Ryan Pearson, AP Entertainment Writer
Park City, Utah (AP) - Calling his late castmate Paul Walker "a terrific guy," Kurt Russell says he's not sure what will happen with his role in the latest "Fast & Furious" movie.
Russell joined the seventh film in the franchise and plays a father figure to Vin Diesel's character Dominic Toretto. The 62-year-old actor said he had one day left of filming when Walker died in a car crash outside Los Angeles last November.
"They're having to rewrite, they're having to do whatever they're having to do to deal with the situation. Listen, it's catastrophic. It's the worst thing that could happen to a movie, but it's not as bad as what happened to Paul," Russell said in an interview at the Sundance Film Festival, where he's promoting a documentary about his father's minor-league baseball team, "The Battered Bastards of Baseball." ''So everything is in perspective.
Park City, Utah (AP) - Calling his late castmate Paul Walker "a terrific guy," Kurt Russell says he's not sure what will happen with his role in the latest "Fast & Furious" movie.
Russell joined the seventh film in the franchise and plays a father figure to Vin Diesel's character Dominic Toretto. The 62-year-old actor said he had one day left of filming when Walker died in a car crash outside Los Angeles last November.
"They're having to rewrite, they're having to do whatever they're having to do to deal with the situation. Listen, it's catastrophic. It's the worst thing that could happen to a movie, but it's not as bad as what happened to Paul," Russell said in an interview at the Sundance Film Festival, where he's promoting a documentary about his father's minor-league baseball team, "The Battered Bastards of Baseball." ''So everything is in perspective.
- 1/21/2014
- by The Associated Press
- Moviefone
Ryan Pearson, AP Entertainment Writer
Los Angeles (AP) - Sandra Bullock says making the lost-in-space movie "Gravity" with director Alfonso Cuaron was "the best life decision I think I ever made."
Cuaron coaxed Bullock into playing an astronaut coping with disaster at the International Space Station after she had intentionally taken a break from Hollywood following her Oscar-winning performance in "The Blind Side," subsequent divorce and then adoption of son Louis.
"What I got out of it personally outweighed everything else," Bullock said in an interview. "I'm glad I got to meet the human being - Alfonso - that led me to say, 'Ok, let me investigate if I can even do this.'"
Bullock's priority had been spending time with her son, who is now 3, and Cuaron assured her that she wouldn't miss anything while shooting the film, which also features George Clooney and lands in theatres on Friday.
Los Angeles (AP) - Sandra Bullock says making the lost-in-space movie "Gravity" with director Alfonso Cuaron was "the best life decision I think I ever made."
Cuaron coaxed Bullock into playing an astronaut coping with disaster at the International Space Station after she had intentionally taken a break from Hollywood following her Oscar-winning performance in "The Blind Side," subsequent divorce and then adoption of son Louis.
"What I got out of it personally outweighed everything else," Bullock said in an interview. "I'm glad I got to meet the human being - Alfonso - that led me to say, 'Ok, let me investigate if I can even do this.'"
Bullock's priority had been spending time with her son, who is now 3, and Cuaron assured her that she wouldn't miss anything while shooting the film, which also features George Clooney and lands in theatres on Friday.
- 10/1/2013
- by The Associated Press
- Moviefone
Nashville, Tenn. — It's been almost a year since Kendrick Lamar released his major label debut, yet the rapper remains very much the focus of the music world as top stars convene for the MTV Awards this weekend.
That album, "good kid, m.A.A.d. city," is about to turn platinum, his diverse menagerie of memorable songs ("B----, Don't Kill My Vibe," "Swimming Pools (Drank)," "Poetic Justice") would fit nicely on any mix tape commemorating 2013, and he's left visible marks as he's made guest appearances on nearly every top rapper's album over the last 18 months.
This month, he called out basically every Mc of the day in another memorable, fiery feature on Big Sean's "Control." Already hyped as the rap verse of the year, reaction was widespread and diverse. Some of his fellow MCs responded with verses of their own. Others praised him for throwing down the gauntlet and making rap competitive again.
That album, "good kid, m.A.A.d. city," is about to turn platinum, his diverse menagerie of memorable songs ("B----, Don't Kill My Vibe," "Swimming Pools (Drank)," "Poetic Justice") would fit nicely on any mix tape commemorating 2013, and he's left visible marks as he's made guest appearances on nearly every top rapper's album over the last 18 months.
This month, he called out basically every Mc of the day in another memorable, fiery feature on Big Sean's "Control." Already hyped as the rap verse of the year, reaction was widespread and diverse. Some of his fellow MCs responded with verses of their own. Others praised him for throwing down the gauntlet and making rap competitive again.
- 8/23/2013
- by AP
- Huffington Post
Burbank, Calif. -- James Wan walked away from his first chance to make a sequel, for the "Saw" franchise he helped create. Now he can't seem to escape them.
The director has been splitting his days this summer between pre-production on the seventh "Fast & Furious" film and putting the finishing touches on his indie scare-fest "Insidious 2," due in September.
His other haunted house movie, "The Conjuring," has become the season's biggest low-budget hit. It's heading toward $100 million at the U.S. box office since its release last month, more than the mega-budget "Pacific Rim" and "The Lone Ranger."
No surprise here: The tale of a New England demonic possession leaves a creaky door flung wide open for more movies starring ghost hunters Ed and Lorraine Warren, played by Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga.
"If there's a need for more stories, then so be it. That's a good thing," Wan said in an interview.
The director has been splitting his days this summer between pre-production on the seventh "Fast & Furious" film and putting the finishing touches on his indie scare-fest "Insidious 2," due in September.
His other haunted house movie, "The Conjuring," has become the season's biggest low-budget hit. It's heading toward $100 million at the U.S. box office since its release last month, more than the mega-budget "Pacific Rim" and "The Lone Ranger."
No surprise here: The tale of a New England demonic possession leaves a creaky door flung wide open for more movies starring ghost hunters Ed and Lorraine Warren, played by Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga.
"If there's a need for more stories, then so be it. That's a good thing," Wan said in an interview.
- 8/3/2013
- by AP
- Huffington Post
San Diego — Samuel L. Jackson visits Golden Apple Comics in Los Angeles twice a month. Employees there keep a box stuffed with the latest comic books and graphic novels.
Does that make him a nerd? Go ahead and call him that. We dare you.
"I don't know who actually defined it as such," Jackson said during an interview Saturday at Comic-Con where he was promoting his fantasy-driven film, "Captain America: The Winter Solider." "I've always read comic books. I've always spent time in comic book stores. I still do. I don't particularly consider myself a nerd. It's just that part of pop culture that I'm also a part of."
If Jackson, arguably the baddest you know what in the history of cinema, is comfortable with the world of super heroes, sci-fi and fantasy, it's probably time to stop throwing around that word nerd. Those who would turn their nose up...
Does that make him a nerd? Go ahead and call him that. We dare you.
"I don't know who actually defined it as such," Jackson said during an interview Saturday at Comic-Con where he was promoting his fantasy-driven film, "Captain America: The Winter Solider." "I've always read comic books. I've always spent time in comic book stores. I still do. I don't particularly consider myself a nerd. It's just that part of pop culture that I'm also a part of."
