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2016-36/0818/en_head.json.gz/8359 | Tips, Secrets, and More Info
Prometheus Blu-ray Review Share REVIEWS
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Movie Review / 10 Oct 2012 Prometheus Blu-ray Review
Big things have small beginnings. By RL Shaffer Prometheus was the result of more than a decade of rumors and whispers in the dark about Ridley Scott returning for a possible Alien prequel. Much like Star Wars and Indiana Jones before it, it's hard to return to a franchise after such a long hiatus, let alone to brew a fresh story that's mostly unrelated to the previous Alien films. Such is Prometheus – a daunting, visually extravagant piece of science-fiction that's riddled with fascinating ideas, complex imagery and a few good scares, but also enough plot holes and unexplained elements to drive any logic-brained moviegoer to drink. After all, the film is largely just one big tease for the next chapter. But with director Ridley Scott working on nearly a half-dozen projects, it could be a while before fans get the answers they deserve. It also doesn't help that the script – namely the rewrite – came from Lost-alum Damon Lindelof, a writer who's not exactly known for answering the tough questions. In fact, he can sometimes be downright cruel to the fans who wish to know more about the worlds he weaves. Prometheus - Extended Scene: Engineer Speaks
It's also disappointing that, when you strip Prometheus down to its bare essentials, all you get is a fairly murky rehash of Alien, sans the enormously memorable movie monster. Sure, there's a few neat creatures in the film, but none really compare to the alien itself, not even The Engineers (or Space Jockeys as they were formally called). Still, Prometheus offers quite a bit to the sci-fi community. It's nice to see such a grand-scale piece of sci-fi again – not something that relies on high octane action, but actually takes the time to focus on the science of things, even if the film gets a little messed up with its internal logic. Prometheus is a film rich with lavish production design and big ideas. The film isn't trying to simply cash-in on a longtime brand, either. If that were the case, the film would have been called Alien: Prometheus, and you can be damn sure we would have seen a Queen or something along those lines. Instead, Prometheus dabbles in the nature of mankind, and our constant battle with our mysterious origins. It's a film that asks a lot of questions, makes you think things through, and even attempts to theorize a few possible answers. Prometheus is also quite beautiful, with awesome visual effects, stunning cinematography and even a few solid performances. It's a shame Prometheus stumbles as often as it does. The characters are a bit bland, and the script gets, frankly, bogged down after the first act. But when you try to explain mankind's origins, the water can get a little muddy. One can only hope the sequel will continue to explore the film's central thesis, and hopefully do it a little better next time. Prometheus - Video Review
Prometheus comes to Blu-ray with a myriad of buying options. There's a two-disc standard edition, which includes a Blu-ray and DVD copy of the film. There's also a more elaborate four-disc Collector's Edition set which includes a 3D Blu-ray, a standard Blu-ray, a Blu-ray bonus disc, a DVD and Digital Copy disc. In terms of retail exclusives, Target currently offers a retail exclusive version of the two-disc Blu-ray and four-disc Blu-ray which comes with a collectible book. Wal-Mart is offering a stripped-down single-disc Blu-ray for a few bucks cheaper as well. For this review, we'll be taking a look at the lavish four-disc Collector's Edition. Prometheus is presented in 2.39:1 widescreen, encoded in 1080p/AVC (MVC for the 3D version). Shot with Red Epic HD cameras, using 3ality Technica Atom 3D rigs, Prometheus is nothing short of positively breathtaking. The amount of visual information in nearly every shot is absolutely stunning, and both the 2D presentation and the 3D presentation do a wonderful job providing fans with a reference image to enjoy. The 3D version of Prometheus is something of a revelation and should be considered demo material for any fan of the format. Next to a few animated titles, and James Cameron's Avatar, there really is no equal when it comes to 3D presentations. This isn't a film that wows audiences by throwing things at them, but rather, director Ridley Scott manages to make terrific use of the frame, bringing incredible depth to nearly every single shot in the film, despite the somewhat darker setting of the picture. If you have the 3D equipment, you simply must give this disc a spin. It's well worth the extra cash over the two-disc set. 30 Years in the Making
The film's soundtrack is presented in 7.1 DTS-HD Master Audio. Like the transfer, this mix delivers a reference demo-worthy presentation that stands among the very best of the year. Having sampled the film on Vudu a few weeks back, I was worried the mix would sound subdued and hollow (the Vudu presentation was a bit disappointing). Thankfully, that's not the case at all. The mix is wonderfully seasoned with impressive surround usage, explosive bass and clean, crystal clear dialogue. No crackles, hiss or distortions were noted. This is an expert sound design at its best. Extras are daunting, to say the very least. This expansive four-disc set includes hours upon hours of bonus materials. In fact, other than the absence of an extended version of the film, no stone is left unturned here. Bonus features are spread across the 2D Blu-ray and Blu-ray bonus disc. The 2D Blu-ray includes deleted scenes, two commentary tracks (one with director Ridley Scott and one with writers Jon Spaihts and Damon Lindelof recorded separately and edited together) and the Peter Weyland Files. The commentary tracks prove quite fascinating. As always, Ridley Scott delivers a staggeringly in-depth, talkative commentary track where he explores the production, cinematography, the story and the Alien/Prometheus mythology. Simply put, it's a must-listen for any Scott fan. The second commentary is a little messier. Recently, writer Jon Spaihts has been a bit vocal about his thoughts on the final version of the film, and frankly, I was surprised to see him contribute a commentary at all. The track edits his thoughts together with writer Damon Lindelof, who went in and “polished” Spaihts' draft, largely removing the Alien element from the narrative. The track, much like Scott's commentary, is quite a solid listen, exploring the mythos of the franchise, and the genesis of the story. If you've got the time, give it a listen, too. Peter Weyland at TED 2023
The deleted scenes run roughly 40 minutes, adding quite a bit of character while including some missing pieces to the story, though not nearly as much as one would hope (see the sample above). In fact, a great many of the film's juicier cuts (like the alternate finale, the opening sequence, and the Engineer speaks scene) are poorly cut and might have completely thrown off the already lumbering pace of the film. All told, there are 13 deleted/extended/alternate scenes here, and despite some off-pacing, there's not a single scene I wouldn't recommend watching. The alternate attack scene with Fifield (Sean Harris), for example, is a awesome, actually faring a bit better than the zombie version from the actual film! Just don't expect many answers here -- just interesting character beats and a little more story and visual wonder. The final round of extras on the first Blu-ray includes The Peter Weyland Files, which is composed of four promotional viral videos (running about 20 minutes total) that continue to explore the film's unique world and futuristic setting. There's the Ted 2020 scene (see video below), a video call from Elizabeth Shaw, a promo for David 8, and pre-mission interviews with the crew. The Blu-ray Bonus Disc includes more than four hours of additional bonus material. 20th Century Fox really deserves some credit for pulling together such extraordinary bonus features. You simply don't see goodies like this much anymore. Starting things off, we've got Furious Gods: The Making of Prometheus, a 220-minute documentary broken into nine sections, with more than an hour of additional “enhancement pods” similar to those found on the Alien saga Blu-ray boxset. The immeasurably exhaustive look inside the production delivers a blow-by-blow account of the making of the film, complete with insightful, candid interviews, behind-the-scenes footage and much more. To be frank, if you walk away from this documentary feeling unsatisfied, there's something wrong with you. That said, if you walk away from this documentary feeling like a few wrong choices were made in the making of the film, you wouldn't be alone. It's sometimes profoundly disheartening to watch the crew make the wrong choices regarding visual design, story direction or, umm, hiring Damon Lindelof. In addition to the documentary, the disc also includes “Weyland Corp Archive” which features nine additional sections, from stills, production artwork, storyboards, pre-vis sequences, a time-lapse video, promos, EPK featurettes, an HBO featurette and on-set photography. Fans should expect to spend a few more hours traipsing through the material that's presented here. But the bonus materials don't end there! There's also an elaborate Second Screen app (video demo above), available for smartphones and tablets that allow fans to explore the “Weyland Corp Archive” while watching the film or perusing the bonus materials. Fans can toggle bonus features between their smartphone and the TV, share their experiences via social networks, and delve deeper into the film's intense mythology. You can even explore the bonus features without syncing the app to the film. It's a slick addition that offers a new, refreshing way to explore the bonus material. "A King has his reign and then he dies." Become a friend of R.L. Shaffer on Twitter, Facebook and MyIGN for quotes, rants, reviews, news and more! The Verdict
Prometheus is a polarizing, occasionally illogical piece of cinema, sure, but it's also a mesmerizing slice of refreshing sci-fi that dares to expand a few new themes and ideas previously unexplored in other Alien films. The four-disc Collector's Edition is the version to buy. It's only a few dollars more, and the added material (plus the 3D Blu-ray) makes it more than worth your while. Editors' Choice
Prometheus 3D Release TBA blu-ray
Amazing Impressive extras. A demo-worthy presentation. Prometheus is one of the best Blu-rays of 2012. RL Shaffer
Stunning sci-fi.
Demo-worthy A/V.
Wonderful 3D.
Hours of bonus material.
Plot holes galore.
No extended cut.
Prometheus Meaning of Prometheus
Official Quotes,
Theories,
Symbolism,
Lawrence of Arabia,
Paradise Lost,
Prometheus Mythology,
Questions and Answers,
Plot Holes and Inconsistencies, | 影视 |
2016-36/0818/en_head.json.gz/8368 | Irish actress Akram had to 'up her game' to prove herself in latest sitcom
Laura Butler
Irish actress Akram had to 'up her game' to prove herself in latest sitcom Independent.ie
She worked with award-winning Benedict Cumberbatch in TV phenomenon Sherlock, but Irish actress Yasmine Akram insists The Centre has been the most challenging job of her career so far.
http://www.independent.ie/entertainment/tv-radio/irish-actress-akram-had-to-up-her-game-to-prove-herself-in-latest-sitcom-30119598.html
http://www.independent.ie/migration_catalog/article25444733.ece/0e3f1/AUTOCROP/h342/64d5e0e3-39a5-4f28-b45e-61a4d1916f5b.jpg
Yasmine Akram
The Drogheda native will be at the forefront of RTE Two's new sitcom when it kicks off tonight at 10pm and Yasmine told the Herald that working with Katherine Lynch, Jennifer Maguire and Norma Sheahan forced her to up her game.
"It was without doubt one of the most challenging jobs I've done because you had to be at your peak every day arriving on set -- and you have to keep up a high level of funny," she said."But you were allowed to offer a lot of your own opinions and take on scenes too. If you're serious about a long-term career in this business, you need projects that challenge and make you work."
The Centre, which also features Love/Hate's Denise McCormack, follows the daily grind at St Bartholomew's Community Centre in the heart of Fieldstown, a grim local authority housing estate.Akram plays the role of glamorous murder suspect Amanda Menton -- Fieldstown's only local celebrity, having been accused of the murder of her lover, infamous west Dublin gym boss and gangster Max 'The Mandroid' Murphy.
"I'm so proud of the fact that The Centre is an Irish thing and there's a huge love for Irish comedy in the UK at the moment, obviously with Mrs Brown's Boys and Graham Linehan's The Walshes, so I think there is room for it to be seen there.Nobody does humour like us Irish," Akram told the Herald.The Irish beauty became an overnight sensation in the UK in January when she was chosen to act alongside British superstar Cumberbatch in the third season of BBC's smash-hit drama Sherlock.
Akram played Cumberbatch's on-screen girlfriend Janine and more than eight million viewers watched the couple kiss for the cameras in the series finale. Even though Cumberbatch has starred in a string of big budget hits, Akram said that he was "incredibly nice" on set and was a pleasure to work with. (The Herald)
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2016-36/0818/en_head.json.gz/8372 | This Must Be The Place - Preview
DIRECTOR Paolo Sorrentino’s much-anticipated English language debut is a comic, charmingly oddball road movie. Starring two time Academy Award winner Sean Penn as Cheyenne, a middle-aged wealthy former Goth rock star now bored and jaded in his retirement, living in Dublin off his royalties with his wife Jane (Frances McDormand). Learning his father is close to death, he travels to New York in the hope of being reconciled with him during his final hours, only to arrive too late. Having been estranged for over 30 years, it is only now in death that he learns the true extent of his father’s humiliation in Auschwitz at the hands of former SS Officer Aloise Muller – an event he was determined to avenge. With the help of Nazihunter Mordecai Midler (Judd Hirsch) Cheyenne decides to pick up where his father left off, and embarks on a life-altering journey, at his own pace, into the heartland of America.
As his quest unfolds, and reawakened by the people he encounters, Cheyenne must finally decide if it’s redemption he seeks or revenge.
This Must Be The Place boasts a fantastic soundtrack created by David Byrne and Will Oldham.
The Blu-ray and DVD release of the film boasts extras including interviews with cast and crew (Paolo Sorrentino; Eve Hewson; David Byrne; Kerry Condon; Stefania Cella; Judd Hirsch), the UK Theatrical Trailer and two versions of the Feature – the original Cannes version and Sundance edit (available on Blu-ray only).
Win This Must Be The Place
To celebrate the release of This Must Be The Place on DVD on August 13, IndieLondon is offering readers the chance to win 1 of 3 copies on DVD. Simply answer the following question…
Q. Who created the soundtrack for This Must Be The Place?
Simply send the answer to This Must Be The Place competition and include your name, address, telephone number and email
UK Blu-ray & DVD Release: August 13, 2012 | 影视 |
2016-36/0818/en_head.json.gz/8373 | Summerfest: Franny Armstrong on “The Age of Stupid”; Watch it Now Free!
Summerfest: Franny Armstrong on "The Age of Stupid"; Watch it Now Free! Basil Tsiokos
Following up on its inaugural edition last year, SnagFilms is launching the 2nd annual SummerFest, a free online festival showcasing exclusive, limited-duration runs of popular new documentaries, beginning with Franny Armstrong’s acclaimed film, “The Age of Stupid.”
[Editor’s Note: SnagFilms is the parent company of indieWIRE.]
Unique for a documentary, “The Age of Stupid” incorporates a narrative thread, starring Oscar-nominated actor Pete Postlethwaite as an archivist in the year 2055, when the Earth has been completely devastated by climate change. The film is his recording of a last message for his archive, intended not for humanity – “It’s too late for us,” he gravely intones – but instead, “for whoever, whatever, eventually finds this recording” as a “cautionary tale.” The message consists of documentary footage from around the globe, focusing on stories of climate change and the world’s addiction to fossil fuels.
indieWIRE spoke to the film’s director, Franny Armstong, from London earlier this week about the project’s origins, its creative fundraising, and the groundbreaking (and environmentally friendly) ways the film has been reaching audiences.
iW: One of the striking things about the film is its unique hybrid of documentary and drama. Tell us how this happened, and why you felt the hybrid form made sense for this project?
Franny Armstrong: You can find out a lot more details from watching the “Making of” documentary , but basically, the original idea was to follow five different people, with none of them being the “good guy” or the “bad guy,” because the issue is not black and white. We made the film as a pure documentary and showed the rough cut to investors. What we found was that everyone who was already into climate change thought it was brilliant, but everyone else didn’t get the links between the different people followed. It wasn’t anything greater than the sum of its parts, and it was never going to go mainstream, which defeated the point. So we had a few dark months there while we found the structure to make it work.
iW: And this is when Pete Postlethwaite become involved?
FA: Once we decided on incorporating a dramatic element, we needed to find the right person. Everyone in the UK adores Pete. We didn’t think we would have a chance of getting him, but I Googled him to see if there was any chance he was into climate change, and I found a recent article in his local newspaper about his efforts to get permission to install wind turbines, where he was quoted saying that “everyone’s responsible for climate change.” So we reached out and he agreed to do the project.
iW: Let’s talk about the documentary elements of the film. How did you find your subjects and stories?
FA: We had about ten researchers amassing different stories, split up into different themes we were considering – areas like ever-increasing consumption, alternative energy, etc. For example, they found the story about low-cost airlines in India, and that was perfect – we wanted to involve India or China, and it’s very difficult to film in China – we found Jehangir Wadia and his interest in ending poverty through the airline. A fascinating character, a rich guy – a person of contradictions. We didn’t want the viewers to love or hate any subject. To find all the characters around the world, it took three years of researching.
Watch more free documentaries
iW: Tell us about how you’ve released the film and the reactions you’ve received.
FA: We had our global premiere in September. We broadcast live from New York City to 63 countries. Rather than go the traditional route and physically travel all over the world, we could leave a much smaller carbon footprint by having one enormous event, linking everyone by satellite. We had an amazing response – Kofi Annan spoke at the event.
The most amazing thing to happen has been the 10:10 Campaign, which aims to reduce our carbon emissions by 10% this year. Huge companies have signed up, committing to this goal. It started in the UK but it’s spreading to other countries quickly.
iW: The film’s title, and the tone the archivist uses, really issues a challenge to the viewer. What kind of personal changes have you made from learning all that you have in the process of making this film?
FA: Well, I’ve been into the subject since I was in school, so I have been making changes for over 20 years now. But I can see the impact around me – My dad installed solar panels a few weeks ago. I’m most proud of the way that we made this film, and how we’re getting it out to audiences and the change that is still possible.
iW: Franny, can you tell us about how you used crowdfunding for the film?
FA: I had tried to get my previous film, “McLibel,” made in the normal way for the UK, by having it commissioned, but nobody wanted to support the project. I ended up making it with credit cards and a rich boyfriend. This meant that I completely owned the rights, and could control the distribution, and this became very important for me [and] for my next project. It was going to cost more than the previous film, and by this point, the rich boyfriend had departed, so I invented a funding plan on the back of an envelope. My lawyers told me it was the most original film financing scheme they’d ever seen, but they needed to rewrite it to make it legal.
Because I had plans to interview representatives of an oil company, I didn’t want too many people to know what I was doing, so the funding plan was kept to friends and friends of friends, which kept growing. I needed £450,000 for the production and another £450,000 to distribute the film. Under my plan, individuals could invest a minimum of £500. The maximum individual contribution we received was £35,000. And we made our first payment to our investors this January.
This Article is related to: Festivals and tagged Documentary-2, Features, Interviews-2
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2016-36/0818/en_head.json.gz/8374 | Sony Pictures Classics Pick Up Woody Allen’s ‘Nero Fiddled,’ Plan Summer 2012 Release
Sony Pictures Classics Pick Up Woody Allen's 'Nero Fiddled,' Plan Summer 2012 Release Oliver Lyttelton
Dec 22, 2011 9:42 am @olilyttelton Share This Article Pin It
Despite being, in our eyes at least, not noticeably better in quality than recent fare like “Vicky Christina Barcelona” or “You Will Meet A Tall Dark Stranger,” the amiable “Midnight in Paris” became Woody Allen‘s most successful film in decades this year — it’s his biggest ever grosser, and was widely hailed as a return to form. Having already picked up nods at the SAGs and Golden Globes, the film is on track to do pretty well at the Oscars too.
Not that Allen’s paying much attention; as ever, he’s simply plugged on with his annual new film, shooting a Rome-set picture, initially known as “Bop Decameron,” over the summer. Now known as “Nero Fiddled,” the film has just been picked up by a distributor for the U.S, and to no one’s great surprise, it’s Sony Pictures Classics, who had their biggest release since “Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon” with ‘Paris.’
This marks their fourth time in a row with the director, following “Whatever Works” ‘Tall Dark Stranger’ and “Midnight In Paris” (and fifth in total, when you include “Sweet & Lowdown“), and they’ve clearly got a good relationship going. A statement from the company hints at a summer release saying, “More laughs in this one than you can imagine. We know it’s a bit premature, but thank you Woody and company, for granting us the perfect summer comedy of 2012. Keep ’em coming,” while Allen comments in the press release that SPC “seem to be very sensitive to the kind of films I make, and I’m looking forward to working with them now again.”
We might have been cooler on MIP than most, but we’ve got our fingers crossed for this one, partly because it has been hinted that it’s more of an out-and-out comedy than we’ve seen for some time, and partly because the cast features a number of actors who seem particularly suited to Allen’s sensibilities. Allen favorite Judy Davis returns, with Penelope Cruz (who picked up an Oscar for her turn in “Vicky Christina Barcelona”) back for more, alongside Alison Pill, Alec Baldwin, Roberto Benigni, Jesse Eisenberg, Greta Gerwig and Ellen Page, the latter two hopefully being given more to do than Rachel McAdams‘ shrill harpy and Marion Cotillard‘s 1920s pixie dream girl in ‘Paris.’ There’s no exact word on a release date yet, but we’d be stunned if the distributor didn’t follow their ‘Paris’ gameplan with a splashy Cannes premiere followed shortly after by a platform release.
This Article is related to: News and tagged Alec Baldwin, Bop Decameron, Jesse Eisenberg, Nero Fiddled, Penelope Cruz, Sony Pictures Classics, Woody Allen
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Mike May 22, 2016 12:45 am Oh come on, it's one thing to be against the grain and not love Midnight in Paris, but it's another entirely to say that it and VCB is on the same level to the slight, seemingly incomplete You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger. | 影视 |
2016-36/0818/en_head.json.gz/8382 | FacebookTwitterGoogle-plusRss Ian Somerhalder Fearing ‘Vampire Diaries’ Cancellation, Misses Nina Dobrev? Celebrity News
Ian Somerhalder Fearing ‘Vampire Diaries’ Cancellation, Misses Nina Dobrev? Amanda Lynne
Ian Somerhalder is reportedly terrified that his TV series The Vampire Diaries is going to be cancelled soon and that he’ll be out of a job.
According to Celeb Dirty Laundry, Ian Somerhalder has been tweeting up a storm trying to get people to tune into The Vampire Diaries, which has been moved to one of the worst times on TV: the 8 p.m. spot on Friday night, a night when most people aren’t watching TV. Ian has reportedly been trying to gather more viewership and basically going hard at promoting the show, which seems to be falling in ratings this season, which is the first season without actress Nina Dobrev.
Nina Dobrev left the Vampire Diaries after Season 6, because she said she felt it was time to move on from Mystic Falls and from her character, Elena Gilbert. The writers created a situation in which Elena was in a suspended sleep, which was linked to her best friend Bonnie Bennett’s life. So whenever Bonnie dies, that is when Elena will wake up. Since that time Damon, played by Ian Somerhalder, has been not so patiently waiting for the love of his life to return to him, and the other characters have been picking up the slack after Dobrev’s departure. The storylines are still good, but without the Damon and Elena romance, some fans just don’t, or won’t, tune into Season 7.
[Photo by Mark Davis/Getty Images]
Rumors have also surfaced that Nina Dobrev decided to leave The Vampire Diaries because of her former relationship with Ian Somerhalder. The two dated for years, and when they decided to split, Somerhalder quickly moved on to actress Nikki Reed, whom he married in early 2015. Nina and Nikki’s on-set run-ins were allegedly enough to make Dobrev want to ditch the show and focus more on her acting career in the movie business.
However, the report suggests that there may be trouble not only in Ian Somerhalder’s professional life but in his personal life as well. Somerhalder and Reed have been married nearly a year and Nikki has yet to get pregnant. After wanting to settle down and start a family — one of the things that reportedly drove Ian and Nina to split — Nikki allegedly thought she and her hubby would soon start a family. However, Somerhalder has been reportedly putting the brakes on the baby-making process.
The report suggests that it is possible that if Ian Somerhalder is trying to gain viewership for The Vampire Diaries by asking fans to watch, he may also be asking Nina Dobrev to return. By asking Nina to return he could start some serious trouble at home with his wife, Nikki Reed, as it has been rumored she and Nina do not like each other whatsoever. How far will Ian go to make his show a hit again?
[Photo by Angela Weiss/Getty Images]
It seems Ian may know something that we don’t know. If Vampire Diaries fans don’t start tuning in more there is a possibility that the CW series will get cancelled and that the show that many of us have loved for seven long years could be coming to an end.
The worst part about the situation would be that if Nina Dobrev doesn’t want to return at all, in any form, if the show got canceled fans would never get any closure in the Elena/Damon relationship. Will they live happily ever after, or will Damon be doomed to walk the Earth without his true love for the rest of his days?
What are your thoughts on Ian Somerhalder hinting at a Vampire Diaries cancellation? Are you still watching the show?
[Photo by Mireya Acierto/Getty Images] Now Watch This: Jennifer Lawrence Tops This Year’s List Of Highest Earning Actresses Now Read This: Jenelle Evans Pregnant, ‘Teen Mom 2’ Star Expecting Third Child Share 0 Tweet 0 Share 0 Share 0 Pin It 0 Author
Amanda Lynne
Tags: Ian Somerhalder, Nina Dobrev, vampire diaries | 影视 |
2016-36/0818/en_head.json.gz/8464 | Additional Cities
The Boys Are Back in Town!
The Tony, Grammy, and Olivier Award-winning hit musical Jersey Boys makes its much–anticipated return to Chicago to play the Bank of America Theatre for nine weeks, from April 5 through June 2, 2012. “We are thrilled to bring Jersey Boys home, not a day goes by that someone doesn’t ask, ‘When are you bringing Jersey Boys back?’ We can’t wait to treat our audiences to the show where everyone leaves smiling” says Eileen LaCario, Vice President of Broadway In Chicago. Jersey Boys tells the story of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons, and how a group of blue-collar boys from the wrong side of the tracks became one of the biggest American pop music sensations of all time, creating their own sound and selling 175 million records worldwide - all before they were thirty. The Bank of America Theatre is located at 18 W. Monroe. Tickets range from $35-$100 and can be purchased at all Broadway in Chicago Box Offices, by calling 800/775-2000, the BIC ticket kiosk at Water Tower Place, and online at www.BroadwayInChicago.com. 1 Comment
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2016-36/0818/en_head.json.gz/8490 | Splash Magazines
Entertainment Factory in Pre-Production of two Films to start Filming Late Summer
By Misty Schwartz
View the Full Article | Return to the Site
Death House
Producers Rick Finkelstein and Steven Chase (How Sweet It Is, Paulie, Death House…) recently confirmed that Entertainment Factory is in pre-production of two new films with a star-studded cast. "Death House" (recently featured on Dread Central) and "Buddies".
"Buddies" tells the story of two mob wanabees witnessing the murder of one of their own and having to go on the run. Tony and Joey are two low-level mob guys, who always think big but never move up or get any recognition. This leads to everyone in the neighborhood gunning for them…well maybe not everyone, and they thought they only had each other. This action/mob-comedy is being directed by and will also star Louis Lombardi (24 & Sopranos) and Steven Chase (Shut Up & Kiss Me & How Sweet It Is). The film will have an "A-List" cast and host of well-known character actors like Scott L. Schwartz (Ocean’s 11, 12,1 3, Buffy The Vampire Slayer, Castle), Mike Starr (Goodfellas, Dumb & Dumber) and Michael Madsen (Kill Bill Vol. 1 & 2, Reservoir Dogs, Donnie Brasco).
“Death House” is about four horsemen that are the most notorious serial killers of all time. Robert Englund's weapon of choice is fire; Gunnar Hansen has an unquenchable thirst for human flesh; Bill Moseley is a surgeon, and tends to focus on mutilation and torture; and Doug Bradley shares a bond with spiders, particularly the Brown Recluse Spider, whose poison Bradley is happy to dispense among those unfortunate enough to meet him. All four killers are safely housed in a maximum-security wing in the basement of the infamous Dodhoff Prison, aka THE DEATH HOUSE. This thrilling/terrifying story was written by Jay Black, Brian Herzlinger and Gunnar Hansen, and is being billed as the next “Saw”. According to Finkelstein and Chase, “The key to making multiple films and making them great, is to team up with the right people.” That is just what they have done with Tony Opedisano and Michael Guarnera of Winbrook Entertainment as well as with Jim Cardwell and Jimmy Cummings of E-T Pictures". Filming for “Death House” and “Buddies” will start late summer 2013.
Entertainment Factory brings a wealth of Knowledge, experience and relationships to the production phase in order to properly execute a Feature Films full production schedule. All the while, mindfully nurturing the creative necessity without neglecting the overall commercial nature of the Films back end. Entertainment Factory approaches both pre-sales, in place distribution and market strategy to optimize back end profitability. Targeting the major markets – Cannes, Berlin, Sundance, Tribeca, Toronto – the same sales agent who packages the Film, oversees the final sale. Entertainment Factory’s Official Website: www.thefeg.com.
Entertainment Factory Group | 影视 |
2016-36/0818/en_head.json.gz/8539 | Views and Opinions of a Midwest Mom of Seven
by Jenni Giesey
My Classic Movie Pick: My Favorite Wife
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
My Favorite Wife (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
What would you do if you were in this predicament?� Your lovely wife was on board a ship that was lost at sea.� Seven years pass and during that interim you’ve been working hard at your law career� and you’ve met a new woman to be a wife and mother to your children.� Seven years is the legal amount of time that has to pass before you can have someone missing declared legally dead, so you go to a judge you know and have your first wife declared legally dead.� Now you are free to marry your new lady love, and you do so.� On the afternoon of your wedding day, right before you and wife #2 are to leave for your honeymoon, guess what?� Wife #1 appears!� She’s alive and well, and was stuck on a deserted island for these past seven years!� What would you do?� This is the plot for a delightful comedy called My Favorite Wife, released in 1940, by RKO Studios.
Cary Grant plays Nick Arden, our hero-lawyer of the movie, and Irene Dunne is Ellen, wife #1.� Gail Patrick is Bianca, wife #2, and Randolph Scott portrays Stephen Burkett, a handsome man who also survived the same shipwreck as Ellen, and was on the deserted island with her.� A fact that Ellen humorously tries to keep Nick from finding out about.
Nick has a major problem on his hands; wife #1 isn’t dead, so legally they are still married, yet he has just married a second wife, who has no idea that Ellen has resurfaced.� He has to find� a way to break the news gently to Bianca, who is puzzled as to why they haven’t left for their honeymoon yet, so she calls in a psychiatrist, Dr. Kohlmar,� to come out to Nick’s house and try to talk with him about his reluctance to get on with the honeymoon!
Ellen, meanwhile, doesn’t want Nick to know about Stephen, her island buddy, so she recruits a mild-mannered, shy shoe salesman to pretend to be Stephen so Nick won’t feel jealous.� However, an insurance adjustor contacts� Nick and tells him that there is a rumor going around town that Ellen wasn’t alone on that deserted island and that she and her island buddy called each other, “Adam and Eve”.� Nick decides to track down this� island buddy and discovers for himself that Stephen Burkett is strong, athletic, and quite handsome!� Nick, while dealing with Bianca and Dr. Kohlmar, has a new problem crop up when the police arrive at his home to arrest him for bigamy!
This film is what is termed a “Screwball Comedy” as the situations that the characters find themselves in are so funny and utterly unbelievable.� The film was directed by Garson Kanin, produced by Leo McCarey, and written by Leo McCarey, Samuel Spewack and Bella Spewack.� It was loosely based upon a poem by Alfred Lord Tennyson, “Enoch Arden”, about a sailor lost at sea, who survives on a deserted island for seven years, only to be rescued, returns home to find his wife remarried to his best childhood friend, and with a new child by the new husband.� The poem has a sad, yet noble ending.� Fortunately for us� the movie has a better ending; the entire movie� is a delightful romp of comedy and romance.� It did earn a big box office profit� for RKO, and it was nominated for 3 Academy Awards: Best Story, Best Musical Score, and Best Art Direction.
Cary Grant displays his comedic timing to perfection in this film, trying to keep all the plates spinning, so to speak, before they all come crashing down.� Irene Dunne is� great as Ellen, trying to convince her husband that she still loves him, despite being stuck on a deserted island with the very handsome Stephen.� The supporting players all do really well with their parts, portraying their characters with sincerity, and believability.
The film was such a hit, that in 1962 Twentieth Century Fox began filming a remake, titled Something’s Got to Give, with Dean Martin, Marilyn Monroe, and Cyd Charisse reprising� the roles.� Monroe was eventually fired for not showing up to film her scenes, Martin quit when the studio attempted to refill Monroe’s part, and the project was shelved.� After Monroe’s death, the studio recast the movie with Doris Day, James Garner, and Polly Bergen and retitled it Move Over, Darling, releasing it in 1963.� It is a funny movie too, in color,with songs by Doris Day� but for my taste, I prefer the original with Cary and Irene.
So pop up a big batch of popcorn, grab a soda and a comfy spot to sit.� My Favorite Wife is available for sale at Amazon, it will be� shown on Turner Classic Movies on February 12th, and it is available to rent from Netflix.
Filed under: Movies Tagged: Alfred Lord Tennyson, Cary Grant, Gail Patrick, Garson Kanin, Irene Dunne, Leo McCarey, My Favorite Wife, Randolph Scott Recent Posts | 影视 |
2016-36/0818/en_head.json.gz/8654 | Reacher Teacher: Five Things to Learn Before Checking Out 'Jack Reacher'
By Sean O'Connell
You don’t know Jack? We can help.
The latest addition to Tom Cruise’s action oeuvre didn’t come from a comic book or a vintage television show. Instead, Jack Reacher is the hard-hitting hero of 17 best-selling novels – and multiple short stories – penned by author Lee Child (the pseudonym for British writer Jim Grant). He’s an indomitable figure, beloved by crime-story enthusiasts for his strategic approach to twisty murder mysteries and his reliance on brute force to maintain the upper hand over his adversaries. And the first name that jumped into all of our minds when we heard Hollywood finally wanted to bring Jack Reacher to the big screen was… well, probably not Tom Cruise. We’re keeping an open mind as we head into Jack Reacher, the first film in what could potentially be a lengthy film franchise. (The movie’s based on the 2005 novel One Shot, meaning Paramount has at least 16 other Reacher books it could cull from if the sequel-friendly Cruise wanted to keep going.) If you haven’t read any of Child’s books, what do you need to know about Jack Reacher before heading into the movie on December 21? Here are the five key things we think need to be shared about Jack Reacher and his world:
1. He’s ex-military.
Reacher’s entire existence can be laced through his experience in the military. And not just his own professional career. Reacher was a military brat. The son of a Marine, Reacher was forced to move around often as a child, and claims that he learned to fight in tough neighborhoods in the dark corners of our globe. He enlisted in the Army once he was old enough. He graduated from West Point, and served 13 years as a U.S. Army military police officer… basically, a cop whose suspects often were the highest-trained killers in our military branches. In order to prevail, Reacher always had to stay two steps ahead of criminals who believed they had eliminated every element that could raise suspicion or link them to a crime. With that in mind… 2. He’s often the smartest person in the room.
Much like Sherlock Holmes, Reacher often is able to map out motives and consequences at a faster rate than his adopted partners. He has an uncanny ability to see the big picture at a crime scene, and noodle through details that many aren’t able to process. This skill comes in handy during almost every physical confrontation. As written by Child (in deliciously graphic language), Reacher plays out fights in his head before they happen. He predicts a punch before it is thrown, and anticipates a kick before it can land. In his mind, he has been through virtually every scenario before, and it’s just a matter of playing them out -- normally resulting with him standing over the bloody husk of whatever fool (or fools) decided to take him on. With that in mind… 3. He’s often the bulkiest person in the room. Unlike Sherlock Holmes, Reacher is a hulking mass of a man whose physicality lends him an edge whenever working a case. Child describes him as 6’ 5” and muscular. You know, just like Tom Cruise. He has icy-blue eyes and sandy blond hair. His military training ensures that he’s very organized and stoic. But he claims that it’s impossible for him to be discreet and “invisible” when tailing a suspect or working a case because of his size. So he needs to stay aggressive, because avoiding an adversary often isn’t an option. Reacher’s just too large. Again, just like Tom Cruise.
4. He’s a loner. And a wanderer. Alex Cross presides over Washington, D.C. Lucas Davenport works crimes in the Twin Cities region of St. Paul and Minneapolis. And Los Angeles belongs to Elvis Cole and Joe Pike. But Reacher doesn’t have a territory because he doesn’t have a home. Following a compromising incident documented in the fantastic novel The Affair, Reacher left the Army, stuck his thumb out, and started hitchhiking.
He never stopped. He travels with a toothbrush, an expired passport and a debit card. Every book takes time to explore where Reacher will stay – often in a hotel room or with a kind stranger. He buys clothes as needed, and doesn’t carry a cell phone. According to Reacher, he went off the grid as an experiment… and liked being off too much to ever return. So he wanders, and often finds trouble. This means, if Paramount continues the Reacher series on-screen, that they can plan mysteries in Key West, Atlantic City, Boston, Colorado, South Dakota and several other offbeat locations where Reacher’s travels have taken him. 5. He was destined to be played by Tom Cruise. Maybe “destiny” is too strong of a word. But from the moment this project was announced, Jack Reacher has had Lee Child’s blessing – and if the author approves of Cruise in the role, who are we to argue against? In a fantastic article written by Child for WordandFilm.com, the author writes, “Cruise is a unique blend of two things: On the outside he’s a gigantic movie star and celebrity and tabloid sensation; but on the inside he’s an old-fashioned character actor who starts and finishes with the words, and trusts and values writers more than anything else. … The conventional paradigm of inevitable structural conflict between book fans and moviemakers didn’t apply on this project: The moviemakers were book fans. They were obsessed by Reacher and understood him and protected him just as much as any reader would – more so, even.
“There’s a scene in the movie where Reacher’s lawyer springs him from a night in jail, and he has to stop by the police station’s front desk to pick up his possessions. As all Reacher fans know, he has only one possession – his folding toothbrush. They said I had to play the sergeant at the front desk. They live in a world of story and symbolism, and they wanted Lee Child to pass the baton – in the form of the toothbrush – to Tom Cruise. The sergeant would have no lines, but he had to shrug, a little quizzically. On one level, it was the sergeant commenting on Reacher’s theories. On another, it was me, looking at Cruise, and saying: ‘He’s doing okay.’” Will they keep on doing “okay?” Child says he’d love to do more Reacher films, but for now, it’s up to us. If audiences like it, and turn out to support it, there will be more Jack Reacher films. Hopefully this isn’t the hero’s One Shot at cinematic success. Categories:
Features, In Theaters
Jack Reacher, Tom Cruise
Vincent Walsh
Radha Mitchell | 影视 |
2016-36/0818/en_head.json.gz/8684 | Submit TipsSend FeedbackTerms of ServicePrivacy Policy"Idol" Competition TV’s top show begins its 11th season with the return of “The Voice” a seat whirl away. Is there room on the stage for both? By
Jere Hester NEWSLETTERS Receive the latest music updates in your inboxPrivacy policy | More Newsletters"American Idol" is back for an 11th season.It's time to play “American Idol” by the numbers: Television’s longtime No. 1 show is set to begin its 11th season Wednesday, following an eight-month absence. In some respects, though, this feels more like Season 2, marking the sophomore outing of Steven Tyler and Jennifer Lopez behind the judge’s table after the subtraction, over the years, of Simon Cowell, Paula Abdul, Ellen DeGeneres and Kara DioGuardi. But more importantly, this could be the first season in which Fox’s “Idol” faces a major challenge with Season 2 of last year’s surprise NBC hit “The Voice” just a chair whirl away. That all adds up to one question: Can two popular singing contest shows targeting a similar audience both pull big numbers? Last year marked a comeback of sorts for “Idol,” with Lopez’ nurturing earth-mom persona and Tyler’s benign spaceman spouting about the indefinable "what-it-is-ness" of gifted contestants lending a kinder gloss to a program than denigrated into decidedly unentertaining sniping during Cowell’s final season. The bolstered mentoring process, led by music producer Jimmy Iovine, put the primary focus back on the talent, reaping the best crop of recent years. “The Voice,” which debuted a month before fans declared Scotty McCreery the latest “Idol” winner, spun quickly out of the gate, also aided by an emphasis on mentoring, via judges – Christina Aguilera, Cee Lo Green, Adam Levine and Blake Shelton – who displayed a winning, banter-stirred chemistry. The gap between the finales for both shows has been filled, in part, by expected hype – including chatter over whether this will be “Idol” host Ryan Seacrest’s last season. While “Idol” is getting a two week-plus jump on the season start, NBC is heavily promoting its plan to premiere “The Voice” on Feb. 5, after the Super Bowl. The most important off-season game, though, may have played out on Cowell’s new U.S. version of “The X Factor,” which did okay in the ratings this past fall, but performed far lower than the showman’s lofty predictions of "Idol"-like success. Whether that’s a sign his popularity is declining, of format issues or that the formula he helped create doesn’t wield the old magic anymore, may be one thing learned from the “Idol”-“Voice” sing-off.
Both shows must prove they’re beyond the novelty phase – in the case of “Idol,” big-name new judges, and for “The Voice,” the drama-inducing chair-turning gimmick that literally put a new spin on the singing contest genre. Even more crucial is culling strong contestants from a talent pool that might be diluted by the competing shows.But whether there will be enough “what-it-ness” between outspoken judges and belters bent on superstardom to attract millions to two shows during one season adds up to a new level of competition in which the audience's voice will resound loudest and longest of all.
2011's Top TV MomentsHester is founding director of the award-winning, multi-media NYCity News Service at the City University of New York Graduate School of Journalism. He is the former City Editor of the New York Daily News, where he started as a reporter in 1992. Follow him on Twitter.Published at 11:49 AM PST on Jan 17, 2012 | 影视 |
2016-36/0818/en_head.json.gz/8751 | Virile singing gives N.O. Opera's 'Samson' its winning strength samson1.jpg Dalila (Edyta Kulczak) seduces Samson (Richard Cox) as the Old Hebrew (Joel Colman) looks on, in the New Orleans Opera Association production of Saint-Saens' 'Samson et Dalila.'
(Photo by N.O. Opera Association)
Theodore P. Mahne, NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune
The tumbling down of the walls in the finale may have been a disappointment but it was the solid singing that brought down the house Friday night at the Mahalia Jackson Theater for the Performing Arts.
As it presented Camille Saint-Saens’ biblical masterpiece, “Samson et Dalila,” the New Orleans Opera Association sheared some of the production values but preserved the strengths of the opera with three lead performers who revealed fully the beauty of the score.
As a piece of theater, “Samson et Dalila” is always a challenge. Although it is based on one of the more libidinous tales of the Bible, not a lot happens on stage. The composer originally planned to make the tale of Samson into an oratorio, in the pattern of Mendelssohn’s “Elijah.” His librettist, Ferdinand Lemaire, recognized the inherent theatricality of the story and Saint-Saens agreed to turn the work into a full grand opera.
Dalila conspires with the High Priest of Dagon (Greer Grimsley).
N.O. Opera Association
Nevertheless, Saint-Saens kept most of the drama of the piece in the score itself. As a result the theatrical development relies on the relationships among the primary characters.
New Orleans Opera General Director Robert Lyall, who both conducted and staged the opera, recognizes this challenge and meets it well in the current production. This is a tightly directed “Samson” that maintains the proper balance between the fairly seamless symphonic quality of the score, while setting a pace that heightens the larger theatrical moments when they occur.
Matters are helped along with a cast of fine singing actors. They were able to convey the complexity of emotions and drives of each character well, building dramatic tension.As Dalila, mezzo-soprano Edyta Kulczak made a fine debut with the company, displaying a voluptuous tone that brought out all of the seductive qualities of the character. Her top notes soared with power.
Kulczak’s handling of the opera’s most famous aria, “Mon coeur s’ouvre a ta voix,” was lovely. She developed her character into the full-blown seductive spider with “Amour! Viens aider ma faiblesse” at the start of the second act. She did show a rougher edge, sometimes straining, in her lowest register, but as an actress turned this to her advantage as it emphasized the visceral nature of her passions to bring down Samson.
What: The New Orleans Opera Association continues its season with Camille Saint-Saens’ biblical tale of religion, lust and revenge. General Director Robert Lyall directs and conducts. The cast includes Richard Cox and Edyta Kulczak in the title roles. The Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra performs in the pit. Where: Mahalia Jackson Theater for the Performing Arts, 1419 Basin St., Armstrong Park.
When: Final performance at 2:30 Sunday.
Admission: Tickets start at $25. For more information, visit the New Orleans Opera Association web site.
Tenor Richard Cox provided Samson with a burly, commanding voice, making the appropriate shifts in character along the way. In the first act, he captured with the strength of a heldentenor the arrogance and pride of Samson, which is as responsible for his downfall as his haircut. In the second act, a rich lyricism was added as he falls prey to Dalila’s seduction. His third act, “Vois ma misère, helas,” was a moment of aching beauty.
It is always a pleasure to see Greer Grimsley back on the New Orleans stage. He gave the High Priest his authoritative voice with his solid bass-baritone. His duet with Kulczak was particularly well sung. Two small but integral parts were finely sung: baritone Kenneth Weber as Abimelech, and bass Joel Colman, making an auspicious operatic debut as the Old Hebrew. The New Orleans Opera Chorus, under Carol Rausch’s direction, filled the stage with a big sound.
Dancers of the New Orleans Ballet Theatre perform the lusty bacchanal in the third act of 'Samson et Dalila.'
The score is a delicate masterpiece of orchestration. Conductor Lyall and the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra approached it as being of a piece, not merely a collection of arias, duets and choral ensembles. The strings were lush throughout the night; colorful support was spread across the orchestra. The second act of the opera, which contains some of the most sweeping melodies Saint-Saens ever composed, was gloriously played.
