My heart breaks for Rob as the mother of two young man who had there heart ripped out and stomped on I know what he must be feeling now,I helped my sons thrue this and so I'm sure will his mom, thats what moms do.
Kristin well she needs a talking to, that it is not ok to have a fling with a married man she not only hurt Rob but most likley affected the lives of two children and lets not forget Rupert because it takes two to tango well his wife will have to make a decision,I know what I would like to do and it would not be pretty, all I can say that somewhere Bill Condon must be relieved this was something he stated in an interview before shooting BD2 he was afraid of, that his two leads would break up and ruin the chemistry, just to sad and I hope Rob will eventually find happiness and Kristen well karma is a bitch and it will bite you one day when you are madly in love and youre guy will cheat on you.
Tuesday, July 31, 2012
Robert Pattinson: How He’s Feeling After Kristen Stewart’s Betrayal — Experts Say
Poor Rob! His best friend and girlfriend of four years betrayed him — he’s obviously dealing with a lot of emotions right now. Read on for more details!
Source: http://hollywoodlife.com/2012/07/31/robert-pattinson-kristen-stewart-break-up-affair/
Rupert Sanders Insider: Quotes About Cheating Going on ‘Months’ Are Fabricated
On Sunday, Gossip Cop questioned the veracity of quotes in the U.K. tab, The People, which allegedly had Rupert Sanders’ brother-in-law, Leopold Ross, claiming the director and Kristen Stewart had “cheated for months.” Now, a source close to Sanders says, "Ross never, in fact, spoke to UK tabloid The People and that it was either an imposter or fabricated."
abc abcs abc\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s Abel Ferrara
How Painted Skin 2 took China by storm
Following China's ban on foreign films, Painted Skin 2 has become the country's highest grossing local film of all time, while also departing from tradition
Even The Dark Knight Rises isn't dark enough to slip through a Chinese blackout. Christopher Nolan's big finale recently got the thumbs up from the Beijing censors – but the ban on foreign films that started on 25 June means it has to wait its turn for a cinema slot. But what's bad news for angsty Gotham billionaires is happy days for human heart-quaffing fox demons; part of the reason why the Chinese government periodically imposes these restrictions. Supernatural romance sequel Painted Skin 2: The Resurrection, released three days after the ban, became the first local film in nearly six months to sit on the No 1 spot.
It did a bit more than that, in fact. Not only was it China's third highest opening weekend ever (300m yuan/$47m, behind Titanic 3D and the third Transformers), but it's now the highest grossing local film of all time, too ($111.8m to date). Directed by Mongolian-born up-and-comer Wuershan, it's a throwback to the heyday of the 90s Hong Kong supernatural titillator: actor-singers Zhou Xun and Zhao Wei play the aforementioned fox demon and a disfigured princess who, competing for the attention of a local frontier general, end up trading bodies. Think a Taoist Face/Off, with shimmery underwater sapphic writhings instead of showers of slow-mo bullet casings.
The Hollywood Reporter praised Painted Skin 2's "unbridled visual creativity", while shrinking from its more retrogressive elements, especially the depiction of some eye-rolling, black-magic-practising barbarians who were "a laughable throwback to long-outgrown film stereotypes".
But mostly, Wuershan gets his undeniably broad story stylings singing with mythic resonance. Not everything about his film is staunchly traditional, though. One obvious reason for the scale of its success is that it has tapped successfully into the female demographic that seems to be crucial if any blockbuster, Chinese or not, is to hit warp speed. Not just by casting two women leads, but by giving them decent roles, too, and a timeless theme – the significance of beauty – with deep-lunged dramatic breathing room. "Zhao's scenes with Zhou are much more emotionally resonant than those with the weak-eyed Chen [Kun], her putative romantic partner," noted Film Business Asia's Derek Elley.
Even more of a departure for the industry could be the fact that Painted Skin 2's backers Huayi Brothers – the country's largest private media company – avoided the director-centric approach of much Chinese film, and opted to put power in the hands of its producers instead: the Hollywood way. "They executed a market-oriented strategy in their selection of director, their screenplay development, their choice of release date, and their investment and production management," writes Robert Cain on his Chinafilmbiz blog, "It could have a long-lasting impact on Chinese film production."
Of course it's ironic that Painted Skin 2 needed a little old-fashioned government help for this apprentice in Hollywood market-economy ways not to be crushed by the real Hollywood. But that is the kind of paradox China likes now to throw up. Wuershan should know: he has embraced all players. His first film, hyperactive martial-arts comedy The Butcher, the Chef and the Swordsman, was for Fox International, executive-produced by Doug Liman (Mr and Mrs Smith), while his debut homegrown production yanks him right back towards classical Chinese culture. That always has exotic allure for western audiences; with Ice Age 4 tempting Chinese audiences back to Hollywood, we'll see how loyal the home crowd are feeling.
• Next week's After Hollywood will look at Spain's answer to Twilight. Meanwhile, what global box-office stories would you like to see covered in the column? Let us know in the comments below.
• Painted Skin 2 will be released in the UK as Demon Hunter: The Resurrection on Blu-Ray and DVD from Cine-Asia on 5 November.
guardian.co.uk © 2012 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds
Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/filmblog/2012/jul/31/painted-skin-2-china-storm
Ann Curry 'Feels Vindicated' After The Today Show's Ratings Continue To Decline
Ann Curry may have gotten the boot from The Today Show a little over a year after replacing Meredith Vieira, but she's getting the last laugh.
Not only is she still making the $10 million a year that the network promised her for anchoring the show, but the ratings continue to decline after her departure!
As a [...]
Not only is she still making the $10 million a year that the network promised her for anchoring the show, but the ratings continue to decline after her departure!
As a [...]
Source: http://perezhilton.com/2012-07-31-ann-curry-vindicated-from-today-boot-after-ratings-dip
Robert Pattinson: New Behind the Scenes Stills of ‘Cosmopolis’ (PHOTOS)
With most of the country, seemingly, on Team Pattinson at the moment after girlfriend Kristen Stewart‘s tryst with Snow White director Rupert Sanders, the Hollywood hunk (or studio’s savvy PR team) chose the perfect time for the actor to “reemerge.”
Never-before-scene photos of Robert Pattinson hit the Internet on Monday from the upcoming David Cronenberg flick, Cosmopolis — an adaptation of Don DeLillo‘s 2003 novel hit.
Based in Manhattan, the novel revolves depicts a day in the life of a billionaire asset manager who sets out get a haircut, but instead his simple limo ride turns into a chain of destructive events.
