when stars weren't born, they were made -- by studios. | 影视 |
2016-36/0813/en_head.json.gz/12714 | News 3rd Naruto Shippūden Film Slated for August 1 in Japan
Promo video streamed for 10th anniversary film, Hi no Ishi o Tsugumono
The official website for the 10th anniversary of Masashi Kishimoto's Naruto ninja manga has announced that the third Naruto Shippūden anime film, Naruto Shippūden: Hi no Ishi o Tsugumono, will open in Japan on August 1. The website also began streaming a promotional video. The film's title is the same as the one for 99th episode of the first Naruto television series, which is called "The Will of Fire Still Burns" in English.
Source: Saishin Anime Jōhō
Image © 2002 Masashi Kishimoto / 2007 Shippuden
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2016-36/0813/en_head.json.gz/12850 | Spielberg at war again with 'War Horse' Sr. Rose Pacatte | Dec. 27, 2011
NCR Today PrintPDF Among the many themes that emerge or converge in the films of director/ producer/writer Steven Spielberg are lonely children and war, specifically World War II. These themes can be found in the kids in "E.T.: the Extra-Terrestrial" (1982) as well as the Oscar-winning "Schindler's List" (1993), in which viewers may remember the little Jewish girl in a red coat, waiting for transport to the Nazi death camps. They can be found in "The Color Purple" (1985) (for which Spielberg deserved an Oscar) and one of my personal favorites, this year's "Super 8," where Spielberg captures children who are lonely or estranged from or in tension with their fathers.In his films "Saving Private Ryan" (1998) and "Letters from Iwo Jima" (2006) and in his TV miniseries "Band of Brothers" (2001) and "The Pacific" (2010), Spielberg draws the heartbreak of war with the pen of cinematic art as few others, perhaps none others, ever have. But I think with "War Horse," which opened in theaters Christmas Day, is Spielberg's take on the Academy Award-winning 2009 film "The Hurt Locker." It's his chance to show how war shreds humanity through the desperate courage and pain of a war horse. It is estimated that millions of horses died in World War I from all the armies involved."War Horse" is based on based on a 1982 children's novel by Michael Morpurgo. It was made into a 2007 stage play that friends told me is extremely moving. A few months before England declared war on Germany in 1914, a horse is born in Devon. Albert Narracott (Jeremy Divine), the only son of tenant farmers Ted (Peter Mullan) and Rose (Emily Watson), goes to market to buy a workhorse, presumably a Clydesdale, but is enthralled with the strength and beauty of Joey. He spends money he does not have and takes the horse home, to the derision and disapproval of all except Albert.
Joey proves his worth by plowing an impossibly rocky field, but the crop is lost in a rainstorm. When war is declared, soldiers come to the village to buy horses, and an officer promises Albert he will bring Joey home safely if he can.Joey heads into war with the British soldiers, is lost to the Germans, taken in by a French farmer and his granddaughter and eventually ends up working the German transport lines with Topthorn, a black stallion also captured from the British army. As the longest, most deadly war in history nears the end, Joey escapes from his cruel masters, and in a heartbreaking sequence, wrapped in barbed wire, cut and bleeding, makes a run for it through no man's land. This is the film's finest, most poignant, terrifying scene, which culminates with Germans and British units recognizing the transcendent strength of this noble steed that changes them all, just for a moment. There are elements of the film that won't pass muster to the careful viewer. The crop that gets ruined is on a slope: My sister, who has a large garden, said the rain would have run off, not drowned the vegetables. The crookedly plowed field turns into the perfectly furrowed plot from one scene to another. Albert, who eventually is old enough to go to war, is blinded by gas, but suddenly he can see -- but the audience does not get to see that moment. I wanted to see this because the characters were not well-developed; the one with the most interesting potential was Rose, played by Emily Watson. The film has been nominated for many awards for Janusz Kaminski's cinematography, that magical craft of bringing light and camera together. Kaminski has worked on many Spielberg movies, winning Oscars for "Schindler's List" and "Saving Private Ryan." But I found the digital color "filming" to be oversaturated, making the characters seem almost as if they were motion-capture animation. Some of the staging of the scenes seemed to have been lifted right out of "Gone with the Wind" and "The Searchers." The story is less complex than the huge 3-D production the movie turns out to be.In the end, "War Horse" is about war, and it is about the ways that animals can teach us to be more human. It's too long, but it is inspiring. The horses, of which several were used for both Joey and Topthorn, will astonish you. Everything in the film is true, and some of it did happen. Advertisement | 影视 |
2016-36/0813/en_head.json.gz/12954 | Harrison Ford injured on set of new "Star Wars" movie 2 years ago
Han Solo is nursing an ankle injury. Harrison Ford was rushed to a hospital Thursday after suffering a setback during filming on the set of the new "Star Wars" movie. In a statement, Disney said the 71-year-old actor was receiving care and that shooting would continue as planned while he recuperates. Perhaps offering up a small spoiler for the closely guarded movie, a source tells "The Hollywood Reporter" Ford's ankle injury was caused by the door of the "Star Wars" spacecraft the Millennium Falcon, which Ford's character Han Solo piloted in the original "Star Wars" films. "Star Wars: Episode VII" is said to be set 30 years after the events of the last film in the original trilogy, "Return of the Jedi." The movie is on track for release in December 2015. Photo: Everett Collection | 影视 |
2016-36/0813/en_head.json.gz/12963 | ABC Soaps In Depth
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Mar 26, 2013 7:00AM
By Chris Eades
Did GH's Rademacher Quick Step Into The Next Round?
Last night, GENERAL HOSPITAL's Ingo Rademacher (Jax) performed for the second time on DANCING WITH THE STARS, doing a quick step with partner Kym Johnson that earned decent marks from the judges, though they noted he still had room for improvement.
"Carrie Ann [Inaba] was jealous because she doesn't live in Hawaii anymore," Rademacher joked of one of the judges following the show. "I live in Hawaii. That's why I got a six from her. She owes me an extra number next week."
And while daytime has a fast-paced schedule all its own, nothing could have prepared the actor for what every episode of DANCING entails. "No, it would be like trying to learn your 80 pages of scenes on a treadmill, going to the weight room and then back and then to the elliptical and sprinting the whole time and trying to memorize," Rademacher declared. "Nothing has been as hard as this."
Not even performing at the Nurses Ball back in the day! "We'd practice for a half an hour before doing it," he said. "Here, we practice for eight hours a day."
The question is, were Rademacher's scores from last week and this week's dances high enough combined with your votes to push him through to the next round? Tune in tonight at 9:00 EST on ABC to find out!
Keep up with your fave celebs in the pages of ABC Soaps In Depth by subscribing now!
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2016-36/0813/en_head.json.gz/13209 | Projection Services
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Stage A’s Storied Past
Home » News and Information » Front Page » Stage A’s Storied Past Stage A’s Storied Past
Disney Archive Fun FactsBecause of the Lot’s proximity to the Burbank Airport, particular pains were taken with the acoustic insulation of the stages in which dialogue, music and sound effects were recorded. As a result, designers adopted a principle of construction sometimes referred to as “building within a building.” Stage A was constructed with double walls, the inner wall being entirely separate from the outer, and the ceiling resting on the inner wall structure having no connection with the outer. Both walls and ceiling were provided with adequate layers of both hard and soft insulating materials to give the desired noise reduction
Stage A is not only the current premiere re-recording stage here on the Disney lot which recently completed the audio mix for the upcoming Disney film – The Odd Life of Timothy Green, it has also played a huge part in our studio’s fascinating history. Stage A was originally built as a scoring stage to facilitate the large orchestras that would produce some of Disney’s most legendary soundtracks. Stage A raised its curtains in 1940. Disney Archives can’t say for sure but it is possible that Fantasia was the first project recorded. Pinocchio was still in production when the staff moved to Burbank, so it is likely that Pinocchio may have been the first project to have been recorded on the stage. Either way, Stage A started life and continued to be the home for many classic Disney films.
Stage A has been part of our proud history for titles such as: Mary Poppins, The Happiest Millionaire, Ben and Me, Sleeping Beauty and the Mickey Mouse Club. Other notable projects include: Good Will Hunting, Rescuers Down Under, Pirates of the Caribbean, Princess & the Frog and Tangled to name a few.
Some refer to the years between 1984-1986 as the renaissance of scoring on Stage A. Under the direction of renowned scoring mixer Sean Murphy, the old Quad 8 console from the 70s was replaced with a shiny new Neve scoring console. Stage A transitioned from a Scoring Stage to a Mixing Stage in 1987 with the final score going to the Great Mouse Detective. The stage underwent a complete electronic and architectural renovation in 1999 in order to provide the latest in technology for motion picture re-recording.
Working with Disney Archives, we recently had some iconic photos framed and mounted for the Stage A’s lobby/entrance.
1967Composers Richard and Robert Sherman with Louis Prima, (center), voice of King Louie, during a recording session for The Jungle Book1954Songwriter Sonny Burke plays alongside singing quartet The Mellomen during the production of a 1954 television episode promoting Lady and the Tramp1966Story man Larry Clemmons (left) and Director Wolfgang “Woolie” Reitherman oversee a voice recording session with Sterling Holloway (middle), voice of Kaa, and Sebastian Cabot (right), voice of Bagheera, for The Jungle Book
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Sounds Good The Baymax Buzz: Behind the Mix of Big Hero 6 November 27, 2014
Just a year after audiences sang along with Elsa, Anna, and friends in the #1 animated film of all time, Frozen, Walt Disney Animation Studios brings to the screen their newest story, one of friendship, courage, and the power of underdogs – in the latest extravaganza, Big Hero 6! Directed by Don Hall (Winnie The ......
Planes: Fire & Rescue soars in an Atmos mix at Disney Digital Studios July 18, 2014
Planes: Fire & Rescue, which opens in theatres on July 18, is the latest installment in the Planes story. In the 2013 feature – Planes, audiences were introduced to Dusty Crophopper, the spunky plane that conquers his fear of heights by competing in an around-the-world aerial race. In Planes: Fire & Rescue, Dusty enters the ......
And the Winner is Frozen July 18, 2014
Congratulations to Walt Disney Animation’s Frozen for winning the OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN SOUND MIXING for an Animated Feature at the 50th Annual CAS Awards on February 22, 2014, at the Millennium Biltmore Hotel. Among the award recipients are Walt Disney Sound’s own David Fluhr and Feature Animation’s Gabriel Guy. David and Gabriel mixed the box ......
Restored Bungalow’s Future is Worthy of its Past May 6, 2014
As one of the oldest buildings on the Walt Disney Studios lot, the Sound Transfer Bungalow is chock full of history. The bungalow was originally located at the same place Mickey Mouse came to life – the Hyperion Studios in the Silver Lake neighborhood of Los Angeles. When Walt’s operation started to outgrow ......
Mixing Mr. Banks February 10, 2014
In Saving Mr. Banks, author P.L. Travers is wary of Walt Disney, animation and even the Los Angeles sunshine. But she’s particularly horrified by the idea of adding songs to the movie based on her Mary Poppins children’s books, and she isn’t shy about critiquing the tunes penned and enthusiastically played by the long-suffering Sherman ......
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2016-36/0813/en_head.json.gz/13240 | The Flops: Cloud Atlas and the Year’s Other Terrible Movies
Consider our list of the Top 10 Worst Movies a public-service announcement By TIME Staff Dec. 27, 2012 Share
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Consider Mary Pols’ list of the Top 10 Worst Movies a public-service announcement. Cloud Atlas takes the cake. Turns out, six different plot lines are quite confusing, and watching people make the same mistakes over and over again is excruciating. “There’s as much opportunity to get attached to characters as there would be watching people go by on a roller coaster,” Pols writes. A telling sign: Tom Hanks did not want to discuss the film on The Colbert Report at the end of October, but he was more than happy to talk about his past roles as trick-or-treaters dressed as movie characters played by Hanks dropped by Colbert’s place one by one.
Pols also didn’t buy into Danny DeVito as the Lorax or Abraham Lincoln as a vampire hunter — though neither did the public; Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter grossed only $37.5 million this summer, according to Box Office Mojo. And perhaps Bill Murray should stick to roles like the loveable basket case in What About Bob instead of the 32nd President of the United States and ladies’ man in Hyde Park on Hudson.
The full list of flops is here. You’ve been warned. | 影视 |
2016-36/0813/en_head.json.gz/13272 | Thread: X-Men: Part 6 should be set...
Re: X-Men: Part 6 should be set...
im guessing a 3rd FC it would be set in the 80s
and they could write a way to connect it to X4 if they are creative enough, its pretty much what they are doing now with DOFP
in many ways it would help spread the fanchise out abit, FOX won't be in any rush to reboot this franchise
The thing is that a film set in the 80s would be expected to join the dots with X1, and will likely only present further continuity issues because things won't join up properly (as happens in every film to date). However, any changes made to history in the 70s will likely have a ripple effect of creating a very different 1980s that won't necessarily lead to X1 at all. So, after DoFP, a film set in the 80s would be fairly random - free to do different things that didn't lead towards X1 but also detached from the existing timelines.
It depends if DoFP is intended to reset the timeline for a new FC film set in the 80s or reset the timeline for a new film set in the present/future. The involvement of James Marsden suggests they are more concerned with moving forwards with the original trilogy cast. As for somehow linking a FC film in the 8os to an X4, would they want to do the time-travel again, with someone else coming back to stop something else happening? Seems a bit repetitive. | 影视 |
2016-36/0813/en_head.json.gz/13294 | Paramount to Adapt Heavy Metal's LAST MAN STANDING: KILLBOOK OF A BOUNTY HUNTER ArtMovieGraphic novelParamount Picturesabout 6 years agoby Joey Paur
Paramount Pictures has acquired the film rights to a cool coffee table book from Heavy Metal Publishing called Last Man Standing: Killbook of a Bounty Hunter. We've included some details of the book as well as some awesome art work from it that you can check out below!
