Billy Ray Cyrus Releases Sequel Nobody Wanted - Achy Breaky 2 ya'll!
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The most disturbing hoard yet? Meet the father and son keeping over a dozen cats in dirty cages!!!
In a clip from the episode, John and his son Joe from Cincinnati, Ohio, take viewers down to their basement, where a dozen cats are kept inside cages, covered in their own filth. Despite their loud meowing, John seems to be in denial about their desperate state, and his son has a violent a breakdown when the SPCA comes to take the animals away.
A therapist goes down to John's basement to witness just how dire the situation is. When she sees all the cats scrambling around in their cages and hears them mewing, she's visibly distressed.
One black and white feline is seen sitting in his cage, his white paws turned a dark green from walking around in his own mess.
'I don't know how they could be happy in this home,' she says to John. 'You said yourself this house is cursed and you're miserable. If you're miserable, these kitties are miserable, too.'
When he sees his father crying, Joe gets even angrier and storms out towards the SPCA truck, yelling profanities and threatening the neighbors. 'Joseph's very angry,' says a defeated-looking John. 'Joseph said he wanted to hurt somebody. I mean, Joseph can do damage. I've seen it.'
TLC's Hoarding: Buried Alive airs at 9pm on Wednesday, February 12
DailyMail
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Akira, the Hollywood Adaptation that just won't die + Concept Art
At the press junket for his latest Liam Neeson action vehicle Non-Stop--the second after Unknown and before next year's Run All Night--director Jaume Collet-Serra gave us the skinny on his much-buzzed-about remake of Akira for Warner Bros. In 2011 he was all set to helm the live-action adaptation of Katsuhiro Otomo's beloved manga and cult 1988 anime, with Garrett Hedlund in the frame as biker gang leader Kaneda, before the studio decided $90 million was too big a gamble for an admittedly oddball project with subversive political undertones and heady sci-fi concepts galore.
A year after dropping out, Collet-Serra got back on the Akira bandwagon and is currently pursuing a more scaled-down version that will allow audiences a passport into Otomo's futuristic cyberpunk world while setting the stage for sequels. He talked to us exclusively in New York about his philosophical approach to the material, and even made some (no-doubt controversial) statements on the characters. He clearly respects the material, but is definitely not approaching this from a wholly reverent place…
ComingSoon.net: When you were working on "Akira"…
Collet-Serra: I'm still working on "Akira," so that's part of my life. (laughs)
CS: That's great that you're sticking with it despite the bumps in the road.
Collet-Serra: It's great that they're waiting for me. It's different, because you have to be respectful of the source material. Otomo adapted his own work from a manga into an anime and both things are completely different and genius. The only way to do a live version of "Akira" is to take the spirit and adapt it. It will be as different as the anime was from the manga.
CS: What worries myself and a lot of the other fans of the property is you have elements that are commercial and sexy, like the motorbikes or the jaw-dropping futuristic backdrop, but for the most part it's a very cerebral work. How do you maintain the essence of that without diluting it into essentially "Blade Runner: Mark 2"?
Collet-Serra: I think you cannot make a movie about "Akira" and hope that everyone understands it. Like everything else, you have to make three or four movies in one where there's the essence somewhere. If you're a fan, you already know what it's about and you'll see it's part of the same world, but trying to oversimplify it would be a mistake. I think if at some point a character tries to explain it to the audience at the end of the second act, that's a problem. It's more like an existential opera. It's something that can only be explained in the manga, and even in the anime it's hard to follow.
CS: And we all have that original anime, it's there, nothing can sully it, so if you were going to do it in live-action one would hope you would bring something new to the table. What is it you are bringing specifically that is going to make it yours?
Collet-Serra: I hope that I can bring strong characters. In the original source material, I don't think the main characters are the protagonists. What I'm hoping is to bring characters.
CS: That's true. It's one of those strange stories where you literally never see the main character that is the namesake of the film!
Collet-Serra: Nobody's interesting. Tetsuo's interesting because weird sh*t happens to him, and Kaneda is so two-dimensional. That's part of the Japanese culture, they never have strong characters. They're used as a way to move the other philosophy forward.
CS: They're ciphers.
Collet-Serra: Yeah. So hopefully in my version that will be strong, and you'll have a story that happens in that world that will show you a little bit of the mystery. Then, if you're interested, they'll make "Akira 2 & 3" then you can get deeper into it. I love the world, a lot of people love that world, so why wouldn't we indulge in it a little bit and see how it would be if it was real? Like you say I don't have to explain everything, but wouldn't you like to spend two-hours in a world of "Akira" and follow a character and be like, "that's cool"? That's all I want to offer, is two-hours in a world you can actually feel. We're working on it.
Non-Stop opens in theaters on February 28. Look for our full interviews with Jaume Collet-Serra and producer Joel Silver soon!
Source
Source for Concept Art
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Simon confirms Cheryl is in talks for X Factor UK return
Simon Cowell has confirmed Cheryl Cole is in talks to return to The X Factor.
The 54-year-old music mogul will return to the ITV singing competition's judging panel this year after a three-year absence and for the first time he has acknowledged that former judge Cheryl could join him.