Often considered one of the excesses of French grand opera, the ballets are among the first to be cut in many productions. Here, Lyall and choreograpers Gregory and Marjorie Schramel make the case that they are vital aspects of this opera. The members of the New Orleans Ballet Theatre added not only beauty but helped establish the place and culture. The bacchanal of the final act was danced with virility, creating a sensual delight.
Costumes were appropriately colorful and in general the look of the production captured that exotic image of ancient Israel, at least as imagined by Parisians of the 19th century. Minimal set designs, however, gave way to projected backdrops that mostly did the trick. But for the finale, as Samson brings the pillars of the temple crashing down, the audience felt cheated by the projected animation of tumbling walls. Sure, it’s always a bit cheesy as Styrofoam pillars get knocked about the stage, but hasn’t enough of our world today gone digital? I’m not interested in watching grand opera on an oversized iPad.
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2016-36/0818/en_head.json.gz/8804 | Spartacus ready to fight in 'War of the Damned' key art
Spartacus War of the Damned Starz Starz Curt Wagner, @ShowPatrolRedEye
Spartacus is front and center in the final key art for "Spartacus: War of the Damned," which will premiere on Starz at 8 p.m. Jan. 25.The image shows the rebel leader, played by Liam McIntyre, holding a broken and bloody Roman eagle standard in one hand and his sword in the other. Behind him, his army of rebels march toward what we can only assume is the final showdown between them and the Roman legions,
"Spartacus: War of the Damned" is the third and final season of the franchise, which also presented a prequel called "Spartacus: Gods of the Arena." here's what Starz has to say about the upcoming season:The season opens and Gaius Claudius Glaber is dead. Many months have passed since his defeat, and the rebel army, led by Spartacus and his generals Crixus, Gannicus and Agron continue to amass victories over Rome. With the rebel numbers swelling to thousands of freed slaves, and Spartacus more determined than ever to bring down the entire Roman Republic, the horde become a force that challenges even the mighty armies of Rome. Together, the rebels engage in one bloody skirmish after another and prepare for the inevitable: a full out war. Joining McIntyre this season are returning stars Manu Bennett as Crixus, Dustin Clareas as Gannicus, Dan Feuerriegel as Agron, Cynthia Addai-Robinson as Naevia and Ellen Hollman as Saxa. New cast members include Simon Merrells as Marcus Crassus and Todd Lasance as Julius Caesar.Want more? Discuss this article and others on Show Patrol's Facebook page. Copyright
Spartacus (tv program)
'Spartacus: War of the Damned' photo gallery
'Spartacus: War of the Damned' enters arena Jan. 25
'Spartacus' ending after Season 3 'War of the Damned' | 影视 |
2016-36/0818/en_head.json.gz/8892 | Patricia Sheridan's Breakfast With ... Kate Mara
Actress Kate Mara
By Patricia Sheridan / Post-Gazette
She comes from two football dynasties, the Pittsburgh Steelers and the New York Giants, but actress Kate Mara won't say which she favors. Art Rooney Sr. is her great-grandfather on her mother's side. Her father's family owns the Giants. Her younger sister, Rooney Mara, earned an Oscar nomination for "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo." The 30- year-old is burning up the small screen on Netflix's "House of Cards." She has appeared in the films "We Are Marshall" and "Brokeback Mountain" and is in "Transcendence" with Johnny Depp, coming out in April. Season two of "House of Cards" will be available Feb. 14 on Netflix.
"House of Cards" is addictive. When you took the role, did you sense it was going to be so popular?
When I take a role, I don't necessarily think of it in that way. I was just thrilled to be working with David Fincher and the cast. You know, Kevin Spacey and Robin Wright are two people that I've always wanted to work with. The expectation of it doing well and that sort of thing was just the cherry on top. It could have failed miserably, and sure that would be disappointing, but the experience of working with those people and the challenge of that is really why I got involved.
PG audio
Hear more of this interview with Kate Mara.
See the "Breakfast With ..." archive.
You have been acting since you were 9, so what do you get out of it?
I mean, it's the only thing that I ever wanted to do. When I realized I could pursue my passion and get paid for it, there was nothing else I ever wanted to do. I was a very, very shy child, and acting was an escape for me. I think a lot of actors say that.
At the time, I was much more comfortable pretending to be other people than being myself. Acting really helped me get out of my shell. I wouldn't necessarily call myself shy now, but it was a real problem for me as a child.
So it was like therapy.
Yeah, I mean, auditioning for things and having to be comfortable meeting new people all the time. It was an amazing learning experience.
Do you remember the first audition that had you shaking in your boots?
One of my first auditions ever was for the television show "Homicide: Life on the Streets." I think I was like 14 or something. I remember it because I think it was the first thing besides theater that I auditioned for. I really wasn't familiar with movies or television or anything like that. I wasn't used to being in front of a camera. It was very emotional, of course. All those shows are [laughs]. I didn't get the job, but I did get the bug as soon as I left that audition.
Are you as comfortable doing the whole talk show circuit or is that a different animal for you?
Yeah, for sure, those things make me very, very nervous. You get used to it and you definitely get better at it, you know, as you do more and more. You are supposed to be performing but as yourself. It feels exposing. I'm certainly not a comedian.
You are supposed to have funny anecdotes and funny stories about the set and that feels like a lot of pressure to me. I would much rather go on and be playing somebody else. That would be much more appealing to me.
You have played a lot of characters over the years. Were there any that you just didn't really like?
Honestly, no. Nothing comes to mind, and it's not as though I've only played likable people. I was on "American Horror Story" and played a very unlikable character [laughing]. But I had the best time playing her.
I don't find it super-appealing to just play likable characters. I am interested in doing all of it, and it doesn't bother me to think an audience is probably not going to like me very much. If they don't and you are playing an unlikable character, well, you are just doing your job well.
So how do you describe your character on "House of Cards"?
I would describe Zoe Barnes as a very, very strong-willed, ambitious, ballsy reporter who is very smart but also has a lot of growing up to do. She is still finding her way in the world in all aspects of life. We basically shoot two episodes at a time.
Do you feel you know a character better the longer you get to play her?
Um, I don't know. I guess so. I look at "House of Cards" the same way I look at doing a character in a movie. It doesn't feel that different. I feel a little more spoiled because I get 13 hours to play this character and show different pieces of her, so that's very cool.
Any sibling rivalry, especially with Rooney?
[Laughing] I think it excites people to hear about sibling rivalry because a lot of people with siblings have some sort of rivalry. I don't think of my sister as somebody I am competing with. She and I are only two years apart, so growing up we were best of friends and then we weren't and then we were playing together constantly. You grow up a little bit and you fight a lot, and then you don't.
I mean, it was normal, really close family stuff. When it comes to acting, there is nobody more supportive of me than my sister. I feel the same way towards her. I know I could call her about anything.
For me it is special to have that because I didn't for so long. My sister didn't start acting until a good seven years later. She moved out to L.A. with me and started acting. So I had a large chunk of time where I was really doing it on my own, and no one else in my family had ever been through it before. T We can really share the ups and downs.
Your family business is football. I know you don't admit to a favorite team, but do you remember times when the Steelers played the Giants and you got together with your Rooney cousins?
People always want me to choose a side, but I don't have to. It's not a problem for me and my siblings. It's not as if the Giants and Steelers are playing each other very often. When they do play each other, it's really, really exciting. There is a lot of cheering because we don't really know who to cheer for [laughs].
It's been a while since I went to a Giants/ Steelers game. I think I was working somewhere and wasn't able to go to the last one. But there is nothing more magical and surreal than having both sides of my family in the stadium watching two Super Bowl teams playing each other. Very few people can relate to that. So yeah, it is a very unique thing to experience with my family.
Patricia Sheridan: psheridan@post-gazette.com or 412-263-2613. Follow her on Twitter at www.Twitter.com/pasheridan. | 影视 |
2016-36/0818/en_head.json.gz/8917 | Leigh Phillips
reel_music@btinternet.com
Leigh Phillips, is an award-winning theatre and film composer/ orchestrator with numerous credits to his name. In 1998 he became one of publishing house Wright & Round LTD's youngest best-selling arrangers and has since gone on to produce many exciting and memorable scores for animation, short features, documentaries, theatrical productions, television promos and feature film.
In 2004 Leigh completed a ten month project for Superman Returns composer, John Ottman, adapting and reconstructing the composer's score from the dark thriller PUBLIC ACCESS for performance by symphony orchestra. At the start of the following year, Leigh collaborated with Grammy-Award winning composer Joe Harnell, compiling and adapting his music from the TV series 'V' into a three-movement suite for orchestra & chorus. In July 2006, Leigh was presented with the Goldsmith Award for Best Achievement in European Audio Visual Music (free creation) at the International Film Music Conference in Ubeda, Spain, for his score from The Jungle Book. These were the first awards to be given in honour of the legendary composer Jerry Goldsmith. Leigh continues to work in both fim and the live dramatic arts; included in his list of stage projects are several collaborations with acclaimed theatre director Nick Evans (Billy Elliot: The Musical), providing original music for the plays Coriolanus, Our Country's Good and the previously mentioned Jungle Book.
In addition to these projects Leigh is actively involved in the reconstruction of classic film scores - resurrecting lost film-music greats for concert performance. His credits in this field include Omen III: The Final Conflict, Damien: Omen II, Medicine Man, Hollowman (all Jerry Goldsmith), Raise the Titanic (John Barry),and Santa Claus the Movie (Henry Mancini). Leigh is currently working on a new set of pieces for the 08/09 concert seasons of the The Golden State Pops Orchestra/California Master Chorale and the world-renowned Halle Orchestra.
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2016-36/0818/en_head.json.gz/8918 | Meet Harold Phillips
Harold's Blog
Check Harold's Blog for his weekly "Back-to-Business" series. Got a question
for him? Email him or send your questions via Twitter.
Coming Soon - A Guidebook For The Rest Of The Country
There are literarally thousands of books telling you how to be a professional actor.
Most, if not all of them, are focused on helping the reader gain success in the entertainment
centers of New York or Los Angeles.
What about the rest of us? Is it possible to build a career in smaller, regional markets
such as Seattle, Portland, St. Louis, Houston, and Minneapolis? Harold Phillips
thinks so. He wants to share what he's learned in over twenty years as a professional
actor working outside the "big cities;" to that end, he's creating The Professional Actor's Guide To
Working In Small Markets.
You might note from the title that the focus of this book is not to teach the reader how
to be a better actor - there are plenty of books on the market and coaches in cities
across the United States who can do that. With this book, Harold seeks to teach the reader
how to work in small markets - how to make connections, land the job, build a network of
contacts, and create a life for him or herself IN the entertainment industry,
but outside the major industry centers.
It's no great secret that the entertainment industry is changing. More and more,
production companies are leaving Los Angeles and seeking new locations (and new faces) in
communities across the country. Theatrical work in regional and local theaters continues to
increase in quality as the parts for local actors become more scarce. The internet has been
a boon to independent filmmakers and series creators - many of whom live outside major
industry centers. This is truly a book for the 21st century actor who wants to stay in the place he or she lives, but wants to work steadily and build a career.
Watch this site for further information on the book as it comes together. More information
can also be found on Harold's Blog and his Twitter Feed. | 影视 |
2016-36/0818/en_head.json.gz/8985 | Glengarry Glen Ross (1992)
as Ricky Roma
as Shelley Levene
as Blake
Screenplay by
Crime, Drama, Mystery, Thriller
For Language
The shabby real estate office in "Glengarry Glen Ross" seems likely to become one of the movie places we will remember, like the war room in "Dr. Strangelove" or Hannibal Lecter's cell. It is divided into two parts: a glassed-in area where the office manager lives, along with his precious "leads" - cards with the names of people who might want to buy real estate - and the rest of the office, given over to the desks of the salesmen, who try to sound rich and confident over the phone, but whose eyes are haunted with despair.
Hour after hour, they make calls to sell real estate that no one wants to buy. They are making no money. It is worse than that.They are about to lose their jobs. Blake (Alec Baldwin), the slick hotshot from downtown, arrives to give them a chalk-talk and a warning. There is a new sales contest. First prize is a Cadillac.Second prize, a set of steak knives. Third prize is, you're fired: "Hit the bricks, pal, and beat it, 'cause you are going OUT!" The movie is based on a play by David Mamet, who once briefly worked in such a boiler room. He knows the way these people talk, and turns their jargon into a version of his own personal language, in which the routine obscenities and despair of everyday speech are transcribed into a sad music. Their struggle takes on a kind of nobility.Look at Shelley (the Machine) Levene, for example. Played by Jack Lemmon, he was once a hotshot salesman, winning the office sweepstakes month after month. Now he is making no sales at all, and his wife is in the hospital, and it's heartbreaking to hear his lies, about how he would feel wrong, not sharing this "marvelous opportunity." Lemmon has a scene in this movie that represents the best work he has ever done. He makes a house call on a man who does not want to buy real estate. The man knows it, we know it, Lemmon knows it - but Lemmon keeps trying, not registering the man's growing impatience to have him out of his house. There is a fine line in this scene between deception and breakdown, between Lemmon's false jolity and the possibility that he may collapse right on the man's rug, surrendering all hope.The other salesmen are assembled in a well-balanced cast that rehearsed Mamet's dialogue for weeks, getting to know the music of the words while working on the characters. Kevin Spacey is the office manager, unblinking and cold, playing by the rules. The salesmen are played by Al Pacino, Ed Harris, Alan Arkin and Lemmon. They are all in various stages of breakdown. There is a duet between Harris and Arkin that is one of the best things Mamet has written. They speculate about the near-legendary "good leads" that Spacey allegedly has locked in his office. What if someone broke into the office and stole the leads? Harris and Arkin discuss it, neither one quite saying out loud what's on his mind.There are other duets. Lemmon and Spacey have a scene in a car, in the rain, where Lemmon tries to buy the leads from Spacey.And Pacino and Jonathan Pryce, who plays a possible customer, have a masterful scene in a restaurant booth, in which Pacino subtly tries to seduce Pryce into buying, by playing on what he senses is latent homosexuality.In "Death of a Salesman," Arthur Miller made the salesman into a symbol for the failure of the American dream. In Miller's play, Willy Loman was out there all alone, on a smile and a shoeshine. "Glengarry Glen Ross" is a version for modern times.Produced onstage in the good times of the 1980s, filmed in the hard times of the 1990s, it shows the new kind of American salesmanship, which is organized around offices and corporations. No longer is a salesman self-employed, going door-to-door. Now individual effort has been replaced by teamwork. The shabby Chicago real estate office, huddled under the L tracks, could be any white-collar organization in which middle-aged men find themselves faced with sudden and possibly permanent unemployment.Having said that, I must not forget to mention the humor in the film. Mamet's dialogue has a kind of logic, a cadence, that allows people to arrive in triumph at the ends of sentences we could not possibly have imagined. There is great energy in it. You can see the joy with which these actors get their teeth into these great lines, after living through movies in which flat dialogue serves only to advance the story. The film was directed by James Foley ("At Close Range"), whose timing and camera help underline the humor; a line of dialogue will end with a reaction shot that mirrors our own reaction - surprised, blind-sided, maybe a little stunned, but entertained by the zing of anger and ego in the words. While meanwhile nobody is buying any real estate, and it is raining, and the L thunders by like a mystery train to hell.
No Home Video: On Women-Directed Films
by Tina Hassannia
Home Entertainment Consumer Guide: October 8, 2015
Trip to FOX’s “Wayward Pines” Justified For Patient Viewers | 影视 |
2016-36/0818/en_head.json.gz/9036 | ILM’s Hal Hickel sees tough times ahead for VFX sector
18 June, 2013 | By Melanie Goodfellow
Industrial Light & Magic animation director Hal Hickel has said the San Francisco-based VFX powerhouse faces interesting but tough times ahead.
Hickel, whose credits include Rango, Pirates of the Caribbean and most recently Pacific Rim, was speaking at a presentation of the company at the Annecy International Film Festival.“There’s a bunch of stuff that’s making life difficult for visual effects companies everywhere: shrinking budgets, shorter schedules, expanded delivery formats like higher frame rates etcetera and digital distribution, which changes how and when we deliver films, tax incentives,” said Hickel.“There’s also been a lowering of the entry barrier. It’s much easier to set up a shop now than it once was and in much cheaper locations around the world.“That’s good for people who want to do that but it’s a challenge to the existing shops. “As a visual effects artist I never thought I would have to worry about currency values but that has an impact on where the work goes.”Vancouver’s tax benefitsAside from it flagship headquarters in the Letterman Digital Arts Centre in Presidio of San Francisco, ILM also runs a permanent division in Singapore and a temporary facility in Vancouver Canada, set up to take advantage of tax incentives in the territory.“It’s a sort of pop-up studio. It’s not a facility we intend to keep forever – only as long as it’s useful to have,” said Hickel of the Vancouver subsidiary. “We’ve very honest with the artists we employ that it’s not a permanent situation. We’re there for the tax rebate… we like everyone else are swimming in the same waters and trying to figure out how to make it work.”Star WarsIn spite of the toughening situation, ILM remains busy. Current productions it is attached to include Darren Aronofsky’s Noah, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and the upcoming Star Wars sequels.Asked about the implications of Disney’s acquisition of ILM’s parent company Lucasfilm from George Lucas by Disney, Hickel said it was too early to tell but that for the time being it was business as usual.“It’s good thing for Lucasfilm and Star Wars… particularly now that they’ve hired J.J. Abrams for the first few pictures. I think that is a great thing and I am really excited about it,” said Hickel. “What does it mean for ILM, I don’t know. For now it doesn’t mean anything… we’ve been advised to carry on our relationships with the all the other studios and keep going as we always have which is encouraging.”Pacific RimHickel also talked the audience - comprised mainly of animation students and recent graduates - through the company’s work on the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, Iron Man and Guillermo del Toro’s upcoming action film Pacific Rim, pitting giant Kaiju monsters against huge manmade robots, known as Jaegers. “We’ve been spending a lot of time with Guillermo at ILM and we just love him,” added Hickel. “Guillermo loves his monsters, he’s a monster guy and his passion was infectious.“He was very insistent that all the Jaegers and Kaiju have distinctive looks and personalities. He didn’t want to fight to look like another fighter.” Slides of detailed artwork and pictures of maquettes of the robots and monsters drew hoots and applause from the audience. Hickel’s presentation was part of an extensive conference programme organised by Annecy’s animation market Mifa, which ran June 11-14 within the confines of the festival. Have your say
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2016-36/0818/en_head.json.gz/9065 | / Movies
Who to expect during Jay Leno’s last week on Tonight Show
How to properly react to Parks & Rec seventh season renewal NEXT STORY
Was Shailene Woodley cut from Spider-Man? She's not sure
Searching for a new Mary Jane?
Rumors have been circulating for months that Shailene Woodley's cut scenes from The Amazing Spider-Man 2 meant she had been fired from the role. The actress finally opens up, but she seems to be in the dark as much as everyone else.
As an actor, you can imagine there's almost nothing to hurt your spirits more than being hired for one of the biggest films of the year, and then being fired from it. For Shailene Woodley, that may not be the case, but no one seems to know.
Andrew Garfield doesn't plan to play Spider-Man for a 4th time >>
Woodley was hired as the all-important love interest Mary Jane Watson in The Amazing Spider-Man franchise. She filmed a small part for the second film, but those scenes didn't make the cut. It was then rumored she wouldn't be in any of the future films either.
The actress talked with MTV about her role while out at the Sundance Film Festival, and stayed very vague. But things are not looking good.
"I don't know anything, but seeing as how they picked up the next two Divergent films, I don't know how I would keep my sanity with two big action films in one year," she said. "But anything can happen."
Woodley's busy schedule is a problem, and since Divergent is being compared to the Hunger Games franchise, it will likely take plenty of her time in the next few years. The actress also stars in The Fault In Our Stars, based on the John Green book, about two teens who fall in love after meeting at a cancer support group. The role has her again starring with her Divergent co-star Ansel Elgort, and Woodley is a big fan.
David O. Russell: The Hunger Games has made JLaw a slave >>
"There is one scene in the book where Gus goes to a gas station, and he tries to buy a pack of cigarettes because it's the only way he can assert his own independence after becoming very sick," Woodley said. "[Elgort] did that scene so much justice, and he brought his all. It was midnight when we filmed it, and he just sat there and lost it for hours. I was just sort of in awe."
You can see Woodley next in Divergent, which is out March 21. The Fault In Our Stars hits theaters June 6.
Photo credit: Brian To/WENN.com
casting news shailene woodley the amazing spider-man Comments
Is everyone ready for a Big Bang Theory & 8 Simple Rules crossover?
Are all the actors quitting Divergent now that the final film will be made for TV?
We're all in on Taye Diggs becoming Cookie's new anti-Lucious on Empire
by Julie Sprankles | 影视 |
2016-36/0818/en_head.json.gz/9066 | Lady Gaga's Beginnings
Lady Gaga made a name for herself in the NYC rock scene in 2003. She went on to sign with Interscope Records.
Lady Gaga with Akon
Lady Gaga's voice and eccentric style caught the eye and ear of AKon, who signed her to his own label
Lady Gaga's Rise to Fame
After releasing her debut studio album The Fame in 2008, Lady Gaga became a worldwide success. The album reaches No. 1 in six countries.
Lady Gaga "Poker Face"
Lady Gaga's singles "Poker Face" and "Just Dance" from her first album achieved international popularity.
Lady Gaga in 2009
In 2009, Lady Gaga had three chart topping singles from her follow up, The Fame Monster. She wowed fans all year long with her wild costumes and crazy style. Here she is at the 2009 VMAs.
Lady Gaga's Meat Dress
Lady Gaga received Video Of The Year Award at the 2010 MTV Video Music Awards, wearing a raw meat dress.
Lady Gaga Billboard Artist of the Year
Lady Gaga is one of the best-selling music artists in the world. In 2010, Billboard named her artist of the year.
Lady Gaga in an Egg
Lady Gaga arrived at the 2011 Grammys in a giant egg carried by models.
Lady Gaga on American Idol
Lady Gaga was a mentor and a guest judge during the 2011 season of American Idol.
Lady Gaga Born This Way
Lady Gaga's Born This Way, was released in May 2011 and was met with much success. The video for the title track is a VMA Best Female Video Nominee and also nominated for Best Video With A Message. | 影视 |
2016-36/0818/en_head.json.gz/9078 | Beverley Mitchell Biography
Having conquered the world of television, Beverley Mitchell begins a new journey in entertainment as she embarks on a career in country music. During breaks in production from “7th Heaven,” Mitchell frequently traveled to Nashville where she co-wrote and recorded songs for her debut album, which will be released later this year. Mitchell combined her lifelong love of country music with an upbeat, California vibe on the album, creating a style all her own. She collaborated with renowned songwriters Jim Wetherley (“Midnight Train to Georgia,” “Neither One of Us”), Greg Becker (Rascal Flatts, Carrie Underwood) and D. Scott Miller (John Corbett) and co-wrote seven of the album’s 14 songs. From a girls-night-out anthem to a bittersweet ballad about life and loss, the album has something for every country music fan. Mitchell can currently be seen starring in her 11th season as the emotional yet lovable Lucy Camden on The CW’s hit series “7th Heaven,” the longest-running family drama in television history. At the age of 4, Mitchell got her first break appearing in an Oscar Meyer commercial. She has been working steadily ever since in both television and film.
Mitchell had the starring role in “Right On Track,” a television movie based on the life of Erica Enders, the first female junior drag racer. Prior to “7th Heaven,” Mitchell had a recurring role on the comedy series “Phenom,” starring Judith Light. She guest starred on a number of series including “Melrose Place” and “Baywatch.” She also starred in the television movies “White Dwarf,” “Mother of the Bride” and the miniseries “Sinatra.” Mitchell made her feature film debut in “The Crow: City of Angels.” She can also be seen in “Saw 2” and the dark short film “Mean People Suck,” opposite James Franco and Dominique Swain. Off screen, Mitchell is a very active member of her community. She is involved with numerous charities including *NSYNC’s Challenge For the Children, Make-A-Wish and Entertainment Industry Foundation.
Mitchell enjoys spending time with family and friends, making photo albums and scrapbooks and singing. Home
Beverley Mitchell Albums
Beverley Mitchell Lyrics | 影视 |
2016-36/0818/en_head.json.gz/9127 | Melissa McCarthy stars in the comedy featuring a couple of wise-cracking gals and their entourages.
Friday marked the beginning of a two-month-long adventure through Southeastern North Carolina for a couple of wise-cracking gals and their entourages in the locally filmed “Tammy.”The day started out about 6 a.m. with Tammy's (funny girl Melissa McCarthy) beat-up junker of a car careening into the parking lot of make-believe burger joint Topper Jacks (the real-life Two Fat Ladies restaurant) on Dawson Street in Wilmington.Next week, the down-on-her luck lass will make a visit to her parents' house on Nun Street, according to Wilmington film permits, possibly after discovering her husband has been unfaithful.It can only get better from there.In real life, McCarthy is making her directorial debut with “Tammy,” a film she co-wrote alongside her writing partner/husband, Ben Falcone, who will co-direct as well.In the comedy, McCarthy stars as a woman who has been fired from her fast-food job (Topper Jacks) and discovers her husband is cheating. The trauma has her hitting the road with her sassy, alcoholic, diabetic grandmother. Kathy Bates will play the grandmother's lesbian pal, who bails the pair out on several occasions. Susan Sarandon is reportedly in final talks to join the cast, which also includes Mark Duplass, Allison Janney, Dan Aykroyd and Toni Collette.From New Line and Warner Bros., the film will hit theaters July 2, 2014.On Friday, extras donned rusty brown and mustard yellow Topper Jacks uniforms while they operated fryers and watched McCarthy storm out of the greasy spoon. On Monday, crews will head to Castle Hayne before spending much of the week in downtown Wilmington. They're then expected to pop up in Burgaw, Boiling Spring Lakes and Whiteville.A variety of extras casting calls have gone out for the movie, including one for “background talent to be police officers (male and female), as well as some female prisoners. No visible tattoos please.”“Tammy” is slated to shoot in the area through June 25 before heading to Niagara Falls, according to crew members.For more information on casting for the film, visit Facebook.com/MartysCasting.Cassie Foss: 343-2365On Twitter: @WilmOnFilm | 影视 |
2016-36/0818/en_head.json.gz/9189 | Review: New York Dolls at the State Theatre
Wednesday, June 10, 2009 12:53pm
I wish that I had grown up in New York during the seventies so I could have seen the New York Dolls in their heyday. It's not because the Dolls were lackluster on Tuesday at the State Theatre. The show just made me want to see them back when the music was groundbreaking and new. Now that the Dolls have aged, I was afraid that I was going to go into the show and be dissapointed by the lack of energy. My fears were ultimately quelled when the Dolls came on after an opening of opera playing over the sound system. While it's not as revolutionary as it used to be, the Dolls still keep the zaniness at a high point and manage to get the whole crowd moving, which is saying a lot when a lot of the crowd is composed of older fans. You can't talk about the Dolls without making special mention of the vocalist David Johansen. He still has enough stage presence to carry a whole show, and he still looks good dressing in skin tight jeans and shirts at 59 (something that I can't even do at 24). Dancing around the stage in a mercurial fashion, Johansen is able to show off why he is one of the greatest front-men of the rock music era. While there are only two original members of the band left playing, you wouldn't be able to tell that if you just came and saw the concert with no knowledge of the Dolls. Everyone in the Dolls fits in perfectly with their clothing and style. The show almost felt like I was back at a '70s glam rock concert. If you showed up for the concert to just see the Dolls though, you missed out. The opening band, Black Joe Lewis and the Honeybears, are one of the best new bands I've ever seen. With saxophone and guitar players, Lewis was able to channel the spirit of old rock and roll. It doesn't hurt that Lewis matches the graceful guitar of Chuck Berry. Like old rock and roll, there was a lot of blues influence in Lewis' performance. Songs had specific stories (including one about an old man shooting a repo man) and he sung his guitar over his back at one point to bring out his harmonica. Lewis was able to deliver pure rock and roll bliss. I expect that the next time these guys are in town, they'll be playing to a sold-out crowd. They were a perfect complement to the Dolls. With both bands playing styles of music that aren't as prevalent as they used to be, I left the concert with a warm feeling of nostalgia and excitement to see what the next revolution in the world of rock and roll will be. --Story/photos by Leigh Armstrong, Times Staff Writer Check after the jump for more photos of the Dolls on stage! | 影视 |
2016-36/0818/en_head.json.gz/9281 | Zips ranked high, still seeking right lineup as season launches ... SUMMER ATHLETES SERIES: Finality of senior season dawning on Mungo ... Blood-stained woman knocks on his door after I-77 shooting ... Zips ranked high, still seeking right lineup as season launches ... SUMMER ATHLETES SERIES: Finality of senior season dawning on Mungo ... Blood-stained woman knocks on his door after I-77 shooting ... Irish mob hits: The best Irish gangster films
Whitey is heading for the big house and the tale of his notorious life is heading for the big screen.
Comment By MARK TORPEYMore Content Now
By MARK TORPEYMore Content Now
Whitey is heading for the big house and the tale of his notorious life is heading for the big screen.James "Whitey'' Bulger, the longtime boss of the Winter Hill Gang, the Irish mob that ruled the Boston underworld for decades, is scheduled to be sentenced Wednesday in federal court. In August, a jury found Bulger guilty on 31 of 32 counts - including murder, extortion, money laundering, drug dealing and weapons possession.The 83-year-old Bulger, who had spent 16 years on the run before being captured in Santa Monica, Calif., in 2011, won't be doing any more running. He will almost certainly spend the rest of his life sitting quietly behind bars.One film about Bulger's life of crime is already in production. Producer/director Barry Levinson, who brought us "Diner," "The Natural," "Good Morning Vietnam" and "Rain Man," is working on "Black Mass," a film based on the book of the same name that chronicles Bulger's relationship with John Connolly, a disgraced FBI agent and fellow South Boston crony. Reports have been swirling that Ben Affleck and Matt Damon are also planning a film about Bulger, with Damon earmarked for the leading role.When Whitey's story does hit the theaters, it won't be the first film about Irish gangsters. In fact, it won't even be the first time Bulger is portrayed on screen. In Martin Scorsese's Oscar-winner "The Departed," Jack Nicholson has the role of the vile Frank Costello, a character loosely based on Bulger.Additionally, Irish criminals have been portrayed in prominent roles in a number of great movies – "Goodfellas," "On the Waterfront," "Mystic River," "The Sting," "Sleepers," to name a few. But those flicks don't exactly fit into the genre of Irish gangster films, as "The Departed" does.While the preponderance of American organized crime movies have focused on the Mafia, there are a fair number of very good films about the world of the Irish-American gangster. Here's one man's top 10:- Miller's Crossing (1990) – Gabriel Byrne plays the role of Tom Regan, the top adviser to Prohibition-era crime boss Leo O'Bannion (Albert Finney), who gets caught in the middle of a gang war between O'Bannion's Irish crew and the up-and-coming Italian mob. Directed by the Coen brothers, Joel and Ethan, this brilliant but underrated film had the misfortune of being released two weeks after the debut of Goodfellas, and was thus overshadowed.- The Town (2010) – Ben Affleck directed this film based on Chuck Hogan's novel, "Prince of Thieves." Affleck portrays Doug McCray, a Charlestown bank robber who yearns to change his life and who falls into a romantic relationship with a bank manager he encountered on a heist, all while trying to elude the FBI.- Kill the Irishman (2011) – Ray Stevenson gives a riveting performance in his portrayal of real-life Cleveland mobster Danny Greene, the labor leader turned gangster who survived a bevy of assassination attempts as his Irish crew, dubbed the "Celtic Club,'' went head-on against the Mafia in a deadly gang war in the 1970s. Like "Miller's Crossing," this movie boasts an all-star cast and is an underrated gem.Page 2 of 2 - - The Departed (2006) – Director Martin Scorsese won Best Picture for this film about an undercover state police officer (Leonardo DiCaprio as Billy Costigan) who infiltrates the Boston Irish mob, all the while staying a step ahead of the mobsters' mole in the state police (Matt Damon as Colin Sullivan). A tremendous cast in a tremendous film.- State of Grace (1990) – Sean Penn plays the role of Terry Noonan, who returns to his New York home after a 10-year absence and falls right in with his old friends in the West Side Irish mob. Little do his pals know that Noonan is a Boston cop brought in to be a mole in their crew. This film is inspired by "The Westies," T.J. English's brilliant non-fiction book about the Hell's Kitchen Irish mob. Gary Oldman provides a magnificent performance portraying Jackie Flannery, a character based on real-life Westies enforcer Mickey Featherstone. Like "Miller's Crossing," "State of Grace" was overshadowed by "Goodfellas," which was released the same week.- Road to Perdition (2002) – Tom Hanks portrays Michael Sullivan, a Depression-era hit man for Irish crime boss John Rooney (Paul Newman), whose life takes a life-altering twist when his young son witnesses him commit a killing.- The Friends of Eddie Coyle (1973) – Robert Mitchum portrays Quincy-based Eddie Coyle, a small-time hoodlum who decides to hand up his Boston crime associates to the feds in order to avoid a prison sentence. Eddie's friends turn out to be not so friendly.- Gangs of New York (2002) – Set in 1863 Manhattan, Martin Scorsese directed this film about Amsterdam Vallon (Leonardo DiCaprio), who arrives in the Irish slum of Five Points to avenge the killing of his father. Daniel Day Lewis provides a sensational portrayal of Bill "The Butcher" Cutting, the crazed gang leader whom Vallon is targeting. A great cast.- Angels With Dirty Faces (1938) – Fresh out of prison, Rocky Sullivan (James Cagney) returns to his Hell's Kitchen home and rekindles his friendship with his boyhood pal, Father Jerry Connolly (Pat O'Brien). As Sullivan grows friendly with the boys in the neighborhood, Father Connolly frets that the young men will emulate their hero and follow Rocky into a life of crime. The climax of this film provides one of the most chilling scenes ever.- Monument Ave. (1998) – While this film did not do well at the box office, it is a personal favorite because of its uniquely Boston cast, setting and story. Denis Leary portrays a small-time Charlestown wiseguy, Bobby O'Grady, who must struggle with his neighborhood's renowned code of silence after his cousin is murdered by the brutal boss of Bobby's crew (Colm Meaney as Jackie O'Hara). | 影视 |
2016-36/0818/en_head.json.gz/9318 | ‘Artist’ favourite in Oscar race
First posted: Sunday, January 22, 2012 02:21 PM EST
Dujardin plays down Hollywood success
'The Artist' just as magical on DVD
Dujardin mobbed by fans at airport
Oscars This is a shocker ... and I love it! As unlikely as it once seemed, The Artist is now the odds-on favourite in the Academy Awards race. Not only is the film guaranteed to be nominated for a slew of Oscars on Tuesday, it is already the front-runner to win as best picture on Feb. 26.
This is a phenomenon. The Artist demonstrates that Oscar momentum cannot be easily divined, crudely manufactured or purchased outright. Even if Harvey Weinstein and The Weinstein Company are involved, which is the case here because Harvey bought the North American distribution rights, there are still unfathomable mysteries involved.
When The Artist made its world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival last May, it looked like the longest of long-shots. Charming, yes, but doomed to remain an obscure object of desire for cinephiles.
It is a low-budget production from France (Belgium is co-producer). It is a romantic comedy. It was photographed in black-and-white. It was shot in the early film ratio of 1.37:1 even though all other movies are in widescreen, often in 3D. It is set in the 1920s and is abuzz with vintage jazz and showtunes (Woody Allen anyone?). It is a film about filmmaking (usually a curse). The stars are French actors Jean Dujardin and Berenice Bejo who, while absolutely wonderful, were virtual unknowns here. None of the American and English co-stars is a marquee name. Worldwide boxoffice is currently a modest $28 million (according to Box Office Mojo).
To cap it all off, there are just a couple of lines of dialogue at the end (in English and more for our amusement than illumination). This is a silent film!
Yet people who see it absolutely love it. The expectation is that the 6000 voting members of the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts & Sciences are among the admirers. No silent film has won as best picture since the first Academy Awards in 1929, when William Wellman's Wings triumphed as best among the 1927-28 entries (another silent film, F.W. Murnau's Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans, won the parallel best picture award in the "unique and artistic" category). By 1930, the best picture winner was "a talkie".
There is no logical explanation for what has happened with The Artist. At a time when Hollywood turns so much into spectacle, however, there must be a yearning for something naive. The Artist is, above all, simple, elegant and old-fashioned.
Weinstein's magic is less obvious for other titles The Weinstein Company released, including My Week With Marilyn. That shows he cannot have his way with everything. Michelle Williams will certainly be nominated for best actress for playing iconic Marilyn Monroe, yet the movie itself is a 100-to-1 shot for a best picture nom. Bridesmaids -- not a Weinstein release -- has far more traction and should make it, creating another mystery of momentum. Bridesmaids has been steadily climbing for weeks. Who knows why?
Williams is part of an ongoing Oscar trend. Every year in the 2000s, actors are singled out for a nom while their films get little or no other recognition. I predict The Iron Lady will get that treatment, too. Meryl Streep will be nominated best actress for playing Margaret Thatcher. She is the favourite to win. Yet The Iron Lady will otherwise be ignored. Ditto for Michael Shannon with Take Shelter and possibly Michael Fassbender in Shame. Plus Tilda Swinton and We Need to Talk About Kevin.
In contrast, there is The Descendants. It stars George Clooney, who is the favourite for best actor over Jean Dujardin of The Artist. But Alexander Payne's bittersweet drama is also a slam-dunk to be nominated for multiple Oscars. It may even be leading the race, ahead of other contenders such as The Artist, Hugo, Midnight in Paris, Moneyball, The Tree of Life, War Horse, Bridesmaids, The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, The Ides of March and The Help. We will know Tuesday morning.
bruce.kirkland@sunmedia.ca | 影视 |
2016-36/0818/en_head.json.gz/9342 | Denise Richards: It's Complicated - Season 2
Follow Monday 10:30 PM on E! Premiered May 26, 2008 In Season
shotime1979
Root for the Home Team
Denise has a charity event in honor of her mom for the Kidney Cancer Association
Picture Imperfect
Denise helps her friend Kim get make-up line off the ground.
Dancing with Denise
We watch Denise take dance lessons after she is asked to be on "Dancing with the Stars."
Funbags or Die
Will Ferrell's Funny or die website wants Denise to do a sketch for them. Irv does a commercial for the first time.
Labor of Love is the fourth episode in the second season of Denise Richards: It's Complicated, a reality show airing on E!. Denise is anxiously awaiting the birth of her friend, Trish's, baby. However, when Trish goes into labor, Denise is busy filming a Broken Lizard film. Will Denise make it home in time to be there for Trish?moreless
Dating-ish
Dating-ish is the third episode in the second season of the reality show Denise Richards: It's Complicated aired on E!. Denise planned on having a casual quiet Valentine's Day dinner with her family. However, the dinner soon turns out to be way more dramatic than Denise could have ever imagined.
Denise Does Slamdance
Denise Does Slamdance is the second episode in the second season of the reality show Denise Richards: It's Complicated. Denise finds out the film she is working on has been accepted into the Slamdance Film Festival. So, she enlists her best friend and her assistant, Christy, to travel to Park City, Utah, with her to attend the festival.moreless
Vegas, Baby
Vegas, Baby is the second season debut episode of the E! reality series Denise Richards: It's Complicated. Denise is preparing to ring in the new year, but must sort out some of her issues first. On her list of things to do, she must deal with her father, prepare to be surrounded by drunk unruly crowds and make sure her wardrobe is up to par.moreless | 影视 |
2016-36/0818/en_head.json.gz/9346 | With or Without You 16 March, 1987
Luminous Times (Hold on to Love) Lyrics
Walk To The Water Lyrics
The single appeared on The Joshua Tree album and Best of 1980-1990/B-sides compilation. It was the first single that U2 released on CD. The Righteous Brothers and the Walker Brothers, particularly the album Climate of Hunter by Scott Walker, are said to have inspired the song.
A live version, from U2's show in Rotterdam on July 18, 1997, can be found on the EP PopHeart Live. The song was played live for the first time on the second night of The Joshua Tree tour in Tempe, Arizona on April 4, 1987: Bono included snippets of Joy Division's Love Will Tear Us Apart. The single also appeared in CD Video format and is one of their rarest collectibles. (Not considered a promo item, only a few copies (approximately 50) were manufactured to take advantage of the Philips CDV system.)
The single became U2's first No. 1 on Billboard's Hot 100 chart and was voted Best Single by readers in the 1987 Rolling Stone Magazine poll. The song is also available in the movie and on the soundtrack for Blown Away. It can be found on many compilations including: The Island Story 1962-1987, a 2-CD set to celebrate Island Records 25th Anniversary; Billboard Hits 1987; Billboard Hits 1985-1989 (a 5-CD box set); Music Of The Millennium, and 14 Hot Hits.
With Or Without You is the second most popular U2 song for artists to cover. Several acts have covered the song live including Chicago blues/rock artists The Freddy Jones Band during the H.O.R.D.E. tour, Coma, Guster, Boyz Nite Out, Therapy?, and Double You. Double You released a techno version on their We All Need Love album and a CD single contained several remixes for Streets.
Other artists releasing recorded versions were: Apocalypse Cow on Zoovenir - A Tribute to U2; Apocalypse Now on Temporary Reprieve; Cunnie Williams on Star Hotel; Heaven 17 on We Will Follow: A Tribute to U2; the Knudsen Brothers on Electric Acapella; Kwirl on Punk Chartbusters Vol 2; Studio 99 on The Best of U2 - A Tribute; The Section on Strung Out On U2; Mary Kiani on Long Hard Funky Dreams; Penn Masala on Awaaz; Mancini Pops Orchestra on Mancini Rocks The Pops; Michael Montaud and Xtatic on Any Minute Now. Paul Parker and Kira Lado both released a With Or Without You single and Jawbreaker released a single called With Or Without U2.
The song also appears on two soundtracks: U2's version for the film Blown Away and the film With Or Without You and a cover version by Hamish Cowan, lead singer with Australian band Cordarzine, on the film Looking for Alibrandi.
Release Date: 16 March, 1987 Produced By: Daniel Lanois and Brian Eno Engineer: Flood Label: Island Records Recorded At: Windmill Lane Studios, Dublin With or Without You VIDEOS
With Or Without You - The Joshua Tree «
'Scott Walker's 'Climate of Hunter', that was a great influence on our LP. Listen to With Or Without You.'
