Levine nuzzles with Russian model

Maroon 5 singer Adam Levine and Russian model Anne Vyalitsyna attend the NBA basketball game between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Chicago Bulls in Los Angeles December 25, 2011.[Photo/Agencies]

Maroon 5 singer Adam Levine (L) nuzzles his nose up against Russian model Anne Vyalitsyna as they attend the NBA basketball game between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Chicago Bulls in Los Angeles December 25, 2011.[Photo/Agencies]

Maroon 5 singer Adam Levine (L) kisses model Anne Vyalitsyna during the kiss cam in a time out of the NBA basketball game between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Chicago Bulls in Los Angeles December 25, 2011.[Photo/Agencies]
taken from : China Daily
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McConaughey engaged over Christmas

Matthew McConaughey got engaged to Camila Alves over Christmas.

'The Lincoln Lawyer' actor proposed to the Brazilian model and TV star on Christmas day (25.12.11) and celebrated her accepting by posting a picture of them kissing together on his twitter account.

He wrote: "Just asked camila to marry me, #MerryChristmas (sic)."

Matthew, 42, and Camila, 29, have been together for five years, and have two children together, son Levi, three and daughter, Vida, 23 months.

The actor has previously explained how he wanted Camila to feel secure in their relationship as soon as it became serious by buying new home for them, which she could add her personal touches to.

He said: "Before this, I had a super home in the Hollywood Hills that I did by myself - landscaping, detailing pretty much everything. But that house was mine. And yeah, we coulda gone in there right away. Camila would have said, 'Fine, don't change a thing.' But I thought, I found the woman I wanna do it with, the woman I wanna make a family with, hopefully live our life out together.

"She needs to have 50 per cent of that. I mean, it's a lot easier for me to be at 100 percent. I'd always been 100 per cent. It's braver for me at 50 per cent."taken from : China Daily
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Lady Gaga's assistant seeking back pay

Lady Gaga's former assistant is suing for unpaid earnings.

Jennifer O'Neill, 41, has filed a lawsuit seeking over $380,000 in back pay and undisclosed damages after alleging she worked over 7,168 hours overtime without pay during the 13-month stint she had in the singer's employment.

In the suit, which was filed in Manhattan federal court, Jennifer - who worked for Gaga during her 'Monster's Ball' tour in 2010 - alleges she had to make herself available to the pop superstar at her "earliest waking hour or for spontaneous, random matters in the middle of the night" and in "stadiums, private jets, fine hotel suites, yachts, ferries, trains and tour buses".

Jennifer - who earned $75,000-a-year working for Gaga - also claimed some of her duties included "ensuring the promptness of a towel following a shower, ensuring the availability of chosen outfits and serving as a personal alarm clock to keep Gaga on schedule."

The case has been filed against the 'Marry the Night' hitmaker's touring company, Mermaid Touring.

A spokesperson for Gaga told the New York Post newspaper that the lawsuit is "without merit".
taken from : China Daily
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Selena Gomez thanks fans for support

Singer Selena Gomez poses on arrival at the 2011 American Music Awards in Los Angeles November 20, 2011.[Photo/Agencies]

Selena Gomez has thanked fans for their support following her mother's miscarriage.

The 19-year-old singer-and-actress pulled out of two concert appearances earlier this month when her mother Mandy Teefey lost the baby she was expecting and has now spoken publicly about the tragedy in a Christmas message to her followers.

She wrote on her Facebook page: "Belated Merry Christmas everybody... I can't thank you enough for all of your thoughts and prayers. We appreciate every one of you... I love you all so much and we hope you and your family had a beautiful Christmas!"


In her posting, Selena - who is dating Justin Bieber - revealed the baby was a girl who her mother and stepfather Brian had named Scarlett.

Signing off the message, she wrote: "Me, Momma, Brian and our guardian angel Scarlett."

Last month, the 'Wizards of Waverley Place' actress had spoken of her excitement at becoming a "big sister".

She tweeted: "Momma and Brian are finally letting me share the news... My mommys carrying my baby brother or sister :) I'm the happiest girl in the world! (sic)"

Mandy, a former actress, was married to Selena's father Ricardo Joel Gomez until the Disney star was five years old. She went on to tie the knot with Brian in 2006.
taken from : China Daily
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Cast of 'We Bought a Zoo' meets public

Director Cameron Crowe is bringing his latest work, "We Bought a Zoo" to cinemas around new year.

Starring Matt Damon, Scarlett Johannson and Thomas Haden Church, it's a heartwarming comedy-drama of how a single father and his young family cheer themselves up after the mother dies.

In "We Bought a Zoo", Matt Damon plays Benjamin Mee, a father who impulsively buys a rundown wildlife zoo to re-energize himself and his two kids, after his wife dies of cancer. The movie is based on a memoir by the leading character in real life, the actual Benjamin Mee.
An Academy Award-nominee in 2004, Thomas Haden Church plays Damon's brother. He says he couldn't pass up the opportunity to work with Damon, one of his favorite actors, and one of his favorite directors, Oscar winner Cameron Crowe.

Thomas Haden Church, actor of "We Bought a Zoo", said, "The opportunity to be in a movie that Cameron is directing and love Matt. Followed his career for 15 years and really admire his choices and I just think he's a remarkable gifted and grounded dude as an actor and also a really great writer...And then Cameron you know is just a legendary writer/director and a guy I really consider to be my generation."

The film's young stars, Elle Fanning and Colin Ford had the advantage of knowing one another before filming began. It turns out that the pair go to the same school. And they're already preparing for what their classmates will say about playing romantic love interests in the film.

Elle Fanning and Colin Ford said, "Elle's in the grade below me so, I always have to add that because I'm in high school and she's in middle school so it makes a big difference. But yeah we were friends before so making the kind of romantic scenes a little more simple because we kind of just plugged our friendship into the spot where that fits."

The cast had the opportunity to work alongside a menagerie of zoo animals. Crystal the Capuchin monkey is everybody's favorite co-star, who always stays on actor Patrick Fugit's shoulder. Actress Scarlett Johansson also stars in the film as an overworked zookeeper, struggling to keep the dilapidated business running.

"We Bought a Zoo" opens in worldwide theaters around new year.


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Cruise tops box office with new 'Mission Impossible' film

LOS ANGELES (AFP) - Tom Cruise's "Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol" topped the North American box office over the long Christmas weekend, raking in $46.2 million, industry estimates showed Monday.

The action film, the fourth in the "MI" series, has thus far taken in $78.6 million, according to Exhibitor Relations -- showing that Cruise can still draw a major audience after several box office disappointments.

"Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows" -- a sequel to the 2009 film "Sherlock Holmes" about the character created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle -- slipped from first to second place, taking in $31.8 million from Friday to Monday.

In third with $20 million was "Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked," the third animated film about the singing chipmunks.

The hotly anticipated "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" -- the Hollywood adaptation of the wildly popular Stieg Larsson novel, starring Daniel Craig and Rooney Mara -- took in $19.4 million in its debut weekend for fourth place.

Since its mid-week release, the film has grossed $27.7 million.

