Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year 2010

Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year 2010

hobbiesandentertainment.blogspot.com is now closed for the Christmas and New Year period, and we'll be back on January 4.

We'd like to extend our thanks for your support this past year, and wish you all the best for Christmas and New Year.
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Fan convicted in NYC of harassing Ashanti's mother

FILE - This Oct. 5, 2009 picture shows Ashanti in New York. Would-be rapper Devar Hurd has been convicted in New York City of harassing Tina Douglas, the mother of Grammy Award-winning R&B singer Ashanti with a flurry of lewd text messages. Hurd faces up to two years in prison after being found guilty Tuesday, Dec. 22, 2009 of stalking and aggravated harassment. [Agencies]

NEW YORK – A would-be rapper was convicted Tuesday of harassing Ashanti's mother with a flurry of dirty photos and lewd text messages about the Grammy Award-winning R&B star.

Devar Hurd shook his head as a Manhattan jury delivered its verdict after two days of deliberations, finding him guilty of stalking and aggravated harassment for messages the singer's mother called scary and disgusting.

Hurd, a sometime model and car salesman from Griffith, Ind., said he thought the crude messages, photos of his genitals and a picture of the home where Ashanti's family lives were welcome.

The 31-year-old is being held without bail until his sentencing, set for Jan. 11. He faces up to two years in prison. His lawyer, Richard Verchick, left court without speaking to reporters and didn't immediately return a phone call afterward.

Ashanti's mother, Tina Douglas, told jurors she didn't know Hurd when he began calling her and leaving messages recounting bizarre and rambling sexual fantasies about the singer. Douglas manages her daughter's multiplatinum-selling career.

Douglas said she told Hurd to leave her alone but he went on to send dozens of revolting text messages and pictures.

"It was just disgusting and humiliating and extremely frightening," Douglas testified, adding that she pulled Ashanti out of a rehearsal of "The Wiz" after Hurd sent a message that mentioned seeing the singer's car outside the theater.

Ashanti starred as Dorothy in an off-Broadway revival of the musical this summer. Hurd told jurors he was nowhere near the theater when he sent the message.

Punctuating his testimony with occasional rap lines and finger-snapping, Hurd said the messages and photos were just intended as bawdy banter and jokes.

Hurd, who said he performs around his Chicago-area hometown while working jobs ranging from landscaping to selling timeshares, told the jury he was working on an unspecified business deal with the singer's parents. He said he got Douglas' cell phone number from her daughter's record label.

The picture of the car and another showing the family's Glen Cove, N.Y., home — accompanied by a message about being in the neighborhood and stopping by to visit — were just images he found online while more than 700 miles away in Indiana, he said.

"Why would I want to annoy (Douglas) or harass her or whatever in any kind of way?" he asked jurors. "Doing anything to her or to Ashanti ... that's not my style."

Ashanti didn't testify.

Since signing her first record deal at 14, she has recorded hits including "Foolish" and "Only U." She also has acted in such films as "Coach Carter" and "John Tucker Must Die."

taken from : China Daily

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Atlanta rapper T.I. released from Arkansas prison

ATLANTA, Ga. -- Atlanta rapper T.I. has been released from a federal prison in Arkansas and is headed to a halfway house in Georgia.

A lawyer for T.I. said the rapper was released Tuesday morning.

T.I., whose real name is Clifford Harris Jr., last May began serving his sentence of a year and a day for illegal firearms possession and possessing a gun as a convicted felon.

Steve Sadow said his client was expected to report to Dismas Charities halfway house in Atlanta on Tuesday night and will be there for up to three months.

Sadow said Harris “did his very best to adjust to his circumstances” in prison and knew he had to pay for his crime. He said Harris was most looking forward to getting back to his family and being as productive as he can be.

taken from : China Daily

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Britney itching to be a bride again

Britney Spears with her boyfriend Jason Trawick arrived at JFK airport in New York City, December 19, 2009. [CFP]

Britney Spears is hoping that before 2009 ends, her boyfriend Jason Trawick will pop the question, or so says In Touch Weekly.

Although for months there have been rumors that Spears was ready to head down the aisle again, a Dec. 9 outing has people talking. On that day, Spears was spotted in several Beverly Hills jewelry stores, looking at engagement rings — all by herself.

“Britney is ready to marry Jason,” says a friend of the 28-year-old, who reportedly has been reading bridal magazines and is hoping for a big, traditional wedding in the summer of 2010 — even though Jason has yet to pop the question. “She wants to be with him 24/7,” reports In Touch.

Determined to get Trawick to settle down with her, Spears has also begun making plans for married life, according to the magazine, and is urging Jason to cut back on his career. An agent at WME, Trawick represented Spears long before the two of them began to date, and his client list has included Hilary Duff and Paris Hilton.

“His career is demanding,” the friend explains to the magazine. “He can be on the phone or on his computer at any hour, day or night, and Britney finds that she’s competing with his work for attention.”

The friend says that since Spears makes enough money to support both of them, she doesn’t see why Jason has to work as much as he does. “Britney doesn’t want to marry a workaholic,” the friend told In Touch.
taken from : China Daily

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"Avatar" could get nine Oscar nominations

Cast member Zoe Saldana poses at the premiere of "Avatar" at the Mann's Grauman Chinese theatre in Hollywood, California December 16, 2009.[Agencies]

LOS ANGELES - Since June, when the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences opened the best picture race to 10 nominees, Oscar has been waiting for a knight in shining box office armor -- preferably a "Dark Knight": a commercial powerhouse with strong critical credentials.

A large part of the rationale for opting for an Oscar Top 10 was the hope that Academy voters would embrace mainstream hits, thereby expanding the potential audience for the broadcast while avoiding the cries of protest from jilted fanboys who felt robbed when "The Dark Knight" failed to earn a best picture nomination last time around.

But then another "Dark Knight" failed to materialize immediately. Consider: Pixar's "Up," released in May and now the No. 3 domestic grosser of 2009, is regarded as a possible contender -- if it isn't relegated to the animated feature category. "The Hangover," the year's biggest comedy at No. 4, with $277 million, would have to overcome the hurdle that it is the year's biggest comedy. "Star Trek" might have attracted appreciative reviews and a No. 6 rank at the box office, but it doesn't seem to have inspired much Oscar buzz in the top categories.

In fact, you have to move all the way down the list of the year's top grossers to No. 22, "Inglourious Basterds," before finding another movie that appears to be in line for a best picture nomination.

But just when it appeared that a whole host of smaller, specialty films were lining up to fill the available slots -- in the process, undermining the Academy's attempt to reach out to a wider audience -- Fox's "Avatar," with a veritable flourish of trumpets, has ridden to the rescue.

There were plenty of skeptics awaiting the years-in-the-making film with a show-me attitude. But once it began screening two weeks ago, and in the wake of its opening Friday, James Cameron's space odyssey has redefined the awards-season contests.