Speaking to BANG Showbiz at the Britain's Got Talent auditions on Tuesday at London's Hammersmith Apollo, Simon said of his negotiations with Cheryl: 'To be fair to Cheryl, it hasn't been about the money with her. It's about whether she wants to do it and whether she can handle the pressure, so I'm not quite sure yet [if she will come back].'
However, it seems the X Factor creator has some work to do if he is to convince the 30-year-old beauty to return to the panel alongside him.
He added: 'She had her poker face on.'
Simon went on to compliment the songstress, with whom he has had a contentious relationship after she was axed from the US version of The X Factor in 2011.
He said of his meeting with Cheryl: 'I thought she looked and sounded the best I've seen her in years.
The X Factor USA was cancelled by FOX last week amid low ratings and Simon – who produced and judged the show for three years – has blamed the show's failure on the US TV market being too 'competitive'.
He explained: 'I don't know why any show would want to be in America right now - anyone - because it's too tough of a market. I mean, there's going to be, this year, something like 14 talent shows on American TV.
DailyMail
lol at simon's backtracking on xf us.
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Bone appétit! Bo & Sunny Obama go all out for the State Dinner
As the White House readies itself for Tuesday night's State Dinner in honor of French president Francoise Hollande, First Dogs Bo and Sunny are getting ready, too – by brushing up on their French.
In a Twitter photo shared by First Lady Michelle Obama, the dogs are seen sitting ever-so-politely at an ornately decorated table with a caption that reads: "Bone appétit!"
The 350 guests expected in attendance tonight at the glam get-together, to be held on the White House's South Lawn, will be dining on food that "celebrates the best of American cuisine," including garden vegetables from the First Lady's kitchen garden, dry-aged rib eye beef and Hawaiian chocolate-malted ganache for dessert.
Hopefully White House Executive Chef Cris Comerford will prepare something special for the Obama family's canine members, as well – preferably in doggy bags!
Michelle Obama chose Carolina Herrera to design the blue and black gown she wore to the state dinner honoring French President Francois Hollande.
The first lady appeared Tuesday at the White House in the full-skirted dress as she and President Barack Obama greeted Hollande. The White House confirmed it was a Herrera gown and the Venezuelan-American designer soon afterward put out a news release saying she made the dress at her New York atelier.
The gown featured a black hand-sewn and beaded embroidery applique top that came to Obama's elbows. She wore it over a blue corset and long liberty blue skirt and train that billowed behind her as she walked. The dress had a wide black velvet belt detail.
Bradley Cooper, Stephen Colbert, J.J. Abrams Invited to Dine at the White House With Francois Hollande
Academy Award nominee Bradley Cooper is expected to join President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama—and 349 other guests—for a state dinner honoring French President Francois Hollande Tuesday night at the White House.
Other expected guests include Stephen Colbert, J.J. Abrams, CNN head Jeff Zucker, Veep's Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Viacom CEO Philippe Dauman, The Mindy Project's Mindy Kaling, MSNBC's Rev. Al Sharpton and Tennis Channel's Ken Solomon.
With the mid-terms looming, the First Couple is throwing one of its biggest social affairs ever, abandoning the traditional White House dining rooms for a tent on the South Lawn that can accommodate big Democratic donors from across the country.
Cooper made the cut not only because of his Oscar nomination for his performance in American Hustle, but also because he’s a particularly knowledgeable Francophile, who picked up fluent French as a student at Georgetown and subsequently spent six months on an exchange prorogram in Aix-en-Provence.
Cooper apparently wowed French fans when he attended the Parisian premier of American Hustle on Feb. 3. Afterward, he gave interviews to the local press in fluent French, always a key to opening the provincial hearts of citizens of the Grand Republic.
Cooper praised his cast members and, with what the French would regard as almost un-American modesty, replied to a question about whether he was expecting an Oscar by saying in perfect French, "No, I don't think so. You never know, but I don't think so."
Source 1, 2, 3
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Mariah and Nick Carey sell home for $13 million
Celebrity couple Mariah Carey and Nick Cannon are selling their home for a whopping $12.99 million. Are the two going down the same rumored divorce road that Will Smith and Jada Pinkett-Smith are currently on with through this house-selling business? According to reports, Carey and Cannon are selling their 11,750 square-foot Bel Air mansion. It features seven bedrooms, nine bathrooms, multiple wings, a theater, a music room, a basketball court, and a swimming pool. The two sure knows how to make a profit since they initially bought their castle in 2009 for $6.97 million.
Although the home being opened for buyers have been confirmed, rumors of divorce are still surrounding the two despite their attempts to ward them off.
Last year, the two's conflicting schedules and line of work reportedly caused problems concerning their marriage. A source for Star said, "They barely see each other anymore and are basically living across the country from each other. Mariah is under enormous stress, trying to finish her new album, and Nick isn't supportive. She's ready to ditch him." The tipster added, "The only thing holding them together is their shared love of their son and daughter. But Mariah and Nick's marriage may well be past the point of saving."