"The Adventures of Tintin," the story of the beloved Belgian boy reporter from director Steven Spielberg, came in fifth place with $16.1 million in US and Canadian ticket sales.

Family film "We Bought A Zoo" starring Matt Damon finished in sixth place, taking in $15.6 million, followed by "War Horse" -- also from Spielberg -- in seventh place at $15 million.

Thriller "The Darkest Hour" opened in eighth place with $5.5 million, and star-studded holiday romance "New Year's Eve" earned $4.95 million for ninth place.

Rounding out the top 10 was "The Descendants" starring George Clooney, which grossed $3.4 million over the four-day weekend.

Final figures were due out Tuesday.


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Katy Perry named '1st artist of year'

Singer Katy Perry arrives at the 2011 American Music Awards in Los Angeles November 20, 2011.[Photo/Agencies]

NEW YORK — Katy Perry's run of No. 1 singles has earned her the distinction of becoming MTV's first artist of the year.

Perry topped Adele after a spirited discussion among MTV's internal panel of experts, the network said Thursday. Adele's "Rolling in the Deep" was chosen top song of 2011, said Amy Doyle, the network's chief of music programming.

MTV also declared Skrillex its electronic dance music artist of the year over David Guetta.

Different parts of MTV would make "best of" lists in the past, but the network wanted to establish a franchise that brought all its online and TV arms together and emphasized MTV's music roots, Doyle said. The network, established in 1981, hopes it becomes an annual thing.

Seven panelists made the final choice, and their deliberations were featured in MTV programming this week.

"Rolling in the Deep" was an obvious selection as top song, Doyle said. Runners-up were Nicki Minaj's "Super Bass" and Rihanna's "We Found Love."

"I loved the song the moment I wrote it," Adele said. "The melody and the beat added some conviction to it. I think that's why people connected with it."

Perry's achievement of tying Michael Jackson's "Bad" as the only albums to yield five No. 1 singles was particularly impressive, Doyle said. Along with the title cut, "California Gurls," ''E.T.," "Firework" and "Last Friday Night" (T.G.I.F.) all topped the charts. She's trying to beat the record with the current single "The One That Got Away."

"You just really felt her presence in pop culture throughout the year," Doyle said.

Skrillex, whose real name is Sonny Moore, describes his music as a combination of "dubstep, electro and glitch." MTV included the category of best electronic dance music artist to pay tribute to the way the style is taking off with its young viewers, she said.

MTV also asked its viewers to vote on their choice of the best live performances shown on MTV all year. Their choice was "Hurricane" by Thirty Seconds to Mars.


taken from : China Daily
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Prince Harry's festive trip

Britain's Prince Harry leaves after the marriage between Zara Phillips, the eldest granddaughter of Queen Elizabeth, and England rugby captain Mike Tindall at Canongate Kirk in Edinburgh, Scotland July 30, 2011.[Photo/Agencies]

Britain's Prince Harry enjoyed a trip to Winter Wonderland last night (14.12.11).

The 27-year-old royal almost managed to go unnoticed at the festive attraction in London's Hyde Park where he and friends visited the traditional Christmas markets but his distinctive red hair gave him away.

Fellow reveller Rachel Jones exclusively told BANG Showbiz: "Harry looked like he was having a great time with his friends, chatting and larking about as they wandered through Winter Wonderland. They just looked like a normal group of guys, you wouldn't have known he was a prince! It was only when he took off his baseball cap to scratch his head and I could see his red hair that I knew for definite that it was him."

Although Harry was polite and friendly, his bodyguards were nearby at all times.

Rachel added: "I tried to go over and have a photograph, but a security guard discreetly told me, 'No pictures.' Still, it was nice to see that he was able to have a fairly normal evening out with his mates."

Another Winter Wonderland visitor Paul Bowles took to twitter to write: "Smashed into prince harry on the dodgems last night. Top Guy just looked over and laughed. #princeharry #royalbanter (sic)."

Following his festive fun, Harry and friends dined at Jak's restaurant in South Kensington and then partied at Zefi bar before leaving in the early hours of the morning.

Twitter user @HWalesWatch wrote: "Prince Harry was at Jak's restaurant in Lon. tonight before drinks at Zefi while friend Nat. Pinkham partied down the street at BungaBunga (sic)."

Photographer Jesal Parshotam wrote on his twitter account @therealjesal:"#PrinceHarry brushed shoulders with a christmas tree as he left #zefi bar in kensignton Sw3 at 1.30am. He looked very festive (sic)."
taken from : China Daily
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Britney buys motorbike for boyfriend

Britney Spears has bought a $45,000 motorcycle for her boyfriend's birthday.

The 30-year-old pop star splashed out on the third generation X132 Hellcat from Confederate Motorcycles, along with a $940 leather jacket, for Jason Trawick, who turned 40 today (15.12.11).


Referring to the video for her single 'Criminal', she tweeted: "Hbday Jason! He looked so cool in the video, that I had to get him a new motorcycle. (sic)"

The 'Gimme More' hitmaker - who has sons Sean Preston, six, and Jayden James, five, with ex-husband Kevin Federline - had teased yesterday (14.12.11) that she had a special present for Jason.

She tweeted: "Poor Jason he has less than 5 hours left to be in his 30s. I have a big surprise for him tomorrow. Xxoo (sic)"

Confederate Motorcycles are thrilled that Britney chose to buy one of their custom-made vehicles, which will be delivered to the couple's Californian home in the coming weeks.

Clay Morrison, who works for the company, said: "I think she made the right choice.

"We couldn't be happier that she chose to share the finest motorcycle in the world with Jason!"

The company revealed that Britney will be one of the first celebrities to take delivery of the vehicle, but a host of famous faces - including Brad Pitt, Tom Cruise, and Bruce Springsteen - own earlier models.
taken from : China Daily
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Celine Dion owns '3,000 pairs of shoes'

Celine Dion owns "about 3,000" pairs of shoes.

The 'My Heart Will Go On' singer is obsessed with footwear and admits she can't resist adding to her collection when she goes out shopping, but she doesn't feel guilty because it's her only real vice.

She said: "If you have, let's say, 600 pairs of shoes, you're considered a freak? I have about 3,000 pairs. Look, some people do drugs, and I buy shoes."

Celine feels very lucky to be able to buy expensive shoes and other luxuries and admits the spending power she now has and the lavish Florida estate she lives at with her husband Rene Angelil and their children - 10-year-old son Rene-Charles and 13-month-old twins Eddy and Nelson - is very different to the house she was raised in.


The 43-year-old star grew up in the French-speaking Canadian town of Charlemagne, Quebec, as the youngest of 14 siblings, but although her parents weren't financially wealthy she insists the house was full of love.

She told VanityFair.com: "I grew up in a very, very, very small house. "My mum was brilliant enough to put a pillow in a drawer for a baby to sleep in. We were safe and warm and taken care of. Three or four of us in the same bed was normal to us. We weren't poor, but we never had money. I don't know if that makes sense. We were given love and affection and support. What else did we need?"

Celine - who has sold millions of albums worldwide - acknowledges her fans are responsible for giving her such a great life and she is thankful that after 30 years people still want to come and see her perform.