If Jackson, arguably the baddest you know what in the history of cinema, is comfortable with the world of super heroes, sci-fi and fantasy, it's probably time to stop throwing around that word nerd. Those who would turn their nose up...
- 7/22/2013
- by AP
- Huffington Post
San Diego — How many more colors can Zoe Saldana be on the big screen?
"Well, the rainbow has a lot of colors," Saldana said in an interview at Comic-Con, laughing. "I dig it. I like being in space. I get to play less girlfriends, more female parts, more women. So I find it meaty."
The actress portrays green-skinned alien Gamora in Marvel's "Guardians of the Galaxy" after going blue in James Cameron's "Avatar," a role she's expected to return to for sequels. And she recently reprised her other space-bound character, Uhura, in Jj Abrams' "Star Trek Into Darkness."
"It's a testament to how creative the people that conceive supernatural and science-fiction kind of stories," Saldana, 35, said of her love for the genre. "They're able to build something out of nothing by just imagining it. I have a huge fascination with that. Filmmakers like Jj, like ("Guardians" director) James (Gunn), like James Cameron.
"Well, the rainbow has a lot of colors," Saldana said in an interview at Comic-Con, laughing. "I dig it. I like being in space. I get to play less girlfriends, more female parts, more women. So I find it meaty."
The actress portrays green-skinned alien Gamora in Marvel's "Guardians of the Galaxy" after going blue in James Cameron's "Avatar," a role she's expected to return to for sequels. And she recently reprised her other space-bound character, Uhura, in Jj Abrams' "Star Trek Into Darkness."
"It's a testament to how creative the people that conceive supernatural and science-fiction kind of stories," Saldana, 35, said of her love for the genre. "They're able to build something out of nothing by just imagining it. I have a huge fascination with that. Filmmakers like Jj, like ("Guardians" director) James (Gunn), like James Cameron.
- 7/22/2013
- by AP
- Huffington Post
At the Fox Comic-Con panel in Hall H of the San Diego Convention Center on Saturday night fans were treated to a surprise appearance from the cast of "X-Men: Days of Future Past." Stars Hugh Jackman, Jennifer Lawrence, Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellen, Michael Fassbender, James McAvoy, Halle Berry, Peter Dinklage and director Bryan Singer were all spotted before the panel started by Associated Press reporter Ryan Pearson.
X-Men new school cast pic.twitter.com/viXH6FJyh3
— Ryan Pearson (@ryanwrd) July 20, 2013
Later, the entire cast came out to a standing ovation from the Hall H crowd:
The cast was in good spirits, with Fassbender wearing a mask from the upcoming horror film "You're Next" which he apparently found backstage. McKellen, meanwhile, joked that it was lovely to be in California "now that you got rid of Proposition 8."
"I'm looking for a husband," McKellen said to Fassbender. "Nice to meet you, Michael.
X-Men new school cast pic.twitter.com/viXH6FJyh3
— Ryan Pearson (@ryanwrd) July 20, 2013
Later, the entire cast came out to a standing ovation from the Hall H crowd:
The cast was in good spirits, with Fassbender wearing a mask from the upcoming horror film "You're Next" which he apparently found backstage. McKellen, meanwhile, joked that it was lovely to be in California "now that you got rid of Proposition 8."
"I'm looking for a husband," McKellen said to Fassbender. "Nice to meet you, Michael.
- 7/21/2013
- by The Huffington Post
- Huffington Post
San Diego — Real-world issues are rare at Comic-Con where fantasy almost always trumps reality. But for the stars and the director of "Ender's Game," comments made by Orson Scott Card regarding gay marriage are leading to questions about the issue as they promote the science fiction film.
Card has expressed opposition to gay marriage in the past and that has led some to call for a boycott. There were no signs of protest as stars Harrison Ford, Asa Butterfield and Hailee Steinfeld and the film's director, Gavin Hood, began to promote the sci-fi adventure film based on Card's novel. The movie took center stage Thursday with a presentation in the convention's massive Hall H.
Ford addressed the controversy in an interview before facing fans.
"I don't think that issue rears its head in the work. No part of the story concerns Mr. Card's theories about society in terms of gay issues or homosexual issues,...
Card has expressed opposition to gay marriage in the past and that has led some to call for a boycott. There were no signs of protest as stars Harrison Ford, Asa Butterfield and Hailee Steinfeld and the film's director, Gavin Hood, began to promote the sci-fi adventure film based on Card's novel. The movie took center stage Thursday with a presentation in the convention's massive Hall H.
Ford addressed the controversy in an interview before facing fans.
"I don't think that issue rears its head in the work. No part of the story concerns Mr. Card's theories about society in terms of gay issues or homosexual issues,...
- 7/19/2013
- by AP
- Huffington Post
Los Angeles (AP) — Microsoft has its head in the cloud with Xbox One.
The company focused on how cloud computing will make games for its next-generation Xbox One console more immersive during its Monday presentation at the Electronic Entertainment Expo, the gaming industry's annual trade show. Microsoft announced last week that the successor to the Xbox 360 must be connected to the Internet every 24 hours to operate, and the system would ideally always be online.
"The platform features and capabilities exclusive to Xbox One allow developers to push the boundaries of creativity and take gaming in completely new directions," Microsoft Vice President Phil Harrison told the crowd.
The upcoming console's cloud computing capabilities were demonstrated by fleshing out dense environments in third-person open-world games like the zombie-fighting sequel "Dead Rising 3" and cartoony shooter "Sunset Overdrive." The racing simulator "Forza MotorSport 5" introduced a feature called "drivatar," which mimics players' driving styles and...
The company focused on how cloud computing will make games for its next-generation Xbox One console more immersive during its Monday presentation at the Electronic Entertainment Expo, the gaming industry's annual trade show. Microsoft announced last week that the successor to the Xbox 360 must be connected to the Internet every 24 hours to operate, and the system would ideally always be online.
"The platform features and capabilities exclusive to Xbox One allow developers to push the boundaries of creativity and take gaming in completely new directions," Microsoft Vice President Phil Harrison told the crowd.
The upcoming console's cloud computing capabilities were demonstrated by fleshing out dense environments in third-person open-world games like the zombie-fighting sequel "Dead Rising 3" and cartoony shooter "Sunset Overdrive." The racing simulator "Forza MotorSport 5" introduced a feature called "drivatar," which mimics players' driving styles and...
- 6/11/2013
- by AP
- Huffington Post
Los Angeles — Southern California has been good for Thom Yorke.
It's the home base for his 4-year-old band Atoms For Peace, meaning he's making occasional tough cross-continent commuter flights from the United Kingdom but also hiking up to Griffith Observatory and surfing with Atoms bassist Flea of the Red Hot Chili Peppers. The very English Radiohead frontman said Los Angeles is steadily working its magic on him.
"I find it hard to work in Britain all the time," Yorke said. "Because I've grown up with it and it's what I know. And I've also grown up with the cynicism that's in the genes. Sometimes it's good to try and wash that out. Generally in my work, it's really helped me a lot. And it's fed back into the Radiohead thing too. Maybe it's just getting old but I'm loosening up with all my ... stupid rules about what works, what doesn't work.