What is Pattinson’s part in the feature?
Pattinson plays the role of Eric Parker, the 28-year-old richie whose day turns a bit upside down.
After debuting at the Cannes Film Festival, Cosmopolis received a variety of reviews. However, Pattinson’s performance itself was noted as being quite on par.
Robbie Collin of The Telegraph declared that at the movie’s core is a “sensational central performance from Robert Pattinson — yes, that Robet Pattinson.”
Pattinson may be well-known for character Edward in the Twilight saga, but he is certainly not one to be type casted — other noteworthy performances include his roles in Remember Me and Water for Elephants.
Do you think all the Twi-hards will be keeping an eye out for Cosmopolis? Leave a comment below.
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Pink Goes Vintage In The Video For 'Blow me (One Last Kiss)!
It's finally here people! Pink is back and she suprises us with an arty vintage video, directed in a dreamy-like scenery, for her latest single Blow Me (One Last Kiss), which is the first single from Pink’s new album “The Truth About Love.” The video is a true depiction of complicated love and manifests itself differently from her former sarcastic and colorful videos (like "So What" or "Stupid Girls"). This one is more like a whimsical nod to classic French cinema, tastefully filmed in black and white. Check out the video below to travel back in time with Pink!
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Top 10 Hair Tips: Alecia 'Pink' Moore!The Street Is My Runway! 10 Super Cool Everyday Looks!Pink's Hair Is Pink Again!Source: http://www.posh24.com/pink/pink_goes_vintage_in_the_video_for_blow_me_one_last_kiss
Amy Smart analysis and opinion Anand Patwardhan Anastasia Blue
USA Women's Gymnastics Team Takes Gold in London
Although the results have yet to air in the United States, Americans will be happy to hear that their women's gymnastics team will be bringing home the coveted gold medal following the record-breaking Team Finals event in London, England on Tuesday (July 31).
Living up to their nickname of the "Fab Five", Aly Raisman, 18, Jordyn Wieber, 17, Gabby Douglas, 16, Kyla Ross, 15, and McKayla Maroney, 16, flipped their way over the Russian and Romanian squads while landing the top spot with a score of 183.596.
The win marks the first gold medal since the country won it's inceptive top placement at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics with the help of Shannon Miller, Dominique Moceanu, Dominique Dawes, Kerri Strug, Amy Chow, Amanda Borden and Jaycie Phelps, who were also known as "The Magnificent Seven".
Before slipping into her leotard for the performance, Maroney took to Twitter to share her excitement, writing, "We're all so ready and excited to represent are country at team finals tonight! GO USA!!!"
Raisman, on the other hand, tweeted some encouraging words for the U.S. men's gymnastics team, who fell into fifth for the Team Finals.
The Massachusetts native posted, "I'm so proud of the guys. They represented our country so well. Can't wait to give them all a huge hug. They have so much to be proud of."
Source: http://gossipcenter.com/olympics-2012-summer/usa-womens-gymnastics-team-takes-gold-london-703277
Rupert Sanders and Kristen Stewart Affair Lasted for Months, Relatives Claim » Gossip
Rupert Sanders and Kristen Stewart Affair Lasted for Months, Relatives Claim » Gossip - It was a one-time mistake. That's the line Kristen Stewart is hoping will keep Robert Pattinson from leaving her, although early indications don't bode very well for the future of Robsten.
But is that claim even valid? Did Stewart really just make out with Rupert Sanders for a few fleeting moments? Or was this affair far more drawn out and calculating?
Rupert Sanders likes what he sees at the premiere of Snow White and the Huntsman.
Relatives of the Snow White and the Huntsman director say it's the latter. They cite a photo of Sanders and Stewart in Berlin on May 15 as evidence, with Sanders' brother-in-law telling People UK of the cheating:
"It was from the last half of filming and all through post-production, clear into last week.”
Whether it lasted for one minute or one month, what would prompt Kristen to do such a thing? Jealously, insiders allege.
Pattinson supposedly grew especially close to Remember Me costar Emilie de Ravin and, even if nothing romantic was ever rumored between the pair, Stewart reportedly took issue with the relationship.
“She found it difficult to cope with Robert being close friends with another woman," a source tells the publication. "As their friendship grew, she became more envious to the point that she would be very upset."
Going forward, Pattinson and Stewart will be faced with issues beyond the personal. On a professional front, they are scheduled to begin promotion for Breaking Dawn Part 2 in October.
But "Robert won’t see Kristen and is refusing to do any joint personal appearances with her," this source adds. "This is a potential nightmare for all involved."
But is that claim even valid? Did Stewart really just make out with Rupert Sanders for a few fleeting moments? Or was this affair far more drawn out and calculating?
Rupert Sanders and Kristen Stewart
Rupert Sanders likes what he sees at the premiere of Snow White and the Huntsman.
Relatives of the Snow White and the Huntsman director say it's the latter. They cite a photo of Sanders and Stewart in Berlin on May 15 as evidence, with Sanders' brother-in-law telling People UK of the cheating:
"It was from the last half of filming and all through post-production, clear into last week.”
Whether it lasted for one minute or one month, what would prompt Kristen to do such a thing? Jealously, insiders allege.
Pattinson supposedly grew especially close to Remember Me costar Emilie de Ravin and, even if nothing romantic was ever rumored between the pair, Stewart reportedly took issue with the relationship.
“She found it difficult to cope with Robert being close friends with another woman," a source tells the publication. "As their friendship grew, she became more envious to the point that she would be very upset."
Going forward, Pattinson and Stewart will be faced with issues beyond the personal. On a professional front, they are scheduled to begin promotion for Breaking Dawn Part 2 in October.
But "Robert won’t see Kristen and is refusing to do any joint personal appearances with her," this source adds. "This is a potential nightmare for all involved."
More Info on the Cosmopolis US Release
More info about the Cosmopolis US release from @eOnefilms
Cosmopolis is set to open on August 17th in New York and LA, and on August 24th elsewhere in the US.
Cosmopolis is set to open on August 17th in New York and LA, and on August 24th elsewhere in the US.
Source: http://robpattinson.blogspot.com/2012/07/more-info-on-cosmopolis-us-release.html
Lindsay Lohan Sex Scene in The Canyons Preceded By Unusual Request
Lindsay Lohan's sex scene in The Canyons, which co-stars porn actor James Deen, came with an interesting caveat that viewers of the film will never see.
The actress was hesitant, according to TMZ, to shoot the steamy scene, but agreed after the crew filming the romp fulfilled an very unusual request.