Critically, the movie's collective reviews stand at 83 out of 100 on the Metacritic Web site. At RottenTomatoes.com, 83% of the movie's notices were positive, and among the site's sampling of top critics, the approval rate rose to 94%. Even the Los Angeles Times' Kenneth Turan, one of the loudest voices torpedoing Cameron's "Titanic" in 1997, hailed the filmmaker's new movie, praising it for restoring "a sense of wonder to the moviegoing experience" and testifying "the film's romantic protagonists paradoxically end up feeling like creatures whose fates we care more about than we did Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet's on the boat."

Commercially, "Avatar" appears on track as well. Its first-weekend domestic gross clocked in at $77 million, which was several million dollars higher than the studio's Sunday estimate. It remains to be seen whether it will attract the repeat business that floated "Titanic's" boat week to week. It's worth noting, though, that moviegoers showed a preference for seeing the movie in 3D -- 72% of the opening-weekend take came from 3D screens, 13% from Imax 3D screens. Since there's still a relatively limited number of 3D and Imax screens in play, that suggests the movie will play like an old-fashioned, leggy blockbuster, rather than the one- or two-weekend wonders of the standard superwide release, with moviegoers lining up for the available screens.

All of which brings us back to the Academy, where the movie officially screened at the Samuel Goldwyn Theater on Sunday evening. The audience was packed, and the response was huge, with waves of applause greeting individual names during the end credits.

Hollywood insiders, recognizing the technical leaps involved, already have begun applauding. None other than Steven Spielberg has called "Avatar" "the most evocative and amazing science-fiction movie since 'Star Wars.'"

But it's not just about technique. Thematically, the movie also might strike a nerve with the Academy. "Honestly, it's the most liberal, old-fashioned Hollywood movie in years," said one member of Sunday's audience. "It's eco-friendly, and it's a diatribe against George Bush's America, raping and pillaging sovereign nations for their resources."

So how big could "Avatar's" footprint be when the Academy noms are announced February 2?

Right now, the number that's being bandied about is nine -- drawn from a menu that includes best picture, director, visual effects, editing, art direction, sound, sound editing, score and song. (Cinematography, costumes and makeup are more of a stretch, given how much of that work was done digitally.)

Unlike "Titanic," which earned acting nods for Kate Winslet and Gloria Stuart, "Avatar" will have a tougher time winning over the actors branch unless it's feeling generous and rewards Sigourney Weaver with a supporting actress nomination for her feisty scientist.

By rights, Zoe Saldana also should be part of the conversation for her warrior princess Neytiri. But while the actress might have displayed her versatility with her equally high-profile appearance this summer as Uhura in "Star Trek," she's not seen in the flesh in "Avatar."

Even though the studio hopes to get out the message that the actors involved delivered full-blown performances that Cameron captured digitally, that's still a tough sell. Witness the fact that the Screen Actors Guild ignored "Avatar" when it handed out its noms last week. (One added factor: Most of the 2,300-member SAG nominating committee probably hadn't seen the movie by the time its nominating ballots were due December 14.)

But even though "Avatar" isn't expected to pick up the 14 noms that "Titanic" commanded, if it makes it into best picture contention, that will be an achievement in itself since the Academy -- at least under its old five-pic rule poise -- has been fairly resistant to fantasy and sci-fi movies in its top category.

Since 1977's "Star Wars," only 1982's "E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial" and the three "Lord of the Rings" movies at the beginning of this decade have made that select list of nominees. A movie like 1993's "Jurassic Park" -- groundbreaking in its day -- had to settle for visual effects and two sound noms, all of which it won.

"Avatar" is looking like it will join that club -- and potentially attract lots of self-proclaimed Avartards to the March 7 Oscar broadcast as well.

Adam Shankman, who's producing the show with Bill Mechanic, certainly was jazzed when he tweeted early Monday: "'Avatar' is not only brilliant but has the most powerful environmental message of the year. Amazing. Game-changer." Cue the dancing Na'vi.

taken from : China Daily

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Eminem named artist of decade on U.S. charts

LOS ANGELES - Eminem has earned Billboard's artist of the decade title, just slightly more than 10 years after he made his Billboard Hot 100 debut.

The decade-end artist recap ranks the best-performing acts of the past 10 years (from December 4, 1999, to November 28, 2009) based on activity on two charts: the Billboard 200 albums list and the Billboard Hot 100 songs tally.

The hip-hop king first graced the Hot 100 chart February 27, 1999, with "My Name Is," then racked up another 27 entries from 2000 onward. On the Billboard 200, all five of his sets released in the decade reached No. 1. Additionally, his album "The Slim Shady LP" debuted and peaked at No. 2 in the spring of 1999, but continued to chart in 2000.

Eminem is also the top male artist of the decade. The female honor goes to Beyonce, while the top duo/group is Nickelback.

Beyonce's solo career began in the 2000s, notching 23 Hot 100 singles and five No. 1s. On the Billboard 200, she's racked six entries, including three studio efforts that all went to No. 1.

As for Nickelback, its entire Hot 100 history is contained in the '00s, and it started off well with its first No. 1, "How You Remind Me." The rock act has since earned five more top 10 singles. The group's last four albums reached the top 10 on the Billboard 200, including the No. 1 set "All the Right Reasons," which spent 156 weeks on the list.

Though Eminem is the decade's top artist, he was not the top performer for any single year. In 2000 and 2001, Destiny's Child netted the prize, followed by Nelly in '02, 50 Cent in '03 and '05, Usher in '04, Chris Brown in '06 and '08, Akon in '07 and Taylor Swift in '09.

STRONG START

Eminem helped kick off the decade with a bang, as "The Marshall Mathers LP" was one of five albums in 2000 to sell at least 1 million copies in one week. On the Billboard 200 dated June 10, 2000, it opened at No. 1 with 1.8 million, just a week after Britney Spears' "Oops! ... I Did It Again" debuted at No. 1 with 1.3 million and two months after 'N Sync set the one-week Nielsen SoundScan sales high of 2.4 million with "No Strings Attached."

"Strings," the pop quintet's second album, tops the decade-end Billboard 200 albums tally, ahead of Usher's "Confessions" (No. 2) and Eminem's "The Eminem Show" (No. 3).

All told, of the 20 biggest one-week sales frames for an album in SoundScan's 18-and-a-half-year history, 14 of them were in the 2000s. On the flip side, of those 14 weeks, only three of them came in the last half of the decade, thanks to the debut weeks of 50 Cent's "The Massacre" (2005, 1.1 million), Kanye West's "Graduation" (2007, 957,000) and Lil Wayne's "Tha Carter III" (2008, 1 million).

So what happened in the late '00s? The collision of supernova-bright pop stars in the early 2000s with the limited availability of commercial singles yielded tremendous album sales achievements and Billboard 200 triumphs. But by the middle of the decade, those wild and crazy days were mostly a thing of the past, thanks to the single biggest thing to change the music industry and Billboard's charts in 2000s: the Internet.