Bono to NME
veve2908
26 September, 2012 always with me
I know I might not be the most original person liking this single the most. But I didn't choose it... It was Spring 1990, I was 14 and my mother had just died a few weeks ago from cancer. I was coming back home from a school trip, despite the circumstances probably one of the best trips I had with what would become some of my best friends through all my life.... ok ok getting carried away here. So we where all in this bus, I driving back home (that was Caracas / Venezuela in those days) and one guy played it, he had it in tape.... I immediatly fell in love with the song, could never again get enough of the band and of curse got my first heavy crush on the guy. All three being still very meaningful and important in my life. Newer comments 1 - 1 of 1 Older comments | 影视 |
2016-36/0818/en_head.json.gz/9389 | Susan Milhoan
Steve Lindstrom
Vail, CO, Colorado
Vail Daily letters: The state of film in Vail Valley
Related Media Why so little choice? Between Vail Village and Eagle we have 12 movie theater rooms. Today, Feb. 26, three of them are playing "A Good Day to Die Hard," two are showing "Identity Thief" and two are showing "Safe Haven." That's seven out of 12. If you include Summit County, it's 14 out of 20 that are showing identical movies. Of the remaining six theater rooms, only two are showing the recently Oscar-nominated film "Silver Linings Playbook." "Escape from Planet Earth" is playing now for what feels like the second month in a row. When "Lincoln" was released, Vail didn't see it for months. I was in Palm Desert and able to see it weeks before anyone here at home did. In the meantime we could see "Escape from Planet Earth" in any theater in the valley and in some cases, in two theater rooms at the same place and same time. Many of the Oscar films to this day have not made it to our valley. Are we that backward that we can't get first-release films in a timely manner? Are we an audience that really fills the theaters for weeks at a time to watch "Escape from Planet Earth" or "A Good Day to Die Hard" instead of "Amour," "Beasts of the Southern Wild" or "The Master"? "Argo" came and went in a matter of days. Why isn't it the film that stays here for months at a time? After all, it's the best picture of the year. What gives here? Susan Milhoan How it works The Vail Daily has asked me to respond to questions raised by Susan Milhoan about movie theater bookings in Eagle and Summit counties. I can only speak about our two theaters, Riverwalk in Edwards and Capitol in Eagle. However, I think these comments are generally valid for the theaters in Vail and Dillon, as well as mountain resort town theaters throughout the West. Susan comments that "Escape from Planet Earth" has been playing on multiple screens in the valley for "what feels like the second month in a row." As of this writing (Feb. 27), "Escape" is playing in only one of our auditoriums (presented in 2D and 3D) and has not yet completed its second week (the minimum obligation for a national-release movie). Additionally, I would say that we were very happy to bring this PG-rated animated family movie to the area, especially during the recent school break. Concerning the Oscar-nominated pictures, our theaters have presented eight of the nine movies up for best picture. "Argo" played for six weeks, opening on the national release in October. It was released on DVD Feb. 26. "Beasts of the Southern Wild" played for four weeks in late summer; "Django Unchained" eight weeks; "Les Miserables" seven weeks; "Life of Pi" seven weeks; "Lincoln" seven weeks; "Silver Linings Playbook" six-plus weeks (still playing); "Zero Dark Thirty" five weeks. The last nominated film, "Amour," is playing in a very limited number of theaters nationally, due to its subtitles and subject matter. I am not aware of any theaters currently playing "Amour" in this region. While Vail and Beaver Creek are giants in the skiing universe, and many of us feel that we are living in a special place, Hollywood views the mountain resort towns as very small seasonal markets located out in the hinterlands. By national standards, the population of Eagle valley should support five or six movie screens instead of 11. It is our resort guests and second-home owners who provide the added demand during high seasons to help support the additional theaters. This allows mountain resort town theaters to outperform their weight class, and local residents benefit from the increased movie offerings. Most of the Oscar-nominated films were played at our theaters on national release. "Lincoln" was scheduled to open at Thanksgiving. However, the distributor (Disney) changed its release policy at the last minute, leaving us without a print. We were not able to book it until Dec. 21. "Lincoln" helps illustrate the business side of the movie theater business. Theaters (movie exhibitors) have long-term relationships with the Hollywood studios (seven major studios, plus about 15-20 smaller distribution companies). The studios decide on a marketing campaign and release pattern for each movie, often limiting the number of available prints and offering them only to locations of their choosing and on their terms and conditions. It is within this system that small theaters must operate. Each theater operator tries to book the best slate of available films for its audience, primarily residents within an approximate 10-mile radius. Because it is a competitive marketplace, this often results in similar lineups throughout the region (and country). Ultimately, the audience decides what films (and types of films) get played by patronizing some films over others. Theater operators respond to these market demands as best they can given the constraints of the studio distribution system. One last comment about movie bookings: Mid-winter is the off-season for movie releases. While the pattern of movie releases is becoming somewhat broader throughout the year, it still does not conform to our local calendar. With this in mind, I would submit that this weekend's movie lineup at our two theaters offers a little something for many market segments: families and kids, teens, young adults and, yes, even the mature crowd ("Quartet" is a well-reviewed comedy with older lead actors). By Monday, we'll see what films the audience supported for this weekend ... don't count out the zombies ("Warm Bodies"). Steve Lindstrom owner, Riverwalk and Capitol theaters Join the Conversation
The VailDaily Updated Mar 8, 2013 07:21PM Published Mar 8, 2013 07:19PM Copyright 2013 The VailDaily. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Mobile Site | 影视 |
2016-36/0818/en_head.json.gz/9666 | Miss Navajo: Utah American Indian Film Festival
Wednesday, November 28, 2012 - 7:00pm
The Community Room
The acclaimed documentary, Miss Navajo, reveals the importance of cultural preservation, the role of women in continuing traditions, and the surprising role that a beauty pageant can play. Not only must contestants in the Miss Navajo pageant exhibit poise and grace, they must also answer tough questions in Navajo and demonstrate proficiency in skills essential to daily tribal life: fry-bread making, rug weaving, and sheep butchering. The film follows the path of 21-year-old Crystal Frazier, a not-so-fluent Navajo speaker and self-professed introvert, as she undertakes the challenges of the pageant.Crystal Frazier will answer questions about her experience in the Miss Navajo Pageant after the film.Seating in limited and available on a first-come-first-serve basis.Museum Gallery Admission not Included. Presented as part of UEN’s Second Annual Utah American Indian Film Festival in honor of American Indian Heritage Month Plan a Visit | 影视 |
2016-36/0818/en_head.json.gz/9734 | Motion Picture Academy Invites 135 Stars to Join
Adam Sandler, Bono and James Gandolfini are among 135 people invited to join the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Also on the list announced Friday are several Oscar winners from this year, including Mo’Nique, best supporting actress for “Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire,’” Christoph Waltz, best supporting actor for “Inglourious Basterds,” and Mark Boal, writer and producer of “The Hurt Locker.” The list also includes previous nominees such as Carey Mulligan, Anna Kendrick, Vera Farmiga, and “District 9” writers Neill Blomkamp and Terri Tatchell. Documentary makers Davis Guggenheim, who won for “An Inconvenient Truth,” and Morgan Spurlock also are listed. They’ll all be honored at a reception in September. Copyright ©
Sundance Offers Oscar Sneak Peek A Year In Advance
After Much Anticipation, It’s Finally Oscar Time | 影视 |
2016-36/0818/en_head.json.gz/9737 | Contents tagged with Tilda Swinton
SNOWPIERCER - Exclusive HD Clip - Battering Ram - Chris Evans, Tilda Swinton, Jamie Bell Check out the AMC Theatres' exclusive clip for " Snowpiercer ", starring Chris Evans, Tilda Swinton and Jamie Bell. This interesting sci-fi film is now playing in AMC Theatres, grab your tickets !...
Tom Hiddleston to Play Country Icon Hank Williams
Actor Tom Hiddleston, who has become immortalized as Loki in the Marvel Cinematic Universe , will soon be putting mischief aside for a cowboy hat. He's set to play country icon Hank Williams in...
Wes Anderson's GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL Adds Impressive Actors to Roster Wes Anderson's charming and quirky style is undoubtedly matched by the impressive list of actors tied to his films. Following the success of this year's "Moonrise Kingdom", Anderson's...
New Poster For 'Moonrise Kingdom'
The U.S. theatrical poster for Wes Anderson's new movie “Moonrise Kingdom” is now online. The film stars Bill Murray, Bruce Willis, Edward Norton, Frances McDormand, Tilda Swinton,... | 影视 |
2016-36/0818/en_head.json.gz/10054 | Post-production studio under construction in Esplanade mansion
Kate Moran
Jennifer Zdon / The Times-PicayuneThe house at Esplanade Avenue and Bourbon Street was built in 1859 for a ship captain and in more recent times was owned by Leon Impastato, a landlord with extensive holdings in the Quarter. The movie-related investment group purchased the house for $1.7 million and is turning it into a state-of-the-art post-production studio and residence.
A crumbling, gothic mansion on Esplanade Avenue that served as a setting for several films is about to become a post-production space that should help grow the movie-making industry in Louisiana. A group of investors bought the house in 2007 and has begun renovating the neglected interior to include sound studios, editing rooms and a space to screen films, as well as apartments where directors, editors and technicians can stay as they shepherd movies through their final stages of production. While filmmakers have descended on Louisiana in recent years, drawn both by its lush, tumbledown charm and by the lucrative film tax credits the state launched in 2002, they tend to stay only for the time it takes to shoot their footage. Then it is home to California, where editors begin the painstaking job of culling scenes and layering in sound. The partners behind the studio-cum-residence at 807 Esplanade hope to keep more films in town during the post-production stage, an effort that should bring high-tech, high-paying jobs to New Orleans. They plan to cater to small and independent films, hosting perhaps two crews at a time inside the converted house. "We want to essentially trap the business and double the amount of time they spend here," said Michael Arata, a principal in Voodoo Productions, a partial owner of the project. "Post-production can amount to 25 to 30 percent of a film's cost, and that has left Louisiana." The house Arata and company chose sits on the edge of the French Quarter, at Esplanade and Bourbon Street, and offers an expansive view of the downtown skyline from the third floor. A rusted balcony runs along the side of the house, allowing guests to peer down at the courtyard that until recently was festooned with thick tropical overgrowth. Jennifer Zdon / The Times-PicayuneA view of the New Orleans skyline is visible from a third-floor balcony of the French Quarter home at 807 Esplanade Ave., which investors bought in 2007 to transform its neglected interior into a state-of-the-art film studio complete with enough room to house working film crews for lengthy periods.
The house was built in 1859 for the ship captain William Whann and was owned in more recent times by Leon Impastato, a landlord with extensive holdings in the French Quarter. It had been carved up into tiny, tenement-like apartments, but the current owners have largely gutted the interior, taking care to preserve marble fireplaces and other historic elements. "This place got tremendous hard, hard use," Arata said. Elaborate cornices and ceiling medallions have survived inside the front parlor, a room Arata said would hold a large screen that filmmakers could use to view a day's edits or host a local premiere. The parlor's murals are preserved behind a silken fabric draped over the walls during the filming of the recent Brad Pitt movie "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button." Other rooms in the house will be made distinctly modern, including a third-floor mixing room that will be sealed with a rubber floor to keep ambient noise out. The house will also have Foley stages, where technicians can manufacture sounds such as footsteps or the clattering of hooves. Arata, an actor and film producer, is pursuing the venture with Jerry Daigle, an attorney and fellow principal in Voodoo Productions. They are collaborating with Peter and Susan Hoffman, the founders of Seven Arts Productions, an independent producer and distributor that brings a roster of well-known clients to the effort. Advantage Capital Partners, a venture capital firm that has been a longtime supporter of the movie industry in New Orleans, also has joined as an investor. The partnership received historic, new market and film infrastructure tax credits to birth the venture, which will be called Seven Arts Post. Arata did not disclose the total value of the project, but he said the group purchased the house on Esplanade for $1.7 million. At least a handful of post-production spaces already exist in Louisiana, including Digital FX in Baton Rouge and Storyville and Swelltone Labs, both in New Orleans. Seven Arts is unique in offering small apartments, complete with individual kitchens and bathrooms, where directors, editors and others can stay with their families for several weeks or even months. Arata said editors often pare down a film from a sterile cubicle in Hollywood. The opening of the space at 807 Esplanade will allow those editors to soak up the same lush atmosphere as the actors and director do, an advantage Arata believes could influence the ultimate shape of a film. "The way the project was envisioned was as a unique opportunity for people to live and work in the same place," Daigle said. "The editor could come down and begin working as the film is progessing to see the material and how it is being put together, which would enhance his ability to improve the project and make sure everything is consistent and looks good." Louisiana implemented a tax credit for film production in 2002, and since then state residents have earned a total of $250 million in wages from the movie-making business. Chris Stelly, the director of film and television at the state's Office of Entertainment Industry Development, said some of the jobs that will be created at Seven Arts Post will be permanent positions, not the transient sort that disappears once the shooting of a film concludes. While the group behind Seven Arts Post hopes to attract filmmakers shooting in New Orleans, it also hopes to perform editing, sound, color correction and other post-production work for directors who film in locations beyond New Orleans. Those jobs would be relatively stable and permanent. "The more we as a state are able to offer from pre- to post-production, the better able we will be to grow an indigenous industry," Stelly said. "We're really pleased that our infrastructure in Louisiana continues to grow and mature, helping lay the cornerstone for permanent jobs in the entertainment industry." Kate Moran can be reached at kmoran@timespicayune.com or 504.826.3491. Comments | 影视 |
2016-36/0818/en_head.json.gz/10085 | http://blogs.wsj.com/speakeasy/2011/12/04/once-upon-a-time-season-1-episode-6-the-shepherd-tv-recap/
‘Once Upon a Time,’ Season 1, Episode 6, ‘The Shepherd’: TV Recap
Gwen Orel
It’s Prince Charming’s story, kind of, this week. Not much magic in it. We discover that Charming isn’t Charming, but his twin brother, a shepherd, whose name we don’t learn. It’s the Prince and the Pauper! In Fairy Tale, James dies and his twin brother, separated at birth by, who else, Rumpelstiltskin, has to take his place. In Storybrooke, David leaves his wife for Mary Margaret, but then goes back after recovering some memories, inspired by a windmill in Mr. Gold’s shop. If we didn’t know better, it would seem as though the show is setting up an alternate theory of truth: that Storybrooke has a distinct history from Fairy Tale. But then, we do know better. For the first time, there are little clues (like the windmill) that don’t have aha moments and I’m left thinking, what just happened? People have drinks a lot in this episode and there’s also a lot of newspaper reading. Graham and Regina are still sleeping together. There was hardly any Henry this week, just a little shot of him and Emma chatting at the party.
We begin with a welcome home party for David, who sneaks out to see Mary Margaret. He tells her he didn’t choose Kathryn, and loves her. And we get a hint of Regina’s untold backstory when in the kitchen she tells Kathryn that she does know what it’s like to love someone and lose them, but there was no bringing back the person she loved. Who could it be?
In Fairy Tale, James accepts a commission from King Midas to kill a dragon, after slaying a baddie. But just as he’s about to go, the baddie somehow makes one last stand and gores Charming/James right through. I would guess that the James was the one Regina loved, given the juxtaposition here, but Regina as Evil Queen doesn’t appear in this episode. Midas didn’t see it, so the prince’s father tries to save the kingdom by sending someone else.
Rumpelstiltskin shows up. “This is how you treat my gifts, you must be more careful,” Rump says. Apparently the prince was conceived through Rump’s help. The king asks Rump to bring his son back. I do love watching Robert Carlyle chew the scenery as he gleefully asks for a magic wand.
“Bring him back, that’s out of the question, he’s dead,” Rump says. But when the king despairs he says “oh dear, oh dearie dearie dear,” he says. The son can’t do it, but his twin brother can. Shot of Charming as shepherd.
Back in Storybrooke, Mary Margaret washes dishes as Emma tries to draw her out. Emma pours her a drink, saying “If you think something you want to do is wrong, it is,” she advises. David looks over photographs. Kathryn kisses him but he says “this doesn’t feel right.”
The shepherd chases a dog, looking sweet. It’s green and pretty Mother Goose. His mother comes home suggesting a girl who comes with a dowry to save the farm, which leads conveniently into his saying that he will marry for love. Their house looks like something out of a fairy tale too, and would probably cost a cool half mill in Connecticut.
Rump appears. He giggles maniacally. “A twin brother, and you gave it to that man?” he says. He tells the boy to slay a dragon and it will save the farm.
Back in Storybrooke, Mary Margaret reads the paper in a diner. The hospital doctor comes over to ask if he’s the reason she resigned, because of their bad date. He leaves and then Regina, obviously motivated by having a gal pal, tells her she has to stay away from David. “Before you do something that can’t be undone, let him remember who he was.” But Mary Margaret didn’t even know David had left his wife.
Back in Fairy Tale, the fire breathing dragon sets one of the knights on fire. He swoops down and chars one of the knights to a crisp. It’s actually refreshing to see a scary dragon as they mostly are cuddly these days. The dragon corners the shepherd, who grabs the golden sword and chops its head right off.
David comes to see Mary Margaret in school, and tells her he left Kathryn because the most unkind thing he could do would be to stay with her. He asks her to meet him at the bridge where she found him at 8 that night. Why do people always do this in movies and television? She’s just rejected him so why would he think she would show up? Ticking clock and dramatic scene I guess.
And Emma’s reading a paper. People have a lot of downtime on the job in this land. Graham the Sheriff comes in with donuts asking her to work a night shift. “Why,” she whines, I mean really, whines, but he says he has to work at the animal shelter. Mary Margaret runs in. She asks how do you let him down, what do you do?
“I’d go,” Emma says. “He left her, it’s one thing to say he’ll make a choice, but now he has.”
And Midas offers Prince James, or so he thinks, his daughter’s hand in marriage. “He slayed the dragon? He’ll do,” she sniffs. He’s about to tell him the truth but his dad (it really is his dad, actually, though they only just met) tells him that if he says anything he’ll destroy the kingdom, and threatens to kill his mother and burn the farm.
Back in Storybrooke, David asks Regina for directions to the Toll Bridge. Because he’s stupid, I guess, especially when she makes it very clear she thinks he’s making a mistake leaving his wife. Her directions pass Mr. Gold’s pawnshop, so David, lost, goes in. He sees the creepy puppet parents. Then “Charming,” Rump says, but he’s talking about a mobile with glass unicorns. It was baby Emma’s mobile from Fairy Tale.
He gives David directions too—they might even be right, since there’s clearly no love lost between him and Regina. I do like how spiffy and clean Mr. Gold looks when compared to his Fairy Tale counterpart. He seems to have the same tailor as Steve Buscemi in Boardwalk Empire. David’s distracted by a wooden windmill. “I think this belonged to me,” he says. And Mr. Gold asks “are you sure?”
“ I remember.” Ooooooh. Is someone else remembering his identity?
In Fairy Tale, the Shepherd says goodbye to his mother forever. His mother gives him a ring that will cause love to grow.
And David comes running to the stream to meet Mary Margaret, who’s looking at the moon. He says he remembers how he felt, about Kathryn, and he thinks he has to honor that. He tells her it’s the right thing to do and she says “the right thing to do was not to lead me on.” So. True.
It’s unclear what the windmill had to do with this.
Emma is driving home and sees Graham sneaking out of Regina’s window. “This is volunteering?” she asks. He admits she didn’t want Henry to know and that’s why he was sneaking out the window.
“I really do work at an animal shelter,” he pleads. She throws the keys at him and tells him to finish her shift.
David rings the doorbell at his old house. “You were right, I did hate that windmill out front,” he says. He talks about his leaving to take some time, then having an accident. I’m confused about people remembering the past and time moving on in a place where time was stopped. Are they implanted memories?
James, the fake, marries Abigail. Abigail, with her dress with its feather top, says she’s tired of waiting. She sniffs haughtily.
“smile son, you’re on the road to true love,” says James the Fake’s father.
We know what road that is. It’s the road where he’s going to meet Snow, the thief. In fact we overhear Abigail saying again,“I told you the troll road would be quicker.”
Mary Margaret sits alone letting her mascara run in the diner. The doctor walks in. And when she talks about knowing how something will go but doing it anyway, he says nothing like that happens to him. How? By doing the unexpected. Heck, I’d be charmed too.
So when he offers to buy her a drink, she says he can buy her two.
What did you think? What did David remember? Why is Mr. Gold helping Regina—or is he? When will Mary Margaret and David find one another for real?
Rewind: 'The Closer,' 'Ringer' and 'Survivor'
'Desperate Housewives', Season 8, 'Putting It Together': TV Recap | 影视 |
2016-36/0818/en_head.json.gz/10152 | MoviesOct 25, 2013 8:30 am|Jul 24, 2015 12:05 pm
X-MEN: DAYS OF FUTURE PAST TEASER FOOTAGE IS KIND OF A TEASE
Remember how yesterday’s Captain America: The Winter Soldier teaser trailer was really a full-blown trailer? Now we’re getting some true teaser footage from X-Men: Days of Future Past. There’s a proper trailer coming on October 29th, but here are some quick flashes from the movie’s Instagram account Most of the imagery seems to suggest that the movie’s really starring Hugh Jackman and Jennifer Lawrence, which is fine with us. As you’ll agree after checking out Jennifer Lawrence’s 50 Sexiest Pics.
It also looks like Days of Future Past is a very blue film. Maybe that’s just because we were fixated on Jennifer’s body paint. There’s also lots of blue glowing lights and Nicholas Hoult looking very blue as The Beast. He’s actually Jennifer’s boyfriend in real life. It’s nice that they didn’t have to worry about getting blue on each other. In fact, now we’re thinking about how The Beast’s face got that blue. That’s more thought than we should really be giving to Nicholas Hoult in bed. We’ve also given way too much thought to who that guy is using his hand to drag Jennifer Lawrence toward him. We don’t really care about the character. We just would really like to be able to do that trick ourselves.
What’s missing here? A really good look at the Sentinels–those being the giant mutant-hunting robots who are the Big Baddie in the film. We’re really hoping that they’ll be purple and look like they did in the X-Men comics of the ’60s, ’70s, and ’80s. Probably not, though–judging from this true teaser video for the fictional Trask Industries that was posted a few months ago. At least it’s nice to be teased via Instagram by something other than Victoria’s Secret models–which we’ll be posting about in a new edition later today…
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2016-36/0818/en_head.json.gz/10178 | Box OfficeSpecialty Box Office Preview: ‘Cantinflas’, ‘Life Of… Home
by by Brian Brooks
Specialty Box Office Preview: ‘Cantinflas’, ‘Life Of Crime’, 4 More
by Brian Brooks
4 Box Office News Cantinflas Last Weekend Life Of Crime As many industry insiders head to Venice and Telluride as the last vestiges of summer wind down Labor Day weekend, new Specialty releases are nevertheless in abundance as another Awards season begins to ramp up. Lionsgate and its partnered distributors Pantelion and Roadside Attractions will have the weekend’s biggest roll outs for Cantinflas and Life Of Crime respectively. Pantelion hopes to replicate the success it had last year with Instructions Not Included, targeting a primarily Latino audience. Sundance Selects will open Patricia Clarkson-starrer Last Weekend in an exclusive NYC engagement, while Tribeca Film’s Starred Up features rising British star Jack O’Connell in a tour de force performance. Sony Classics will open last year’s Oscar short-listed The Notebook in limited NYC and LA runs while The Canopy by first-time Australian filmmaker Aaron Wilson will open in New York with an exclusive run via Monterey Media.
Pantelion's 'Cantinflas' Tapped As Mexico's Foreign-Language Oscar Submission
Life Of Crime
Director-writer: Daniel Schechter
Writer: Elmore Leonard (novel)
Cast: Jennifer Aniston, Mos Def (Yasiin Bey), Isla Fisher, Will Forte, Mark Boone Junior, John Hawkes, Tim Robbins, Charlie Tahan, Clea Lewis, Kevin Corrigan
Distributor: Roadside Attractions/Lionsgate
Roadside and Lionsgate head into the holiday weekend with comedy Life Of Crime, which the distributors picked up out of last year’s Toronto where it premiered. The comedy follows two criminals who get more than they bargained for when they kidnap the wife of a corrupt real estate developer who balks at paying the $1 million ransom. “We are releasing this [film] day and date,” said Roadside co-president Howard Cohen. “We are doing these [kinds of releases] selectively and we thought Life Of Crime was a good candidate for both media.” Roadside released David Gordon Green’s Joe starring Nicolas Cage and Tye Sheridan similarly last spring ($373,375 total theatrical gross). “[For us] part of the decision is instinct, but generally [these kinds of releases] have to have a strong cast which will work in both theaters and on demand,” said Cohen. “Life Of Crime is also benefitting from good reviews and it’s getting great publicity from [the cast] who have been doing press.” Cohen said that an “upscale” audience will be attracted to Life Of Crime. The feature is based on Elmore Leonard’s 1978 novel The Switch, but the title was changed to Life Of Crime because Jennifer Aniston already appeared in a film called The Switch in 2010, directed by Josh Gordon and Will Speck and co-starring Jason Bateman. Roadside/Lionsgate will open Life Of Crime on 33 screens in 20 markets and will likely bow in another 20 markets on September 12.
Director-writer: Sebastian del Amo
Writer: Edui Tijerina
Cast: Óscar Jaenada, Michael Imperioli, Ilse Salas, Bárbara Mori, Ana Layevska, Adal Ramones
Distributor: Pantelion/Lionsgate/Televisa
Pantelion is betting on the enduring popularity of late Mexican actor Cantinflas as it brings its Spanish-language title to primarily Latino U.S. audiences this weekend. The bio-drama of the same name is an “untold story” from his humble beginnings to Hollywood and international stardom. “We began our discussions with the film’s producers about a year ago,” said Pantelion’s Edward Allen. “Cantinflas as a character has no comparison in America. Unlike American actors [of his generation] Cantinflas is still a part of regular viewing for people of Latin American descent. They see him here all the time through sources like Telemundo and Univision. He appeals across generations.”
Last year Pantelion hit box office gold with Instructions Not Included. The comedy grossed $44 million, the most of any Spanish-language title in the states. It will go after a similar audience with Cantinflas partnering with Spanish-language media in the U.S. and some non-media partners to spread the word. “We are doing grass-roots marketing, partnering with supermarkets that cater to Latin American [clientele],” added Allen. “In L.A. we’re doing an outdoor campaign, but also saturating Spanish-language media across all channels.” Best known for co-starring with David Niven and Finlay Currie in Around The World In 80 Days by Michael Anderson, that film took home five Oscars including Best Picture. It grossed $42 million at the box office in 1956 (over $367 million when adjusted for inflation). Instructions Not Included bowed in 348 theaters grossing $7.84 million ($22,547 PTA) August 30, nearly one year ago. It is clearly taking a cue from that successful roll out with a similar strategy with Cantinflas opening in over 380 theaters around the country. “It will mirror the Latino population across the country,” added Allen. “We will expand based on performance and adjust the plan accordingly.”
Directors: Tom Dolby, Tom Williams
Writer: Tom Dolby
Cast: Patricia Clarkson, Zachary Booth, Joseph Cross, Chris Mulkey, Devon Graye, Alexia Rasmussen, Rutina Wesley, Jayma Mays, Judith Light
Distributor: Sundance Selects
Tom Dolby began writing Last Weekend as a novel. About 100 pages into it, he met with his high school and college friend Tom Williams who suggested he write it as a screenplay. “I did [so],” said Dolby. “We developed it with [Williams’] boss Mark Johnson who is an executive producer.” Last Weekend follows an affluent matriarch who gathers her dysfunctional family together at their Lake Tahoe vacation home. The planned idyllic weekend, however, begins to come apart and Celia Green (Patricia Clarkson) questions her role in the family. “[Tom Williams] and I have collaborated creatively on various projects and we had the crazy idea that maybe we could direct a movie together — we’re both first-time directors,” said Dolby at the film’s NYC premiere earlier this month hosted by the Cinema Society at the Tribeca Grand Hotel. “Mark Johnson was incredibly supportive and helped us to put this together and get Patricia [Clarkson] on board.” The filmmakers met Clarkson in New York’s Greenwich Village “at her favorite café” for drinks and conversation. She joined the project in June 2012. “She was excited about the possibility of a character and a role of a woman in her mid 50s that’s really the leading role which is quite rare for that age bracket. And this is also a complicated character,” added Dolby. He pointed out that Clarkson played the lead in Ruba Nadda’s Cairo Time which IFC Films released in August, 2010. That film went on to cume over $1.6 million in the domestic box office. “In Cairo Time, she’s a reserved almost demure character whereas this character is the polar opposite. It’s emotionally raw which was exciting for us,” said Dolby. “The role was also physically demanding. She had to do several days of stunts in the lake which is very cold. She was adamant she’d do her own stunts.”
Financing was in place via private investors before Clarkson joined Last Weekend but her participation upped the caliber of actors seeking supporting roles, according to Dolby. “What was surprising to me as a first time filmmaker — and this is a tribute to Patty — is how many other actors were interested in the parts after she came on board,” he said. “It was cast over the course of 3 weeks and we had 75 – 100 meetings.” He also gave a shout out to casting director Mary Vernieu for opening “the door to actors of a certain stature we didn’t even think possible for such a small film.” The shoot took place over five weeks. It debuted at the San Francisco International Film Festival in May and Sundance Selects picked it up that same month. “IFC Films released Cairo Time so [Patricia Clarkson] is very much a part of their family,” added Dolby. IFC Films label Sundance Selects will open Last Weekend exclusively at IFC Center this weekend in addition to day and date. It will add markets in the coming weeks.
Starred Up
Director: David Mackenzie
Writer: Jonathan Asser
Cast: Jack O’Connell, Ben Mendelsohn, Rupert Friend, Sam Spruell, David Ajala, Peter Ferdinando, Anthony Welsh, David Avery
Distributor: Tribeca Film
A debut at last year’s Toronto International Film Festival, British director David Mackenzie’s critically lauded Starred Up hit theaters this week in addition to on demand outlets. Set in a British prison, the film centers on a troubled and extremely violent teen who is transferred to an adult facility where he encounters his equally tough father – a fellow prisoner – and is taken under the wing of a volunteer therapist. “It was a spec script by Jonathan Asser who had direct experience as a prison therapist,” said Mackenzie at the New York theatrical debut at MoMA this week. “The strong characters were very, very exciting to me as a filmmaker. It’s moving into a world of hard-boiled realism and it was definitely a great opportunity.” Mackenzie met Asser in 2010 and the project shot in 2012 over 24 days. Much has been made of the film’s star Jack O’Connell who is well-known to British audiences via the big screen such as Shane Meadows’ This Is England and from television by way of teen drama Skins. He may very well become something of a household name on this side of the Atlantic with the upcoming Angelina Jolie-directed feature Unbroken in which he stars with Jai Courtney, Domhnall Gleeson and Garrett Hedlund. Mackenzie thanked Tribeca Film for not adding subtitles when introducing Starred Up at MoMA Tuesday night, acknowledging that some of the dialog would likely be lost on U.S. audiences, but he added that the spirit of some of the slang comes through on the screen.
“Starred up” is a term used in the UK to describe the transfer of a young criminal from an institution that normally houses youth offenders to adult prison. “We used an [abandoned] prison in Belfast [for the shoot],” said Mackenzie.” It was a very short time to make this kind of film with this many stunts [and] it was shot in sequence.” Support for the project came from FilmFour, the Scottish Film Board and private equity. He noted that the British Film Institute (BFI) was “not involved but should have been.” Perhaps of minor note, Starred Up is winding its way through various Manhattan film institutions this week. The Tribeca Film release had its premiere Tuesday night at MoMA and opened the Film Society of Lincoln Center and IFC Center Wednesday night. Mackenzie did Q&As Wednesday and again Thursday. Tribeca Film will expand the title September 5 and again September 12 with additional markets added throughout next month.
Director-writer: János Szász
Writer: Tom Abrams, Agota Kristof, András Szekér
Cast: László Gyémánt, András Gyémánt, Piroska Molnár, Ulrich Thomsen, Ulrich Matthes, Göngyvér Bognár
Distributor: Sony Pictures Classics
János Szász’s The Notebook made the Oscar foreign language short list last December, which caught the attention of Sony Classics. The distributor picked up U.S. rights for the Hungarian title the following month. The drama centers on twin siblings who get through World War II in a border village by studying and learning from the evil surrounding them. “We try to look at as many of the [foreign-language Oscar] entries as possible,” said SPC co-president Michael Barker. The point of view of this movie is the affect fascism has on kids and how it permeates down to them. There’s something unique about this story and yet horrible at the same time, so it has this horror element set in an historical [context].” Barker said that a movie like this needs a theatrical window like late summer to breathe because the upcoming awards round could crowd it out. “There’s no way a movie like this would survive the competition of the fall,” he said. “[Successful] foreign films are doing better today than in the past, but it’s the small movies that [still] struggle. So it’s a mixed bag.”
Barker said he believes younger audiences are actually more receptive to foreign-language films because being reared on texting and social media have made them more accustomed to text. SPC’s Oscar-winning 2000 title Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon continues to be the highest grossing foreign-language title in the U.S. at over $128 million. Fellow Oscar winner Life Is Beautiful from Miramax is second at over $57.5 million. SPC’s 2014 English and Hindi-language title The Lunchbox is one of this year’s top dozen Specialty films with over $4.2 million at the box office. The Notebook will have a platform release in New York and LA this weekend.
Director-writer: Aaron Wilson
Cast: Khan Chittenden, Tzu-yi Mo, Robert Menzies, Edwina Wren
Distributor: Monterey Media
Filmmaker Aaron Wilson wrote Canopy based on a collection of true stories of isolation and loneliness during wartime. The project was conceived while he was at a filmmaking residence in Singapore in 2006. Set during WWII, it centers on an Australian fighter pilot who is shot down in combat and awakens suspended in the treetops. “In a broader sense, the story I wanted to tell explores Australia’s place in the Asia-Pacific region,” said Wilson. “Singapore and Australia share a common history forged through empire and war, and in Canopy I had the opportunity to represent this connection symbolically through two soldiers from different backgrounds…” Financing came from international investors and sponsors both in Oz and Singapore in addition to China, Thailand, France and Holland. “We [also] held several events such as art exhibitions — with images from or inspired by the filming — and period-style music events to reach new investors and broaden our group of followers,” said Wilson. “We ran a successful crowd-funding campaign during our post-production to help raise additional funds to complete the film. The film was funded piecemeal, so we’d raise enough money to film and then we’d go and shoot in Singapore. Then we raised some more money to commence our post-production and get so far before we’d have to raise more money…Even after we’d been invited to premiere the film at the Toronto International Film Festival last year, we were still raising funds to complete the film to the point that we could deliver it to the festival.” His Australian lead, Khan Chittenden, was found through auditions held in Melbourne and Sydney.
Taiwanese lead, Mo Tzu-Yi, came to the project by a chance meeting in Hong Kong. “I was attending the Hong Kong Film Market a few years ago and was watching as many Chinese, South-East Asian and Taiwanese films as I could to look for interesting faces and new talents,” he recalled. “I saw this one Taiwanese film with an absolutely riveting lead performance. So I raced to the Taipei Film Commission stall to ask about the actor I’d just seen in this film, only to find that he was standing right behind me.” The project was mostly shot in Singapore aside from a scene in his hometown in Australia. Monterey Media picked up the film last winter. It will open the Film Society of Lincoln Center in New York, Laemmle’s Music Hall in L.A. and the Sundance Cinema in Seattle this weekend. “Throughout September and early October, we will roll out the film in limited release into 25-30 additional cities, including some Dolby Atmos 7.1 equipped theaters — as Dolby recognized and has been wonderfully supportive of the film’s incredibly inclusive sound based experience – 7.1 being rare for an independent film,” noted the distributor’s CEO and Managing Partner Scott Mansfield.
turnitup • on Aug 28, 2014 7:58 pm
They made a movie about Cantiflas! I love it
Sheldon W. • on Aug 28, 2014 9:24 pm
It’s probably worth noting that Life of Crime writer/director Daniel Schechter showed his script to Leonard and was given his blessing. That says a lot about it.
Herb Finn • on Aug 28, 2014 10:32 pm
Cantinflas could have been a big comedy star in the U.S. if it wasn’t for Columbia mishandling PEPE.
Gun • on Aug 29, 2014 2:18 am
Life of crime is great movie .
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2016-36/0818/en_head.json.gz/10204 | This is the story of Electra, a sometimes glamorous drag queen, who had escaped from his former life in Seattle and moved to South Beach where he became a female impersonator. Electra was a big hit on the club circuit as a master female impersonator with a repertoire of stars like Judy Garland, Lucille Ball, Carol Channing, Bette Midler and a dozen more. Electra's dream was to own his own club so Madame's, a café located too far off the beaten path, became Electra's nightmare. The wolves were growling at the door and every creditor in town had Madame's on speed-dial with the landlord threatening to close the place down. Before throwing in the wig, Electra had an incredible idea that would save the day, or so she hoped. Electra would produce an American Idol-type talent show with drag queens as contestants. Knowing that the landlord secretly yearned to perform in drag, Electra hoped the scheme would at least keep Madame's open until the contest's finale. Right in the middle of the craziness enters a 12-year old girl named Mary Jones who announces that she's looking for her father Harry Jones. Electra nearly faints since that's his real name. Turns out that Hester, his ex-wife, never told him that she was pregnant when he decided to run away to South Beach to find him/herself. The arrival of his 12-year old daughter could have been the straw that broke the camel's back; however Mary and Electra�er Harry, bonded. Mary found the father she never had and Electra discovered he wasn't such a bad father after all. Here's where the happy ending should be inserted but enter another villain. The ex-wife Hester, surprised to find that Harry is a drag queen, shows up and threatens to take back her daughter (who has a trust fund) and ruin her ex-husband's life. On Christmas Eve, the finale of the drag-show contest has Madame's overflowing with customers but the real winners that night were not even entered in the contest. Enter your search terms
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2016-36/0818/en_head.json.gz/10463 | All Classifieds FlyerCity Shopping Announcements Browse Listings Place a Classifieds Ad DrivingSubscribe Sports
Rocky the musical gets TKO'd in review
Stu Cowan, Montreal Gazette More from Stu Cowan, Montreal Gazette Published on: March 16, 2014 | Last Updated: March 16, 2014 4:38 PM EDT Share
The original Rocky movie, starring Sylvester Stallone, won the Academy Award for Best Picture in 1976. Of course, it was followed by Rocky II, III, IV, V and Rocky Balboa.
Now, Rocky the musical is on Broadway, opening on March 13. Judging by the New York Times review there won’t be a sequel to the musical.
“The creators of ‘Rocky’ the musical — which features a book by Thomas Meehan and Mr. Stallone, and songs by Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Ahrens, with Alex Timbers as the director — have perhaps gone overboard in capitalizing on this legend,” wrote Ben Brantley of the Times. “For what they have given us is a show that at first feels like such a flat liner that you can’t imagine that it could pull itself into any kind of competitive shape, even in a lackluster season for Broadway musicals.”
You can read the entire review by clicking here.
Here’s what CBS’s David Letterman had to say about the Broadway version of Rocky: “It’s getting such great early notice that they’re already working on another one — ‘Rambo, Get Your Gun.’ ”
Maybe a baseball musical would work better. Here’s a suggestion from comedy writer Tim Hunter for the next baseball hit musical: “Fiddler on the Retractable Roof.”
(Photo by Andrew H. Walker/Getty Images)
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Documentary film being made on Soviet Red Army hockey team | 影视 |
2016-36/0818/en_head.json.gz/10467 | Brian Sergent
in New Zealand
Brian Sergent (born 29 December 1959) is an actor born and based in Wellington, New Zealand. He has appeared in some of New Zealand’s television series, commercial advertisements, and is well known in theatre and his voice is recognized for his voice-overs and radio presentations. He is also an award winning playwright.
Sergent’s acting career began at age 15 playing Lionel in the soap opera, Close to Home.
Brian is also known for playing Eric on the award winning television show, Outrageous Fortune (TV series), the New Zealand Prime Minister on The Flight of the Conchords (also named Brian), and Harold in The Lost Children (TV). One of his most popular characters, cabin steward Gavin Soper, appeared on the Pulp Comedy television series.
Sergent has a strong association with Circa Theatre in Wellington. He performed as five different characters in Time of My Life, ten roles in Greater Tuna, eleven characters in Travels with My Aunt and several roles in The Duchess of Malfi and Take a Chance on Me.
Sergent’s film credits include Peter Jackson’s Meet the Feebles, Braindead and Lord of the Rings, Absent Without Leave, Via Satellite, the lead role as Marty in The Shirt and Noah in | 影视 |
2016-36/0818/en_head.json.gz/10468 | Philip “Fyvush” Finkel is an American actor best known as a star of Yiddish theater and for his role as lawyer Douglas Wambaugh on the television series Picket Fences, for which he earned an Emmy Award in 1994. He is also known for his portrayal of Harvey Lipschultz, a crotchety U.S. history teacher, on the TV series Boston Public. | 影视 |
2016-36/0818/en_head.json.gz/10476 | Public Information Films > 1951 to 1964 > Film index > In The Shadow Of The Wall Home About these films 1945 - 1951 1951 - 1964 1964 - 1979 1979 - 2006 View all films Downloads Introduction | About this period | Timeline | Film index
In The Shadow Of The Wall To view this film, you will require Adobe Flash 9 or higher and must have Javascript enabled.
Duration 12min Release Date 1962
Sponsor Central Office of Information for Foreign Office
Text version of this film Telling the tale of two Berlins, this propaganda film was produced to help Britons understand why the East German Communist authorities constructed the Berlin Wall in 1961. After the unsuccessful attempt to expel Western powers from Berlin in 1948-49, the sustained presence of the West in the city greatly irritated the Communist system. The existence of Western zones in Berlin, and the free access for Berliners to travel between both capitalist and communist zones, enabled many East Germans to defect. By 1961, around 3 million people had migrated from East to West. This was a major coup for the West as these people were leaving the communist system for a better life in the capitalist West. The number of refugees that had fled to the West by 1961 represented about one-sixth of East Germany’s population.
On August 12th 1961, a record 4,000 people made their way to West Berlin to start a new life in the West. This pushed the East German authorities into doing something. On 13 August 1961, barbed wire barricades went up, dividing the city. Claiming that Western powers were using Berlin as a centre for spying, Communist authorities described the barricades as an "anti-fascist protection barrier" that kept spies out. Instantly movement of military and civilian personnel was restricted. As a permanent concrete wall reinforced the barbed wire barricades, there was international outrage.
US and Soviet tanks faced each other in Berlin, and for a short while a hot war rather than the accepted Cold War seemed to becoming a reality. In the end, however, all sides accepted the wall. Although President Kennedy was deeply critical of the wall, even he pointed out that 'a wall is a lot better than a war’. For many people the Berlin Wall was seen as the iconic symbol of the Cold War. However, in 1989, after years of physical division, Berliners from both East and West dismantled sections of the Wall as restrictions on movement and communist repression were unexpectedly lifted. The fall of the Berlin Wall in November 1989 was regarded as the beginning of the end of the Cold War, and contributed to the eventual collapse of Soviet Union in 1991; some 30 years after the Wall was first built.
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2016-36/0818/en_head.json.gz/10534 | OK! Interview: Miranda Lambert April 17, 2008 2:37AM In the last four years, Miranda Lambert has gone from a wannabe Nashville Star to a Grammy-nominated country superstar. After finishing third on the reality show, the Texas native is riding high on the heels of her platinum debut album, Kerosene, and her sophomore effort, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend. Taking a break from life on the road, Miranda, 25, strikes a pose with OK! and tells us why she’ll never be a size two and if she’s ever been a crazy ex-girlfriend herself.
So do you feel more comfortable in jeans or in something you might wear on the red carpet?I really love jeans. That’s kind of my playful side — jeans and boots. I really like sundresses in the summer a lot. The dress-up for awards shows thing isn’t really me; it’s okay for a day, but I’m definitely ready to get back in my jeans once it’s over.
Do you have one beauty product that’s simply your must-have that you need all the time?I love lip gloss. My favorite is Lip Glass by MAC. It’s really good, it stays on a long time, but it’s not too thick — it’s my absolute favorite. Do you have a favorite designer to wear to award show events?
I don’t have a favorite designer in particular. For the Grammy’s I wore Nicole Miller and I really loved the dress. The one thing, a lot of the designer dresses are so small, they come in size two, which I’m not. The dress I wore to the Grammy’s was a size six, sometimes I’m a size eight. And that’s normal, but it’s not in the fashion world. So sometimes it’s hard for me. You want to wear something that someone’s never seen before, but sometimes that zipper just doesn’t zip. I really like Nicole Miller because she makes stuff for normal people. Also BCBG, I really like their stuff.
Do you ever have to lose weight to get into these dresses on the red carpet?
It used to bother me. I thought I was fat because none of the dresses would fit. But they make them for runway models, and I’ve come to the realization that no matter how skinny I am, I’ll never be a size two, it’s just not my body. So I’ve accepted the way I look, and if I feel good, then that’s all I care about. You make it a point not to wear skimpy outfits on stage.
Yeah, I try to be the best example I can be for young girls just as far as my person goes — just to uphold a good image. Plus, I don’t wear skimpy clothes because I don’t really have the six-pack abs to show off. I really have a comfortable style. Onstage, I don’t want to be thinking about my outfit, I want to think about what I’m doing, so I’ll try to dress as comfortably as possible.
With such a busy touring schedule, how do you possibly have time to watch what you eat? Is it difficult on the road?
It’s hard, but I have kind of a routine. I’ve had a trainer out on the road with me for the past year. He really helped me change my eating habits completely — I used to really eat badly. Now, there’ll be days where I don’t care, but on most days I eat salads. It’s really great to have him around, even if he’s not physically there, he could surprise me while I’m eating Cheetos and walk into the room. Then he’ll make me pay for it in the workout. We work out every show day so I’m doing three or four days a week. I’m really active at home too. I have a farm so I’m constantly moving.
You have a farm?
I just got it in October. I’ve got pigs, donkeys, a miniature horse who’s having a baby. It’s great, you know? It’s my paradise, it’s where I go to get away from civilization. I mean, it’s in the middle of nowhere. Those are the times where I don’t have to wear makeup, I don’t have to look cute, I can just be who I am.
How much time to get to spend there? I’ve really gotten to spend a lot of time there, I’ve been so lucky. During the holidays and the winter season isn’t really a big touring time for us. So I’ve got some weeks off this month and two weeks next month to do some songwriting. So I get to be there with all of that.
You’ve got this sort of double life.
Yeah, but they’re both great lives. I think I need the farm to balance out all the craziness of my career. When I go there, I’m really just a regular girl, not Miranda Lambert.
We don’t really read about you in the tabloids — do you feel like how grounded you are has kept you from going down the path that so many other young stars have chosen?
I just don’t understand the party scene; I’m just not that into it at all. I do that kind of partying for a living, what I do is one big party every night. So when I’m off I really like to have my privacy, be with my boyfriend, be with my family. Anyway, I don’t really have the opportunity, there’s not really a party scene in the middle of nowhere Oklahoma anyway.
So you’re going to start writing again when you get some downtime?
Yeah, it’ll be for the new record — we won’t be going into the studio until fall at the earliest, then the new record will come out next year. But I’m trying to not wait until the last minute to start writing them.
How much of your records would you say is autobiographical?
Well, the first record, Kerosene, I started writing for that one when I was 17, so obviously I didn’t have a lot to write about at 17, so I took from what I’d seen and what other people were going through around me. They’re a couple of songs on there that are personal. But I’ve really lived a lot in the three years that record’s been out, so it definitely comes from a more personal place on Crazy Ex-Girlfriend.
Have you ever been the crazy ex-girlfriend?
Oh yeah! Currently I’m not a crazy ex-girlfriend, but I can’t promise I won’t be one again.
What kind of reaction have you gotten to that song and others like it?