It's the home base for his 4-year-old band Atoms For Peace, meaning he's making occasional tough cross-continent commuter flights from the United Kingdom but also hiking up to Griffith Observatory and surfing with Atoms bassist Flea of the Red Hot Chili Peppers. The very English Radiohead frontman said Los Angeles is steadily working its magic on him.
"I find it hard to work in Britain all the time," Yorke said. "Because I've grown up with it and it's what I know. And I've also grown up with the cynicism that's in the genes. Sometimes it's good to try and wash that out. Generally in my work, it's really helped me a lot. And it's fed back into the Radiohead thing too. Maybe it's just getting old but I'm loosening up with all my ... stupid rules about what works, what doesn't work.
- 5/31/2013
- by AP
- Huffington Post
Truth Or Consequences, N.M. — Will Smith has a new outlook on teenagers: Parents do indeed understand.
The rapper-turned-actor says he's "grown a lot" since writing the Grammy-winning 1988 hit that humorously declared they didn't.
All three of his children now at least dabble in music and acting, most notably 14-year-old Jaden, who stars with his father in the new sci-fi film "After Earth," opening Friday. Even in the midst of a globe-hopping promotional tour for the movie, Smith recognizes the downside to making stardom a family affair.
"I think that the major risk of this particular business is strictly emotional," he said in a recent interview. "The business has almost a narcotic quality. So it's almost as if you're introducing a narcotic into your kid's life.
"So for (wife) Jada (Pinkett Smith) and I, the most important thing is that they have to stay focused and grounded on the fact that they are giving.
The rapper-turned-actor says he's "grown a lot" since writing the Grammy-winning 1988 hit that humorously declared they didn't.
All three of his children now at least dabble in music and acting, most notably 14-year-old Jaden, who stars with his father in the new sci-fi film "After Earth," opening Friday. Even in the midst of a globe-hopping promotional tour for the movie, Smith recognizes the downside to making stardom a family affair.
"I think that the major risk of this particular business is strictly emotional," he said in a recent interview. "The business has almost a narcotic quality. So it's almost as if you're introducing a narcotic into your kid's life.
"So for (wife) Jada (Pinkett Smith) and I, the most important thing is that they have to stay focused and grounded on the fact that they are giving.
- 5/26/2013
- by AP
- Huffington Post
Los Angeles — It's tempting to say Daft Punk has gone Hollywood.
The influential French electronic duo crafted its first film score, for "Tron: Legacy," three years ago and are now releasing a well-financed, smartly hyped pop album featuring what they call an ensemble cast of contemporary singers and veteran musicians.
There's long been a show-biz bent to the work of Thomas Bangalter and Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo, who for the last 13 years have hidden their faces in public appearances by wearing robot helmets and costumes. Bangalter compares the mystique-building masks – echoed by musicians including Deadmau5 and Mf Doom – to an ever-evolving comic book superhero who starts as a side story "then maybe 50 years later it becomes like a big franchise movie in Hollywood."
Yet Daft Punk's new album "Random Access Memories" isn't the special effects-filled summer blockbuster you might expect. The group that helped popularize electronic dance music in the...
The influential French electronic duo crafted its first film score, for "Tron: Legacy," three years ago and are now releasing a well-financed, smartly hyped pop album featuring what they call an ensemble cast of contemporary singers and veteran musicians.
There's long been a show-biz bent to the work of Thomas Bangalter and Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo, who for the last 13 years have hidden their faces in public appearances by wearing robot helmets and costumes. Bangalter compares the mystique-building masks – echoed by musicians including Deadmau5 and Mf Doom – to an ever-evolving comic book superhero who starts as a side story "then maybe 50 years later it becomes like a big franchise movie in Hollywood."
Yet Daft Punk's new album "Random Access Memories" isn't the special effects-filled summer blockbuster you might expect. The group that helped popularize electronic dance music in the...
- 5/20/2013
- by AP
- Huffington Post
By Ryan Pearson, Associated Press
West Hollywood, Calif. -- Will.i.am wants to be known as a maker – not just of music, but things, from cars to headphones.
The Black Eyed Peas frontman is computer chip-maker Intel's "director of creative innovation." He's also partnered with Coca-Cola to create a new brand of products from recycled bottles and cans, including headphones and clothes.
Not that the seven-time Grammy winner – who produces, writes, sings and raps – has lost his ear for hits. Three songs from his new album, "(hash)willpower" – featuring Justin Bieber, Britney Spears and Miley Cyrus – are now in the Billboard Hot 100. It's his fourth solo album but the first in six years and the first since the Peas became global megastars with hits like "Boom Boom Pow" and "I Gotta Feeling." As a solo artist, he has yet to match the Peas' success in album sales; his latest debuted at No.
West Hollywood, Calif. -- Will.i.am wants to be known as a maker – not just of music, but things, from cars to headphones.
The Black Eyed Peas frontman is computer chip-maker Intel's "director of creative innovation." He's also partnered with Coca-Cola to create a new brand of products from recycled bottles and cans, including headphones and clothes.
Not that the seven-time Grammy winner – who produces, writes, sings and raps – has lost his ear for hits. Three songs from his new album, "(hash)willpower" – featuring Justin Bieber, Britney Spears and Miley Cyrus – are now in the Billboard Hot 100. It's his fourth solo album but the first in six years and the first since the Peas became global megastars with hits like "Boom Boom Pow" and "I Gotta Feeling." As a solo artist, he has yet to match the Peas' success in album sales; his latest debuted at No.
- 5/3/2013
- by AP/The Huffington Post
- Huffington Post
West Hollywood, Calif. — Will.i.am says he's been unfairly accused of stealing a song from a Russian dance producer for use on his new album.
The producer-rapper-singer has acknowledged reaching out to trance producer Arty after hearing his 2011 song with London's Mat Zo, "Rebound." Will.i.am recorded a new version with Chris Brown titled, "Let's Go," which has been met with criticism online from Arty's fans.
He said he emailed Arty, who initially responded positively to an invitation to collaborate. But in recent weeks, the Russian DJ and producer told fans on his Facebook page that there was no final deal between their respective labels and "the matter is under review by our legal teams."
Will.i.am credits Arty, whose real name is Artem Stoliarov, as a writer on the song in the liner notes for his album "(hash)willpower," released this week. He blamed the slow...
The producer-rapper-singer has acknowledged reaching out to trance producer Arty after hearing his 2011 song with London's Mat Zo, "Rebound." Will.i.am recorded a new version with Chris Brown titled, "Let's Go," which has been met with criticism online from Arty's fans.
He said he emailed Arty, who initially responded positively to an invitation to collaborate. But in recent weeks, the Russian DJ and producer told fans on his Facebook page that there was no final deal between their respective labels and "the matter is under review by our legal teams."
Will.i.am credits Arty, whose real name is Artem Stoliarov, as a writer on the song in the liner notes for his album "(hash)willpower," released this week. He blamed the slow...