LMS is a giant art-filled book that will be adapted into a graphic novel and have a presence online as well, before it hits the big screen. The property centers on a bounty hunter named Gabriel, created by a weapons organization to be part of its army of Paladins, “a soldier with the talent of 500 soldiers.” After being framed and sent to prison, he escapes and enters the world of New Amerika, filled with genetically enhanced shark-men, ninjas and burlesque girls, as he tries to unravel the reason behind his set-up.
Scott Aversano will produce the project along with the book's creator, Daniel LuVisi. Peter Levin, Russell Binder and Stephan Lokotsch will executive produce.
Heavy Metal describes the book as follows:LMS (Last Man Standing) tells the story of Gabriel, the last living Paladin soldier. Genetically engineered, he is a warrior of supernatural strength, anointed as the guardian of Amerika and its people. Admired and celebrated by most, Gabe?s world takes a sudden turn when he finds himself framed by the terrorist group Pandemonium, for a series of atrocious crimes he had no part in. For these alleged crimes, Gabriel is sent to the treacherous Level-9 Prison Facility and incarcerated with the very scum he helped put away. After nine years of torture and agony, the once famed hero kills his captors and escapes the 9 levels of hell he has been condemned to. From here on forward, Gabriel embarks on a journey into the heart of darkness; the New Amerika, a world filled with colorful and deadly characters that will either help or try to eliminate him ? neither of which attitude is always transparent. As the once invincible hero digs deep to unravel the true reason behind his framing, he also discovers a problem he never had to face before: He’s dying; and quickly.The artist and creator of the the book explains the story to Deadline:
As for the entire series, it’s a story of mine I’ve been crafting over the past two and a half years. I want it to be a graphic novel series, but start it in a non-traditional type way. Where most comics start off with a first issue, this starts off with a 230-page bible of a book, Killbook of a Bounty Hunter, that sets up the entire universe of the LMS world. But not only that, the audience gets an incredibly deep perspective on the protagonist, Gabriel, and what his plans are now that he’s escaped from Level-9.
Check out some more awesome images from the book below! This looks like it could make for a pretty awesome and visually stunning film!
LED Lightsaber Battle VideoGEEKTYRANT WEEKLY PODCAST # 83: The Other Guys Flipped The Rocketeer | 影视 |
2016-36/0813/en_head.json.gz/13344 | "Revealing The Leopard" The world's most numerous big cat is seldom seen although its members live among villages and on the outskirts of cities in Africa and much of Asia. One female leopard allows filmmakers to follow her to her den and film her cubs from their earliest days as she teaches them to survive. Interspersed with the leopard family story are vignettes of leopards from around the world.G 3:00 am Nature
"Broken Tail: A Tiger's Last Journey" Broken Tail, a tiger that Irish wildlife cameraman Colin Stafford-Johnson has filmed since birth, disappears from India's Ranthambore National Park and is killed by a train 100 miles away. Stafford-Johnson and local guide Salim Ali trace the tiger's journey. They travel by horseback, glimpsing both historical and contemporary India while learning what big cats are up against when they leave the confines of a sanctuary.G 4:00 am Newsline
Paul Anka (musician). D
America's Resilient Sikhs - One year after the mass shooting of Sikh worshippers in Oak Creek, Wisconsin, Sikh leaders tell Religion & Ethics NewsWeekly's Managing Editor Kim Lawton that their community has become stronger since the attack, with more optimism and hope. Sikh leaders are campaigning nationally to get more protection from hate crimes and racial profiling. They are also lobbying for Pentagon permission for Sikhs in the military to wear their traditional turbans and unshorn hair. D
"Big Enough" In this intimate portrait, several dwarfs who appeared in Jan Krawitz and Thomas Ott's 1982 film Little People welcome the camera into their lives once again. Through a prism of "then and now," the characters in the film confront physical and emotional challenges with humor, grace, and sometimes, frustration. D
7:30 am Last Harvest: The Yemenis of the San Joaquin
THE LAST HARVEST explores the lives and times of Muslim immigrants from Yemen who settled in California's San Joaquin Valley. Yemeni migrant workers started coming to the United States in the post-1965 era when the new immigration law opened the gates to non-Europeans. While most settled in the Detroit area, a small band of villagers from the mountainous Ibb region found work in the San Joaquin Valley where they tended the vineyards that produce a yearly bounty of internationally renowned table grapes. D
"The Lost Dream" Nazar and Salam helped the coalition forces in Operation Iraqi Freedom and were forced to flee their homes. As they begin new lives in the United States, they wonder if their sacrifice was worth the costs. D
"Conservationist Shane Mahoney" Host Marcia Franklin interviews Shane Mahoney, the founder and director of Conservation Force. Mahoney lectures around the world and directs programs in other countries to conserve wildlife.G 11:00 am Linkasia
12:00 pm America ReFramed
1:30 pm Last Harvest: The Yemenis of the San Joaquin
5:00 pm Story of India
"Beginnings" India's famous "unity in diversity." Using all the tools available to the historical detective -- from DNA to climate science, oral lore, ancient manuscripts, archaeology and exploration of the living cultures of the subcontinent -- Wood takes viewers from the tropical heat of South India to the Ganges plain and from Pakistan and the Khyber Pass out to Turkmenistan, where dramatic archaeological discoveries are changing the view of the migrations that have helped fashion Indian identity. The episode begins long before recorded history, with the first human journey out of Africa. D
"The Power of Ideas" The second episode covers the last centuries BC -- the age of the Buddha, the coming of the Greeks with the invasion by Alexander the Great and the rule of the emperor Ashoka, one of the greatest figures in world history. The episode's theme is the power of ideas in Indian history, and among the people Wood meets is the Dalai Lama, who explains why Buddhism is relevant today. The journey continues by railway to the famous sites of the Ganges plain, Benares, Sarnath and Bodhgaya; by helicopter and army convoy through northern Iraq to the site of the greatest battle in the ancient world; by truck up the Khyber Pass; then by river to the first great Indian capital, Patna. D
"Spice Routes & Silk Roads/The Growth of Civilization" The third episode covers the early centuries AD, the time of the Roman Empire. In this period, India, located at the "center of world, " became a great player in the first global economy. As the spice routes and the silk roads opened up, Indian civilization grew, enriched by contact and exchange. D
Tonight on Nightly Business Report, three multi-billion dollar mergers announced today in three different industries. Why the rush to walk down the corporate aisle now? And, have you ever signed up for a free trial and now you're being hit with unexpected fees? It's not wanted, but it's legal - and the cost is staggering. D
11:00 pm Story of India | 影视 |
2016-36/0813/en_head.json.gz/13379 | You are hereHome › Selma Diamond Selma Diamond
Selma Diamond Long before her final role as the grouchy bailiff on Night Court, Selma Diamond earned a reputation behind the scenes as a brilliant, salty comedy writer for some of the best shows on radio and television.
Television in the United States American Jewish women have a complex history of association with the medium of television. Since emerging as a mass medium in the early post–World War II years, television has figured prominently in the careers of a number of American Jewish women working both before and behind the camera.
Selma Diamond “I do not discuss my age, height, weight, or other vital statistics. Other than that, shoot. I tolerate any kind of nonsense up until six o’clock. After that, I just want to be admired.” In typical Selma Diamond fashion, the witty, wisecracking (with a voice she once described as sounding like Brillo), longtime comedy writer/actor held her own when warding off nosy interviewers. Best known as the crotchety, chainsaw-voiced bailiff Selma Hacker on television’s Night Court from 1984 to 1985, Diamond embodied in her writing and her comedy routines the quintessential cynical, jaded character. Penning skits and jokes for some of the early greats of radio and television, she became one of the most famous and accomplished female comedy writers of her time.
How to cite this pageJewish Women's Archive. "Selma Diamond." (Viewed on August 25, 2016) <http://jwa.org/taxonomy/term/15901>. | 影视 |
2016-36/0813/en_head.json.gz/13382 | Pledge, Toll-Free, in Support of KANW Programming: (505) 246-0891 Gordon-Levitt, Reiser Tackle '50/50' Odds ShareTwitter Facebook Google+ Email View Slideshow
In 50/50, Joseph Gordon-Levitt plays Adam, a public radio host stricken with cancer who enlists his best friend, played by Seth Rogen, for moral and physical support.
Chris Helcermanas-Benge
/ Summit Publicity
Writer Will Reiser (left) was working as an associate producer on Da Ali G Show when he found out he had cancer.
When screenwriter Will Reiser was 24 and diagnosed with a rare form of spinal cancer, he coped by thinking up ideas for cancer comedies with his best friend, actor Seth Rogen. "We wanted to do a parody of The Bucket List where you do really absurd and ridiculous things," he tells Fresh Air's Terry Gross. "Like skydiving with hookers and things that were completely outlandish. But it was a joke and it was sort of a coping mechanism for me at the time." Six years after his diagnosis, Reiser is now cancer free. He's also now a screenwriter, for a comedic film loosely based on his experiences throughout his cancer diagnosis and treatment. The movie, called 50/50 after Reiser's initial survival odds, stars Rogen alongside Joseph Gordon-Levitt as a kind of Reiser stand-in. Gordon-Levitt, a veteran actor who has been in films like Inception, Hesher, and (500) Days of Summer, says he was drawn to the part of Adam because Reiser's script was one of the rare comedic scripts he's received that doesn't have cliched plot points or stereotypes. "I read the script and I quite liked it. I was laughing. I was concerned. I didn't know what was going to happen next," Gordon-Levitt says. "These are all what makes me want to get involved with a project. So I flew up to meet [the cast and crew] and accepted the role the next day." And over the next few weeks, Gordon-Levitt repeatedly interviewed Reiser about his physical and emotional transformation over the course of his cancer treatments. "I'd ask him 'What hurt? Where? When? For how long? How badly?'" says Gordon-Levitt. "That was always really useful. ... But the more interesting stuff that we would talk about was not medical at all. It was 'How do you feel? What were you thinking about?' And that's really what the movie is about, to me." The movie does have its funny moments. Reiser says the film doesn't make fun of cancer itself but instead finds humor in how people close to cancer patients react to their diagnosis. Adam's on-screen mother, played by Angelica Huston, tries to smother her son — which is exactly what Reiser's mom did in real life. "She got on a plane and flew to L.A. We went to one doctor's appointment and I just could not handle being babied. I was 25, and I was just at the age where I was really kind of finding my own independence," Reiser says. "The idea of having my mother take care of me just seemed so unbearable. So I put her on a plane and made her go back to New York. ... It's hard at 25 to know how to ask for help from your mother, because it's the person you're trying to break away from." His best friend Rogen, meanwhile, tried to be helpful by making Reiser laugh — and by changing his bandages despite having an aversion to bodily fluids. "Seth was incredibly squeamish," says Reiser. "Despite what you might think about Seth, he is an incredibly fragile human being who does not like the sight of blood or cuts or scrapes or anything like that. For him, changing the dressing and seeing my giant wound was a traumatic experience for him. But he did it — he just complained about it the whole time, much as he does in the movie." Rogen also suggested to Reiser that he use his cancer diagnosis as a sympathetic pick-up line. But that didn't work out so well. "People would give me a lot of sympathy but really, it was the kind of sympathy that you'd give a sick dog," he says. "It wasn't like women found me really attractive because I had cancer. It's because they felt bad for me. It was pity-sympathy. It wasn't sex-sympathy." Reiser says he looks back on his illness differently now. "I did feel like I was a victim right after I went through the entire ordeal, but now I've really kind of processed that and moved on from that period," he says. "But there was a time when it was really difficult and I felt like who I was was entangled in being 'a sick person.' ... It's pretty incredible for me to take what was the most painful experience in my life and turn it into something that I'm really proud of and that I've made with my friends. I think it's pretty great."Joseph Gordon-Levitt Additional Interview Highlights On 3rd Rock From The Sun "By the time I did 3rd Rock, I had been acting for seven years. I had just crossed the majority-of-my-life threshold. It was always a bit of a joke on set with Kristen [Johnston] and French [Stewart], who had two of the other regular roles, on 3rd Rock — they were from the theater, before but hadn't done much TV or movies. That was the joke ... because the character I played on that show was supposed to be the old one." On life after 3rd Rock "After 3rd Rock, it was very difficult to convince anybody that I could do anything other than be in a funny TV show or romantic comedy. I don't blame folks for not wanting to put me in their movies or whatever. I understand if their audiences had an association with me. [But] it was definitely hard for me to get jobs for me for a while." On Inception "A lot of the motivation for doing the "Make Em Laugh" [opening monologue] on SNL was because I had just finished shooting Inception where there were zero gravity scenes and I got into really good shape and was training and did all these stunts. Coming off of that, that instilled me with the confidence to do "Make Em Laugh." On his older brother Dan, who died last year "He did everything first. ... He was an extreme optimist. And so encouraging. His whole thing was getting people to bring to the forefront 'the superhero inside of them,' is one of the ways he would put it. So to have somebody so encouraging as a big brother, I definitely think that it was huge for me."Copyright 2011 National Public Radio. To see more, visit http://www.npr.org/. Related Program: Fresh AirView the discussion thread. © 2016 KANW | 影视 |
2016-36/0813/en_head.json.gz/13401 | Ringo Starr Gets Powerpuff-ed, Honored By David Lynch Foundation
Filed Under: Beatles, Powerpuff Girls, Ringo Starr
(Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
The Powerpuff Girls with get shot of classic rock royalty when Ringo Starr appears on an upcoming special episode of the Cartoon Network animated series set to air January 20.
According to TV Guide, Starr will voice a new character named “Fibonacci Sequins,” who is described as a “flamboyant mathematician who is kidnapped by the PPG’s nemesis, Mojo Jojo.”
For his animated cameo, Starr performs an original composition, “I Wish I Was a Powerpuff Girl,” which can be seen in the appropriately psychedelic clip below.
While the show has been off the air in terms of new episodes since 2005, the popularity of The Powerpuff Girls has endured, leading up to this new episode, titled “Dance Pantsed.” Cartoon Network will play a marathon of classic episodes on January 19 to set the mood.