The tabloid also reported that Carey is fed up of Cannon constantly drawing material from their marriage for his comedy routines. But aside from their professional lives, rumors of infidelity also threaten the stability of their marriage. The comedian was said to have been "seeing red" because of the various men that his wife has been spending time with.
But the singer is not the only one with wandering eye problems. Carey is also not happy with Cannon being surrounded by beautiful women on the set of his show "Wild 'N Out". But despite these rumors, the two remain strong in their fight to prove the strength of their marriage. In the February 2014 issue of Ebony magazine, Cannon said, "It was early on when I found out how spiritual she was, and we had conversations about kids and how to live life. For her to share these values, it instantly let me know this is the person I've always wanted."
Source
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FFAO - Day 6 U.S. Primetime & Late Night Live Event Viewing Post
(Rankings are in order of gold, not overall accumulation)
NBC Stream: http://tvpc.com/Channel.php?ChannelID=19
BBC2 Stream:http://tvpc.com/Channel.php?ChannelID=24
Non-NBC stream (diff events may be going on) http://www.justin.tv/dennis995
Past Events Replay Stream: http://www.primewire.ag/watch-2744344-So
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Sochi 2014: Women's downhill features first shared gold medal
Dominique Gisin and Tina Maze made Winter Olympics history in the women's downhill as they shared the gold medal in Sochi.
Switzerland's Gisin and the Slovenian Maze both recorded a time of 1min 41.57sec at the Rosa Khutor Alpine Centre to become the first athletes to share the top of the podium in the Winter Games.
Gisin was the first to set the benchmark before Maze matched her, with another Swiss, Lara Gut, earning bronze after finishing 0.10 seconds adrift of the pair.
Britain's Chemmy Alcott claimed 19th place, 1.86sec off the pace. The 31-year-old competed in the super combined earlier this week, taking part in the downhill event as practice for Wednesday's event before withdrawing from the slalom.
That was always something she had intended to do as she was wary of taking on too much after the third leg-break of her career in August.
After managing to make the Winter Games, a top-20 finish has delighted the Londoner. "To come and be 19th, less than two seconds off on the toughest downhill I've ever skied, it's up there," Alcott said. "I know that sounds crazy to some people because we've got a strong Team GB and we're going to win loads of medals here.
"[But] to come to my fourth Olympics, 19th is a gold for me. Anyone who's followed what I've been through will understand that."
Maze was one of the pre-race favourites for gold in the absence of the injured Vancouver 2010 champion Lindsey Vonn.
"I have no words. This doesn't feel real. I will have to see my team to get myself together and realise how much this means to us," said Maze, who claimed silver in the Super-G and giant slalom four years ago. "I have been dreaming about this since I was little. The first ski race I ever won in my life was a downhill, so before I went down the track today I said to myself: 'This has to be it. I can do it,' and I just went for it."
The soft conditions were just right for 28-year-old Gisin, who competed in the downhill in Vancouver but failed to finish the race. "This is incredible. I am overwhelmed with emotions," she said. "I am so happy – what a day. I don't think I even dreamt about this. Now that I have won, I am living the dream, but this is better than dreaming."
Maria Höfl-Riesch triumphed in the super combined earlier this week and was another tipped to do well on Wednesday, but the German could finish only 13th, while the 2010 silver medallist Julia Mancuso finished eighth.
Source
Have you ever had to share your win, ONTD?
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Whoopi Goldberg Says "Don’t Get Poop-Faced" To Avoid Rape
The ladies of The View today tackled James Taranto’s controversial Wall Street Journal column from Monday, “Drunkenness and Double Standards.”
The column, which angered so many that it resulted in a petition to fire Taranto, has been described as victim-blaming by comparing rape to a “collision” between two drunk drivers.
But when it was brought up on The View, Whoopi Goldberg seemed to side with the columnist, and received big applause from the audience.
“My opinion is, if you don’t want this kind of attention, don’t get poop-faced,” she said. “Do not get poop-faced. Do not become so drunk you don’t know what is happening. When you say ‘x, y, z happened,’ you have no way of proving it. So both parties, if you don’t want the agitation, do not become so drunk you can’t figure out what the hell you’re doing.”
Jenny McCarthy took mostly an opposite standpoint:
“I think no means no, period, no matter where you’re at,” she said, though failed to point out “that ‘not yes’ also means no,” as Mediate noted. McCarthy added that “In college, I went to so many after parties, that does not mean I’m giving an okay to have sex.”
Sherri Shepherd asked, if “two people are so inebriated and neither one of them — both of them are waking up surprised or remorseful, how does the guy get to say she said no, because he’s not even in his right mind as well?”
In response, Barbara Walters made it awkward for everyone.
“[T]he point is that he supposedly, because of the different sexes, because he’s the one who is being the perpetrator, or penetrator, okay?,” she said.
Source
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Just In Time For Valentine's Day: Best Romantic Comedies (That Won't Make You Cringe)
Say what you want about Valentine’s Day, but at this point it’s become unavoidable. Popular culture, your local drug store and your partner (both sexes are equally guilty) instill the importance of the Hallmark holiday as the end-all be-all of romantic dates on the calendar. For folks who can’t stand all the sappy love games, suck it up. You may feel sheepishly unoriginal or love sick come Valentine’s Day, but we’ve come up with a list of films that transcend the genre and will get even the non-romantics in the mood for February 14.