What was it? That everybody take part! Sort of.
The scene showing Lindsay Lohan nude (or at least topless) made her so unsettled that she made every one of the 10-man crew strip down to boxers.
The crew was hesitant at first, but eventually obliged, stripping down and preparing for the scene in their underwear. After that, things went great!
One would think that Lindsay Lohan, whose Playboy photos were among the most-viewed in the magazine's history, would be totally uninhibited.
Then again, one would think a lot of things about Lindsay Lohan that aren't true. Girl has a tendency of defying logic ... as well as many, many laws.
In any case, you can see her boobs, if you're into that sort of thing, in the new movie, due out next year. This concludes today's most pointless movie news!
Pete Wentz’s New $1 Million Home – Go Inside His San Fernando Valley Digs (PHOTOS)
Pete Wentz is ready to rock out in a new million dollar Studio City, Calif. home. The former Fall Out Boy, 33, has splashed out $1,050,000 on the plush pad, which boasts three bedrooms, three bathrooms and a sunny oasis for a backyard. Wentz – who once shared a a $3,699,000 home with his ex-wife Ashlee...Read more»
Robert Pattinson Is DREADING Breaking Dawn Promo Tour Post KStew Scandal!
After Kristen Stewart’s cheating scandal was unveiled just last week, SO many new details have come out!
Of course, the one thing on everyone’s mind is...what’s going to happen when KStew and Robert Pattinson have to promote Breaking Dawn - Part 2, come October?!
Well clearly we aren’t the only ones stressing about the TOTALLY impeding awkwardness!
Reportedly, Rob and Kristen are required to make joint appearances for the Twilight flick, including attending the movie’s premiere together!
So, how’s RPatz feel about it all? A source revealed:
“Rob is in pieces, but the Twilight love triangle storyline is nothing without him and Kristen. It is eating him up that he has no choice but to see her again because of work. His humiliation is total.”
We could only imagine!
A source with close ties to Summit Entertainment said:
“There’s serious concern about the promotional tour, which is set to kick off in October. This is a potential nightmare for all involved. Fans look forward to seeing them together during interviews. It’s great publicity for the film. Robert even used to be happy to go to events with Kristen that he wasn’t contractually obligated to go to, like the Teen Choice Awards last Sunday.”
Dayum! What a mess! Wonder if Twilight creator/author Stephenie Meyer ever imagined THIS?! LOLz.
As we previously reported, Kristen and Rob aren’t even SPEAKING to each other -- they’re only in contact through “heated” text messages!
Sounds like Rob has not only been ignoring KStew’s calls, but also her request to have a “crisis talk” about the whole situation, while in NYC!
Oh boy...it definitely seems like the Robsten dramz shows no sign of stopping anytime soon!
[Image via Ramey Pix.]
Scout Willis: No Jail Time for Underage Drinking
Bringing an end to her legal woes, Scout Willis has learned that she won’t be going to the clink as a result of her underage drinking/fake ID snafu.
The 21-year-old offspring of Demi Moore and Bruce Willis had a primo legal team that negotiated a fairly lenient sentence for her sins.
Scout got the prosecution to dismiss her charges in return for her spending two days in community service and submitting to six months of probation.
Back in June, Miss Willis was arrested for drinking in Union Square, NYC when she was 20 years old. She handed the cops a fake ID which she later admitted wasn’t hers.
Source: http://celebrity-gossip.net/scout-willis/scout-willis-no-jail-time-underage-drinking-702157
'Dark Knight' Trilogy: Batman's Best Battles
From his League of Shadows graduation to a brutal battle of the wits against the Joker, here are the Caped Crusader's greatest fights under Christopher Nolan's vision.
By Josh Wigler
Christian Bale and Heath Ledger in "The Dark Knight"
Photo: Warner Bros.
He can't fly, he doesn't have adamantium claws, and he doesn't turn into a big green rage monster when provoked. But where Batman lacks those kinds of super-powers, he makes up for it in wit, ability, high-tech gear, and a glorious knack for punching hapless bad guys right in the kisser.
Sadly, we'll never see Batman throw another punch under the direction of Christopher Nolan. With "The Dark Knight Rises," the filmmaker has concluded his story. Everything Nolan has ever had to say about Gotham City has been said, every tale told. But the "Dark Knight" trilogy will always be there for fans to watch and watch and watch again — and with repeated viewings comes a renewed appreciation for all of the phenomenal fights Batman gets himself into over the course of those three films.
Keep reading for a look back on Batman's best five battles in the "Dark Knight" series.
5. The Sea of Shadows In "Batman Begins," before adopting his crime-fighting alter-ego, Bruce Wayne tested himself against a number of foes boasting varying levels of difficulty. But before returning to Gotham, no one gave him a harder time than Ra's al Ghul, a man he knew at the time as mentor Henri Ducard. Before he could graduate from the League of Shadows, Bruce had to face Ra's in an unconventional battle: hopped up on a hallucinogenic blue flower, he was tasked with gaining the upper hand on Ra's, hidden in a veritable sea of ninjas crowding up the battlefield. It's a trippy, keep-'em-guessing scene that perfectly demonstrates Wayne's ability to thrive in the deadliest of circumstances, even without his cape and cowl.
4. Hell On Wheels Of the many epic chase scenes in the "Dark Knight" trilogy, there's perhaps no greater sequence than the one at the heart of "The Dark Knight." It's the first appearance of the Batpod, the first "defeat" of the Joker, and the last great victory for Harvey Dent. It's the moment where you think that, yes, finally, the good guys have won — and then you realize the Clown Prince of Crime still has another hour to tear your heart out. More on that in a minute.
3. The Grand Debut The first appearance of the fully costumed Bruce Wayne in "Begins" is confusing on a number of levels. You don't see every punch landed. You don't see every step of Wayne's meticulous planning, how he gets from point A to point B. What you do see is the arrival of an icon, the creation of a legend. With one well-placed head-butt to Tom Wilkinson's face, the taste of the Joel Schumacher era is forever washed away. This, my friends, is Batman.
2. "Krakt" Went The Bat But Batman's greatest battles don't always end in victory. Indeed, the top two entries on this list are among the Caped Crusader's all-time low-points. After eight years in exile, Wayne returns in "Rises" as the hero Gotham City needs. But he's not the hero he was. Batman goes up against Bane overconfident and underprepared, a match that ends with a sickening crack to the Dark Knight's back, and a one-way ticket to a faraway prison to spend the next several months helplessly watching his city turn to ashes.