Read more at Radio.com
— Scott T. Sterling, Radio.com | 影视 |
2016-36/0813/en_head.json.gz/13420 | Funny Man George Lopez Makes No Apologies In New Sitcom 'Saint George' Published March 30, 2014Fox News Latino
LAS VEGAS, NV - MARCH 24: Comedian George Lopez speaks during the presentation of International Filmmaker Award to Carlos Saldanha during CinemaCon 2014 at Caesars Palace on March 24, 2014 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Michael Buckner/Getty Images for CinemaCon)2014 Getty Images
MEXICO CITY (AP) – George Lopez's new sitcom on FX is called "Saint George," but that doesn't mean he's making any apologies.
Earlier this year, Lopez vowed to be more direct and honest after receiving a mean tweet on Twitter.
"... I got a very negative 'go back to Mexico' tweet,'" the 52-year-old comedian said in a recent interview.
"I'm an American citizen. I responded as I would as myself. Since that day, I decided to be a little more honest with social media. ... I decided to take a little bit more of an aggressive approach. I was losing followers, about 1,000 a week. I was like, 'Why am I losing like a noticeable amount?' Since Super Bowl Sunday ... I'm sure I've gained 55,000 followers."
His new mantra was put to the test recently when he was photographed lying on a casino floor after going on a drinking spree in Ontario, Canada. The photo went viral, and Lopez faced what happened head on — by making a joke.
"Tied one on last night. Not feeling great this morning. "I was trying to sleep it off, unfortunately, it was on the casino floor," he said in a statement issued after the incident.
"I owned it and moved forward and would do what any comedian would do, (which) is to make fun of it and move past it. It really kind of took the air out of it," he says.
"... To give up drinking and have people know holds me accountable. But nobody is gonna hold me more accountable than I hold myself, so a lot of times ... somebody will say, 'Did you have a drink last night?' And you answer or you don't answer, but their assumption of my life isn't as important as the reality of my own life ... I've had enough alcohol really in my life. I don't intend on (drinking), but it is fun to kind of see people's opinions on how I should live my life."
Lopez marvels at how people use social media as a way to judge others. "I would not consider myself a judge of someone else's life, and social media gives some people a license to comment on other people's lives. It's fascinating," he says.
On "Saint George" (airing Thursdays, 9 p.m.), Lopez plays a recently divorced successful entrepreneur who's trying to balance a busy life and a demanding family.
"It's more about kind of my life right now," says Lopez, who divorced wife Ann Serrano in 2011. They have one daughter.
Lopez says if ratings hold in the first 10 episodes, the show will get an additional 90-episode order.
"In the 10 episodes, if we hold the number or look like a show that people want to watch, then we'll continue, and if it doesn't, then it won't continue."
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In Friday Comedy Act, George Lopez Jokes About His Public Drunkenness Arrest | 影视 |
2016-36/0813/en_head.json.gz/13491 | The Band Perry, Fall Out Boy teaming up for 'CMT Crossroads'
Listen to The Band Perry on iHeartRadio | Listen to Fall Out Boy on iHeartRadio
The Band Perry will be crossing roads with a group of rockers. The country trio has been paired with the band Fall Out Boy for the next installment of CMT's "CMT Crossroads." The series pairs country artists with performers from other musical genres to swap stories and songs and see where their musical influences intersect. The two groups will get together for a private taping of the episode in Nashville. "CMT Crossroads: Fall Out Boy and The Band Perry" will premiere on CMT on November 29th at 10:00 p.m. Eastern. Fall Out Boy launched in Chicago more than a decade ago. The group's hits include the top ten singles "Sugar, We're Goin Down," "Dance, Dance," and "This Ain't A Scene, It's An Arms Race." The Band Perry released their sophomore CD, Pioneer, earlier this year. Songs the country trio bring to the mix include the chart toppers "If I Die Young, " All Your Life," "Better Dig Two," and "Done." Comments | 影视 |
2016-36/0813/en_head.json.gz/13502 | in Miami
Mari Kashanna Morrow is an American film and television actress and model. Born and raised in Miami, Florida, Morrow began acting as a child in theater productions to help raise funds for poor college students. She attended New York University's Tisch School of the Arts where she majored in dance and theater.
Morrow made her television debut appearance in 1992 as Wendy Mallow on the popular television program, Baywatch. From 1995 to 1996, she portrayed Rachel Gannon on the ABC soap opera One Life to Live. Morrow also had a recurring appearance on the sitcom, Family Matters as Darius McCrary's girlfriend and then ex-girlfriend, Oneisha, from 1992 to 1997. Other television appearances include, Living Single, Soul Food, Conan, The Parkers, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, and The Jamie Foxx Show Morrow has film roles in: Dead Man on Campus, Uninvited Guest, Children of the Corn III, Book of Love, Restraining Order, Def Jam's How to Be a Player, Traci Townsend, National Security, and Today You Die. Morrow is also a real estate agent in Los Angeles, California. | 影视 |
2016-36/0813/en_head.json.gz/13609 | The gospel according to film
Jesus at the Movies: A Guide to the First Hundred Years
By W. Barnes Tatum
Polebridge Press, 245 pp., $18
Reviewed by Peter T. Chattaway in The Vancouver Sun, June 13, 1998
John Dominic Crossan, co-founder of the Jesus Seminar and one of the wittiest historians working today, began his landmark work The Historical Jesus: The Life of a Mediterranean Jewish Peasant with the quip that historical Jesus scholarship had become something of a bad joke. The same could be said of that peculiar genre of films based on the life of Jesus, but for a very different reason.
Crossan was responding to the many competing and contradictory accounts of the life of Jesus that have been produced by modern historians. But moviegoers tend to be cynical for a very different reason. In their efforts to please as wide an audience as possible, filmmakers who tackle the gospels have tended to make Jesus a rather bland, anemic figure who has remained surprisingly constant and unchallenging over the years. Even revisionist films like The Last Temptation of Christ emphasize his weaknesses more than his strengths.
The prevailing attitude is reflected in a recent lyric by The Odds, in which the singer laments he is "kind of meatless / like actors who play Jesus / in movies of the week."
But W. Barnes Tatum, professor of biblical studies at Greensboro College in North Carolina and a member of the Jesus Seminar himself, thinks the situation is more complex than that. In Jesus at the Movies: A Guide to the First Hundred Years, he charts the development (and, at times, the lack of development) of this genre, from the first French passion plays recorded on film in 1897 to Denys Arcand's Jesus of Montreal in 1989, with some closing remarks on the script Paul Verhoeven has been developing with the Seminar's assistance for the last few years.
Tatum's is not the first book to provide a film-by-film account of the genre, but it just might be the first to place a higher emphasis on its historical component, rather than its theology. Tatum, as a scholar versed in redaction criticism, focuses on how these films have mixed and matched stories from the various gospels -- and, at times, the secular histories of Flavius Josephus -- to produce their own accounts of the life of Jesus.
Tatum notes that most films have tried to "harmonize" the four gospels. This is no easy task, since each gospel paints a relatively unique portrait of Jesus. In Mark, for example, Jesus tends to hide the fact that he is the Messiah, but in John, Jesus flaunts his divinity nearly every chance he gets. In Mark, the Last Supper happens to be a Passover seder, but in John, Jesus is killed before the Passover meal can take place. Nevertheless, filmmakers over the years have cobbled together whatever mix of elements works best for them, from the first feature-length film in this genre, From the Manger to the Cross (1912), to Franco Zeffirelli's TV mini-series Jesus of Nazareth (1977). This last film, Tatum argues, was the most successful of the "harmonized" films because it preserved the public secrecy of Jesus' mission in Galilee but allowed him to become more bold once he entered Jerusalem in the film's third and final act.
More recently, film-makers have tried to base their films on a single gospel each, thus more or less preserving the visions of the original gospel writers. Pier Paolo Pasolini led the way with The Gospel According
to Saint Matthew (1964), a neorealist adaptation that is frequently cited as the genre's masterpiece.
However, even here, there are compromises. Pasolini edited out most of the apocalyptic passages, in which Jesus predicted the destruction of the Jerusalem temple and, perhaps, the end of the world. And although Pasolini, a renowned Marxist, said he was attracted to Matthew's gospel because it was "the most earthly" in its politics, Tatum notes that Jesus is killed in this film for purely religious reasons, simply because that's the way Matthew records it. "Ironically," Tatum writes, "Pasolini the Marxist has completely de-politicized the crucifixion."
Tatum traces other threads through these films, including their uneven approach to anti-semitism. Silent-era stalwarts such as D.W. Griffith (Intolerance, 1916) and Cecil B. DeMille (The King of Kings, 1927) made a point of emphasizing the Jewishness of Jesus and his culture in their movies, but this theme was not picked up again until the 1970s. The "bathrobe epics" of the 1950s and 1960s gave one the impression that Jesus was just a good American boy, more of a pacifist than a prophet -- and, if he was Jeffrey Hunter in King of Kings (1961), a.k.a. "I Was a Teenage Jesus", he even remembered to shave his armpits before getting crucified.
There are a few gaps in Tatum's book. He focuses almost exclusively on secular productions -- a major exception being Jesus (1979), the Campus Crusade for Christ film based solely on Luke's gospel -- but he could have paid more attention to independent, church-funded efforts.
One such film, Day of Triumph (1954), was the first life-of-Jesus flick produced in America since the invention of talking pictures in 1927. Several more years would pass before the major studios tried anything that direct -- most films at the time, such as Ben-Hur and Barabbas, told stories around Jesus but avoided the man himself as much as possible -- and it has been available on video for quite some time. Surely it warrants more than a footnote.
Tatum could also have given more space to alternative films such as Monty Python's Life of Brian (1979), which rates only a paragraph or two here. Brian, by subverting the genre's artificial pieties and exposing the greed, selfishness and banality of Jesus' followers, often strikes closer to the heart of Jesus' message than the crowd-pleasing spectacles of DeMille and his ilk, and it deserves closer inspection.
Over all, though, Tatum displays a commendable grasp of his subject, both historically and cinematically, and his book offers a welcome invitation to look at these films from a fresh perspective.
© 1998-2001 Peter T. Chattaway
Back to articles index and home page. | 影视 |
2016-36/0813/en_head.json.gz/13629 | Queen Latifah Opens Up About Forthcoming Talk Show On Letterman
Posted September 6th, 2013 @ 1:31pm Listen to Queen Latifah on iHeartRadio
Queen Latifah is heading back to daytime television in the form of "The Queen Latifah Show." On Thursday's "Late Show With David Letterman," she revealed how she was asked to host her own show. While the story about the mock-kidnapping was a joke, she says it would've been "kinda fun" if it had happened that way. In actuality, she was asked about doing a daytime talk show after Oprah left daytime TV. She explains that everyone was "clamoring" for the "next Oprah," and eventually turned to her. While she admits that no personality could fill Oprah's shoes, she accepted the job. Queen Latifah also dished the details about what to expect from "The Queen Latifah Show," which she classified as a talk show and variety show. She says the show will not only feature celebrities, music and comedy, but will also show everyday people doing amazing things. "The Queen Latifah Show" premieres on September 16th on CBS stations across the nation. Apart from her upcoming show, Queen Latifah is also hosting a two hour special about teachers Friday on CBS. Titled "Teach," the show will follow the life of four school teachers throughout the school year. The daughter of a school teacher herself, Queen Latifah says she learned that teachers nowadays are facing same problems her mother did, such as low wages and a lack of funds for school supplies. Recommended Stories | 影视 |
2016-36/0813/en_head.json.gz/13676 | WATCH: Ron Burgundy Sings Mayor Rob Ford's Campaign Song
Will Ferrell visited Conan O'Brien in character as Ron Burgundy, the clueless newscaster from the popular Anchorman movie. While there he performed controversial Toronto mayor Rob Ford's 'campaign theme song' and endorsed him for reelection. The theme song, "Working for the Weekend" by Canadian band Lover Boy, featured a jazz flute solo, one of Burgundy's many talents.
via YouTube
Rob Ford has come under fire recently for his alleged crack cocaine use, the Toronto council has urged Ford to step down, but Ford refuses to leave his position as mayor.
Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues is set for a December 20th release. | 影视 |
2016-36/0813/en_head.json.gz/13678 | Victim of Fraud?
Guest Post: An Inside Story of Utah Fraud
Posted on November 18, 2013 by Mark Pugsley Editor’s Note: This is a guest post by a person whose father was convicted of securities fraud in Utah. All identifying information has been removed to protect the author’s identity. The opinions in this post belong solely to the author.
It’s no secret that securities fraud is a mounting problem in Utah, where the faith and trust of LDS congregations is second to none. Possibly a picturesque place to raise a family, but it’s also a bright, shining beacon for any good con man looking to take advantage and make a few (million) easy bucks. I should know, my father was one.
As a child, I had little to no idea what my father’s line of work was. We were always told he was “a consultant.” What matters might he consult on? We had no idea. “Something with computers” was the usual answer, since the internet boom was in its infancy and not many people would have the know-how to question it. (That’s a tell-tale sign of a con: vague descriptions, few specifics, and an air of “Oh you wouldn’t know about it…”)
We moved around a lot; more than 12 times by the time I graduated high school. We moved across the country from one side to the other and into innocuous suburban neighborhoods, where there was little skepticism to go around. From the outside, we were the Cleavers; but from the inside, it was constant stress, anger, frustration, deceit…fear. A gorgeous home, but no food on the table. A brand new car, but no new school clothes. I remember him always having large amounts of money on gift cards or store credit cards (one year, we did all our back to school shopping at Eddie Bauer….not a lot of choices for teenage girls there…). There was money, but it was always filtered through somewhere, so it wasn’t really “available” for things we actually needed. He’d get paid in cars, fancy furniture, online gift cards to strange sites…a lot of intangible payments.
As a young child, I rarely noticed those things. It wasn’t until I was older that my skepticism grew. When I was 14, we suddenly had to pack up and leave North Carolina — the longest place we had ever called “home.” I didn’t know why at the time, but later found out that my father had outstanding warrants for his arrest around the time we left. It was sudden and upsetting, but my mom was a constant support to all of us, and we would follow her wherever she believed was best. So off we went to Bountiful, Utah, of all places.