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Eternal Sunshine of The Spotless Mind (2004)
How do you get the drumming misery of a failed relationship out of your head? Easy. Erase it. The premise of Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind asks you to believe that this wonderful science exists to let those who can’t help but fret on a failed romantic endeavor move on. In committing his talent to the Academy Award winning screenplay for Eternal Sunshine, Jim Carey made a successful transition into serious role after earning a boatload of cash per wacky facial expression in the 90s. At times trippy and feverishly discordant, the film is an ode to the places within the mind that store memories both big and small. It’s what you do with those memories that help shape the perception of a relationship but for Carey’s Joel, it seems as though the loss of his darling Clementine (played exceptionally well by Kate Winslet) is too much for his brain to chew on. With an extraordinary supporting cast, Eternal Sunshine examines a fictional realm we can only dream of and has us wishing that we could recount more love stories that were erased.
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Groundhog Day (1993)
Let’s use our imaginations and pretend you didn’t watch Groundhog Day on cable television on the actual day Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow. Regardless of what day in February it is, Groundhog Day is an ideal romantic comedy to watch. The film transcended an easily forgettable holiday and found something romantic in being caught in between the seasons. It was also an ingenious marketing move to corner the market on Groundhog Day, considering other holidays like Halloween and Christmas are already locked down. Residual checks for the film’s cast and crew will flow in until the end of time. So what’s all the fuss about? In one of Bill Murray’s many classic roles, he plays Phil Connors, a self-loathing TV reporter trapped in a time loop that forces him to relive Groundhog Day over and over. It’s rumored that the writers of the film intended the time loop to last more than 40 years, giving Connors just enough time to successfully court the lovely Rita (Andie MacDowell). Groundhog Day is charming, thought-provoking and if you’re in the market for a piece of movie history, the cozy bed and breakfast that was used to shoot the film was recently put up for sale.
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Chasing Amy (1997)
Straight out of the Kevin Smith universe comes a film that pushes the boundaries of sexual exploration and on a deeper level, questions what truly constitutes love. Ben Affleck stars as Holden, a New Jersey comic book artist who falls for a lipstick lesbian from Manhattan named Alyssa (you later find out who the titular Amy is). It’s a love story unlike any other on this list not because of the nature of their forbidden relationship, but Chasing Amy digs into the underlying fears and tensions of jumping into a relationship and slowly unraveling each partner’s past. It’s a necessary game all couples eventually have to play, but Smith cuts into these emotions with care, crafting a dark and humorous take on what it means to learn how to love.
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Silver Linings Playbook (2012)
Yet, sometimes they do. Finding a high-minded, middle-budgeted romantic comedy (or dramedy), which used to be a staple of the Hollywood dream factory, has become practically impossible over the last 10 or 15 years. The industry fluctuates between micro and mountainous budgeted fare that promises big rewards, with nary a thought for anything in between. Even formulaic, safe, and faceless “rom-coms,” marketed simply on the supposed value of faces, are fading with every passing year. Thus, Silver Linings Playbook is something of a small miracle in all its dysfunctional glory. As affecting as it is inappropriately hysterical, this one came from the heart for writer-director David O. Russell. Meant to be an earnest boost of confidence for his bipolar son, Russell’s film, just like Matthew Quick’s novel, captures a beautiful clarity about understanding mental health and creates an even broader portrait for a whole generation of post-Great Recession millennials coping with diminished expectations. Because even for the wonderfully acted Pat (Bradley Cooper) and Tiffany (Jennifer Lawrence), two abrasive individuals who have been dealt a crummy hand by life, a silver lining is only a cha-cha away, making all the loss, mental anguish, and judging eyes in their childhood homes worth it. A celebration about the healing power of family, friends, and football, Silver Linings Playbook is the most feel-good big screen romance in years.
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Forgetting Sarah Marshall (2008)
In a reality where erasing your ex doesn’t exist, keeping the girl of your dreams out of your head can be depression inducing and seeing her on primetime television has to be down right infuriating. Jason Segal wrote himself into the perfect role as the down-on-his-luck boyfriend who’s ditched for an aging rock star. The film really has it all. Russell Brand sings. Jonah Hill makes a hilarious appearance. There’s a Dracula-based opera. And oh, did we forget to mention that Kristen Bell AND Mila Kunis share screen time? We rest our case.
Other movies mentioned include: Grosse Pointe Blank (1997), High Fidelity (2000), Intolerable Cruelty (2003), When Harry Met Sally… (1989), Breakfast at Tiffany’s (1961), The Princess Bride (1987), Lars and the Real Girl (2007), Garden State (2004), Say Anything (1989)
full list at the source
any other picks?