- 4/27/2013
- by AP
- Huffington Post
Los Angeles — Earth is recovering from an apocalyptic event, alien races cooperate warily, a wise-cracking outsider suddenly finds himself shouldering new responsibilities.
Yes, the world of "Defiance" features familiar sci-fi touchstones, but it's taken an ambitious approach to how you can experience them: Through both a weekly TV series and an online-only video game.
Five years in the making, the joint project is the most high-profile and big-budget attempt at ongoing "transmedia" entertainment, promising characters and storylines that crisscross between the Syfy network show and Trion Worlds game.
Set in 2046 on a "terraformed" Earth where humans live alongside seven alien species, the series premiering Monday displays a space Western vibe with bar brawls, interspecies politics and love, plus actors familiar to genre fans like Julie Benz and Jaime Murray. The already-released game, a multiplayer third-person shooter, has plenty of guns to upgrade, quests for supplies, and boss battles in which...
Yes, the world of "Defiance" features familiar sci-fi touchstones, but it's taken an ambitious approach to how you can experience them: Through both a weekly TV series and an online-only video game.
Five years in the making, the joint project is the most high-profile and big-budget attempt at ongoing "transmedia" entertainment, promising characters and storylines that crisscross between the Syfy network show and Trion Worlds game.
Set in 2046 on a "terraformed" Earth where humans live alongside seven alien species, the series premiering Monday displays a space Western vibe with bar brawls, interspecies politics and love, plus actors familiar to genre fans like Julie Benz and Jaime Murray. The already-released game, a multiplayer third-person shooter, has plenty of guns to upgrade, quests for supplies, and boss battles in which...
- 4/13/2013
- by AP
- Huffington Post
Former college basketball star Ryan Pearson credits his entire career to Lamar Odom ... claiming L.O. rescued him from the streets when his family was poor and gave him a chance to be successful in life. Pearson -- who was an Associated Press All America honorable mention during his stint at George Mason -- is now playing pro basketball overseas ... and believes it's only possible because of Odom's charitable support. We spoke with Ryan's mother,...
- 4/4/2013
- by TMZ Staff
- TMZ
Los Angeles -- There's a scene in "42" in which Jackie Robinson, the first black player in Major League Baseball, endures intolerably cruel racial slurs from the Philadelphia Phillies' manager.
It's early in the 1947 season. Each time the Brooklyn Dodgers' first baseman comes up to bat, manager Ben Chapman emerges from the dugout, stands on the field and taunts him with increasingly personal and vitriolic attacks. It's a visible struggle, but No. 42 maintains his composure before a crowd of thousands.
As a viewer, it's uncomfortable to watch – although as writer-director Brian Helgeland points out, "if anything, the language we have in that scene was cleaned up from what it was."
Such hatred may seem archaic, an ugly episode in our nation's history that we'd rather forget. But remembering Robinson's accomplishments is more important than ever, say people involved with "42" and baseball historians alike. And because he was such an inspiring cultural figure,...
It's early in the 1947 season. Each time the Brooklyn Dodgers' first baseman comes up to bat, manager Ben Chapman emerges from the dugout, stands on the field and taunts him with increasingly personal and vitriolic attacks. It's a visible struggle, but No. 42 maintains his composure before a crowd of thousands.
As a viewer, it's uncomfortable to watch – although as writer-director Brian Helgeland points out, "if anything, the language we have in that scene was cleaned up from what it was."
Such hatred may seem archaic, an ugly episode in our nation's history that we'd rather forget. But remembering Robinson's accomplishments is more important than ever, say people involved with "42" and baseball historians alike. And because he was such an inspiring cultural figure,...
- 4/3/2013
- by AP
- Huffington Post
Los Angeles -- When your film franchise has gotten tired – the Fast aren't quite as Furious, the Mummy needs a reason to Return – Dwayne Johnson is the guy to call.
The 40-year-old actor has become a savior of stale film series, injecting new life into "Fast Five," "The Mummy Returns," "Journey 2: The Mysterious Island" and now "G.I. Joe: Retaliation." The former professional wrestler rocks established franchises by joining them on the second or subsequent installment and boosting the property's box office.
"Fast & Furious 6" and "Journey 3" are on the way, and Johnson's "Mummy" character got his own spinoff film, "The Scorpion King."
"We call him franchise Viagra," said "Retaliation" director Jon M. Chu. "He comes in and he elevates everything, not just physically, but energy-wise... He was the only one in our minds that could reinvent G.I. Joe and carry the franchise forward."
In "Retaliation," Johnson takes over for Channing Tatum,...
The 40-year-old actor has become a savior of stale film series, injecting new life into "Fast Five," "The Mummy Returns," "Journey 2: The Mysterious Island" and now "G.I. Joe: Retaliation." The former professional wrestler rocks established franchises by joining them on the second or subsequent installment and boosting the property's box office.
"Fast & Furious 6" and "Journey 3" are on the way, and Johnson's "Mummy" character got his own spinoff film, "The Scorpion King."
"We call him franchise Viagra," said "Retaliation" director Jon M. Chu. "He comes in and he elevates everything, not just physically, but energy-wise... He was the only one in our minds that could reinvent G.I. Joe and carry the franchise forward."
In "Retaliation," Johnson takes over for Channing Tatum,...
- 3/28/2013
- by AP
- Huffington Post
Los Angeles — Harrison Ford isn't ready – "yet" – to talk about his reported part in Disney's planned "Star Wars" sequel, but he praises its director, J.J. Abrams.
"I think he's fantastic," Ford said in a recent interview. "I did his first movie, `Regarding Henry,' with Mike Nichols. A wonderful talent. Extraordinary guy."
The 70-year-old actor – who came to fame playing Han Solo in the "Star Wars" trilogy – is shrugging off questions about that character while promoting his role as Brooklyn Dodgers president Branch Rickey in the upcoming Jackie Robinson film "42."
Asked how he feels generally that the "Star Wars" sequel and Disney spinoffs are in the works, Ford responded: "I don't feel anything at the moment yet."
In an article published earlier this month, "Star Wars" creator George Lucas told Bloomberg Businessweek that Ford, Mark Hamill and Carrie Fisher had been in negotiations to return to the franchise even before...
"I think he's fantastic," Ford said in a recent interview. "I did his first movie, `Regarding Henry,' with Mike Nichols. A wonderful talent. Extraordinary guy."
The 70-year-old actor – who came to fame playing Han Solo in the "Star Wars" trilogy – is shrugging off questions about that character while promoting his role as Brooklyn Dodgers president Branch Rickey in the upcoming Jackie Robinson film "42."
Asked how he feels generally that the "Star Wars" sequel and Disney spinoffs are in the works, Ford responded: "I don't feel anything at the moment yet."
In an article published earlier this month, "Star Wars" creator George Lucas told Bloomberg Businessweek that Ford, Mark Hamill and Carrie Fisher had been in negotiations to return to the franchise even before...
- 3/27/2013
- by AP
- Huffington Post
West Hollywood, Calif. -- Dido had been planning a relatively quick return to the spotlight after 2008's "Safe Trip Home." She holed up in Los Angeles and London studios to record a set of electronic-tinged songs.