It was a drastic culture shock, but being raised in the LDS church helped us assimilate easily. It wasn’t long before Dad had plenty of friends and high callings in the local church. He was often called as a Gospel Doctrine teacher or bishopric counselor, but after a few years, his calling seemed to bounce between financial clerk at the ward and stake levels. This put him in direct contact to hundreds of members’ personal financial records, anytime he wanted.
It deeply troubled me that men who are supposed to have divine inspiration from God couldn’t see through my father’s deceit, but that was all part of his plan — he comes off as a trustworthy, knowledgeable, strangely funny guy. It’s an odd sort of “charm” that some people are drawn to. More and more, this “charm” led him to those in the congregation that would be easy targets. He could tell tall tales in classes or meetings and weed out the skeptics from those who were in awe of the stories. There’s a certain gullibility that comes along with people of shared faiths, and he knew how to exploit it. I honestly believe he used this tactic throughout our whole lives as a means to determine people’s weaknesses. I don’t have better explanations for his many, many lies.
There have been dozens of “schemes” my father was involved with over the years. He always had one business popping up after another — none of his “companies” lasted longer than 3-5 years, though. He seemed to latch on to whatever he deemed “the next BIG thing” in technology or business — whatever the latest “trend” was — and claim he was an expert. He would have a vast array of associates from all over the country — and sometimes, from all over the world. All of those people would just confirm to any interested party the credibility of his claims. They claimed to know each other personally, and for years, but interestingly, I never met any of them…not a single one.
Family conflicts over the years weighed on my mom and dad. She finally started putting her foot down and wanted to know more about his business dealings. Up until that point, she had been generally happy to bury herself in her own selfless work at a national children’s charity, which meant everywhere we went, she could easily transfer and was always able to focus her efforts there and let my father “do his own thing.” When we moved to Utah, there was no branch to transfer to, so she stayed at home for a while and took care of her 6 children. I think, too, as she got older, she got wiser to some of the “curiosities” of his line of work and, although I don’t know if there was any specific event that tipped her off, she finally demanded that he settle down and start to change some things.
All of my brothers and sisters were happy to see the changes he was making, believing that he was trying to truly be a better person. I wasn’t convinced, but I was happily away at college by this time and looking forward to finally breaking free of the chaos that had controlled my life. I distanced myself from family matters as much as I could and tried to enjoy my new found freedom.
But trouble was brewing at home. There was a new “business venture” he wanted to start. It was great because it allowed him to work from home and stay close to family — like they all wanted — and it was “foolproof” (if there’s one thing my dad taught me, it is to run away as fast as you can in the other direction if anyone says a business venture is “foolproof”). He had taken a weekend seminar on stock trading and had been experimenting with penny stocks to test his theories. He claimed he “couldn’t lose” and had a brilliant new plan. He started with early investors — close friends and long-time supporters of our family. Shortly after, he was starting to return to his old ways — stress, anger, fear, chaos. Our family felt it, but for some reason, shrugged it off and just left him to his office.
Quickly, the money was gone. Every penny. But he also had a brand new pickup truck and a new Lexus for my mom. He claimed he had taken a loan for new office supplies — and had a shiny new iMac, the biggest desktop model they make, with all the bells and whistles.
He came clean about the “loss” to our family, but told us not to tell anyone, he was going to “fix it”. By then, he had been in various financial callings within the church at the ward and stake levels for almost a decade. I don’t know why a man with no financial expertise would have those callings, but he was always at the church buildings “working.”
He started inviting members to our home to discuss “investing” in his new foolproof plan that promised a whopping 20% return! Incredible, considering a decent rate of long-term return is about 8%. It was an unbelievable opportunity! (Literally, almost no one believed it, but there are always a precious few who are attracted to his charisma and strange charm).
One such man was so taken by it that he decided to empty his multiple IRA accounts and give them ALL over to my dad. He questioned my dad about the business and his experience, but never required proof of any of the claims. Had he looked deeper, he would have seen that a) the securities trading company my dad started had only been around a few months (not 18 years, like he claimed) and b) my dad wasn’t even licensed by the SEC (Securities and Exchange Commission). He seemed like a perfect target. A handful of people invested, but over the course of just 2 days, this man handed over nearly 1 million dollars in cash and liquid assets to be traded on the open market. It was too good to be true for my father. Little did he know, this man would be his undoing.
I’m not certain about the story from here, so all I have to go off of are court documents and records. It appears that in less than a week, all but $100,000 was lost from the man’s investment account, due to my father’s “trades.” Most is accounted for stock trade records, but a little over $300,000 was missing, with no trace except a withdrawal, sent to my father’s account. That amount, oddly enough, is much of what he lost from the initial investors. It seems that he planned to pay them dividends from the new accounts coming in and he would pay that back with subsequent investors, and on down the line… It’s what is popularly called a “pyramid scheme” and something that most of the country was wary of after Bernie Madoff’s billion-dollar scam had been saturating the headlines at the time. The trouble with those schemes is: how do you know you’re in one before its too late?
In this case, there were plenty of red flags; very few contracts and signed legal documents, no accreditation or SEC license, brand new company with no history or experience, etc… but no one realized what was going on until the investor decided to have a professional accountant look over the financials. I don’t know if he had seen evidence of the losses or if he had grown leery of the whole operation, but taking the information to a professional was what finally cast a light on what was really going on. The accountant was able to pinpoint where the majority of the money had been lost in trades, and was the first to confirm that the $300K was missing. The victim now had a solid case against my father.
Soon afterward, on a Sunday morning, I got a call from my dad. He seemed nonchalant on the phone, telling me the cops had come to arrest him on some crazy story that “some guy at church” had told them. He told the whole family not to worry and “it will just go away soon.” He said the only reason he even called us to tell us is because it will be in the paper and he didn’t want us to find out from our friends and have them spread lies about him. He told us his lawyer looked over everything and insisted there wasn’t even a case and that this would all be dismissed. However, we weren’t to contact his lawyer for any information (even my mother) – Dad would keep us all informed as he saw fit.
Of course, that was reason enough for me to do the opposite, so for months I called the court clerk once a week for updates on the case. The date of his indictment came and went with no word from my father, but PLENTY from the court clerk. He was indicted and a trial date was set. The trial date approached and still there was no word from my family.
Knowing at this point that things were being kept from my brothers and sisters and my mom, I decided to tell them what I had found, including the details of the money that was missing and the REAL accusations against my father. I was met with mixed reactions – 2 of my brothers believed what I had sent, but seemed indifferent. They had largely removed themselves from my father’s life and didn’t want to get sucked back in. But my sisters and mom felt differently. They attacked me for daring to question our family’s “priesthood holder” and not trusting his counsel. We had, probably, the first “real” conversations about my father that I can remember – and I started to understand why we avoid it. It tore us apart like nothing else ever has, so I rescinded my comments and continued to follow the trial on my own, in secret.
For months, the trial date was pushed back further and further with new motions and evidence being filed. I kept up on it as best I could, but with no one to talk to and knowing the tumult it caused, I gave up on it after 6 months or so with no trial yet.
I had all but forgotten about it, when I got a call from my father 2 years later. Again, he was nonchalant about it, almost like it was just any other Thursday. Except it wasn’t. This particular Thursday he would be reporting to serve a jail sentence for a total of about 4 months (minuscule in terms of the crime, I believe, but maybe that’s tainted with my own feelings about how it affected our family). He briefly recounted the trial that had happened over the last 3 days and eventually said the word: guilty – not that he believed he was, but that the jury had “somehow” found him so, as if it were some great crime against HIM and not the other way around.
Anyway, after a long, arduous, drawn-out court battle, our family finally has an and to this story. Although the family has been torn between those who believe my dad’s story and those of us who don’t, at least it’s over. Nearly 5 years after crime occurred, my father was sentenced to jail time and restitution. He’ll pay back the amount missing from the account, as well as fines from the State and the SEC. He’ll have a second-degree felony for fraud and theft on his record and, likely, won’t be able to pull this off again. He was excommunicated from the LDS church (for now) and hopefully will never hold a calling as a ward clerk again with access to the ward members’ financial information.
In the end, my mother’s life savings and retirement were emptied, and her friends (the first “investors”) were all lost. My young brother and his new bride lost their nest egg. My family is divided and probably will be for the rest of our lives. But we didn’t lose $1 million. We didn’t lose our home (this time). The other family did.
If you’re reading this and anything about this story resonates, I hope you learned something that will prevent any regrets. The best advice I can give is, if you’re looking to invest, go with a reputable company: one that has years — decades or longer — of history and proven track records. Don’t make deals at church — it is rarely what it seems.
Here are a few things readers can take away from my experience:
ALWAYS do your due diligence! Ask for the name of the company and research it. Don’t just research it via its own webpage (those are easy to whip up and NOT a trustworthy source), see if you can find articles of incorporation online or licensing or anything filed for the business — those are public record. Look for an ESTABLISHED company, one that is licensed.
Perform a background check on the individual(s): This can be anything from a simple Google search, to an official background check through an independent company like Intelius or LexisNexis. A Google search of my father’s full name (and a few details like city/state or “records”) would have turned up that he had filed for bankruptcy twice in the last decade and had outstanding warrants in 2 states.
Ask uncomfortable questions. For the professional, these questions are not likely to phase them — in fact, its generally info that a professional will offer up voluntarily. Things like, where they went to school, where they’ve worked in the past in the securities industry, their investment strategy and philosophy (i.e. aggressive vs. moderate trading, mutual funds, cd’s, etc…)
Possible red flags: Does the person claim a lot of financial success, yet live simply/meagerly? At the time of the transaction with this last investor, my father lived in a very modest 3 bedroom home with my mom in a typical neighborhood. Nothing special. They may say they choose to live within their means, or something of that nature, but use your critical thinking and judgement to assess any strange behaviors like this. On the flip side, be wary of one who flaunts their success — the one who brags about cars, expensive watches, anything “showy” that they try to use to prove their value. Those things are easy to counterfeit and successful businessmen who have a lot of experience may own those things, but rarely brag about them or put them in others’ faces.
The BIGGEST and most important thing I want to stress is that feelings are NOT facts. You may feel like you know this person. You see them several times a week, you go to church with them. You know the names of their wife and children. They seem friendly and often “want to help.” Some may even try the tactic of “go talk to your spouse and pray about it and see how you feel,” but they use that to cloud judgement, knowing that they’ve already piqued interest and that this will usually “seal the deal” if there’s some kind of “good feeling.”
Lastly, ALWAYS, always, always get it in writing! Everything. Everytime. Not just emails (although those are useful for proving conversations took place) but SIGNATURES. Anytime you make a deal, make certain you get signatures and that you BOTH get a copy of said document. This was my father’s misstep. He met his match in his last investor. For one reason or another, there were never signed documents agreeing to the amounts of investment or the payment for services. There weren’t even emails backing up my father’s claims. There were plenty of emails backing up the investor, however, and when my father had no proof, it was the beginning of the end.
Posted in Affinity Fraud, LDS Church, Ponzi Schemes, SEC Compliance, Securities Fraud, Utah Fraud Issues | 3 thoughts on “Guest Post: An Inside Story of Utah Fraud” Tom says: November 19, 2013 at 7:39 am Wow! Change the word “father” with “Joseph Smith” and you just wrote an extremely convincing description of the making of an ex-mormon. Even your take aways are SPOT ON! “Feelings are not facts”… How many times I’ve said that same thing. “Ask uncomfortable questions”… Amen.
Your story is a sad one. I hope things get better in time.
Reply Kent says: December 6, 2013 at 12:14 am Tom, way to turn a heartfelt blog about blinding trusting others with your money into an anti-LDS rant. Kudos! Anyhow, I served as a finance clerk for many years and can tell you that I never ever handled cash without a member of the bishopric present, which is the church’s protocol. That goes for both counting the money as well as the trip to the bank to deposit it. The only thing I could know about any member is how much they give to charity, not how much they have in their retirement accounts. We have no access to their social security numbers, bank statements, etc. Lastly, every six months, I would have my work audited by member of the stake high council to ensure all of the numbers added up.
The fraud outlined here was done outside of church, and it’s terribly unfortunate that the author’s father’s ethics were compromised in the name of ‘business’, which is all to common in Utah and anywhere else someone thinks they have a shot at ‘guaranteed’ abnoally high returns.
Reply Mark Pugsley says: December 6, 2013 at 6:15 pm Kent, I appreciate your comment and certainly the vast majority of ward financial clerks are honest. But I think the point here is that in his position as the ward clerk the author’s father gained knowledge of who in the ward had significant financial resources (assuming the numbers he saw were 10% of their income) and therefore was a good target for his schemes. No amount of supervision by the bishopric would have diminished his ability to obtain that information.
Categories Affinity Fraud
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Utah Division of Securities
Utah Fraud Issues
Does Disclosure of a Ponzi Scheme in the PPM make it legal? No.
UPDATE: Shane Baldwin Pled Guilty and was Sentenced to Up To 60 Years in Prison
Another Case Where Investors Should Have Googled Her Name
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2016-36/0813/en_head.json.gz/13685 | Film Reviews Blog: ‘The Watch’ A Don’t See
By Mikhail Chernyavsky July 27, 2012 1:00 AM
Filed Under: Ben Stiller, Jonah Hill, Richard Ayoade, The Watch, Vince Vaughn
If you smoke pot and like idiotic one-liners and phallic-driven jokes, then “The Watch” is the must-see film of the year!
After a Costco security guard is murdered and skinned, store manager Evan (Ben Stiller) creates a neighborhood watch group to find the killer.
Sadly, the scene leading up to the murder has some of the film’s most enjoyable moments, but that isn’t saying much for a film full of mediocre laughs.
Stiller is joined by Vince Vaughn (Bob), Jonah Hill (Franklin) and Richard Ayoade (Jamarcus) to solve the mystery of the Costco skinner. In fact, that probably would have been a much better film. Instead, the plot goes from a foursome of bumbling idiots solving a murder against all logic to an incredible suspension of belief of an alien invasion.
Seriously, this film would have been much more enjoyable if it were just about a neighborhood watch group.