Eternal Sunshine of The Spotless Mind (2004)
How do you get the drumming misery of a failed relationship out of your head? Easy. Erase it. The premise of Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind asks you to believe that this wonderful science exists to let those who can’t help but fret on a failed romantic endeavor move on. In committing his talent to the Academy Award winning screenplay for Eternal Sunshine, Jim Carey made a successful transition into serious role after earning a boatload of cash per wacky facial expression in the 90s. At times trippy and feverishly discordant, the film is an ode to the places within the mind that store memories both big and small. It’s what you do with those memories that help shape the perception of a relationship but for Carey’s Joel, it seems as though the loss of his darling Clementine (played exceptionally well by Kate Winslet) is too much for his brain to chew on. With an extraordinary supporting cast, Eternal Sunshine examines a fictional realm we can only dream of and has us wishing that we could recount more love stories that were erased.
Groundhog Day (1993)
Let’s use our imaginations and pretend you didn’t watch Groundhog Day on cable television on the actual day Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow. Regardless of what day in February it is, Groundhog Day is an ideal romantic comedy to watch. The film transcended an easily forgettable holiday and found something romantic in being caught in between the seasons. It was also an ingenious marketing move to corner the market on Groundhog Day, considering other holidays like Halloween and Christmas are already locked down. Residual checks for the film’s cast and crew will flow in until the end of time. So what’s all the fuss about? In one of Bill Murray’s many classic roles, he plays Phil Connors, a self-loathing TV reporter trapped in a time loop that forces him to relive Groundhog Day over and over. It’s rumored that the writers of the film intended the time loop to last more than 40 years, giving Connors just enough time to successfully court the lovely Rita (Andie MacDowell). Groundhog Day is charming, thought-provoking and if you’re in the market for a piece of movie history, the cozy bed and breakfast that was used to shoot the film was recently put up for sale.
Chasing Amy (1997)
Straight out of the Kevin Smith universe comes a film that pushes the boundaries of sexual exploration and on a deeper level, questions what truly constitutes love. Ben Affleck stars as Holden, a New Jersey comic book artist who falls for a lipstick lesbian from Manhattan named Alyssa (you later find out who the titular Amy is). It’s a love story unlike any other on this list not because of the nature of their forbidden relationship, but Chasing Amy digs into the underlying fears and tensions of jumping into a relationship and slowly unraveling each partner’s past. It’s a necessary game all couples eventually have to play, but Smith cuts into these emotions with care, crafting a dark and humorous take on what it means to learn how to love.
Silver Linings Playbook (2012)
Yet, sometimes they do. Finding a high-minded, middle-budgeted romantic comedy (or dramedy), which used to be a staple of the Hollywood dream factory, has become practically impossible over the last 10 or 15 years. The industry fluctuates between micro and mountainous budgeted fare that promises big rewards, with nary a thought for anything in between. Even formulaic, safe, and faceless “rom-coms,” marketed simply on the supposed value of faces, are fading with every passing year. Thus, Silver Linings Playbook is something of a small miracle in all its dysfunctional glory. As affecting as it is inappropriately hysterical, this one came from the heart for writer-director David O. Russell. Meant to be an earnest boost of confidence for his bipolar son, Russell’s film, just like Matthew Quick’s novel, captures a beautiful clarity about understanding mental health and creates an even broader portrait for a whole generation of post-Great Recession millennials coping with diminished expectations. Because even for the wonderfully acted Pat (Bradley Cooper) and Tiffany (Jennifer Lawrence), two abrasive individuals who have been dealt a crummy hand by life, a silver lining is only a cha-cha away, making all the loss, mental anguish, and judging eyes in their childhood homes worth it. A celebration about the healing power of family, friends, and football, Silver Linings Playbook is the most feel-good big screen romance in years.
Forgetting Sarah Marshall (2008)
In a reality where erasing your ex doesn’t exist, keeping the girl of your dreams out of your head can be depression inducing and seeing her on primetime television has to be down right infuriating. Jason Segal wrote himself into the perfect role as the down-on-his-luck boyfriend who’s ditched for an aging rock star. The film really has it all. Russell Brand sings. Jonah Hill makes a hilarious appearance. There’s a Dracula-based opera. And oh, did we forget to mention that Kristen Bell AND Mila Kunis share screen time? We rest our case.
Other movies mentioned include: Grosse Pointe Blank (1997), High Fidelity (2000), Intolerable Cruelty (2003), When Harry Met Sally… (1989), Breakfast at Tiffany’s (1961), The Princess Bride (1987), Lars and the Real Girl (2007), Garden State (2004), Say Anything (1989)
full list at the source
any other picks?
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Amma Asante talks Belle + future projects w/ Interview Magazine
British filmmaker Amma Asante had previously directed one contemporary indie, A Way of Life, in 2004, winning several individual festival awards, along with a BAFTA award for a directorial debut. Belle, which premiered at the Toronto Film Festival last September, will be released by Fox Searchlight in theaters on May 2.
LORRAINE CWELICH: How does Belle embody the goals of the Athena Film Festival?
AMMA ASANTE: I think Belle fits so well with the themes of Athena because it's a strong female exploring identity, her place, finding her own value, not letting anybody define who she is. In many ways, what Athena inspires us to do as women is what Gugu expresses to us as Dido. Her role empowers women by saying, don't let a culture or society's rules define who you are; you define who you are. For Belle to be the opening film at the Athena Film Festival was a privilege and an honor for me. It was such a great partner because every one of its ideals fits in with who I am as a filmmaker and the kind of stories I want to tell and characters I want to build as a filmmaker.