Once consumers popularized file-sharing services and used digital retailers like Apple's iTunes store, the Billboard 200 started to reflect many music buyers' desire for single-song purchases instead of a full album.

DIGITAL JOLT

In the first half of the 2000s, the No. 1 album on the Billboard 200, on average, sold 399,947 copies in a week. On the Hot 100 Singles Sales chart -- which tracked physical singles -- the average at No. 1 was just 43,895. Move forward to the second half of the decade, and the No. 1 on the Billboard 200 averaged 286,540, while the No. 1 on Hot Digital Songs averaged 154,445.

Digital retailers provided a jolt of energy to the charts after SoundScan began including download sales in its tallies in 2003. By that point, physical singles were essentially absent from the market, so the availability of individual song downloads juiced the sales/airplay hybrid Hot 100 chart. In turn, the 51-year-old list transformed from a ranking of officially promoted singles to an all-encompassing, anything-goes tally where numerous songs from one act could chart concurrently.

Case in point: The young, digitally oriented fans of 15-year-old singer Justin Bieber recently drove all seven of the songs on his debut CD, "My World," onto the Hot 100, even though not all of them were being officially promoted to radio stations or retailers as "singles."

Among digitally driven feats, the reigning best-selling digital song of all time, Flo Rida's "Low" (5.2 million and counting), is anything but low on the decade-end Hot 100 songs recap, as it's ranked No. 3.

Ahead of it at No. 2 is Usher's inescapable 2004 single "Yeah!," while Mariah Carey's "We Belong Together" tops the decade-end list.

Usher takes the title of the Top Hot 100 Artist of the Decade, which can't be much of a surprise considering his stranglehold on the tally from 2001 through 2008. In that time, he racked up 13 consecutive top 20 singles, with seven of them reaching No. 1. And, those seven chart-toppers collectively spent 41 weeks at No. 1 -- the most weeks atop the list for any act in the decade.

With Carey's crowning of the decade-end Hot 100 songs list with "We Belong Together," she now owns the most popular songs of the '90s and the '00s, as her duet with Boyz II Men, "One Sweet Day," was No. 1 on the '90s-end recap.

"We Belong Together" spent 14 weeks at No. 1 on the Hot 100 chart during the decade, tying the Black Eyed Peas' "I Gotta Feeling" for the most weeks atop the list in that span. The Peas' anthem is at No. 5 on the decade-end Hot 100 Songs retrospective, one step below the duo/group of the decade, Nickelback, with "How You Remind Me."

Collectively, the top nine finishers on the Hot 100 Songs recap spent 90 cumulative weeks at No. 1, thanks in part to the one-two punch of "Together" and "Feeling." The highest-ranked non-No. 1 song on the Hot 100 songs review is at No. 10: "Apologize" by Timbaland featuring OneRepublic. The song peaked at No. 2 for a month, but due in part to its lengthy 47-week chart run, it ranks higher on the Hot 100 Songs recap than many No. 1 hits. "Apologize" not only lingered for nearly a year on the Hot 100, but it spent 25 weeks in the top 10 -- the most of any single in the past decade.

On the Hot 100 Songwriters decade-end tally, Timbaland finishes atop the list, courtesy of the performance of the 63 charted hits he wrote or co-wrote in the decade. Directly below Timbaland at No. 2 on the list (viewable in full at Billboard.biz) is Pharrell Williams, one-half of the production duo the Neptunes.

taken from : China Daily

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Carrie Underwood engaged to NHL player Mike Fisher

FILE-This Feb. 22, 2009 file photo shows singer Carrie Underwood posing on the press line at the Elton John Academy Award viewing and after party in West Hollywood, Calif. [Agencies]

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Carrie Underwood is engaged to Ottawa Senators hockey player Mike Fisher, her publicist said Monday.

No wedding date has been set for the couple, who have been dating for about a year.

"The couple couldn't be happier," said publicist Jessie Schmidt.

Fisher, 29, recorded his 300th career point for the Senators in their 4-1 win over the Minnesota Wild on Saturday. Fisher had an assist on Anton Volchenkov's goal in the first period.

Asked by The Associated Press last month what Underwood's family thought of Fisher, the 26-year-old singer said they were supportive.

"They love me and I would hope my parents would think we raised a good, smart girl, so she's going to do the right thing no matter what it is," she said.

Days before the CMA Awards in early November, Underwood did not know whether she would be spending the holidays with Fisher.

"Christmas, I don't know. We haven't really thought that far ahead. We kind of take it one week at a time," she said then.

Underwood has kept her relationship largely under wraps, but she gave Fisher a very public shout-out in the liner notes of her current album, "Play On," that was released Nov. 3. She wrote, "Thank you (No.) 12 (referring to his jersey number.) You are the most amazing addition to my life! You are such a wonderful person and have had such an amazing hand in the building of this album and in the growth of me as a person. I love you so much! You make my life better in every way!"
taken from : China Daily

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Britney Spears stories; some absurd

Singer Britney Spears arrives at the Teen Choice 2009 Awards taping in Los Angeles, California August 9, 2009.[Agencies]

LOS ANGELES - Britney Spears hit back at the gossips on Monday, publishing a list of the top 75 most ridiculous or offensive stories written about her in 2009 -- including one claiming her family was once so poor they ate squirrels.

The list culled mostly from U.S. and British websites, celebrity magazines and newspapers, included various reports of new boyfriends, claims of emotional breakdown on her Australian tour, allegations she was being drugged by her father and supposed demands for stripper poles in her hotel room.

The list, published on her official website www.britneyspears.com, also took aim at claims during 2009 that Spears, 28, was pregnant with a third child, that she is addicted to gardening, under orders to read the Bible every day -- or converting to Judaism -- and that her family once hunted and ate squirrels.

Topping the list was talk that Spears was dating Indian choreographer Sandip Soparrkar, trumpeted in one headline as "Britney Spears introduces her new Bollywood man to her parents."

Called "The Year in BS", the post said there were more than 13,000 stories written about Spears in 2009, when she staged her first concert tour since 2004 after a personal and career meltdown.

"We ranked the ones we believe were the most ridiculous. Either because they were factually inaccurate, because they reported the patently absurd, or because we believe they are simply offensive to the sensibilities," her posting said.

Spears rocketed to fame as a teenager 10 years ago with hits like "(You Drive Me) Crazy" and "...Baby One More Time" and is still one of the best-known celebrities in the world.

Her "Circus" tour took her around the United States, to Europe and Australia and helped to give her three chart-topping singles.
taken from : China Daily

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Tom Ford swaps fashion for film with 'Single Man'

Fashion designer Tom Ford arrives for the premiere of his new film "A Single Man" in Hollywood, California on November 5, 2009.[Agencies]

LONDON – Fashion designer Tom Ford has made a seamless transition to filmmaker with "A Single Man," the soulful, immaculately styled story of a grieving college professor in 1960s California.

The ultra-confident Ford never doubted his abilities — though he admits plenty of other people did.

