Paul Walker death

Paul Walker death 

Paul Walker

 Celebrities react, investigation continues

Paul Walker's death on Saturday afternoon in a fiery car crash drew reactions from his famous costars and other celebs, and a makeshift memorial grew at the site of the Santa Clarita wreck.

The "Fast and Furious" star, 40, was killed when the 2005 Porsche Carrera GT he was a passenger in hit a tree and a concrete lamp post, exploding into flames. The driver, Walker's friend and business partner Roger Rodas, also died. The sound of the crash was audible from the car shop where Walker and others had gathered earlier in the day for a charity event, a witness told L.A. Now.

Law enforcement was still investigating how fast the car might have been going and whether drag racing might have played a role; an update was not expected until Monday. Meanwhile, people close to the Always Evolving shop -- co-owned by the actor and Rodas -- wondered to TMZ whether an automotive malfunction, specifically a steering issue, might have occurred.

"Fast" costar Tyrese Gibson, who broke down in tears at the crash site on Saturday, leaving a flower at the memorial, remembered his friend in a post on Instagram in which he wrote, "My heart is hurting so bad no one can make me believe this is real Father God I pray that you send clarity over this cause I just don't understand My heart hurts it's broken no one can convince me that this is real.... Prayer warriors please pray real hard for his only child, his daughter and family... #HeartOfAnAngel13YrsFamilyForeverWeJustCelebreatedYour40thBirthday..... My God... My God... I can't believe I'm writing this." Other costars were similarly broken-hearted over the actor, who'd also appeared in films including "She's All That," "Pleasantville" and the upcoming "Hours." "Paul was pure light," Jordana Brewster tweeted. "I cannot believe he is gone." Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson remembered Walker's family, writing, "All my strength, love & faith to the Walker family during this heartbreaking time. We find our strength.. in his light. Love you brother." Neil Patrick Harris, Alyssa Milano, Rihanna and William Shatner were among those to express their condolences, while Ludacris, who'd appeared in several "Fast" films, Instagrammed a photo of cast members at a meal together. "Your humble spirit was felt from the start," Ludacris wrote. "Wherever you blessed your presence you always left a mark, we were like brothers & our birthdays are only 1 day apart, now You will forever hold a place in all of our hearts@paulwalker legacy will live on forever. R.I.P.

source link: www.latimes.com

Justin Bieber break up with Selena Gomez

Justin Bieber's new song alludes to break up with Selena Gomez

Justin Bieber’s new single Heartbreaker, could be referring to his romance with Selena Gomez. 
The 19-year-old singer took to twitter saying that the song is for people going through heartbreak, like he was when it was being written. The teenage singer further added that sharing his feelings with his fans meant a great deal to him and he only hoped the song gave them an insight into his heart, the New York Daily News reported. Bieber and Gomez parted ways in November but since then have been seen together several times.

Justin Bieber

Source link: www.dnaindia.com

Fast & Furious 6

On biggest Memorial Day ever, 'Fast & Furious 6' laps 'Hangover III'