CWELICH: Was the film first picked up at Toronto?
ASANTE: It was produced independently by Damian Jones. Then it was picked up before Toronto, in June. We finished the film in May and then did screenings in New York and L.A. for distributors and then Fox Searchlight picked it up.
CWELICH: How was an independent filmmaker on a limited budget able to create such a sumptuous and historically authentic environment?
ASANTE: Damian sent me the postcard of the [18th century] portrait [of Belle and her cousin]; that's how it first came to me. From the portrait, I started to do lots of digging and research. I took everything from the portrait—the relationship between Dido and Elizabeth, the colors, the world I wanted to set her in. I imagined and extended the world beyond the portrait. So I knew I wanted to make a movie that looked decadent and expensive. I knew we would have to make every penny stretch and put as much of the budget onscreen as possible. So it starts with your heads of departments—your production designer, costume, hair and makeup designers. Picking the right people who were as committed as I was to telling this story as I was.
CWELICH: Tell us about the locations and production design.
ASANTE: It was shot in London, the Isle of Man, and Oxford. We had to piece together their world. Kenwood House, Dido's original house, was made up of five houses, and the later house in London was actually comprised of three houses. I wanted Dido and Elizabeth to feel dwarfed at the beginning, to be living in the countryside like little girls in a giant dollhouse, to represent their innocence and the idea that they were protected from the harsh realities of the outside world. As the scales fall from their eyes, if you like, and they learn more about what it is to be a woman, and a woman of color, what it is to be second-class, in so many ways—where you have to be chosen and validated by the husband you have—I wanted their worlds to be more sophisticated, with less pastel colors, darker, richer colors, lower ceilings. I wanted their exterior world to reflect their interior journey. I wrote out a document for [department heads] and had a mood board.
CWELICH: Tell us about your first film, A Way of Life.
ASANTE: It was set in modern day and also had a female protagonist. It dealt with similar themes. It was about a teenage mother who becomes involved in the accidental murder of her neighbor. It was a tough, emotional film. Like Belle, it had a lot of pathos but was also funny. It too dealt with issues of race, gender, and class.
CWELICH: In the intervening years, were you working on other projects or focused on developing Belle?
ASANTE: Belle didn't come to me until 2009. Before that, I had three projects, one of which I will go into production with next year. I'm working on a Warner Brothers film next, Unforgettable, and then after that, I'll do my third indie. Before Belle, I'd been writing three films, all of which collapsed within three months in 2009, right at the beginning of the recession. One of them was a Jane Austen adaptation which had never been done before, Lady Susan. With my next indie, which is set in 1940s Berlin, it was announced in Cannes that it was about to go into production and then the financing collapsed, so it went into turnaround. So thankfully I now have the financing for that movie for 2015.
CWELICH: What is Unforgettable about?
ASANTE: I just signed on for it about a month ago. It's a double female lead, a story about a man who's divorced—on his second marriage—trying to negotiate the life of his first wife and his second wife. The first wife goes slightly crazy and tries to kill the second wife. There are huge A-list names possibly attached, which I can't announce yet, but am completely honored to work with.
CWELICH: You mentioned Jane Austen, which is interesting because Gugu's performance reminded me of Keira Knightley's performance as Elizabeth Bennet in Pride & Prejudice—romantic, elegant, headstrong, and spirited.
ASANTE: Absolutely, I was hugely inspired by Pride & Prejudice. Belle is actually my homage to Jane Austen, who I think is one of the most incredible female novelists we've ever had. For all the love she gets, I still don't think she's recognized enough for exploring the middle-and-upper class female experience in 18th-century England.
CWELICH: What personally resonated with you about Dido's story and compelled you to make this film?
ASANTE: The history, 100 percent. We had a painting and the history, and I spent three years in development to make sure that we could do justice to Dido's incredible story and weave all the issues seamlessly to reflect Dido's journey from girl to woman, to reflect her political awakening and her transformation from a girl who said, "as you wish, sir" to a woman who says, "as I wish." It was also about honoring the girl next to her [her cousin, Elizabeth], looking at her with such love, and also honoring Lord Mansfield, the man that was courageous enough to commission that painting at a time when it was completely unheard of.
BELLE OPENS IN THEATERS MAY 2.
source
Why isn't it May 2nd NOW???
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She's Baaaack! Natalia Livingston Returning To General Hospital As Emily Quartermaine!!!
The dead have been reappearing on General Hospital as of late. According to Soaps In Depth Natalia Livingston will be returning to the show as Emily Quartermaine.
Although it would be nice if the show could somehow revive the character of Emily who was killed off in 2007, she will be reappearing as a spirit once again. Viewers may remember that she visited back as a spirit back in April during the show’s 50th anniversary to help both Tracy and Monica.
This time it is unclear who she is coming back to help. It could be her brother AJ, but they didn’t really have a close relationship when she was alive. The other possibility is Nikolas who may be in need of support if and when he finds out Britt’s secret.