"I was busy telling everyone there was an album on the way," Dido said. "And then I found out there was a baby on the way instead."
She and husband Rohan Gavin welcomed their first child, a son named Stanley, in July 2011. Dido packed up the recordings to focus on family.
But then late last year, the 41-year-old English singer reached out to her brother, producer Rollo Armstrong, to finally put the finishing touches on her fourth album, "Girl Who Got Away," released Tuesday.
Quick to laugh and full of self-deprecating asides, Dido recently sat down with The Associated Press to discuss her new songs, her son's musical tastes and her tendency to retreat from fame.
"I was busy telling everyone there was an album on the way," Dido said. "And then I found out there was a baby on the way instead."
She and husband Rohan Gavin welcomed their first child, a son named Stanley, in July 2011. Dido packed up the recordings to focus on family.
But then late last year, the 41-year-old English singer reached out to her brother, producer Rollo Armstrong, to finally put the finishing touches on her fourth album, "Girl Who Got Away," released Tuesday.
Quick to laugh and full of self-deprecating asides, Dido recently sat down with The Associated Press to discuss her new songs, her son's musical tastes and her tendency to retreat from fame.
- 3/27/2013
- by AP
- Huffington Post
West Hollywood, Calif. -- Snoop Lion won't fire back at critics who say his backing of the Rastafari movement is simply another gimmick from one of hip-hop's savviest self-marketers. But Snoop Dogg will.
Reggae pioneer Bunny Wailer is the most notable skeptic. Wailer bestowed the Lion name on Snoop, but has since repeatedly questioned the 41-year-old rapper's intentions and commitment to Rasta ideology.
Asked by The Associated Press to respond, Snoop's face registered a flash of malice followed by a devilish smile: "If I was Snoop Dogg: `(Expletive) Bunny Wailer.' But I'm Snoop Lion right now, so I'm chilling," he said.
He is using the name to release a reggae- and dancehall-focused album, "Reincarnated." Produced by Major Lazer – which includes DJ-producer Diplo – it features guests ranging from Chris Brown and Drake to Jamaica's Mr. Vegas and Mavado.
While promoting an accompanying documentary that tracks his trip to Jamaica and exploration of Rasta culture,...
Reggae pioneer Bunny Wailer is the most notable skeptic. Wailer bestowed the Lion name on Snoop, but has since repeatedly questioned the 41-year-old rapper's intentions and commitment to Rasta ideology.
Asked by The Associated Press to respond, Snoop's face registered a flash of malice followed by a devilish smile: "If I was Snoop Dogg: `(Expletive) Bunny Wailer.' But I'm Snoop Lion right now, so I'm chilling," he said.
He is using the name to release a reggae- and dancehall-focused album, "Reincarnated." Produced by Major Lazer – which includes DJ-producer Diplo – it features guests ranging from Chris Brown and Drake to Jamaica's Mr. Vegas and Mavado.
While promoting an accompanying documentary that tracks his trip to Jamaica and exploration of Rasta culture,...
- 3/14/2013
- by AP
- Huffington Post
Beverly Hills, Calif. — A room full of engineers, computer whizzes and technicians brought the crew of the Starship Enterprise down to Earth for a night at the Sci-Tech Oscars.
Zoe Saldana and Chris Pine hosted the annual awards dinner in which the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences beams its spotlight on the latter half of its name.
"We're truly humbled, by all means, man. We can fly into space because of you," Saldana told honorees at the event Saturday night.
The "Avatar" and "Star Trek" star pumped her fist and shouted "Weta!" before the first of two teams from the New Zealand-based special effects house, which worked on "Avatar," took the stage.
Pine and Saldana took turns attempting to describe technical accomplishments like "pose space deformation" and "wavelet turbulence." Pine allowed that one software innovation was too complex for "dumb actors" to fully comprehend.
It was a mostly...
Zoe Saldana and Chris Pine hosted the annual awards dinner in which the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences beams its spotlight on the latter half of its name.
"We're truly humbled, by all means, man. We can fly into space because of you," Saldana told honorees at the event Saturday night.
The "Avatar" and "Star Trek" star pumped her fist and shouted "Weta!" before the first of two teams from the New Zealand-based special effects house, which worked on "Avatar," took the stage.
Pine and Saldana took turns attempting to describe technical accomplishments like "pose space deformation" and "wavelet turbulence." Pine allowed that one software innovation was too complex for "dumb actors" to fully comprehend.
It was a mostly...
- 2/10/2013
- by AP
- Huffington Post
Los Angeles — Bruce Willis says he's against new gun control laws that could infringe on Second Amendment rights. The "Die Hard" star also dismisses any link between Hollywood shootouts and real-life gun violence.
"I think that you can't start to pick apart anything out of the Bill of Rights without thinking that it's all going to become undone," Willis told The Associated Press in a recent interview while promoting his latest film, "A Good Day To Die Hard." "If you take one out or change one law, then why wouldn't they take all your rights away from you?"
Willis' fifth outing as wise-cracking cop John McClane, due in theaters Feb. 14, comes as his action franchise marks its 25th anniversary. The 57-year-old actor will also be seen firing away at bad guys in the upcoming sequels "G.I. Joe: Retaliation" and "Red 2," both due later this year.
But he believes "the...
"I think that you can't start to pick apart anything out of the Bill of Rights without thinking that it's all going to become undone," Willis told The Associated Press in a recent interview while promoting his latest film, "A Good Day To Die Hard." "If you take one out or change one law, then why wouldn't they take all your rights away from you?"
Willis' fifth outing as wise-cracking cop John McClane, due in theaters Feb. 14, comes as his action franchise marks its 25th anniversary. The 57-year-old actor will also be seen firing away at bad guys in the upcoming sequels "G.I. Joe: Retaliation" and "Red 2," both due later this year.
But he believes "the...
- 2/6/2013
- by AP
- Huffington Post
Beverly Hills, Calif. — Sylvester Stallone says that despite his "Rambo" image and new shoot-em-up film "Bullet to the Head," he's in favor of new national gun control legislation.
Stallone supported the 1994 "Brady bill" that included a now-expired ban on assault weapons, and hopes that ban can be reinstated.
"I know people get (upset) and go, `They're going to take away the assault weapon.' Who ... needs an assault weapon? Like really, unless you're carrying out an assault. ... You can't hunt with it. ... Who's going to attack your house, a (expletive) army?"
The 66-year-old actor, writer and director said he also hopes for an additional focus on mental health to prevent future mass shootings.
"It's unbelievably horrible, what's happened. I think the biggest problem, seriously, is not so much guns. It's that every one of these people that have done these things in the past 30 years are friggin' crazy. Really crazy!
Stallone supported the 1994 "Brady bill" that included a now-expired ban on assault weapons, and hopes that ban can be reinstated.
"I know people get (upset) and go, `They're going to take away the assault weapon.' Who ... needs an assault weapon? Like really, unless you're carrying out an assault. ... You can't hunt with it. ... Who's going to attack your house, a (expletive) army?"
The 66-year-old actor, writer and director said he also hopes for an additional focus on mental health to prevent future mass shootings.