"It's funny, because everyone was so supportive," Ford said. "And now that I've made the film, quite a few people have said to me, 'Isn't it nice you did that when everyone was laughing at you?'"

They're not laughing now.

"A Single Man" has earned strong reviews — it opens widely across North America on Christmas Day — and last week received Golden Globe nominations for its score and the performances of Julianne Moore and Colin Firth.

Firth won the best-actor prize at the Venice Film Festival for his performance as George Falconer, a gay Englishman in Los Angeles mourning the death of his longtime lover in a car accident.

Ford — who directed, co-wrote and co-produced the film — has been praised for his subtle adaptation of Christopher Isherwood's novel, which recounts a day in George's life through seemingly unfilmable interior monologue.

The film adds a dash of plot and gallons of visual flair.

Unable to see a future without his partner Jim (Matthew Goode), George resolves to end it all. He gets a gun and starts to set his affairs in order.

Along the way he encounters his best friend, Charley (Julianne Moore, sporting a wardrobe to die for), and Kenny (Nicholas Hoult, all grown up since he played the boy in "About a Boy"), a young student who takes a slightly stalkerish interest in George.

It's all remarkably assured, but then the Texas-born Ford has never lacked ambition. Now 48, he transformed luxury brand Gucci in the 1990s before founding his own Tom Ford label. Filmmaking seemed like a small step.

"I've just never let the thought of failure stop me when there was something I felt that I wanted to do," he said. "I wanted to make a film. And I want to make another, and another, and another."

"A Single Man" is the work of a film fanatic, a love letter to cinema. George's monochrome life bursts into Technicolor when he makes contact with other people. Ford includes visual salutes to directors from Alfred Hitchcock to Pedro Almodovar to Wong Kar-wai. Even "The Wizard of Oz" gets a reference. These are not the acts of a director afraid to be compared to his idols.

The movie's stylish surface offers all you would expect from a fashionista's film: precise period detail, handsome actors and gorgeous outfits that capture the early 1960s in all their sartorial glory, from pin-sharp suits to pink mohair sweaters.

"I don't know how to help myself," laughed Ford, who despite a jetlag-inducing round of international openings is impeccably tailored, from his crisp shirt cuffs to his neat suit jacket.

"People said to me afterwards, 'Everyone's so beautiful.' And I thought, 'They are?' It wasn't anything that occurred to me.

"It's kind of enhanced reality. You're seeing the world through the eyes of a man who thinks he's leaving, and everything becomes hyper-beautiful to him."

Ford insists, however, that he did not put style over substance. Many reviewers have been surprised by the film's restraint, the unflashy way it depicts an intelligent, ironic, emotionally reserved man consumed by grief. It's a tribute to Firth, who gives the performance of his career, but also to Ford.

Ford says that, when he chose the project, "believe it or not, I didn't care about the style. It's layered on to support the characters. But when looking for the right project it was the story, something worth telling. That's what attracted me."

"I had to figure out what my voice was as a filmmaker. I knew what I stood for as a fashion designer, but let's be real: Who needs to see a Tom Ford film? Who cares? What did I have to say?"

What the film seems to say is: embrace the moment and enjoy the beauty around you.

Like the late Isherwood — best known for writing the stories of 1930s Berlin that inspired the musical "Cabaret" — Ford has an interest in philosophy and spirituality. The film approvingly cites Aldous Huxley's maxim, "Experience is not what happens to a man; it is what a man does with what happens to him."

"It is a very spiritual book," Ford said. "It's about a guy who can't see his future. It is all about living in the present."

Despite the film's warm reception, it hasn't all been smooth sailing. The openly gay Ford has taken some flak for advertising the film with a poster featuring Firth and Moore — implying, in some eyes, a heterosexual theme.

Ford says the poster is "marketing 101: you have your two biggest stars and they give great performances, who are you going to put on the poster to get people to go see it?"

He's less happy about having to cut the trailer to remove a male-male kiss — fine in Europe, but classified in the U.S. as "adult sexual content" that would limit the circumstances in which it could be seen.

He agreed to the cut — marketing won out again — but says the classification is "totally absurd."

Overall, though, Ford is enjoying this new career.

He says filmmaking is "the closest thing to God we get to be."

"I created that universe: it's forever sealed in that little bubble. A hundred years from now, all the actors will be dead, I'll be dead — but you'll still be able to pop it in and laugh, cry, smile. It will be alive. It's just amazing."

taken from : China Daily

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Victoria Beckham's Spice Christmas

The Spice Girls get drunk at Victoria Beckham's house every Christmas.

The 'Wannabe' hitmakers - also consisting of Mel B, Mel C, Geri Halliwell and Emma Bunton - pay a visit to the singer-turned-fashion designer and her soccer star husband David Beckham every year, where they get "tipsy" on wine, eat lots of food and sing along to their old pop records.

Singer Emma is quoted by the Daily Express newspaper as saying: "We all go over to David and Victoria's for lovely food and good wine. It's the only time we all get to see each other, we get a bit tipsy and listen to Spice Girls songs. I can't believe I've admitted that!"

In addition to preparing for their annual get together, the former bandmates have been spending a lot more time together recently as they work on their upcoming musical.

Earlier this year, the group revealed they are working on a stage production called 'Viva Forever' - which will depict the girls' rags-to-riches rise to fame.

The musical will include 14 of the band's biggest tracks and is due to open on November 5 next year.

The singers also plan to launch a talent show to find five women perfect to portray them on the stage.
taken from : China Daily

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Entertainment> Celebrities Report: Kevin Jonas, ex-hairdresser marry in NY

FILE - In this June 12, 2009 file photo, musician Kevin Jonas of the music group The Jonas Brothers performs on ABC's 'Good Morning America' show in New York. [Agencies]

NEW YORK – A report says the oldest sibling of pop group the Jonas Brothers and a former hairdresser have married at a French-style chateau in suburban New York.

People magazine reported a heavy snowstorm bore down on Saturday's wedding between 22-year-old Kevin Jonas and 23-year-old Danielle Delesea at Oheka Castle, a 109,000-square-foot estate in Cold Spring Harbor.

The couple told People that the wedding went on as planned. About 400 relatives and friends attended.

Celebrity event planner Michael Russo created a fairy-tale forest theme that included heated white tents with 14-foot trees and crystals made to look like icicles.

Jonas' brothers Joe and Nick served as his best men.

A message left Saturday night for a representative of Jonas was not immediately returned.

taken from : China Daily

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Entertainment> Celebrities `Avatar' blasts off with $232.2 million worldwide

Actor Cuba Gooding Jr. arrives at the premiere of 'Avatar' in Los Angeles on Wednesday, Dec. 16, 2009. [Agencies]

LOS ANGELES – James Cameron launched his science-fiction epic "Avatar" into a safe orbit as the costly film soared to No. 1 with $73 million domestically and $159.2 million overseas, for a $232.2 million worldwide total.