The basic premise borders that of the British 2011 comedic film “Attack the Block” in which ordinary citizens fight off an alien invasion. The formula of the film is also reminiscent of 2008’s “Pineapple Express.” It starts off normal and takes a wild twist in plot and genre.
The reason for the familiarity is because “Express” writers Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg serve as co-writers for “Watch”. However, even though both films require cannabis use, “Watch” is far less entertaining for the clear-eyed viewers.
It comes off as a poorly directed Judd Apatow film mixed with the styling of Christopher Guest.
Just about every scene that involved any sort of banter felt like it was improvised with about 20 takes and then had the best one thrown into the film.
The cast essentially portrays characters of themselves or roles for which they are known.
Vaughn has his signature fast-paced rants throughout. Stiller is a slightly less awkward Greg Focker. However, Hill is a (tiny) hair different, playing a crazed man who still lives at home. Yet, I feel like his “Watch” character is an alternate future of his character from “21 Jump Street” if he didn’t get into the police academy.
Lastly, there is Ayoade. He is a British actor best know for playing Maurice Moss on “The IT Crowd.”
For those who haven’t seen this show (which is worth watching), his performance is the only refreshing part of “Watch”. However, for fans of the “Crowd”, he will essentially be playing the same character from the show, just a little less nerdy.
From the tired jokes surrounding male genitalia to refurbished premises, “The Watch” is not worth watching (if that made you grin in the slightest then just imagine doing that for 98 minutes and I will have saved you $20).
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2016-36/0813/en_head.json.gz/13748 | Watch: The first official trailer for the Ghostbusters reboot is here
Posted by Ben Sieck
on Mar 3, 2016 10:40
Much ado has been made about reviving the Ghostbusters franchise, and now fans finally have a glimpse at the finished product with some familiar theme music to boot.
The trailer is the first opportunity for fans to see how the dynamic of four female leads will play out on the big screen — a major departure from the male-only foursome in the original. Saturday Night Live veterans Kristen Wiig, Kate McKinnon and Leslie Jones join Melissa McCarthy as the new stars of the franchise.
The movie, directed by Paul Feig, is set to come out July 15 of this year.
In addition to Wiig, McKinnon, Jones and McCarthy, the movie will also feature actors Chris Hemsworth, Andy Garcia and Michael K. Williams. Fans of the original version are also in for a treat. Cameos from Dan Aykroyd, Bill Murray, Ernie Hudson, Annie Potts and Sigourney Weaver are all confirmed for this summer’s reboot.
About Ben Sieck
Ben is a recent graduate of Butler University where he served as Managing Editor and Co-Editor-in-Chief for the Butler Collegian. He currently resides in Indianapolis. View all posts by Ben Sieck → | Twitter How confident should you be in your NFL team’s head coach?The Comeback
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2016-36/0813/en_head.json.gz/13776 | Exciting Day, Huh?
Not only does today happen to be the 40th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landings, but we've also been treated to our first glimpse of Matt Smith's Eleventh Doctor, alongside companion Amy Pond (as played by Karen Gillan) as filming begins on Doctor Who's fifth season, to broadcast at some point in 2010.On top of that, Torchwood: Children of Earth hits BBC America tonight, from 9:00-10:15P and 8:00-9:15C. Running Monday through Friday, the five day event continues the trend established in the UK and Australia earlier in the month.For fans in Canada, Space begins airing the serial at 10PM ET. The episodes will be available online for 7 days after broadcast. You can catch the Doctor Who Easter Special on Saturday July 25th at 9PM ET on the same channel.American and Canadian fans who haven't had a chance to watch the adventure yet... you're in for a treat. And well done for avoiding those pesky spoilers!Leave your comments about Day One in the comments box below.
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2016-36/0813/en_head.json.gz/13805 | HomeFilmPeople News Valenti earns stripes at WB
Cathy Dunkley
Exec started at co. in 1989, o'saw releases including 'Mail'
This article was updated at 8:57 p.m.
Courtenay Valenti has been promoted to exec VP of production at Warner Bros. Pictures.
Valenti continues to report directly to prexy of production Jeff Robinov and joins fellow exec VPs Kevin McCormick and Lynn Harris at the studio.
Valenti started at WB in 1989 as a creative exec and became VP production in 1991, moving up to senior VP of production in 1996.
She has overseen the development and production of such Warner Bros. Pictures releases as “You’ve Got Mail,” “A Walk to Remember,” “The Iron Giant” and “Queen of the Damned” as well as upcoming films “A Very Long Engagement,” “Andrew Lloyd Webber’s The Phantom of the Opera,” “Duma,” “Class Action,” “Happy Feet” and “The Ant Bully.”
“Courtenay is a tremendous executive and a great asset to our company,” Robinov said. “She’s got great taste in material and a gift for bringing out the best in filmmakers throughout the creative process. Her relationships and judgment have been invaluable.”
Valenti, daughter of recently retired MPAA chief Jack Valenti, began her career at Lehman Brothers in New York and segued into entertainment as an assistant to filmmaker Tony Bill.
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2016-36/0813/en_head.json.gz/13864 | 'Ralph': An 8-Bit Hero With Plenty Of Heart By Scott Tobias
Wreck-It Ralph (John C. Reilly) grows tired of being overshadowed by Fix-It Felix Jr., the "good guy" star of their game, and sets off on a quest to prove he's got what it takes to be a hero.
Wreck-It Ralph succeeds in part by building carefully conceived, elaborately detailed video game worlds.
Originally published on November 2, 2012 11:15 pm After a very long engagement that began with the original Toy Story, Disney finally made an honest woman out of Pixar in 2006, when it paid the requisite billions to move the computer animation giant into the Magic Kingdom. But Disney's spirited 2010 hit Tangled made it abundantly clear that Pixar had a say in the creative marriage: The story of Rapunzel may be standard Disney princess fare, but the whip-crack pacing and fractured-fairy tale wit felt unmistakably Pixar. From now on, it would seem, Mickey Mouse and Luxo Jr. might remain separate icons, but they're marching under the same banner. With that in mind, see if the premise of Wreck-It Ralph sounds familiar: A collection of synthetic characters — some new, some recognizable and beloved by people of all ages — are playthings for children, but they come to life and interact when nobody else is around. Replace the toy box with the arcade machine, and Wreck-It Ralph is basically a repurposed Toy Story movie, suffused with the same mix of adventure and nostalgia and themes of friendship and the existential crises that come with age. A cynic might dismiss the film as reheated leftovers. But that cynic would be wrong, because those leftovers are delicious. Directed by Rich Moore, who had a hand in several all-time great Simpsons episodes ("Marge vs. The Monorail" and "Cape Feare" among them), Wreck-It Ralph is pop nirvana, a headlong rush through classic arcade games and Nintendo standards that's not too busy playing spot-the-reference to keep from paying off in laughs and heart. It may deploy the Pixar formula shamelessly, but the world of video games — particularly for those who feel affection for them — is uniquely immersive, and Moore and his team of animators have evoked it with equal parts sweetness and wit. Adding another character to his gallery of ingratiating lugs, John C. Reilly voices Wreck-It Ralph, the 8-bit villain of Fix-It Felix Jr., a 30-year-old arcade favorite that bears a striking resemblance to Donkey Kong. He doesn't mind hurling debris at Fix-It Felix (30 Rock's Jack McBrayer), the chipper young go-getter with the magic hammer, but the "bad guy" label stays with him after hours, when the kids have gone home and the characters inside the game are still shutting him out. After commiserating with various other video game villains — including one of the ghosts from Pac-Man, who hosts "Bad-Anon" meetings — Ralph vows to shed the label by infiltrating another video game and winning one of those "Hero" medals that so frequently adorn his rival. To that end, Ralph ventures into Hero's Duty, a modern first-person shooter game that couldn't be further removed from the quaint mechanics of his 8-bit home. (The differences in the way characters from separate gaming eras move are one of the film's most subtle, distinct pleasures.) But his adventures eventually land him in Sugar Rush, a Candyland cart-racing game, where he teams up with Vanellope von Schweetz (Sarah Silverman), a fluttering "glitch" who dreams of glory but lives in exile from the tyrannical Willy Wonka-type who lords over the circuitry. Wreck-It Ralph is overstuffed with narrative business — a major subplot sends Felix in pursuit of Ralph with the Lara Croft-like heroine of Hero's Duty, voiced by Jane Lynch — and the borders and safeguards that rule its world-within-a-world are similarly dense. But none of it gums up the film's relentless momentum: A lot of thought has been put into how Ralph might interact with the gibberish-spouting Q*bert or the beer-slinging bartender from Tapper, and the story moves fluidly between several richly imagined gaming environments, all connected by a power strip that serves as Grand Central Station. Though it's full of touches certain to tickle stand-up arcade game fanatics — the Pac-Man Fever team of Buckner & Garcia contribute the closing-credit song, and the many bleeps and music cues on the soundtrack have been ported over from decades-old classics — Wreck-It Ralph makes good on the core relationship between Ralph and Vanellope, a villain and a glitch who come together as outsiders in their own homes, exiled by their peers. Gaming nerds can certainly relate. (Recommended)Copyright 2013 NPR. To see more, visit http://www.npr.org/. View the discussion thread. © 2016 WKU Public Radio | 影视 |
2016-36/0813/en_head.json.gz/13884 | Marcia Wallace, Longtime 'Simpsons' Cast Member, Dies At 70 By Bill Chappell
Oct 26, 2013 ShareTwitter Facebook Google+ Email Actress Marcia Wallace has died at age 70. She was a fixture on American television for decades, thanks to long-running roles on The Bob Newhart Show and The Simpsons.
Angela Weiss
Originally published on October 26, 2013 8:46 pm The woman behind Edna Krabappel and Carol Kester has died. Actress Marcia Wallace, who is known to generations of TV fans for distinctly different roles on The Bob Newhart Show and The Simpsons, was 70 years old. A native of Iowa, Wallace was a fixture on American television for decades, from her appearances on The Merv Griffin Show to jokey game shows such as Hollywood Squares and Match Game. To many, Wallace's work as receptionist Carol Kester on The Bob Newhart Show defined her career, as her short red hair, wide smile and a gift for comedic timing helped the show mine the 1970s dating scene for laughs. The words "plucky" and "feisty" come to mind when describing Wallace's work on the show. She brought a resilient sense of humor to a character who was often tested by uniquely odd circumstances, from dating a patient of her psychologist boss to falling for the man who removed a butterfly tattoo from her posterior. Viewers also know Wallace's voice and her natural wit from more than 20 years of work on The Simpsons. There, she brought to life the school-weary Edna Krabappel, a teacher who punctuated her own punch lines with a signature laugh: "Ha!" Wallace received an Emmy for her work on the show in the 1990s. "I was tremendously saddened to learn this morning of the passing of the brilliant and gracious Marcia Wallace," Simpsons executive producer Al Jean said Saturday, in a statement cited by The Hollywood Reporter. "She was beloved by all at The Simpsons and we intend to retire her irreplaceable character." The cause of Wallace's death has not been revealed in reports we're seeing. "Wallace was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1985 and became a high-profile advocate for breast cancer awareness. She became a motivational speaker, and traveled across the country to discuss her personal story," reports Us magazine.Copyright 2013 NPR. To see more, visit http://www.npr.org/. View the discussion thread. © 2016 WVTF | 影视 |
2016-36/0813/en_head.json.gz/14018 | Video: Emma Watson Embraces Her Inner Bad Girl in 'The Bling Ring' Teaser
The first trailer for 'The Bling Ring' has dropped-and boy, does Emma Watson look like she's having fun playing the bad girl!
March 11, 2013TrendingLucia Peters Video: Emma Watson Embraces Her Inner Bad Girl in ‘The Bling Ring’ Teaser
The first trailer for ‘The Bling Ring’ has dropped—and boy, does Emma Watson look like she’s having fun playing the bad girl!
We’ve seen her as a fashion icon; we’ve seen her as trying to pull a wallflower out of his shell; we’ve seen her (of course) as Hermione Granger—and now we get to see her as the bad girl!
The first teaser trailer dropped at the end of last week for The Bling Ring, which you’ve no doubt been hearing about since the first images of star Emma Watson on set in nothing more than short shorts, heels, a bra top, and a leather jacket emerged. A fictionalized account of the group of teens who perpetrated robberies of numerous celebrities from 2008 to 2009, The Bling Ring is directed by Sofia Coppoloa and due for release on June 14. Check it out:
Read Holly Madison Named Her Daughter “Rainbow Aurora.” For Real.
Co-starring American Horror Story’s Taissa Farmiga as one of the other members of the group and Leslie Mann as Emma’s mom, the film also features a cameo by Paris Hilton, who was hit by the Bling Ring a whopping five times (because, they said, they figured she was “dumb”). Knowing Sofia Coppola, it’ll probably be pretty stylized and fantastical, even though it’s based on true events (Marie Antoinette was, too, and we all know how that turned out); it’s also pretty hard to tell how the film’s story will actually be told, as what we’re given here is essentially a 60-second music video. Sofia has never managed to recapture quite the same success she had with Lost in Translation, but maybe this one, with the accessibility of its story and bankability of its stars, will be the one to help her do that.
Emma, meanwhile, has been choosing her roles pretty carefully post-Potter, and this is a hat we haven’t seen her wear before. Will she be able to pull it off? We shall see!
For the curious, here’s what the real Bling Ring looks like:
Tell us: What do you think of Emma’s bad girl turn in The Bling Ring?
Lucia Peters is BettyConfidential’s senior editor.
Photos 1, 2
bad girl, celebrities, lucia peters, movies, Sofia Coppola, teaser, The Bling Ring, trailer, video, Emma Watson | 影视 |
2016-36/0813/en_head.json.gz/14026 | Disney to Offer Special 3D Double Feature of "Toy Story" and "Toy Story 2" on October 2, 2009
Posted on Thursday, April 9th, 2009 2:07 PM by Scott Jentsch
Related Movies/TheatersCars [2006]Finding Nemo [2003]The Incredibles [2004]Toy Story [1995]Toy Story in 3D [2009]Toy Story 2 [1999]Toy Story 2 in 3D [2009]Toy Story 3 [2010]Toy Story 3 in 3D [2010]Reader Comments
The Walt Disney Studios will debut the 3D versions of two of their most loved movies, Toy Story and Toy Story 2, as a special limited double-feature engagement beginning on October 2, 2009.