She said: "My fans bought me my house. They bought my records ... I'm very fortunate, and people have bought my albums year after year, and they come to see the shows, and it's expensive, and they still come."
taken from : China Daily
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Victoria Beckham craved pets

Victoria Beckham craved animals when she was pregnant.

The fashion designer - who gave birth to daughter Harper in July - admits she became obsessed with wanting lots of pets but couldn't persuade husband David to let her get a cat.

Victoria - who also has three sons, Brooklyn, 12, Romeo, nine, and six-year-old Cruz, with the soccer star - said: "When I was pregnant, I just wanted to get lots and lots of animals, for some reason. We talked about cats, but David said absolutely not."

The 37-year-old star - who did manage to get David to agree to a new dog, Scarlett, during the pregnancy - also revealed she worked very hard to regain her figure following the birth of her much-longed for girl.

Victoria - who showcased her latest fashion collection at New York Fashion Week, just three months after Harper was born - told Britain's Elle magazine: "Oh, listen, I worked at it. I was breast-feeding, so I ate super healthy, and I worked out seven days a week. I wanted to burn all my leggings - I was adamant that by the time I went to fashion week I would be able to wear clothes."

taken from : China Daily
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Scarlett Johansson hates exercise discipline

Scarlett Johansson hates the "discipline" she needs to stay slim.

The 27-year-old actress works hard to maintain a slim physique, particularly for the tight-fitting catsuits she has to wear in her role as Black Widow in the forthcoming 'Avengers' movie, but does not enjoy the amount of time she has to spend in the gym so as not to worry too much about what she eats.

She said: "I hate having to be so disciplined, and I don't like to be told to do anything. Not that everyone's telling me what to do - they just expect me to arrive onset and not be fat.

"I exercise and eat well. I do it so I can indulge every now and then. I can have half a bottle of wine and not sit around thinking, oh my God, all those calories! However, when you're working and getting up at 4am to train for three hours every day, drinking isn't what you necessarily want to do. The discipline it takes to keep to that schedule sucks."

As well as disliking her intense exercise regime, Scarlett is not a fan of having to have red hair for the role because it is such a struggle to maintain.

She added in an interview with Australia's Daily Telegraph newspaper: "I'm done with red hair. It's so much upkeep. I don't want to be in the salon any more. I hate sitting there, the smell, the cape."


taken from : China Daily
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Naked Lady Gaga sketch to be auctioned

U.S. singer Lady Gaga performs after she received the Pop International Bambi award during the 63rd Bambi media awards ceremony in Wiesbaden, November 10, 2011.[Photo/Agencies]

Tony Bennett's naked sketch of Lady Gaga is being auctioned for charity.

The 'Marry the Night' singer recently posed nude so the 55-year-old crooner could draw pictures of her after they recorded a song for his 'Duets II' album, with the session captured by celebrity photographer Annie Leibovitz, and the drawing will now go be sold via internet auction site eBay.

Other items to go under the hammer include the accessories Gaga wore for Annie's photos - which appear in the current issue of Vanity Fair - including Mercura sunglasses, House of Lavande earrings, an Alexis Bittar ring and a pair of Brian Atwood shoes.

An original print of the Vanity Fair cover image of Gaga autographed by the photographer and a poster of the cover signed by the singer will also be sold to raise money for Exploring the Arts and the Born This Way Foundation.

Speaking previously about posing naked for Tony, Gaga, 25, said: "I walked in and said, 'Well Tony here we are,' and I dropped my robe and I got into position. I felt shy and thought, 'It's Tony Bennett, why am I naked?'

"Oh Tony he's so handsome. I feel terrible whenever his wife is around because he is so charming and such a gentleman."

taken from : China Daily
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Game : The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

Game : The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
Developer: Bethesda Game Studios
Distributors: Bethesda Softworks (retail), Steam (online)
Series: The Elder Scrolls
Platforms: Microsoft Windows PC, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360
Release dates: November 11, 2011 worldwide
Genres: Action Role-playing, Open World
Modes: Single-player (first-person and third-person view)
Ratings: ACB: MA15+, BBFC: 15, ESRB: M, OFLC: R13, PEGI: 18, USK: 16



Review :
by Andy Alderson

As part of a twelve step exercise in self-improvement, I have decided to begin this review with pure, uncensored (and no doubt unpopular) honesty. When I sat down to put in the first of many, many hours to Skyrim, my initial reaction was mild disappointment. In the time since Oblivion and Fallout 3, I’d hoped that Bethesda might have addressed some of the weaker parts of their RPG formula.

However, as I arrive in Skyrim’s Helgen en route to what appears to be my own execution, I move around for the first time and discover that, yes, the first-person engine still feels floaty and weightless, and yes, the third-person view is still a bit comical, with its unconvincing animations and tenuous bond between man and scenery. And, upon being thrown into combat for the first time, I discover that circling your target repeatedly while mashing the right trigger is still a bizarrely effective combat tactic. So far, so Oblivion.

However, the disappointment fades as quickly as it arrived. Before I know it, my brain is swimming in the beautifully-crafted lore of the Elder Scrolls series and I’m swept away into an epically complex tale of conflict, intrigue and morality, all the while marvelling at the wonderfully-realised world it all occurs in. This, I remember, is why I love Elder Scrolls games. And Skyrim, without a doubt, is the best yet – a triumphant benchmark in fantasy RPG gaming; a game dripping with narrative ambition and, above all else, freedom.

Skyrim’s story is set a good two hundred years after the events of Oblivion and finds the Empire divided. Following a war with the rather snooty High Elves (I mean seriously, unless you’re a perpetual stoner, describing yourself as ‘High’ is a bit much, isn’t it?), Skyrim’s native Nord race begin to question their inclusion in the Empire and a separatist movement emerges, led by Ulfric Stormcloak. In a moment of true heroism, or dastardly betrayal, depending on which side you favour, Ulfric does away with the high king of Skyrim and a civil war begins. Oh, and a long-extinct race of dragons seems to be returning with the intention of destroying everything, as if there wasn’t enough to get a bit stressy about.

You, however, are the Dragonborn, a mysterious type with the ability to destroy dragons and absorb their souls. There’s an ancient prophecy about you and everything (there’s always an ancient prophecy). The Dragonborn also has the ability to learn and perform shouts, the game’s major new supernatural power. While it may seem that shouting strangers into submission is exclusively the reserve of British stag parties abroad, it seems the shout is equally popular in Skyrim. Using ancient Nordic words of power, The Dragonborn can learn a variety of shouts, with a variety of results, all of which you’ll need to advance through the main quest.

And it’s a fantastic main quest. Steeped in ambiguity and intrigue, the excellent quest design in Skyrim means that you’re constantly thinking. There’s no black and white in Skyrim and nothing is simple. In a world so divided, you’re constantly being pushed towards one side or the other and Bethesda has crafted the narrative and lore so cunningly, so meticulously that you’re never quite sure to whom you owe your allegiance, if anyone at all. Because of this, decisions feel important. While it may be pushing things a little far to say that the NPCs in Skyrim are all three dimensional, there’s a refreshing moral ambiguity at play and so when you find someone that you like, you’re also aware that they may have some serious skeletons in their closet.