With that big a start, distributor 20th Century Fox was quick to proclaim it made a good investment with the estimated $400 million spent to make and market the film, which is Cameron's first narrative feature since 1997's "Titanic," the king of modern blockbusters.

"Absolutely. No question," said Chris Aronson, head of distribution for the studio, which reported stellar reaction in exit polls from audiences after seeing "Avatar." "The word of mouth is something that I don't know I've ever seen in this business before."

"Avatar" was a test case for the future of digital 3-D projection, which until now has been a hit with audiences mainly on animated family films.

The film fell short of the record for December debuts of $77.2 million set two years ago by Will Smith's "I Am Legend." But it did break the record for a film opening in 3-D, previously held by last summer's "Up" with $68.1 million.

"What they spent on this movie was totally justified, and they're going to more than earn it back," said Paul Dergarabedian, box-office analyst for Hollywood.com.

"Avatar" stars Sam Worthington and Zoe Saldana in a love story amid human-alien conflict on a distant moon in the 22nd century.

Storms on the East Coast kept many people at home, cutting into weekend movie business.

"The weather really, really hurt," said Rory Bruer, head of distribution at Sony, whose comedy "Did You Hear About the Morgans?", opened at a weak No. 4 with $7 million. Sony had expected the movie to debut at about $8 million.

The movie stars Sarah Jessica Parker and Hugh Grant as a couple whose crumbling marriage gets a fresh jolt after they see a murder and are sent into witness protection.

The overall box office shot up on the strength of "Avatar." Hollywood's domestic revenues came in at $134 million, up 51.5 percent from the same weekend last year, when "Yes Man" opened at No. 1 with $18.3 million, according to Hollywood.com.

The previous weekend's No. 1 movie, Disney's animated musical "The Princess and the Frog," slipped to second place with $12.2 million, raising its total to $44.8 million.

Paramount's recession story "Up in the Air," which led last Tuesday's Golden Globes announcement with six nominations, broke into the top 10 as it widened to more theaters ahead of its nationwide expansion Wednesday.

"Up in the Air" came in at No. 8 with $3.1 million. The film stars George Clooney as a man addicted to the frequent-flyer life as he travels the country firing people at downsizing companies.

Two music-themed films had strong starts in limited release as they position themselves for Academy Awards attention. The Weinstein Co. musical "Nine" opened big with $246,933 in four theaters, for an average of $61,733 a cinema, compared to an average of $21,147 in 3,452 theaters for "Avatar."

Based on the stage musical that was inspired by Federico Fellini's film masterpiece "8 1/2," "Nine" has an all-star cast that includes Daniel Day-Lewis, Nicole Kidman, Penelope Cruz and Kate Hudson. "Nine" goes into nationwide release Christmas Day.

Fox Searchlight's "Crazy Heart," starring Jeff Bridges as a boozy country singer trying to turn his life around, pulled in $84,204 at four theaters in New York City and Los Angeles, averaging $21,051 a cinema. The film expands to four more markets on Christmas Day.

No one expects "Avatar" to be another "Titanic," which started with a modest $28.6 million opening weekend domestically but held on at No. 1 for months. The film finished with a record $600 million domestically and $1.8 billion worldwide.

Before "Avatar" opened, Cameron had said the movie might not have a "slam-dunk opening weekend" but that its profitability hinged on how well it held up in subsequent weekends.

Unlike other Hollywood franchises, which usually are based on comic books, TV shows, toys or other existing stories and ideas, "Avatar" was an original tale whose concept was not pre-sold to audiences.

Much of the action takes place among 10-foot-tall, blue-skinned aliens created by digital cameras that captured actors' performances, with computer animation adding the details of the characters, along with the exotic backgrounds and other effects.

Some reviewers found the story and characters two-dimensional, but critics generally were wowed by the dazzling images Cameron created.

"I think it is the must-see film event of recent memory," Fox executive Aronson said. "I do believe it is a game-changing movie. It will change the way people think about movies, the way they see movies, what they want to see in movies."

Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Hollywood.com. Final figures will be released Monday.

1. "Avatar," $73 million.

2. "The Princess and the Frog," $12.2 million.

3. "The Blind Side," $10 million.

4. "Did You Hear About the Morgans?", $7 million.

5. "The Twilight Saga" New Moon," $4.4 million.

6. "Invictus," $4.2 million.

7. "Disney's a Christmas Carol," $3.4 million.

8. "Up in the Air," $3.1 million.

9. "Brothers," $2.6 million.

10. "Old Dogs," $2.3 million.

taken from : China Daily

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Ashton Kutcher's naked photos with another woman irritates Demi Moore

Ashton Kutcher has angered wife Demi Moore over naked pictures which have been released of him in new film 'Spread'. The 31-year-old actor plays a shameless man who hits on rich, older women in new film 'Spread' and Demi, 47, is unimpressed steamy pictures of him naked with another actress have been released to promote the movie.

An insider told the News of the World newspaper: "Demi doesn't mind cinema fans ogling her hubby but she does not want these pictures in the press forever reminding her he got so hot with someone else. But after all his usual goofy roles, Ashton wanted to show there's a lot more to him."

Ashton stars alongside 40-year-old actress Anne Heche in the new movie.

Demi has previously spoken about how she doesn't like all the attention she gets from being in a relationship with a younger man.

She said: "I'm certainly not the first person to be in a relationship with a younger man, but somehow I was plucked out as a bit of a poster girl.

"I don't know why that is. But I just kind of step back sometimes and say, 'There is some reason, and what is it that I have to share in a positive way?' "

taken from : China Daily

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Kate Moss plays Cupid for Pete

Kate Moss is trying to find a girlfriend for Pete Doherty.

The 35-year-old supermodel believes Alison Mosshart, her boyfriend Jamie Hince's Kills bandmate, would be the perfect match for her troubled ex-boyfriend, who she split from in 2007, and is now planning a double date.

A friend told the Daily Star newspaper: "Kate still has deep feelings for Pete and really wants to be happy and to enjoy life. Since falling head-over-heels in love with Jamie she wants to help Pete achieve the same.

"Pete and Alison have met, she thinks he has a lovely soul and he really fancies her. They're a good match as they're into the same things - music, painting and quirky fashion.

"She thinks Alison would be a calming influence, but she's tough and won't take any rubbish. Kate wants them all together for a weekend in her Cotswolds country house."

Kate and Alison have previously clashed over the supermodel's interfering.

Alison was reportedly furious when Kate voiced her intentions to accompany The Kills on an Australian tour earlier this year amid fears she would try to take to the stage with the group.

A source said: "Alison has told Kate to keep her boundaries and keep away from the microphone. Alison and Jamie have worked for years to make a name for themselves and have only recently had the success she thinks they deserve.

"She sees Kate as a spanner in the works and, until she came along, Alison always came first with Jamie."
taken from : China Daily

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Shakira's sweet secret

Shakira performs "Give It Up To Me" at the 2009 American Music Awards in Los Angeles, California November 22, 2009.[Agencies]

Shakira claims she owes her sexy figure to chocolate.