"It's unbelievably horrible, what's happened. I think the biggest problem, seriously, is not so much guns. It's that every one of these people that have done these things in the past 30 years are friggin' crazy. Really crazy!
- 2/2/2013
- by AP
- Huffington Post
Park City, Utah — The Sundance Film Festival has never been sexier.
The annual independent-film showcase has featured a slew of sexually themed movies in its various categories this year. There are stories about women using sex to work through their mid-life crises, narrative and documentary examinations of pornography and its players, and coming-of-age stories in which sex plays a central role.
Festival founder Robert Redford says the on-screen sex of today is often devoid of the romance that was essential in late 1960s, when he first started making movies.
So what has inspired the Sundance sexual revolution? Stars and filmmakers weigh in on their sexy fare.
_ "When I got in the film business in the early `60s, it was a romantic time. Sex and romance were pretty well tied together; sexuality was pretty well expressed through romance. Times have changed, so now, 40, 50 years later, we see that sexual relations have...
The annual independent-film showcase has featured a slew of sexually themed movies in its various categories this year. There are stories about women using sex to work through their mid-life crises, narrative and documentary examinations of pornography and its players, and coming-of-age stories in which sex plays a central role.
Festival founder Robert Redford says the on-screen sex of today is often devoid of the romance that was essential in late 1960s, when he first started making movies.
So what has inspired the Sundance sexual revolution? Stars and filmmakers weigh in on their sexy fare.
_ "When I got in the film business in the early `60s, it was a romantic time. Sex and romance were pretty well tied together; sexuality was pretty well expressed through romance. Times have changed, so now, 40, 50 years later, we see that sexual relations have...
- 1/25/2013
- by AP
- Huffington Post
Park City, Utah — The Sundance Film Festival isn't home to many shoot-em-up movies, but action-oriented actors at the festival are facing questions about Hollywood's role in American gun violence.
Guy Pearce and Alexander Skarsgard are among those who say Hollywood shares in the blame.
Pearce is in Park City, Utah, to support the family drama "Breathe In," but he's pulled plenty of imaginary triggers in violent films such as "Lockdown" and "Lawless." He says Hollywood may make guns seem "cool" to the broader culture, but there are vast variations in films' approach to guns.
"Hollywood probably does play a role," Pearce said. "It's a broad spectrum though. There are films that use guns flippantly, then there are films that use guns in a way that would make you never want to look at a gun ever again – because of the effect that it's had on the other people in the story at the time.
Guy Pearce and Alexander Skarsgard are among those who say Hollywood shares in the blame.
Pearce is in Park City, Utah, to support the family drama "Breathe In," but he's pulled plenty of imaginary triggers in violent films such as "Lockdown" and "Lawless." He says Hollywood may make guns seem "cool" to the broader culture, but there are vast variations in films' approach to guns.
"Hollywood probably does play a role," Pearce said. "It's a broad spectrum though. There are films that use guns flippantly, then there are films that use guns in a way that would make you never want to look at a gun ever again – because of the effect that it's had on the other people in the story at the time.
- 1/23/2013
- by AP
- Huffington Post
Los Angeles — "Gangster Squad" director Ruben Fleischer was stepping out of the shower on the night of July 20 last year when he received a chilling phone call from a studio executive at Warner Bros. There had been a deadly shooting at a midnight screening of "The Dark Knight Rises" in Aurora, Colo. The studio was pulling the trailer for its "Gangster Squad" movie.
The problem was that the preview, which had been scheduled to debut before some showings of the latest Batman film that weekend, featured a peek at a pivotal moment in the 1940s true-crime romp when Los Angeles mobsters ruthlessly shoot into a movie theater audience.
Thus began an arduous odyssey to the screen of a film loosely based on violence 60 years ago impacted by the real-life violence of today – from the Colorado massacre that forced the reshooting of a key scene, through the country's mourning following the...
The problem was that the preview, which had been scheduled to debut before some showings of the latest Batman film that weekend, featured a peek at a pivotal moment in the 1940s true-crime romp when Los Angeles mobsters ruthlessly shoot into a movie theater audience.
Thus began an arduous odyssey to the screen of a film loosely based on violence 60 years ago impacted by the real-life violence of today – from the Colorado massacre that forced the reshooting of a key scene, through the country's mourning following the...
- 1/9/2013
- by AP
- Huffington Post
Allentown, Pa. — The new movie "Promised Land" digs into the fierce national debate over fracking, the technique that's generated a boom in U.S. natural gas production while also stoking controversy over its possible impact on the environment and human health.
Written by and starring Matt Damon and John Krasinski, the film comes at an opportune time for a big-screen exploration of the issues surrounding the shale gas revolution, with cheap natural gas transforming the nation's energy landscape and "fracking" now a household word.
But viewers shouldn't necessarily expect a realistic treatment of drilling and fracking. It's not that kind of film.
____
Editor's Note – The author, Michael Rubinkam, covers the fracking industry in Pennsylvania for The Associated Press. With "Promised Land" opening nationwide on Friday, he offers this view from the ground.
____
Lending an air of authenticity, the movie was shot in Pennsylvania, where thousands of wells have been drilled...
Written by and starring Matt Damon and John Krasinski, the film comes at an opportune time for a big-screen exploration of the issues surrounding the shale gas revolution, with cheap natural gas transforming the nation's energy landscape and "fracking" now a household word.
But viewers shouldn't necessarily expect a realistic treatment of drilling and fracking. It's not that kind of film.
____
Editor's Note – The author, Michael Rubinkam, covers the fracking industry in Pennsylvania for The Associated Press. With "Promised Land" opening nationwide on Friday, he offers this view from the ground.
____
Lending an air of authenticity, the movie was shot in Pennsylvania, where thousands of wells have been drilled...
- 1/2/2013
- by AP
- Huffington Post
San Diego — Comic-Con isn't just a daytime affair.
After the convention center closes for the night, the streets of downtown San Diego come alive with parties galore – dozens of events over the four-day fan festival.
"The Con is for the fans," said comic artist Eric J as he navigated between party destinations. "For the professionals and exhibitors, it's also for networking and making contacts, and that happens at the parties. Even though everyone's having a great time, more business gets done after hours. And it's not just business. There are friendships made at the convention and at the parties that last a lifetime."
The festivities began on the eve of Comic-Con with Wednesday's gathering for "The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 2," which drew crowds to the Hard Rock Hotel's rooftop bar. The next night, it hosted a party for "The Expendables 2," where Arnold Schwarzenegger made an appearance,...
After the convention center closes for the night, the streets of downtown San Diego come alive with parties galore – dozens of events over the four-day fan festival.
"The Con is for the fans," said comic artist Eric J as he navigated between party destinations. "For the professionals and exhibitors, it's also for networking and making contacts, and that happens at the parties. Even though everyone's having a great time, more business gets done after hours. And it's not just business. There are friendships made at the convention and at the parties that last a lifetime."
The festivities began on the eve of Comic-Con with Wednesday's gathering for "The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 2," which drew crowds to the Hard Rock Hotel's rooftop bar. The next night, it hosted a party for "The Expendables 2," where Arnold Schwarzenegger made an appearance,...