It’s rarely obvious who you can trust and so, when you do find yourself a loyal travelling companion, you form a bizarre bond with them. You’ll hear a lot about Lydia, for instance, who is just one of the characters you can choose to accompany you through the game. While I spent a considerable amount of time inventing new swearwords due to her ridiculous behaviour (AI is still an issue, which we’ll get to in a bit), I could not let her die. It was inconceivable. We were the Jack and Vera Duckworth of fantasy RPG gaming. However, your experience could be entirely different - you can choose to ignore companionship and go it completely alone in Skyrim as (and I’ll be hammering this point home today) freedom is the gift Bethesda offers you.

There is a seemingly endless variety of ways to play the game. You could choose to avoid the main quest entirely and concentrate on joining a faction, for instance (like the guilds in Oblivion). Or you could roll pimp style and focus on making some Benjamins. Or, and this proved to be my favourite (at least to begin with), you could explore the world realistically with no fast travel. This allows you to experience the sheer vastness and beauty of the game world as well as the tension and paranoia of being alone in the wilderness. The sense of relief as you reach the gates of a new city is palpable. Sanctuary. Find an inn, sleep, ask around, help some people. Like a medieval A-Team. Or, you could become Skyrim’s most evil motherhugger, razing each town you encounter and rinsing the world for everything you can get. It’s all about choice, just be aware that choice rarely comes without consequence in Skyrim.

While previous Bethesda RPGs have followed the same formula, it has never been to this extent. The developer has tweaked the core mechanics to place as few limits on the player as possible. Gone are the classes of Oblivion, replaced with a much more freeform skill system. You aren’t limited to choosing a class in the early stages of the game, thus restricting your play style. Instead, while each race has some unique attributes - my Wood Elf is more resistant to disease and can summon animals to help in combat, for example – all skill trees are open to you so you can shift direction at any point. Obviously, while the sheer amount of skills and perks on offer means that a jack of all trades-type won’t get you very far, it’s an impressive tweak to the game mechanic.

Other brilliant new additions to the formula are crafting, enchanting and alchemy. While Oblivion’s dungeon crawling rewarded you with new weapons throughout, and Skyrim does the same, you can also create your own weapons, armour and potions. Simply gather the appropriate materials, make sure you have the requisite skills and create away. It’s an utterly absorbing process which can come to dominate entire Skyrim play sessions. I have literally spent hours at a time creating/improving weapons, armour and potions before taking them out into Skyrim to experiment. It may sound like a waste of time, but you’ll inevitably end up doing the same.

The sum total of this almost endless freedom is more than enough to paper over the cracks. And there are a few cracks to be found. As I mentioned before, friendly AI can be infuriating as the spurious pathfinding means that your companion will often take the long way round, leaving you alone in battle at crucial moments. They also have a tendency to charge unwisely into dangerous situations. The phrase “Lydia, NO!” has been heard a lot in my flat over the last few weeks. While the AI is frustrating, the quest bugs are worse. Most involve scripted events in quests not triggering, meaning you’ll find yourself having to frustratingly reload prior save games to advance. However, anyone familiar with Bethesda’s RPGs will know to save frequently to avoid incidences of controller-biting rage.

And, of course, an open world Bethesda RPG means you will encounter framerate issues. Oblivion ran like a demotivated fat man whenever you ventured outside a dungeon and you’ll be glad to know that, on the 360 version at least, performance is better (which is no mean feat given the improvement in the visuals). However, there are still moments when the game slows to slide-show pace for seemingly no reason. By all accounts, it seems as if PS3 gamers have struggled even more with framerate issues, all of which Bethesda has resolved to sort out via patching.

While some will point to this as bad design, it’s hard too gripe too much at the developer when you consider the sheer enormity and ambition of Skyrim. This is a game that will consume hundreds of hours of your life and has a huge amount of replay value thanks to the Radiant AI system which dynamically generates some (but not all) quests in the game. This means there are likely to be significant differences between your experience and your friends and this is the true heart of Skyrim. The joy of reading game forums and telling others how you approached certain situations, comparing your experience with friends’. It’s the reason why the Skyrim thread will stay on page one of your favourite gaming forum for a long time to come. This is as close to open world nirvana as you can find.

The Elder Scrolls V : Skyrim Official Trailer



Source : totalvideogames
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Katie Holmes has dance classes with Tom

Katie Holmes makes Tom Cruise take dance classes with her.

The 49-year-old actor - who has five-year-old daughter Suri with the actress - says his spouse is responsible for him agreeing to star in forthcoming movie musical 'Rock of Ages' because she is always trying to instil a love of the performing arts in her family.

He said: "You're just as surprised as I am [that I'm in the movie]. Kate kept saying, 'You've got to make a musical.' The dancing of ['Tropic Thunder' character] Les Grossman is inspired because Kate is a dancer, she sings, and she would take us to dance classes.

"She would say, 'I've got this dance class for the family, come on we've got to do it, we've got hip-hop class, we've got to do it.' "

Tom plays 80s rocker Stacee Jaxx in the movie - which also stars Alex Baldwin, Catherine Zeta Jones, Mary J. Blige and Julianne Hough - and though the actor studied the musicians of the period, he insists his character is not based on anyone in particular.

He told MTV News: "I just kind of studied the whole time period and read a lot of books."


taken from : China Daily
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Adele 'ready for love'

Adele is "ready for love" again.

The 'Someone Like You' hitmaker - who documented painful break-ups in her multi-million selling albums '19' and '21' - admitted not having a special someone to share her success with has made her "miserable" at times.

She said: "Not having someone to share all this with made me miserable at times, to be honest. I wanted nothing more than to be in love and be loved back. That was until I remembered I was sharing it with millions and millions and millions of people!

"I haven't been ready to be in love again since summer 2009 ... until now. And I hadn't met anyone along the way who's changed that."

The 23-year-old singer explained the success of '21' became a "constant reminder" of her lost love, and just made her feel "bitter" and "sad" about the relationship.

Adele added in an online chat with Billboard: "I was bitter and sad. Obviously it was intensified because the record exploded, and it was a constant reminder of him that I couldn't avoid. But I hadn't met anyone else.

"I missed him because I didn't like feeling lonely and so I just kept going over and over the mistakes and resenting him and regretting our time together."

taken from : China Daily
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Gaga gives a naughty and nice concert in NYC

Lady Gaga poses during the 63rd Bambi media awards ceremony in Wiesbaden, November 10, 2011. Every year, the German media company 'Hubert Burda Media', honors celebrities from the world of entertainment, literature, sports and politics with the Bambi awards. [Photo/Agencies]

NEW YORK — Lady Gaga was in the Christmas spirit at Z100's annual Jingle Ball concert, but her version of "White Christmas" would have made Bing Crosby blush.

Gaga performed a slightly naughty rendition of the holiday classic Friday night as part of her mini-concert at the radio station's event at Madison Square Garden. Gaga — sporting tight studded leather pants, matching top and a bare midriff — gyrated on a set that included antlers, Christmas trees and holiday lights as she performed "White Christmas."