1. The Killing Joke The iconic interrogation scene at the core of "The Dark Knight" is Batman's greatest battle in Nolan's entire saga. Even if it feels rather one-sided on the physical end of things, it's Batman who takes the biggest beating as Joker tears into his soul with lip-smacking lashings and an explosive scheme that sends Harvey Dent halfway to hell and Rachel Dawes all the way. It's the epitome of the dark, morose tone that Nolan's trilogy mastered so fully. And even if it's a low-point in Bruce's career as a crime-fighter, it's an undeniable high for viewers who came to realize just how deeply everyone involved in the "Dark Knight" series understood the core of the Batman legend.
Which of Batman's battles in the "Dark Knight" trilogy was your favorite? Let us know in the comments below or hit me up on Twitter @roundhoward!
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Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MTVNewsLatest/~3/NckkmXrLwtA/dark-knight-rises-batmans-battles.jhtml
Iran threatens to boycott Venice
A boycott would be unlikely to cause too much damage to this year's programme on the Lido, considering that no Iranian films are up for the 2012 Golden Lion. Meanwhile, a Venice premiere is confirmed for Paul Thomas Anderson's The Master
Iran is threatening to boycott the Venice international film festival next month over ongoing EU sanctions that damage its oil industry. The culture ministry's Alireza Sajjadpur, who has responsibility for cinema, told the Tehran Times that officials were "currently assessing the situation".
"Considering that the EU has imposed the strongest inhumane and illegal sanctions against Iran, we are naturally thinking of boycotting the Venice film festival," Sajjadpur said.
The minister insisted work by Iranian film-makers was often the highlight of western festivals. A Venice boycott would, however, be unlikely to cause too much damage to this year's programme on the Lido. No Iranian films are up for the 2012 Golden Lion, though a film by the US-born Iranian-American director Ramin Bahrani will be in the competition, and Kianoush Ayari's The Paternal House will screen in the Horizons section.
The Islamic republic has, in the past, jailed homegrown directors such as Jafar Panahi who produce films that do not fit its definition of acceptable. Sajjadpur said Ayari's film – which follows an Iranian man from his teenage years to the age of 86 – was not yet cleared for screening in cinemas in Iran or abroad, and would need to undergo "corrections".
Official censorship is not always entirely successful: Panahi, who in 2010 was sentenced to six years imprisonment and banned from making films for 20 years for upsetting the authorities, successfully smuggled out a film shot at the apartment where he was living under house arrest, on a USB flash drive hidden inside a cake. This Is Not a Film ultimately screened at last year's Cannes film festival.
Meanwhile, it was reported yesterday that Paul Thomas Anderson's highly anticipated new film The Master will after all be shown on the Lido next month. Deadline said the drama, widely regarded as being loosely inspired by the life of Scientology founder L Ron Hubbard, would screen in competition. It will also feature at the Toronto international film festival, which kicks off just as Venice is finishing, according to The Wrap. The postwar tale, which could be a key player come awards season, stars Philip Seymour Hoffman as a charismatic intellectual who launches a religious organisation and Joaquin Phoenix as the drifter who becomes one of his first acolytes. There had been some confusion over whether The Master would screen at Venice, after Variety briefly highlighted the film's place in the competition then excised it shortly afterwards.
Other certainties for the Lido include the new Terrence Malick film To the Wonder, starring Ben Affleck and Rachel McAdams, which will premiere there before moving to Toronto. Fifty world premieres are also confirmed for Venice's 69th edition, including the latest offerings from Olivier Assayas, Takeshi Kitano, Kim Ki-duk, Brian De Palma (Passion, with Noomi Rapace) and Harmony Korine (Spring Breakers, with James Franco, Vanessa Hudgens and Selena Gomez).
guardian.co.uk © 2012 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds
Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/2012/jul/31/iran-boycott-venice-film-festival
Alexander Korda Alexander Mackendrick Alexander Payne Alexandra Quinn
Warner Bros considers The Shining prequel
Studio has employed Shutter Island screenwriter to write script telling story of Overlook Hotel before Jack Torrance's arrival
If you've ever wondered what horrors took place at the sinister Overlook Hotel before struggling writer Jack Torrance turned up with his family in tow, you might just be in luck. According to the LA Times, studio Warner Bros is mulling over a prequel to 1980 Stanley Kubrick chiller The Shining exploring the history of the remote Colorado property.
The film, which is said to be at a very early stage "and not even formally in development" according to an anonymous source at the studio, would be the latest unlikely followup to a classic slice of cinema. Earlier this month, it was reported that a prequel/sequel to Martin Scorsese's Oscar-winning biopic Raging Bull is to go into production, charting Jake LaMotta's life "before the rage and after the rage", though a legal challenge from the original film's producers may yet derail that prospect. A prequel to the most famous horror film of all time, William Friedkin's The Exorcist, bombed at the box office in 2004 despite being released in two versions.
The Shining prequel is being written by Shutter Island's Laeta Kalogridis, suggesting that the studio is taking the prospect of a new film seriously enough to employ a screenwriter of some pedigree. The Amazing Spider-Man's writer, James Vanderbilt, is also on board as a producer alongside partner Bradley Fischer.
The Shining was considered something of a disappointment at the time of release, with fans of Stephen King's source novel irritated at plot changes and Kubrick's failure to shoot scenes in which hedge animals in the grounds of the Overlook come to life (they were replaced by a maze due to budget constraints). The film has nevertheless grown in stature over the years, with its landmark Steadicam tracking shots considered groundbreaking examples of the form. Dialogue such as Danny's "Redrum" chant and Jack Nicholson's "Here's Johnny!" moment are iconic enough to have been parodied dozens of times in other films and TV shows.
King is currently writing a sequel to his 1977 novel but is not thought to be involved in the prequel plans. According to reports, the new book features an adult Danny as a psychic doctor 30 years on and also finds time to include vampire elements. It is titled Dr Sleep.
guardian.co.uk © 2012 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds
Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/2012/jul/30/the-shining-prequel-warner-bros
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Rajesh Khanna obituary
One of Indian cinema's first superstars who appeared in 15 consecutive hit films in the course of three years
Rajesh Khanna, who has died aged 69 after a long illness, was Indian cinema's first superstar. At the height of his fame he generated adulation that sometimes verged on mass hysteria and appeared in 15 consecutive hit films over the course of three years.