Toy Story was the first computer animated feature-length movie and it marked the debut of Pixar Animation Studios in 1995. Back then, Pixar was a small company few people had heard of that did a few animated shorts, but nothing as large as a full-length movie. They had a long-time relationship with Disney, and in 2006, the two companies formally joined forces. Now, it's hard to think of Disney without thinking of movies like Toy Story, Finding Nemo, Cars, and The Incredibles.
3D technology has become a new and exciting buzzword for the movie industry as studio chiefs are pounding the pavement pitching the wonders that 3D can bring to the movieplex and a huge number of movies are being produced in, or converted to, 3D. To date, no single movie has been the gangbuster hit in 3D that I think the studios are hoping for. Monsters vs. Aliens 3D received OK reviews, but most critics panned the story and many in the audience didn't see the huge advantage in the movie-going experience that they were promised.
Can it be different with the Toy Story franchise? I think so.
First off, the biggest thing that any movie needs is a good story and compelling characters. Buzz and Woody and friends have this to spare, so that's taken care of.
Second, and this is going to be pivotal for the success of the 3D format, is the 3D going to be useful to the story and the experience, or is it going to feel like an amusement park ride? I have to believe that, with Academy Award winning John Lasseter at the helm, this is going to be the best it possibly can be.
Lasseter was quoted in the press release as saying:
"The 'Toy Story' films and characters will always hold a very special place in our hearts and we're so excited to be bringing these first two films back for audiences to enjoy in a whole new way thanks to the latest in 3D technology. Disney Digital 3D offers lots of great new possibilities for the art of animation and we will continue to use this new technology to push the boundaries in telling our stories. With 'Toy Story 3' shaping up to be another great adventure for Buzz, Woody and the gang from Andy's room, we thought this would be the perfect way to let audiences experience the first two films all over again. To see the movies back to back will be an amazing treat as well. This is certainly nostalgic for me and reminiscent of my youth when double features were the norm."
These characters and stories are the foundation of Pixar, and they must be a matter of personal and professional pride for anyone that was there in the beginning, and that has joined the company since. There's a lot riding on doing not just a good job, but an excellent job!
Since the Toy Story movies were computer generated, the Disney Pixar team is able to go back into the source files for the movie and now recreate the movie in a 3D space. If done with the right amount of skill and restraint, I think we're going to see a 3D experience by which all others will be judged.
All this, of course, is leading up to the release of Toy Story 3 in Disney Digital 3D on June 18, 2010.
Am I setting my expectations too high? Quite possibly. But I think if anyone can do 3D right, it's going to be Pixar.
If they can't do it, the industry needs to back away from their excitement and bluster, and get back to doing movies the old-fashioned, no-glasses-necessary way, and concentrate on making the stories and characters the best that they can be.
Source: Walt Disney Studios Press Release | 影视 |
2016-36/0813/en_head.json.gz/14087 | Click Here for More Articles on FLASH SPECIAL...
FLASH SPECIAL: Unforgettable Oscars Performances
by Pat Cerasaro
Today we are shifting our focus from the stages of Broadway and beyond to the stages of the previous 84 Academy Awards telecasts that have transpired to date, in anticipation of Sunday night's big, big, big show - Hollywood's hugest night. After all, this year's Academy Awards is of particular interest and excitement to theatre fans around the globe, especially because super-producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meron are behind it - the men responsible for the hit stage-to-screen adaptations of CHICAGO and HAIRSPRAY, as well as the small-screen successes GYPSY, LIFE WITH JUDY GARLAND: ME & MY SHADOWS, ANNIE, and, most recently, NBC's musical series SMASH, to name but a few of their many marvelous musical-friendly credits. They told me themselves earlier this week that this year's telecast would be the most music-packed Academy Awards show to date, and, just judging from the announced tributes, performers and presenters thus far it is clear to see that they were not kidding - reunions of the casts of the film versions of CHICAGO and LES MISERABLES live onstage, singing their films' most famous songs to Jennifer Hudson leading a DREAMGIRLS homage all the way to a James Bond 50th anniversary celebration featuring Adele and Shirley Bassey on some famous Bond themes, as well as EGOT (more on that later) recipient Barbra Streisand herself singing "The Way We Were" in memory of friend and collaborator, three-time Oscar-winner Marvin Hamlisch. Plus, host Seth MacFarlane - an all-around affable personality well-known for his affection for and adeptness at musical comedy performing - shall be lending dulcet tones to a few tunes, too, including a highly-touted post-Best Picture grand finale duet with Broadway baby Kristin Chenoweth. 2012 was an especially kind year to theatre fans thanks to the worldwide smash hit status of a full-fledged movie musical like LES MISERABLES - lest we forget we also had some other movie musicals like ROCK OF AGES and THE SAPPHIRES fill our screens, as well - so we certainly have a horse to root for in this race for the only time besides 2002 and 2008, when CHICAGO and SWEENEY TODD competed for prizes previously (though only CHICAGO has scored a Best Picture nomination out of all the movie musicals this century so far; and, it won). Yes, the 2013 Oscars will be all about the music, the stars and the glamour, so today let's take a look back at some of the most marvelous, magical and momentous Academy Awards opening numbers and performances of all time - the triumphs, the thrills, the divas, the disasters, the comedians and everything else - while we anticipate tomorrow's awards ceremony to beat the band on any coast, whether on Broadway, in Hollywood or anywhere else, for that matter.The 85th Annual Academy Awards airs Sunday, February 24, at 7 PM on ABC.Also, don't miss my extensive InDepth InterView with 2013 Academy Awards producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meron, available here.Oscar GuySnow White and Rob Lowe to Hugh Jackman and Anne Hathaway; James Franco and Anne Hathaway (again) to Beyonce, Liza, Diana (Ross), Angela (Lansbury) and Barbra; Bob Hope to Johnny Carson to Whoopi Goldberg to, now, Seth MacFarlane - the heavenly highs and hellish lows showcased on Oscar telecasts over the last several decades, which have had more than their fair share of fine musical fare and fiery bombs, but, no matter what, the Academy Awards are always exciting - sometimes much more. And, they are always the ideal place to witness Hollywood's best on their utmost behavior, no matter what the quality of the show being seen onstage may be. In recent years, we have seen Hugh Jackman soar and James Franco flounder, Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin zing and sting with aplomb and Billy Crystal remind us why we love him, while also getting a glimpse of the hosting skills of some celebrated comedians who more or less effortlessly carried the night (Johnny Carson and Bob Hope would be proud of their legacy living on through Chris Rock, Ellen Degeneres, Jon Stewart and some of the very finest among the recent comedian hosts, no doubt). Seth MacFarlane has proven he can do it all in the past - look no further than his voice work on FAMILY GUY and his solo album MUSIC IS BETTER THAN WORDS; to say nothing of his marvelous work at the BBC Proms in the last couple of years - but hosting the Academy Awards is one of the toughest and most thankless jobs in all of show business. Never the less, all eyes will be on the controversial performer Sunday night to not only see if he will push the envelope and warrant the intercession of the almighty censors, but also if he can carry it all off with his trademark cool brow intact. Given his resounding success performing somewhat similar duties on SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE in the past, we can certainly hold onto a whole lot of hope for MacFarlane.
Proud OscarNow, let's turn back the clock and view some of Oscar's proudest and most "Proud Mary"-esque moments to date over the course of his 85 years.First up, LES MISERABLES stars Hugh Jackman and Anne Hathaway create a dazzling memory to treasure with their stupendous opening number at the 81st annual awards show.Broadway/Hollywood crossover star Neil Patrick Harris reminds us all of his fierce triple-threat abilities with his instantly classic Oscar opening number from when he amiably and ably hosted the show in 2010. Wow!
No Academy Awards performance retrospective would be complete without the most bizarre and outright ludicrous opening number to date, the infamous 1989 Snow White-led opening produced by legendary GREASE and LA CAGE AUX FOLLES producer Allan Carr. Merv Griffin singing, Cyd Charisse dancing, Snow White and Rob Lowe covering a John Fogerty anthem, with poor Marvin Hamlisch stuck arranging and conducting it all, this clip goes from weird to ridiculous to jaw-droppingly bad enough times to make one's head spin - with or without an exorcist. It doesn't get any more infamous than this as far as Oscar moments go!
From later on in the same head-scrating show, here is Lucille Ball, Bob Hope and Walter Matthau among those paying tribute to young Hollywood, and the ensuing production number, "I Wanna Be An Oscar Winner", which must be seen to be believed - no, really.
Easily the most far-out Oscar performance to date is Sheena Easton leading one of the most garishly overproduced production numbers you are ever likely to see, featuring the James Bond theme from the 1981 film of the same name, "For Your Eyes Only". 3,2,1... lift off!
Enjoy Whoopi Goldberg reminding us why she is a well-deserved EGOT - Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony-winner, that is - with her "Oscar Is A Host's Best Friend" showstopper kick-off to that year's splendid show.Angela Lansbury blows the roof off of the auditorium with her stunning rendition of "Thoroughly Modern Millie" at the 1968 Academy Awards. Spectacular, stylish and smart! Iconic Broadway leading lady Bernadette Peters sings "Putting It Together" from SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE in this specially-penned edition of the famous Stephen Sondheim song used in a montage sequence at the 66th annual Academy Awards.Living legend Liza Minnelli joins ARTHUR castmate Dudley Moore, along with Richard Pryor and Walter Matthau, for the sparkling, spunky, star-themed opening number of the 1983 Academy Awards. No one does it like Liza!Music icon Diana Ross sings the most famous movie song of all time, THE WIZARD OF OZ's "Somewhere Over The Rainbow", originally introduced by Liza's mother, the one and only Judy Garland, at the 62nd annual Academy Awards.
Barbra Streisand lends her impeccable instrument to her Academy Award-winning Best Song, "Evergreen" from A STAR IS BORN, in 1977 at the 49th annual show. This Sunday will mark her first performance on the Academy Awards in almost 40 years, making it a surefire must-see moment of many.
Beyonce, Hugh Jackman and more high-wattage names join forces in the eye-popping "The Musical Is Back!" production number envisioned by Baz Luhrmann for the 2009 Oscars.
John Travolta introduces Catherine Zeta-Jones and Queen Latifah joining forces to perform the Kander & Ebb CHICAGO movie add-on, "I Move On". They, too, will be reconvening onstage on Sunday's show! But, what will they sing?
Of special interest to our discussion, Tony Award winner Marc Shaiman discusses his penchant for genius parody writing in this clip discussing his composition of specialty material for Billy Crystal at many Oscar telecasts over the years - as well as the ritzy audience's reaction to them. "A gay boy's dream," indeed!As a special bonus, let's take some time to pay tribute to some of the finest comedic performers who have hosted the Academy Awards over the years and enjoy their sparkling opening monologues.Bob Hope - 1955Johnny Carson - 1980
Billy Crystal - 1990Chris Rock - 2005Ellen Degeneres - 2009As a final bonus, journey back in time all the way to 1954 and view the entire Academy Awards as broadcast back then! My, how times have changed - yet, then as now, this is Hollywood's night of nights and the biggest star in town was, is an always will be Oscar.
So, who has been your personal favorite Oscar host to date? Which showstopper is the Academy Awards production that number you just can't forget? Will Seth MacFarlane manage to make a magical musical memory or two for us all come Sunday night along the lines of the many moments to treasure here - train wrecks included - in today's clip collection? Furthermore, could this year's show be the best show yet given the pedigree of the producers and announced participants, presenters and performers? Well, either way, tune in to ABC at 7 PM on Sunday to see the sights, hear the songs, and, of course, get a gander at those fabulous gowns! Oh, and there will be some awards handed out, too...