Girls love that song. Actually, guys do too. We had this thing going last summer when we were out with Toby Keith where we would videotape people telling their crazy ex-girlfriend confessions, guys and girls. It was really interesting to hear some of the stuff. You know, we were kind of afraid that a couple of them were kind of too far out there, like someone might get arrested for this or that story. But it’s fun because I think people can relate to it, everyone has their crazy moments, you know? Guys have had their crazy girlfriend and girls have been that. I guess I’m just the first to actually admit it in an album.
Do you feel kinship or competition with other young women in the country music world?
There’s been some talk of a tour with me and Carrie Underwood and Kellie Pickler because girls just don’t go together a lot; it’s hard for women to draw. I don’t know why, it’s just been that way for years. I really want it to change. It’s great that women are coming out right now that are great, and I think if a few of us could get together and get out there, it would be a big deal. People would love it.
For more on Miranda, check out her gallery and pick up the latest issue of OK!, on newsstands now! | 影视 |
2016-36/0818/en_head.json.gz/10601 | Real Offers
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Top 7 Republic Day Movies To Watch – Bollywood’s Best Patriotic Films Every Indian Should Watch
Posted on January 26, 2016 by Kiara Bollywood presents every patriotic movies in such a dramatical way that everyone’s tears comes out after watching those movies. On this republic day we are going to tell you about the bollywood’s best patriotic films that every Indian should watch at once. So here is the list of 6 Movies To Watch This Republic Day.
7 Movies To Watch This Republic Day – Bollywood’s Best Patriotic Films Every Indian Should Watch
Airlift – Bollywood’s Best Patriotic Films Raja Krishna Menon’s ‘Airlift’ is the latest addition to the list of well-made patriotic films. The Akshay Kumar and Nimrat Kaur-starrer has instantly found acceptance from cinegoers. The film recreates Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait and how 1 lakh 70 thousand Indians were evacuated by air back to India, in what remains the biggest human air evacuation ever. The film reaches such heights due to its climax and provides a soul-stirring patriotic effect.
Holiday – Bollywood’s Best Patriotic Films Holiday: A Soldier Is Never Off Duty is a 2014 Indian action thriller film written and directed by A. R. Murugadoss, and produced by Vipul Shah. It features Akshay Kumar and Sonakshi Sinha in the lead roles, along with Govinda, Freddy Daruwala and Sumeet Raghavan in supporting roles. It is a remake of the 2012 Tamil Action film Thuppakki which was also directed by A. R. Murugadoss. The film released on 6 June 2014,[4] becoming the biggest nett grosser of the first half of 2014.
Chak De! India – Bollywood’s Best Patriotic Films Chak De! India is a 2007 Indian sports film, directed by Shimit Amin and Rob Miller (sports scenes) produced by Aditya Chopra. It explores religious bigotry, the legacy of the partition of India, ethnic and regional prejudice and sexism in contemporary India in a fictional story about the Indian women’s national field-hockey team which was inspired by the team’s win at the 2002 Commonwealth Games. The film stars Shahrukh Khan as Kabir Khan, former captain of the Indian men’s national field-hockey team. After a disastrous loss to Pakistan, Khan is ostracized from the sport and he and his mother are driven from the family home by angry neighbors. Seven years later, to redeem himself, Khan becomes the coach of the Indian national women’s hockey team and aims to turn its sixteen contentious players into a championship unit.
Border – Bollywood’s Best Patriotic Films ‘Border’ remains J P Dutta’s finest and most successful works till date. Based on the India-Pakistan war of 1971, the film stars Sunny Deol, Suniel Shetty, Jackie Shroff, Akshaye Khanna among a host of other actors. The film not only succeeded in igniting patriotic spark among Indians, it also gave an anti-war message in the end.
Rang De Basanti – Bollywood’s Best Patriotic Films Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra’s ‘Rang De Basanti’ is considered an iconic patriotic saga for today’s youth. Starring an ensemble cast of Aamir Khan, Sharman Joshi, R Madhavan, Soha Ali Khan, Atul Kulkarni, Siddharth and Kunal Kapoor, the film succeeded in retelling Bhagat Singh and his comrades’ story in today’s era. The film’s highly positive reaction to the movie even surprised Mehra himself.
The Legend Of Bhagat Singh – Bollywood’s Best Patriotic Films Although Bollywood has seen a host of films based on Bhagat Singh, this one manages to stand apart. Director Rajkumar Santoshi and writer Abhijat Joshi tried a commercial way of narrating the story of martyrs and it paid off. Starring Ajay Devgn, Sushant Singh and D Santosh, ‘The Legend Of Bhagat Singh’ might not have earned much accolades at the box-office, it continues to be one of the most loved patriotic films of the modern era.
Lagaan – Bollywood’s Best Patriotic Films Ashutosh Gowariker’s ‘Lagaan’ is not only an all time classic, the film achieved history by being one of the top five films at the Oscars in the Foreign Language category. The film, starring Aamir Khan in the lead, generated strong patriotic sentiment without being jingoistic or preachy. ‘Lagaan’ also achieved a rare feat of turning a cinema hall into a cricket stadium through a nail-biting cricket match.
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2016-36/0818/en_head.json.gz/10674 | Kidnap asks: Does committing a crime make a criminal?
A few minutes following intermission, a convincing Kabir proclaimed (in English), "Who cares what the truth is?" The implication of the words alone is not the context in which they are used in the sentence that gave Kidnap (2008) the shot in the arm it needed, after which there was no looking back. It's a good film that is self-aware, and one that works well mostly because of the perfect casting of Sanjay Dutt and Imran Khan in a classic man versus boy tale. Their presence is ably complemented with sleek cinematography and fantastic art direction in a film by Sanjay Gadhvi, who also directed Dhoom (2004) and Dhoom 2 (2006).The approach to answering the questions that are part of the title to this post, and the first sentence, is novel, a testament to the quality of the script by Shibani Bathija, who also scripted Fanaa (2006) and Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna (2006). You might be surprised at how you answer the questions too!Kidnap tells the story of Kabir Sharma (Imran Khan), an orphan, who kidnaps Sonia (Minissha Lamba), daughter of Vikrant Raina (Sanjay Dutt), the 'richest Indian in the world'. From the outset, the audience knows it's not for the money, and for reasons indicated by an animated short featuring one of the principal characters which accompanies the opening credits. The reason remains a mystery to Sonia's parents (the mother played by Vidya Malvade), until clue after innovative clue is deciphered. The question is, at what price?The film does not divulge into much commentary on juvenile crime, but uses the plot effectively to illustrate a point anyone with the willingness to look at two sides to a story would appreciate and agree with. It's not as controversial as it sounds and is remarkably different from what the trailers and soundtrack suggested. Some concerns about it being released on Gandhi Jayanti were dismissed by this, the setting for perhaps the most crucial moment in the film, with strong emphasis through dialogue on the uncontrollability that stems from anger:There is much to appreciate in the film, starting with Sanjay Dutt and Imran Khan, who were excellent in their roles. For all the respect that Dutt's presence commands, it takes an actor as young in his career as Imran to portray the vulnerability that was subject to intimidation by a larger-than-life character who was an arrogant businessperson, but was willing to go to all lengths to save his daughter. Credit the make-up artists here for giving Imran the look that fit his character rather well.The same must be said for Minissha Lamba's look and acting. That she might not look as young as her character (okay, seventeen was a bit too young, but she looked stunning) was not an issue after the first five minutes of the film. In Yahaan (2005), she proved she could carry the rustic image brilliantly (that remains her best film). Here, she proved she can compete with just about anyone in the eye candy provisioning as well, the merits of which I would be glad to argue against, because it doesn't fit in as well in the context of the script. Of course, I don't mean to complain ;)Almost a prerequisite to enjoying the film is suspension of disbelief. If you've seen Dhoom or Dhoom 2, you know that already. Thankfully, it's all quite complementary if you're willing to take off your thinking caps, which I had no issues with.Vidya Malvade (Chak De India (2007)) was by far the weakest link in the film. Surprisingly, her age compared to her daughter in the film (Minissha) didn't have much to do with it. Again, credit the make-up. But there were several instances that left one questioning her preparedness -- style over substance can only work so well. While her role was less crucial than the other three, the film would have been well served to have someone better equipped to handle the sensitive character of a mother and divorcee.The action was top-notch. While there was one unnecessarily lengthy scene with a race against time involving a car, motorbike, ferry, and train, one high-intensity scene in particular that was executed brilliantly more than made up for that. If he keeps this up, Imran will eventually become a great action hero. Spider Man would have been proud of him in what transpired after this...The script was innovative and the screenplay strong, especially in the second half. The dialogue (Sanjay Ghadvi) was engaging. And just when one thought things might get predictable, tables turned.Perhaps the biggest strength of the film was its art direction and cinematography. The sets were a feast for the eyes. The camera work was fantastic, and some of the sequences in the ocean or at the beach or waterfall were amazingly well shot. The lighting too was apt, whether it was at a club, the place where Sonia was held captive, or a prison.The music was integrated better than expected. Although the soundtrack (Pritam Chakrobarty) was above average at best, only one song felt entirely unnecessary. The rest were used quite decently, especially Meri Ek Ada Shola by Sunidhi Chauhan and Sukhwinder Singh. The song even featured a special appearance. I counted four special appearances throughout the film, and shall leave them to you to discover.Kidnap gets three and a half stars and then some for a novel approach in having its audience second-guess (and justifiably so) their values systems, because its core leads to swaying opinion on (and thus favoritism for) the protagonists and antagonists, whose roles transform as the film progresses. Using this platform, it gives Sanjay Dutt and Imran Khan almost equal time on screen, and they deliver well to ensure a good viewing experience. The film has its flaws, but they're not too bothersome, enough to publish this at 2 AM and recommend you see this when you can. If you decide to go see it in theaters, be sure to get there on time because you wouldn't want to miss the opening credits. Watching this on the big screen has its advantages.Movie rating: 3.5/5 (Good)Music rating: 2.75/5 (Above average, better integration)My classification: R (for plot, violence, some blood)PG-13 minus the blood. Parents, you're better off watching this in the absence of children.Official film website (and picture source): KidnapTheFilm.comPS: Honorable mention to two scenes that reminded me of Aamir Khan scenes in Dil (1990) and Baazi (1994). The one that was similar to a scene from the former even had some very similar dialogue, while the one for the latter had more visual relevance. If you see Kidnap and have seen the either of Dil or Baazi, try giving it a shot! ;)PPS: Pritam plagiarism status update: If you've followed Pakistani pop music singer Haroon (formerly of the group Aawaaz), you'll know instantly as I did that the principal lines to the song Mausam Yeh Awesome Bada are sung to the exact tune of his track titled Mehbooba (from the album 'Lagan'). Shame, but he's done it too often for me to hold it against a film. It's more personal than that!
Imran Khan,
Kidnap,
Minissha Lamba,
Movie review,
Now I'm dying to see the movie, Pritam's plagiarism and all. Thanks for the review. I was already intrigued, though, especially after seeing the "Mausam" promo! ;-)
got through to your site looking for reviews of kidnap. it's playing at my nearby theatre, so i'll go check it out tonight. you had better be right, bolly fan, no pressure =)
Hi Ajnabi: Per Pritam, it's 'inspiration', not 'plagiarism', LOL. Again, it's such a shame, because some of his music is very good. His original works will always be questioned because of his track record, which is well-deserved, of course. The soundtrack to Kidnap has actually gotten better after the movie. What followed 'Mausam' almost had me yelling out to Kabir! I think I even said it, my friend next to me whispered, "seriously?"Ajit: Thanks for your comment, and I hope you enjoy the film. If you play along, you probably will. Please let us know what you thought of it, and yes, 'no pressure' sounds right :PCheers!
Thanks for sharing. Looks really good! Vidya plays a mom to Minissha in the film? WTF. I remember her most from the movie Inteha where she plays Nauheed's older sister.
hi, okay, so i had fun watching it, and i agree about everything you have written, including vidya. glad i went, the reviewers on the newspapers don't have much good things to say, but as you say, thinking caps utaar ke it was very good. thanks!
You know, i'd almost decided against seeing this- but your review sounds +ve enough to take the risk :)
Nicki: Yes, and I thought Vidya Malvade struggled her way through her role. Here's where a Bipasha Basu would have been much more effective. It really wasn't Vidya's looks as much as the delivery of her dialogue. She was so careful in delivering them correctly, it was quite painful to watch. The rest, though. Haven't seen Inteha, thought she was quite good in Chak De. Hope for better things, though...Ajit: Thanks for your comment! Glad you enjoyed it, and yes, one might as well not see it with the thinking caps on. There are too many things that fall in place (or don't) to make it very believable, but then again, some of the biggest stars have made a career of this brand of cinema, so I'm quite surprised at how people aren't willing to let it pass...Shweta: I almost didn't go after reading some of the initial reviews, but I'm very glad I did. I wouldn't say it's mandatory viewing in theaters, because there are holes in the plot, sure. But the performances are worth checking out if only for the Sanjay-Imran battle. And the cinematography too makes it worthwhile. I'm starting to think Imran Khan can indeed make it long-term, Bollywood's on to something here.Cheers!
bollyviewer
Dont know what the movie says but I always thought that a criminal is one who is convicted of a crime - anything else is a mere suspect. So, a criminal is only one who is caught!Wonder how well its doing box-office-wise. At any rate, I will have to wait till it comes on DVD as I cant make it to the Indian movie-theater anytime soon.
I liked this review.I am a new reader of this blog and really love it. Can you tell me from where did you get this wonderful temlate?
Hi Bollyviewer: You're on the right track with the definition as the film uses it :) The early box-office reports were quite positive, but that might be true of most films starring well-known actors and releasing over a holiday weekend. Hi Saurabh: Thank you very much for your comment, and I greatly appreciate you stopping by. Do come again! If there's one thing I could change about the service, it's the layouts :( I just modified one of the built-in templates. You too can make customizations with some knowledge of the XML source code. The tool lets you, and I'd suggest experimenting with a dummy blog first. Good luck!Cheers!
sonajoy
Bollyviewer, I'd like to expand your definition of the noun form of "criminal". One doesn't necessarily have to be convicted of a crime to be labeled a criminal. Anyone who COMMITS a crime is also a criminal --- the criminals who go scot-free are an attestation to the fact......topping the list is O.B.Laden!Sonajoy
Hi Sonajoy: Thanks for your comment. Agreed, but I think Bollyviewer's viewpoint (I read it as 'caught' as in evidential material supporting the suspect's committing a crime, as opposed to the literal 'caught' that implies capture) can indeed be applied to your example too, with which I agree 100%, like most of the sane people of our planet would, LOL.Wish we could apply the standard across the board, though, using which over 15% of the elected Indian parliament -- that has a documented criminal record -- would be fair game too. See, in their case, video evidence with 'the criminals' (using your definition) admitting their crimes is not enough! They're scot-free too, but ruling counties, cities, and states of the world's largest democracy!A lot of these issues aren't as black and white, and differing perspectives matter (legal definition versus actual). I think both definitions can arguably be debated to be correct.In the context of the film, then, I'm sure you all would find it interesting. Maybe the film should have had one of those infamous court scenes!Cheers!
Hi Bfan, Thanks for your input. See what you mean by differing perspectives, contexts,etc. As you pointed out, lots of grey areas too. Was voicing my thoughts along the lines of Gertrude Stein's " A rose is a rose is a rose." Perhaps much closer to home is Margaret Thatcher's reference to the IRA...." A crime is a crime is a crime"........!
Hi Sonajoy: Those put things in context well, don't they? Thanks for sharing. A crime is a crime is a crime is right! Cheers! | 影视 |
2016-36/0818/en_head.json.gz/10719 | Subscribe LACMA on Film
uncategorized Much like the smog that appears in the sky each day like a collar stain, L.A. makes frequent appearances in television and film (every car ad these days seems to feature downtown's Music Center or the Second Street Tunnel, and I can't count the times I've seen the streets lined with craft service tables and bored cops sipping coffee). Our very own museum has also had her share of close-ups over the years.
In the 1990s we had probably the most visible entry in L.A. Story, where a roller skating Steve Martin glides through our galleries. (Martin was a longtime member of LACMA's Board of Trustees when he made the film.)
martinskating400
LACMA is often a backdrop for parties, as seen in Robert Altman's 1992 The Player. And speaking of players, LACMA has peeked out from behind Nancy Sinatra and Dean Martin in her 1967 TV special Moving with Nancy.
Sometimes the museum plays itself. In a 1979 episode of The Rockford Files, "Never Send a Boy King to Do a Man's Job," Jim Rockford parks his Firebird in front of the (then) fountain-clad LACMA and visits an Egyptian expert whose office doors are the Bing Theater lobby. BCAM has also played a small role on The Young and the Restless, with soap star curators bustling about the campus spouting off art-isms.
The indies also have found LACMA a worthy film location. Minnie and Moskowitz, a Cassavetes film, has the star poised as a curator—in one scene you can see the entrance to the Ahmanson Building, the main staircase, and a contemporary sculpture of a rack of pool balls). The film Miracle Mile uses LACMA, Johnies, and the May Company Building as backdrops.
Even Hancock Park, right behind LACMA, has had a guest spot. It can be seen in I Am Sam (the last scene, where they play ball in the Sixth Street park area). I even caught it on the Fitness Channel in the background of a show featuring Boot Camp LA.
Probably the biggest "blockbuster" appearance was in Volcano, where streams of hot lava flow down Wilshire Boulevard, right past us. My memory is a bit hazy as to whether or not the campus is incinerated, but it's implied.
Paul Wehby, Senior Graphic Designer | 影视 |
2016-36/0818/en_head.json.gz/10729 | HomeFilmNews Corbijn set for ‘Most Wanted Man’
He'll direct adaptation of Le Carre bestseller
Anton Corbijn is set to helm an adaptation of John le Carre’s terrorism bestseller, “A Most Wanted Man.”
Pic follows a British banker who tries to help a young Muslim immigrant — the son of a Chechen peasant and a Russian officer — targeted by the U.S., British and German secret services after he is taken in by a Turkish family in Hamburg. Penned by Andrew Bovell (“Edge of Darkness”), the pic is expected to go into production this winter.
Malte Grunert’s Hamburg and Berlin-based Amusement Park Films is producing the film, which has received €900,000 ($1.3 million) in backing from regional film board Filmfoerderung Hamburg Schleswig-Holstein.
The recently launched Amusement Park, which focuses on local and international features, is also producing David Mackenzie’s “Stain on the Snow,” a postwar coming-of-age tale based on Georges Simenon’s novel, as well as an East German love story penned by Bille August and Lone Scherfig and co-produced with Denmark’s Zentropa.
Dutch-born photographer Corbijn’s last film was George Clooney starrer “The American,” while he kicked off his feature helming career with “Control,” a biopic of Joy Division’s Ian Curtis.
Swedish helmer Tomas Alfredson’s adaptation of le Carre’s “Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy,” starring Tom Hardy and Gary Oldman, hits theaters later this year.
Grunert produced Mackenzie’s rock comedy “You Instead” as well as “Perfect Sense,” starring Ewan McGregor and Eva Green.
A Most Wanted ManAnton CorbijnLone ScherfigMost Wanted Man Want to read more articles like this one? SUBSCRIBE TO VARIETY TODAY. | 影视 |
2016-36/0818/en_head.json.gz/10730 | HomeFilmAwards Spinotti: Forever young & curious
ASC Awards 2012
The problem with lifetime achievement awards is their sense of valediction. Of finality. Of farewell. Dante Spinotti had that feeling when he heard he was getting his.
“I wanted to say ‘Yes, thanks, why not call me back in 10 years,’ ” he laughs. “But I didn’t want them to change their minds.”
Slim chance of that. Spinotti, 68, who will receive the American Society of Cinematographers Lifetime Achievement Award on Saturday, is a long way from hanging up his viewfinder. Known for moving gracefully from genre to genre while maintaining years-long relationships with certain directors (notably Michael Mann and Brett Ratner, with whom he’s done at least a dozen projects), the Italian-born cinematographer is also renowned for his adaptability to new technology, and his devotion to story. “You feel proud about what you did, if what you did made for a better film,” he says.
In this regard, sometimes, the audience may not even be aware of what Spinotti is up to. “Take the exteriors in Chicago in ‘Public Enemies,’ ” says Mann, referring to his 2009 gangster epic. “Part of the reason they have a period feeling is because Dante made the observation that street lighting was different in 1933: narrow columns of light and then it got dark until the next streetlight. And while audiences may not even know why it feels period, in addition to the period vehicles and the wardrobe, the light is a reason they’re feeling it.”
Spinotti is an artist with lighting, Mann adds. “It sounds simple, but it’s the simple truth.” The director says his longtime d.p. — their other films together include “Heat” and Spinotti’s first U.S. feature, “Manhunter” — is capable of using light to create a sense of time having slowed down, “because the anxiety is so torqued up.”
“I’m thinking of the lobby of the Seelbach Hotel in ‘The Insider,’ when Pacino (as “60 Minutes” producer Lowell Bergman) shows up to see if Wigand (the tobacco company whistleblower played by Russell Crowe) will be there and the scene is basically a man in an armchair reading a newspaper,” Mann says. In addition to Pacino’s performance, the director says, “the effect comes from the very concentrated, directional lighting with intense lights, illuminating the newspaper, and the dust in the air, and providing a hyperawareness of the anxiety of Lowell Bergman.”
Spinotti’s impact doesn’t always have to raise the hairs on your arms. “His work on ‘Last of the Mohicans’ was exquisite,” Mann says, recalling Spinotti’s use of candle and firelight and the soft glow of real flames.
“As good a cinematographer as he is, he’s a better man,” says veteran producer Marc Abraham, whose directorial debut, “Flash of Genius,” was shot by Spinotti. “He’s one of these people who seems devoid of ego. He’s got one somewhere in there, but it doesn’t drive his decision.”
Abraham says when they were making “Genius” he’d tell people “I’m going to do it exactly the way I want to do it, until Dante gets here and tells me how I ought to do it.” He added that as much as he’d always expected his first directed feature would be shot on film, Spinotti persuaded him to shoot in HD. “You’d think it would be the opposite, but he’s also got the energy and attitude of a very young man and is super curious.”
Back in 2003, Spinotti and other ASC members collaborated with Digital Cinema Initiatives to develop standards for digital projection. “Dante said the one thing that happens with new technology is, it always feels cold,” says fellow member and former ASC president Daryn Okada. “So we came up with this idea to develop scenes that would test color, movement, technical challenges to digital projection, but at same time have emotional value.” What they finally decided on — predictably, Okada says — was an Italian wedding scene. “But the genesis was Dante, scenes with emotionality.”
For Okada, Spinotti’s standout trait is an ability to maintain his art in any genre. “I’ve watched a lot of his movies and what I always found amazing, regardless of any challenge in production, is the incredible level of artistry no matter what genre he’s in. And without calling a lot of attention to himself.”
Spinotti — whose filmography includes such disparate titles as “L.A. Confidential,” “Wonder Boys,” “Crimes of the Heart,” “Beaches,” “Frankie and Johnny,” “Red Dragon,” “X-Men: The Last Stand” and “The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader” — says what he feels mostly about his award is gratitude.
“Making a movie is not a lightweight affair,” he says. “But you have to be thankful to all the people you meet in this fantastic industry. There are challenges. And risks. But they all are worth facing.”
ASC AWARDS 2012TV’s big-screen canvas | Digital’s increasing domain | Forever young & curious
American Society Of CinematographersAmerican Society Of Cinematographers Lifetime Achievement AwardASC AwardsDante SpinottiFilm ForeverFirelightForever Youngmerican Society of Cinematographers Want to read more articles like this one? SUBSCRIBE TO VARIETY TODAY. | 影视 |
2016-36/0818/en_head.json.gz/10861 | Desktop view Animal Kingdom
David Michôd
Writer and Director, David Michôd, is a riveting new voice in the world of contemporary Australian cinema. His debut, Animal Kingdom, was the winner of the World Cinema Prize at the Sundance Film Festival, not to mention that Jackie Weaver (the grandmother) went on to receive an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress.
Animal Kingdom tells the story of 17-year-old J (James Frenchville) whose mother has just died of a heroin overdose. Alone and unsure of what to do, he reaches out to his estranged and vicious criminal family for help. His grandmother (Jackie Weaver) takes him in; however, his uncle Pope Cody, an armed robber, is on the run from a squad of renegade detectives. Poor J is caught in the cross-fire, as his family is turned upside down through Pope Cody’s demise, putting J in a vulnerable position where he needs to turn to the police for help and ultimately betrays his family.
An intense and profound drama, Animal Kingdom exudes fear and desperation. Intense and thrilling, this film must be viewed.
Shirley Stevenson
Aesthetica Art Prize Call for Entries, 24 Days to Go
There’s less than a month left to enter the Aesthetica Art Prize, and to mark the event in our calendar we’ll be counting down each day until the 31 August with a run-down of longlisted artists.
Woodstock: Three Days that Rocked the World
This book is a brilliant artefact of the event. It opens with a foreword by the venerable Martin Scorsese, and is organised in three parts “Origins” “The Event” and “The Aftermath”.
Searching for Sugarman
Malik Bendjelloul, director of Searching For Sugar Man, discusses how he committed such a curious story to celluloid.
Submotion Orchestra
Fragments is the hotly anticipated second album from septet Submotion Orchestra and it doesn’t disappoint. The Maid (La Nana)
Sebastián Silva’s second feature is a sweetly comic take on the role of domestic servant within a household.
Certain tracks, such as Cry Wolf, could form a fitting soundtrack to a grand and intense piece of performance art. | 影视 |
2016-36/0818/en_head.json.gz/11033 | ‘Terminales’ films at The Boston Globe - The Boston Globe
‘Terminales’ shoots pilot scenes at the Globe
Makeup artist Joe Rossi works on Italia Ricci, who stars in the ABC Family channel pilot “Terminales.”
By Mark Shanahan and Meredith Goldstein
The cast and crew of the ABC Family channel pilot “Terminales” took over The Boston Globe editorial offices over the weekend. The show, which is about a young reporter who gets diagnosed with terminal cancer, starsCanadian actress Italia Ricci, Barry Watson
(“7th Heaven,” “Gossip Girl”), Australian actor Richard Brancatisano (who plays an adorable music critic), and
Mary Page Keller
(“24,” “Another World,” and “Mad Men”). Ricci took a few minutes to chat with us during a scene break on Sunday afternoon. She admitted to watching a young Globe reporter writing a story to pick up some of her mannerisms. She also said she’d be happy to move to the Hub if the show gets picked up. She’s found some new favorite restaurants, and loves our winding, cobblestone streets and architecture. “You’re downtown, and you go down a street and then you’re like, Am I in the middle of Amsterdam? Or Paris?” Ricci said she’s also a bit fascinated by our building, specifically by what’s happening around the newsroom and our printing presses. “The presses were so cool. It was hard to concentrate on the scene. I’m too nosy.” Sounds like a real reporter. “Terminales” will shoot around Boston for the rest of the week. Locations have included Fenway Park, the North End, and Davis Square. | 影视 |
2016-36/0818/en_head.json.gz/11056 | STAGE TUBE: Pasadena Playhouse's DANGEROUS BEAUTY
by BroadwayWorld TV
Pasadena Playhouse, the State Theatre of California, and Tony-nominated directorSheryl Kaller (Broadway's Next Fall and Off-Broadway's Adrift in Macao) present DANGEROUS BEAUTY, starring Jenny Powers (Broadway's Grease as Rizzo and Little Women as Meg) as Veronica Franco. The world premiere musical features book and verse by Jeannine Dominy (Warner Bros' Dangerous Beauty and Fox's The Ghost and Mrs. Muir), lyrics by Amanda McBroom (Pasadena Playhouse's Heartbeats and "The Rose"/Bette Midler) and music byMichele Brourman (TV's The Land Before Time and Universal Studios' The Little Engine that Could) and will be presented in association with Susan Dietz and Tara Smith. The production opens on February 13, 2011, at Pasadena Playhouse (39 South El Molino Avenue). Check out clips from the show below!DANGEROUS BEAUTY, based on a true story, tells the tumultuous tale of Veronica Franco, a celebrated courtesan/poet of 16th century Venice. Forced to become a courtesan when her family fortune is lost, preventing her from marrying the man she loves, Veronica ultimately embraces the courtesan life because it affords her extraordinary education and access. It is not long before she is the most influential woman in the cultural and political life of her beloved city. As Veronica's star rises, however, Venice is ravaged by war, plague, and the Inquisition. When Veronica finds herself on trial for witchcraft, she realizes that only her personal integrity can save her. DANGEROUS BEAUTY is adapted from the New Regency screenplay The Honest Courtesan written by Jeannine Dominy, released as the film Dangerous Beauty and inspired by the scholarly book The Honest Courtesan by USC Professor Margaret Rosenthal.DANGEROUS BEAUTY was selected for the 2004 West Coast ASCAP Workshop. In 2005, it was read at the Rubicon Theatre and had a workshop production at Vassar College's New York Stage and Film Powerhouse Theatre Season. In 2006, the production was part of the National Alliance of Musical Theatre's Festival of New Musicals and in 2007 it was chosen to be part of Northwestern University's American Musical Theatre Project.For additional information visit www.PasadenaPlayhouse.org. | 影视 |
2016-36/0818/en_head.json.gz/11110 | | Darrell on Urban Natives
Personalities A-Z
Pitch A Show
I really enjoyed listening to this episode on city Natives, partly because I hadn't yet heard the completed, edited episode yet but also because Natives living in the city is a pretty common theme in a lot of my writing: screenplays, theatre, comedy, etc. Having lived on a reserve that was almost completely unpaved, moving to the city was an overwhelming and exciting change for me. It's kind of funny when I look back because the way I thought my life was going to be was pretty much based on what I saw in the movies and on TV. But as I soon discovered, TV is not real!... GASP!... I know shocker! Because of television, I thought that once I moved from the reserve I was going to immediately be welcomed into the trendy crowd, go to all the hip underground parties and clubs, be snatched up by the biggest brokerage firm and become a millionaire stock broker and live in a penthouse apartment. I mean, it happened to Michael J. Fox in his movies all the time! How hard can it be? The reality is, I moved to the city, got a job as a dishwasher, and spent most of my weekends, friendless, and watching sitcom re-runs. Not quite as glamorous as I had imagined. However, it wasn't quite the devastating start to city living for a young Native man as the Canadian media would have you believe it should be. Most shows, books, or stories about Natives moving to the city usually end up pretty badly. Skid row, substance abuse, and prison are usually what is portrayed in the Aboriginal city experience. Unfortunately, this is what a lot of Canadians believe is the most common Aboriginal experience in Canada. Over the years though I have met countless Native people that are incredibly successful both on reserve and off. There are Native people running corporations, restaurants, arts organizations, political bodies... the list goes on and on. The problem is many non- Native people do not recognize these people as Native because they do not fit into the stereotype of the down and out Indian on the street. They usually assume that these successful Aboriginals are from a different ethnic background or had never grown up on a reserve. That was certainly true of my experiences and continues to be a reality for me even today. Hopefully, shows like today's episode of ReVision Quest can give mainstream audiences a more complete picture on the Urban Aboriginal experience in this country. Anyway, hope you enjoyed the show. Tune in next week for more ass-sumption kicking! Categories: 2011, Darrell Dennis Blog
Darrell Dennis plunders the past to challenge misconceptions of what it means to be an Aboriginal person in Canada today.
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2016-36/0818/en_head.json.gz/11158 | Music Stuart Woos TV and Movie Moguls by CMT.com Staff
From Tom Roland in Los Angeles: Marty Stuart didn’t win at the Golden Globe Awards, but he celebrated his nomination in style Friday night with an invitation-only show on Sunset Strip in Hollywood. Stuart gave an intimate performance in the House of Blues’ Foundation Room, an exclusive, upstairs gathering spot with a fireplace and intriguing views of the city. So packed was the room that only folks in the first few rows could actually see Stuart and a bevy of his guests, including actor/director Billy Bob Thornton. Thornton enlisted Stuart to score All the Pretty Horses, the movie that garnered the nomination. Holly Lamar, a double Grammy nominee for co-writing Faith Hill’s “Breathe,” performed, as did Stuart’s wife, Connie Smith, who belted out an impressive version of Buck Owens’ “Under Your Spell Again.” Dwight Yoakam appeared for a lengthy set that included a rousing Merle Haggard medley — highlighted by a stellar version of “Mama Tried” — and another makeshift medley that moved from Elvis Presley’s “Any Way You Want Me” into Yoakam’s own “Fast as You.” The crowd was appreciative, although it saved its biggest response for Country Music Hall of Fame member Earl Scruggs and a singalong of the theme from TV’s Beverly Hillbillies. It makes sense — most of the guests were TV and movie execs. Currently without a label deal, Stuart has started writing songs for his next album with Paul Kennerley, who co-wrote his hits “Tempted,” “Western Girls” and “Little Things.”
Tags: Faith Hill, Earl Scruggs, Dwight Yoakam, Elvis Presley, Marty Stuart, Buck Owens, Connie Smith, Merle Haggard, Billy Bob Thornton Related Posts: | 影视 |
2016-36/0818/en_head.json.gz/11281 | Home > Movies & TV > Queen Elizabeth parachutes into Olympic stadium… Queen Elizabeth parachutes into Olympic stadium with James Bond to open London Games By
Queen Elizabeth II. Parachuting into the Olympic stadium. With James Bond.
In a five-minute film played as part of the London Olympics opening ceremony, a global audience watched as James Bond, played by Daniel Craig, met the Queen at Buckingham Palace.
“Good evening, Mr. Bond,” she says, delivering her only line in the skit with aplomb.
The pair then board a helicopter and fly across various London landmarks towards the Olympic stadium. Hovering high above the venue, the Queen, in a fetching peach-colored dress – together with Bond (not in a fetching peach-colored dress) – jumps from the helicopter, with the two of them deploying their Union Jack parachutes within seconds.
Shortly after the parachutists disappeared from view, the Queen showed up in the stadium, taking her seat to rapturous applause from the gathered 65,000 audience. She later declared the London 2012 Games officially open.
Whether the head of state will get an entry on IMDb for her debut acting role remains to be seen (she surely must), but it was certainly a surprise no one had been expecting.
OK, there was, of course, some jiggery-pokery in the creation of the skit, with the parachuting Queen played by a stunt man. But it was certainly the real Queen who appeared in the segment at the start.
Slumdog Millionaire and 127 Hours director Danny Boyle, the man behind Friday night’s opening ceremony, had the idea for the sequence last summer, but it took until March before it could be filmed because of Daniel Craig’s busy schedule. The Queen apparently had a few appointments too.
According to a Telegraph report, the short film, directed by Boyle, took a crew of 130 three hours to shoot.
Nicholas Brown, the BBC’s director of drama production, said the Queen’s performance was perfect. “She got it in one take,” he said. “That’s what she does, and she does it very well. She is a professional.”
Brown added, “It was extraordinary to have the two [the Queen and Daniel Craig] together….the Palace was terrific about the shoot and we were delighted and honored that the Queen was involved.”
Check it out for yourself below.
Queen Elizabeth’s Olympics Helicopter Jump with James Bond from MYNAME1229 on Vimeo. | 影视 |
2016-36/0818/en_head.json.gz/11296 | London native David Jude Law slowly came up through the acting ranks like so many of his contemporaries: a stint at the National Youth Music Theatre, some work in British TV soaps, then lots of time on the stage. Things changed in the mid-�90s when he scored a Tony nomination on Broadway for �Indiscretions.� Soon after, he had a solid costarring role in his first film �Gattaca.� Law considers landing his a part in �The Talented Mr. Ripley� to be his big break, or as he puts it, �the turning point.� He�s since gone on to play an automaton in �A.I. Artificial Intelligence,� a hideously scarred lout in �Road to Perdition,� a cad in �Alfie,� a different kind of cad in �Sleuth,� the great Dr. Watson in �Sherlock Holmes� and its sequel, and a cuckolded husband in �Anna Karenina.� In the new thriller �Side Effects,� he plays a workaholic psychiatrist whose newest patient (Rooney Mara) proves to be his toughest case. Law, 40, has already finished filming �Dom Hemingway,� is midway through �The Grand Budapest Hotel,� and will star in �Henry V� on the London stage this fall. He recently spoke about himself and his profession in Los Angeles.What were your initial thoughts about how to play Dr. Banks in �Side Effects?�I wanted to make it very clear that this guy was good at what he did, and was aware of the sense of boundaries, of when and how a situation may arise for a psychiatrist and where it will impact his or her private life. But we�re also telling a story. So as an actor, at some point you have to work out where the drama is best played out. As the story dictates, his life starts to implodes, so it was important to me to have a sense of him kind of crumbling. At the same time there was a beautiful subtlety to the story, where you�re not sure whether he�s got the upper hand or whether there�s a time where you think he�s going mad.Did playing the part make you feel any differently about psychiatrists?A lot of the discussion around this film is about the abuse of medicine or perhaps relying on medicine for all the wrong reasons. Of course medicine is used for a lot of good reasons, too. I kind of left this job feeling very respectful of psychiatry as a profession.Is there a story behind the name Jude?I�m not really sure, but I believe it came from at least two sources: the book �Jude the Obscure� and the [Beatles] song.Did you go to a lot of movies as a kid?My father would take me to see �The Wild Geese,� �Rocky,� things like that. My mum would take me to see �Ladri di biciclette� and �Padre Padrone.�They introduced me to two very different styles of cinema, and I love both.How did it feel to turn 40?It was a liberating opportunity to cut off the shackles. When you�re in your 20s, you�re kind of built up to be the new it boy or the girl in the street and all that. In your 30s you�re knocked down and knocked into shape. Forty to 50 to 60 I think are exciting decades. The parts are often more meaty. The concentration is often more on your acting than who you are and what you represent. I think that�s a really exciting future, and that�s all I�ve ever really been interested in. So 40 is certainly a marker that I feel is talking me in the right direction.�Side Effects� opens on Feb. 8.Ed Symkus covers movies for GateHouse Media. | 影视 |
2016-36/0818/en_head.json.gz/11310 | Despite calls for Tina Fey to host next year’s Academy Awards, Tina Fey has already said no. The former “30 Rock” and “Saturday Night Live” star hosted this year’s Golden Globes with Amy Poehler but said she isn’t interested in hosting the Oscars. Fey and Poehler were lauded for their Golden Globe stint. Hot video: Goat-dubbed pop stars taking over the Internet
"Goat Dubs," is a viral Internet phenomenon where someone cuts out a part of a movie or song and replaces it with a goat making weird noises. From Katy Perry to Taylor Swift, Skrillex to Usher and Jurassic Park, on the Internet, no one is safe. Patrick Jones has the rest. | 影视 |
2016-36/0818/en_head.json.gz/11323 | Doctor Who - Dreamland (UK - DVD R2)
The Wilson Bros watch Doctor Who's Dreamland - isn't that in Margate?
Feature Nevada, 1958. A mysterious stranger enters a hole-in-the-desert diner, on a causal trip to the area. When introducing himself as ‘The Doctor’, the waitress and a Native American have no idea of the chaos about to unfold around them, with aliens, spacecraft, and a plot to destroy the world at hand. Yes, not only does ‘50s America have Reds under the bed, but it seems that Uncle Sam’s military has made a very curious alliance with the Viperox, a deadly race of war-hungry insects, to take care of the imminent threat from the Soviet homeland. After a disastrous meeting with a crazed general, an attempt to wipe their memories and being pursued by the Alliance of Shades—a group of mysterious men-in-black—the Doctor, Cassie and Jimmy Stalking-Wolf have to stop an invading alien hoard and prevent the unleashing of a genetic weapon capable of wiping out entire species—all centring around ‘Dreamland’, the almost mythical Area 51. Yes folks, animated Doctor Who finally comes of age with this superbly realised adventure. We’ll keep the specifics of the story mechanics scant, as this is one which passed many people by, and there are a lot of pleasures to unfold before you. We’ll concentrate on the individual elements, rather than blowing one of the last gasps of Tennant’s appearances as the Doctor. In terms of originality, the opening doesn’t inspire much confidence, with the path of a ship tracked as it falls to earth, with the action picking up a few years later. If this sounds rather familiar, then you might want to cast your mind back to the start of 1987’s Predator, which was similar to the beginning of The Thing. This is the first of an amalgam of sci-fi ideas, but we are happy to say that Dreamland has much more going for it than merely being a thief of parts. No tale of American involvement aliens (particularly with involving Roswell) would be complete without covert agents being a pain in the arse to the protagonists and covering up all traces of extra-terrestrials, and Dreamland rises to the challenge whilst overriding cliché. Thwarting the Doctor’s plans at every turn come the Alliance of Shades, not merely servants of a national agency, but of an interstellar organisation charged with eradicating all traces of interplanetary meddling. Happily, they put a new spin on it—which we won’t reveal here, in case you haven’t seen it—but The Day the Earth Stood Still was doing the same thing fifty years ago. Borrowing aside, the Men in Black element works well, and Phil Ford wisely chose it to be a recurring element rather than the focus of the story. The animated nature of the story allows for a more elaborate set of adversaries, and we get them in the form of the Viperox, a hoard of giant, intelligent cockroach-based life forms. They walk upright, are clearly intelligent, and where their Earth-bound relatives are chiefly adept at doing various things with excrement, the Viperox are born warriors, invading entire planets at a time. Doctor Who rarely has the budget to do vast swarms of alien invaders, but the animation allows just that, however upon first encounter with our heroes, a Viperox battle drone disgraces himself by proving to be a really lousy shot. Speaking of the aesthetics, there are times when the animation reaches the level of ‘photo-realistic’, snapping back into CG when the human characters reappear. Creating convincing CGI characters for a show has never been an easy task, and whilst the rendering of skin gets increasingly better, such efforts are always knackered by the uniformly unsuccessful way mouths are handled, and Dreamland is no exception. The insides of the mushes never completely integrate into the rest of the face, often resulting in an entire row of teeth being seen during something as mundane as dialogue being delivered. Sure, Pixar have loads of both time and money to take care of these problems, but you always do when limitless resources are at your disposal. Regardless, the animation in Dreamland is excellent, with gorgeous, sweeping deserts, deeply cool spaceships, and bags of atmosphere. It’ll help you to forget the slapdash efforts of The Infinite Quest. To foreign eyes, there is a certain expectation when it comes to American military personnel, and none are more imprinted in the collective consciousness than the terse, flag-worshipping, nuke-em’ variety from the 50s—again something associated with sci-fi films from that particular decade. Colonel Starke embodies all these elements, going into business with the Lord Azlok and his Viperox warriors seems to be based on Charles Napier, and you can’t fault that for a choice. He comes equipped with a nicely formed character-arc, which we are loathe to reveal here, and is given a better shake of the stick than you would have expected. As mentioned earlier, there are obviously a number of thefts from other projects, with one the main ones being that of Independence Day, specifically going for a spin in a Roswell ship and having problems with the reversed controls. At one point, when planning an escape through an air duct, the Doctor muses that being in the 50s, no-one has ever seen Aliens. Clearly the writers had, with a number of elements pilfered from it, chiefly with the Viperox species being governed by a huge queen, sustaining the race by laying vast amounts of eggs to form an invasion force. While the amount of pop-culture references are largely kept to a minimum, there are some elements which are thematically—rather than verbally—drafted into the story. Aside from the obvious nods to the certain Will Smith/Tommy Lee Jones movie, the Roswell warehouse of government secrets is strikingly similar to the both Raiders of the Lost Ark and Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. Sticking with Dr Jones, they even throw in a mine cart escape similar to Temple of Doom as our heroes try to escape the clutches of the military. The flashbacks of Viperox invasion are impressive, and nicely boost the level of threat which doesn’t quite come across otherwise, with their cockroach-like appearance suggesting that a quick application of Deadex bug spray being enough to take care of them. They are a credible species to worry about, with a life-cycle carefully wrought and possessed of an intelligence which stops them from being mindless bringers of destruction, but willing to bargain with lower a tier of enemies to take out the more dangerous ones. With events focusing on Roswell, there would have been many grumblings from UFO fans if ‘The Greys’ hadn’t been incorporated into the story, and we have to say that their inclusion constitutes some of the most sincere alien characters seen in Nu-Who. Here, they are intelligent, vengeful, wield horrifically powerful weapons, yet suffer heartache, loss, anguish and yearning. Sure, they have been depicted as beings of wonder in Close Encounters of the Third Kind, demonised in Whitley Streiber’s Communion, and even seen on a weekly basis in Stargate SG-1, but never as multi-dimensional as seen here. There is a lot of comedy, but is kept firmly in check, not relying on the kind of delivery which Tennant can slip into if not reined in. Best of these is when pompous Col. Stark reveals the nuclear threat posed by the ‘Reds’, which temporarily confuses the Doctor as he tries to work out why Manchester United might be cause for military concern. It might be somewhat nitpicky—even though it goes with the territory—but another venture in humour come when the Doctor introduces himself to the denizens of the local diner with a greeting of ‘howdy, partners,’ with a cod-American accent. Is this really the same Doctor who admonished Rose for doing the same thing in Scotland? The rest of the writing is good enough to overcome a slip from the outset. A prime example of the otherwise quality writing is a nice nod to stories past, which sees the Doctor in a position where he has the chance to completely eradicate a rampaging, malignant species from the face of time, but faces a crisis of conscience. Most reading will know that he refused to ‘pull the trigger’ in Genesis of the Daleks on the grounds that alliances form against them, with the universe a better place with them in it, but here he hesitates for different reasons. Can the imminent threat of the Earth being destroyed be the final straw which persuades him to commit genocide? Tennant gives a good reading of his dialogue, but there are a couple of times where he briefly does just that: reading them. When interacting with other characters, he’s fine, to the point where he underplays it nicely. Bugging us during his time on the show were Tennant’s OTT exclamations, giving the dignity of previous incarnations a swift kick whenever he would rattle off a ‘Ooooowwwhhhh!!!’ at every realisation which hit him. This was toned down over the course of time, but this element is mercifully diminished in Dreamland. Sticking Tennant into a recording booth and depriving him of visual representation works very well, focusing him on delivering a more focused, dialogue-driven performance. One of the real surprises comes in the form of Cassie, hallmarked by a nicely invisible return for Georgia Moffett, she who was the centre of the ‘cheat’ story, The Doctor’s Daughter. There have been a number of attempts to bring America into the British institution, with varying results. There will always be those who hate Peri, and let’s just try to forget Peter Purvis’ horrible stab at a redneck earl on in The Chase, but Moffett manages it nicely. She doesn’t try too hard, and is assisted by deft writing which steers clear of the usual forming of a cocoon of clichés around the performer, which many a British attempt to crystallise Americana. The character of Jimmy Stalking-Wolf isn‘t as breezily flowing as the immediately appealing Cassie, but this is purely because he in some way adheres to the typical depiction of Native Americans in the media at the time. There have been precious few ethic assistants throughout the run of the show, and while he is a welcome addition, he seems to be there purely to enable the story to be told whilst adding another ethic dimension previously unseen. The voice of David Warner is a welcome addition to the cast, giving his usual, measured performance he keeps in reserve for the genre he hates, but is happy to make a decent living from. A real problem is that the animation doesn’t convincingly sync up the mouths of the Viperox with the actor’s voices, but this is more to do with the design of the creature than the abilities of the artists. Warner’s frequent appearances in sci-fi irk us; he sells his name and puts in an almost identical (although adequate) performance every time, and for this reason, we have always labelled him a ‘genre-whore’. There is an ambition to Dreamland’s storytelling which is unleashed by using CGI. It’s a nice example of what could be achieved in live action on the show with the grace of a larger budget. There are many who would be put off just by the fact that it is CG. One of our Missus’ scoffed at the thought of watching it, even though she has enthusiastically watched all of Nu-Who. She can cook, though. Whatever their reasons for letting it slip past them, it’s clearly their loss. Now, how does the disc look? Video The 1.78:1 anamorphic image is a very nice rendering of the source material. Colours look particularly strong, with a pleasing level of detail which showcases the work put into the CG animation. Blisteringly hot Nevada deserts look terrific, while the moonlit streets of ghost town Solitude keep its eerie secrets firmly in the shadows. An excellent job. Audio The 2.0 audio provides decodes very nicely into a satisfying surround experience, with booming explosions and careening ships bringing a smile to the lips. Dialogue is robust, but with audio recordings playing a key role, they weren’t going to slip up on that one. Murray Gold’s score is in no way diminished by the animated nature of the project, and this is true of the sound as a whole. Well done, guys. Extras The extras are confined to a secondary disc, and it is unfortunately here that we have to pack up our box of superlatives for this review. Grouped in the bracket of ‘Doctor Who Greatest Moments’, they comprise of: The DoctorThe CompanionsThe Enemies We’ll lump them all together, as this is essentially what the BBC are happy to do with all of their publicity material for the show. These are talking-head shots interspersed with clips from the programmes. We put all three shows in the SKY+ over Christmas, and ended up watching them all on fast-forward. They are strictly self-congratulatory in nature, not only concentrating on Nu-Who, but almost shutting out Christopher Eccleston from the proceedings. Well, OK, he appears a couple of times, but only because either Billie Piper or John Barrowman were the focus of what they needed. The only bridge comes in the form of Elisabeth Sladen and strictly through association. This was the woman who criticised the original show (and her character) in a radio interview when she was brought back for School Reunion, but The Sarah Jane Adventures ain’t that crash-hot, honey. The correct title for this collection should have been the David Tennant Memorial Service. In any case, these are very disappointing extras, with virtually no effort made. Would it have killed them to have stuck a camera in during the various recording sessions, if just for a split-screen comparison? The fact that fans are paying for a forty-five minute DVD should have given them the incentive to make an effort with the trimmings. This the only black mark for a very good disc. Overall There are a lot of people who missed the TV broadcasts of Dreamland, mainly because it was shown during kids’ programming, or poorly scheduled on BBC HD. Many are still unaware that you originally watched them as a mini-series by ‘pushing the red button’ on the BBC. The DVD represents a golden opportunity to see a story more satisfying than a lot of episodes from the last three years, and shows the Doctor in a completely foreign landscape from the rest of the of the run. If only there could be more of these things. Recommended.