He first achieved acclaim in Aradhana (Worship, 1969), playing two roles – the husband and grown-up son, both air force pilots, of the established star Sharmila Tagore. Notable among the romantic drama's musical numbers was the sexy Roop Tera Mastana (Your Beauty Is Intoxicating), recorded in a single take, a first for Hindi cinema.
Further highly commercial films followed, including Aan Milo Sajna (Come Meet Me, Beloved, 1970), Kati Patang (Broken Kite, 1970) and Haathi Mera Saathi (Elephant My Partner, 1971). More thought-provoking were Daag (Stain, 1973), dealing with the subject of bigamy, and Anand (1971), in which a dying man teaches others about the beauty of life.
Success brought a palatial home in the heart of Mumbai and fan frenzy wherever Khanna went. The massive success of his films also benefited the actress Mumtaz, another of his co-stars, and the singer Kishore Kumar, to whose voice he mimed on the big screen.
Filmfare best actor awards – India's equivalent of Oscars – came for Khanna's roles in Sachaa Jhutha (Honest Dishonest, 1971), for the title character in Anand and for Avishkaar (Discovery, 1975). The last of his 11 further nominations came in 1984 for the title character in the tearjerker Avtaar.
Khanna's ascent was aided by the fact that audiences were ready for a change from the stars of the 1950s and 60s. His reserved charm and handsome features gave him something of the appeal of Rudolph Valentino.
Born in Amritsar in the Punjab region of India, with the first name of Jatin, Khanna was adopted by relatives, Chunni Lal Khanna and Leela Devi. The family moved to Mumbai, where he grew up in the Thakurdwar district and took a keen interest in theatre while attending St Sebastian Goan high school.
After completing his studies at Kishinchand Chelleram College, Khanna decided to pursue a full-time career in acting, much to the disapproval of his family. An uncle advised him to change his first name to Rajesh, and he entered the 1965 All India Talent Contest, beating more than 10,000 contestants to land starring roles in the movies Aakhri Khat (The Last Letter, 1966) and Raaz (Secret, 1967).
In 1973 the action movie arrived with Zanjeer (Shackles), and the more rugged actor Amitabh Bachchan – who had come to notice supporting Khanna in Anand and Namak Haram (Betrayer, 1973) – succeeded him as the king of Bollywood. That year, too, Khanna shocked his fans by marrying the 16-year-old Dimple Kapadia. Later that year she became the nation's sweetheart in the title role of her first film, Bobby. Dimple immediately retired from films and they had two daughters, Twinkle and Rinke, both of whom became actors.
Khanna's hits continued into the 1980s as he tackled action movies, tearjerkers and darker roles such as the serial killer in Red Rose (1980). After he had a short-lived affair with the actress Tina Munim, Kapadia took her two daughters and left him in 1982, and they remained separated. In 1985, 11 films were released with him in the lead, of which eight became hits.
After that, his film activity slowed down, and he served the New Delhi constituency as an Indian National Congress MP from 1992 to 1996. He remained an activist after losing his seat.
He continued to appear in a handful of films and TV serials until 2010, by which time he had been credited in more than 150 titles. Twinkle, his elder daughter, is married to the Indian film star Akshay Kuma.
Khanna was given a Filmfare lifetime achievement award in 2005, and the same honour at the International Indian Film Academy Awards in 2009. He is survived by his wife and daughters.
• Rajesh Khanna, actor, born 29 December 1942; died 18 July 2012
guardian.co.uk © 2012 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds
Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/2012/jul/29/rajesh-khanna
Comment on More ‘Breaking Dawn Part 2′ Character Posters! by Jack
These posters are horrible! Except for a couple they all look like weird wax dolls. Way over photoshopped.
24 Frames is getting a face-lift
24 Frames has a new look and a new Web address. Soon, this URL will automatically switch you to the new blog, but you can find it now at http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/moviesnow/. Please update your bookmarks and favorites, and thank you for reading 24 Frames.
Source: http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/movies/2012/06/24-frames-is-getting-a-face-lift.html
alternative alternative health alternative medicine Alyson Hannigan
Silver Fox Coming At You Live And Uncut!
Foxy!
It's time for your weekly Anderson Cooper fix!
Foxy!
His legion of Twitter followers demanded info on the upcoming season of Anderson, and the Silver Fox was thrilled to respond!
You know you're a cute little heartbreaker. (Foxy!)
The other big reveal? The second season of his daytime talk show is switching formats from pre-recorded to live in order [...]
It's time for your weekly Anderson Cooper fix!
Foxy!
His legion of Twitter followers demanded info on the upcoming season of Anderson, and the Silver Fox was thrilled to respond!
You know you're a cute little heartbreaker. (Foxy!)
The other big reveal? The second season of his daytime talk show is switching formats from pre-recorded to live in order [...]
Source: http://perezhilton.com/2012-07-30-anderson-cooper-silver-fox-video-to-twitter-fans
Sarah Palin Dines at Chick-fil-A, Subtly Reminds Us She Hates Gays
Former political figure/celeb Sarah Palin stopped by a lucky Chick-fil-A restaurant Friday to "support a great business" slash probably denounce gay people.
Palin Tweeted and Facebooked a picture of herself, former Alaska First Dude Todd Palin, at Chick-fil-A, looking happy to be at the Houston-area spot.
"Stopped by Chick-fil-A in The Woodlands to support a great business," is her caption, no doubt in support of Chick-fil-A's anti-gay marriage stance.
To be clear, Chick-fil-A's founders have a right to their opinions, and by visiting there and posting the photo above, Sarah's exercising that same right.
Freedom of speech. Great stuff. But to be equally clear, Palin is all but certainly using it to imply she hates gays without having to say she hates gays.
Way to be cowardly - chicken if you will - in your bigotry, Sarah. At least pull a Mike Huckabee and declare a full-on Chick-fil-A Appreciation Day.
Ed Helms, Miley Cyrus, Lindsay Lohan, Kim Kardashian and others have called for a Chick-fil-A boycott, while Boston banned the restaurant from the city.
Where do you stand on the calls to boycott the chain?
Sofia Vergara Goes Between the Sheets in Beverly Hills
Out spending her newly earned cash, Sofia Vergara was spotted shopping at Between the Sheets in Beverly Hills on Monday afternoon (July 30).
The 40-year-old beauty looked excited as she shopped for home furnishings dressed in a casual ensemble while showing off her famed assets in a v-neck white top.
Speaking of the Colombian stunner’s gorgeous looks, Sofia recently opened up to Allure magazine about her cleavage and revealed her large bra size, which is a 32F.