Paul Walker stars in "Fast & Furious 6

"Fast & Furious 6" blew past the finish line at the box office this Memorial Day weekend, leaving "The Hangover Part III" to face a sobering reality. The sixth entry in the action-packed "Fast" franchise took in a robust $120 million from Thursday evening through Monday, according to an estimate from distributor Universal Pictures. That's by far the best opening for the series, whose fifth installment collected $86.2 million over a three-day weekend in 2011. (The sixth film grossed $96.8 million in three days.) The third and final "Hangover" film, meanwhile, performed more poorly than both of its predecessors. The movie, which hit theaters late Wednesday, will have sold an estimated $63 million worth of tickets by the end of the holiday weekend. Over Memorial Day weekend in 2011, the second "Hangover" grossed $135 million during roughly the same time period. Even the 2009 original picture debuted with $45 million in just three days; the third film grossed $41.8 million between Friday and Sunday. The other picture new to cinemas this weekend, "Epic," served as the family-friendly alternative for moviegoers. The 3-D animated film grossed a solid $42.6 million over the four-day weekend. With the "Star Trek" sequel, "Iron Man 3" and "The Great Gatsby" still doing solid business in theaters, it was a record Memorial Day weekend at the box office. Ticket sales amounted to $316 million, per Hollywood.com, breaking 2011's record of $276.8 million -- not accounting for inflation. Though summer blockbusters have helped to reverse a downward trend at the box office, 2013 receipts and attendance are still down 7% compared with last year. Critics and audiences loved the latest "Fast" film, as those who turned up to see the movie over the weekend assigned it an average grade of A, according to market research firm CinemaScore. Heading into the weekend, the movie was generating the most interest among young men, but the picture ended up appealing to males and females in nearly equal measure. The weekend crowd ended up being a bit older, as well, as 57% of “Fast” moviegoers were older than 25. Likely because of the film’s ethnically diverse cast -- which includes Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, Michelle Rodriguez and Dwayne Johnson -- 32% of those who saw the sixth film were Latino. “The movie did very well in urban, diverse areas, and the entire South was also very strong,” said Nikki Rocco, Universal’s president of domestic distribution. “What has been most thrilling for me, though, is that as these films go on women are endorsing them. We spent a lot of time trying to make this more than a car-heist franchise, and it’s paid off.” Financed by Universal and Elliot Inc. for $160 million, "Fast & Furious 6" is on pace to outgross all of the previous entries in the franchise. To date, "Fast Five" is the most successful film in the series, having collected $626.1 million worldwide two years ago -- about 67% of which came from overseas sales. The sixth movie is already off to a good start abroad. Playing in 59 foreign markets this weekend, the movie grossed $160.3 million -- exceeding the $125 million "Fast Five" opened with in those same locations in 2011. The movie, which launched in the United Kingdom last weekend, has now grossed a total of $197 million internationally. This weekend, the sixth "Fast" had the biggest opening of all time in the United Arab Emirates and Argentina, though it sold the most tickets in Russia and Mexico. The picture has yet to debut in six countries, including Japan and China in July. "The Hangover Part III" received scathing critical reviews, but moviegoers didn't hate it, giving the film a B CinemaScore this weekend. The movie attracted a slightly older male crowd, as 52% of those who saw it were men and 55% were older than 25. Heading into the weekend, the R-rated film was expected to collect $80 million by the end of the weekend -- but by mid-day Friday, it was clear the picture would not meet that mark. “We underperformed a bit and I was a bit taken aback, but it is what it is,” acknowledged Dan Fellman, president of domestic distribution for Warner Bros., which co-financed the film with Legendary Pictures for $103 million. “It doesn’t help to be a Monday morning quarterback. If I had seen research that suggested our film and ‘Fast’ were not neck-in-neck heading into the weekend, I would have fought harder for a different date.” Though he admits the studio “did leave some money on the table” this weekend, Fellman said he is hopeful that those moviegoers who saw “Fast” this weekend will turn to see a comedy in the coming weeks. The "Hangover Part II" grossed $586.8 million globally in 2011 -- 56% of which was due to international sales. Though the third film may not fare as well as the second domestically, the studio is hopeful that the expanding global market means the new "Hangover" will exceed its predecessor overseas. This weekend, the movie grossed $19.2 million from just three foreign markets: the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand. The major international launch, however, comes next weekend, when the film will debut in 50 countries.

source link: www.latimes.com

Upcoming Movies

Upcoming Movies

Man Of  Steel. 

Plot: Clark Kent (Henry Cavill) is a young twenty-something journalist who feels alienated by powers beyond his imagination. Transported years ago to Earth from Krypton, a highly advanced, distant planet, Clark struggles with the ultimate question 'Why am I here?' Shaped by the values of his adoptive parents Martha (Lane) and Jonathan Kent (Costner), Clark discovers having extraordinary abilities means making difficult decisions. When the world is in dire need of stability, an even greater threat emerges. Clark must become a Man of Steel, to protect the people he loves and shine as the world's beacon of hope - Superman.

Now You See Me.

Plot: Now You See Me pits an elite FBI squad in a game of cat and mouse against "The Four Horsemen," a super-team of the world's greatest illusionists. "The Four Horsemen" pull off a series of daring heists against corrupt business leaders during their performances, showering the stolen profits on their audiences while staying one step ahead of the law.

After Earth,June 7
Plot: One thousand years after cataclysmic events forced humanitys escape from Earth, Nova Prime has become mankinds new home. Legendary General Cypher Raige returns from an extended tour of duty to his estranged family, ready to be a father to his 13-year-old son, Kitai. When an asteroid storm damages Cypher and Kitais craft, they crash-land on a now unfamiliar and dangerous Earth. As his father lies dying in the cockpit, Kitai must trek across the hostile terrain to recover their rescue beacon. His whole life, Kitai has wanted nothing more than to be a soldier like his father. Today, he gets his chance.