The singer sticks to a strict healthy eating and fitness regime to stay in shape but says it's crucial to treat yourself to your favourite foods on occasions.

She said: "I think it is important that you are in balance. I really like to eat, I love chocolate and all kinds of sweets. I'm absolutely addicted to it."

Shakira, 32, also revealed she is constantly changing as a person and if her new album ‘She Wolf' seems to be focused on sex it's because she is a more sexual person than she was in her 20s.

The pop beauty - who is engaged to Antonio de la Rua - added to German newspaper Bild: "I think that's how life works: You're changing and you're constantly looking for an improved version of yourself. In my life there is one fixed constant - the connection between my music and soul. My performances are always an expression of how I feel. If I appear at the moment more sensual than before it is because this aspect plays a greater role in my life than a decade ago. I'm a woman and I think that this femininity is reflected in my new album."
taken from : China Daily

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Nicole Kidman,Cruz and Hudson arrive at the premiere of the film "Nine" in NY

Cast member Nicole Kidman arrives at the premiere of the film "Nine" in New York December 15, 2009.[Agencies]

Cast member Nicole Kidman poses at the premiere of the film "Nine" in New York December 15, 2009. [Agencies]

Cast member Penelope Cruz arrives at the premiere of the film "Nine" in New York December 15, 2009. [Agencies]

Singer Madonna arrives at the premiere of the film "Nine" in New York December 15, 2009. [Agencies]

Cast member Penelope Cruz arrives at the premiere of the film "Nine" in New York December 15, 2009. [Agencies]

Cast member Kate Hudson poses at the premiere of the film "Nine" in New York December 15, 2009. [Agencies]

Cast member Kate Hudson arrives at the premiere of the film "Nine" in New York December 15, 2009. [Agencies]

Cast member Kate Hudson (R) arrives with her mother, Goldie Hawn, at the premiere of the film "Nine" in New York December 15, 2009. [Agencies]

Cast members Daniel Day-Lewis (L) and Kate Hudson (C) arrive with Hudson's mother, actress Goldie Hawn, at the premiere of the film "Nine" in New York December 15, 2009. [Agencies]

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Entertainment> Celebrities Reese Witherspoon splits from Jake

Reese Witherspoon and Jake Gyllenhaal have reportedly split up.

The Hollywood couple - who began dating in 2007 - have decided to call time on their relationship but sources insist the break-up is amicable.

One said: "There are no other people involved. The relationship just ended. It just fizzled. But they also wanted to be careful and private about it because of Reese's kids."

Reese - who has two children, Ava, 10, and six-year-old Deacon, with ex-husband Ryan Phillippe - and Jake were rumoured to have split two weeks ago but their representatives insisted they were still very much together.

But after spending some time apart, they realised the romance was over.

The source added to E! Online: "They needed time to figure it out and they were on different coasts. When they were finally together, they talked it out and decided they're not going to be together anymore."

In October, it was claimed the couple had got engaged after the Oscar-winning actress was spotted flaunting a gold band on her wedding finger.

A source said: "Reese looked delighted, and she was definitely showing off the ring. She kept holding her finger up for people to see, she even flashed it around when she was getting in her car."
taken from : China Daily

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Guy Ritchie's Christmas son joy

Guy Ritchie is overjoyed to be spending Christmas Day (25.12.09) with his children.

The 'Sherlock Holmes' director - who has nine-year-old son Rocco and adopted Malawian son David Banda with 'Celebration' singer Madonna - is going all out to make the day "traditional" and special for the youngsters after his ex-wife gave permission for them to spend the day at his home.

A source said: "Guy is really pleased, and cannot quite believe he and Madonna came to such an amicable arrangement. He is a huge fan of Christmas and wants to do everything by the book, very traditionally."

The British filmmaker is so determined to make the day memorable, he has promised to rustle up a delicious roast turkey lunch with all the trimmings and "spoilt them rotten".

The source explained to the Daily Mirror newspaper: "This means stockings hanging from under the kids' beds, presents under the tree and a massive turkey, Brussels sprouts, chestnuts, the works.

"When Guy and Madonna were together they didn't really celebrate Christmas Day due to Madonna's staunch Kabbalah beliefs. Now that he's a single man, Guy is determined to spoil them rotten and give the youngsters a Christmas they'll never forget."

Madonna - who also has daughter Lourdes, 13, and four-year-old adopted daughter Mercy - and Guy announced they were to divorce in October 2008 after almost eight years of marriage.

It is not clear whether the girls will also be invited to Guy's Christmas bash.

Guy's attitude to Christmas is very different to when he was married to the 'Holiday' hitmaker.

In 2007 he revealed that the family didn't give each other gifts.

He said at the time: "We cancelled Christmas a few years ago. Stopped all the presents. And ever since we stopped the presents, we're actually enjoying it."

taken from : China Daily

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Entertainment> Movies Mundane "Morgans" wastes talented cast

Entertainment> Movies

Mundane "Morgans" wastes talented cast

(Agencies)
Updated: 2009-12-16 10:17

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NEW YORK - As with most mainstream comedies, you get nearly all of the story line and most of the best jokes in "Did You Hear About the Morgans?" from its trailer.

This fish-out-of-water romantic comedy about a warring upscale Manhattan couple forcibly relocated to the American heartland is marginally better than writer-director Marc Lawrence's "Music and Lyrics" and "Two Weeks Notice," but not even the estimable comic chops of Hugh Grant and Sarah Jessica Parker can lift it above the level of ordinary. The Columbia Pictures release opens Friday.

The titular couple is Paul and Meryl, whose marriage is on the rocks because of his recent infidelity. Now Paul's desperately trying to get her back, but his attempt at reconciliation is dashed when they stumble on to a murder and are forced to enter the Witness Protection Program.

Safely ensconced in a small Wyoming town under the watchful eyes of the local sheriff (Sam Elliott) and his shotgun-toting wife (Mary Steenburgen), they find themselves gradually warming up to each other again while dealing with their cell phone-free cultural dislocation. This includes shopping at the local big-box store, milking cows, shooting guns and running away from the occasional bear. Meanwhile, they're being pursued by the vengeful hit man (Michael Kelly), who eventually shows up for the inevitable climactic shootout.

Offsetting the story's predictability is Lawrence's ability to craft genuinely funny one-liners, which are expertly delivered by Parker in a variation of her high-strung Carrie Bradshaw character and Grant with his amusingly droll laid-back manner. Happily, the Midwestern characters are not reduced to stereotypes, with Elliott and Steenburgen quite winning as the Morgans' protectors and Wilford Brimley providing some fun moments as a cantankerous cafe owner. On the minus side, Elisabeth Moss is utterly wasted as Meryl's no-nonsense personal assistant, even if she does get to show a more glamorous side than with her "Mad Men" character.

taken from : China Daily

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"Up in the Air" leads Golden Globes with 6 nods

George Clooney in a scene from "Up In The Air".