The “Modern Family” actress went on to add, “When I was 13, I got these ridiculous boobs. I wanted surgery. I told my mom, 'As soon as I'm older, please take these boobs away.' She said, 'SofÃa, shut up. When you're 18, it will be different.' I was like, 'Why would I want these huge t**s? It's hard to dress. No matter what I wear, I look like a stripper. That said, I'm grateful I have them, and honestly, they've helped me a lot in my career. And I've always felt sexy.”
Source: http://celebrity-gossip.net/sofia-vergara/sofia-vergara-goes-between-sheets-beverly-hills-702061
London 2012: Opening ceremony – reviews
Writers, critics and campaigners give their view of Danny Boyle's spectacular curtain-raiser to the sporting spectacular
Ai Weiwei: It was about real people
Brilliant. It was very, very well done. This was about Great Britain; it didn't pretend it was trying to have global appeal. Because Great Britain has self-confidence, it doesn't need a monumental Olympics. But for China that was the only imaginable kind of international event. Beijing's Olympics were very grand – they were trying to throw a party for the world, but the hosts didn't enjoy it. The government didn't care about people's feelings because it was trying to create an image.
In London, they really turned the ceremony into a party – they are proud of themselves and respect where they come from, from the industrial revolution to now. I never saw an event before that had such a density of information about events and stories and literature and music; about folktales and movies.
At the beginning it dealt with historical events – about the land and machinery and women's rights – epically and poetically. The director really did a superb job in moving between those periods of history and today, and between reality and the movies. The section on the welfare state showed an achievement to be truly proud of. It clearly told you what the nation is about: children, nurses and a dream. A nation that has no music and no fairytales is a tragedy.
There were historical elements in the Beijing opening ceremony, but the difference is that this was about individuals and humanity and true feelings; their passion, their hope, their struggle. That came through in their confidence and joy. It's really about a civil society. Ours only reflected the party's nationalism. It wasn't a natural reflection of China.
Few of the people were performers. They were ordinary people who contribute to society – and if there is a celebration, then it should be for everyone from the Queen to a nurse. I feel happy that they can all have their moment to tell their story.
It was about real people and real events and showed the independent mind of the director, but at the same time it had so much humour. There was a strong sense of the British character.
The Chinese ceremony had so much less information and it wasn't even real. It wasn't only about the little girl who was miming – which was an injury to her and the girl whose voice was used – but that symbolically showed the nation's future. You can't trust or rely on individuals or the state's efforts.
In London there were more close-ups – it didn't show the big formations. It had the human touch. In Zhang Yimou's opening ceremony there was almost none of that. You could not push into a person's face and see the human experience. What I liked most with this was that it always came back to very personal details. And that's what makes it a nation you can trust; you see the values there. Anyone who watched it would have a clear understanding of what Britain is.
Miranda Sawyer: A collective vision
Horny-handed men of toil doing a Stand and Deliver formation dance. Hundreds of NHS nurses combining to assist the birth of a giant glowing baby (pictured). Those amazing butterfly bicycles.
It seems daft to pick out individual elements of this great and glorious pageant – though James Bond's helicopter ride with the Queen was a proper "whoop whoop" moment – as Danny Boyle's vision was a deliberately collective one. He chose to celebrate what we can achieve together. When he picked out single people – Isambard Kingdom Brunel, Tim Berners-Lee, Mr Bean – it was to highlight what they gave to us all. Berners-Lee's words on the openness of the web, flashed around the stadium in letters the size of skyscrapers, was what this event was about. This Is For Everyone.
At times I was reminded of the Green Fields at Glastonbury at 5am – the drums, the people, the benevolent united madness – and Danny Boyle's come-one-come-all attitude is very post-rave. It extended right through to the lighting of the flame by seven young athletes and the petals of that flame, one for each competing country, coming together to form one enormous torch. A proper goosebumps moment, but just one among many.
The music section, though it sounded great, was the least successful visually, as a house flashing with images of Hugh Grant bibbling, of Renton running, just didn't seem all that thrilling after we'd had an enormous Voldemort growing before our very eyes. And there were a few weird omissions – no Oasis? Stone Roses? Primal Scream? Adele? – though, to be honest, they might have been in there but just whizzed past. To see Dizzee Rascal belt out Bonkers really did make me proud.
That wouldn't have happened anywhere else. The United States has the musical chops, but would have drowned us with gloop and sentiment.
The only bit that failed was good old Sir Paul McCartney: not because he's bad, but because he seems to have been singing Hey Jude in a stadium for the past five years. It felt slightly hackneyed, something we've seen before, and nothing else – absolutely nothing else – about this ceremony was anything other than original.
It was terrific, spectacular, moving, wonderful. Oh, the joy of people! It made me cry.
Nicholas Kenyon: Music from the iPod shuffle generation
So this is what it means to be British today. Danny Boyle's delirious dreamscape wove together pageantry, pastoral, pain and pride to create a new vision of nationhood – a supremely fresh portrait of that special mixture of enduring tolerance and suppressed passion that has always underlined our national identity. A powerful sense of community drove every moment of the swirling, surreal sequence, from the gentle, idealised, pastoral idyll that began it, though the iron-forging impact of the industrial revolution, to the healing hospital sequences and the diversity created by immigration – all involving hundreds of volunteers demonstrating superhuman commitment in the vast Olympic arena.
Voices united the nations of the kingdom, but singing their hymns and songs unaccompanied, without any bombast: Jerusalem an unearthly single line, Abide With Me a personal lament stripped to the bone. Elgar mingled with David Bowie, Handel with Dizzee Rascal: it was (at least until the final predictable McCartney singalong) the music of the iPod shuffle age.
What has created our imagined memory of Britishness now? Boyle's answer was phantasmagorically all-inclusive: EastEnders, the Archers, Monty Python, CND, the Jarrow crusade, Kes, Four Weddings and a Funeral, The Full Monty – endlessly varied allusions, barely linked, a multimedia collage of images stocked somewhere at the back of our minds. We have an enduring problem in a culturally diverse era, because those who value our tradition and love our history too often cling to it as a reassurance to imagine the past has not changed. And those whose motto used to be Cool Britannia reject the past as a useless burden and abandon all sense of heritage (remember the Dome?)
Boyle pointed beyond that to an attempt at reintegration: there was no Rule Britannia here, no mindless waving of union flags. At every point, heritage was valued, but gently undermined by humour: the corgis left on the steps of Buckingham Palace by the Queen's departing helicopter, Rowan Atkinson wittily sending up Chariots of Fire, a royal kiss matched by a same-sex kiss. It wasn't Land of Hope and Glory that we were all invited to come together and sing, it was I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles: a postmodern picture of a world in search of its future.