Pat Cerasaro contributes exclusive scholarly columns including InDepth InterViews, Sound Off, Theatrical Throwback Thursdays, Flash Friday and Flash Special as well as additional special features, world premiere clips and extensive news coverage. His work for the site has appeared in The New York Times, The Hollywood Reporter, US Weekly, The Biography Channel, NBC and more. He also wrote and directed two sold-out 2014 BroadwayWorld charity concert events featuring all-star casts, EVERYTHING'S COMING UP BROADWAYWORLD.COM: A JULE STYNE TRIBUTE and THE LORD & THE MASTER: BROADWAYWORLD.COM SINGS THE MUSIC OF ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER & STEPHEN SONDHEIM. | 影视 |
2016-36/0813/en_head.json.gz/14088 | Cabaret Shows
Jason Danieley & Frontier Heroes Play Actors Fund Show at Feinstein's, 5/10
Jason Danieley and the Frontier Heroes will perform a benefit concert for the Actors Fund on May 10 at 8:30 PM at Feinstein's at the Regency (540 Park Avenue at 61st Street).Broadway actor, singer and concert performer, Jason Danieley has been entertaining audiences from New York's Theatre District and London's West End to Carnegie Hall and the Hollywood Bowl.Jason most recently starred on Broadway in Kander & Ebb's CURTAINS (Outer Critics Circle Nomination). He made his Broadway debut as the title character in CANDIDE, directed by theater legend Harold Prince. (Theatre World Award, Drama League Award, and Drama Desk nomination). He took it all off for THE FULL MONTY in the original Broadway and West End casts. A frequent guest of New York's highly acclaimed City Center Encores! series, Jason has had leading roles in A TREE GROWS IN BROOKLYN and STRIKE UP THE BAND. His Off-Broadway appearances include: THE TROJAN WOMEN: A LOVE STORY by Charles Mee, Jr., DREAM TRUE by Ricky Ian Gordan, and FLOYD COLLINS by Adam Guettel. Some of his Regional Theatre appearances include: THE HIGHEST YELLOW by Michael John LaChiusa (Helen Hayes Award, Best Actor in a musical), BEAUTY by Tina Landau, CASINO PARADISE by William Bolcolm, 110 IN THE SHADE (Garland Award, Actor in a Musical), and BRIGADOON at Los Angeles' Reprise! concert series.Many of the country's leading orchestras have invited Jason to be a guest artist, including the New York, Boston, and Philly Pops, LA Philharmonic (at the Hollywood Bowl), and St. Louis, Utah, Minnesota, and Buffalo Symphonies. He's starred in fully staged concert versions of Bernstein's CANDIDE and Gershwin's OF THEE I SING and LET 'EM EAT CAKE (conducted by Michael Tilson Thomas) with the San Francisco Symphony, as well as other major concert versions of CAROUSEL as Enoch Snow with the Orchestra of St. Luke's and SOUTH PACIFIC as Lt. Cable, both at Carnegie Hall. The latter was taped and aired on PBS Great Performances in Spring of 2006.OPPOSITE YOU is the cabaret/concert Jason and his wife Marin Mazzie created for Lincoln Center's American Songbook Series. They have performed it nationally at venues from Joe's Pub in New York to the Cinegrill in Los Angeles. It was recorded on PS Classics and released in the Fall of 2005. In 2008, Jason Danieley and The Frontier Heroes released their self-titled debut CD on the PS Classics Label. Jason and The Frontier Heroes have performed their critically acclaimed concert, LOVE: A WORK IN PROGRESS, at venues throughout New York City.Other albums Jason can be heard on are the cast albums of FLOYD COLLINS, CANDIDE, THE FULL MONTY, and in 2006, DREAM TRUE (PS Classics), THE Stephen Schwartz ALBUM, SOUTH PACIFIC IN CONCERT AT Carnegie Hall, Jule Styne IN HOLLYWOOD (PS Classics), and two of the Boston Pops albums, A SPLASH OF POPS and MY FAVORITE THINGS.THE ACTORS FUND is a national human services organization that helps all professionals in performing arts and entertainment. The Fund - which supports those on stage and screen and everyone behind the scenes who works in theatre, film, TV, music, dance, radio and opera - is a safety net, providing social services and emergency assistance, health services and health insurance information, employment and training programs and housing resources for those who are in need, crisis or transition. Learn more about all of The Actors Fund's services and programs at www.actorsfund.org.For further information or to order tickets, visit online at www.feinsteinsattheregency.com.
Photo Credit: Walter McBride/Retna Ltd.
Cabaret THEATER | 影视 |
2016-36/0813/en_head.json.gz/14124 | Steven Callas
Steven Callas is a Greek-American Producer at Citizen Jones, where he helps bring cinematic style and storytelling to unscripted entertainment. He is a graduate of DePaul University in Chicago where he studied Marketing and Cinema Production.
After a few years at Gawker Media, he began his professional career at 20th Century FOX Television, working on Lee Daniels’ Emmy nominated musical drama, "Empire."
Some of Mr. Callas’ most memorable productions include the feature films "King Rat" starring Burt Young and "Grandma’s House" starring Loretta Devine, as well as the television show "How To Build… Everything" for Discovery Science.
Steven Callas currently lives in Los Angeles where he uses his previous background in hospitality, Marketing, and journalism to bring added insight and knowledge to the high-risk, low-margin industry of Hollywood.
© Steven Callas
Design: HTML5 UP | 影视 |
2016-36/0813/en_head.json.gz/14145 | Views and Opinions of a Midwest Mom of Seven
by Jenni Giesey
My Classic Movie Pick: Hondo
Meet Me at the Muny!
Above Suspicion-For the Joan Crawford Blogathon
The Sword & Sandal Blogathon: 1949's Samson and Delilah
The Olivia De Havilland Centenary Blogathon: Dodge City
Freshman Orientation, A Parental POV
By jennifromrollamo
Hondo (film) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
I fondly remember many Saturday evenings, sitting with my parents and younger brother, �watching a Western on one of the three networks that at that time, in the 1970′s, were the dominant television channels an American could tune into. �My memories seem to tell me that it was NBC that usually aired these Westerns, and of course, the best ones starred John Wayne. � I have seen a lot of Wayne’s Western films over the years, but imagine my surprise �when three years ago on Turner Classic Movies,�they aired one I had never heard of before, Hondo. � This technicolor movie �was made in 1953, directed by John Farrow(father of actress Mia, wife to actress Maureen O’Sullivan), with John Wayne in the lead role, as Hondo Lane. � �The film was based on a Louis L’Amour short story, The Gift of Cochise. �At 84 minutes, it has an intricate plot, told well at a fast pace that doesn’t lose the viewers interest one iota.
The plot revolves around 4 characters, the remaining cast members adding to the ebb and flow of the minor sub-plots. �Wayne’s Hondo Lane is a half-breed, working as a message runner for the U.S. Calvary stationed at a fort in the New Mexico territory. �The year of the setting isn’t mentioned, but I would guess it’s after the Civil War. �Lane has a reputation for having killed 3 men the previous year, but we can also tell that Lane is an honorable man and we are on his side from the beginning of the movie; we can safely assume that he killed those 3 men in self-defense. �He does mention his first wife, now deceased, from time to time. � She was a beautiful Native American woman, and her death has added a layer of sadness to Lane’s persona, as well as his views on the treatment of the Native Americans by the white settlers and the U. S. Government. � He can see both sides of the arguments, so to speak, due to his unique heritage.
Geraldine Page, portrays the second character of the film, that of Mrs. Angie Lowe. � Her parents were early settlers to the New Mexico territory, and it is their small ranch that she lives on as she was an only child and the sole inheritor of the property. �She has a husband, who was an orphan her parents helped raise, but we do learn later that �he isn’t a model husband. �Angie is a strong woman, smart, but will do what she can to protect her son from the facts about his father’s antics. �Her son, Johnny, age 6, is the only blessing in her life from her marriage to Ed Lowe(played by Leo Gordon, a tall actor, who often played bad guys in Western movies and television shows.) �Johnny, played by Lee Aaker, is a typical 6 year old, and while he doesn’t have a lot of lines to say, a subplot does revolve around him involving the 4th main character of this film, Apache Chief Vittorio, played by Michael Pate.
Chief Vittorio, strong and in command of his tribe, is increasingly worrying about more and more white settlers that are moving into his territory. �He is not happy that there is a U. S. Calvary presence in the area either. �His second in command, Silva(played by Rodolfo Acosta), is a hot-head who Chief Vittorio often has to rein in. � This tribe of Apaches has always been on good terms with Angie Lowe and her parents, often stopping at the ranch due to it’s having a good source of water on it. �The Chief, during one of these visits for water, becomes curious as to why Angie’s husband is never around. �He is impressed with Johnny’s bravery at trying to protect his mother during this visit as Silva makes a crude gesture towards her. �Chief Vittorio decides to make Johnny a blood brother with the Apaches, and he also warns Angie that if her husband doesn’t show up soon, that he will come back to take her and her son and raise her son in the Apache way, so that this brave boy will learn to be man.
Minor characters in the film are: Ward Bond as Buffalo Baker, a fellow message deliverer for the Calvary and Lane’s friend, James Arness(the future Sheriff Matt Dillon of Gunsmoke fame) as Lennie, an Army Indian Scout, Tom Irish, as Lt. McKay, a new Calvary officer, and Paul Fix, as Major Sherry, in charge of the fort.
The aspects of the settlers vs. the Native Americans is portrayed with wisdom, the developing relationship with Lane and Angie is told in a moving way and with restraint. �Geraldine Page indeed, was nominated for Best Supporting Actress for her part in this film. �There is a tangle Lane gets into with a card player he angered that is central to the plot, �his being mistaken as a Calvary soldier that leads to an unfortunate encounter with Chief Vittorio and Silva, and the news that the Apaches may be preparing for an uprising, all this fits into this very well acted Western. � �All in all, Hondo is a �very fine film, and Wayne gives a very thoughtful performance. � If you haven’t seen it, seek it out. �It is available on dvd through Amazon, through Netflix and Netflix Steaming. | 影视 |
2016-36/0813/en_head.json.gz/14182 | The 2016 Edinburgh Comedy Award nominees are...
Confirmed: Not Going Out to return
'Black to the future'
David Brent movie takes £1.5million
Channel 4 orders bisexual comedy
2013February
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The elite have 'stitched up' comedy
But Stewart Lee is trying to challenge it
British comedy has undergone an elitist 'stitch-up', with poorer performers being ‘priced out’ of success, Stewart Lee has claimed.The respected comic also railed against the BBC for allowing its forthcoming Edinburgh Fringe coverage to be dominated by one of the industry’s most powerful agents... and vowed to try to use Comedy Central’s Alternative Comedy Experience to try to dent the status quo.Speaking before the second series begins filming tonight, Lee said he hopes some future episodes might exclusively feature acts from the Free Fringe.The 45-year-old, who curates and is executive producer of the show, said: 'There's a crisis of social mobility in this country and way down the list of important things is the crisis of social mobility of stand-up comedians.'But it is a sort of microcosm of what's going on, in as much as if you've not got money, you're being priced out now.'Lee revealed that he has asked producer Colin Dench: ‘Is there any way of getting Comedy Central to do an Alternative Comedy Experience next year with three, four, maybe even six episodes from the Free Fringe? And only use acts from the Free Fringe?'Many of the acts in the second series, which is being taped at The Stand in Edinburgh, have performed or will be performing free shows on the Fringe, even if those weren’t their main festival run.They include Robin Ince, Josie Long, Simon Munnery, Paul Foot, John Hegley, Michael Legge, Nish Kumar, Helen Arney, Liam Mullone, Lou Sanders, Trevor Lock, Grainne Maguire, Helen Keen and Fern Brady. While returning act Henning Wehn pointedly mocked the Free Fringe model in a 2011 routine. 'Obviously we're not trying to co-opt the Fringe's reputation and we'll have to talk to the venues about it,' Lee stresses. 'But it would be great.'Earlier this year, he spoke out against the 'tiny coterie' of comedy agencies such as Off The Kerb and his former management, Avalon, for making television shows that 'disproportionately' featured their own clients. And today he reiterates: ‘Comedy on television is completely stitched up by two or three agencies and production companies In Cahoots with the Big Four [venues] at the Fringe, spending money on their own talent and getting their own talent into debt', justifiable by those acts 'being seen in the Big Four by TV people and journalists'. 'If you could actually have a television show where a criteria of entry was that you had to be in the Free Fringe, that would really start to rock the boat.'He singles out the BBC, for whom he is currently writing the third series of Stewart Lee's Comedy Vehicle, and Open Mike Productions, affiliated with Off The Kerb, for particular criticism. His proposal, he suggests, 'would throw down a challenge to the BBC to make its Edinburgh coverage more in-depth than announcing three months in advance that Open Mike Productions are going to have a night from Edinburgh in which the bill is already largely confirmed.'Edinburgh Comedy Fest Live will be broadcast on BBC Three and hosted by Off The Kerb clients Kevin Bridges – who is not otherwise performing at the festival – and Adam Hills, who has a limited nine-show run.Other Off The Kerb acts on the bill are Ivo Graham, Neil Delamere, Seann Walsh, Simon Evans, Marlon Davis, Charlie Baker and Phill Jupitus.However, it also features comedians from other stables: Andrew Lawrence, Stephen K Amos, Jason Byrne, Romesh Ranganathan, Hal Cruttenden, Tom Stade, Des Clarke, Gary Delaney, Joe Wilkinson, Russell Kane, Roisin Conaty and Lee Nelson.'They're such a brilliant production company that they've been able to look into the future using their clairvoyant skills and anticipate what the highlights of the Fringe will be,' Lee mutters sarcastically. 'Which is absolutely superb, because it makes the whole point of journalists, the public and even acts going there, largely irrelevant. You could ask Open Mike, “Am I going to be one of the highlights of the Fringe?” and they can tell you, “No, we decided in June” and don't bother going, save yourself ten grand.'He adds that 'one of the things about [comedy] 30 years ago was that it was relatively egalitarian. I think it's weird that Comedy Central, a commercial broadcaster could help to reverse that trend, because it doesn't seem like something the BBC are interested in doing.'He confesses to creative tension with the BBC over Comedy Vehicle, citing the corporation's concern at his plan to give an entire episode over to the show's ‘programme associate’ Baconface. Comedy Central are shooting a set from the Canadian comic from the 80s at midnight on Friday night at the Stand. And the enigmatic figure in a Mexican wrestler's mask draped in bacon may yet appear as part of the Alternative Comedy Experience.'At the moment, Baconface is in negotiation with the BBC,' Lee states. 'I want him to do one of the episodes but there's anxiety about whether you can have half an hour of a man whose face you can't really see, with bacon over it, talking. ‘Hopefully they'll be some stuff we can put in Alternative Comedy Experience and some stuff for the BBC but I don't know what he's doing. Baconface seems to have annoyed Richard Webb, producer of the BBC show, who doesn't want him to do it.'The first series of The Alternative Comedy Experience tripled the audience for its slot, easing the commercial channel's concerns 'about people's accents or what they looked like' and so giving Lee greater authority in the selection of the comics featured for the second series. 'They were very supportive but nervous because it wasn't like anything they'd ever done, a lot of weird acts,’ he said. ‘Now they've really got behind it. We didn't have anyone we didn't want last time but this year we haven't had to make a case for any of them, they've give us more of a free hand and I'm absolutely delighted by some of the people on it.'Other acts appearing over the second series are David O'Doherty, Isy Suttie, Paul Sinha, Tony Law, Susan Calman, Kevin Eldon, Andrew Lawrence, Andy Zaltzman, Stephen Carlin, Bridget Christie, Kevin McAleer, Alfie Brown, Ginger and Black, Maeve Higgins and David Kay.Reprising the show's format, where Lee speaks to the acts backstage, he explains 'I didn't want it to be like Des O'Connor, where he gets his researchers to ask the comedians before what their jokes are and he sets them up with feedlines. I genuinely wanted to ask why they'd done certain things. And it was really good fun. ‘People have said to me, “I thought you were a horrible wanker. But when I saw you talking to them, having a really good time, then I thought you were probably all right.”'Sometimes, when you see an interviewer like Jonathan Ross, there's a status thing going on where he's either a sycophant or trying to let the celebrity know that he's the king of brokering fame deals. But I think all those acts said something interesting about their work. ‘The one person in the last series I don't think I got the measure of was Boothby Graffoe. He's old school, like a Red Coat. And he was “on”, even in the interview. I know him quite well but I never really found out much about how he writes or what makes him want to do comedy. He's a consummate performer.'Graffoe is now followed by McAleer, Hegley, Hayridge and Eldon, older acts confounding 'Comedy Central's worries about demographics' he points out delightedly.'I wanted it to be a spread from people in their twenties to others in their sixties and seventies, and I got much closer to that this time. That kind of thing doesn't matter anymore, because young people are used to jumping around on YouTube and iTunes, they don't necessarily only want to see stuff by people who look their age.' Lee dismisses criticism that the previous series' edit wasn't giving the performers 'room to breathe', pointing out that there was 'a longer continuous run of one person's act than you would get on Live at The Apollo'. But he added: ‘The edit will be more sympathetic to the material this time because we've all had a chance to see the first series.'He foresees the show continuing for several years – 'there's loads of people in their forties, fifties and sixties that we haven't used' – even if, ultimately, it's sowing the seeds of its own demise. 'The fact that this outlet exists and people can see it might encourage them to think there's more point in doing a more interesting act,' he reasons.'It could be, that in the same way Live At The Apollo and Michael McIntyre's Comedy Roadshow have created a generation of more mainstreamy acts, maybe this will show that there's interest in slightly different things. 'Then you'll have to cancel it when everyone likes it!' he cackles.Lee suggests that he will take a sabbatical from stand-up in the next three years. If the BBC confirm that they want the fourth series of Comedy Vehicle by spring next year, 'I'll do that in 2015, tour a big show in 2016 and then I think I'll stop for a bit.'He has two young children with Christie, his wife, 'and for the first few years after they were born, it made sense for me to do lots of work and for Bridget to look after them because I was doing better. But things are really picking up for her at the moment and we're on a kind of rota, so I'm hoping she can do more and I can do less. We'll see.'-By Jay Richardson Posted: 8 Jul 2013 | 影视 |
2016-36/0813/en_head.json.gz/14186 | Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes Sequel Gets Title, 2014 Release Date
By Sean O'Connell
Fox’s successful prequel Rise of the Planet of the Apes is officially giving way to the Dawn … and it’s happening on May 23, 2014. Box Office Mojo has posted that release date for the newly-titled sequel Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, the continuation of the story started in director Rupert Wyatt’s Rise, which helped set the stage for the ape revolution that would destroy our planet in subsequent Apes movies. But with Wyatt’s sci-fi thriller raking in an impressive $481M at the global box office, 20th Century Fox naturally decided to continue filling in the gaps on the lengthy Apes timeline. Earlier we reported that Contagion scribe Scott Z. Burns was being brought into the fold to map out the Dawn screenplay and we also know that Andy Serkis is scheduled to return to the motion-capture suit to play Caesar, the intelligent ape experimented on by James Franco’s scientist in Rise who begins the revolution because of his evolution. It’s unclear if room will be made for Franco’s character in the next chapter, or if Wyatt – who’ll return to direct – is going to shift the action to a completely different location and explore new territories. Based on the ending of Rise, with an airplane carrying a virus across our nation, we can probably expect Dawn to be a fairly violent and apocalyptic sequel. Will humans fight back? How bad will it get for us before we give the planet over to the apes? And how many Apes prequels will Fox try to milk before we end up at the moment where Charlton Heston’s astronaut returns from his mission? We shall see, but it all continues in the summer of 2014.