BEVERLY HILLS - Film drama "Up in the Air" soared away with six Golden Globe nominations on Tuesday, more than any film, while Sandra Bullock, Meryl Streep and Matt Damon each earned two nominations for the major awards show.

"Up in the Air," starring George Clooney as a corporate hatchet man forced to consider his life's direction, took home nominations for best film drama and for Clooney as best actor. Jason Reitman grabbed a nod for director and best screenplay with co-writer Sheldon Turner, while both Anna Kendrick and Vera Farmiga will compete for supporting actress.

Reitman told Reuters the combined nominations for his actors were especially gratifying. "We're celebrating this as a family, which is how we made the movie," he said.

Close behind was "Nine," about the life and loves of an Italian film director, with five nominations, including best musical or comedy. Its stars, Daniel Day-Lewis and Marion Cotillard, received nods for actor and actress in a musical or comedy, respectively. Penelope Cruz landed in the supporting actress group, and "Nine" received one nod for best song.

Bullock scored nominations for best dramatic actress for football film "The Blind Side" and actress in a musical or comedy with relationship movie "The Proposal."

"I am beyond stunned," Bullock said in a statement. "Just to be included in the company of these amazing women I have so admired through the years, has left me slack-jawed with awe."

For her part, Streep will compete against herself for best actress in a musical or comedy with two movies, culinary movie "Julie & Julia" and relationship film "It's Complicated."

Matt Damon also received two nominations, one for best actor in a musical or comedy for "The Informant!" and a second for supporting actor with "Invictus."

The Golden Globes, given out on January 17 by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, are among the most-watched awards and a key indicator of which movies will compete for the world's top film honors, the Oscars, in March.

Among other movies to watch in the weeks ahead will be science-fiction adventure "Avatar," which earned four Golden Globe nominations, including best drama, best director for James Cameron and original song and movie score.

GLORY FOR "INGLOURIOUS"

Quentin Tarantino's World War Two fantasy, "Inglourious Basterds" also earned four nods: drama, director, screenplay for Tarantino and supporting actor for Christoph Waltz.

Rounding out the best film drama nominees were Iraq war movie "The Hurt Locker" and urban drama "Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire," which each earned three nominations.

"Hurt Locker" brought a best director nomination to Kathryn Bigelow and a screenplay nod for Mark Boal.

"Precious," a dark tale about an abused young woman, landed newcomer Gabourey Sidibe in the category for best actress and Mo'Nique in the supporting actress group. The movie's director, Lee Daniels, failed to earn a nod in that category, but was nonetheless excited about the film and its actors.

"We (initially) expected to go straight to DVD, so anything beyond that is great," he told Reuters.

Joining "Nine" in the race for best movie musical or comedy were "Julie & Julia," box office sensation "The Hangover" and indie hit "(500) Days of Summer," which claimed a best actor in a comedy nod for its star, Joseph Gordon-Levitt.

Competing against Clooney for best drama actor are Jeff Bridges playing a country singer in "Crazy Heart," Colin Firth as a grieving man in "A Single Man," Morgan Freeman as Nelson Mandela in "Invictus" and Tobey Maguire in "Brothers."

In the group for best actor in a comedy or musical, Gordon-Levitt and Day-Lewis will face competition from Matt Damon in "The Informant!," Robert Downey Jr. for "Sherlock Holmes," and Michael Stuhlberg for "A Serious Man."

Along with Bullock and Sidibe, best dramatic actress nods went to Helen Mirren for "The Last Station," Emily Blunt in "The Young Victoria" and Carey Mulligan with "An Education."

Rounding out the list of nominees for best actress in a musical or comedy was Julia Roberts in "Duplicity."

Foreign language nominees were Italy's "Baaria," Spanish director Pedro Almodovar's "Broken Embraces," Chile's "The Maid," France's "A Prophet" and Germany's "The White Ribbon."

taken from : China Daily

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The Golden Globe Award nominations news conference

Actor and singer Justin Timberlake announces nominees at the Golden Globe Award nominations news conference in Beverly Hills, California December 15, 2009.[Agencies]

Actor and singer Justin Timberlake announces nominees at the Golden Globe Award nominations news conference in Beverly Hills, California December 15, 2009.[Agencies]

Actor John Krasinski announces nominees at the Golden Globe Award nominations news conference in Beverly Hills, California December 15, 2009.[Agencies]

Actress Diane Kruger reacts as she announces a nomination for her film "Inglorious Basterds" at the Golden Globe Award nominations news conference in Beverly Hills, California, December 15, 2009.[Agencies]

Actors Diane Kruger and Justin Timberlake (R) attend the Golden Globe Award nominations news conference in Beverly Hills, California December 15, 2009.[Agencies]

Actors John Krasinski, Diane Kruger and Justin Timberlake (L-R) attend the Golden Globe Award nominations news conference in Beverly Hills, California December 15, 2009.[Agencies]

Actress Diane Kruger (R) reacts on nomination for her film "Inglourious Basterds" announced at the Golden Globe Award nominations news conference in Beverly Hills, California December 15, 2009.[Agencies]

Actress Diane Kruger announces nominees at the Golden Globe Award nominations news conference in Beverly Hills, California December 15, 2009.[Agencies]

taken from : China Daily

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Lindsay Lohan needs Samantha saviour (Agencies)

Lindsay Lohan's father has begged Samantha Ronson to save his daughter. Michael Lohan - who has spoken publicly about his concerns for the 'Mean Girls' actress' mental health and claimed she is addicted to prescription drugs - has urged the star's on/off DJ lover to convince Lindsay to go to rehab, despite previously branding her a "disgusting parasite".

He said: "Maybe Samantha will help Lindsay turn her life around and get her into rehab. At least I know Samantha cares. Time is running out for Lindsay. We need to save her."

While Michael is keen to welcome Samantha back into his daughter's life, he wants to exclude her mother, his estranged wife Dina, branding her a "sick human being".

He added in an interview with the UAE's Insider magazine: "She tells me how bad the problem is with our daughter and in the same breath is avoiding the subject.

"She is a sick human being. Dina can continue to lie and avoid the truth, but I am going to continue to show what a liar she is. She can continue to make all the excuses she wants, but she can't deal with the truth.

"We need to save Lindsay - and now."

Michael - who recently leaked a series of tapes of phone calls between himself and Dina detailing their fears for Lindsay - has vowed to help turn Lindsay's life around.

He previously said: "I want my daughter off prescription medication. She never needed it in her life... I'm not going to watch my daughter die. Hate me now, but you love me more later because I'm going to turn her life around."

taken from : China Daily

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Celebrities Johnny Depp can't get used to winning awards

Hollywood actor Johnny Depp smiles for fans at Japan premiere of his latest film 'Public Enemies' in Tokyo, Japan, Thursday, Dec. 10, 2009. [Agencies]

NASSAU, Bahamas – Hollywood heartthrob Johnny Depp suspects he'll never get used to receiving awards for his acting work.