 

Part III. 
Plot: This time, there's no wedding. No bachelor party. What could go wrong, right? But when the Wolfpack hits the road, all bets are off.

Fast & Furious 6,May24

 Plot: Since Dom and Brians Rio heist toppled a kingpins empire and left their crew with $100 million, our heroes have scattered across the globe. But their inability to return home and living forever on the lam have left their lives incomplete.

"Star Trek Into Darkness"

Boldly going 'Into Darkness' at warp speed

In "Star Trek Into Darkness," Chris Pine, from left, is Kirk, Zoe Saldana is Uhura and Zachary Quinto is Spock

Kirk and crew beam aboard J.J. Abrams' Enterprise for a mission full of action, emotions and this time terrorism. Then there's baddie Benedict Cumberbatch.
 "Star Trek Into Darkness," bursting at the seams with enemies, wears its politics, its mettle, its moxie and its heart on its ginormous 3-D sleeve. Director J.J. Abrams and the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise try to build a better sequel with action spectacles to get lost in, clever asides to amuse, emotional waves to ride and allusions to terrorism in general and 9/11 specifically. Abrams' first reimagining of the beloved Gene Roddenberry franchise was a stellar surprise in 2009. The casting was spot-on with Chris Pine and Zachary Quinto embodying and embellishing the iconic characters of James T. Kirk and Mr. Spock, respectively. The story, from screenwriters Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman, was highly inventive, not easy for a franchise with 11 movies and four separate TV series under its plot-twisting belt.
There were astute nods to that history — Leonard Nimoy's cameo as Spock in old age was by far the showstopper. The expectations were impossibly high, but Abrams proved to be a cool-hand Luke as he kept the Enterprise moving at warp speed.
A follow-up was risky. And, in fact, "Star Trek Into Darkness" doesn't quite match 2009's blast from the past.
There are times when it feels as if the director has pulled a page out of the Michael Bay playbook, taking some of the action to exhaustive extremes. At other moments, all that bravado collapses into safer-than-necessary choices. But before that whither-Star Trek sigh has time to build, the film does something bold, surprisingly pointed in its treatment of terrorism, for one.
So many things are done right that even with the bombast, "Into Darkness" is the best of this summer's biggies thus far. It's a great deal of brash fun, and it should satisfy all those basic Trekkie cravings.

The movie begins in blinding light. Kirk and Bones (Karl Urban) are making a mad dash through the red fields of Nibiru trying to distract and evade the planet's primitive people — bodies baked in clay, painted faces, spears, superstitious, you know the type. A volcano is about to destroy their world, though they don't know it. Ice bombs and Spock come to the rescue.
Naturally, being dropped into a very hot spot doesn't phase Spock, though I do believe he breaks a slight sweat. He's not the only one in mortal danger, and in short order, Starfleet rules have been broken to save the day.

The icy volcanic ash has barely cleared before Kirk and Spock have that age-old logic-versus-emotion argument. And they are barely back on Earth when they find themselves on the ropes for the Nibiru fiasco — Kirk suspended, Spock reassigned.
Indeed, there is virtually no time to breathe until the credits start rolling. The script by Kurtzman, Orci and Damon Lindelof, the latter of whom has a string of action/drama credits but most significantly created "Lost" with Abrams and Jeffrey Lieber, sets an exceedingly fast pace.

Which means Kirk has only started to grumble about Nibiru when a bomb blows up the Starfleet's main archive in London. Control of the Enterprise is handed over to Kirk's old mentor, the no-longer wheelchair-bound Capt. Pike (Bruce Greenwood). Somehow, before the ship lifts off, Kirk and Spock are back on board along with the rest of the "Star Trek" essentials — Uhura (Zoe Saldana), Sulu (John Cho), Scotty (Simon Pegg) and Chekov (Anton Yelchin). As are the top-notch film crew, including director of photography Dan Mindel, production designer Scott Chambliss, costume designer Michael Kaplan and composer Michael Ciacchino.
This time out, "Sherlock's" Benedict Cumberbatch is the major menace to society. He portrays top Starfleet agent John Harrison, who may or may not have gone rogue but is unquestionably indestructible. It makes for some fun fights. The race against time to track him down will have the Enterprise globe- and galaxy-hopping from a futuristic San Francisco and London circa 2259 filled with polished metal and glass spires to the down-and-dirty Kronos, home planet of the Klingons. Just their mention is likely to elicit a cheer. At this point in time, they are still archenemies.