"So I recently added a couple of lyrics to this song because I think it's too short. It's like when you really start to enjoy it it stops. It's like a really bad orgasm. Merry Christmas New York!" she shouted. Later, she made a suggestive pose as she gave a come hither coo to Santa.

But her performance wasn't all saucy. She was nostalgic and appreciative as she thanked the radio station for allowing her to be the headliner of this year's show, which included performances from Kelly Clarkson, Demi Lovato, LMFAO, Pitbull, David Guetta, Foster the People, Hot Chelle Rae and more.

Gaga said her first concert as a young girl growing up in New York City was the Z100 Jingle Ball.

"I worked so hard and when I was 11 ... my mom got me tickets to Jingle Bell Ball," she said.

Gaga opened the Jingle Ball concert three years ago, she said: "I'll never forget there were a whole lot of superstars and no one knew who the hell I was. ... Some people thought I was going to be a one-hit wonder."

The singer, recently nominated for three Grammys, proved to be otherwise, and sang a few of her best-known songs, including "Telephone," ''Just Dance" and "Edge of Glory."

She opened her performance by singing between several Christmas trees; later, she performed on a keytar shaped like a Christmas tree, and she ended the night dressed in a hospital gown, re-enacting the theme of her latest video, "Marry the Night."

A portion of the evening's proceeds will go to "STOMP Out Bullying," a program designed to reduce and prevent bullying, a cause close to Gaga's heart. Earlier this week, she went to the White House to meet with officials about the matter.

"It's important to keep everybody safe in school," Gaga told the audience before launching into her inspirational anthem "Born This Way."

She also told her fans that she was happy to be in New York City during the holidays.

"This city gave birth to me and I will always come home," she said.

The concert will air Dec. 18 on the Fuse network.


taken from : China Daily
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Jennifer Aniston voted Hottest Woman

Jennifer Aniston has been named the Hottest Woman of All Time.

The 'Friends With Benefits' star - who is currently dating actor Justin Theroux - beat off competition from the likes of screen legend Marilyn Monroe, pop icon Madonna and Angelina Jolie, who raises six children with Jennifer's ex-husband Brad Pitt, to top the poll by MensHealth.com.

However, the 42-year-old beauty admitted French actress Bridgitte Bardot and feminist Gloria Steinem top her personal list.

She said: "It's a tie between Bridgitte Bardot and Gloria Steinem.

"But if I had to choose one, I'd say Gloria because, well, she's the full package. That's sexy."

The site added: "Funny is sexy, and Jennifer Aniston is funny. Her down-to-earth persona makes her seem attainable. And her all-too-human love life off screen inspires sympathy that not even a string of bland romantic comedies can diminish.

"Other sex symbols drift toward one-dimensionality, becoming flat icons in the process, but throughout her career Aniston has remained sexy, funny, and unmistakably real."

Meanwhile, Jennifer spoke out about what she finds attractive in a man and aside from great "abs", an "accurately sized ego" makes her tick.

She said: "Sexiest thing about a man-other than abs-is if he can make me laugh, has compassion, kindness, and an accurately sized ego."

MENSHEALTH.COM HOTTEST WOMEN OF ALL TIME TOP 10 2011

1. Jennifer Aniston

2. Raquel Welch

3. Marilyn Monroe

4. Britney Spears

5. Madonna

6. Ursula Andress

7. Bettie Page

8. Pamela Anderson

9. Jane Fonda

10. Angelina Jolie



taken from : China Daily
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Julia Roberts is protective over Adele

Julia Roberts has issued a strong warning to any man wishing to date Adele.

The 'Pretty Woman' actress is a huge fan of the 'Someone Like You' singer and has threatened to harm her next boyfriend if her treats her badly.

She told Entertainment Weekly: "Anybody that's going to date her is a brave, brave man. You're going to get a whole lot of love, but you'd better treat her right, or we're all coming after you."

Julia says the reason Adele, 23, has become a worldwide star is because people can relate to her and the pain and heartache she's going through.

She said: "Adele's music is so personal that you get invested in her life.

"When Adele had her health scare, I had random people saying to me, 'Oh my God, did you hear about Adele?'

"We feel like Adele's in our book club or she lives near us - that's a gift, to make people feel that way."

Meanwhile, Adele - who recently underwent throat surgery - has revealed she is going to take a couple of years to work on her third album, following the huge success of '19' and '21'.

She said: "I imagine I'll be 25 or 26 by the time my next record comes out, as I haven't even thought about my third record yet.

"I'm just going to lay some concrete, set up home and just 'be' for a bit. I'll disappear and come back with a record when it's good enough."

taken from : China Daily
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Sarah Jessica Parker takes over at home

Sarah Jessica Parker admits she should "let" her husband do more in their home.

The 'New Year's Eve' actress insists Matthew Broderick - with who she has son James Wilkie, nine, and two-year-old twins Marion and Tabitha - is very involved with family life but sometimes she can't help but take over their domestic tasks.

She said: "He helps a lot. There are things I could let him do more, but I just don't because it's my nature. But if I ask for help or he sees the need, he has his own instinct."

The 46-year-old actress also admitted she is sometimes a "disaster" when it comes to juggling work and family life.

She said: "I'm like many women - some days I'm victorious and some days it's a disaster.

"There's an enormous difference between what happens in my life and most working women. I can decide not to work when I want to and millions of women don't have that liberty."
taken from : China Daily
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Royal lookalikes

Lookalikes of Britain's Prince Harry and his sister-in-law Pippa Middleton pose in a pub during a media event to promote a new book by photographer Alison Jackson, in London December 7, 2011.[Photo/Agencies]

Lookalikes of Britain's Prince Harry and his sister-in-law Pippa Middleton pose in a pub during a media event to promote a new book by photographer Alison Jackson, in London December 7, 2011.[Photo/Agencies]

Lookalikes of Britain's Prince Harry and his sister-in-law Pippa Middleton pose in a park during a media event to promote a new book by photographer Alison Jackson, in London December 7, 2011.[Photo/Agencies]

Lookalikes of Britain's Prince Harry and his sister-in-law Pippa Middleton pose on a park bench during a media event to promote a new book by photographer Alison Jackson, in London December 7, 2011.[Photo/Agencies]

Lookalikes of Britain's Prince Harry and his sister-in-law Pippa Middleton pose outside a pub during a media event to promote a new book by photographer Alison Jackson, in London December 7, 2011.[Photo/Agencies]

taken from : China Daily
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Angelina Jolie hits back at lawsuit

Angelina Jolie claims she has "never seen" the book she is alleged to have based 'In the Land of Blood and Honey' on.

The Oscar-winning actress - who is making her directorial debut with the Serbian love story - is being sued by Croatian journalist James Braddock for copyright violation, as he maintains the movie is an adaptation of his own book 'The Subject Work', which was published in 2007.

However, the star has dismissed the lawsuit as "par for the course" of directing a film.

She told the Los Angeles Times: "It's par for the course. It happens on almost every film.

"There are many books and documentaries that I did pull from. It's a combination of many people's stories. But that particular book I've never seen."