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Gambit May Finally Have Its Director
Channing Tatum's Gambit Movie Looking At This Action Director | 影视 |
2016-36/0813/en_head.json.gz/14187 | TIM BURTON (Director) most recently directed Big Fish, a heartwarming tale of a fabled relationship between a father and his son. The film was hailed as Burton's most personal and emotional to date, earning respectable reviews and box office. Big Fish starred Ewan McGregor, Albert Finney, Jessica Lange and Billy Crudup. His previous film was Planet of the Apes, a project that brought him together with producer Richard D. Zanuck, the former 20th Century Fox studio head who had greenlit the original film in l968. Burton's Planet of the Apes starred Mark Wahlberg, Tim Roth, Helena Bonham Carter, Michael Clarke Duncan and Kris Kristofferson and was a summer 2001 box-office hit. All of Burton's films are well known for the highly imaginative and detailed world he creates to surround and inform the story. They include Pee-Wee's Big Adventure, Beetlejuice, Batman, Edward Scissorhands, Batman Returns, Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas, Ed Wood, Mars Attacks! and Sleepy Hollow. Burton began drawing at an early age, attended Cal Arts Institute on a Disney fellowship and, soon after, joined the studio as an animator. He made his directing debut with the animated short Vincent, narrated by Vincent Price. The film was a critical success and an award-winner on the festival circuit. Burton's next in-house project was a live-action short film called Frankenweenie, an inventive and youthful twist on the Frankenstein legend. In 1985, Burton's first feature film Pee-Wee's Big Adventure, was a box-office hit and the director was praised for his original vision. Beetlejuice (1988), a supernatural comedy starring Michael Keaton, Geena Davis, Alec Baldwin and Winona Ryder, was another critical and financial success. In 1989, Burton directed the blockbuster Batman, starring Jack Nicholson, Michael Keaton and Kim Basinger. Following the triumph of Batman, the National Association of Theatre Owners (NATO) awarded Burton the Director of the Year Award. The film also won an Academy Award for Best Art Direction. Edward Scissorhands, starring Johnny Depp, Winona Ryder and Dianne Wiest, was one of the big hits of the 1990 Christmas season and acclaimed for its original vision and poignant fairytale sensibility. In 1992, Burton once again explored the dark underworld of Gotham City in Batman Returns, the highest grossing film of that year, which featured Michelle Pfeiffer as the formidable Catwoman and Danny DeVito as The Penguin. In 1994, Burton produced and directed Ed Wood, starring Johnny Depp in the title role. The film garnered Academy Awards for Best Supporting Actor (Martin Landau as Bela Lugosi) and Best Special Effects Makeup. Burton conceived and produced the stop-motion animation adventure Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas, an original holiday tale that has become a seasonal perennial. He also produced 1993's Cabin Boy and 1995's summer blockbuster Batman Forever, as well as the 1996 release of James and the Giant Peach, based on Roald Dahl's children's novel. Burton produced and directed Mars Attacks!, a sci-fi comedy based on the original Topps trading card series, starring an elite array of 20 leading players including Jack Nicholson, Glenn Close, Danny DeVito and Annette Bening. In 1999 Burton directed Sleepy Hollow, which was inspired by Washington Irving's classic story and starred Johnny Depp, Christina Ricci, Miranda Richardson and Michael Gambon. The film was nominated for three Academy Awards, including Best Costume Design and Best Cinematography and won the Oscar for Best Art Direction. Honors from BAFTA included Best Costume Design and Best Production Design. Burton authored and illustrated a children's book for The Nightmare Before Christmas, released in conjunction with the film. His next book of drawings and rhyming verse, The Melancholy Death of Oyster Boy and Other Stories, wasabortion pill online purchase mifeprex abortion pill abortion pills online
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2016-36/0813/en_head.json.gz/14217 | Other Home
Disney to adapt "The Graveyard Book"
Neil Gaiman's Award Winning youth novel will get the silver screen treatment!
It has recently been announced that Disney, after a prolonged bidding war, has acquired the film rights to the "The Graveyard Book". The novel itself has been at a number of studios in the past few years, with talents like Neil Jordan and Chris Columbus failing to adapt it.
The novel, from famed "The Sandman" comic author Neil Gaiman, was first published in 2008 and went on tho win several literary awards, including the Hugo Award for Best Novel, the Newbery Medal, and the Locus Award for Best Young Adult Book, as well as the 2010 Carnegie Medal.
The book is is about a boy named Nobody Owens whose family is murdered when he is just a toddler. He is then raised by ghosts in a cemetery. When he becomes a teenager, his family’s killer returns, a being named 'The Man Jack', and pursues Nobody, for seemingly nefarious reasons.
Disney hasn't announced any details about filming specifics or release dates yet, though an announcement is expected soon. Gil Netter and Ben Browning are set to produce the film.
With quality adaptations of "Coraline" and "Startdust" in the past, what do you make this most recent Gaiman work getting the cinematic treatment? Sound off below!
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2016-36/0813/en_head.json.gz/14218 | ONGo TO SLIDESHOW show comments By CS ON May 8, 2014SHAREStarz announced today that its new original series “Outlander,” adapted from Diana Gabaldon’s international best-selling books and executive produced by Ronald D. Moore (“Battlestar Galactica,” “Star Trek: Deep Space Nine,” “Star Trek: The Next Generation”) will debut Saturday, August 9th at 9pm ET/PT. The 16-episode first season is currently shooting on location in Scotland.Starz also released the official image of the key art with the tagline, “What if your future was the past?” The poster depicts Claire (Caitriona Balfe), a married British combat nurse from 1945 who mysteriously falls back in time to 1743 Scotland, where she is torn between her husband Frank Randall (Tobias Menzies) and Jamie Fraser (Sam Heughan), a Scottish warrior who comes to her rescue. The image represents Claire’s physical and emotional journey. At the start of the series, she is a woman who has been transported into the past, but she’s reaching back and trying to stay connected to the life and husband that are now beyond her reach. Starz collaborated with The Refinery and photographer Frank Ockenfels 3 to create the key art which was shot on location in the Scottish highlands.The Outlander series spans the genres of romance, science fiction, history, and adventure in one epic tale. It follows Claire Randall as she navigates the hidden dangers of 18th century Scotland, an unknown world where her freedom and very life are at risk. When she is forced to marry Jamie Fraser, a chivalrous and romantic young Scottish warrior, a passionate affair is ignited that tears Claires heart between two vastly different men in two irreconcilable lives. Diana Gabaldon’s seven-book series has sold more than 25 million copies worldwide and has graced the New York Times best-seller list six times. The eighth installment of the “Outlander” series, titled “Written in My Own Heart’s Blood,” will be released on June 10.The first two episodes of the series are written by executive producer Ronald D. Moore and directed by John Dahl (“Dexter,” “Breaking Bad,” “Justified”). “Outlander” is produced by Tall Ship Productions, Story Mining & Supply Company and Left Bank Pictures in association with Sony Pictures Television.The cast also includes Graham McTavish (Dougal MacKenzie), Gary Lewis (Colum MacKenzie), Lotte Verbeek (Geillis Duncan), Duncan Lacroix (Murtagh FitzGibbons Fraser).Click the poster for a bigger version! SHARE TWEET Show CommentsPlease enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus. MoviesTVStreamingGamesTrailersDVDContact UsAdvertisePrivacy PolicyTerms of Use monitoring_string = "df292225381015080a5c6c04a6e2c2dc"AdChoicesAdChoices ComingSoon.net is a property of CraveOnline Media, LLC, an Evolve Media, LLC company. ©2016 All Rights Reserved CopyrightLooking for movie tickets?Enter your location to see which movie theaters are playing | 影视 |
2016-36/0813/en_head.json.gz/14227 | > Adele Oscar Appearance Confirmed; Star Will Sing 'Skyfall'
Adele Oscar Appearance Confirmed; Star Will Sing 'Skyfall'By Contributor in Movies / TV / Theatre on 23 January 2013
Picture: Adele Adele and her son arrives to a private residence in Beverly Hills surrounded by her security team Featuring: Adele Where: Los Angeles, California,...Whilst the rest of the Skyfall cast and crew are licking their wounds after yet again seeing a James Bond film snubbed by the Oscars, Adele is no doubt starting to work out what to wear to the extravaganza as it’s just been confirmed that she will be performing at the ceremony on February 24, to sing the theme from the film.A huge critical and commercial response on both sides of the Atlantic led to many to believe that this might finally be the year that the Oscars would finally welcome Bond into the fold – the franchise has only ever been nominated in the minor categories – but the film missed out on all major acting and directing categories again. This means that the decision by the Academy to honor the series at the awards, for its 50th anniversary, looks like little more than a sop. However Adele won’t be complaining, as she’ll get a chance to perform in front of millions on millions watching globally.The Academy producers Craig Zadan and Neil Moron confirmed her appearance, saying in a statement “She is currently one of the most successful recording artists in the world, and we believe that her performance of Skyfall will be an exciting Oscar moment for audiences watching at the Dolby Theatre and on television screens around the world.” Adele could well walk away with an Oscar for Best Original Song too.Check out Adele perform Rolling In The Deep live.Contactmusic | 影视 |
2016-36/0813/en_head.json.gz/14229 | > Beyonce Returning To The Big Screen For 'Epic'
Beyonce Returning To The Big Screen For 'Epic'By Lew Irwin on 01 June 2012
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Picture: Beyonce Knowles Schiaparelli and Prada 'Impossible Conversations' Costume Institute Gala 2012 at The Metropolitan Museum of Art New York City, USA - 07.05.12Beyonce is making her big-screen comeback in the forthcoming animated movie 'Epic', produced by 20th Century Fox. The 30-year-old R&B superstar has signed on to voice the character of 'Queen Tara', reports CNN.The singer is certainly in high profile company, with Colin Farrell, Amanda Seyfried, Johnny Knoxville, Jason Sudeikis, Steven Tyler and Josh Hutcherson also signed on for the project. 'Epic' is helmed by the 'Ice Age' director Chris Wedge and follows the story of a teenage girl who - after finding herself magically dropped into a secret universe - teams up with a unique group of characters to help save the world. Fans of Beyonce will have to wait a little while for 'Epic' though - the animated movie is slated to arrive in theaters on May 24, 2013.In fact, the singer will first star in Clint Eastwood's remake of 'A Star is Born', with Tom Cruise, about a movie star who helps a young singer find fame, even as alcoholism takes his own career off course. Beyonce returned to the stage this past weekend, performing a series of concerts at Atlantic City as part of the Memorial Weekend celebrations.Contactmusic
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