It wasn't quite a new Jerusalem, yet. To create a newly reconciled Britain of old and new, tradition and innovation – that is surely a task beyond any single event, even the most watched TV spectacular in the world. But what Danny Boyle and his committed crowds reflected with honesty, vividness and piercing imagination was a supremely humane vision of where we are now, and how we have become what we are. It will stay in the mind a long time after the Games. The world could not ask for more.
Nicholas Kenyon is an Observer critic and managing director of the Barbican Centre
Emmy the Great: It made me addicted to patriotism
Like many Londoners, I've spent the last six months making an Olympic sport of complaining about the Olympics. Complaining, I felt, is what we do best, along with being cynical, unwelcoming to visitors, and a bit moany about traffic. All the bloody adverts! Giving directions to tourists! Those awful mascots. Danny Boyle was going to have to come at me with a wrecking ball to break down the barriers of uninterest that I had erected. And in a way he did. In fact, it's really hard writing this without the excessive use of capitals. I don't think I've ever felt quite such a bewildering mixture of true excitement and national pride over things I never really had an opinion on before, like Harry Potter, or Mr Bean, who had me weeping with laughter. During the runup I was aware that there are things about England that I am proud of. Not sport, really, but culture, and the NHS. To see this reflected on the screen during the opening ceremony actually blew my mind. I thought the NHS scene was incredibly brave, and I loved how much pop music featured. Whenever I travel, I am always aware of how our rich culture of great rock'n'roll affects people's opinion of us abroad.
I feel like Boyle got the tone right every step of the way. It was knowing, but sincere, dark and hilarious, like we are. And it was everything I needed to get excited about the next few weeks. By the end of the night, I was so addicted to patriotism I started cheering for countries that I'd visited, or that I'd once met someone from. It felt amazing.
I think all the medals should be melted down and made into one giant medal for Danny Boyle. They should just make him king of something. He should get to marry the Queen. Neither the royal wedding or jubilee gave me warm feelings towards the monarchy, but the sight of the Queen jumping out of a helicopter with James Bond has just made me her biggest fan. I love how deadpan she was. It's like she's spent the last 60 years gearing up towards this moment, so we could see that her no-smile policy is a humour device. I feel like Kenneth Branagh in the industrial revolution scene right now, looking upon Britain with satisfaction and pride. Go team!
Jackie Kay: Bonkers, but brilliant bonkers
Within seconds I'm hooked: Brunel, Branagh, Bond, Bean … breathtaking, bold, brazen. Boyle might well have sat with his dictionary open at the letter B, but I'm giving him an A gold star. Boyle's bonanza even included Oh Danny Boy at the beginning, which is what I find myself saying at the end: oh Danny boy. It is bonkers. But brilliant bonkers! It effortlessly mixed the past with the present, the working class with the Queen, fact with fiction, and told the complex dual narratives of these islands, sometimes tongue in cheek: even the Queen got a doppelgänger. It seemed that Boyle had invented a new kind of opening ceremony, a concept ceremony, one that embraces big ideas as passionately as it does technical flamboyancy. The singing flaming copper kettles was a wow moment. Another favourite was the cycling doves of peace (or were they angels?), one of them rising like ET. It was moving, the countries parading in their snazzy outfits (my favourite was Cameroon). It made you think, if all these nations can come together for sport, then please. It made you long for peace. Nice touch, the dancers forming into the CND sign, the arrival of the Windrush, the stadium builders there for the arrival of the flame, the flag carried by, among others, Doreen Lawrence. The inspiring use of volunteers.The laid-back way that Boyle showed us all in all our colours; the inclusiveness did not feel forced. It moved from the pastoral to the industrial to the digital with athletic alacrity, using film and theatre and symbols along the way. It was bitty, it was dotty, but the bits made a whole, and we joined the dots. It will keep us thinking. In the future, people will study this ceremony and find other hidden clues. A fantastic neverland of them. It will be replayed. It might be the only gold we get.
Jackie Kay is a Scottish poet and novelist
Trevor Phillips: A dazzling, inventive tapestry
This was not the Britain that the world knows. But Britishness isn't about pedestrian reality; it's about myth – what we tell ourselves we have been, and what we hope to be.
Danny Boyle's pageant took shards of our folk memory, and threads of our everyday experience and conjured a beguiling vision of the Britain that we could be – energetic, inventive, witty, profound, and delightful. Every part of our inherited culture was woven into a dazzling tapestry.
Who will ever forget the forging of the rings; the wicked Mr Bean send-up; or Her Majesty's impeccable comic timing?
Anyone who thinks that this was just a sparkling mash-up of British history has missed the point entirely. From the opening anthems to the blistering party night Boyle asserted our tolerance and diversity as the quintessential British quality. I was moved by the appearance of the Windrush story – a recent piece of myth-making in which my own family played an important part. And the most striking thing about the Saturday-night-in scene was that in 21st-century Britain, its multiracial family no longer seemed striking at all.
Boyle's genius has created a new myth about a Britain made rich and vibrant by its diversity, for others to see and to admire. To people in countries impoverished and racked by ethnic bias and religious conflict, this will look like the true wonder of these isles.
Trevor Phillips is chair of the Equality and Human Rights Commission
Martin Durkin: Dim-brained leftwing history
When it comes to blowing vast quantities of other people's money, no one can beat the Statist left. So it was entirely appropriate to entrust the Olympic opening jamboree to the miserable northern socialist Danny Boyle.
He kicked off with apple-cheeked villagers prancing round the maypole and frolicking in their feudal rural idyll, but then came the sound of ominous drums. To everyone's horror, giant menacing, smoking factory chimneys started to rise up from the land. In the background, the moaning Romantic Blake was doing his dark satanic stuff, while the BBC commentator laid it on thick about wicked industry disfiguring the landscape and cruelly uprooting everyone. I was still reeling from this extravagant display of dim-brained leftwing history, and looking in vain for any mention of Newton, global trade and so on, when suddenly whole wards of hospital beds were wheeled on. My daughter asked me what the glowing duvets were meant to represent. John Lewis? But then the stadium was flooded with light, and three giant flaming letters shouted out the answer … NHS.