In a lawsuit filed in a federal court in Illinois, Mr. Braddock claims he met with producer Edin Sarkic - who is now working on Angelina's movie - several times throughout 2008 to discuss the possibility of his tome being adapted for the big screen.

He maintains the pair talked about the details of the book, which similarly to 'In the Land of Blood and Honey' documents the love story between a female prisoner and a Serbian soldier, "including plot and character development and the story's cultural significance and historical accuracy".

A judge will now have determine whether "the claimed obvious similarities meet the high threshold needed to prove copyright infringement".

Mr. Braddock is seeking an injunction to block the film's scheduled release on December 23, as well as unspecified damages.

taken from : China Daily
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Daniel Radcliffe is EW's Entertainer of the Year

Cast member Daniel Radcliffe arrives for the premiere of the film "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2" in New York July 11, 2011.[Photo/Agencies]

"Harry Potter" star Daniel Radcliffe was named Entertainment Weekly's "Entertainer of the Year" on Wednesday, capping a successful 2011 for the young actor.

Radcliffe, 22, took his final turn as the boy wizard in "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2," the last installment of the film franchise, earlier this year.

The film crossed the $1 billion threshold at the global box office as fans rushed to see their favorite wizard battle evil for the last time.

The "Harry Potter" star also broke out of his magical role to take on Broadway in the musical "How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying," stepping into the shoes of stage veterans Robert Morse and Matthew Broderick and receiving positive critical reviews for his performance.

Radcliffe was joined on Entertainment Weekly's list by British singer Adele and "X-Men" actor Hugh Jackman. The full list will be available on newsstands on December 9.

taken from : China Daily
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Lady Gaga receives Hero award

Lady Gaga's has declared her Hero Award in recognition of her work with the LGBT community better than a Grammy.

The 'Marry the Night' hitmaker was honoured by the Trevor Project - a non-profit company that offers suicide-prevention services to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) youth - at their annual Trevor Live event in Los Angeles last night (04.12.11) and said it means more to her than receiving accolades for her music.

Accepting the prize at the star-studded event at The Hollywood Palladium, she said: "This means more to me than any Grammy I could ever win."

Gaga was presented with her award by the family of Jamey Rodemeyer, the New York teenager and huge Lady Gaga fan, who killed himself in September after enduring constant bullying over his sexuality.

Josh Duhamel and his wife Fergie, LeAnn Rimes and husband Eddie Cibrian, 'Glee's Chris Colfer, Darren Criss, Dianna Agron and Amber Riley and 'Footloose' Julianne Hough were all in attendance.

Openly gay 'Star Trek' hunk Zachary Quinto and lesbian actress Amber Heard were also recognised for raising awareness of equal rights.

Zachary wrote on twitter: "Such a moving and inspiring evening at trevor live with TrevorProject and many friends! enormous heaps of gratitude! (sic)"

Performers included Neil Patrick Harris and partner David Burtka, Miley Cyrus, Mary J. Blige and Queen Latifah.

taken from : China Daily
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'Sexy goddess' Kristen Stewart

Robert Pattinson thinks Kristen Stewart is a "sexy goddess".

The 25-year-old actor - who is dating his 'Twilight Saga' co-star off-screen - admitted Kristen looked "amazing" when her alter-ego Bella Swann turned into a blood-sucking "vampire queen" during the latest film in the franchise.

He said: "She was a sexy goddess. She looked amazing. It was funny because Bella is that girl that is always tripping on things, and then, she turns into this elegant woman, like a vampire queen.

"Kristen had the best twist in the plot!"

However, Robert - who plays vampire Edward Cullen in 'Twilight' - admitted the couple's on-screen sex scene was far from easy because there were so many crew members who wanted to have a say in how the pair's intimacy panned out.

He added in an interview with Brazil's Capricho magazine: "I was trying to do a sex scene and there was huge guy lying on the floor, looking at me and telling me what to do.

"The hardest thing was that, in normal movies, when you're doing a sex scene, people don't pressure you a lot because the director doesn't want to intervene and suggest how he would do that.

"But in 'Breaking Dawn', it was different, there was too much expectation. How to make all the people that were waiting for that moment happy."
taken from : China Daily
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Victoria Beckham inspired by kids 'every day'

Victoria Beckham is inspired by her children "every day".

The fashion designer - who has four kids, Brooklyn, 12, Romeo, nine, Cruz, six, and four-month-old Harper, with her soccer star husband David - says being a mother gives her the inspiration needed for her work, while spouse David gives her the support she desires.

Speaking at the British Fashion Awards - where her clothing line won Designer Brand of the Year - Victoria said: "David is my rock. He encourages me and gives me the confidence to do what I do and my kids inspire me every day. And my mum and dad were here, which was fantastic. I love them all so, so much. My family means everything to me."

Victoria - who lives with her family in Los Angeles - was accompanied to London by daughter Harper but says she wishes all her children could have gone with her.

She told Britain's HELLO! magazine: "Harper comes everywhere with me. All the kids would come everywhere with me but the boys have to be at school."

Victoria recently revealed she is "in love" with all her four children and loves being a mother as they bring so much joy to her life.

The 37-year-old star said: "Harper is absolutely amazing. But I am in love with all of my children. They are all wonderful."

taken from : China Daily
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Angelina Jolie sued for copyright

Angelina Jolie is being sued for copyright violation.

Croatian journalist James Braddock claims the Oscar-winning actress' upcoming directorial debut 'In the Land of Blood and Honey' is based on his book 'The Subject Work', which he published in 2007.

In a lawsuit filed in a federal court in Illinois, Mr. Braddock claims he met with producer Edin Sarkic - who is now working on Angelina's movie - several times throughout 2008 to discuss the possibility of his tome being adapted for the big screen, X17 reports.

He maintains the pair talked about the details of the book, which similarly to 'In the Land of Blood and Honey' documents the love story between a female prisoner and a Serbian soldier, "including plot and character development and the story's cultural significance and historical accuracy".

A judge will now have determine whether "the claimed obvious similarities meet the high threshold needed to prove copyright infringement".

Mr. Braddock is seeking an injunction to block the film's scheduled release on December 23, as well as unspecified damages.

This is the latest blow for Angelina, as she and partner Brad Pitt are also being sued for $87,566 in an unfair dismissal case by their former secretary Ana Charlotiaux, who worked at the couple's Chateau Miraval estate in the South of France until February 2010.

At a recent hearing, Ana's lawyer Emmanuel Ludot said: "She is not asking for much - just fair compensation for wrongful dismissal.

"This money is a drop in the ocean for these stars. She has nothing against them personally, and says she was always treated well by them, but they did not step in to prevent her being dismissed."


taken from : China Daily
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Demi Moore dating again after split

Demi Moore is reportedly dating beauty mogul Scott-Vincent Borba.

The 'Ghost' actress' - who announced her split from husband Ashton Kutcher last month - has grown close to Scott over the past few weeks and the pair decided to take their friendship further last week.

A source said: "Demi and Scott-Vincent started dating last week. They have known each other a long time and he's really been there for her by her side through the whole Ashton thing."