Review by Wilson Bros
General viewing, but some scenes may be unsuitable for young children
Doctor Who Greatest Moments
David Tennant, Georgia Moffett, David Warner | 影视 |
2016-36/0818/en_head.json.gz/11324 | Final Destination 2 (US - DVD R1)
Although nowhere near as memorable as its predecessor, Final Destination 2 does manage to provide an hour and a half of sick minde...
When the original Final Destination opened theatrically, fans and critics alike praised it for bringing a breath of fresh air to the horror genre. The reasonably original storyline, coupled with some rather freaky deaths obviously tickled our slightly morbid taste buds! Word of mouth soon got around and the film went on to make a more than respectable $55 million at the box office. Naturally, it wasn’t long before the filmmakers milked the cash cow a little more and before long Final Destination 2 was green lighted for production. So fasten your seatbelts and prepare yourself for one horrifying ride…it may be your last. Movie It has been close to a year since the horrifying events of Flight 180 and the discussion surrounding it continues to linger. Were the mysterious deaths purely coincidence, or was there really a sinister force working against them? Kimberly Corman (AJ. Cook) is about to find out. Waking up one day, Kimberly decides to go on a little vacation with some of her closest friends. All of the necessities are quickly packed – clothes, drink, bedding; and copious amounts of weed! Things appear to be going perfectly well, that is, until Kimberley experiences a terrible glimpse into the future. In it she witnesses a horrific car pileup, in which herself, and her friends are killed. Before long she realises that events are repeating themselves just as she had envisioned and she moves the car across the highway onramp to try and prevent the inevitable. As expected, the pileup occurs, this time claiming an entirely different selection of people. But now, each one of those saved is being stalked by Death itself, intent on collecting the souls of those who cheated it… Going into the movie I was somewhat sceptical as to how a second film could work. The original movie had already given us the clever back-story, so how could they think up something even more original to keep us on our toes? It wasn’t long before I realised the obvious – they couldn’t! Final Destination 2 ensures that the storyline is quickly put on the back burner and instead the focus is shifted towards the elaborately crafted death sequences. The duration of the movie sees the cast killed off in a number of different ways and it quickly becomes apparent that the gore has been taken up a notch or two. One particularly graphic sequence involves a ladder and someone’s head - it certainly isn’t the most comforting thing I’ve witnessed onscreen! The other deaths are also suitably grim with plenty of guts on display throughout. If you are vaguely squeamish or of a sensitive nature I would advise you to avoid this film at all costs! Despite the impressive executions though, Final Destination 2 triumphs more in the set-up than the deaths themselves. Going into the film you pretty much know what to expect, so the filmmakers tried to keep things fresh by throwing in a few surprises here and there. One suitably uncomfortable scene takes place in a Dentist and it’s painfully amusing to watch as things go increasingly wrong! The cleverer deaths involve multiple layers of circumstances. You regularly find yourself questioning whether half a dozen different things might kill a person, and then it might end up being one of them, all of them or none of them at all. Strangely captivating! So how are the performances? Well, in this case ‘performances’ might be too strong a word. Nearly every member of the cast turns in a completely wooden ‘performance’ here, with the only real exception being Michael Landes as Officer Thomas Burke. Luckily though this isn’t too much of a problem. As a viewer, you aren’t really expected to care too much about the characters…if you were it wouldn’t be quite as entertaining to watch their heads roll one by one! One thing I should pickup on though is that on occasion I felt that the characters were played a little too seriously. For example one rather violent sequence has a mother uttering the words ‘I don’t want to die’, which doesn’t really sit well when you’re trying to enjoy her death! It’s hard to enjoy a movie when you see the characters begging for their lives! So is it better than the first? I’m afraid not. Whereas the original film had a genuine sense of tension surrounding things, the second film is little more than a comical farce for the most part. The selling point of the movie is without doubt the death sequences and unfortunately they aren’t always up to scratch. Only two of the deaths are particularly clever and one of them is more of a red herring than anything else. The other deaths are more spontaneous with little prior build up; they also fail to thrill in the same way as the shocking bus crash of the first film. Another of the death sequences is edited so poorly that you can’t really tell what’s happened till a good few seconds after it has occurred. The saving grace though is the opening car pileup. The crash is suitably impressive with cars taking off and bursting into flames left right and centre. It certainly doesn’t provide a sanitized viewing experience either as you witness people burning alive and being liquidised by giant logs! Nice. The only slight disappointment with the scene is that the crash doesn’t really give much of a sense of scale. I found that the camera nearly always tended to focus on a single car crashing at a time and as such you never really got a sense of how bad the crash was. Still, a moderately entertaining hour and a half - though not one to show to the kiddies! Video Once again, New Line has put together a quality transfer that even exceeds the work that they did on the original. Final Destination 2 receives a 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen presentation and the print is practically flawless. The image is crystal clear throughout with no signs of obvious grain or edge enhancement. Colours are also spot on with flesh tones perfectly reproduced. This is one of the few transfers that I have seen lately that doesn’t make use of filters, so it’s quite refreshing to get to see a transfer in all its glory! Overall, another top marks presentation from New Line! Audio Prepare yourselves for a highly active audio experience as New Line have put together a great soundstage to immerse yourself in. Included on the disc are both Dolby Digital EX 5.1 Surround and DTS ES 6.1 tracks. For starters we have the Dolby Digital track. This honestly has to be one of the best sounding 5.1 tracks ever produced as it features a huge amount of activity in the surrounds, particularly during the opening pileup sequence. If you want a reference quality disc, this almost certainly has to be it. Despite the highly active surrounds and bass, dialogue is never compromised and speech remains clear and concise throughout. Things get even better with the DTS track. You quite often find in similar releases that the Dolby Digital 5.1 and DTS tracks remain almost identical - but not here. The DTS track included on Final Destination 2 triumphs in nearly every area. The experience is so much richer here with the discrete sounds feeling far more refined. Thumbs up! Extras This is an Infinifilm release so naturally you can expect a plethora of extra material to be included. Kicking things off is an audio commentary with Director David Ellis, Producer Craig Perry and Screenwriters Eric Bress and J Mackye Gruber. For the most part this is an entertaining commentary although somewhat surprisingly, the director doesn’t really have a great deal to say. Initially the commentary starts off as pretty informal banter. The participants begin by discussing how much bigger the sequel is than the original (they even use a woman’s breasts as an example!) After a while though the commentary settles down into more of a technical low down, with particular attention paid to how certain effects were achieved. It was genuinely quite surprising to hear how much CGI fire was used throughout the film. Overall, this is a pretty worthwhile commentary and welcome addition. The next section of the disc is divided up into two sections. The first of these is entitled Beyond the Movie and it contains a number of short featurettes related primarily to real life events and experiments. First up is a short feature entitled The Terror Gauge. This short fourteen-minute feature looks at how our bodies respond to a film such as Final Destination 2. The feature shows three people that have been wired up to various monitoring devices; they are then subjected to the scariest parts of the movie. Looking at how some of them react here, I’m surprised more people don’t suddenly keel over in cinemas! Next we have an eighteen-minute feature entitled Cheating Death: Beyond and Back. This is a pretty well produced feature that looks at near death experiences. Interviews with those that have experienced close shaves with death are included, and it makes for pretty captivating viewing on the whole. Next is a little game entitled Choose Your Fate. The game gives you the choice of three cards and selecting one reveals a message. The messages range from things like ‘Mum Baked You An Apple Pie’ to the less fortunate ones like ‘Struck by lightning on the golf course. There goes your handicap’. A pretty pointless feature then, but worth a quick go for a laugh! The final feature in the Beyond the Movie section is the Fact Track. This enables you to view various production facts whilst watching the movie itself. This feature works in unison with the Infinifilm feature. Moving on then, and we have the next section, which is entitled All Access Pass. This section gives you access to the audio commentary, a featurette, deleted scenes, music videos and trailers. The featurette is entitled Bits & Pieces: Bringing Life to Death and it runs to a little over thirty minutes in total. This in-depth feature looks at the history of gore, with short excerpts from a variety of gore-ridden films including Blood Feast, Night Of The Living Dead and more. After the brief history comes the behind the scenes footage for Final Destination 2. Here we get to see how each of the deaths was originally pulled off. The behind the scenes footage is interspersed with interviews with the director as well as a number of the visual effects wizards. This is easily the most thorough feature on the disc as it goes into a great amount of detail on all of the things that you’re likely to want to hear about. It’s also quite vile seeing how they did some of these things! Good stuff though. Next comes a selection of five deleted scenes, which you can play without or without commentary. Each of the scenes is presented in anamorphic widescreen but unfortunately none of them are particularly memorable. They run to around nine minutes in total. Completing the package are two music videos from The Blank Theory and The Sounds and a selection of trailers. The music videos don’t really seem to relate to the movie at all so I’m not too sure why these were included. The trailers section features the trailers for Final Destination, Final Destination 2 and The Hitcher’esque looking Highwaymen. Overall Although nowhere near as memorable as its predecessor, Final Destination 2 does manage to provide an hour and a half of sick minded entertainment! The deaths themselves aren’t always that impressive, but the patchy dialogue and wooden acting is more than enough to provide a few laughs. Regarding the DVD, New Line has again proven that they are the masters of special edition releases and they have put together another stellar visual and audio package here. The extra material is also in abundance with a number of interesting, well-produced featurettes taking the limelight. Roll on Final Destination 3! Related Links...
Review by Tom Woodward
bnl771
Quote: Originally posted by John Kovac Quote: Originally posted by Brian Kelley When I see a movie like this in theaters, I can understand why people hate the MPAA. They are TOTALLY inconsistent. Actually they didn't have to make any cuts at all for the MPAA. They even say it in the commentary. That's my point! They can release this movie uncut yet other, more tame movies, get trimmed for other stupid reasons. It makes no sense. From one movie to the next they make up new rules. john 5
Quote: Originally posted by Brian Kelley When I see a movie like this in theaters, I can understand why people hate the MPAA. They are TOTALLY inconsistent. Actually they didn't have to make any cuts at all for the MPAA. They even say it in the commentary.
Na, it was pretty good to be honest, though I definately prefered the first. The only thing I didn't like was when things were played too seriously. The only reason this film isn't incredibly sick and offensive is because it's played for laughs so when you've got characters begging for their lives something just didn't sit right for me. Luckily that only happens once though so I can forget about that bnl771
Good review Tom... See! We didn't really disagree much on this film. Being a geeky gore-hound/horror buff, I tacked on a point for some ballsy gore. When I see a movie like this in theaters, I can understand why people hate the MPAA. They are TOTALLY inconsistent. Anyways... Good review!
English (Dolby Digital EX 5.1, DTS ES 6.1, Dolby Digital Surround Sound)
Infinifilm enhanced viewing, The Terror Gauge, Cheating Death: Beyond and Back, Fact Track, Filmmaker Commentary, Bits & Pieces: Bringing Death to Life, Deleted/Alternate Scenes with commentary, Trailers
David R. Ellis
Ali Larter, A.J. Cook, Michael Landes
Action, Drama and Horror | 影视 |
2016-36/0818/en_head.json.gz/11362 | The X Factor Winner Is Revealed! Plus, the Best of Britney's Faces, One Direction & Awkward Technical Difficulties
Natalie Finn
Ray Mickshaw / FOX
What are a few technical difficulties when a $5 million prize is at stake?Sure, The X Factor began and Carly Rose Sonenclar, Tate Stevens and Fifth Harmony didn't appear when hosts Mario Lopez and Khloé Kardashian Odom first announced them—but one of them was ultimately declared the winner roughly two hours later."They're a little nervous to come out here and it's that close," Mario said, killing a little time. "They're going over probably making a deal when one of them wins!"
What was the deal with LeAnn Rimes' X Factor duet with Carly Rose Sonenclar?
Cue back to the red carpet outside the theater, where three SUVs pulled up and, one by one, expelled Tate, Carly Rose and Fifth Harmony for a joint performance of a popped-up (and, at moments, seemingly lip-synced) version of the Beatles' "All You Need Is Love."The grand finale righted itself once the top three returned to the X Factor stage, Tate kicking off the solos with "Please Come Home for Christmas." Variety wasn't exactly the spice of life, with Fifth Harmony taking on "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)" next, but the two together certainly got us in the spirit.They aired the requisite Simon Cowell-insults montage, a carryover from his American Idol days, starting with "I'm not being rude" and including, as always, the Brit comparing someone's singing to a screeching cat.
Miss last night's performance finale? Read our recap!
This marked the first year, however, for the montage of Britney Spears' reaction faces, many of them quite priceless!
Carly Rose closed out the caroling round with "All I Want for Christmas Is You"—and then it was time to announce who had finished two places short of the winner's circle.Just as Simon optimistically predicted, Fifth Harmony did not win the whole thing, instead coming in third following what was a surprising appearance in the finale in the first place. Calling last year's effort with groups (Paula Abdul was the first mentor cleaned out of contestants) a "disaster," Simon said his favorite part of this season was shepherding a group into the finals.
So You Think You Can Dance returns for a 10th season this summer!
"We've gained more than $5 million could [give us]," said Karla Camila Cabello—and we hope that she and Ally Brooke Hernandez, Lauren Jauregui, Normani Hamilton and Dinah Hansen maintain that optimism as they head off into their future.With Tate and Carly Rose left to ponder their fate, Pitbull got the joint dancing with "Don't Stop the Party" and then smooth operator Harry Styles and the rest of One Direction—take heart, Fifth Harmony, they finished third on the U.K. X Factor—performed "Kiss You" and sent many pulses racing. (For the record, there was no sign of Taylor Swift in their SUV when they pulled up to the red carpet.)Next up, the top two teamed up for a duet on "The Climb"—and then, the moment of truth, time to declare either Tate Stevens or Carly Rose Sonenclar the winner of the second season of The X Factor.
Is L.A. Reid regetting his decision to leave The X Factor?
And—way to go out on a high note, L.A. Reid—it was Tate Stevens who won it all!As the 37-year-old highway worker from Belton, Mo., embraced his mentor in a big bear hug, Britney could be seen consoling her 13-year-old protégée (who, we were happy to see, remained composed and positive and immediately crossed the stage to give Tate a big hug). "First and foremost, I've got to thank the man upstairs for taking care of me," Tate said, his voice cracking with emotion. "My family, all the country music fans, God bless you, and thank you so very much for all the votes. And this is the best day of my life."
Peep the biggest moments from The X Factor | 影视 |
2016-36/0818/en_head.json.gz/11478 | Happy Birthday, MichaelAmerica's beloved actor talks about the four words that help him cope with Parkinson's, why he "disobeys" his wife, and the car ride with his dad he'll never forget.
Rosemary Ellis
It's hard to believe that Michael J. Fox — the boyish star we came to love on Family Ties — is about to turn 50, but it's true. On June 9, he hits the half-century mark, and the movie that rocketed him to megastardom, Back to the Future, recently celebrated its 25th anniversary.In the midst of these milestones, GH Editor in Chief Rosemary Ellis caught up with Fox in his New York City office, where he chatted about everything from the mantra that best helps him deal with his Parkinson's to the sweet way he recently surprised his wife, Tracy Pollan. And, since June also ushers in Father's Day, he shared his top parenting principles, plus some personal family photos. Here, his always intriguing and inspiring thoughts:Advertisement - Continue Reading BelowRosemary Ellis: You're turning 50 very soon. That's a big birthday. How does it make you feel?Michael J. Fox: It's not a "feeling down" kind of thing. It makes you think how valuable life is. Really, how bad is something [like Parkinson's] in relation to not having [life] at all?RE: Right. Which is something you must have thought about a lot when you were first diagnosed. Things like that — big life-changers and significant birthdays — make you reconsider what you value. MJF: You know, there's a rule in acting called "Don't play the result." If you have a character who's going to end up in a certain place, don't play that until you get there. Play each scene and each beat as it comes. And that's what you do in your life: You don't play the result.
Most PopularSo you get diagnosed with Parkinson's, and you can play the result. You can go right to, "Oh, I'm sick." It took me seven years to figure out that I'm not at the result. I'm not at the result till the end. So let's not play it. It's not written yet. And so that's the attitude I take in life. Another expression is "Act as if." Act as if it's the way you want it to be, and it'll eventually morph into that.RE: That's a very wise attitude.MJF: Well, with Parkinson's, it's like you're in the middle of the street and you're stuck there in cement shoes and you know a bus is coming at you, but you don't know when. You think you can hear it rumbling, but you have a lot of time to think. And so you just don't live that moment of the bus hitting you until it happens. There's all kinds of room in that space.RE: What's the hardest part about Parkinson's? MJF: I actually never talk about this, but the hardest thing is probably the fatigue. And trying to have a higher threshold for it. Sometimes there may be things I want to do, and I say, "I'm so freakin' tired. I don't know if I can do it." And then I'll do it and I'll never regret that I did it. But [the hardest part is] just getting over that.RE: When you think about being 50, what are you most proud of in your life? What are the things that stand out most to you?MJF: I don't feel a yearning or a sense of missed opportunities. I don't have many regrets. So that's a nice feeling. To have no regrets and still have enough sense of adventure to take on risk. I mean, in other words, I can say, "I don't have anything I regret!" But I can also say, "I can go forward in my life the way it is now and I don't think I'll accrue any future regrets."
Courtesy of Michael J. FoxAdvertisement - Continue Reading BelowRE: Have there been any surprising blessings in the way your life has unfolded?MJF: One of the great things about Parkinson's, in a superficial way, is it relieved me of vanity. I don't worry about what I look like, because it's literally out of my hands. But on a deeper level, it gives you a real humility, because you have to deal every day with the fact that you compromise, to a certain extent...so then you explore what that compromise is and "How am I compromised?" And for everything I can't do, I find that there's another ability that's been developed or another avenue that I've gone down.I had a great moment with [my daughter] Esmé the other night. This may sound funny because she's 9 years old, but she loves to read — anyway, we were talking, and I realized, here's a person who's never heard the Robert Frost poem "The Road Not Taken." And I said, "You'll love this!" And I went and got the poem, and there were some phrases I had to explain to her, but she so loved that idea of choosing the road less traveled, and it was so cool to impart that. And that's something I feel has made all the difference in the world. That I've taken those paths that people I grew up with in my life wouldn't have expected me to take or wouldn't have told me to look for.RE: Have you surprised yourself? MJF: Yes — sometimes, with the foundation [the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research], I look around, and it's an out-of-body experience. It's amazing to think, Look what we've wrought. And I've been really lucky with people. That's another thing: to appreciate the people in your life, the people you take for granted and the people you may not even know are having an impact on you. There are people who make decisions that affect you every day. You don't know that they're making those decisions and you don't stop to think about how grateful you are that they made them.RE: Speaking of things you're grateful for, what have been the highlights of the past year?MJF: It was just great to be with family, all together; there were so many moments. Going to London with Tracy for her birthday. And careerwise, it was great to work again on The Good Wife [he has guest-starred on several episodes of the CBS drama, as a cagey lawyer with a neurological condition]. That was really fun, and it's nice with work to still have a sense of, "What do I bring to this? What tools do I have?" Not concentrating on what tools I don't have. I don't have the physical subtlety that I had before. I don't have the elasticity of expression that I had. I have to work to configure my face or to physically situate myself in a way that serves the script or my immediate physical needs. But at the same time, this experience has given me a gravitas, a kind of steadiness and a stillness, even in my motion, that I didn't have before. It's really taught me how to be quiet. And those are the moments in life, too, like when you walk around the corner and see Esmé lying on the floor on her back with a book and [with] her feet up. It's just fighting back the impulse to say, "Hey, sweetie, what are you reading?" or whatever, but instead just stopping at the doorway and looking.Advertisement - Continue Reading BelowRE: Do you have rituals with each of your kids? MJF: Sam [who's now in college] and I would listen to music in the car all the time. I love music, and he'd be in the car seat...and say The Who was playing "My Generation." I'd point out, "Listen to this bass line." And he'd listen and then we wouldn't talk about it, but then he'd come home from school [years later] and say, "Can I get a bass? I want to play the bass." So with Sam, it's a lot of that kind of stuff, and talking about science fiction and computers.With my twins [Schuyler and Aquinnah], they're so interesting because they're so different [although] they've had the same life experience. They share the same clothes, they share the same room, and yet they're such distinct human beings. Schuyler was born with a whiskey voice. She has a droll take on things; she'll roll her eyes if there's any kind of drama in the house.
Most PopularWith Aquinnah, she's so passionate that you have to be really earnest when you deal with her. She's like, "My teacher's going to kill me." I say, "Guarantee she's not going to kill you. It's not going to happen."And with Esmé, it's so hard to explain! She spent the past two weeks writing a book about Greek gods. And when I say she's written a book about Greek gods, I mean she's written a book about [them]. She's broken it down: Demeter and Apollo...she's got every Greek god listed, and a description of them, and then pictures she found on the Internet. She's taking advantage of this world we have now with all this information. She's a really interesting, bright 9-year-old.
Courtesy of Michael J. FoxRE: What is the takeaway, as a parent, that you want your kids to have and really understand?MJF: Life is what you put into it and how much you take out of it. You put in more than is expected, and you take out less than you want. Everything is cause and effect. If you don't move, nothing will move with you, and nothing will move toward you. And so that involves risk and also resiliency. But I think I just really want my kids to enjoy life as much as I do.RE: What's the hardest part of parenting for you? MJF: The hardest part is that they grow up. And also realizing that there's some stuff that's their stuff. I spent so much time just walking them to the store, monitoring their every move. Now my 16-year-olds have to be able to go to their friend's house and not text me every five minutes and tell me what they're doing. They need the freedom to do that.Advertisement - Continue Reading BelowRE: Do you and Tracy have different parenting styles? MJF: She's very orderly, which is great. And I'm more laissez-faire. To me, if one of our kids reads a book for school and I can have a conversation with her about the book and I sense that she gets what the book is about, then it doesn't really matter to me if she gets an A on the paper. What I'm sending them to school for is so they read and they get it and they write. Not necessarily that they're able to put that out in five paragraphs with good topic sentences and a strong thesis and an outward-facing conclusion, whereas that's important to Tracy that they do that. And that's great.RE: How do you and Tracy carve out time for yourselves? MJF: There are things as silly as our having television that we watch together. If I watch Episodes on Showtime when she's out of town, she'll say, "I can't believe you watched that without me!" We have that time where we sit and watch that together.And we do take a trip every year. We really enjoy each other's company. This year, in New Orleans, we had a day and a half where we walked the French Quarter. Just to spend two hours going into curio shops — I wouldn't want to be with anyone else. It's not just romantic moments, but it's goofy moments of buying a coffee and [learning] how to get a cab.RE: What's the most romantic thing you've done for her?MJF: We had a rule. We try to save gift-giving for birthdays and Christmas, but if we're doing something like remodeling the apartment, then we agree, "Let's not do the big gift this year, since we've got to get new carpet." But I was in New Orleans with her for Valentine's Day, and I brought some gifts. Even though we had a deal not to give gifts, I could tell she was delighted. And I didn't care that she didn't get me a big gift, because that was our agreement. I cheated! I broke the rules! I got her a necklace. So sue me. She was thrilled.RE: That's pretty romantic. It's nice you two were able to be together for Valentine's Day. MJF: You know, when our twins were born, they were induced, and we had a choice between February 14th or 15th, and we decided the 15th, because we didn't want to never be able to have a Valentine's dinner because it'd be the girls' birthday. So she carried that weight around an extra day so we could have Valentine's Day.
Courtesy of Michael J. FoxAdvertisement - Continue Reading BelowRE: The last time we met, you said that when people hug Tracy and say, "You're so strong," or they give you the sad face, you roll your eyes, understandably. So what do you think are the right things to say to someone going through a difficult time? MJF: The cue should be taken from what the person is radiating. So for example, I had this conversation with somebody who said to me that her husband had Parkinson's and was in denial. And I said, "What do you mean he's in denial?" And she said, "He still insists on golfing and hiking and swimming." And I said, "That's not denial — that's life. That's just great. It's not about what you think it should be. It's about what he is experiencing." So if you go up to someone and say, "How are you? Are you OK?" I mean, that tells me I'm supposed to not be OK. Just ask me if I'm OK, I'll tell you I'm OK...and take my word for it. Or I'll tell you I'm not OK...and then be prepared to reap what you've sown by asking me the question. So what I say about Tracy is this: Tracy's big challenge is not having a Parkinson's patient for a husband. It's having me for a husband. I happen to be a Parkinson's patient. That's what I say to people: Whatever the situation, just take it for what it is. You don't have to make it worse or better than it is. It just is what it is. Always deal with the honesty, the truth of what something is, and then you've got all kinds of choices.
Most PopularI'm not fearful of my condition or my future — but if someone is looking in my eyes for fear, then they see their own fear reflected back at them. They're saying, "I'm OK, but you're kind of damaged in some way."RE: But some would say you're not OK. How would you reply?MJF: It's like, I'm all right. Don't worry about me.RE: So totally shifting gears here: Last year marked the 25th anniversary of Back to the Future. Have you watched any of the movies lately? MJF: If I'm changing the channel, sometimes I'll see them, and I'll pause for a second. But I love that people still see it. It's funny that a film about multigenerational relationships, characters over a span of generations, has become a film that's been popular over a span of generations. In fact, we're almost at the place in the future that Marty went to. Fast approaching, and there are no flying cars.RE: You were 24 when Back to the Future was released — you didn't finish high school, right?MJF: No, I got a GED in my 30s. My kids know that I never stop learning, and they know I love reading. I have books overflowing everywhere. I am current on today's events and I read the paper every day, and we talk about it, so they see that appetite. And they also understand that I came from a background [in which I] didn't have the opportunities [they have]. And they know I would say to them, "You have these opportunities and you don't take them — what are you, crazy?" So they don't need to have that conversation with me. They realize.RE: Tell me, does faith, or spirituality, play a part in your life? MJF: I'm always grappling with it. My glib answer is, "I think there's a God and I know it's not me." I don't have a set of tenets, but I live an ethical life. I practice a humility that presupposes there's a power greater than myself. And I always believe, don't inflict harm where it's not necessary.So in terms of faith, in terms of a daily reinforcement of it, I think it's just celebrating life. Life is the power that's greater than I can ever comprehend. The way life runs through everything, even the tiniest elements of nature — that makes me humble. It's the same humility that causes people at a certain time every day to get on their knees and put their foreheads on the ground in honor of something or someone. I feel in my own way I do that in every day in honor of this life. If spirituality is that you're humble in the face of forces greater than you and you believe that those forces are more inclined toward being good than being bad, then I'm a spiritual person.Advertisement - Continue Reading BelowRE: Let's talk about Father's Day. Do you do anything special? Any favorite gifts you've received? MJF: The biggest gift on Father's Day is if I can be with all my kids. And we have one of those households that's just a big noisy blur of activity, so it's nice on Father's Day when I get to be the center of it for a day.RE: Your dad passed away 21 years ago. What are the lessons he taught you or the important things he passed on to you that you want to pass on to your kids?MJF: When I think about my father, I think about how if you got into trouble, he was the first person you called and the last person you wanted to see. My father, seriously, he would walk barefoot through glass in a firestorm to do the right thing. Not only for his kids, but for a neighbor. He had a real sense of what was right, and he did what was right.It took me a long time to really appreciate that. Because for me, it's easy [to say, "Do what's right"], because I have all this. I have financial security; I have a record of accomplishment. I've got an ease with my kids. I know I can provide my kids with what I want them to have. He didn't have any of that. He had a lot of insecurity and a lot of struggles. He grew up in the Depression and went into the military because it was a paying job, and he stayed there for 25 years. He made a lot of sacrifices. I think about that when I think about all I enjoy. And he never fathomed this life. And so I always think, he died 21 years ago, but he got to see the beginnings of this. And he got to see Sam's birth. So he saw me on this road. And I think that I'm happy that he got that. Because he owns a piece of it. So I'm glad he got a chance to enjoy something while he was here.RE: What are the strongest memories of him that you have? MJF: I remember when I told him that I wanted to move to the States [from Canada]. I was 17, and I wanted to move on my 18th birthday. I needed to get an agent down there, and I wanted to drop out of high school. And I expected him to blow up. What he said was, "Well, if you're going to be a lumberjack, you better go to the forest." So he said he'd take me there, and he drove me down to L.A. to find an agent.I remember that trip in his Dodge Aspen, driving from Vancouver to L.A. It took us two days. We didn't have the easiest relationship, because I was kind of a flaky kid. We didn't talk the way I talk with my kids, a kind of loose conversation. He was a military guy, and the two of us alone in a car with me going down to L.A., well...but he did it. Because he decided it was the right thing to do, that I deserved to have that chance. And so there was nothing that was going to stop him from giving that to me. He was excited by my risk — one that he didn't necessarily feel comfortable in taking because he had certain responsibilities. But he saw that I could take that risk. All that was in jeopardy was his sense of whether he was a good father. I'll tell ya, whatever math he did to decide it was OK to take me to L.A., I love the way he did it.RE: What a terrific story. Thank you for sharing it, and for all of your wisdom. And I know our readers join me in wishing you a very happy half-century! Read Next:
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2016-36/0818/en_head.json.gz/11540 | Hitler's Children
AboutThe DirectorThe FilmCreditsSynopsisTreatmentMediaReviewsThe TimesThe TelegraphThe GaurdianThe New York TimesThe IndependentThe Hollywood ReporterThe Village VoiceFilm Journal InternationalAbout.com DocumentariesYedioth AhronothThe City MouseFestivals2011 Film Festivals2012 Film Festivals2013 Film FestivalsArticlesAbout the HolocaustNazi War CriminalsPost WWII and Hitler RegimeWhat happened during WWIIAbout HitlerHolocuaust Survivors and HeroesHitler's Children DocumentaryContactBuy the DVDbooks
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Escaping the Holocaust was an extremely difficult thing for anyone to do once it had already started. However, for most of the Jewish people of Europe, it was difficult to realize precisely how horrible things would become in the near future. Since that was the case, relatively few people fled the Holocaust before it was too late.
In order to leave Germany to escape the Holocaust, a person had to have a great deal of money and the means to move an entire family to a new country. This was extremely difficult for most people. Although the immigration policies of America were welcoming at the time, the language barrier was also an issue. Study of English was not as widespread in Germany at that time as it is today.
Many people left Germany in order to go to adjoining countries such as Austria and Poland. However, this did not result in safety. Countries around Germany gradually began to fall to the Nazi regime, and those who had fled early on in the regime would often suffer reprisal at the hands of the Nazis. Those attempting to escape from oppression were astonished as even France, once thought very safe, became part of the growing Nazi empire.
In order to truly escape from the Holocaust, then, it was usually necessary to go at least as far as the United States. Over time, this became more difficult. As Nazis began to enact laws to identify, track, and restrict the movements of Jewish people, it was harder and harder to get permission to leave the country. Jews especially were expected to apply for special passports to allow them to leave. These passports only applied to one or two individuals at a time, leaving the rest of the family to be punished in the event of defection.
Once the “Final Solution” began and the Nazi death camps were in full operation, Jews and other targets of the Nazi regime could only leave the country with the help of forged passports or other documents. Within Germany itself, this was extremely difficult, and the possession of any such documents would result in summary execution. In other areas, resistance fighters frequently provided forged documents to people who were fleeing.
Forged documents were also provided by foreign intelligence services in the United States and United Kingdom. These would allow targets of the Nazi regime to leave the country and resettle elsewhere, but in so doing, they left behind all they knew.
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2016-36/0818/en_head.json.gz/11549 | Rosamund Pike met with Edgar Wright’s ex-girlfriend for movie role GeneralNews Share
Jul 10, 2013 Director Edgar Wright sent Rosamund Pike out for dinner with his ex-girlfriend so the actress would have a better understanding of the role she plays in his new film The World’s End. Pike’s character in the film, Sam, is inspired by Wright’s former partner from more than 20 years ago, named only as Steph, so the director/writer agreed to put the women in touch so the actress could discuss the part with her.
Wright has revealed the pair went out to dinner together, but he decided he was better off not knowing what they talked about.
He tells the London Evening Standard, “I don’t know what they talked about and I’m not sure I want to know but Ros came back and told me, ‘Yeah, I get it.'”
The film, which stars Simon Pegg and Nick Frost, is the third film in their unofficial comedy trilogy after Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz, and is due for release in the U.K. later this month (Jul13) and in America in August (13). | 影视 |
2016-36/0818/en_head.json.gz/11550 | Catherine Hardwicke in Talks to Direct 'Love Letters to the Dead' (Exclusive)
11:12 AM PDT 5/29/2015
Rebecca Ford and Borys Kit
The 'Twilight' director reunites with producers Temple Hill.
There's a Twilight reunion brewing.
Catherine Hardwicke, who directed the first teen vampire film, is in early talks to direct Love Letters to the Dead, a book adaptation being produced by Twilight producers Temple Hill Entertainment.
The Fox 2000 project is an adaptation of Ava Dellaira’s Love Letters to the Dead, which was published in April 2014. The hot book centers on a character named Laurel who for an English class assignment writes a letter to a dead person, Kurt Cobain. Soon, she has a notebook full of letters to famous dead people including Janis Joplin, Amy Winehouse, Amelia Earhart and Heath Ledger. In these letters, she shares her own experiences about starting high school, figuring out friendships and finding love. She also writes about the abuse she suffered and the death of her sister May, who was supposed to be looking after her. By writing down the truth about her experiences, she starts to come to terms with the truth about her sister.
Dellaira will write the script. Hardwick helmed the first Twilight film, which hit theaters in 2008 and launched the $3.3 billion franchise. Temple Hill's Marty Bowen and Wyck Godfrey, who produced the successful YA franchise, are producing Love Letters. Their recent projects include the adaptation of John Green's The Fault In Our Stars and Paper Towns (which opens on July 24), plus Fox's Maze Runner franchise.
Hardwicke’s recent projects include 2013’s Plush and 2011’s Red Riding Hood. She’s in post on indie Miss You Already starring Drew Barrymore. She’s repped by CAA, Manage-ment and Sloane, Offer.
rebecca.ford@thr.com
Beccamford | 影视 |
2016-36/0818/en_head.json.gz/11559 | Golden Globe Nominations: 'Downton Abbey' And 'Homeland' Go Head To Head For Glory
Looks like the battle for Sunday night television viewing supremacy just moved to an even bigger stage Stateside for the Golden Globes, with both 'Downton Abbey' and 'Homeland' scooping multiple nominations.
The two very different dramas, who have ruled in the 9pm TV slot in recent months, are both in the running for a Best TV Series Award.
This recognition comes at an interesting time for both shows, with 'Homeland' receiving mixed criticism for its second series after its universally-praised debut season, and the third, back-to-form series of 'Downton' yet to be aired in the United States, following a relatively weak second term. 'Downton Abbey's' Michelle Dockery
And they've both come good in the acting stakes as well. 'Downton' - ITV's hit period drama, which already boasts the gong for Best Television Mini-Series from last year's ceremony - has two of its female stars nominated for the 70th annual awards. All the British stars nominated for Golden Globes glory
Dame Maggie Smith has received a Best Supporting Actress in a Series, Mini-Series, or TV Movie nod and Michelle Dockery while Michelle Dockery has been nominated for Best Actress in a TV Series, Drama. She will go up against Connie Britton, Glenn Close, Julianna Margulies and 'Homeland's' Claire Danes for the Award. Danes won this category last year, as well as this year's Emmy Award.
Damian Lewis has been nominated for 'Homeland'
Meanwhile, British actor and Emmy winner Damian Lewis scooped a nomination for 'Homeland'. He will be up against 'Mad Men's' Jon Hamm, Bryan Cranston for 'Breaking Bad', Jeff Daniels for 'The Newroom' and Steve Buscemi for 'Boardwalk Empire' for the Best Actor in a Television Drama Series gong. Mandy Patinkin was also nominated for Best Supporting Actor in a Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture made for Television for his role as Saul in 'Homeland'.
He will have to battle against Eric Stonestreet for 'Modern Family', Danny Huston for 'Magic City', Ed Harris for 'Game Change' and Max Greenfield for 'New Girl'.
British Emmy Nominations
Sienna Miller was nominated for Best Actress TV Movie for her role as Tippi Hedren in The Girl. Share this slide:
70th Annual Golden Globe Awards Nominations
LOS ANGELES, CA - DECEMBER 13: Actress Jessica Alba poses during the 70th Annual Golden Globes Awards Nominations at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on December 13, 2012 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images)
UK TV Downton Abbey Homeland Michelle Dockery Maggie Smith | 影视 |
2016-36/0818/en_head.json.gz/11597 | War Horse - New London Theatre (review)
Review by Lizzie Guilfoyle
IT WAS with high expectations that I went along to the New London Theatre to see the National’s critically acclaimed, Olivier Award-winning production of Michael Morpurgo’s War Horse and I wasn’t disappointed. In fact, it was everything and more than I had anticipated.
For those of you who don’t already know, War Horse is the story of Joey, young Albert’s beloved horse who, at the outbreak of World War One, is sold to the cavalry and shipped to France where he serves on both sides before finding himself alone in no man’s land.
But Albert cannot forget Joey and athough too young, he enlists, a move that takes him on a treacherous mission to find Joey and bring him home. It’s a moving story that not only highlights the horrors of war from a soldier’s perspective but, in examing the role played by horses, underlines the plight of these beautiful but oftimes exploited creatures. Did you know, for example, that a million horses were sent to France between 1914 and 1918 but only 62,000 returned? Or that many were left to die in appalling conditions? However, for the purposes of War Horse, Joey and Topthorn (another of the cavalry horses) are puppets but puppets like you’ve never seen before. Life size, they display all the characteristics of their living, breathing counterparts so are totally believable. And it’s thanks mainly to the extraordinary talents and perception of the Handspring Puppet Company who bring them so realistically and tirelessly to life. But credit must also go to the cast, to Kit Harington (Albert) in particular, who interact with them so well. The scene in which Albert first attempts to win the foal Joey’s trust is a case in point and will almost certainly bring a smile to your face. There are also moments of heartbreak, not least when boy and horse are parted. And believe me, surprising though it may seem, the line between puppet and horse will blur and you will be completely overtaken by emotion.
The cast is superb but Bronagh Gallagher as Albert’s mother deserves special mention. Her portrayal of Rose Narracott will strike a chord with many women – with a bark worse than her bite, she’s loyal to her man (despite his shortcomings) and dearly loves her son. Her anguish when she discovers he’s run off to enlist is almost palpable.
The sets are minimal, consisting for the most part of Rae Smith’s sketchbook images projected onto a screen above the stage. But with Paule Constable’s imaginative and discerning lighting, the atmosphere, be it rural Devon or the battlefields of France, is fittingly authentic. Again, top marks for bringing the true horrors of the Great War to the narrow confines of a London stage.
One final word, War Horse also shows the human face of war – from both British and German viewpoints. Take Kavallerie Hauptmann Friedrich Muller (Patrick O’Kane), for instance, who desperately wants to go home to his wife and daughter and who genuinely cares for Joey and Topthorn. Or the two soldiers, one British, one German, who call a temporary truce in order to free Joey from the barbarous barbed wire of no man’s land – stark reminders both of the absurdity of war. This is an excellent production although, of course, it may not be to everyone’s taste. The subject matter is undeniably dark but juxtaposed against moments of an altogether lighter nature (you’ll love the goose), War Horse becomes an enthralling, enlightening and emotional experience that shouldn’t be missed. Which means, of course, that after two non-runners (Gone with the Wind and Imagine This) the New London Theatre has at last backed a winner. War Horse is currently booking at the New London Theatre until October 22, 2011.
War Horse Gallery
Although horses are often thought of as the forgotten heroes of war, they haven’t been forgotten completely. One of London’s newest monuments is the Animals in War Memorial which stands at Brook Gate, Park Lane, on the edge of London’s Hyde Park. It was designed by leading English sculptor, David Backhouse and inspired by Jilly Cooper’s book, Animals in War.
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2016-36/0818/en_head.json.gz/11623 | Browse MusicChristina AguileraShow Me How You Burlesque
Biography Read More Christina María Aguilera (born December 18, 1980) is an American recording artist and actress. Aguilera first appeared on national television in 1990 as a contestant on the Star Search program, and went on to star in Disney Channel's television series The Mickey Mouse Club from 1993–1994. Aguilera signed to RCA Records after recording "Reflection", the theme song for the animated film Mulan (1998).