Depp, best known for his Oscar-nominated role as Captain Jack Sparrow in Disney's "Pirates of the Caribbean" blockbusters, made the comments Sunday night before receiving a career achievement award at the Bahamas International Film Festival.

"Whenever anybody say they are going to give me some kind of award, I'm always a little stupefied by the notion. The first thing I say is 'why?'," Depp told a small scrum of reporters. "I just go to work like anyone else, except my job happens to be a little stranger."

Lit by cameras during a red carpet event, Depp said he planned on spending Christmas on his private island ringed with white sand off Exuma.

"The place is as close to paradise as anywhere you can get," said Depp, wearing a black pinstriped suit and tinted glasses with heavy black frames.

Fellow acting superstar Sean Connery, who also owns a home in the Bahamas, presented Depp with the award at the Balmoral Club in Nassau.

The festival's founder, Leslie Vanderpool, described Depp as an "icon" who is one of the finest actors of his generation.

"What makes this tribute to Johnny even more special is that he has a home in the Bahamas and possesses a true love and appreciation for the region and culture," Vanderpool said in a statement.

Depp's diverse screen credits through the years include starring roles in "Donnie Brasco," "Edward Scissorhands," and "What's Eating Gilbert Grape."

In September, Disney announced that a new "Pirates of the Caribbean" film is on the horizon. Depp will reprise his celebrated role as Sparrow in "Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides," slated for summer of 2011.

Depp said he's enjoyed playing all of his screen characters.

"I'm still amazed I get jobs after all this time," he quipped.
taken from : China Daily

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Celebrities Jude Law had Sherlock nerves

Jude Law thought he was "insane" to sign up for 'Sherlock Holmes'.

The actor only agreed to appear as Dr. Watson in Guy Ritchie's forthcoming reimagining of the famous fictional British detective because he was so desperate to work with Robert Downey Jr. - who plays the title character.

He said: "I met Robert Downey Jr. and wanted to work with him and so I said I'd do 'Sherlock Holmes'. Two days later I thought, 'What am I doing? This is insane because is it really what I want to do?'

"Luckily, it evolved into a wonderful experience."

Despite his nerves, the 'Alfie' star is adamant Guy - who is famous for his fast-paced gangster films - was the perfect choice to direct the movie.

He added to the Daily Telegraph newspaper: "I thought it was a clever twist to take a man known for his modern, punchy, almost street films and apply to him the almost staid legacy."
taken from : China Daily

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Celebrities Sexy mother Rachel Weisz

Rachel Weisz feels sexier now she is a mother.

The 39-year-old actress - who has a three-year-old son Henry with director fiancé Darren Aronofsky - says going through labour made her more aware and comfortable with her body.

She said: "I feel sexier after having a baby. It makes you feel a lot more confident and appreciative of your body and what it's capable of doing. I've got a lot more respect for it."

The 'Lovely Bones' star also said she has learned more about herself since entering her thirties.

She added to Britain's Cosmopolitan magazine: "My twenties were horrible. I felt I didn't know anything and worried about everything.

"As you get older, you learn to let go of a few things. You come to know your own mind, values and morality."

Rachel recently said she had "never been happier" since having Henry and claims he has improved her life in so many ways.

She said: "I find I can get a lot more done since I've had Henry. Suddenly, in 45 minutes, you can get twice as much done as you once did. I've become a lot more organised.

"And I'm a much happier person since I've had Henry, and much more balanced. I feel I have an ultimate purpose beyond anything else in my life."
taken from : China Daily

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"Avatar" sets audiences on epic, visual ride

Actors Sam Worthington (L) and Zoe Saldana as their digital characters Jake and Neytiri in a scene from the upcoming James Cameron film "Avatar".[Agencies]

PARIS - James Cameron's long-awaited "Avatar," one of the most expensive films ever made, takes off this week in an awe-inspiring display of Hollywood power that has revolutionized cinematic special effects.

At a cost of about $400 million to make and market "Avatar," the Oscar-winning director of "Titanic" has created a lush world of dense forest, floating mountains and tremendous creatures in a computer-generated spectacular that transforms much of the cast into giant, blue-skinned humanoids.

The movie, which premiered in London on Thursday and begins landing in theaters worldwide next week, represents a huge risk for the 20th Century Fox studio that backed it and is being watched closely in Hollywood for its impact on the future of movies, special effects and expansion of new 3D technology.

"It's absolutely cinema, but I think cinema redefines itself every few years with new techniques," Cameron told reporters in Paris before the film's launch.

Beyond dazzling audiences with visual effects that plunge the viewer onto the planet Pandora 4.4 light years from Earth, "Avatar" provides a familiar mix of romance, action movie thrills and an old-fashioned battle between good and evil.

"The more fantastic the subject ... the more recognizable and universal, the relationships and people need to be," Cameron said.

"Avatar" shows the forest-dwelling Na'vi fighting for survival against a rapacious colonial mining operation bent on moving them away and stripping their planet.

A crippled ex-Marine is chosen to make contact with the mysterious people as an avatar, a remotely controlled body, which allows him to move freely in the alien world where he falls in love with a Na'vi princess.

SCIENCE FICTION TECHNOLOGY

What makes "Avatar" stand out, however, is the appearance of its three-dimensional forest scenery and the seamless interaction of the human cast with the animated world.

Rigging his actors with specially developed cameras to register every gesture and facial expression as they moved about a bare stage, Cameron and his technical team blended their images into the computer-generated world of Pandora.

"The science fiction of the technology was more science fiction than the story," said Sigourney Weaver, star of Cameron's film "Aliens," who plays a scientist in "Avatar."

"You're aware that a lot of work is going on around you, but you, the actor, just have the responsibility of being in the moment and being in the world," she said.

Cameron, who created many of the special effects with "Lord of The Rings" director Peter Jackson's studio WETA Digital, said the most daunting problem was to ensure the effects did not overwhelm the film and disconnect audiences from the story.

But in Hollywood, performances matter less than results at the box office, and the film industry is closely watching "Avatar" for its impact on film costs and the expanding of 3D technology.

For Fox, a unit of News Corp, the movie represents a huge risk because typically big-budget movies have a fan base from books or other material, like the "Harry Potter" movies.

"Avatar" has no built-in audience, and its effects are costly. A Fox spokesman said it required $237 million to make and $150 million to promote.

When Cameron made "Titanic" for Fox, he drew sharp criticism for its high cost, but the 1997 film made $1.8 billion at global box offices and remains the highest-grossing film of all time.

Last month, Fox studio boss Jim Gianopulos told Reuters he had "no doubt" of making a profit.

If "Avatar" is a big success in 3D, industry watchers expect more theaters to install the new technology quickly and more directors to make movies in the medium.

Early reviews are strong. Show business newspaper The Hollywood Reporter called it a "jaw-dropping wonder."

taken from : China Daily

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