Scott - who is in his mid-30s and co-founded BORBA skin care products - is said to be smitten with 49-year-old Demi and isn't star-struck by her as he works with many celebrities.

The source added to RadarOnline.com: "It's easy for Scott-Vincent to keep his relationships a secret because he's so often photographed hanging out with celebrity clientele. But he's head over heels for Demi and there's definitely potential for a lasting relationship between them."

Demi - who has three daughters with first husband Bruce Willis - announced she was ending her six-year marriage to Ashton last month after he was accused of cheating on her in September.

She said in a statement: "It is with great sadness and a heavy heart that I have decided to end my six-year marriage to Ashton. As a woman, a mother and a wife there are certain values and vows that I hold sacred, and it is in this spirit that I have chosen to move forward with my life. This is a trying time for me and my family, and so I would ask for the same compassion and privacy that you would give to anyone going through a similar situation."

taken from : China Daily
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Brad Pitt comforts suicidal fan

U.S. actor Brad Pitt waves during a news conference to promote his film "Moneyball" in Tokyo November 10, 2011.[Photo/Agencies]

Brad Pitt comforted a suicidal fan following a special screening of his new movie 'Moneyball'.

The 47-year-old Hollywood star was initially shocked when the aspiring actor revealed at a special Q&A for the movie that he had been struggling with suicidal thoughts earlier in the day and said the baseball biopic gave him "a renewed sense of hope" but Brad quickly recovered and offered some words of wisdom to the man.

A source told USmagazine.com: "Brad said 'Look, man, life is up and down, it's a vicious cycle, but you have to go through it and deal with that. You can be down, but then you come back up again, and every failure can lead to success'.

"Brad handled the situation really well in front of several hundred people - it was a difficult moment that shocked everyone."

Another insider added: "It was a touching moment. As he left he even stopped to talk with the guy to offer him some more words of encouragement because he was obviously fragile."

taken from : China Daily
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Britney Spears admires Jennifer Lopez

Britney Spears' beauty icon is Jennifer Lopez.

The 'Toxic' singer says she's a huge fan of the 'American Idol' judge and thinks the 42-year-old star just gets better and better with age.

She said: "Jennifer Lopez is my idol - she's so beautiful and even though she's gotten older, she hasn't aged at all. She looks more amazing than ever and I really admire and respect that."

Britney, 29, also says she takes beauty advice from her mother, Lynne, and gets tips to keep her skin looking good, which include drinking water and uses lost of creams.

She told Now magazine: "My mom's very into her skincare and making sure she has the right cream. It's important to experiment with different creams as we get older5, so she's always showing me the upcoming products, which is pretty cool. One of her skin secrets is making sure she gets lots of rest and water."

taken from : China Daily
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Look who is back in Scandal

TALENTED: Luthuli Dlamini

Dec 2, 2011 | Patience Bambalele

"It's good to be back again" PLUS what happens to Stan

TELEVISION and film actor Luthuli Dlamini is back in the e.tv soapie Scandal after a two-year break.

Dlamini, who portrays business mogul Stan Nyathi, will start appearing on television on December 14.

He disappeared from the small screes when his character went to England, leaving his brother Daniel - Sello Maake kaNcube - in charge of the business.

Dlamini says the return of Stan will stir things up for Daniel, who is enjoying the power at the moment.

"Daniel has been enjoying power alone and the return of Stan will limit his freedom."

Born in Zimbabwe and raised in England, Dlamini moved to South Africa after finishing school to estab-lish himself as an actor.

He says his return to the soapie is well-timed.

"It is good to be back again and see old friends and cast members," he says. "I see Rami Chuene is also back. I am already enjoying myself. I took a break to focus on others things. I have been acting in films and a drama series. I have been writing a lot but my projects have not received enough funding."

While in England Stan discovered that he was not the father of his only son, Mangi, whom he raised. His brother Daniel fathered Mangi.

Dlamini says things will be difficult for Stan as he tries to find his feet and make sense of everything that is happening.

The talented actor has made numerous television appearances in shows such as Drum, Snitch, Generations, Isidingo, Justice For All and The Res, before landing the lead role in Scandal.

He has played the leading role of Tombo Mbuli in the M-Net sitcom The Coconuts. Early this year he starred in the green consumerism show Greenline, on SABC3.

source : sowetanlive.co.za
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Tom Cruise on new world-saving mission impossible

Cast members Paula Patton (L) and Tom Cruise pose at a promotional event for their latest film ''Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol'' in Tokyo December 1, 2011. Reuters/Kim Kyung-Hoon

By Kaori Kaneko

Thu Dec 1, 2011 3:57pm EST

TOKYO, Dec 1 - Tom Cruise kicked off the rollout of the fourth installment of his "Mission Impossible" franchise with a limited fan screening in Japan on Thursday ahead of its official world premiere next week.

Cruise, 49, returns as super-agent Ethan Hunt saving the world yet again in "Mission Impossible - Ghost Protocol," packed with stunts and action scenes, some featuring the world's tallest building -- Dubai's Burj Khalifa.

In the latest in the series of blockbusters that has grossed nearly $1.5 billion worldwide, Impossible Mission Force (IMF) operative Hunt and fellow agents are blamed for a terrorist bombing of the Kremlin and are forced to run.

The agency is dissolved and the group -- without any resources or backup -- must find a way to clear the agency's name, prevent another attack and avert a nuclear war.

Major parts of the film were shot in Dubai, where it will officially open on December 7, while the action also takes Hunt to Moscow, Budapest and Mumbai.

Paramount Pictures, a subsidiary of Viacom Inc., said Cruise chose to start the film's tour in Tokyo ahead of the Dubai splash as a gesture to his Japanese fans and the nation that suffered so much from the March 11 earthquake, tsunami and the ensuing nuclear crisis.

"I know this country has been through lots this year," he said after attending a red carpet event where some 1,500 noisy fans braved the cold to see him.

"But I also know the strength and courage of this country and I know you will get through it. And I want you to know how much we love you and the world is thinking of you, and we are here."

Misao Otsu, a 48-year-old who runs a company trading in cosmetic products, praised Cruise for his work ethic.

"I always go to see these (Mission Impossible) movies on opening day," she said. "I want the series to continue. What Tom does is beyond what a human being can do."

The film will be released in Japan on December 16 and in the United States on December 21 with theatrical releases around the world staggered over several weeks.

Two-time Academy Award winner Brad Bird directed the film and the cast includes Jeremy Renner, nominated for an Oscar for his role in the 2008 war film "The Hurt Locker."

Bird won the Oscars for animated films "The Incredibles" and "Ratatouille."

Cruise is producing the film with J.J. Abrams who last teamed up with the actor in 2006 for "Mission Impossible III."

(Writing by Kaori Kaneko and Tomasz Janowski; Editing by Mike Collett-White)

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Justin Bieber wants family Christmas

Justin Bieber wants to spend Christmas with his family.

The 17-year-old popstar revealed he doesn't want expensive gifts for the holidays but instead he hopes to get some time off to spend with his loved ones in Canada.

He told Hollywood Teen TV: "For this Christmas, I just want to be with my family. I don't really have any requests, except for socks and underwear because I just run out of them a lot."