In 1999, Aguilera came to prominence following her debut album Christina Aguilera, which was a commercial suc... Biography from Wikipedia
Show Me How You Burlesque - Christina Aguilera Music Video | 影视 |
2016-36/0818/en_head.json.gz/11736 | Featured Database March of Time With its first appearance on American motion picture screens in February 1935, The March of Time startled journalists, filmmakers, and audiences alike with its controversial topics and unique approach to newsreels. The "issues", as the newsreels were called, were a blend of confrontational journalism and docudrama, often using actors to stage events that had not been photographed on newsreel cameras. The series began with brief segments in the 1930s and eventually grew in length and scope to television programs of in-depth coverage of a single topic. Though extremely popular worldwide, the series eventually ceded viewers to the popularity of television programming, ending movie theatre presentations in 1951 and airing its last television segment in 1967. | 影视 |
2016-36/0818/en_head.json.gz/11778 | This week's Breaking Bad shows us how to make a good filler episode
Jeffrey Rushby
AMCI expected much more to go wrong in this scene from this week's Breaking Bad
Before I jump into talking about this episode, I want to show how simple it would be to describe this episode as it relates to the overall plot of the series. Put simply, Walt (Bryan Cranston) and Jesse (Aaron Paul) ask Mike (Jonathan Banks) to help them start selling Meth again, he says no, then says yes. In a normal television series, this type of episode so late in the game would be inexcusable. We literally went nowhere in the series this week, but that's OK for Breaking Bad. This episode was so expertly crafted and well-paced that it made me forget that it was a filler episode at all.
This week's episode, "Madrigal," started off with a very peculiar cold open. Mr. Schuler (Jonathan Banks), of the company known as Madrigal, was testing new sauce flavors with tater tots in the most bizarre looking of kitchens. There was a general sense of unease throughout the whole proceedings, and I really thought he was going to go off on one of the food technicians. Instead, we learned the police wanted to question him in relation to his ties to Los Pollos Hermanos. We can assume that Schuler knew everything, considering the way he avoided the police and killed himself with a defibrillator. Yes, a defibrillator. This kicked off the theme of the episode, in which we saw that the police were beginning to round up people on Gus's (Giancarlo Esposito) payroll. Of course, not everyone thinks this will go well. Thus, we meet Lydia (Laura Fraser), who has a list of eleven people she'd like Mike to kill. The scene between the two in the diner was awesome, as we got a little insight into how Mike works. He knows when he has to kill, and when he doesn't. Naturally, his refusal to do what Lydia wants doesn't satisfy the impulsive woman, but it gives us plenty of reason to continue to follow Mike.
Another standout scene this week was between Mike and Hank (Dean Norris) in the interrogation room. We learned more about Mike in this scene than we have over the last couple seasons, but it also added a little more mystery to his character. What were the circumstances of his departure for the Philly police force? It couldn't have been pretty. We also learned that Hank's people are learning more and more about Gus's empire, which puts a little pressure on all of our characters. I'm envisioning this investigation picking up steam very soon, so every scene with Hank should be setting up something big. I would also expect Hank and Mike to meet again, under less casual circumstances. Then, we got to see what happens when Mike goes into damage control mode. He walks into one of the people on the list trying to kill him and another person, and handles it like the pro he is. From there, we get the outstanding scene where he breaks into Lydia's house. I really thought the daughter was going to walk in the room, which is something Mike was clearly uneasy with. This scene solidified the earlier scene between him and his granddaughter - that she is the most important thing to him, and the reason why he does things. When Mike ultimately chose to work with Walt and Jesse, it was because of his desire to help his granddaughter, and nothing more. Mike is unselfish in his motivations as it gets, while Walt is hiding behind the guise of selflessness; a guise which is slipping away more and more every episode. As a quick note on Walt, his reputation was hurt further by the scene between him and Jesse early on in the episode. He is still subtly manipulation Jesse, who now feels bad for almost killing Walt. Of course this will come into play very soon, when Jesse probably has to make a choice between Walt and Mike. For now, though, we have Walt, Jesse, and Mike going into business together. This relationship can't last, considering both the volatile characters and the time constraints on the series, but it'll be interesting to see if we get even a couple episodes out of it. We now know a lot more about Mike, and it's time to move forward and get the ball rolling on the end of the series. As always, thanks for reading. Leave a comment below if you have any thoughts on the episode you'd like to share, and I'll see you all next week! | 影视 |
2016-36/0818/en_head.json.gz/11811 | NATICK � Film lovers, coming to downtown Natick, a movie theater near you.David Lavalley, executive director of The Center for Arts in Natick, announced plans to use a recent $180,000 grant to help establish a 120-seat movie theater on the second floor of its Summer Street headquarters.While plans must be finalized, Lavalley envisions an "art house-type cinema,�� showing films to appeal to local audiences, that could be operating by the fall of 2015.He said the grant, plus money to be raised, will be used to transform the second floor into a multi-use performance space with movable seats that could also host classical concerts, conferences and other activities, as well as show a wide variety of films.For several years, focus groups comprised of TCAN staffers, residents, business owners and members the Natick Center Cultural District have been studying what to do with the second floor of the historic firehouse. Right now, it�s being used for storage."Of all the plans we kicked around, the idea of a movie theater seemed to resonate most with the people involved,�� said Lavalley on Tuesday. "Definitely, it�s going to be something cool and, definitely, high quality.��TCAN�s recent selection for the $180,000 grant from the Massachusetts Cultural Council�s facilities fund was a key factor in moving the project ahead.Anita Walker, executive director of the MCC, described TCAN as "a phenomenal example of how arts and culture are reinventing spaces across the commonwealth.""TCAN is an anchor of the Natick Center Cultural District and I�m delighted that this grant from the Cultural Facilities Fund will play a role in helping to sustain and grow the organization and its offerings to the community," she said.The MCC recently awarded grants totally nearly $14 million for Bay State nonprofit arts and cultural institutions, including the deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum ($100,000), Danforth Art ($30,000), Performing Arts Center of MetroWest ($15,000), Hopkinton Center for the Arts ($450,000) and Fitchburg Art Museum ($140,000).TCAN�s application to the MCC stated it "has more than doubled its annual attendance and operating budget�� over the last decade and even saw revenue and membership growth in 2008 when the general economy suffered.The application cited TCAN�s strong financial impact on the area economy, projected in a study by Carlisle Company, to be more than $14 million over the next five years.Lavalley, who recently completed his 10th year at TCAN�s helm, said once the second-floor performance space is completed, "We�ll be using our full facility for the first time.��While stressing the second floor already has "great acoustics�� and further soundproofing was expected, he said movies wouldn�t generally be scheduled at the same time as first-floor concerts.Citing the example of the Coolidge Corner Cinema in Brookline, he said a variety of independent films, including foreign and art films, documentaries, children films and movies aimed at older audiences would likely be shown. "I could even imagine hosting film series,�� he said.Lavalley has spoken with Antonio Viva, head of the Walnut Hill School for the Arts in Natick, about establishing a partnership that would involve use of the theater for student projects.Viva said the school plans to establish a new major study area for students by 2015, concentrating on creative writing, film and media and "is really excited by what a partnership with TCAN might allow us to do together.��"We hope to attract students from the region, the nation and internationally for the new program. Working with TCAN in the new theater would provide new ways to engage the community around film,�� he said.Local business owner Artie Fair, president of Natick Centre Associates and a TCAN board member, said, "The timing of the announcement about the movie theater couldn�t be better.��"There�s an absolute connection between TCAN running good programs and attracting patrons and the economic health of the downtown. Their customers patronize local restaurants, galleries and small businesses,�� he said. "If they�re doing different kinds of movies and shows, they�ll be attracting new people and that�s a plus all around. It�s another feather in the cap for how things are going around here.��Chris Bergeron is a Daily News staff writer. Contact him at cbergeron@wickedlocal.com or 508-626-4448. Follow us on Twitter @WickedLocalArts and on Facebook. | 影视 |
2016-36/0818/en_head.json.gz/11815 | Parks and Recreation landed Joe Biden and John McCain, and now 30 Rock is getting Nancy Pelosi. The House Minority Leader will guest-star on the NBC comedy's series finale on Jan. 31, The Washington Post reports."I would do almost anything Tina Fey asks me to do," Pelosi told the Post. "I'm flattered that they asked me to make a cameo in the series finale. I had a lot of fun."Winter TV Preview: Must-see new showsThe network would not confirm whether Pelosi is appearing as herself in the hour-long episode, which will also feature appearances by Julianne Moore and Ice-T.30 Rock airs Thursdays at 8/7c on NBC.View original Nancy Pelosi to Appear on 30 Rock Finale at TVGuide.comOther Links From TVGuide.com Ice-TJulianne MooreJohn McCainNancy PelosiJoe Biden30 RockParks and Recreation | 影视 |
2016-36/0818/en_head.json.gz/12034 | One home, one heart | January 25, 2013 | Palo Alto Weekly | Palo Alto Online |
http://paloaltoonline.com/print/story/print/2013/01/25/one-home-one-heart
Arts & Entertainment - January 25, 2013
One home, one heart
Tenement family dreams of stage stardom in tender TheatreWorks drama
by Chad Jones
Subscribe for unlimited accessRead FAQIn a program note for his play "Somewhere" at TheatreWorks, playwright Matthew Lopez says the characters aren't based on his family but "based on my love for my family," and that's a defining quality of this warmhearted drama.
If you could distill American drama down to two themes, they might be family and dreams, especially if dreams can also encompass delusions. Lopez's play, which had its premiere last fall at San Diego's Old Globe and has been seriously revised for its bow in Mountain View, is all about a family of dreamers.
"We force the world to look like our dreams," the starry-eyed mother tells her disillusioned son. "We do not force our dreams to look like the world."
That's the truth. How else to account for just how happy the Candelarias are when the reality of their situation could make for a depressing evening of theater. An immigrant family from Puerto Rico, they live in a tenement on New York's Upper West Side. Dad is nowhere to be seen, except occasionally in letters from distant places, so it falls to oldest son Alejandro (Michael Rosen) to be the man of the house.
His mother, the sparky Inez (Priscilla Lopez, the playwright's aunt), works odd jobs so her talented kids can take acting and dancing lessons. Her eldest even has the claim to fame that he was a kid actor in "The King and I" opposite Yul Brynner. Mom is in thrall to musical theater, and how could she not be? She's living blocks above Times Square at the end of what would come to be known as the Golden Age of the Broadway musical.
She ushers by day and is a nightclub hostess by night. Her current stage obsession is "West Side Story," even though there are so few actual Puerto Ricans playing the Puerto Rican gang members. The entire family follows mom's lead and worships at the shrine of musical theater, playing cast albums non-stop and dancing up a storm, mostly for each other's amusement.
When the Candelarias connect, it's usually when they're dancing along to a show tune. Early in Act 1, with the pas de deux music from "West Side Story" playing, Inez dances with Alejandro, and there's just no denying the emotional power of watching a son dancing beautifully and tenderly with his mother.
But it's not all show tunes in the apartment. Alejandro, who's in his early 20s, has given up his Broadway dreams because he spends so much time working to put food on the family table. Younger brother Francisco (Eddie Gutierrez) is obsessed with becoming a movie actor, and youngest child Rebecca (Michelle Cabinian) is anxiously awaiting her turn in the spotlight.
Just when you think the Candelarias are delusional and their musical fantasies will get the better of them, in waltzes the real possibility of showbiz glory in the form of Jamie (Leo Ash Evens), a neighborhood boy who practically grew up with the Candelarias. Jamie is now assistant to Jerome Robbins, a Broadway legend and the director of "West Side Story" on stage; Robbins is soon to co-direct the motion picture.
Of course Inez wants all her talented children in the movie, but there's just one problem. The City of New York is evicting them. Their building is about to be torn down to make way for Lincoln Center.
Watching the Candelarias strive for things that seem way out of reach and help each other maintain their dreams/delusions calls to mind other plays about families, most notably "The Glass Menagerie," "Death of a Salesman" and, appropriately for this family, "Gypsy." There's even a potential gentleman caller in Act 2 who may or may not be coming to dinner.
Director Giovanna Sardelli strives for a realistic tone and rhythm to the often rambunctious family life, and then contrasts that with lovely flights of fantasy when the characters dance into an altered, often euphoric state. She and Lopez rely on those flights a bit too much, so they lose some impact, even when they're beautifully performed (the music is recorded and the choreography is by Greg Graham).
She gets strong performances from her cast, and Lopez, a member of the original Broadway cast of "A Chorus Line" and a Tony Award winner, dominates the stage in a role inspired by her own mother (whose maiden name happened to be Candelaria). As effective as Lopez is, she is nearly upstaged by Rosen's Alejandro, a soulful young man whose sense of responsibility only barely outpaces his desire to dance. And to dream.
While it's easy to set up dreamers and squash them with a mighty blow of reality, playwright Lopez is more compassionate with his characters. There could be more grit and less gloss in this story, but ultimately it's not sappy.
There's a certain degree of real-world grimness puncturing the show-tune delirium, especially in Act 2, but there are also small, deeply felt triumphs and acts of tenderness that keep hope alive and root the family's happiness in each other rather than in pipe dreams. That really makes "Somewhere" something. What: "Somewhere" by Matthew Lopez, presented by TheatreWorks
Where: Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts, 500 Castro St.
When: Through Feb. 10, with shows at 7:30 p.m. Tuesdays and Wednesdays, 8 p.m. Thursdays and Fridays, 2 and 8 p.m. Saturdays, and 2 and 7 p.m. Sundays
Cost: Tickets are $23-$73, with discounts for students, seniors and educators.
Info: Go to theatreworks.org or call 650-463-1960. | 影视 |
2016-36/0818/en_head.json.gz/12198 | Pavilion (2013)
Max Schaffner
as Max
Zach Cali
as Zach
Cody Hamric
Addie Bartlett
as Addie
Rated NR
Hazy, teenager-centric community portraits have become something of an indie sub-genre in recent years; Chris Fuller's "Loren Cass" (2006) and Matthew Porterfield's "Putty Hill" (2010) both come to mind as prominent examples. These films are typically anti-dramatic, populated by unaffected non-professional actors, and set in the least scenic parts of rural and suburban America. They display a strong sense of form and structure (especially true of "Putty Hill"), yet almost never come across as self-consciously arty. Their tone is unsensantional, unsentimental, and nonjudgemental. More often than not, they lack a central protagonist.
Tim Sutton's debut feature "Pavilion" is arguably the most abstract film to emerge from this trend. It has no interest in the adult world and no political edge. It does not grapple with a larger theme. It articulates no big idea. In essence, the movie is a mood piece about teenage bodies in motion: riding BMX bikes, skateboarding, swimming, ambling through woods, pushing shopping carts and laundry trolleys. It's about color and light, drift-like movement, a sense of isolation — and little else. If you're already on the movie's wavelength, it can be entrancing. If not, "Pavilion" may come off as flat and aimless. "Pavilion" has only a thin sliver of plot — something about a 15-year old boy (Max Schaffner) who moves away from his mother's house in upstate New York to live with his father in Arizona. This premise has the makings of a realist drama, but writer/director Tim Sutton deliberately avoids anything resembling dramatic tension or characterization. The non-professionals in the cast function not as characters but as bodies within the frame; the set-up is a change of scenery — from the verdant Northeast to the arid Southwest — and not much more. The movie opens with three boys setting off fireworks in a clearing. The scene is composed in wobbly pans; the depth-of-field is so shallow that only the brims of the boys' caps are in focus. After about a minute, the movie cuts to a girl playing with a sparkler; she appears to be alone. The sparkler illuminates her face in the indigo-colored dark. This opening sequence is both a statement of purpose and a litmus test. Sutton's images are evocative but largely devoid of context or subtext; his use of extremely shallow focus is almost a metaphor for the film itself, which hones in on small details while leaving everything else blurry. The movie doesn't offer much insight beyond the notion that teenagers exist in a world apart from adults — a notion that's hardly new. Taken as a whole, "Pavilion" resembles a themed photospread; every scene articulates a variation on the same idea. There's a certain irony in the fact that a movie characterized by its loose sense of perspective and by the constant movement of its characters — hiking, biking, walking — never really goes beyond its opening sequence. And yet many of "Pavilion"'s images are vivid enough to qualify as poetry: dapples of sunlight moving across skin, a sunset rippling across the surface of a lake, a boy idly playing with his 3D glasses during a movie. Working with cinematographer Chris Dapkins, Sutton manages to craft some truly striking moments — not the least of which are the numerous biking sequences, where camera and subject move to the soft click-click-clicking of the bike chains. "Pavilion" is an odd thing: a movie that manages to be immersive without being about much of anything.
2016 Sundance Film Festival Preview
by Nick Allen
Sundance 2016 Offers a Sneak Peek at Narrative, Documentary and Midnight Selections by Nick Allen | 影视 |
2016-36/0818/en_head.json.gz/12335 | OTHER TECH Talking TV on DVD with /Remington Steele'/s Michael Gleason By Anonymous (not verified) Posted: Sep 5, 2005 It must be very satisfying for you to see one of your pet creations finally make it to DVD. My wife and I were just watching the DVD, and it looks terrific. It was fun to see again after all these years. You did commentary tracks on the first two episodes ["License to Steele" and "Tempered Steele"] along with your co-creator, Robert Butler. That must have been a nice memory jog for you. Yes. The funniest comment came from Bob while we were watching the pilot. He said, "You know, we weren't as bad as we thought we were. This is pretty good." [laughs] The show hasn't really been in syndication lately, so the DVD is a good way for people to touch base with it again - or attract people who've never even seen it at all. That's true. It went five years - four and a half seasons [1982-87]. It's tough when you mention to somebody a show that occupied your life seven days a week for years, and they look at you blankly. As far as the format itself goes, how do you feel about getting a TV series onto DVD? Do you enjoy watching shows that way? Yeah. I think it's terrific. Glenn Caron - Glenn Gordon Caron - is a close friend of mine, and he was with us as a chief writer [and supervising producer] for the first half of the first season [12 of 22 episodes]. He just had the first two seasons of his show Moonlighting come out together on DVD, and that's a wonderful set. Glenn did an interview for the Remington DVD, and he was telling me they had problems clearing the music rights for the Moonlighting DVD. That's because he used a lot of different sources. We, on the other hand, had Henry Mancini. [Mancini wrote the themes for the show and the main characters.] How was it, working with Mancini? He was terrific. Almost hard to believe we had him. And how perfect for him to have put a bit of an Irish twist on Remington's character theme. [Pierce Brosnan, who played Steele, is Irish.] Henry was such a wonderful guy. He even came to the first table reading for the show to get a sense for the characters and who was playing them. A lot of composers won't do that. But he was actually there to find out who these people were. CO-PILOTS In the commentary for "Tempered Steele," you note that it was technically shot as the pilot, but it wasn't aired that way. When we went in and pitched the concept to NBC, they gave us the go-ahead. But they also said that sometimes they greenlight a great pilot but then don't get a great series out of it. So they said, "Give us Episode 6 first so we can see what we have here." And after they picked it up, they said it would be wonderful to then see how Laura and Remington met. So "License to Steele" was the first to air [October 1, 1982], but "Tempered Steele" [October 8, 1982], which was slightly rewritten, was actually our pilot episode. NEXT: Page 2 » | 影视 |
2016-36/0818/en_head.json.gz/12341 | Looper Director Rian Johnson to Helm Star Wars Episodes VIII and IX By Ryan BrittJune 20, 2014
In jarring and slightly shocking developments, Deadline is reporting the next two films in the new Star Wars trilogy will not be directed by J.J. Abrams, but instead be overseen by director Rian Johnson. Established with his film Brick, Johnson is probably best known for his recent work on the time-travel crime film Looper.
Johnson hasn’t technically confirmed this report, but did post a suggestive video to his Twitter from the astronaut-lousy film The Right Stuff. It appears that he’ll not only be directing the next two Star Wars films in the “main” storyline, but also be co-writing them as well. Why J.J. Abrams isn’t being tapped to direct Episodes VIII and IX is unclear, though it is possible that because Johnson is a bit younger with fewer films under this belt that he’s a bit less expensive than J.J. Abrams. Most interestingly though, the report also suggests Johnson will be doing story treatment for both films, indicating that Abrams and long-time Star Wars writer Lawerence Kasdan, won't. As this develops, all things will probably make more sense, but it sounds like the new trilogy will be switching directors AND writers after Episode VII.
Recently, it was announced that Gareth Edwards (director Godzilla) would be directing the first stand-alone (not part of a trilogy) Star Wars film, and no with the apparent hiring of Johnson, it appears a galaxy far, far away will be in the control of slightly younger creative talents.
Did you like Looper? Are you excited about Rian Johnson doing Episode VIII and Episode IX?
Tags: movies, star wars, breaking news
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Ryan Britt
Ryan Britt is the author of Luke Skywalker Can't Read and Other Geeky Truths, forthcoming from Plume (Penguin) Books on 11.24.15. He's written for The New York Times, Electric Literature, Tor.com. The Awl, VICE Motherboard, Clarkesworld Magazine, and is a consulting editor for Story Magazine. He lives in New York City. | 影视 |
2016-36/0818/en_head.json.gz/12352 | ShowbizCelebrity News Ben Affleck: I didn't want Argo to be politicised
Thursday 18 October 2012 08:09 BST
Ben Affleck said he worked hard to ensure his new thriller Argo was not seized upon for political gain.The film - which the Oscar-winner directed, produced and stars
in - is based on the true story of a CIA agent who hatched a plan
to rescue six Americans in hiding during the 1979 Iran hostage
crisis, by disguising them as members of a fake movie crew.
At Argo's BFI London Film Festival premiere, Affleck said he
took care to make sure those with "an axe to grind" could not
politicise the project.
"This movie is about this story that took place, and it's true,
and I go to pains to contextualise it and to try to be even-handed
in a way that just means we're taking a cold, hard look at the
facts," he added.
"I didn't want it to be co-opted by people who had an axe to
grind or who wanted to make a certain point, and use the movie for
those purposes."
He joked that it was greed which led him to get both in front of
and behind the camera for the film.
"I was greedy and I wanted to be part of it. It was the part of
me as an actor, the mindset that says, 'You've got to chase jobs
when you see them'. And I was sleeping with the director so I got
the job," he quipped.
Affleck - who picked up an Academy Award with friend Matt Damon
for their 1997 Good Will Hunting screenplay - was joined on the red
carpet at London's Odeon Leicester Square by co-stars John Goodman
and Bryan Cranston.
Goodman, who plays a special effects expert, praised Affleck's
directing skills.
He said: "He stacks up very well. He's extremely smart, very
well-prepared and it just made for a relaxed set for everybody.
He's a very creative guy." | 影视 |
2016-36/0818/en_head.json.gz/12356 | Production Halted On 'Big Bang Theory' Over Salary Dispute
Production on "The Big Bang Theory" has stalled while several cast members are locked in a salary dispute with Warner Bros. Television (WBTV).
Earlier this year the show was renewed for three more seasons; however, script rehearsals for the upcoming eight season have been put on hold while its stars Jim Parsons, Johnny Galecki, and Kaley Cuoco negotiate their salaries.
A statement from Warner Bros Television (WBTV) said: "Due to ongoing contract negotiations, production on The Big Bang Theory - which was originally scheduled to begin today - has been postponed."
Emmy and Golden Globe winner Parsons, Galecki and Cuoco want to increase their pay from $325,000 per episode to $1 million per episode. Co-stars Kunal Nayyar and Simon Helberg are also want raises. If their pay hike is approved, they will become the highest paid stars on the small screen.
The cast members have strong numbers to back up their demands. The show averages 20 million viewers a week and is one of the most popular programs on air.
The new season kicks off on Sept. 22 on CBS.
#the big bang theory Show Comments ()
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2016-36/0818/en_head.json.gz/12477 | From superheroes to super spies, from hobbits to bow-and-arrow wielding heroines, 2012 was quite an epic year at the box office. It's been a while since I remember so many good movies being packed into one year, and I had a difficult time narrowing down my list of favorites. Normally one film will rise to the top and emerge as my clear favorite (last year, Michael Fassbender's breakout performance as Magneto in "X-Men: First Class" pushed that film to the top of my list). But this year, I had to spend a long time deciding what films I liked the best.In terms of ticket sales, superheroes were the clear winners at the box office, with Joss Whedon's epic mash-up "The Avengers" leading the pack. Arguably the most-hyped movie of the year, the film also was the biggest moneymaker, pulling in about $1.5 billion and ending up in the third slot on the list of all-time highest grossing films. It received a thumb's up from critics, as well, scoring 92 percent on Rotten Tomatoes.Two other superhero flicks — "The Dark Knight Rises" and "The Amazing Spider-Man" — also ranked in the top 10 on the list of highest-grossing movies of 2012 in the U.S. The year marked the return of two favorite film franchises, James Bond and "The Lord of the Rings," with "Skyfall" and the LOTR prequel, "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey." 2012 marked the final chapter in one young-adult-novel-to-film franchise, "Twilight," and the beginning of another, "The Hunger Games." It was a good year for smaller films, too, with "Moonrise Kingdom" and "Beasts of the Southern Wild" earning high praise from critics.Some of the rising stars this year included Jeremy Renner ("The Avengers," "The Bourne Legacy") and Jennifer Lawrence ("The Hunger Games," "Silver Linings Playbook"). However, it wasn't such a good year for Taylor Kitsch, who had the misfortune of starring in not one but two of the biggest box office flops this year, "John Carter" and "Battleship." Another high-profile flop was the "Total Recall" remake, which scored only 30 percent on Rotten Tomatoes.The following is a list of my top five favorite films of the year (it was an especially close race between the top three). The final movie I'm looking forward to this year is "Les Misérables." I won't be able to see it until early next month, or otherwise it might have made my list here.5. The Hunger Games"The Hunger Games" isn't an easy movie to watch. Based on the novel by Suzanne Collins, the story takes place in a post-apocalyptic society called Panem that is controlled by an oppressive government. Every year, two young adults from each of Panem's districts are forced to fight in a horrific televised death match called the "Hunger Games," as punishment for the districts' failed rebellion years ago.It's one of those movies that disturbs you on a deep emotional level and really makes you think. It touches on a variety of themes, from government control, to reality television, to the way it's easy to ignore the suffering and oppression of others, as long as we're not faced by hardship ourselves."The Hunger Games" is a grim and harrowing film, but it's not entirely without hope. Katniss, the film's bow-wielding heroine, isn't selected for the Hunger Games — she volunteers in her younger sister's place. Katniss' courage and self-sacrifice eventually give the people of Panem a flicker of hope that the darkness won't last forever. It's a message that seems particularly relevant this year, due to some of the dark times our culture has faced. "The Hunger Games" is a film that lingers with you a long time after you watch it, and in my opinion was one of the must-see films of 2012.4. The Dark Knight Rises"The Dark Knight Rises" brought to a close Christopher Nolan’s "Batman" saga, arguably one of the best film trilogies of our generation. The film was a little more polarizing than I thought it would be — some fans loved it, while others thought it didn't quite live up to the expectations set by its predecessor, 2008’s “The Dark Knight."Personally, "The Dark Knight Rises" is my favorite of the three films in Nolan's "Batman" saga. It's dark and gritty, but still emotionally moving, and it did a nice job of bringing the trilogy full circle. I thought Nolan also made the plot both timely and timeless, touching on "Occupy" themes but also universal concepts such as sacrifice and hope.The surprise highlight of the film for many fans was Anne Hathaway's performance as Selina Kyle/Catwoman. While many fans, myself included, were a little skeptical Hathaway could pull off the role, she brought humor and spirit to the film. Few films are deserving of the term "masterpiece," but I believe Nolan's "Dark Knight" trilogy has earned it.3. SkyfallBefore this year, the James Bond franchise wasn't in the best shape. MGM's financial woes had put the series in jeopardy, and while I personally had enjoyed the most recent Bond film, "Quantum of Solace," it wasn't as strong a story as "Casino Royale" and took a hit from critics.But this fall, Bond made a comeback, and Daniel Craig proved once again that he deserves a spot near the top of the list of best Bond portrayals. "Skyfall" is a film that's both elegant and gritty, and it manages to combine intense action sequences with relevant commentary on the changing role of espionage in the modern world.Craig's Bond is a man of paradoxes: tough but vulnerable, charming but emotionally distant, and aloof but passionate about protecting his country and "M." Judi Dench's "M" bids farewell to the franchise in an emotional finale, and Javier Bardem impressed fans and critics with his dangerously unhinged villain Silva. It's a film I definitely plan to add to my DVD collection when it's released.2. The Hobbit: An Unexpected JourneyAlmost a decade after the conclusion of the "Lord of the Rings" film trilogy, Peter Jackson returned to Middle-earth with the first of three films based on the LOTR prequel novel, "The Hobbit."Like "The Dark Knight Rises," this film was unexpectedly polarizing among fans and critics. Fans have debated issues such as whether the film was too light-hearted, or whether the story should have been split into just two parts instead of three. However, I personally loved it, and it was great to return to Middle-earth.I liked how Jackson was able to capture the overall style and tone of his "Lord of the Rings" series but also give the new film a lighter touch, in keeping with the tone of the original novel, which was intended to be a children's book. Martin Freeman gives a strong performance as Bilbo, and it's good to see Ian McKellen take up Gandalf's staff again. "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey" is a fun, rousing adventure film, and I wish we didn't have to wait a year for part two.1. The AvengersWhen I showed up at the theater on opening night to see "The Avengers" with some friends, we were surprised to see there was no line outside the theater. With all the buzz I'd been hearing about the film, I was expecting there would be a large crowd. We stepped inside the theater, and then I realized there was a line — it was just inside — and it started at the entrance to the IMAX screen and wrapped all the way around the inside of the 17-screen theater and was actually looping back around again. It's the biggest line I had ever seen at our local theater, and you could sense the excitement in the air."The Avengers" film was a gamble. Nobody had really done a film like this before. Marvel had spent years working on the project, including teasers in individual superhero films like "Iron Man" and "Thor." Trying to make a film with so many different superheroes with so many different personalities could have been a disaster, but it wasn't. Thanks to director Joss Whedon, "The Avengers" was a fun, exhilarating roller coaster ride with both humor and heart.Each of the actors playing the individual superheroes were perfectly cast, and Tom Hiddleston's scheming but charming villain Loki steals just about every scene he's in. The film was a great way to kick off the summer blockbuster season, and it sets the bar pretty high for all the superhero films that will follow it. xxxxxxxxxxxxx | 影视 |
2016-36/0818/en_head.json.gz/12577 | Yelchin On 'Terminator Salvation: The Future Begins'
By T'BonzAugust 27, 2008 - 10:21 PMIn the same month that Star Trek XI opens, Anton Yelchin will be seen in the fourth installation of the Terminator series, where he will play the teen Kyle Reese, who will grow up to be the father of John Connor. As reported by CanMag, Terminator Salvation: The Future Begins will continue the Terminator sage. According to the press release from Warner Brothers, "Set in post-apocalyptic 2018, John Connor is the man fated to lead the human resistance against Skynet and its army of Terminators. But the future Connor was raised to believe in is altered in part by the appearance of Marcus Wright, a stranger whose last memory is of being on death row. Connor must decide whether Marcus has been sent from the future, or rescued from the past. As Skynet prepares its final onslaught, Connor and Marcus both embark on an odyssey that takes them into the heart of Skynet�s operations, where they uncover the terrible secret behind the possible annihilation of mankind."
Taking on the role of Reese was made easier for Yelchin by Michael Biehn's previous performance as Reese. "You're really lucky when you have a) a script to work with and then b) a whole other movie to base your character off of and research and think about," said Yelchin. "The great thing about Michael Biehn's performance is that it's very layered and you get a very complex character to play. So it makes it even more interesting for me to come and look at that complex character and say, 'Well, hey, how do you get there? How did he become the guy who says to Sarah Connor, 'They don't feel much pain, but I do.'' There's so much to everything that he says and everything that he does." Yelchin has based his own interpretation of Reese using events from the past Terminator movies. "So, looked at that and said, 'God, this guy grew up and never had any relationships with any girls. What does that say about him? Look at how angry he is here, what's that say?' It's just there so much. There's a vast wealth of information." | 影视 |
2016-36/0818/en_head.json.gz/12648 | Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama
Preview: Miriam Margolyes in Dickens’ Women at Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama
MIRIAM Margolyes will end the UK tour of her one-woman show in Cardiff this weekend.
Get daily news by email MIRIAM Margolyes will end the UK tour of her one-woman show in Cardiff this weekend. Dickens’ Women is the flagship international touring show for Dickens 2012, the celebration of the bicentennial of Charles Dickens’ birth. The play is as much about the man himself as it is about the 23 characters performed by Margolyes. These characters are drawn from his novels and sketches and include both the iconic and famous like Mrs Gamp and Miss Havisham and other, lesser-known creations from Dickens’ books. But they all offer a unique glimpse into the real-life Charles Dickens. Dickens’ popularity has waned little since his death and this year, the 200th anniversary of his birth, he remains one of the best known and most read English authors. At least 180 films and TV adaptations based on his ’ works have been produced. However, Margolyes offers a perhaps more critical perspective on the man. “He’s a surprising man,” she says. “Much crueller than people expect, so I hope the show will shock the audience and remove them from the comfort zone people usually expect from Dickens.” Dickens’ Women was developed by Margolyes and Sonia Fraser for the 1989 Edinburgh Festival. It has since toured worldwide, including Jerusalem, New York, Boston, Sydney, Auckland and throughout India and South Africa. In 1992 it was nominated for an Olivier Award. This is the first time it has toured the UK. Born in Oxford in 1941, Margolyes is a veteran of stage and screen on both sides of the Atlantic. Winner of the Bafta for best supporting actress award for The Age of Innocence, she also received best supporting actress award at the LA Critics Circle Awards for her role in Little Dorrit and a Sony Radio Award for best actress for her unabridged recording of Oliver Twist. She has appeared in more than 40 films, including Yentl, Little Shop of Horrors, I Love You To Death, Scorsese’s The Age of Innocence, The Life and Death of Peter Sellers, Romeo + Juliet, Cold Comfort Farm and Magnolia. Dickens’ Women is at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, Cardiff tomorrow at 7.30pm. The box office number is 029 2039 1391 WalesOnline
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2016-36/0818/en_head.json.gz/12714 | Jackie Chan, Jaden Smith start 'Karate Kid' remake
9:40am PDT, Jul 13, 2009
Lai Seng Sin / Invision/AP
Lai Seng Sin / Invision/AP 1 / 2
BEIJING (AP) -- Jackie Chan will play the wise kung-fu master in a Hollywood-Chinese remake of the 1984 hit "The Karate Kid" that kicked off filming in the Chinese capital at the weekend, a movie company publicist said Monday. Chan's young disciple in "Kung Fu Kid" will be played by Jaden Smith, the son of Hollywood superstars Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith, China Film Group spokesman Weng Li told The Associated Press in a phone interview. In "The Karate Kid," Pat Morita plays the iconic building handyman Mr. Miyagi who trains one of his young tenants, portrayed by Ralph Macchio, into an accomplished fighter. The co-production between the state-run China Film Group and Columbia Pictures started shooting Saturday in Beijing, Weng said. "Kung Fu Kid" is being directed by Harald Zwart, who also directed "One Night at McCool's" and "The Pink Panther 2," Solon So, the chief executive of Chan's company, JC Group, told the AP. Chan and Smith, along with Smith's parents and sister Willow, attended a traditional Chinese ceremony to mark the start of the shoot Saturday. Photos on China Film Group's movie news Web site show the Smith family and Chan holding incense sticks. Will Smith one of the film's producers Chan, Zwart and others symbolically removed a piece of red cloth covering a movie camera, after which Smith gave Chan a hug, according to video posted on Chinese news Web site Sina.com. His hair done in a huge Afro and wearing a bright red track jacket and blue pants, Jaden Smith stood and waved when he was introduced. His father ruffled his hair when he sat down. Chan said on his Web site he also attended the younger Smith's 11th birthday party last Wednesday, where he and Will Smith posed for pictures with young performers wearing red and yellow costumes with dragon patterns. Ken Stovitz, one of Will Smith's partners in the production company Overbrook Entertainment, said at the ceremony Saturday that "Kung Fu Kid" will be set in modern-day Beijing. China Film Group chairman Han Sanping said shooting will last three months. Chan juggles careers in Hollywood and Chinese-language film. The veteran 55-year-old Hong Kong action star will be seen in the upcoming the Hollywood action comedy "The Spy Next Door," about an undercover Chinese spy whose cover is blown, and the Chinese production, "Big Soldier," about the friendship between two soldiers set in China's ancient Qin dynasty. Jaden Smith costarred with his father in the 2006 movie "The Pursuit of Happyness" and appeared in the 2008 Keanu Reeves sci-fi movie "The Day the Earth Stood Still." ShareTweetPinEmail SpotlightWe Recommend | 影视 |
2016-36/0818/en_head.json.gz/13233 | SEASON PREMIERE FRIDAY SEPT 23 9|8c
Apply / Casting
More S3 E13 Episode 313
05/04/12 | TV-PG | CC
ENTREPRENEUR: Jim Pittman PITCH: AirBedz ASKING FOR: $250k for a 15% stake BEST PART OF THE PITCH: AirBedz is the original truck bed air mattress. The cutout design allows the mattress to go around, and more importantly, go on top of the truck's wheel wells. This creates a sleep area that utilizes the entire back of the truck. It's rugged and durable. It's easy enough to inflate and deflate from a power source that uses a rechargeable battery. Jim had $210,000 in sales last year and may double it by the end of this year. DO THE SHARKS BITE? Kevin believes this is a small niche market. That's why he believes Jim has such a big inventory at this time. He has no interest in investing in this product. He's out. Mark believes there's a market for this product, but Jim needs to get out there and sell it. He's out. Robert also believes that Jim hasn't proved this is the great product yet. He's out. Daymond follows his lead. Barbara is on the fence because she doesn't believe Jim is a good salesperson. She offers $250k for 50% of the company. She also wants Jim to get out of the way as a salesperson. THE RESULT: Jim makes a counteroffer. He's only willing to give up 25% of his company. Barbara gives him a moment to reconsider, but that's Jim's final offer. Barbara says good luck to him just before declaring she's out. Looks like Jim will have to get into bed with an investor outside the tank. LEARN MORE: Visit www.truckairbedz.com ____________________UPDATE: Show-NoShelly Ehler's Show-No towel is designed like a poncho so that people can change out of their wet bathing suits without anyone seeing. Lori liked Shelly so much that she wrote her a check right there in the tank. The two ladies went on to make a deal with Disney to sell their towels in their parks. Shelly is blown away when she sees her towels with Mickey and Minnie on the front. It's a very happy day for Shelly at the happiest place on Earth! ____________________ ENTREPRENEUR: Scotty Olson PITCH: Skyride ASKING FOR: $3 Million for a 20% stake BEST PART OF THE PITCH: Skyride is a thrilling ride that moves like a roller coaster, but is powered by the person riding it. Scotty says he's going to be launching fitness, transportation and recreation into the sky and getting people of all ages and ability flying and moving faster than they could possibly ride their bicycle. He claims to be the man who brought rollerblades to the market. DO THE SHARKS BITE? Barbara respects Scotty for the dream he has, but she just doesn't see it happening. She's out. Daymond says the product looks incredible, but he wouldn't even know where to start with it. He's out. Mark says he has no construction management expertise. He doesn't have any of that, so he's out. Robert doesn't see the large scale consumer application for the product. He's out. Kevin believes this is a bad idea, so he's out. Scotty takes the news in stride. He was looking for an angel, not a shark. LEARN MORE: Visit http://www.skyridetechnology.com ____________________ ENTREPRENEUR: Andrew Goodrum & Queenie Davis PITCH: Boot Illusions ASKING FOR: $100k for a 30% stake BEST PART OF THE PITCH: Boot Illusions allow you to go from a boot to a shoe or a shoe to a boot instantly. You can unzip the boot part to get to the shoe underneath. You can also purchase additional uppers (the boot part) without having to buy an additional shoe. You can also use the uppers on shoes you already own. Queenie got a manufacturer for her other show products in Turkey. As for Boot Illusions, they don't have a large retail presence yet. DO THE SHARKS BITE? Robert thinks this is a pretty good idea, but it's not a product that he can add value to as a non-shoe guy. He's out. Mark's not into women's fashion, so he's out, too. Kevin thinks the company is being overvalued, so he's out. Daymond will give them the $100k for 75% of the boot technology because he wants to license it. Barbara will give them $100k for 55% of the company. She claims her experience is worth that much. THE RESULT: Barbara says Andrew and Queenie should go into the hall to call any entrepreneur she's worked with to see if they are happy. That won't be necessary. Queenie believes in Barbara. That's why she accepts the offer. Barbara is in while it appears Daymond got the boot. LEARN MORE: Visit http://www.queengraceshoes.com ____________________ ENTREPRENEUR: Fleetwood Hicks PITCH: Villy Custom ASKING FOR: $500k for a 33% stake BEST PART OF THE PITCH: Villy Custom is the new way to buy your bike. You can go to the website to customize your bike by colors and style to create the product you want. There were $129,000 in sales last year and about $250,000 is projected for this year. All sales have been online and there's been no advertising. DO THE SHARKS BITE? Daymond thinks the bike has a great design, but this isn't an area he wants to be in. He's out. Kevin likes the fashion statement that's being made with the bike, but can't invest. Robert buys into the concept and loves the bike, but he can't get there on the $500k. He's out. Mark and Barbara agree that this is the perfect showoff bike. They decide to partner together but they want 45% of the company. THE RESULT: Fleetwood wants to know if they'd be willing to go down to 40%. Mark suggests they split the difference and settle at 42%. Fleetwood feels like he may be giving up a little too much of the company, but still agrees to the deal. LEARN MORE: Visit http://www.villycustoms.com Continue Reading more episodes Verify to Watch
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313 Episode 313 | 影视 |
2016-36/0818/en_head.json.gz/13251 | Sigourney Weaver reprises 'Alien' role in new game
BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. (AP) — Sigourney Weaver and the cast of "Alien" are virtually returning to the starship Nostromo.The actress who portrayed unflappable officer Ellen Ripley in the "Alien" film franchise is reprising her role in "Alien: Isolation," an upcoming video game set after the events of the original 1979 film. Weaver, who recorded new dialogue for the game, says she picked up right where she left off as tough-as-nails Ripley in filmmaker Ridley Scott's sci-fi horror masterpiece."It was eerie how quickly it happened," Weaver told The Associated Press during a recent interview. "Honestly. I had to start with this sort of sign-off, 'This is Lieutenant Ripley of the starship Nostromo.' You know, that paragraph. I felt like no time had passed. It was really strange, actually. If anything, it was more affecting to me to read it again 35 years later."The bonus "Crew Expendable" and "Last Survivor" levels, which will be available to those who pre-order the game, will allow players to portray Nostromo crew members Ripley, Dallas (Tom Skerritt) or Parker (Yaphet Kotto) as they explore the doomed ship and coordinate their efforts with Lambert (Veronica Cartwright) and Ash (Ian Holm) to lure the menacing alien into the airlock."We always hoped that somewhere down the line while working on this game that this reunion would happen," said Alistar Hope, the game's creative lead. "From working with Sigourney on the recordings, I really got a sense of how important this character is to her. The way that she worked on the lines and improvised unquestionably made them significantly better."The central story of "Isolation" focuses on Ripley's daughter Amanda, who was briefly mentioned in a scene from the 1986 sequel "Aliens." In the game, created by British developer Creative Assembly, Amanda travels to a remote space station to find the Nostromo's flight recorder and encounters a creature similar to the one that terrorized her mother."I feel like they followed through," Weaver said of the game's plot. "Emotionally, what would Amanda want? She'd want to find her mother. She's drawn to the same line of work. There are a lot of things that were arresting to me. I have no idea what the game is like. I hope it's creepy and suspenseful and engaging in a way that other games are not — an experience.""Isolation" follows a long line of games based on the "Alien franchise, but it's the only title that Weaver has signed on to participate in and marks the first time she's reprised the part since 1997's "Alien Resurrection," the fourth film in the series that ended with a clone of Ripley arriving on Earth. (The original Ripley sacrificed herself at the conclusion of 1992's "Aliens 3.")"I thought it was an interesting idea," said Weaver. "The ones I turned down — I remember one of them, anyway — was shoot the alien, shoot the marine, shoot anything that didn't move. That didn't make any sense for my character. Ripley was more interested in protecting life than annihilating it. It just didn't make any sense for me to be part of that."Before the Oct. 7 release of "Isolation" and an anniversary edition Blu-ray of "Alien," which will include the 1979 graphic novelization of the film, Weaver is expected to reunite with "Aliens" filmmaker James Cameron to begin work on his three "Avatar" sequels. Weaver's character met her demise on the mythical planet of Pandora in the 2009 sci-fi blockbuster."It's a lot of cool work for me to do, so I'm excited," said Weaver, who wouldn't elaborate on her role. "I think it's going to be intense. He's going to share with the world other worlds within Pandora. I know he has a very powerful vision for the environmental message of these three films that he hopes will make a difference around the world."___Online:http://www.alienisolation.com___Follow AP Entertainment Writer Derrik J. Lang on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/derrikjlang. | 影视 |
2016-36/0818/en_head.json.gz/13341 | Supernatural: You did your thing, dawg
By Whitney Hall on October 14, 2009 at 11:17 AM
Supernatural “Fallen Idols”
Aired October 8, 2009
You spent the music money on Louboutins? What’s a Louboutin? Is that a kind of cheese?