As important as the Klingons and Cumberbatches of the Star Trek world are, villains do not this franchise make. What helps keep the motor humming are the ship's family dynamics, the very familiar squabbles between crew members that all Trekkies and most of the rest of the movie universe know so well.
It is here that "Into Darkness" really shines. One of the movie's major themes is what place, if any, feelings have in guiding actions.
This comes into play in broad strokes as cities are attacked in ways that echo today's terrorists. And, more telling, with a great deal of intimacy as the crew comes to each other's aid.
Pine and especially Quinto expose much deeper layers of the complex bond between Kirk and Spock. So intensely personal does it become, you may find yourself moved in unexpected ways. In this way, "Star Trek Into Darkness" really does boldly go where no man has gone before.

source link: www.latimes.com

Crosby, Stills and Nash get new look in concert with Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra

Crosby, Stills and Nash get new look in concert with Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra

2010 file photo, Stephen Stills, from left, David Crosby and Graham Nash, from the band Crosby, Stills and Nash perform in Hyde Park

Crosby, Stills and Nash surprised the audience with a new look when they walked onstage dressed in dark gray Brooks Brothers suits for a benefit concert with Wynton Marsalis’ Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra.
“If you laugh at our suits, you’re getting thrown out of here,” quipped Graham Nash. “My first pair of grown-up shoes,” David Crosby added, without skipping a beat. “They have laces and everything.”

Nash admitted to some uncertainty about whether the languages of rock and jazz “would blend” at Friday night’s concert in Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Rose Theater.
But such concerns were quickly dispelled once the folk-rock trio’s trademark intricate vocal harmonies and acoustic and electric guitar parts were enhanced by the JLCO’s tight ensemble playing and skilled soloists such as saxophonists Sherman Irby, trumpeter Marcus Printup and trombonist Vincent Gardner.
The jazz arrangements, mostly written by JLCO members, reimagined a dozen tunes from the Crosby, Stills and Nash songbook, and the Rock and Roll Hall of Famers were clearly thrilled with the results on songs such as “Love the One You’re With.”

“It’s like getting to play with the bigger kids,” Crosby said. He later added that they were having so much fun it felt “like three children being let loose in NASA.”
The jazz orchestra added a chugging rhythm to “Marrakesh Express” from CSN’s 1969 debut album, while the anti-war tune “Military Madness” got a big-band swing arrangement that opened with a brassy fanfare and closed with a military-style drum roll and the trumpets playing “Taps.”
The rock trio drew inspiration from the jazz orchestra’s soloists. Stephen Stills played a hot acoustic guitar solo in “Suite: Judy Blue Eyes,” even quoting Beatle George Harrison’s “Within You Without You.” And Nash couldn’t resist throwing in a harmonica solo on “Deja Vu.”
Another highlight came when Marsalis, playing a muted trumpet, went to the front of the stage to play alongside Crosby and Nash on a tender, intimate trio version of Crosby’s folk ballad “Guinnevere,” which trumpeter Miles Davis covered in a 1970 recording.
Marsalis, JLCO’s music director, said he was impressed by the amount of time the rock trio spent rehearsing the complex arrangements in order to master material outside their comfort zone.
“They embody the spirit of collaboration because it’s easy to just say, ‘Here, I’m used to doing stuff a certain way and you have to do it this way,’” Marsalis told the audience. “They came here and were dealing with swing grooves, all kinds of changes, and things coming in on different beats.”
Marc Quinones of the Allman Brothers Band made a guest appearance to play Latin percussion on several numbers. Crosby’s son, James Raymond, who plays keyboards in the CSN band, conducted the performance.
On Wednesday, Crosby, Stills and Nash performed with the jazz orchestra at a private gala. The two performances were the latest in an annual series of benefit concerts with pop-rock performers to support Jazz at Lincoln Center, which in previous years has featured Eric Clapton, Willie Nelson and Paul Simon.
After Crosby declared, “We need you to sing, not just rattle your jewelry,” the concert closed with a sing-along version of “Teach Your Children,” which was followed by an extended standing ovation until the trio reappeared onstage. Instead of an encore, Marsalis and other members of the JLCO returned to usher Crosby, Stills and Nash offstage in a lively New Orleans-style Second Line march.

source link: www.washingtonpost.com

Justin Bieber Takes On The Paparazzi In 'Believe' Film Scene

Justin Bieber Takes On The Paparazzi In 'Believe' Film Scene

 