This will be another brief stint for Livingston, who has also played Emily’s twin sister Rebecca Shaw on the show. In between her appearances on General Hospital, Livingston has also had a role on Days of our Lives. Fans of Nicholas and Emily are still hopeful that the show can find a way to bring Emily Quartermaine back to live.
With the Cassadines around, anything is possible.
Examiner
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Tammy Teaser Trailer
Tammy, who was recently fired from a Toppy Jacks fast food restaurant, returns home only to find her husband enjoying a romantic meal with the neighbor. She quickly packs her necessities, and travels down three houses to her parent's home. Upon denied use of her mom's car to drive to Niagara Falls, she quickly resorts to an "ailing" grandmother, who also lives in the home...Only instead of traveling alone, Grandma Pearl wants in on the road trip. After realizing Grandma Pearl has the funds, they hit the road. Pearl soon proves to be quite the alcoholic despite her diabetes, and Tammy quickly turns into the "baby-sitter." From finding love in a bar to robbing a Toppy Jack's in order to bail Pearl out of jail,the quirky adventure will have you finding yourself riding along for the misadventures of Tammy.
Source
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The Tompocalypse, Pre V-Day Edition: Tom Hiddleston Talks About Poetry + The Love Book App
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The Top Searched American Olympians of Sochi so far: Ashley Wagner, Gracie Gold, and Julia Mancuso
Ashley Wagner and Lolo Jones are both in Sochi, Russia, but one Olympic athlete is far more popular than another. It used to be the top internet searches for athletes was for Lolo Jones before the Winter Olympics, but all that has changed and now people are looking for U.S. figure skater Ashley Wagner. According to Yahoo Sports on Tuesday, Wagner is the top searched Olympic athlete.
Ashley Wagner has the Olympic team figure skating event to thank in part. After making some seriously over the top expressions, people around the world wanted to see what she looked like. Her disappointed reaction to a score became one of the top memes of the Olympics so far.
As Lolo Jones hasn’t been in the spotlight for the past few days, it’s helped Wagner gain ground. Put in the sick bay after getting some sort of illness, the athlete was out of touch. Add that she isn’t making waves at her competition at the moment as she hasn't tweeted any sexy pictures and it seems like Ashley is the Olympian to look up!
While the top Olympian search might change, there is no doubt for now Ashley is love the chance to be the top searched athlete at the Olympics. The top three searched athletes are Ashley Wagner, Julia Mancuso and then Gracie Gold. Lolo Jones is currently number nine on most searched athletes.
source
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Tamar Braxton Jumps On Robin Thicke’s ’4 The Rest Of My Life’
Robin Thicke premiered the remix of his hit song "4 The Rest of My Life" featuring Tamar's amazing vocals on Atlanta's V103 earlier today
˓˓(ृ ु ॑꒳’)ु(ृ’꒳ ॑ ृ )ु˒˒˒
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˓˓(ृ ु ॑꒳’)ु(ृ’꒳ ॑ ृ )ु˒˒˒
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'Winter Soldier' Toys Reveal Villains, New Look For Captain America
On November 12 we brought you advance word on the first wave of "Captain America: The Winter Soldier" toys from Diamond Select. And finally, we can pull back the silhouettes and show you the full look at the line, in advance of this weekend's Toy Fair in New York. And while there aren't too many movie spoilers, there are a few fun surprises.
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First up we have the Marvel Select Captain America in seven-inch scale. The figure features Cap in his stealth suit direct from the movie, standing on a helicarrier-inspired display base. It, along with a Falcon figure we'll be showing off at a later date, will be released around when the movie hits on April 4.
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Next is the Minimates line released directly to comic book shops and specialty stores, which are sold in two-packs. You'll be able to snag:
» Stealth Uniform Captain America with Brock Rumlow ["The Eh Pack"]
» Classic Captain America with Winter Soldier ["The Slash Pack"]
» Black Widow with Falcon ["The Token Pack"]
» Agent Sitwell with Batroc ["The No1curr Pack"]
Though we've now seen most of these characters and costumes in the trailers, it's interesting that
Also interesting is the confirmation that Cap will sport a stealth shield, in addition to his stealth costume. The disc replaces the typical red and blue rings with more muted colors, because nothing says, "sneaky" like a giant, honking metal shield you throw at people.
You'll be able to pick up all of these toys in April from Diamond Select Toys. "Captain America: The Winter Soldier" hits theaters on April 4.
Source
does anyone actually like those hideous mini toys? Anyway, here's some Bucky.
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First up we have the Marvel Select Captain America in seven-inch scale. The figure features Cap in his stealth suit direct from the movie, standing on a helicarrier-inspired display base. It, along with a Falcon figure we'll be showing off at a later date, will be released around when the movie hits on April 4.