THEN: Sam and Dean have some rebuilding to do. Oh, boys …
Two guys walk into a bar garage. Cal and Dr. Carson Beckett briefly contemplate a shrouded automobile. With a flourish, Cal pulls off the cover to reveal John Mellencamp. Beckett screams and runs away like a little girl reacts with stunned and delighted appreciation. He can’t believe he found it – James Dean’s Porsche. The car he died in. Cal slowly eases himself into the driver’s seat and caresses the steering wheel. He was waiting for Beckett before starting her up. The doc decides they need a camera to record the moment for posterity’s sake. He heads back into the house, and Cal breathes out a sigh of satisfaction. His breath clouds in the air, and the radio suddenly switches on to WDIE!!! From the other room, Beckett hears the sound of squealing tires and a loud impact. He walks back into the garage, camcorder running. It captures the image of a very dead Cal, his forehead imbedded in the car’s windshield. The skin on his cheek is wrinkled up in a perverse grimacing grin. It is bloody, and horrible, and AWESOME!!! Kudos to the makeup team. Well done! Slow clap.
In another car, the boys motor down a lonely highway. You know, once – just once – I’d like to see the opening exposition take place while sitting in a 10-mile back up on a major interstate. Sam agrees that a guy suffering a head on collision in a parked car is worth checking out, but wouldn’t their energies be better served looking for the Colt? They’ve been on the hunt for three weeks with no success – and thank the gods all that happened off screen. With the “don’t question me” tone in his voice, Dean snaps “This is what we’re doing. End of discussion.” He gets a frustrated b-face in reply. His tone softens, as he tries to explain that he wants to ease into things, now that they’re hunting together again. “Put the training wheels back on.” Sam bristles at this, taking it personally, but Dean emphasizes the ‘WE’ in his statement. This is a team effort. He wants this to be a fresh start – for both of them. That seems good enough for Sam for now … but there’s trouble written on his brow.
As they zoom off into the night, there is it. “Special Guest Star: PARIS HILTON.”
Morning, Canton, Ohio. Sheriff Rick Carnegie, meet Agents Bonham and Copeland. He tells them they came all the way for nothing. He shows them Beckett’s tape, and declares it an open and shut case. As for the pesky detail of how the good doctor slammed Cal’s head into the windshield with the force of an 80 mile-per-hour crash he has one simple answer. Gangs. PCP. Drugs. The boys ask to speak to Beckett anyway.
They interview him in his cell, and he swears it was the car that killed Cal, not him. Specifically, it was the John Mellencamp curse. At the mention of the heartland rocker, Dean’s face lights up like Christmas morning. “Oh, we are definitely checking this out.” I love it when Dean geeks out. They head over to Cal’s garage, and Dean circles the car with an air of worship, careful not to touch it. He fills Sam in on a version of the legend. This isn’t Christine, this is real. “Death follows this car around like exhaust. Nobody touches it comes away in one piece.” Dean is certain that if the car really is John Mellencamp, then it killed Cal. Of course the only way to know for sure is to check the engine number. Which is on the engine. A short time later, and they’ve got the Porsche up on jacks. They consider the car, and Dean looks like he wants to pass out or throw up or both. Sam offers to do it, but no. Dean is good. Ever the gentleman, he starts off with a little sweet talk, “Okay, baby. I’m not going to hurt you. So [gulp] don’t hurt me.” I realize it was extenuating circumstances, but I don’t appreciate him calling another car “Baby.” Just saying. He lays down on one of those roly mechanic bed thingies, takes a deep breath, and scoots under the car. From Dean’s slightly panicked POV the car seems to rattle and shake. Sam suddenly breaks – or heightens – the tension by offering a flashlight. In a strained whisper, Dean tells him not to do anything. Don’t speak, don’t even look at her. “She might not like it.” He lets out a breath and tries to control his racing heart before finally making a rubbing of the engine block. Numbers acquired, he rolls to safety and jumps to his feet like a man who just dodged a bullet. Sam eyebrows a look that says, “Was this drama really necessary, drama queen?” Dean hands him the slip of paper, and tells him to compile a list of all previous owners going back to 1955. Have a good afternoon.
Seriously, seriously Show, you have got to do an episode where Metallicar comes to life. Please?
Dean meanwhile retires to the Green Dragon Tavern where he flirts shamelessly with the bartender. Sam calls with an update, and is miffed that Dean is at a bar while he’s been working his aspirations off. Dean clarifies that he’s in a restaurant – that happens to have a bar – but he earned it. He spent the afternoon up Christine’s skirt. Actually, he didn’t. “That Porsche is not, nor has it ever been, James Dean’s car. It’s a fake John Mellencamp.” So what killed Cal?
Evening, and yet another victim is about to meet an untimely death .. at the hands of Abraham Lincoln. Snarling, with teeth bared, our nation’s 16th president grabs the man by the throat and hoists him off his feet. A shot rings out and blood splatters the wall.
The boys arrive to find the Sheriff still on scene and the CSIs doing their thing. He says there’s nothing strange about the murder, once you look at the facts – which Sam helpfully supplies. “William Hill died from a gunshot wound to the head. No gun. No gunpowder. No bullet.” Carnegie insists there has to be a reasonable explanation. There always is. His theory? “Professional killer. CIA. NSA. One of them trained assassins, like in Michael Clayton.” Hey, who doesn’t love Clooney? He tells them they’re welcome to talk to the witness, but she’s not making any sense.
They find Mr. Hill’s distraught housekeeper, Consuela, sitting outside with a deputy. From my Sesame Street level Spanish, it sounds like she’s saying she wants to go home to her family in El Salvador. She’s pretty rattled. She’s too upset to give her statement in English, so Sam digs deep into the memory banks to break out the high school Spanish. The man she saw was very tall, with a long back coat, and beard. “En sombrero.” Dean thinks he was actually wearing a sombrero. Hee. Sam clarifies that she means regular hat, not a ‘hands place out widely on either side of his head in approximation of the traditional mariachi style hat’ hat. She quickly corrects him. The tall man was wearing a tall hat. Dean thinks she means a top hat, but she places her hand far above her own head. “You mean like a stove-pipe hat? Oh yeah, like Abraham Lincoln.” I swear, Dean paid attention at the most random times when he was in school. At the mention of the name, Consuelo gives a tearful, ‘yes’. El Presidente Lincoln killed Mr. Hill. At the Night Owl Motel the boys sit across from each other tapping away on their respective laptops. It’s adorable. Sam appears to be a Mac, while Dean is a PC. No wonder they bicker so much. And here I thought it was bad enough that one is a Trekker and one is a Warser. I’m also mildly obsessed by their desktop wallpaper. Dean’s looks like it could be an album cover. I think I saw a skull. Moving on. Dean is reviewing Beckett’s video, and a fleeting detail catches his eye. The reflection of a figure in a red jacket. “Am I crazy, or does that look like James Dean?” Sam agrees that it does. They do some good old fashioned bouncing ideas and lore off each other – Yay! Bouncing! – before coming to the conclusion that they have two super famous, super angry ghosts who are killing their super fans. But why Canton? What’s the connection? A little more research, and Sam comes up with an answer … to the Canton Wax Museum, away! The boys interview the very chipper museum director, under the guise of writing a piece for Travel magazine. He confirms that the victims were regular visitors, and then Dean does his awkward questioning thing. He compliments the Lincoln exhibit for being so lifelike. You can just imagine him moving around … “You ever see anything like that?” Oh, Dean. Velvety smooth. Sam quickly covers, asking the director if there’s anything that makes the museum unusual … you know, for the article. He proudly lists off the number of genuine artifacts they have in the collection, including Abe’s hat, James Dean’s key chain, and Gandhi’s glasses. Riiiight. Because your museum just happens to have 1.8 million dollars lying around. Also, the Smithsonian and Abraham Lincoln Museum both called and said, “Shenanigans!” He then shows them a piece near and dear to him – Fonzie’s leather jacket, Seasons 2-4. Which he is wearing. Ayyyye! He goes on to tell them he’s been working on a new collection of figures, “stuff that will really ‘wow’ the kids.” He’s going to make wax museums hip again! He punctuates his statement with two big thumbs up. He gets an awkward thumbs up from Sam in reply, and a big grin from Dean. Dean hearts this guy. File him away in the same category as people who say “okie-dokie.” They return to the hotel … I’m not sure why. Sam makes sure the trunk is squared away, and walks back into the room, where he overhears Dean on the phone. He seems to be updating Bobby on the case, and providing some vague, out of context color commentary. “Why so kill crazy? Maybe the Apocalypse has got them all hot and bothered. Yeah well, we all know whose fault that is. Well I’m sorry, but it’s true.” Sam slams the door, announcing his presence. He has no way of knowing what Bobby said, but he’s certain the comments were directed at him. Are they going to pretend he didn’t just hear what was said? “This was supposed to be a fresh start, Dean.” Dean blows him off, saying it’s about as fresh as it gets, before walking out of the room. A frustrated Sam lets out a heavy breath, and follows his brother. They enter the darkened museum, and while Sam grabs a metal wastebasket, Dean tries on Abe’s hat. He’s kind of adorable. Sam is not amused. Dean doesn’t understand why he can’t have any fun with this job. I take this little moment, combined with the previous scene, as an indication that Dean’s emotions are still yo-yoing all over the place. That’s not going to lead to a big dust up later. He goes to retrieve “East of Eden‘s keychain,” leaving Sam alone to examine Lincoln’s statue. By examine, I mean lean in until he’s almost nose-to-nose with the thing, and you’re sure it’s going to spring to life at any moment. Good thing it didn’t, because then my friend G would have upset her cupcakes all over the floor. Cupcake down! Cupcake down! Also, we already know from the promos Lincoln isn’t the one who attacks Sam. Suddenly Gandhi leaps onto Sam’s back. Fight fight fight, and that’s one relentless little pacifist. Dean bursts back into the room, stunned by what he sees. “Is that Gandhi? Dude, he’s squirrelly.” You’re not wrong. The way he crab hops around Sam makes me laugh every time I watch it. As The Father of the Nation slowly chokes the life out of Sam, he manages to gasp out “GLASSES!” Dean quickly tosses them into the bin with Abe’s hat, and lights them up. Gandhi evaporates. With the evil thus vanquished, Dean has time to pick on his little brother. “You couldn’t have been a fan of someone cool? Really? Gandhi?” Return to the motel where Dean is packing up. Job finished … although Sam’s not so sure. He thinks it’s a little strange the way Gandhi just vanished. It wasn’t the typical salt and burn. There was no screaming, no flameout. He mentions one other unusual element – Gandhi tried to take a bite out of him. Like he was hungry. Or just a particularly crazed Sam Girl. Jared is yummy. Not only is that atypical for a ghost, but it would be out of character for the real man as well. “He was a fruitarian.” Dean files this away with clowns and magicians in the “things I will torment my brother about endlessly to the end of his days” folder. Sam just wants Dean to consider the possibility that it’s not over, but as far as he’s concerned, he torched it, it disappeared, they’re done. “You ain’t steering this boat. Let’s go: chop chop.” To Dean’s edict, Sam calmly states “this isn’t going to work.” They snit at each other over who called who back in, before Sam asks how long he’s going to be on double-secret probation. He knows what he did and he’s trying to climb out of the hole he dug for himself, but Dean isn’t making it any easier. He doesn’t expect a free pass, but he does need Dean to meet him half way. If they’re going to be a team, “it has to be a two-way street.” Dean still thinks Sam wants him to forget everything that happened, and rewind to how things were. That’s not what Sam is saying at all, because “before didn’t work.” They were never on equal footing. And then Sam drops the bomb. “One of the reasons I went off with Ruby … was to get away from you.” While it hurts Sam to admit it, Dean is gob smacked. Kicked in the chest gob smacked. He’s not quite sure he heard that right. Sam continues: “It made me feel strong. Like I wasn’t your kid brother.” If they’re going to make a fresh start, they have to do things differently. “We can’t just fall into the same rut.” Step 1 is Dean letting Sam grow up. Before they can move on to Step 3 (profits!), Dean’s phone rings. Looks like Sam was right after all.
The boys suit up and return to the Sheriff’s office. Carnegie is speechless, and directs them to two teen girls sitting in the interview room. They tearfully report on the kidnapping of their friend … by Paris Hilton. It’s the boys’ turn to goggle in disbelief. After confirming that the heiress is still alive (as far as they know), and ruling out the possibility that she’s a homicidal maniac, they go back to the case file to figure out what they missed. And by case file, I mean Sam somehow manages to con his way into the medical examiner’s office where he performs an autopsy on the original victim!! How much Discovery Channel do you watch, Stretch? How? What? Who? Oh, I think I need to go have a lie down … When I come back, Sam has shoved his hand into the body cavity (with much squelching and squishing) and extracted two small peach pits. He gives the bloody hunks of goo a “What the … ?” but how did he know what he was looking for if he doesn’t know what it is? What? Is that how they do it on CSI? Just root around until they find something that feels like evidence? *sigh* Mommy needs a drink …
Sam rejoins Dean outside to share his “ah-ha” moment. The amount of blood lost by the victims is far more than you would expect to find in a car crash or shooting. Dean reads this to mean something was feeding on them. Sam pulls out the peach pits, which he declares to be seeds … but unlike any seed he’s ever seen before! Because before Sam declared pre-law, he was a botany student. And there I go again, demanding accuracy from my urban fantasy. After some more fancy Internet research, Sam declares “Yahtzee!” He ID’s the seeds as coming from a forest in the Balkans, specifically one that was cut down 30 years ago. Local legend tells of a pagan god, Leshi, who guarded the forest. He was mischievous, could take on many forms, and could be appeased only with the blood of his worshipers. After feeding, it would stuff the stomachs of its victims with seeds. Dean briefly muses on how Leshi is managing to affect its various transformations before moving on to the much more important question. How do they kill it? Simple enough – Wikipedia says you chop of its head with an iron ax. “Alright then. Let’s go gank ourselves a Paris Hilton.”
The boys make their final trip to the wax museum, and enter a section closed for renovation. They find the missing girl tied to a fake tree. Sam barely has time to check on her condition before the ax is mojo’d out of Dean’s hand, and they both get a beat down from a bejeweled, party frock clad Paris Hilton. That’s not hot. The boys come to also tied to trees. Paris files her nails (while they’re dragging the lake). It will be nice to do the ritual properly for a change. A nice, slow meal. They have no idea what it was like for her before. “People adored me. They used to throw themselves at me with smiles on their faces.” Sadly, no one cares about the old gods anymore, “not since they cut down my forest and built a Yugo plant.” She spent years wandering, living off scraps, but now that the Apocalypse is on, there’s no reason for her to play it safe. The wax museum is perfect – “adoring fans stroll right in the door.” They might not be worshipping her per se, but she’ll take what she can get. Dean reminds us that Leshi isn’t the first god they’ve met, but that she is the nuttiest. I don’t know. What was up with those sweaters the Bad Santa gods were wearing? Leshi thinks we’re the ones who are crazy. Once we worshipped gods, and now we follow every move of every two-bit D-list reality star with slavish devotion. “What have they got besides small dogs and spray tans?” Dean points out to her that he’s not an US Weekly reader, and she can’t eat him. “See, I’m not a Paris Hilton BFF. I’ve never even seen House of Wax.” Sam is all like, “Hey, hey, hey! That movie’s not so bad. I understand that young up and comer Jared Padalecki turned in a fine performance. Nothing at all to be ashamed of.” Leshi can be whoever she needs to be though, and she can read Dean’s mind. She knows who his hero is. “One distant father figure coming right up.” For one brief shining moment I actually thought we were going to get a JDM appearance, but alas. No. *sigh* Instead, Dean breaks free of his bonds, and tackles Leshi before she can transform. She tries to beat the pretteh off of him before Sam finally pulls himself loose and grabs the ax. With a few well-placed chops he hacks Paris Hilton’s head from her body. YEAH! He turns to check on Dean, and his blood covered face lights up with glee. “Dude. You just got wailed on by Paris Hilton!” Hee.
The case finally wrapped up, the boys take their leave of Canton. They load up the gear, and Dean reveals that he’s been doing some thinking. Maybe Sam was right. Maybe he is keeping too tight a leash on him. He acknowledges that he’s played his own part in the Apocalypse, and that they’ve been used as pawns by both sides. Neither of them saw what was coming. “The point is, I was so worried about watching your every move that I didn’t see what it was actually doing to you. So for that I’m sorry.” As for where they go next, Sam sees only one option. “We can stop wringing our hands over [being vessels and pawns]. We gotta just grab on to whatever’s in front of us, kick its aspirations, and go down fighting. But we’re going to have to do it on the same level.” Dean can get on board with that. They regard each other a long moment, and then Dean makes an offer I saw coming from a mile away but that is still sweet, and heart breaking, and made of awesome. He turns back to Sam and holds out his hand.
“You want to drive?”
I know! Sam can’t really believe it either. If you’re keeping score at home, it appears that the Impala’s keys are on a keychain made out of a 308 Winchester round. Dean tries to play it off, saying he could use a nap. Sam recognizes the gesture for what it is, the clearest way Dean has of saying that he really is on board. As a big ol’ funky, chunktastic version of “Superstition” by Jeff Beck kicks in on the soundtrack, Sam accepts the keys without a word, and they pull out of the parking lot …
.. and into a fantastic SOON preview. It looks like there are snippets from two, possibly three upcoming episodes. I’m guessing the spin through the dial is Trickster induced, and is made of win based on the Knight Rider homage alone. Although I think ash4897 should ask for a credit on that one.
So, first things first. Paris Hilton certainly could have been worse. She did an adequate job with the material she was given, and I’m glad they limited her on-screen time. Now back to Mr. Chow’s with you!
Forget about the Colt and the Apocalypse, I think a big part of this season is going to center on the boys finally breaking free of the patterns that have trapped them their whole lives. I think Dean really did have a breakthrough while Sam was gone, finally realizing his own worth independent of the family. When Sam is on his own, he’s shown that he can be his own person and make good decisions. When they’re together though, they do tend to revert back to the same old roles – Dean holds on too tight and Sam chafes, automatically pulling in the opposite direction. Even though the writing was a little uneven, for me this episode played out like a highlight reel of moments in the boys’ relationship. You could insert that opening scene in any past season simply by replacing the word “Colt” with “Dad,” “YED,” or “Lilith.” They seem to be in this ongoing state of testing and retesting how they fit together. There’s a constant push-pull of who’s going to set the agenda and the pace. The first dust up over Dean’s call to Bobby harkens back to Season 2, and confrontations immediately after John’s death. Sam needs desperately to talk things out, while Dean burrows down into himself and just focuses on the job. Jensen often gets the showier moments, but kudos to Jared here. Nice work from him in the big confrontation scene. Sam did some soul searching while he was away, and it showed. He’s able to express his needs in a straightforward way, admitting and owning his mistakes, but showing he wants to find a new way forward. There’s no anger, just a statement; This is what I need from you. It’s a nice call back and play on the dynamics of Season 3. Then, Sam needed Dean to “just be his brother again.” In part that was a plea to let him in, and let him help carry the burden of the deal. But by the time he says it in “Fresh Blood,” he’s scared. It’s the expression of a selfish need – albeit born of fear – for Dean to step back into his usual role and take the lead. But even security blankets can become stifling. Here, Sam is saying he wants to be on equal footing with Dean; however, the writing fails to convey whether or not Sam really understands what that means. He can’t let Dean be in charge when it suits, and then turn around and complain when it doesn’t. The statement about letting him grow up is also pretty nebulous. What does that mean exactly? That Dean has to let go? Or does it mean that he has to trust that Sam really has learned from his mistakes?
Bringing Ruby into the conversation was a clunky misstep, because it’s hard to read that line without thinking he’s blaming Dean. I wish they could have found a better way to convey Sam’s desire to be his own man without taking such a huge swipe at Dean.
Now, I’ve seen some discussion on the Interwebs about whether or not Sam has apologized enough – or for the right things – and if Dean has rolled over and apologized too much. So let’s review what’s actually been said.
In “Sympathy for the Devil,” Sam tries three times to apologize, and each time Dean tries to strangle those words in the crib. He’s just not ready to deal with it. He even tells Sam to stop bringing it up. There’s no point putting it under the microscope. Once Dean starts venting in the parking lot, he acknowledges Sam’s remorse, but also admits that there’s nothing he can do or say to fix things.
In “Good God Y’all,” Dean tries to shut him down again. Sam soldiers on (good job) and validates Dean’s feelings of mistrust while taking responsibility for his actions. He acknowledges that Dean’s job is bigger than him, and that he can’t be his brother’s focus anymore. He apologizes again, and it can be read as recognizing the burden of duty that Dean has born all these years.
I think “The End” and “Fallen Idols” show that Sam knows he has to move past words and atone through his actions. He says he wants to prove to Dean that he can do the job and won’t let him down. He’ll prove he’s got his back again.
Granted, Sam hasn’t addressed specific wrongs. It’s all been pretty blanket. For instance, Sam hasn’t apologized for trying to kill Dean. Although that doesn’t seem to be at the heart of it for Dean. It’s the feelings of abandonment and betrayal. And maybe Sam had tried so many times to kill his brother that the apology is just taken as read.
Dean has apologized for two fairly specific things – in “The End” for not letting Sam back in, and in “Fallen Idols” … yeah, I’m not entirely sure what that was about. It could be taken as a broad brush mea culpa for smothering Sam. I don’t think we can forget though that Dean has seen a future he wants to prevent, and the only way to do that is to repair things with Sam. He’s seen how far they both have to fall, and he’s willing to be the bigger man if he has to.
And ultimately, here’s the thing. In real life, you never get the apology you think you’re due. You can be bitter about it, or you find a way to move on that makes sense for you. Sam has a lot to apologize for, and maybe Dean did let him back in too soon. But there are some relationships that are all or nothing. If Dean is going to take Sam back, it can’t be just so he can beat him up. He has to take the leap of faith because it’s the only way to save them both.
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2016-36/0818/en_head.json.gz/13363 | Home / Film / Blu-ray Review: Yojimbo – The Criterion Collection Blu-ray Review: Yojimbo – The Criterion Collection
Posted by: Todd Douglass March 9, 2010 in Film
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It's almost daunting to think about the quality Kurosawa pushed out through the 30 films he created. However, there are a few that stand out and really withstood the test of time. With the shift in format towards high definition, the Criterion Collection has made the move to Blu-ray and has finally taken Kurosawa with them. When they are released on March 23, Yojimbo and Sanjuro will both avail themselves of the 1080p format. The titles will be packaged as a collection or individually. For the purposes of this review we're looking at Yojimbo. Yojimbo was released in 1961 and it quickly solidified itself as a darkly comic Japanese western. Starring legendary actor Toshiro Mifune, Yojimbo follows the exploits of a wandering samurai named Sanjuro Kuwabatake who has the misfortune of happening upon a town with some serious problems. Upon arriving he's greeted by a dog scampering down main street with a human hand in its mouth. From that point Sanjuro comes upon two warring gangs vying for control in the village, and eventually settles down in a small restaurant in order to get the dirt on what's happening. It would seem that the guy who runs the brothel and silk factory is clashing with the man in charge of sake production. There has been bad blood between them for some time now and both have hired thugs and mercenaries in an effort to outdo the other. As the restaurateur states, there's nobody making money at this point in the town aside from the guy who makes coffins. Both sides are losing men and the village has lost all hope. Naturally Sanjuro sees an opportunity here. The samurai wastes little time unleashing his skills and showing both gangs why they want to go bankrupt to have someone of his caliber on their side. Sanjuro plays them off each other masterfully and creates a much stronger element of confusion and chaos. He brings events to a boiling point several times during the film, and each time it happens he sits back and watches the events unfold. Eventually some other characters stand out to throw a wrench into Sanjuro's plans. The son of the sake brewer, Unosuke (Tatsuya Nakadai), is introduced into the plot as Sanjuro's rival. He's a pistol-toting badass who quickly asserts himself as a fearsome person, though he doesn't display much in the way of sword abilities. Inevitably the film comes down to a showdown between the dark forces of the town and Sanjuro, and naturally Unosuke is a part of that. When examining Yojimbo as a film there are a few things that stand out almost immediately. For starters the atmosphere is undeniably unique. Kurosawa's vision brought through some incredible moments here and everything, from the music direction to the cinematography and action, comes together in an East meets West kind of ordeal that feels like no other. Adding to that layer of mystique is a darkly comedic vibe that uses dialogue and visuals for laughs, which really helps break up the foreboding tone that blankets everything. Probably the biggest thing about Yojimbo that stands out as a shining reason to watch it is Mifune's portrayal of Sanjuro. Of course Mifune was a legendary Japanese actor, but his role in this film is downright iconic. From the awkward twitch of his shoulders to the way he carries himself and spits out dialogue, Mifune comes across as the ultimate badass. This is still the case even when Sanjuro is taking his lumps and up against seemingly impossible odds. Going along with the western motif in Yojimbo, Mifune's performance here can be compared to Clint Eastwood's character from "The Man with No Name" trilogy.
Whether you've seen Yojimbo before or not, all you really need to know is that it's classic Japanese cinema and a downright awesome samurai flick. It's a period piece done in a fashion that only Kurosawa could do and I dear say that Mifune absolutely makes this film as priceless as it is. It's a classic among classics and deserves to be in the collection of anyone who appreciates older films. Criterion's remastered standard definition DVDs looked pretty darn good, but they hardly hold a candle to the spectacular transfer available for this Blu-ray release. Presented in its original 2.35:1 aspect ratio, 1080p resolution, and encoded with MPEG-4 AVC, Criterion's Yojimbo is truly a force to be reckoned with. Seriously, for a film that was originally released in 1961, the cleanup job done for this disc was simply astounding! From top to bottom the picture is crystal clear with hardly a moment that seems out of focus or flawed in any way. Every scene strikes an appropriate balance between blacks and whites, and every single detail from blades of grass, panels of wood, or even patterns on the costumes stand out. The image is free of dirt and scratches, there's no compression of any kind, and the only thing that's even worth mentioning is a minor flickering that takes place in a few scenes. I never imagined that Yojimbo could look as good as it does here. Hats off to Criterion!
The audio package on this release is downright awesome as well. When you approach Yojimbo keep in mind that there's not a bombastic 5.1 track or anything of that ilk. Instead, a Japanese DTS-HD Master Audio 3.0 and Japanese LPCM 1.0 are included here. The limited range in the sound field may be off-putting for some, but personally I felt this presentation retained the integrity of the original track. The quality is clear, concise, and downright free of any flaw. It's an improvement over the DVD release of the film, though not quite as grandiose as the video quality. English subtitles are included.
A good supply of supplemental content makes its way onto this Blu-ray release of Yojimbo as well. For starters there is a classy 22-page booklet packed in with the case. It features pictures and information about the film as well as musings on the genre by Kurosawa and other prolific personalities. Film historian Stephen Price provides a solid and informational audio commentary for the movie that is definitely worth checking out at some point. There's also a stills gallery, trailer for the film, and teaser as well. The biggest draw from the bonus feature menu (aside from the audio commentary) is a featurette created as part of the "Toho Masterworks series, Akira Kurosawa: It Is Wonderful to Create" (44:37). This is basically a scene by scene look at many of the film's better moments. There's also a fair amount of commentary provided by people who worked on the film. Yojimbo's Blu-ray release is nothing short of extraordinary. Criterion went through a clearly painstaking process to get all the details right from the video to the audio. This release is a dramatic improvement over the original and stands as Criterion's best Blu-ray release to date, in my opinion. It's absolutely not to be missed by fans of the film. If you've never seen Yojimbo then consider this the best opportunity ever to check out one of Kurosawa's more iconic films. Please enable JavaScript to view the discussion by Sidelines.
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Todd Douglass
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Movie Review: ‘Hell or High Water’ starring Jeff Bridges, Chris Pine and Ben Foster
Good review but a couple of points
“the Criterion Collection has made the move to Blu-ray and has finally taken Kurosawa with them.”
They already have. “Kagemusha” came out last fall. “Mifune’s performance here can be compared to Clint Eastwood’s character from “The Man with No Name” trilogy.”
Should be the other way around with as Leone remade “Yojimbo” in “Fistful of a Dollars” so Eastwood had Mifune’s performance to look at.
I am going to get the set
Good points on both accounts. It actually slipped my mind somehow when I wrote this review that Kagemusha was already on Blu-ray. Also you are correct that this film was indeed the inspiration for Leone. Thanks! | 影视 |
2016-36/0818/en_head.json.gz/13427 | Amerika Cinema
Berezhkovskaya Nab. 2,
This large single screen theater, located at the Radisson-Slavyanskaya Hotel, and as the name suggests, it showed American films, in their original language (with headphones offered for the Russian translation). It was a popular destination for American businessmen and tourists, though its sound system, seating and decor are said to leave something to be desired.
The Amerika Cinema was closed in 2005, due to the opening of the 11-screen Oktyabr Kino, which initially screened many of the US maded films that would have been shown at the Amerika Cinema.
Marusja
http://www.america-cinema.ru/
Their website…
Ron Newman
Looks like most of the films shown are American (Finding Neverland, Million Dollar Baby, In Good Company, Sideways), but not all of them (Turetskiy Gambit).
How long has this been operating? Has it always been called the America Cinema, with the current policy? | 影视 |
2016-36/0818/en_head.json.gz/13470 | TVIt's Official: ImagineTV's David Nevins To Succeed Robert Gr… Home
by by Nellie Andreeva
It's Official: ImagineTV's David Nevins To Succeed Robert Greenblatt At Showtime
June 28, 2010 9:17am
4 TV Emmy Cable TV David Nevins David Nevins Robert Greenblatt David Nevins Showtime Robert Greenblatt NEW YORK – (June 28, 2010) – David Nevins, an Emmy Award-winning producer and veteran network programming executive, has been named President of Entertainment at Showtime Networks Inc., it was announced today by Matthew C. Blank, Chairman and CEO of Showtime Networks Inc., to whom he will report. Mr. Nevins will succeed Robert Greenblatt, who announced he will leave the network after completing his current contract in July. Nevins, who has served as President of Imagine Television since 2002, will be responsible for developing, acquiring and supervising all aspects of programming for all of the Showtime Networks channels. He will be based in Los Angeles and begin his new position later this summer.
At Imagine, Nevins oversaw development and production and served as executive producer for all of the company’s television productions, including the Golden Globe® and Emmy Award-winning 24 and the critically acclaimed FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS. He also developed and served as executive producer on FOX’s Emmy Award-winning comedy seriesARRESTED DEVELOPMENT. Other shows Nevins currently has on the air are FOX’s LIE TO ME, NBC’s PARENTHOOD, and the upcoming comedy FRIENDS WITH BENEFITS, also on NBC.
Previously, as Executive Vice President, Programming at FOX Broadcasting Company, he spearheaded development and current programming for both comedy and drama series. During his tenure at FOX, he developed 24, THE BERNIE MAC SHOW and BOSTON PUBLIC, among others. Before joining FOX, Nevins was Senior Vice President, Primetime Series at NBC, overseeing the award-winning series WILL & GRACE, ER, THE WEST WING, LAW & ORDER: SVUand HOMICIDE: LIFE ON THE STREET.
“I’m thrilled to welcome a creative executive of the caliber of David Nevins to our company,” said Blank. “At the same time, I have to say that Bob Greenblatt is one of the finest executives in the business and has developed some of the most extraordinary original programming of the past decade.”
“Showtime is a place where quality wins and I’m excited to build on its legacy,” said Nevins.
Greenblatt joined Showtime in July 2003 with a mandate to reinvigorate the Showtime brand and establish the network as a leading premium subscription network with original programming. He leaves the network with significant growth in both its subscriber base and operating profit, and a full portfolio of original programming that includes DEXTER, WEEDS, NURSE JACKIE, and CALIFORNICATION, among many others. “During the last seven years, we’ve managed to reinvigorate Showtime as a vital, attention-getting network, which is now known as a destination for some of the best, most original series anywhere on television,” said Greenblatt.
James • on Jun 28, 2010 11:46 am
It’s starting to look like HBO is getting it’s creative mojo back and Showtime is losing it with Bob Greenblatt leaving.
Boobers • on Jun 29, 2010 9:10 am
With what? Bored to Death? How to Make it in America? Hahahahaahah.
HBO still feels lost in the briars, and still putting its chips in with vanity projects of producers of previous hits or movie starfucking, I’d have more faith in HBO if they stopped doing movies and TV shows about the industry.
So then who? AMC seems to be blowing it with the DOA Prisoner and the trainwreck Rubicon, though Walking Dead might be great. FX seems to be on an upswing after a few years of duds — finally creating some half-hours as good as It’s Always Funny. I’m most curious about the Albrecht-Starz and Epix.
writer88 • on Jun 28, 2010 12:42 pm
Kudos to Bob Greenblatt. Truly one of the finest creative minds in the business. Nevins has a very very tough act to follow. But in all the press clippings and articles about Greenblatt’s run, I’m surprised there’s not one mention of HUFF. Though the series may have not worked for the long haul, it was nominated for SEVEN EMMY AWARDS IN ITS FIRST SEASON. And gave Blythe Danner two Emmy’s back to back. That was the show that put Showtime on the map. Made people start taking them seriously. Brilliant cast, great writing, irreverent… all things Showtime is now known for. And it all started with Greenblatt. For having the guts and foresight to program HUFF in the first place. He’ll be missed.
taxman • on Jun 28, 2010 3:30 pm
THE david nevins!? cause thers’s two ya know!? | 影视 |
2016-36/0818/en_head.json.gz/13546 | San Francisco International Film Festival 23 April - 07 May 2009
Big Nights
AWARDS/
FRANCIS FORD COPPOLA FOUNDER'S DIRECTING AWARD
This award is given each year to one of the masters of world cinema, in memory of Irving M. Levin.
An Evening with Francis Ford Coppola and Friends
7:30 pm Castro Theatre
429 Castro Street (Near Market)
Join us for a special evening at the Castro Theatre honoring the brilliant career of one of the seminal figures in American film, director and producer Francis Ford Coppola. In a variation on the Festival's standard interview format, Coppola will be joined onstage by Carroll Ballard, George Lucas, Walter Murch and Matthew Robbins. In a moderated discussion with director James Gray, the group of old friends and collaborators will discuss all manner of subjects, cinematic and otherwise. Film clips, including the new Tetro trailer, and extended audience Q&A will conclude the first part of the evening.
After the above, the festival will screen the first American Zoetrope production The Rain People (1969). The film was made from an original script by Coppola and is carefully observed and beautifully shot. Forty years ago this brilliantly improvised road trip announced the young director as a talent to watch. Shirley Knight stars as a Long Island housewife on the run from domesticity who meets up with a brain-damaged football player played by James Caan. The festival screening offers the opportunity to see one of this master filmmaker’s rarely screened works in a pristine print from Warner Bros.
Coppola Now
By Jason Sanders
"For me, the goal is to do work according to my own feeling and hope it lives for years, not just a season," said Francis Ford Coppola in 1982. Forty-six years after he directed his first film, it's safe to say that he's succeeded. Before he had turned 39 Coppola had already won five Oscars, two Palme d'Ors, solidified his place in the film canon with The Godfather and The Godfather: Part II, The Conversation and Apocalypse Now and had entertainingly built up and melted down several fortunes in the name of Cinema.
"In a funny way I became an important studio director when I was very young," he recalled in a 1992 interview, "but I always wondered what happened to the director I wanted to be." Now, about to turn 70 and as invigorated and questioning as ever, this legend of American and world cinema is giving himself the chance to find out.
The past two decades have solidified his non-filmic enterprises, with Coppola forging modest empires out of wine, cooking, and hospitality (he runs hotels in Belize, Guatemala, and Buenos Aires) and giving himself, finally, a financial security away from the last film's gross or the next studio's fee. "I feel like I'm on a track of doing what I call 'personal films' that I can finance myself," he said. "I don't just want to make the type of normal movies that come out every weekend." His most recent film Youth Without Youth, based on a story by noted philosopher Mircea Eliade and filmed in Romania, serves as a prime example of Coppola's new, personal approach. Part philosophy, part romance, part meditative fantasy, the film afforded Coppola a sense of creative freedom that he hadn't felt since the pre-Godfather days. Unabashedly philosophical in its treatment of life, love and language, it's as far from Mafia mythology, Vietnam-War histrionics, or, for that matter, Hollywood moviemaking than anything he's done and takes its intelligent adult pleasures not from giving answers, but from asking questions.
Coppola's current project is the Buenos Aires-set Tetro, which from early accounts is as heartfelt-and truly independent as a first-time filmmaker's debut. "Well, as a young man I had an old man's career, now maybe as an old man I can have a young man's career," he quipped recently. "I feel like I'm doing what I wanted to do when I was 18." Coppola's first original screenplay since The Conversation, some 30 years ago, Tetro is the bittersweet story of two brothers, their talented musician father and the conflicts and tragedies within a highly creative Argentine-Italian family. Surrounded by longtime colleagues like Walter Murch and newer ones like the brilliant Romanian cinematographer Mihai Malaimare, Jr. (who also shot Youth Without Youth), Coppola draws from his own family memories to create this, his most personal work yet. "Even though this is a fictional story," he says, "I used what I know best, my life."
Such personal filmmaking is truly a return to Coppola's roots. As a student at UCLA Film School, Coppola worked as a script doctor for the legendary cult impresario Roger Corman. Impressed by Coppola's writing skills, Corman gave the tyro a chance to direct with the 1963 horror quickie Dementia 13, but it was his next films, the satirical coming-of-age tale You're a Big Boy Now (1966) and the brilliantly improvised road-trip movie The Rain People (1969) that truly announced Coppola as a talent to watch.
And from there, The Godfather: Brought on at the last minute, the young Coppola spent the entire shoot imagining he was about to be fired, with nearly his every decision countered and dismissed by studio heads. Brando? No way. Pacino? Never heard of him. Gordon Willis's cinematography? Too dark. The result? The biggest money-maker in film history at the time, which launched Coppola towards a career he could barely have imagined. "I wanted to do little Antonioni films, little Fellini films," he recalled in 1992. "I never planned on being part of the big stuff. I never imagined it."
Where some artists hoard their career success for their own personal gain, Coppola reinvested his in meaningful films and the professional development of his friends and colleagues. His collaborative studio, American Zoetrope, founded with George Lucas and John Korty 40 years ago this year, in 1979, became the epicenter of a new cinematic culture, and Coppola (to paraphrase Iranian director Mohsen Mahkmalbaf) started making not only films, but also filmmakers.
"American Zoetrope, San Francisco's only major movie studio, is full of longhaired, bearded types," stated a bemused 1984 article, and within its confines Coppola helped nurture (and fund) such filmmakers as Lucas (who started as an intern on The Rain People) and Philip Kaufman; international legends like Werner Herzog, Wim Wenders and Akira Kurosawa also benefited from Coppola's generosity as a financier and producer. "Francis was the great white knight," recalled George Lucas in a recent New Yorker profile. "He was the one who made us hope." Meanwhile, Bay Area icons like editor and sound designer Walter Murch and director Carroll Ballard became Coppola's most trusted colleagues, and, by extension, among the industry's most leading talents.
Breathing new life into American film, Coppola set about reinvigorating the San Francisco cultural landscape. He bought buildings, a radio station, a magazine, a theater and, in Napa Valley, an old winery that later became an exemplary career in itself. His fervent, visionary embrace of new technology prefigured the digital film movement by decades. "I think electronic cinema is going to make art less expensive to make, available to more people. I think in two years there won't be any more film shot," he said, back in 1981. His films became as wide-ranging, idiosyncratic, and bold as his interests, with now-classic works like The Conversation (1974) and Apocalypse Now (1979), clearly ahead of their time, criticized on release as too arty or incomprehensible.
Like a modern-day Don Quixote, Coppola has spent his career getting knocked down, but getting back up, proclaimed a genius one year and foolhardy the next, but tenaciously staying true to his own vision. In 1997, Coppola was asked of his legacy. "If I could widen the cinema one little percentage point more, at a time when it's not being widened, that would be very, very gratifying," he responded. His career has accomplished far more than that. Francis Ford Coppola is one of the true geniuses of world cinema. And he's not done expanding the frame yet.
Jason Sanders is an archivist and writer at the Pacific Film Archive in Berkeley. His writing has appeared in publications including Filmmaker Magazine, Cinema Scope, Release Print and International Documentary.
Francis Ford Coppola selected Filmography
2009 Tetro
2007 Youth Without Youth 1997 The Rainmaker 1996 Jack 1992 Bram Stoker's Dracula 1990 The Godfather: Part III 1989 New York Stories (segment "Life without Zoe") 1988 Tucker: The Man and His Dream 1987 Gardens of Stone 1986 Peggy Sue Got Married 1984 The Cotton Club 1983 The Outsiders
Rumble Fish 1982 One from the Heart 1979 Apocalypse Now 1974 The Conversation
The Godfather: Part II 1972 The Godfather
1969 The Rain People 1968 Finian's Rainbow 1966 You're a Big Boy Now 1963 The Terror
Dementia 13 Previous recipients
2008 Mike Leigh 2007 Spike Lee
2006 Werner Herzog
2005 Taylor Hackford
2004 Milos Forman
2003 Robert Altman
Previously Known as Akira Kurosawa Award
2002 Warren Beatty
2001 Clint Eastwood
2000 Abbas Kiarostami
1999 Arturo Ripstein
1998 Im Kwon-Taek
1997 Francesco Rosi
1996 Arthur Penn
1995 Stanley Donen
1994 Manoel De Oliveira
1993 Ousmane Semb�ne
1992 Satyajit Ray
1991 Marcel Carn�
1990 Jir� Menzel
1989 Joseph L. Mankiewicz
1988 Robert Bresson
1987 Michael Powell
1986 Akira Kurosawa
PODCASTS & VIDEO BOX OFFICE
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2016-36/0818/en_head.json.gz/13562 | Thread: Do you think Fox will/should make a Silver Surfer film?
Re: Do you think Fox will/should make a Silver Surfer film?
Originally Posted by YoungPrime
I swear some of you give FOX way too much credit.
And you give them NO credit. Why you gotta be such a hater? Quote:
Ask Avi Arad if "Blade" counts as well as "Men in Black" for that matter since both where Marvel Properties.
Just because the GA may not be aware of it's comic book roots doesn't mean that their success didn't kick start the bargaining table for future Marvel films as stated here regarding Men in Black:
"The film was released on July 2, 1997, by Columbia Pictures and grossed $589,390,539 worldwide against a $90 million budget..... The success of the film inspired Marvel (who, by 1997, owned the property) to option other properties for development, later collaborating with Columbia Pictures to produce Spider-Man amongst other projects." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Men_in_Black_(film)
....Then came Blade, and then came X-men, etc, etc.
So thank Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones, not FOX-men!
Reality check: you can count on the fingers of one hand the number of people who actually read a first-run MIB or Blade comic book. You can count on the fingers of two hands, plus the toes on half a foot, the number of people who realized that the movies were actually based on comic books. X-Men was the first real foray into Marvel cinema, based on comic book characters that general audiences actually had heard of, other than some truly abysmal D-grade movies from the 80s and early 90s (Howard the Duck and Dolph Lundgren's Punisher, a DTV Captain America, and a Fantastic Four that thankfully never saw the light of day). *That's* what inspired the current run of movies based on the Marvel comics universe. Quote:
Well FOX had a the perfect opportunity of showing this in First Class. Instead we only got 2 stand out performances by Eric and Charles. The supporting cast were all mediocre at best. (Kevin Bacon was not "Shaw" he was a mutant Kevin Bacon with supbar special effects)
Yeah, "the supporting cast were all mediocre at best": that's why J-Law broke out and turned into an overnight phenomenon, and why she shares Breakout Performance nominations with Zoe Kravitz. Why don't you quit spouting your *opinion* as *facts?* ZOMG....FACTS based on OPINION. __________________ | 影视 |
2016-36/0818/en_head.json.gz/13600 | "Training Day" Director In Talks For Eminem's "Southpaw"
June 7, 2011 | 7:30 AM
by sryon
Earlier today, MTV News reported that rapper Eminem will make his long-awaited return to the silver screen in the lead role in the upcoming film Southpaw. The film, which has already been picked up by DreamWorks, will find the Detroit rapper portraying a welterweight boxer whose career is cut short by personal tragedy. Kurt Sutter, the film’s screenwriter and creator of FX’s popular drama “Sons of Anarchy,” said that the film carries a metaphorical relevance to rapper’s own much-publicized trials and tribulations
“I took meetings with Marshall’s producing partners over the past seven years, looking for something to do together,” he said. “I know he’s very selective and doesn’t do a lot. But he shared so much of his personal struggle in this raw and very honest album [Recovery], one that I connected with on a lot of levels. He is very interested in the boxing genre, and it seemed like an apt metaphor, because his own life has been a brawl.” (MTV.com)
Sutter also added that, “We are doing a metaphorical narrative of the second chapter of his life. He’ll play a world-champion boxer who really hits a hard bottom and has to fight to win back his life for his young daughter. At its core, this is a retelling of his struggles over the last five years of his life, using the boxing analogy…I love that the title refers to Marshall being a lefty, which is to boxing what a white rapper is to Hip Hop; dangerous, unwanted and completely unorthodox. It’s a much harder road for a southpaw than a right-handed boxer.” (MTV.com)
According to reports, the first draft Sutter’s script for Southpaw will be completed by February. DX will keep you updated as more details are revealed.