- 7/14/2012
- by AP
- Huffington Post
San Diego — Comic-Con isn't just a daytime affair.
After the convention center closes for the night, the streets of downtown San Diego come alive with parties galore – dozens of events over the four-day fan festival.
"The Con is for the fans," said comic artist Eric J as he navigated between party destinations. "For the professionals and exhibitors, it's also for networking and making contacts, and that happens at the parties. Even though everyone's having a great time, more business gets done after hours. And it's not just business. There are friendships made at the convention and at the parties that last a lifetime."
The festivities began on the eve of Comic-Con with Wednesday's gathering for "The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 2," which drew crowds to the Hard Rock Hotel's rooftop bar. The next night, it hosted a party for "The Expendables 2," where Arnold Schwarzenegger made an appearance,...
After the convention center closes for the night, the streets of downtown San Diego come alive with parties galore – dozens of events over the four-day fan festival.
"The Con is for the fans," said comic artist Eric J as he navigated between party destinations. "For the professionals and exhibitors, it's also for networking and making contacts, and that happens at the parties. Even though everyone's having a great time, more business gets done after hours. And it's not just business. There are friendships made at the convention and at the parties that last a lifetime."
The festivities began on the eve of Comic-Con with Wednesday's gathering for "The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 2," which drew crowds to the Hard Rock Hotel's rooftop bar. The next night, it hosted a party for "The Expendables 2," where Arnold Schwarzenegger made an appearance,...
- 7/14/2012
- by AP
- Aol TV.
Los Angeles -- When Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes first got together, he jumped on a couch, she gushed girlishly, and many of their fans said, "Huh?"
Their split could cause just as much drama.
Not only are the images of two Hollywood stars at stake, so is the future of 6-year-old Suri, with some speculating that Holmes' decision to file for divorce in New York might mean she's seeking sole custody of their daughter.
Ultimately, Cruise might have the most to lose.
"There's no question this divorce is going to hurt his public image," said Dorie Clark, author of the forthcoming "Reinventing You: Define Your Brand, Imagine Your Future."
"His brand was already tarnished significantly when he first got together with Holmes five years ago and was infamously jumping up and down on Oprah's couch, and shortly afterward the videos of him praising Scientology were leaked," she continued.
Their split could cause just as much drama.
Not only are the images of two Hollywood stars at stake, so is the future of 6-year-old Suri, with some speculating that Holmes' decision to file for divorce in New York might mean she's seeking sole custody of their daughter.
Ultimately, Cruise might have the most to lose.
"There's no question this divorce is going to hurt his public image," said Dorie Clark, author of the forthcoming "Reinventing You: Define Your Brand, Imagine Your Future."
"His brand was already tarnished significantly when he first got together with Holmes five years ago and was infamously jumping up and down on Oprah's couch, and shortly afterward the videos of him praising Scientology were leaked," she continued.
- 6/30/2012
- by AP
- Huffington Post
Los Angeles — Things aren't all dreamy in Katy Perry's new 3D concert film.
The pop star's energetic Day-Glo performances and chart success – tying Michael Jackson's "Bad" with five No. 1 singles from her album "Teenage Dream" – are undercut by heartbreak. She sobs uncontrollably backstage as her marriage to Russell Brand falls apart during her world tour, and talks about her dashed desire for "fairy tale" romance.
Perry co-produced "Katy Perry: Part of Me" and is now promoting it with the same energy she gave to the year-long "California Dreams" tour it documents. Like Justin Bieber's "Never Say Never," the movie cross-cuts between concert footage and biography. It includes interviews with Perry's friends, assistant, manager, makeup artist, Christian evangelical parents, and plenty of fans. Brand is on screen in several scenes but his presence is reduced by the end mostly to phone and text messages.
In an interview, Perry...
The pop star's energetic Day-Glo performances and chart success – tying Michael Jackson's "Bad" with five No. 1 singles from her album "Teenage Dream" – are undercut by heartbreak. She sobs uncontrollably backstage as her marriage to Russell Brand falls apart during her world tour, and talks about her dashed desire for "fairy tale" romance.
Perry co-produced "Katy Perry: Part of Me" and is now promoting it with the same energy she gave to the year-long "California Dreams" tour it documents. Like Justin Bieber's "Never Say Never," the movie cross-cuts between concert footage and biography. It includes interviews with Perry's friends, assistant, manager, makeup artist, Christian evangelical parents, and plenty of fans. Brand is on screen in several scenes but his presence is reduced by the end mostly to phone and text messages.
In an interview, Perry...
- 6/26/2012
- by AP
- Huffington Post
Los Angeles — With a clothing line and a powerhouse group of artists under his umbrella, Lil Wayne claims he's trying to stay above the fray.
The rapper says "there's no beef" between himself and Pusha T, despite back-and-forth diss songs released in recent weeks. Conflict between the two, simmering for years, boiled over when Pusha T of The Clipse – signed with Kanye West's G.O.O.D. Music group – released a track targeting Lil Wayne and his Young Money signee Drake.
Lil Wayne, who rarely responds in such cases, quickly released a brief song online called "Ghoulish" aimed at Pusha T "and anybody that love him."
But in an interview at a Los Angeles Macy's department store to promote his skateboarding-inspired Trukfit clothing line, Lil Wayne told The Associated Press he doesn't plan to escalate the Pusha T conflict. He's got business – and fashion – on his mind.
___
AP: What's next musically?...
The rapper says "there's no beef" between himself and Pusha T, despite back-and-forth diss songs released in recent weeks. Conflict between the two, simmering for years, boiled over when Pusha T of The Clipse – signed with Kanye West's G.O.O.D. Music group – released a track targeting Lil Wayne and his Young Money signee Drake.
Lil Wayne, who rarely responds in such cases, quickly released a brief song online called "Ghoulish" aimed at Pusha T "and anybody that love him."
But in an interview at a Los Angeles Macy's department store to promote his skateboarding-inspired Trukfit clothing line, Lil Wayne told The Associated Press he doesn't plan to escalate the Pusha T conflict. He's got business – and fashion – on his mind.
___
AP: What's next musically?...
- 6/19/2012
- by AP
- Huffington Post
Los Angeles (AP) — Is the Wii U right for you?
At last year's Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3), Nintendo captured most of the spotlight by unveiling the Wii's successor, a high-definition console called the Wii U that utilizes a tablet-like touchscreen controller. Attention alone wasn't enough to declare a victory. Folks weren't, well, feeling it. Critical reaction was mixed, and the Japanese gaming giant's stock dropped.
"Nintendo has an uphill battle this year," said Morgan Webb, co-host of the G4 gaming show "X-Play." ''It's really a branding problem. I think a lot of people are still confused about the Wii U. They're going to have a hard time convincing people that this could be a better gaming experience than the iPad."
At this year's E3 convention in Los Angeles next week, Nintendo Co. will attempt to assuage such concerns by introducing gamers to titles that will be available for Wii U...