Justin Bieber performs at Staples Center

While Justin Bieber is on tour, taking his Believe show around the world, director Jon Chu is hard at work putting the finishing touches on his next big-screen release with the teen star. The film, currently billed as "Believe," is being helmed by "Never Say Never" director Chu, who recently gave The Los Angeles Times a sneak peek at one of the scenes in the film.
In the scene, filmed in L.A. last summer, Bieber — all dressed up in a suit — runs around a warehouse trying to avoid paparazzi-like characters. The scene features his 2012 song "She Don't Like the Lights," which is all about a woman who doesn't like the media attention she gets when she heads out on the town with Bieber. That song's theme inspired the moment, Chu said. "It just evolved from there," he explained. "We thought it'd be fun to have a secret service team — a special-ops unit — going after him with cameras." Back in February, Bieber's manager, Scooter Braun, told MTV News that the follow-up to "Never Say Never" would play out more like a traditional concert film than a concert/documentary like the 2011 movie. But Chu said the film's concept has evolved since filming one of his January concerts in Miami. "It started as just a concert movie, but we've got so many other things now," Chu said. "We have footage of him writing the first song for his next album on a piece of paper with a pencil. Blank page, erasing, writing. That's where it starts." MTV News recently got the scoop on those writing sessions from Braun, who revealed that Bieber has been writing his "music journals" throughout his world tour. "Well, I don't ever disclose what our plans are, but I will say this: he's been writing one to two songs a day for the entire tour and he actually labels them by the city he writes them in," he explained earlier this week. "We started calling it his 'music journal' and we're talking about what should come next musically. And I think creatively he just wants to share all his thoughts through music." Chu added that there are no plans yet for when or how the film will be released, but added, "It's almost about a boy becoming an artist rather than a boy's life. Because his artistry is his life now."

source link: www.mtv.com

The music community reacts to the death of George Jones

 Music community reacts to the death of George Jones.

         George Jones

Artists as diverse as Kelly Clarkson, Brad Paisley, Dolly Parton and Alan Jackson are among those speaking out about the death today of celebrated singer George Jones. "It's a sad day for country music," said Loretta Lynn, while Paisley noted that Jones' hard-living life was evidence that "mistakes, missteps, and bad choices are not the end of the world." 

Jones, 81, died at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville. He had been suffering from a fever and irregular blood pressure.
The baritone from East Texas astonished and delighted fans who had seen him struggle with alcohol and drug abuse, multiple marriages and divorces, lawsuits over his erratic behavior and brushes with death in motor vehicle accidents.
"He was a wonderful man and was my all-time favorite country singer. We recorded together, even performed shows together back in the '50s. He will surely be missed," said banjo luminary Dr. Ralph Stanley.
Jones, whose nickname was the Possum, won two Grammy Awards, was a five-time Academy of Country Music Awards winner and a seven-time honoree from the Country Music Assn. He was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1992. In 2008, he was given a lifetime achievement award as part of the annual Kennedy Center Honor in Washington, D.C.

 Reactions from the music community on Jones' passing.

“The world has lost the greatest country singer of all time. Amen." -- Merle Haggard

“My heart is absolutely broken. George Jones was my all time favorite singer and one of my favorite people in the world. My heart goes out to Nancy and the rest of his family.” -- Dolly Parton

“It’s a sad day for country music and a great loss for those of us who knew him. I was blessed to call George my friend. He was one of the best country singers there ever was. My thoughts and prayers are with his wife, Nancy, and all of his family. It’s a sad, sad day.” -- Loretta Lynn

"There aren't words in our language to describe the depth of his greatness. I'll miss my kind and generous friend." -- Vince Gill

"The greatest voice to ever grace country music will never die.  Jones has a place in every heart that ever loved any kind of music." -- Garth Brooks

“George Jones' life is an example of so many wonderful things: How someone's God-given gifts can make this a richer, better place. How one human being can overcome adversity, addiction, and life threatening obstacles time and time again. That it is not the stumble or fall that counts, but the willingness to stand again. How a keen sense of humor and a twinkle in a person’s eye can still prevail even after all of life's hard knocks. How mistakes, missteps, and bad choices are not the end of the world if a person chooses to turn them into something good. And George's life is above all the strongest example of how the love of a great woman can get a man through anything. All of this made its way beautifully into every note of the greatest voice country music will ever know.  And one of the greatest friends you could ever have. We miss you already George.” -- Brad Paisley