Justin - who was born in London, Ontario and grew up in Stratford, Ontario - has previously revealed he is keen to return to his native country when he is a bit older and ready to start a family.

He said: "I think it would be cool to get a condo out here in LA, but eventually I'll probably want to move back to Canada and raise my family. Why? I dunno, I'm Canadian, I feel like I want my kids to be Canadian."

taken from : China Daily
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Kanye West gets 7 Grammy noms

Rappers Kanye West (L) and Jay-Z perform during the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show at the Lexington Armory in New York November 9, 2011.[Photo/Agencies]

Adele scored six Grammy nominations on Wednesday, including for record, song and album of the year, but the owner of the 2011's best-selling album with "21" wasn't the night's top nominee — and that wasn't the evening's only surprise.

Kanye West came away with a leading seven nominations, including a bid for song of the year for his all-star song "All of the Lights." However, the album from which it came — "My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy," heralded by many critics as the best album of 2010 — was not in the best album category, and all of his other nominations were relegated to the rap fields.

Other notable omissions in the top categories included country phenomenon Taylor Swift and veteran crooner Tony Bennett.


Bruno Mars and the Foo Fighters tied Adele with six nominations each, including in the album of the year category. Lil Wayne had five nods and critical-darling folky act Bon Iver scored four nominations, with two in the prestigious record and song of the year categories. But dubstep star Skrillex may have been the night's biggest surprise, getting five nominations, including a bid for best new artist.

"It feels incredible. Me and these guys, we locked ourselves in the studio not too far from here and worked on this album, especially 'Grenade,'" Mars said after the nominations were announced. "That's the song we worked the hardest on. That's like our trophy right there. Of all the songs we've been fortunate enough to be a part of this year, we were most proud of that one."

The nominations were announced after the Recording Academy's fourth annual live concert special, which aired on CBS from the Nokia Theater in Los Angeles. The hour-long event featured key nominees like Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, Nicki Minaj and the Band Perry.

Even though Adele didn't get the lion's share of nominations, she got them where it counted: Her "21," the mournful post-breakup album that produced smash hits like the torch ballad "Someone Like You" — was nominated for album of the year. The searing groove "Rolling in the Deep," which spent seven weeks at No. 1 this past summer, got nominations for both record and song of the year. Only Mars got nominations in all three categories as well.

Other nominees in the record of the year category included Bon Iver's ballad "Holocene"; Mars' ballad "Grenade"; Mumford & Sons' "The Cave"; and Katy Perry's inspirational anthem "Firework." For song of the year, which honors the writers of the tune, contenders included "The Cave," ''Grenade, "Holocene" and Lady Gaga's "You and I."

The best album category was as noteworthy for who was excluded as it was for who was nominated. Lady Gaga garnered her third straight nod in the category for "Born This Way," while veteran rockers the Foo Fighters were nominated for "Wasting Light," along with Mars' debut album, "Doo-Wops & Hooligans," and Rihanna's steamy dance album "Loud."

Shut out were perceived favorites like 85-year-old Bennett, who became the oldest person to score a No. 1 debut when his "Duets II" album was released earlier this year, and the megawatt collaboration of Jay-Z and West with the heavily hyped "Watch The Throne."

The biggest snub may have been to Swift, who won in the category in 2010 and was considered by some critics to be a favorite for "Speak Now," which has sold 3.7 million copies. She did get three nominations, however, including for best country album.

(Another blonde diva, Beyonce, merited just two nominations in lesser categories).

Unlike the past two years, which saw Swift and fellow country act Lady Antebellum soar in the general categories, the only country act that got a mainstream nomination was the country sibling act The Band Perry. Best known for their poignant ballad "If I Die Young," they got a nomination for best new artist.

"It's been an amazing evening," said lead singer Kimberly Perry. "We got the good news yesterday that our debut album went platinum, it was certified yesterday, to so follow it with a nomination tonight is phenomenal. We're just in the clouds, absolutely."

Their competition also includes Bon Iver, Jay-Z rap protege J. Cole, Skrillex and rapper-singer Nicki Minaj, who scored four nominations in total.

The 54th Grammys will be held Feb. 12 in Los Angeles. The ceremony will mark the first since the academy shaved its categories from 109 to 78 this year, amid some protest. Some of the more niched categories, like best Zydeco or Cajun music album, were eliminated.

In addition, men and women now compete together in vocal categories for pop, R&B and country, instead of having separate categories for each sex. This year, the category is best pop solo performance and Bruno Mars is the only man nominated for "Grenade." His competition includes Adele for "Someone Like You," Lady Gaga for "You and I," Pink for "(Expletive) Perfect" and Perry for "Firework."
taken from : China Daily
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Art collector Blake Lively

Blake Lively loves collecting art.

The 'Gossip Girl' star has been a huge fan of paintings ever since her brother Eric encouraged her to start her own collection and revealed she now always buys new art when she is away on location filming.

She explained to Artlog: "My brother Eric thought it was important for me to collect art and have an awareness of it at a young age. He took me to an exhibit by Sage Vaughn at a warehouse in downtown Los Angeles and bought me my first piece. That experience ignited a hunger to see more art and collect it however I could.

"I always try to buy things when I travel as a reminder of the trip and time spent in a city. When I was working in New Orleans for four months, I bought a chair and a painting of Audrey Hepburn by local artist Sarah Ashley Longshore."

While Blake's collection is varied, she admits she is drawn to a certain type of art.

She said: "I've found that I'm often drawn to pieces that portray a childish imagination with a malevolent undertone, like the moment on the boat in Willy Wonka when all the fantasy turns on itself into the unexpected. In every piece I own there is a sense of celebration, whether in image, context, or shade."
taken from : China Daily
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Madonna settles neighbor's suit

Director Madonna arrives for the gala screening of her film W.E. during the BFI London Film Festival at Leicester Square in London October 23, 2011.[Photo/Agencies]

NEW YORK — Madonna has made peace with a neighbor who said the superstar made noise by using her New York City apartment as a rehearsal studio, lawyers involved in the matter said Wednesday.

Court records showed Karen George's lawsuit against the singer and their building was settled as of Wednesday. Lawyers for Madonna and the building's co-op board would say only the matter was resolved. George's attorney didn't immediately return a call.

George, whose apartment is upstairs from Madonna's in a building overlooking Central Park, had said the dance and exercise routines subjected neighbors to "blaring music, stomping and shaking walls" for up to three hours a day. George was driven from her apartment at times by the "unbearable" noise and vibrations, according to her lawsuit, filed in 2009. It sought unspecified damages.

Madonna took steps to dampen the sound in 2009, but George said they didn't work, according to an August court ruling that turned down the singer's effort to dismiss the lawsuit. George had said the building board acknowledged her complaints but ultimately didn't crack down because it didn't want trouble with Madonna.

Madonna and the board had said the noise never topped legal levels. The singer also said this March she'd built a studio elsewhere and wasn't using the apartment for musical moves anymore.

Madonna moved into the building after she was rejected in 1985 by the board at another ritzy Manhattan co-op, the San Remo, where U2 frontman Bono has an apartment.


taken from : China Daily
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