At last year's Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3), Nintendo captured most of the spotlight by unveiling the Wii's successor, a high-definition console called the Wii U that utilizes a tablet-like touchscreen controller. Attention alone wasn't enough to declare a victory. Folks weren't, well, feeling it. Critical reaction was mixed, and the Japanese gaming giant's stock dropped.
"Nintendo has an uphill battle this year," said Morgan Webb, co-host of the G4 gaming show "X-Play." ''It's really a branding problem. I think a lot of people are still confused about the Wii U. They're going to have a hard time convincing people that this could be a better gaming experience than the iPad."
At this year's E3 convention in Los Angeles next week, Nintendo Co. will attempt to assuage such concerns by introducing gamers to titles that will be available for Wii U...
- 6/1/2012
- by AP
- Huffington Post
Los Angeles — Far East Movement has provided a thumping soundtrack to clubs around the world, so it seems appropriate that the group prepared for their latest album by doing essential research – a week of clubbing in Las Vegas.
"We said: `We've been touring so much, we need to get back and just wild out; remember what it's like to be like party animals for a little bit and just not care,'" said frontman Kev Nish (real name: Kevin Nishimura). "So we literally spent a week in Vegas – partied every night and went to the studio that night and just wrote songs."
In the morning, the question became: "What did I write?" Nish joked, before turning serious: "That's how some of our favorite work was written and it really helped us to get back in the zone."
The result is "Dirty Bass," a collection designed to advance the four-man group's...
"We said: `We've been touring so much, we need to get back and just wild out; remember what it's like to be like party animals for a little bit and just not care,'" said frontman Kev Nish (real name: Kevin Nishimura). "So we literally spent a week in Vegas – partied every night and went to the studio that night and just wrote songs."
In the morning, the question became: "What did I write?" Nish joked, before turning serious: "That's how some of our favorite work was written and it really helped us to get back in the zone."
The result is "Dirty Bass," a collection designed to advance the four-man group's...
- 5/11/2012
- by AP
- Huffington Post
Beverly Hills, Calif. — It was a surreal scene: Whitney Houston had died at the Beverly Hilton, and hours later and a few floors below, her life was being celebrated at the event where her career was launched.
On Saturday night, Clive Davis – Houston's mentor, producer, champion and longtime friend – memorialized her at his pre-Grammy gala, held downstairs in the same hotel where her body was being examined by coroner's officials.
Ray Davies and Elvis Costello took to the stage to perform as Los Angeles county coroner's Capt. John Kades arrived at the hotel. Alicia Keys arrived earlier and embraced Davis as he prepared for the show under extreme duress.
With celebrities including Quincy Jones, Tony Bennett, Dr. Dre, Mary J. Blige and Jennifer Hudson in attendance, a somber Davis, reading from a sheet of paper, said: "I am personally devastated by the loss of someone who has meant so much to me.
On Saturday night, Clive Davis – Houston's mentor, producer, champion and longtime friend – memorialized her at his pre-Grammy gala, held downstairs in the same hotel where her body was being examined by coroner's officials.
Ray Davies and Elvis Costello took to the stage to perform as Los Angeles county coroner's Capt. John Kades arrived at the hotel. Alicia Keys arrived earlier and embraced Davis as he prepared for the show under extreme duress.
With celebrities including Quincy Jones, Tony Bennett, Dr. Dre, Mary J. Blige and Jennifer Hudson in attendance, a somber Davis, reading from a sheet of paper, said: "I am personally devastated by the loss of someone who has meant so much to me.
- 2/12/2012
- by AP
- Huffington Post
Park City, Utah — Hip-hop is making itself heard – and seen – at the Sundance Film Festival.
Along with a slew of performances by rappers and DJs around town, this year's festival includes documentary and narrative films about hip-hop culture.
"It's a beautiful thing to see," said Luther Campbell of 2 Live Crew fame, who stars in a short film playing at the festival called "The Life and Freaky Times of Uncle Luke." "When you look at the success of Ice Cube and Will Smith, these are traditional hip-hop guys that are very successful in the movie business, so it's a great thing and I'm happy for all the other guys who are here."
Rapper-actor Ice-t made his directorial debut at Sundance with the documentary "Something From Nothing: The Art of Rap," which features interviews with hip-hop artists such as Grandmaster Flash, Eminem, Mos Def, Run-dmc, Krs-One, Snoop Dogg and Ice Cube.
Ice-t...
Along with a slew of performances by rappers and DJs around town, this year's festival includes documentary and narrative films about hip-hop culture.
"It's a beautiful thing to see," said Luther Campbell of 2 Live Crew fame, who stars in a short film playing at the festival called "The Life and Freaky Times of Uncle Luke." "When you look at the success of Ice Cube and Will Smith, these are traditional hip-hop guys that are very successful in the movie business, so it's a great thing and I'm happy for all the other guys who are here."
Rapper-actor Ice-t made his directorial debut at Sundance with the documentary "Something From Nothing: The Art of Rap," which features interviews with hip-hop artists such as Grandmaster Flash, Eminem, Mos Def, Run-dmc, Krs-One, Snoop Dogg and Ice Cube.
Ice-t...
- 1/26/2012
- by AP
- Huffington Post
By Derrik J. Lang, The Associated Press
Los Angeles — Behind a pair of nondescript black doors on the second floor of an angular office building along an unremarkable stretch of Ventura Boulevard is the headquarters for "Call of Duty: Modern Warfare" developer Infinity Ward. It's out of sight from Hollywood in an unsuspectingly sterile place where one might except to find spreadsheets, not video games.
Yet beyond these doors is where one of the gaming industry's most successful titles was created – and where its sequel nearly unraveled last year when "Call of Duty" publisher Activision Blizzard Inc. fired Infinity Ward executives Jason West and Vince Zampella, a shake-up that left shoot-'em-up fans wondering if there would even be a "Modern Warfare 3."
Past the trophy case in the reception area, on the opposite side of the building from the cafeteria that's always stocked with energy drinks, is the corner conference room...
Los Angeles — Behind a pair of nondescript black doors on the second floor of an angular office building along an unremarkable stretch of Ventura Boulevard is the headquarters for "Call of Duty: Modern Warfare" developer Infinity Ward. It's out of sight from Hollywood in an unsuspectingly sterile place where one might except to find spreadsheets, not video games.
Yet beyond these doors is where one of the gaming industry's most successful titles was created – and where its sequel nearly unraveled last year when "Call of Duty" publisher Activision Blizzard Inc. fired Infinity Ward executives Jason West and Vince Zampella, a shake-up that left shoot-'em-up fans wondering if there would even be a "Modern Warfare 3."
Past the trophy case in the reception area, on the opposite side of the building from the cafeteria that's always stocked with energy drinks, is the corner conference room...
- 11/7/2011
- by Gazelle Emami
- Huffington Post
IMDb.com, Inc. takes no responsibility for the content or accuracy of the above news articles, Tweets, or blog posts. This content is published for the entertainment of our users only. The news articles, Tweets, and blog posts do not represent IMDb's opinions nor can we guarantee that the reporting therein is completely factual. Please visit the source responsible for the item in question to report any concerns you may have regarding content or accuracy.