"George Jones always spoke of my grandfather as his hero, which is funny today how he was easily one of my heroes. He wrapped his voice around a lyric in a way that I don't think I've ever heard before, with so much emotion pouring out seamlessly and simply. He was an outlaw, a rebel, and a hero. Elliott Smith once said his idea of Heaven was George Jones singing at the gates, I fully agree with him and I'm sure everyone up there is smiling. His music will never die." -- Holly Williams

"If I'm blessed enough to make it there, I look forward to you giving me the grand tour. Rest in peace George Jones!!!!!" -- Keith Urban

“Sad to hear about George Jones' passing. That man touched a lot of lives with his music. Thanks for setting the bar for the rest of us.” -- Kelly Clarkson

"Very sad to hear the news about the passing of my friend George Jones. He was a wonderful man and was my all-time favorite country singer. We recorded together, even performed shows together back in the '50s. He will surely be missed." -- Dr. Ralph Stanley

"The country music singer of all time. The words 'Who's Gonna Fill Their Shoes' has never been more true than today." -- Ricky Skaggs 

“End of an era. Travel safe, Possum.” -- Rosanne Cash

"Well, heaven better get ready for some great country music. While George was known for his wild and crazy days, I've known him for 25 years as a friend. He had grown into a real good man. Of course, he will always be the greatest singer and interpreter of real country music -- there'll never be another. Like the song says, 'You know this old world is full of singers, but just a few are chosen to tear your heart out when they sing. Imagine life without them.Who's gonna fill their shoes.'" -- Alan Jackson

"Years ago someone asked Coach Bum Phillips if Earl Campbell was in a class by himself. Bum replied, 'Well if he ain't, it sure don't take long to check roll.' I say the same of the late great George Jones. Rest in peace POSSUM. You were always kind to me … THANKS." -- Larry Gatlin

"The music world has lost one of the most original and innovative talents that the world has ever known. I feel such a personal loss of not only one of the greatest vocal influences of my life, but also I've lost a dear friend. Visits with George have always been full of joy and laughter. Every time I would see him, George would always greet me with a funny story or a joke. His legacy will put his name at the top of the most influential artists in history, right along with Hank Williams, Johnny Cash and Waylon Jennings. His voice will be influencing singers 100 years from now and beyond." -- Travis Tritt

"George Jones has been a major part of my personal and professional life for a long time.  I have been inspired by his music for the last 50 years and for 42 of those, I had the pleasure of knowing him personally and professionally.  He was IT to me.  George was and will always be my guy.  I am luckier than a lot of people on this Earth because God let me be a part of George's life and him a part of mine.  And on this day, his song couldn't be more true: 'He Stopped Loving Her Today.'" -- Sammy Kershaw

"I met George when he came to Nashville and we became good friends.  I'm really going to miss him.  The world has lost the greatest singer to have ever lived." -- Mel Tillis

"George Jones may be gone but his music will live on forever.  What a great voice and a great friend." -- Ray Stevens

"Country music as we know it would be vastly different if it weren't for George Jones.  He's in our musical DNA.  All country artists will have to figure out how to even begin to live up to his kind of legacy. 'Honky Tonk Heaven,' here he comes ... though we're not ready to let go." --Pam Tillis

"The greatest most soulful voice in history is gone. RIP George Jones." -- Restless Heart

"We met George many times over the past 50 years. This is a terrible loss for his family, friends, the country music industry and the world. He's the most identifiable and inspirational country artist that has ever lived.” -- Doug Gray, Marshall Tucker Band

"George Jones was a mentor and a giant to my generation of country singers. He was there for my first Ralph Emery Show appearance. Backstage I was so nervous and expressed concern to George that if Ralph Emery didn't like me, my career may never get off the ground. The first thing George said to Ralph when they went on air was how nice of guy he thought I was.