Next is the Minimates line released directly to comic book shops and specialty stores, which are sold in two-packs. You'll be able to snag:
» Stealth Uniform Captain America with Brock Rumlow ["The Eh Pack"]
» Classic Captain America with Winter Soldier ["The Slash Pack"]
» Black Widow with Falcon ["The Token Pack"]
» Agent Sitwell with Batroc ["The No1curr Pack"]
Though we've now seen most of these characters and costumes in the trailers, it's interesting that
Brock Rumlow (Frank Grillo) is listed, instead of his alias as the villainous Crossbones. Perhaps he doesn't don the costume in the movie? Or his look will be revealed later?
Also interesting is the confirmation that Cap will sport a stealth shield, in addition to his stealth costume. The disc replaces the typical red and blue rings with more muted colors, because nothing says, "sneaky" like a giant, honking metal shield you throw at people.
You'll be able to pick up all of these toys in April from Diamond Select Toys. "Captain America: The Winter Soldier" hits theaters on April 4.
Source
does anyone actually like those hideous mini toys? Anyway, here's some Bucky.
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JRR Tolkien almost cut out Arwen/Aragorn romance from LOTR
Did you know that J.R.R. Tolkien almost axed the love story between Aragorn and Arwen in the Lord of the Rings? Why cut the pathos that comes from human/elf romance? Shipping, that's why.
Back in 1955, poet W.H. Auden tried to persuade Tolkien to drop the love story between Aragorn and Arwen, describing the romance as "unnecessary and perfunctory," an unpublished letter by Tolkien has recently revealed. Why? Because Auden [wait for it] was an unabashed Éowyn/Faramir fanboy!
In this unpublished letter, Tolkien writes to his publisher about the difficulties in finishing The Return of the King, the third and final installment of his seminal work. In the end, Aragorn is crowned king of Gondor and marries Lord Elrond’s beloved daughter Arwen and they live happily ever after.
Here's what Tolkien had to say about Auden's advice:
"'Auden on the whole approves of Vol III seen in galleys,' wrote Tolkien, revealing that the poet supported what Tolkien called 'the Éowyn-Faramir business,' where Éowyn initially falls for Aragorn, but ends up with Faramir when he does not return her love.'Then the heart of Éowyn changed, or else at last she understood it. And suddenly her winter passed, and the sun shone on her,' runs the story.
But 'he thinks Aragorn-Arwen unnecessary & perfunctory,' mourns Tolkien in the letter to Rayner Unwin. 'I hope the fragment of the 'saga' will cure him. I still find it poignant: an allegory of naked hope. I hope you do.'"
Jane Johnson, who is a novelist (she also writes all those Lord of the Rings and Hobbit film visual companions under the pen name Jude Fisher) and a former Tolkien publisher, agreed with Tolkien, saying:
"[it is] so poignant – the love of a mortal man for an immortal elven maiden who must sacrifice her immortal heritage if she decided to follow her heart, and who will in any case – since elves are so long-lived – have to suffer seeing her beloved die, leaving her alone with many empty years of her life ahead of her".
"It's a heartbreaking choice: that Arwen chooses to stay in Middle-earth with Aragorn rather than follow the rest of her kind into the Undying Lands demonstrates how fine a man, and king, he is. It also picks up the theme of the story of Beren and Lúthien – again of a man falling in love with an elven woman – from The Silmarillion, a tale acknowledged by JRR Tolkien to refer to his own romance with his wife, Edith, and engraved on their shared grave."
Despite their difference of opinion, Auden may have been ultimately convinced that the romance between Aragorn and Arwen was right because in a New York Times review of The Lord of the Rings, which was published in 1956, he doesn't have many complaints with how it all turned out:
"the demands made on the writer's powers in an epic as long as The Lord of the Rings are enormous and increase as the tale proceeds – the battles have to get more spectacular, the situations more critical, the adventures more thrilling – but I can only say that Mr Tolkien has proved equal to them."
If you want to get your hands on this little baby, the letter is due to be auctioned off by Bonhams in London on March 19. It's expected to fetch between £6,000 and £8,000. A tidy sum.
What do you guys think? Do you believe Aragorn and Arwen’s romance is essential to the Lord of the Rings saga, or would you have rather Tolkien cut it from the books?
First the R/Hr backtracking, now this. Is nothing sacred anymore?!
Source
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Bruce Jenner's Family -- He Suffers from Michael Jackson Syndrome
Bruce Jenner is NOT changing his identity ... he's just going through a mid-life crisis and is addicted to plastic surgery -- this according to sources close to the Kardashian family and Jenner sons.
Family sources say the klan does not buy what increasingly looks like gender reassignment. They say Bruce is changing his look because of his "Michael Jackson-like obsession with plastic surgery."
They say he is struggling to re-gain his youth. They point to the fact that he's moved to Malibu, grown his hair long and had a ponytail for a long time, drives a Harley, and has changed his nose and neck.
We're told the family has actually counseled him against all the surgery, saying he was a good looking man to begin with, but he wouldn't listen.
They also echo the story TMZ posted Tuesday -- that Bruce is "super manly," the family saying, "He loves sports, helicopters and cars."
It's interesting ... because we also know that when Bruce golfs at the Sherwood Country Club he constantly talks about the '76 Olympics where he won gold. It's also when he was young and great looking, which kind of supports the family's position.
TMZ
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Fifth Harmony Covers "Independent Women"
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