It was at this point that I choked on my gin and tonic. What really sets Britain apart (besides our shocking nationalised health system) is the brilliant achievement of being the first proper capitalist nation, and everything that went with it: far greater prosperity for ordinary people, parliamentary democracy, toleration, a sense of fair play and decency and humour (which Rowan Atkinson represented very nicely).
But in the topsy-turvy world of Danny Boyle, industrial capitalism is what's wicked and shameful about Britain. What's good is the NHS – not because of the quality of health provided (how could it be?!), but because it is state-owned.
Polly Stenham: The BBC commentary was hilarious
I didn't know this was a directing gig you could have – it's the best directing job on the planet, 2 billion people watching your nutcase ideas.
It was a massive school play! You had the best boys in the band, and the headmistress the Queen, then all the audience participating. You had the bits that weren't so good, that kind of fucked up, but it kept in the spirit of England's school play. I felt very uplifted by it. The use of the Tempest was brilliant. It was fabulous, and it was right that it all unravelled from a bit of Shakespeare.
The BBC commentary was absolutely hilarious, they had no idea what was going on. I thought the best bit, the sexiest bit, was the Arctic Monkeys doing Come Together. Unlike Beijing, it had a sense of humour. The Queen in the helicopter was brilliant – the moment with Bond and the helicopter was the moment we beat Beijing! Ending with McCartney was smart and predictable and it felt right. I felt very proud, it was raggle-taggle and messy and had so many volunteers – it had a really nice spirit to it.
My only criticism is that it lost its mind for about 10mins, but I think that was because something had to be cut. There was some business with a boy and a girl and some mobile phones, but I didn't understand that at all. Aside from that it was fabulous and I liked the way some of it wasn't right. Something slick and military-esque would have left me a bit cold.
Harvey Goldsmith: It really was sensational
I was lucky: I went to the final dress rehearsal and I watched it on TV on the night, so I've seen both sides of it.
Coming out of the dress rehearsal I thought it was extraordinary. The difficulty is how you capture that on TV. They did a pretty good job, but it really was sensational live.
Most people loved the Bond bit, but I wasn't so overjoyed because it didn't seem to finish off properly. You saw them jump out of the helicopter and then it didn't end. If Craig had arrived in the stadium that would've made it all work. The Queen bit was funny and clever, but it was a bit disjointed.
I was wondering what people abroad would think with all of the quirkiness, and some of the things like the Archers must have been a bit strange! The Rowan Atkinson part was a stroke of genius.
The balance between dealing with the scale of it in a stadium and capturing it on TV is always difficult. He made it as if it was a movie, the way it morphed from the first scene with the cows and the cricket and so on, and it traversed the history really nicely.
The other thing I was impressed with is the sound in the stadium – it was amazing, I didn't expect that at all. It's not easy in a place that size. You can always pick holes in something of this size and scale but overall it was pretty fantastic.
Amber Charles: An interactive show
It really was incredible. It wasn't a tense atmosphere in the stadium – it was like when you go to a really big festival or concert and everyone's happy to be there.
The lights on the chairs were amazing and people could pick them up and move them. It was a really interactive show. We were right in the moshpit, so we could see everything – you weren't just sitting there watching, you felt like you were involved in it.
Everything was a surprise on the night. My mum was involved in the dancing, so had seen the rehearsals, but she didn't tell me. I met the guy who designed the cauldron and he wouldn't tell us anything about it. When we saw the kids holding the little metal things we had no idea what they were doing – I thought it might be a seashell or something. When we realised what it actually was, it was amazing.
Before it started I called my friends and asked them to videotape it for me. Watching it in person is amazing but we didn't get to see some of the stuff that happened on the other side of the stadium. I wanted to see all of it.
I was really proud. Everyone knows London walks to the beat of our own drum, we have our own swagger. It was nothing like any opening ceremony I've ever seen. It epitomised the nation. This is our country, our history, this is what you're going to get. It shows the International Olympic Committee that we've taken this seriously and that this is going to be the greatest.
Amber Charles was one of 34 other teenagers who were flown to Singapore in 2005 to help persuade the International Olympic Committee that her generation needed the Games to bring hope and opportunity to their neighbourhoods.
PY Gerbeau: Typical British humour
It was extremely British, extremely eccentric, and an incredible challenge to take on. People say maybe not everyone understood it – I tell you, everybody understood it. The only thing that didn't compute with me was the NHS bit. But I'm being detailed here because it was breathtaking, phenomenal, every single adjective.
It was full of nice touches with David Beckham, Muhammad Ali, and I had my money forever on Steve Redgrave to light it. He's the best British Olympic athlete ever, and he personalises every value of the Olympic movement.
Forget British at its best, it was entertainment at its best. From all the cock-ups at previous events, Britain has shown its best face to the world and it was so important to do it.
The Bond bit with her majesty showed the world the typical British sense of humour. It's so important to start on a good note. It's all about the intangibles – you can argue about the budget for it, but it will affect lots of things, and the least important is the economy.
The logistics of the operation was massive, but we need to hold our breath and hope for success of the whole Olympics, not just the ceremony.
You'll always get the stories about the bus driver getting lost, or the wrong flag. Hopefully after last night these stories will be a bit of fun, not a drama.
PY Gerbeau is the former chief executive of the Millennium Dome
guardian.co.uk © 2012 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds
Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2012/jul/29/london-2012-opening-ceremony-reviews
Monday, July 30, 2012
Whitney Port Shows Up 6 Trendy Summer Looks!
Legitimate designer and former The Hills star Whitney Port is an established fashionista. She knows how to look stylish and playful trendy at the same time and she always looks effortlessly cool, no matter what the occasion. Click on the pics to check out 6 stylish everyday outfits for lazy summer days!
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Celebrity Fashion: Great Summer Looks For Every Occasion!Summer Statement: It DOES Matter If You're Wearin' Black Or White!Top 10 Best Dressed Celebs Of The Week!Outfit Of The Day: Whitney Port!Source: http://www.posh24.com/whitney_port/whitney_port_shows_up_6_trendy_summer_looks
Top 10 Hair Tips: Alecia 'Pink' Moore!
From pink to platina blonde to silver - Alecia 'Pink' Moore has been pulling of tons of cool hair-cuts through out the years. What we really love about Pink is that she has her own style and does not seem to care too much about what a popstar should or shouldn't look like. Such an inspiration! Click on the pictures to see top 10 cool Pink hair-cuts!
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Short Cuts! Celebs With Pixie Hair!The Street Is My Runway! 10 Super Cool Everyday Looks!Source: http://www.posh24.com/hairstyles/top_10_hair_tips_alecia_pink_moore
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