"George Jones was our country music soul singer, no doubt. Who's gonna fill those shoes?" -- Billy Dean

"We've lost one of the greatest voices in history. Prayers and condolences to his family." -- The Bellamy Brothers

"Sharing the same vocal booth with George Jones on 'Traveller's Prayer' was without a doubt THE highlight of our career.  He was a true legend, generous and supportive and he will live on and on in our hearts." -- Sweethearts of the Rodeo

"I have no words to express my admiration and love for George Jones. To say he was my 'hero' does not do justice to the lifetime impression he made on me, both personally and professionally. George Jones is the foundation of country music and he's the reason I wanted to perform.  Hes the reason I'm still here in this business ... out there on the road.  He was my mentor and my teacher; George was my friend.  He paved the way for so many and I was one of the lucky ones to have enjoyed the opportunity to not only sing beside him, but just 'sit and visit' with him. When I was just starting out, we toured together; he was the headliner. After a few shows, he told me that I was going to close the shows (because he wanted to watch 'Andy Griffith'). For a newcomer, it was intimidating to open for him; there was even more pressure to close for him. George gave me strength and encouragement; he kept telling me 'you can do it, son.'  George Jones is the Father of Country. We will all miss his voice, and I will miss his voice to call me 'son." -- Mark Chesnutt

"Country music lost an icon today and I have lost a dear and beloved friend. With tear-filled eyes, I'm reminiscing this morning about all that I learned from and loved about George Jones. He was part of my 'country music education;' he made country music history and, in my opinion, George Jones is a song's best friend. No one will leave an imprint on my life like George did." -- Lorrie Morgan

"The first 8-tracks that I owned were recordings by Conway Twitty and George Jones. Long before my career got started, I was at a concert (Travis Tritt's homecoming show) and George Jones performed. I sat there and sang along to every word that George sang. A lady, who sat in front of me, turned around and said, 'do you know George Jones' music?' When my reply was, 'heck yeah,' she introduced herself; it was his wife, Nancy. Nancy brought me backstage that night to introduce me to George. That was three years before I signed my record deal and we've remained friends and stayed in touch since then. Right or wrong, in good times and in bad, people loved George Jones -- he made an impression. His music is his legacy and he will not only be remembered as the best country singer this world will ever know, but a great man that we all will truly miss." -- Mark Wills

source link: www.latimes.com

Gwyneth Paltrow named People's most beautiful woman

 Oscar-winning actress Gwyneth Paltrow on Wednesday was named the world's most beautiful woman for 2013 by People magazine, knocking pop singer Beyonce out of the top spot.

 

Actress Gwyneth Paltrow arrives at the 84th Academy Awards in Hollywood

The 40-year-old mother of two credits a five-day-a-week exercise regimen for keeping her in shape as she grows older.
"It makes me look younger and feel strong," Paltrow told the magazine. "When I first started, I thought, 'I'll never be good at this. This is a nightmare!' But now it's like brushing my teeth, I just do it."
It is the fourth time Paltrow, who is married to Coldplay singer Chris Martin, has been named to the magazine's annual beautiful people issue, but the first time landing the coveted cover as most beautiful woman.
She joins the likes of fellow actresses Jennifer Lopez, Julia Roberts, Halle Berry and Jennifer Aniston to top the list.
Paltrow reprises her starring role as Pepper Potts in the action film "Iron Man 3," which opens next month.
The actress has cut back her film work after giving birth to children Apple, 8, and Moses, 7, and released her second cookbook, "It's All Good," this month.
She is also the founder of lifestyle and clothing website Goop.com.
Paltrow won an Oscar for her role as William Shakespeare's muse in the 1998 film "Shakespeare in Love."

Source link:www.reuters.com

Nicole Kidman, Christoph Waltz And Ang Lee Join Steven Spielberg's Cannes Jury

Cannes Jury

Nicole Kidman

This year's Cannes Film Festival is already a bit more Hollywood than usual, with King of the Blockbusters Steven Spielberg on board to head up the jury for the prestigious festival. Now a handful of new names have made for an even glitzier lineup of people who will pick the art house favorites for the coming year. Among the lineup are two winners from this year's Academy Awards-- Ang Lee, who took home Best Director for Life of Pi, and Christoph Waltz, who won his second Best Supporting Actor Oscar for Django Unchained. Other names, according to The Los Angeles Times, are actors Nicole Kidman and Daniel Auteuil, directors Cristian Mungiu (previous Palme d'Or winner 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days) and Lynne Ramsay (We Need To Talk About Kevin), plus Japanese director Naomi Kawase and Indian actress Vidya Balan. Though none of us will be on the ground at Cannes this year (oh, the envy of the people who get to go), we'll be keeping a close eye on reviews thanks to the killer lineup of films premiering there, with new movies from the Coen Brothrs, Alexander Payne and Nicolas Winding Refn only the tip of the iceberg. if you want a dose of that Cannes excitement without leaving your house, check out this new trailer for Only God Forgives, which will premiere at Cannes ahead of its July 19 theatrical debut.