[December 13]
UPDATE: Antoine Fuqua, who helmed Training Day and Brooklyn’s Finest, is in final talks to direct Eminem in Southpaw, his first movie since 8 Mile. HipHopDX will keep you updated. | 影视 |
2016-36/0818/en_head.json.gz/13730 | RSS Twitter Facebook "Disobedience is the true foundation of Liberty." —Henry David Thoreau Reviews
by Jo Ann Skousen | Posted August 10, 2011
Alien creatures threaten civilization as we know it, and humans must band together to defend themselves. Is this another review of Cowboys & Aliens? No — it's a review of Rise of the Planet of the Apes, a prequel to the iconic 1968 film Planet of the Apes that is earning praise from critics, moviegoers, and even PETA, the People for Ethical Treatment of Animals, who sent picketers out to show support for the film when it opened. Now there's a switch!The original Planet of the Apes was sort of a space age Gulliver's Travels: an American space crew, headed by Charlton Heston as the Gulliver character, discovered a planet populated by intelligent apes instead of Jonathan Swift's horsey Houyhnhnms. In both cases, humans in the strange new land have no language skills by which to prove their intelligence, and are used as breeders and beasts of burden. Interestingly, Jonathan Swift coined the word "yahoos" to describe the morally bestial humans in his fantasy world.No one who has seen Planet of the Apes can forget the gasp of horrified realization that happens when Heston, trying to escape the topsy-turvy planet and return to Earth (he's riding a horse, in a deliberate nod to Swift's story), discovers the top of the Statue of Liberty submerged in sand. This scene has been immortalized through allusion and satire for nearly half a century. The message is clear: we cannot escape the future we create for ourselves on this earth.The new film has its own gaspworthy instant, although it occurs midway through, not at the end. I won't tell you what causes the audible gasp in the audience, but I will tell you that I've asked everyone I know who has seen the movie if that gasp happened during their screening too, and all have said yes. It is a powerful moment, made more powerful by the astounding acting of Andy Serkis, an unsung hero of CGI technology. Serkis is the body behind Gollum in The Lord of the Rings (2001, 2002); the ape in King Kong (2005); and now the chimp, Caesar, in Rise. His movements, especially the expression in his face and his eyes, bring sensitivity, pathos, and life to what could have been flat computer generated characters.Don't you just get so tired of the predictability of Hollywood movies blaming greedy pharmaceutical manufacturers for all our problems?Rise of the Planet of the Apes creates a possible backstory for how the apes became the cultured, speaking, master race, while humans devolved into brutish creatures. I say "possible," because I'm not convinced that the film's premise works. The idea is that scientists, experimenting with chimps to discover a cure for Alzheimer's disease, inadvertently create the master race of apes and destroy the humans at the same time. The story is smart and engaging and ties up all the loose ends satisfactorily. But it blames the mutation on a single manmade event, completely changing the premise of the first film, which suggested that evolution and devolution will lead to the rise of apes and the fall of humankind. The sand-covered Statue of Liberty at the end of the 1968 film suggests that the transformation happened over the course of many centuries, not in one generation.Not surprisingly, capitalism (rather than science itself) is portrayed as the ultimate enemy to mankind. While research scientist Will Rodman (James Franco) is motivated by a desire to cure Alzheimer's, the company he works for is owned and directed by the obligatory greedy capitalist who uses and abuses the chimps in his quest for profits. (Don't you just get so tired of the predictability of Hollywood movies blaming greedy pharmaceutical manufacturers for all our problems?) This film goes a step further, however. For some reason I shudder to contemplate, the casting agent chose Nigerian David Oyelowo to play the brutish bad guy with a British accent. Not sure what the message of this decision might be, but it's hard to believe that the casting was accidental. Enough said about that.Ironically, despite the filmmakers' obvious distaste for profits, they inadvertently acknowledge the power of money as a motivator when Caesar, the chimp who has been transformed by the chemical trials, wants the other primates to follow him: he buys their loyalty with Chips Ahoy cookies instead of fighting each one of them into submission. And it works! Now there's a message worth sharing.A message that does not work, however, is the one that PETA especially liked — the portrayal of chimps as misunderstood neighbors who should not be feared. When Caesar makes his way outside to play with a neighbor child, the little girl's father picks up a baseball bat to protect her. He is portrayed throughout the film as a man with a bad temper (although he's an airline pilot; have you ever known an airplane pilot to be anything but calm and comforting?), and we are supposed to take the side of the chimp. However, the memory of the Connecticut woman whose face and hands were torn off by one of these animals two years ago makes it hard to sympathize with the man-sized creature and its lion-sized canines. Even if he does wear pants and a sweatshirt.Several subtle moments add to the classy styling of this film. At one point, for example, Caesar sadly observes Will kissing his girlfriend (Freida Pinto), creating a poignant allusion to Mary Shelley's Frankenstein and the creature's longing for a woman like himself. Caesar is like Frankenstein's "monster" — too smart to be an ape, but too much an animal to be a human. Where does he belong? Another example: the primate house where Caesar and dozens of other apes are caged overlooks San Francisco Bay and Alcatraz Island, where the notorious prison was located. And a third: a brilliant moment of self-parody occurs with the musical motif that begins when the apes start escaping from the primate house. We hear an undercurrent of the "Dr. Zaius, Dr. Zaius" melody from The Simpson's musical parody of the original Planet of the Apes. How's that for aping one's apers?All the Planet of the Apes films can be seen as cautionary tales, warning viewers that power and authority are ephemeral. Although the specific catalysts and destructive philosophies are subject to change, the impending doom — transference of power — does not. On a weekend when the credit rating of the United States was downgraded for the first time in a century, this film is a timely reminder that there may, indeed, be real threats to our comfortable styles of living.The Lord of the Rings Editor's Note: Review of "Rise of the Planet of the Apes," directed by Rupert Wyatt. Twentieth Century Fox Entertainment, 2011, 105 minutes. About this AuthorJo Ann Skousen teaches classic mythology and Bible literature at Chapman University. She is the entertainment editor for Liberty and founding director of the Anthem Libertarian Film Festival at FreedomFest, which she co-produces with her husband, Mark Skousen. Her recent book, Matriarchs of the Messiah: Valiant Women in the Lineage of Jesus Christ, offers a bold new look at women in the Bible. Printer-friendly version
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2016-36/0818/en_head.json.gz/13740 | August 25, 2016 home | celeb | music | movie | tv Home > News > Music Set Pics: Adam Lambert Shooting 'If I Had You' Music Video
May 14, 2010 (2:17 am) GMT The pictures give a look at the forest where the filming took place in addition to showing Adam and some of his entourage in costumes.
Adam Lambert has wrapped filming a music video for his third single "If I Had You" on Wednesday night, May 12 in Los Angeles. Several pictures were unveiled on Twitter by his Glam squad to give a sneak peek at the upcoming clip. One of the photos has the "American Idol" alum posing with one of his male dancers. In a series of Twitter posts, Adam gave fans updates on the video shoot. He wrote, "Gearing up for all night video shoot for 'If I Had You'!!! Invited a bunch of my performer friends to cameo in the video. It's gonna be one big happy family!!" Later on, he announced, "That's a wrap. Whew! Big thanks to the amazing cast and crew of the If I Had You music video!!" "This music video is set in a dark but beautiful forest, where we experience a surreal light show, similar to the Northern Lights of Norway," the video overview previously read. "We are here for an artistic gathering of all types of people, to socialize, dance and party while taking in this display of beauty and mystery." "If I Had You" is taken from Adam Lambert's debut album "For Your Entertainment". The music video is directed by Bryan Barber and will have cameo appearances from "people who can fire eat, fire breath, fire juggle, fire twirl, etc." TODAY'S HEADLINES | 影视 |
2016-36/0818/en_head.json.gz/13840 | University of Texas Film Institute, Burnt Orange Productions announce start of production on third feature film
Oct. 7, 2005 Email
AUSTIN, Texas—The University of Texas Film Institute and Burnt Orange Productions will begin principal photography on “The Adam Rifkin Caveman Comedy” in and around Austin on Nov. 7.
Adam Rifkin (“Detroit Rock City,” “MouseHunt”) will write, direct and star in “The Adam Rifkin Caveman Comedy,” a comedy set in prehistoric times. In the spirit of early Woody Allen classics such as “Bananas” and “Sleeper,” “The Adam Rifkin Caveman Comedy” follows the exploits of the hapless Ishbo, a philosophical caveman who yearns for more from life than sticks, stones and raw meat. The rest of his tribe, including the cave girl he loves from afar, the beautiful Fardart, who only has eyes for Ishbo’s studly, but dimwitted brother Thudnik, write off his forward thinking ideas as the ravings of an idiot.
“A great comedy is a rare find, and we are delighted to have Adam bring his comic genius to Texas,” says Carolyn Pfeiffer, president and CEO of Burnt Orange Productions, which is financing the film. Pfeiffer (“The Quiet”) and Brad Wyman (“Monster”) will produce the tentatively titled film, while Dr. Thomas Schatz, executive director of The University of Texas Film Institute, will executive produce. Casting already has begun in Los Angeles and Austin. “While working on this film, University of Texas students will have the opportunity to work with green screen technology—a digital effect where actors perform in front of a green screen that enables background scenes to be added in the post-production stage,” explained Schatz.
Rifkin recently wrote “The Return of Zoom,” which is now in production starring Tim Allen for Revolution Studios; “Underdog,” being directed by Frederik Du Chau for Spyglass; and “He-Man” for producer/director John Woo. Rifkin also is in the final stages of postproduction on his yet untitled drama, which he wrote and directed, and was produced by Wyman.
About 30 University of Texas at Austin graduate and undergraduate students will work on the film in all stages of production as apprentices and interns, from accounting and office management, to set production, props and costumes, to casting and publicity.
Burnt Orange Productions is a unique, public/private venture specializing in the production of independent feature films in collaboration with The University of Texas Film Institute, which provides specialized training in various aspects of feature filmmaking to give students experience on high-quality, low-budget films with viable commercial potential. Burnt Orange Productions and The University of Texas Film Institute recently completed filming “The Cassidy Kids” and premiered “The Quiet,” starring Elisha Cuthbert, Camilla Belle and Edie Falco, and directed by Jamie Babbit (“But I’m a Cheerleader”) at the Toronto International Film Festival.
For more information contact: Erin Geisler, College of Communication, 512-475-8071.
View the discussion thread. Featured Articles | 影视 |
2016-36/0818/en_head.json.gz/13915 | Review: ‘Noah’ provides a compelling look at the biblical character When it was announced that there was to be big-budget film adaptation of Noah’s story, directed by Darren Aronofsky no less, I was quickly intrigued.
Any adaptation of a biblical story has the potential for controversy, but when it was clear early on that Aronofsky was not going to be delivering a literal translation of the Noah story from the Bible to film, there has been a lot of hand wringing and trepidation, if not outrage.
I honestly went into “Noah” prepared for a not-entirely-faithful adaptation, but one that was close. What I got was something else to be sure, with the film deviating from the basic story in several big ways, but also presenting a fascinating character study of a man commanded by God to save the innocent from creation, but also to–in effect–condemn the rest of mankind to death.
If anything less than a word-for-word adaptation of the story of Noah is unacceptable to you, stay away from this movie. If, however, you are willing to go in with open mind and see an admittedly different but entirely compelling in its own right version of the story, you may just enjoy yourself.
The film is rated PG-13 for violence, disturbing images and brief suggestive content. | 影视 |
2016-36/0818/en_head.json.gz/14101 | Michael Fox
"I'm telling you, this is not the kind of face you'll ever see on a lunch box," TV executive Brandon Tartikoff famously said after casting Michael in hit series Family Ties. A few years later, after Back To The Future had made him a household name, a triumphant Michael sent the exec a lunch box with his face on it.
Horoscope : Capricorn
Michael Andrew Fox was born in Edmonton, Alberta, on June 9, 1961, the fourth of five children, to William Fox, a military man, and actress mother Phyllis. As a child it was music rather than acting which first caught his imagination when, as an eight-year-old, he received a guitar for Christmas and taught himself to play. When he was in his teens the family relocated to Vancouver, where fellow pupils at the local school included future rocker Bryan Adams. Although he continued to play guitar in garage bands, when he quit school early it was to pursue an acting career rather than a musical one. "I had all the usual ambition growing up," he recalls. "I wanted to be a writer, a musician, a hockey player. I wanted to do something that wasn't nine to five. Acting was the first thing I tried that clicked." His first major foray into the industry came in 1976 when, aged 15, he won a role in Canadian TV comedy series Leo And Me. More sure than ever where his future lay, he decided to aim for the big time and three years later moved to Hollywood. There, his gamble was rewarded with a part in the TV movie Letters From Frank. A host of film roles followed, including Midnight Madness and Class Of 1984, as well as guest roles on TV series Lou Grant and Trapper John MD. Initially credited as Mike Fox, he was forced to add an initial in order to register with the Screen Actors Guild after discovering the name was already in use by another actor. Rather than using his own initial he chose J, in honour of his idol, veteran character actor Michael J Pollard. Like many young actors he suffered dry spells - periods he refers to as his "macaroni days", since budget meals were all he could afford - but his luck turned when, in 1982, he landed the part of Alex on Family Ties. The role brought an impressive haul of awards - three Emmys and a Golden Globe and had a significant impact on his personal life when he fell for Tracy Pollan, who played his girlfriend Ellen Reed during the 1985 to 1986 season. They wed on July 16, 1988, and their first child, Samuel Michael, was born the following year. The young family quickly expanded with the birth of twin daughters Aquinnah and Schuyler in 1995 and youngest daughter Esme in 2001. During his seven-year stint on Family Ties Michael started building on his film career and in 1985 scored perhaps his best known movie role - as Marty McFly in the sci-fi flick Back To The Future. The flick and its two sequels propelled the youthful-looking actor into a whole new orbit. Other movie projects had a mixed reaction, however. It was another TV series, Spin City - in which he portrayed the deputy mayor of New York - that returned him to the limelight in 1996. While his career was once more on the up, Michael was struggling with a tragic secret he had developed Parkinson's disease. Although diagnosed while filming Doc Hollywood in 1991 he kept the condition under wraps for seven years until he could no longer disguise the symptoms. He continued to work, however, lending his vocal talents to the title character Stuart Little in the 1999 animated children's movie. With his symptoms becoming more intrusive, in January 2000 he quit Spin City to concentrate on helping find a cure for the illness through the Michael J Fox Foundation. In 2002 he released a memoir titled Lucky Man reflecting on his eventful life. "I'm so blessed with a great family, and I've had success in my career," he says. "I feel this is a really unique opportunity for me to help out and try to effect change." Certainly his heroic efforts have led to an outpouring of support from his fans. "It's been so wonderful to realise that people care about you in a very deep way and that there is some bond between an actor and his audience," he wrote. | 影视 |
2016-36/0818/en_head.json.gz/14108 | HomeDigitalProduction Familiar faces get digital makeovers
Karen Idelson
August 2, 2007 | 04:58PM PT
CG crews incorporate new tools, techniques
When CG crews return to beloved characters on films like “Shrek the Third” and “Spider-Man 3” they face two great challenges — incorporating the new tools and techniques developed between the sequels and creating a version of the character that is still familiar to the audience.
Raman Hui, a supervising animator on “Shrek” and “Shrek 2” and now a co-director on “Shrek the Third,” says it’s all about balance when he comes back to the not-so-scary green ogre.
“We’re still using keyframe animation done by hand,” says Hui. “Our pipeline is smoother because we’ve worked things out. But as far as big changes go, I think there is a limit because it still has to be the Shrek that you know.”
Hui and his team worked on refining Shrek in small ways that made the character more emotionally evocative.
“In Shrek’s eyeball you can see the refraction of light in a way that makes it look more real,” Hui explains. “And his skin is a bit more translucent so it appears more like a living creature. These were things we really couldn’t quite accomplish before.”
Spencer Cook, animation supervisor on “Spider-Man 3,” also returned to his main character with an eye on making him better, but still believable, in the world created by the director.
“You always want something the audience has never seen,” says Cook. “The basic process for us is still the same keyframe animation, but we have greater processing power, so now we’re trying more complicated shots while still having Spider-Man look like Spider-Man through it.”
One of the big leaps on “Spider-Man 3” was the increased use of CG faces in animated sequences, says Cook, also a lead animator on “Spider-Man” and “Spider-Man 2.”
“By the second film, (helmer) Sam Raimi was saying he wanted to connect with Peter Parker more onscreen by seeing his face,” Cook notes. “It would have been impossible then, but with the processing power we have today you can look into Peter Parker’s face when he swings through the city.” | 影视 |
2016-36/0818/en_head.json.gz/14170 | What Wakes B.J. Novak Up In The Middle Of The Night? By Lynn Neary
Originally published on January 31, 2014 7:58 am Transcript DAVID GREENE, HOST: When we talk about a triple threat we're often talking about a versatile athlete. Think about a basketball player who can score, defend, and rebound. In show biz, B. J. Novak may be that triple threat. He can do standup, act, and write successfully in all cases. He got his start doing standup comedy. That led to a job on the hit comedy series "The Office" where he had a regular part and was one of the writers. And now he's put his writing talent to work on one more thing. Literally. That's the name of his book of stories, "One More Thing." An appropriate title for someone so multifaceted and as NPR's Lynn Neary says the book is funny. She can also tell Novak used his acting instincts to create the book. LYNN NEARY, BYLINE: B.J. Novak's face is probably familiar to anyone who's been to the movies in recent years. He's had a series of small parts in big films like Quentin Tarantino's "Inglorious Basterds." But Novak is probably best known as the weaseley young temp at the dysfunctional paper company where "The Office" is set. He's the kind of guy who will do anything to get out of going to lunch with his boss. (SOUNDBITE OF TV SHOW, "THE OFFICE") STEVE CARRELL: (as Michael Scott) Ryan, come on, we're going to Asian Hooters. NEARY: (as Ryan) Oh, man. I can't. CARRELL: (as Michael Scott) Why not? B.J. NOVAK: (as Ryan) I'm not feeling so well. I've got a ton of work to do here. MSG allergy, peanut allergy. I just ate there last night. UNIDENTIFED MAN: (as coworker) Wow. Thanks for taking all the excuses there. NOVAK: (as Ryan) Doctor appointment, car trouble, planter warts, granddad fought in World War II. Use your head, man. NEARY: Although Novak divided his time between writing and acting on "The Office" he says he always fell in most easily with the writers, forming a fast friendship with fellow writer-performer Mindy Kaling. And during the show's long run, he would jot down his thoughts in notebooks. Later when he looked them over, Novak realized he had the beginning of a book. NOVAK: You know, when I went through all these notebooks I had kept through those eight years of "The Office" I had so many ideas and this became the form for them, sort of a scattered - purposefully scattered, book of different tones and feelings and ideas. NEARY: It's hard to characterize the stories in "One More Thing." Some are fully realized short stories like "Kelloggs" about a young boy's journey to redeem a prize winning coupon he found in a cereal box only to discover his true identity in the process. And there are moments of eloquence here and there. But Novak's bread and butter is humor, which shines through in stories like this one about a man who invents the calendar. NOVAK: (reading) January 2nd. I'm still so excited about this calendar thing. It just makes so much sense. One thousand days a year divided into 25 months, 40 days a month. Why didn't anyone think of this before? January 3rd. Getting so many compliments on the calendar. One guy came up to me today and said he's going to organize his whole life around it. Literally, someone said that. NEARY: The book also includes brief vignettes that seem like scraps of ideas drawn whole cloth from Novak's notebook. Some of these stories are a paragraph or two, some just a couple of sentences. NOVAK: Well, I wanted to be true to all these different ideas I had had, and I was excited to break the form. I think sometimes people, these days, on Twitter or their phones on text messages, they're used to reading content that is purposefully articulated in an extremely short burst and you would never want to expand a perfect text message. So I felt well, if you have an idea which short like this piece "Kindness Among Cakes" which is two lines long, I thought oh that is an interesting idea, why is carrot cake. Why does it have such good icing but is such a bad cake? (reading) Kindness Among Cakes. Child: Why does carrot cake have the best icing? Mother: Because it needs the best icing. NEARY: If some of Novak's stories have a hint of stand up comedy in them, it may be because Novak would rent a theatre from time to time and try them out in front of an audience. He says he wanted to make sure the book would work as entertainment. NOVAK: I would read the stories out loud with a pen in my hand, and I would try to entertain people. And some of them fell flat and they're not in the book. And some of them got really full attention and laughter except for one part which I would go home and revise. But it was very fun and visceral for me to really make sure this was an entertaining and not self indulgent book, to test it by standing alone in front of a hundred people alone on a stage. NEARY: Performing is obviously a big part of Novak's life and personality. Most recently, he appeared in "Saving Mr. Banks" as one member of the team that came up with the music and lyrics for the movie "Mary Poppins." (SOUNDBITE OF FILM "SAVING MR. BANKS") NOVAK: (as Robert Sherman) It's got to be like a slogan, prescription for life. An apple an day, a stitch in time. Time and tide wait for no man. JASON SCHWARTZMAN: (as Richard Sherman) Sugar. NOVAK: (as Robert Sherman) Sugar. Yeah. Jeff had vaccination day at school yesterday. SCHWARTZMAN: (as Richard Sherman) Ouch. NOVAK: (as Robert Sherman) No ouch. SCHWARTZMAN: (as Richard Sherman) No ouch? NOVAK: (as Robert Sherman) Sugar. They put it in a cube. SCHWARTZMAN: (as Richard Sherman) Medicine in sugar? NOVAK: (as Robert Sherman) Cube's an odd word. Spoonful. NEARY: Novak says he loves to act, but if he had to choose between writing or acting, it would be no contest. NOVAK: You know, anytime someone calls and says they want to put you in a movie, it's very exciting. I think, no matter who you are, I've got to think that it's just exciting. There's just some - it's like an almost mythological thing to be in movies. And, no. So if someone called and said we want you to be the star of this, I'm listening, I am. NEARY: If you were to look at the range of things you can do and you're looking ahead, I mean, do you aspire more towards getting the lead role, or writing the great screenplay or doing the great standup act? NOVAK: Writing. Writing the great thing. I realized a while ago that I never once had a fantasy of a role I wanted to play. I never once woke up in the middle of the night thinking I should play a cowboy who lost his wife and needs to - you know, it's never - that fantasy has never come to me. What always comes to me is I should write a movie about, or I should write a TV show about or - that's what wakes me up with a smile on my face in the middle of the night, is always something that I want to write and then test and then see if other people love it the way I do in that moment. And I want to see if. I don't know if that's selfish or if that's the exact level of performer in my DNA or if everyone feels that, but I always want to see that. It makes me write as hard as I can. NEARY: Novak probably won't have to choose. As long as there's a theatre or a club nearby, he can always try out new standup material. And as long as the acting offers keep coming in, he can keep performing. With a notebook back in his trailer, he's sure to have lots of material for the next collection of stories. Lynn Neary, NPR News, Washington. (SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC) Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.Related Program: Morning Edition on WUKY © 2016 WUKY | 影视 |
2016-36/0818/en_head.json.gz/14184 | Not Your Children's Muppets: Brian Henson Discusses 'Stuffed and Unstrung'
Chris Trenchard
Before the late, great Jim Henson was an empire, he was a person. A comic, in a sense. One who worked late-night TV spots on The Ed Sullivan Show and Saturday Night Live, riffing on anything that would make people laugh, without regard for demographics and ideas of parental guidance. “He was always doing puppetry for adults,” says son and now Jim Henson Co. producer Brian Henson. “Not exclusively adults, but that was his approach. So when he did Sesame Street, I think one reason why everyone loved it is because those are very sophisticated characters, and sometimes they’re being quite wry in a very adult way, and sort of naughty.”
Jim Henson’s Muppets would eventually go on to become one of the strongest forces in youth entertainment, capturing the imaginations of multiple generations of American kids, and the tradition continues today. The ninth feature Muppets film — starring Jason Segel — hits theaters nationwide this fall, and beginning Thursday, local audiences will be able to see the Muppets in their raunchier form, in the spirit of Jim Henson’s original puppeteer ideology, as son Brian, along with SF Sketchfest, brings his show Muppets: Stuffed and Unstrung to the Curran Theatre this week. Henson recently took a moment to chat about the project and how it fits into the Muppet canon.
Where did the idea come from? Was this something you’ve wanted to do for a while?
It started a few years back when we thought it would be a good idea to start doing improv comedy work with our puppeteers. I met Patrick Bristow who was an instructor of improv and had worked with Groundlings and he said ‘sure I’ll give it a shot. It’s a little bit weird. It’s hard to do improv with puppets because my training is all about always watching the other performer in the eye when you’re working becasuse that’s the way you can read where they’re going,’ and I said ‘yeah puppeteers, we can’t do that.’ … So we tried and it was really fun and opened up a new comedic voice for puppets that’s very contemporary and a lot of fun and very smart, and we so enjoyed doing it that we put on a couple performances for writers so that they could start getting a sense of where we were heading with puppets for today.
And how did it take off from there?
In those performances there were producers of the Aspen Comedy Festival and they asked us to bring a show to Aspen and I said, ‘well it’s not even really a show, it’s more a training workshop but they said to please bring it anyway. So we went to Aspen, and from there we went on to Edinburgh, and then from there we went on to the Melbourne Comedy Festival and it was so popular as a live show that Patrick and I further developed it into Puppet Up, then it was called, and now it’s called Stuffed and Unstrung, which is a bigger more spectacular show, and it kind of just grew organically. There was no moment where we said ‘let’s create a great theatrical improv puppet show.' It just sort of grew.
What made it stick with audiences?
At one point, it got to be so funny that we said, ‘OK let’s make a TV show of this,’ and then realized in talking to people who were coming to see the show that they loved that they could either watch the big screen or the puppet show, where they could watch the puppeteers working center stage, and that they felt like it was two shows that they were watching, and both shows were riveting and so I decided this is really not going to be a TV show because the audience is so enjoying being in the room with it and deciding whether they were going to watch the puppeteers work or watch the puppets work, so it stayed as a live show and it’s been a lot of fun for us.
So is this the first time the puppeteers have been revealed in a public venue?
Yes, but we never really kept it secret or anything. In fact, my dad always very much enjoyed having visitors come to the set, and the people would always say I feel so honored, you let me see the secret and my dad would always say, ‘well it’s not really a secret, it’s just the way we work.’
We never set out to create a live show. This was a workshop we were doing and we let people start to watch, so we never considered hiding the puppeteers. And by not hiding the puppeteers it liberates the performer because you can run all the way up to the camera. You can run all the way up stage away from the camera, you can move in and out of the shot and you’re not worrying about trying to hide the puppeteers except for the camera. Does that make sense?
Were there a few puppeteers who jumped at the idea of showing their face and being onstage, and conversely were there some puppeteers who shied away from this type of performance?
It’s not really like Avenue Q where you have actors who are puppeteering, whereas with this, we’re all up there doing our puppeteering. So actually, improvising itself is a very harrowing art form, and I think if the puppeteers are ready to try improvising — and a lot of the performers are not ready, it’s a tough thing to do to just go out and perform — but of the ones that were courageous enough to do the improvising they’re absolutely fine with going up in front of an audience.
Did they have training in improvisational comedy before this? Or is this their first go at it?
We trained them. We’ve also trained some improv comedians who wanted to puppeteer and in the company we’re bringing to San Francisco, three of them are that, and three of them are puppeteers who were trained in improv. It’s half and half. But in order to get into the workshops they have to be very experienced in one or the other and be very excited to learn the other craft that they don’t know.
Was the success of Avenue Q an indicator that there might be a market for this type of performance?
Well I think what Avenue Q did was point out that the dynamic of a show that looks like it’s for kids but has adult content in it can be a sort of delicious combination that the audience is ready to try and is open to. So certainly Avenue Q proved that and opened that up. Again, with our show because we didn’t initially set out to create a live show, it came about organically. We never stopped to wonder ‘Uh oh, I wonder if this will work.’ But certainly looking back you’d say ‘well what Avenue Q did is a show that looks like it’s for kids but then it’s a show that actually has adult content. That was the first puppet show that did that, and ours was the second, although our show kind of looks a little bit more adult, in the way that it has a certain grittiness to it. It’s much less polished than Avenue Q. It’s a wonderful sort of anarchic atmosphere that you’re in because it’s improvised. The show is going where we’re not even sure where it’s going sometimes. Which can be very exciting.
So this is obviously billed for more mature audience but it seems like the Muppets has always had a certain sophistication to it, or at least a sharp sense of humor. It’s interesting, when we first brought it to New York, which was the widest audience to date, I was prepared for a lot of critics to say ‘Jim Henson would be rolling in his grave, they shouldn’t be doing this with puppets, but everyone pretty consistently said I love this show, it really captures the essence of the Muppets, that naughty, irreverent Jim Henson tone, and they’re not censoring themselves, and that’s exactly right. …In our show, it’s just more liberated, it’s more in-your-face. They really do say what they’re thinking, whereas with the Muppets (on TV) they don’t say it but you know they’re thinking it.
So did you father have a darker comedic side than most people realize?
I don’t think it’s so much dark. Our humor isn’t cynical or mean, it’s just uncensored. It goes places that are inappropriate for children. It’s still not mean comedy in the way that some adult comedies are. And my dad had a very naughty sense of humor, and in fact when I used to visit thte muppet shooting we always had the most fun when the puppeteers were playing off each other in a very adult way, after the director called cut. Or while they were rehearsing it would get very blue in a hilarious way, and in many ways I’ve got a show that’s kind of capturing what Henson puppeteers do when they’re playing around, which is the funniest part of what they do. Up until now we couldn’t really do that on camera.
There has also always been a musical sensibility to the Muppets. Is that going to be part of this show or is that too hard to blend with improv?
It’s tough, it’s the hardest to work in with improvising, but there’s quite a bit in the show. It’s very impressive. I’m not one of the better improvisers in song but the group that I’m bringing up with this show is.
Are you performing? What’s your role in the show?
I created it and produced it. Sometimes I perform but I’m not performing in SF (update: Brian will be performing in the S.F. production). There’s about 20 performers in the company, we’ve got a pretty large group in the company.
Did you have a favorite charcter growing up and has that maybe changed over the years?
I get that question a lot and it’s tough. I’ve grown up with the Muppets all around me as a kid and I loved them all in diffferent ways. I used to just not answer the question, but in truth the character I loved the most was Kermit, because he really was very similar to my dad, so I always feel very comfortable with him and loved Kermit. And I also love the twistedness of Gonzo, so I guess both of them were kind of favorites.
And I’ve gotta ask, obviously with this Bert and Ernie controversy going on right now. I’m sure you’re aware of the push to have them marry on Sesame Street, and I’m wondering if you have any thoughts on that or if there have been any discussions in the company about introducing gay characters?
No there hasn’t been discussions. We’re not gonna comment on that, they’re just two wonderful characters. Sesame Street issued a statement. They can do whatever but they’re just wonderfully funny characters my dad created years ago.
#Brian Henson #Curran Theatre #Jim Henson #Muppets #Sketch Show Comments
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2016-36/0818/en_head.json.gz/14292 | Every seven years, since 1964, British TV viewers have been treated to a phenomenon: an insightful, humorous, sobering, life-affirming series of shows, the first of which focused on a group of 7-year-old kids talking about themselves, their friends, their relatives, the world. Canadian director Paul Almond made the original film, titled �Seven-Up.� But every seven years since then, with cameras and questions aimed at most members of that same groups of kids, who have now grown up to be 56, the series (�14 Up,� �21 Up,� etc.) has carried on under the watch of British director Michael Apted.In between these episodes, all of which are shown on TV in Britain and in theaters in the U.S., Apted has directed, among many others, �Coal Miner�s Daughter,� Gorillas in the Mist,� and even a James Bond entry, �The World Is not Enough.� But it�s for his �Up� movies that he�s best known.These are talking heads films, where the man asking questions (Apted, who has a remarkably deep and soothing voice) is never seen, and the subjects sit or stand there, sometimes totally at ease, sometimes incredibly uncomfortable, literally growing up, or maybe evolving is a better word, on camera.The questions, along with the subjects, have gone through some major changes. In the first one, young Nick is asked, �Do you have a girlfriend?� His answer is immediate: �I don�t answer questions like that.� In the newest film, Apted asks one of his people, �Do you have enough money?� And to another, queries, �Are you concerned about aging?�These days, no one minds answering the questions. They know Apted so well, they�ve become so comfortable around him, no matter how probing or intrusive the question might be, they just let it all hang out. Yet at the same time, they also give unprovoked comments about the series, about its faults and shortcomings, about the fact that it doesn�t provide a big enough picture, only little snippets of their lives.A man named John labels the show �a complete fraud� because so much of their lives is left out. But that�s the whole point of the endeavor. It�s not that any one of these people or their stories is fascinating. It�s that we�re getting brief, intimate looks into all of these very different lives. These, in turn, provide a broad, multi-faceted picture of a half-century of what it�s like to be British.Apted generously tosses in footage from earlier episodes, and has some great motifs going.Whenever we see the three friends Lynn, Sue, and Jackie, at different ages, they�re always sitting next to each other on a couch. Or there�s Paul who, over the years, offers up his ever-changing thoughts about marriage and his ongoing lack of self-confidence. Neil was a happy 7-year-old, was homeless by 28, went through all kinds of emotional troubles, and is now in small-town politics. Peter quit the show after �28 Up,� but has now returned to the fold, likely because he thinks it�s a good way to get publicity for his band.One of the most moving aspects is that we get to look back to when these folks were just kids, talking about their futures, then get to see them now, talking about their pasts, as well as what still might come. In the history of TV programming this will go down as the first true reality series.Ed Symkus covers movies for GateHouse Media.56 UpDirected by Michael AptedWith lots of 56-year-old British peopleNot rated | 影视 |
2016-36/0818/en_head.json.gz/14364 | Click Here for Articles About NASHVILLE
Dancing With the Stars' Pro Derek Hough Joins Cast of ABC's NASHVILLE
Related LinksBrand New Vocal Competition DROP THE MIC Heading to TV by Year's EndAugust 24, 2016
TV Line reports that Dancing With the Stars five-time champion Derek Hough has signed on the third season of ABC's Nashville for a multi-episode story arc. He will join previously announced guest stars Laura Benanti, Alexa Vega and Brette Taylor for the third season of the show.
The talented dancer will portray Noah West, described as a "beguiling and disarming movie star who, after landing the leading role in a famous country singer's biopic, encounters Nashville's music scene for the first time." The role will mark Hough's major acting debut. He previously appeared in ABC's 'Better With You' in a guest starring role.
It was also announced this week that Hough will return for the 19th season of the ABC dance competition.
Nashville's third season debuts Wednesday, Sept. 24 at 10/9c.
About Derek Hough:
Hough, the only five-time champion in franchise history of the hit ABC show "Dancing with the Stars," started dancing in his hometown of Salt Lake City, UT, at age 11. Just one year later, he moved to London to live and train with the top dance coaches in the world and attend performing arts school where he studied theatre, music and dance.
A multi-talented entertainer and Emmy® Award-winning choreographer, Hough's professional ballroom accolades include, World Under 21 Latin American Champion, Two-time Open British Champion (Blackpool), Two-time International 'Open to the World Champion' and Two-time US Open Champion. Hough performed in London's West End where he starred as the male lead in the critically acclaimed stage version of "Footloose," was one of the featured dancers on the Dancing with the Stars Tour and a choreographer on the BBC (UK) hit show, "Dance X."
Hough is best known for his innovation and daring choreography on the show. His work has brought him Emmy® nominations and inquiries from the film and music world regarding his dance knowledge and ability. Hough just wrote his first book Taking the Lead: Lessons From A Life In Motion.
Last season he was partnered with Amy Purdy.
Photo courtesy of ABC | 影视 |
2016-36/0818/en_head.json.gz/14376 | Watson 'jealous' of other actresses
Emma Watson grew up in the spotlight
Emma Watson has admitted she is envious of actresses who have found fame as "complete human beings".
The British actress grew up on screen after being cast as Hermione Granger in the Harry Potter films at the age of nine, and hinted to America's Elle magazine that coming of age in the spotlight had its drawbacks.
"There are all these actresses who have emerged in the last year or two, and they get to emerge as this complete human being. And I'm so jealous!" she said.
Emma - who appears on the cover of the mag clad in a denim shirt - revealed it has always been important to her that she experiences life for herself, not just as her film characters.
The 23-year-old explained: "I remember reading this thing that Elizabeth Taylor wrote. She had her first kiss in character. On a movie set. It really struck me.
"I don't know how or why, but I had this sense that if I wasn't really careful, that could be me: that my first kiss could be in somebody else's clothes. And my experiences could all belong to someone else."
Emma can next be seen on the big screen in Darren Aronofsky's biblical epic Noah. | 影视 |
2016-36/0818/en_head.json.gz/14416 | READING LIST: Preparing for Marvel’s “Agent Carter”
by Brett White
Email With an ABC mid-season series set to launch in 2015, all eyes are currently on Hayley Atwell’s Agent Peggy Carter! As the first female character to headline both a Marvel One-Shot short and now a television series, Carter has emerged as one of the leading ladies of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The upcoming eight episodes of “Agent Carter” will also allow for different sides of Agent Carter to be explored in depth. As Atwell told TV Line in a recent interview, her favorite aspect of Peggy is one viewers haven’t even seen yet. “It’s the development of her character throughout the series which will be someone who is kind of more three-dimensional, something that women can relate to, as not just the competent, strong, intelligent woman in this workforce, but the psychological, emotional cost. What it takes for a woman to have to sacrifice personal relationships in order to find her place in the world and to fulfill her kind of destiny.”
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Of all the characters in Captain America’s supporting cast, Peggy Carter’s ascension to the top seems surprising considering how infrequent her comic book appearances have been since her full introduction in 1966’s “Tales of Suspense” #77. Atwell’s unwavering performance and the filmmakers’ strong vision for the character has created a Peggy Carter fans can get behind. But before her miniseries debuts this fall, here are five storylines you can read to familiarize yourself with the original Marvel Comics version of Agent Carter. If He Loseth His Soul! (“Captain America” #161-163)
Peggy Carter made her first non-flashback appearance as a mysterious, veiled woman that had been kidnapped by Captain America’s enemy Dr. Faustus. During Cap’s rescue mission in “Captain America” #162, the hero learns hat the mystery woman is in fact Peggy Carter — the unnamed woman he fell in love with back in World War II. To make matters even more complicated, Steve Rogers’ current girlfriend Sharon Carter revealed that Peggy was actually her older sister! Despite her old age and struggle with amnesia, Peggy helped fight Faustus’ goons with both a candleholder and her bare hands. After escaping, the Carters return to their family home where Peggy’s memories finally return.
It’s Always Darkest Before The Dawn! (“Captain America” #174-176)
Kidnapped along with the X-Men by the insidious criminal organization known as the Secret Empire, Captain America and his mutant allies are rescued by Peggy and Howling Commando Gabe Jones. The duo disguised themselves in Secret Empire robes and busted the heroes out, but Cap unmasked a high-ranking government official as one of the villains in the process. With his faith in America now shaken, possibly beyond repair, Peggy Carter tried her best to restore Steve’s patriotism in “Captain America” #176. “I know it sounds corny, Cap, but you’re more than just an example! You’re a symbol — a symbol of the country that’s given everything it has to light the torch of liberty throughout the world!” Unfortunately, Peggy’s impassioned plea was not enough to keep Rogers from setting down his shield. The Flame And The Fury (“Captain America” #231-237)
When her younger sister Sharon goes missing, Peggy makes her way to the office of social worker Sam Wilson — a.k.a. the Falcon — in order to get some help. She instead finds Captain America and informs him of the dire situation: While on a mission for S.H.I.E.L.D., Sharon had fallen under the mind control of the racist National Force group and their leader, the Grand Director. Peggy immediately became a target for the hate group, and they tried to assassinate her by blowing up her car. While Captain America teamed up with Daredevil to track down Sharon’s whereabouts, the Grand Director himself kidnapped Peggy Carter and lured Cap to his zeppelin. Not content with her kidnapper, Peggy fought her way free from the Director and his partner-in-crime, Dr. Faustus, and escaped the hate zeppelin just before its explosion.
Party Games! (“Avengers” #322-325)
After years spent apart, Cap reunited with Peggy and then hired her in “Captain America” #352, to act as the Avengers’ telecommunications officer. After adjusting to the job, Peggy and the rest of the Avengers’ support staff came under attack while the main team was off mixing it up with Alpha Flight and some Atlanteans. Villains Mother Night and Machinesmith teamed up to torment the crew, “resurrecting” Peggy’s dead sister Sharon to manipulate her guilty feelings. The bad guys’ machinations came to a head when the Avenger returned. The ghostly Vision immediately saw through their schemes and single-handedly put an end to Machinesmith — literally, by phasing his hand into the robot villain’s body.
American Dreamers (“Captain America” #1)
Peggy Carter’s long life came to its end in 2011’s “Captain America” #1. Thanks to her service to the French Resistance during World War II, Captain America secured her a burial in France. Steve, Nick Fury, Dum Dum Dugan and Sharon Carter — now retconned into being Peggy’s niece instead of her younger sister — all attended the ceremony. Sharon spoke highly of her aunt, stating that it was all of her war and spy stories that initially inspired the younger Carter to pursue a life spent saving the world from evil. By:
agent carter, captain america, hayley atwell
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2016-36/0818/en_head.json.gz/14436 | Follow Us! Germantown’s Robert Bauer, 72, a founding member of the Drama Group, has a long history as an actor and director. He is currently directing “Mauritius” at The First United Methodist Church of Germantown through April 5.
by Rita Charleston
Two half-sisters enter the cut-throat world of stamp collecting when they inherit a pair of rare stamps that may be worth millions. While the sisters battle over whether to sell or keep the stamps, three shady stamp collectors will stop at nothing to get their hands on the priceless items. “Mauritius” is the name of this latest offering by the Drama Group, presented Friday and Saturday evenings through April 5 at 8 p.m. in Pilling Hall at The First United Methodist Church of Germantown, 6001 Germantown Ave. between High St. and Walnut Lane.
Germantown’s Robert Bauer, a founding member of the Drama Group, directs the play. “Mauritius is an island off the coast of South Africa, once taken over by the British, and they were only the fifth nation ever to issue stamps,” he explained, “making them extremely valuable. And so begins the intrigue, mixed with twist and turns, comedy and drama.”
Bauer’s own life took a turn when he happened into theater by chance. “I always loved theater but was too shy to ever get involved until one day a group of us were rounded up at First Methodist and asked to do a reading for an Ash Wednesday service,” Bauer recalled. “Well, some of us agree to do it, and in the process found out we were having so much fun that we wanted to do even more. Eventually the Drama Group was formed in 1980, and that’s how I finally, happily got involved in theater.”
Today the group no longer does religious plays but rather showcases mainstream productions. And although they still perform at the church, they are an independent entity no longer associated with the church. Bauer, 72, who directs the plays at what has evolved into a community theater, also acts on occasion, and said when he’s on stage his shyness goes away. ”Being on stage helped me get over my shyness because on stage you’re not yourself but somebody else. And suddenly, because of that, I realized I could be anybody on stage and translate that into my own everyday life.”
Over the years, he’s been seen acting in “Our Town” at the Arden Theatre, “Amadeus” at the Wilma Theatre, “Bus Stop” at Stagecrafters, “Gem of the Ocean” at Bushfire Theater and others. Admitting that acting was his first love, when he auditioned for a part and wasn’t cast, he said he then just sort of fell into directing. “And as an actor I felt I knew what actors needed and wanted from their directors. And even though I was untrained, I felt I could give that to them.”
His directorial skills are now limited to the Drama Group, with the exception of directing one production at Allens Lane, a happy experience he said he may repeat again next season. As a director, Bauer said he’s involved with “hiring the actors and then telling them what to do. I work with them and try to get the best performances out of them that I can. I like to see what the actors have to offer and then work with that, encouraging them to do what they’re already instinctively doing best.”
For the productions, two a year, Bauer said he works with others on designing lights and sound, but designs his own sets with the assistance of his wife, Sandy Clay Bauer. “I met her while we were both attending the Philadelphia College of Art, now part of the University of the Arts. We married in 1969 and have been together and worked together ever since. Before my retirement in 2005, I was a graphic designer and my wife an illustrator.”
They met every challenge as a team, as they do now at the Drama Group. Such a group, Bauer said, must overcome several challenges. “First of all, we perform in a church so people think we’re doing religious drama, and nothing could be further from the truth. I always say we’re the best kept secret in Northwest Philly. We’ve been doing this since 1980 and people still don’t know we’re here. Also,” he adds, “is the stigma of being looked at as ‘just’ community theater, which is hard to overcome, too, and yet this area is very, very rich in good community theater, as anybody who attends theater in our area can vouch for.”
Today, describing himself as an actor and a director, Bauer admits there’s joy in every aspect of his theatrical work. “As an actor, working with other actors to create a character that gets a welcome response from the audience is wonderful. The applause, the laughter, all of it is just great. And as a director, my greatest thrill is watching a production that I put together come to life and see an audience enjoy and appreciate it. What better thrill could there be?
Because of strong language, this production is not recommended for children. Tickets are $15 and can be purchased at the door. For more information, call 215-438-7331 or visit www.thedramagroup.org.
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