News Link: www.cinemablend.com

Justin Bieber Planning to Give Up Mally the Monkey, Says Munich Animal Shelter

 Mallygate is nearing an end, it seems!

Mally and Justin Bieber

Justin Bieber is allowing his pet Capuchin monkey Mally to go to a new home, per the Munich animal shelter that has housed Mally since his confiscation in March. Roberto Mioni Coltro, a spokesperson for Munich Tierschutzverein, tells E! News: "Justin Bieber's management contacted us and they will give up Mally." "They are asking us for a good home for Mally," Coltro tells E! News exclusively, adding that the authorities still need an official document from Justin's manager rather than just an email. The ultimate decision about Mally's future home, however, is up to the Federal Agency for Nature Conservation rather than the shelter. Coltro explained, "We only can make a recommendation and we don´t want to send Mally in the zoo, because the zoos will only [publicize] Mally...We (Tierschutzverein) want Mally in a rescue center or some organization for primates." Nevertheless, Coltro assures us, the baby monkey will not have to part with his constant stuffed animal companion: "Mally will take the 'stuffed cat' with him!" Bieber first ran into trouble when he arrived via private plane at the Franz Josef Strauss Airport in Munich airport on March 28 for a concert and was confronted about the monkey in customs. Mally was taken into custody after the "Boyfriend" singer was unable to provide necessary paperwork for the pet and was subsequently detained by German officials. Bieber was reportedly charged a fine and the cost of the quarantine as a result of the incident. We hope Mally finds a good new home!

source link: www.eonline.com

Ben Affleck to live on $1.50 a day

Ben Affleck to live on $1.50 a day 

It's part of a challenge he's taking to shine a light on global poverty.

Ben Affleck

Could you live on $1.50 a day? For a week? Ben Affleck, Josh Groban, Sophia Bush and Debi Mazar are among the celebs who have committed to take the 2013 Live Below the Line challenge issue by The Global Poverty Project. They will live on $1.50 of food and drink a day (no Starbucks for him!) April 29-May 3 to raise awareness about extreme poverty. Live Below the Line aims to help people better empathize with the 1.4 billion people who face extreme poverty, and hopes to encourage fundraising to support partner organizations. The $1.50 figure is the current equivalent of the accepted global figure used to define extreme poverty. The stars hope to encourage others to support the cause and do the same. Josh Groban had such an eye-opening experience participating in last year's Live Below the Line campaign, that he not only signed up to do it again this year, but he has also included a song, Below the Line, on his new album. "It's amazing how much we take for granted not having to live in hunger," he notes in the announcement.

source link:www.usatoday.com

Justin Bieber fans 'convert to Islam' to win concert tickets on Norwegian TV

Bieber-Convert-Islam

Just how far would a Belieber go to win tickets to see their idol? This was the premise of a spoof TV show which challenged Justin Bieber’s Norwegian fans to convert to Islam. Five teenage girls were seen to agree to convert to the religion in the sketch on comedy show Ann-Kat Hærland. Two apparently Muslim men asked the girls to remove their makeup, put on hijabs and read what was alleged to be an Islamic creed in Arabic, before repeating a statement that said: “Justin Bieber is impure and probably gay.” TV show host Anne-Kat Hærland introduced the episode by saying: “We wanted to find out how far Norwegian Beliebers are willing to go for tickets to one of the concerts.” The two minute ‘conversion’ the five girls undertook in the sketch has been criticised by Bishop Halvor Nordhaug from the Norwegian Lutheran Church, who said the episode showed a lack of understanding of how much faith means to people. “This is an example of an idea where irony and lack of respect turns into something tragic. I believe [the contest] is a foolish statement and it shows a lack of respect for what faith means,” he told the Norwegian news site Dagen. The Canadian pop star, who had no involvement with the sketch, is rumoured to be back in a relationship with his former girlfriend Selena Gomez after tweeting an image of them together this weekend. Although the picture was soon removed from the social networking site. Bieber has also come under fire from his grandfather George Bieber this weekend, who criticised the pop star for not helping him and his wife financially after he was left unable to work after suffering from a back condition.

source link:www.independent.co.uk

Justin Bieber Ignites Selena Gomez Reunion Rumors With Deleted Pic

 Bieber posts then deletes photo of himself snuggling with Gomez, leaving fans to wonder if they are together again.

Justin Bieber's deleted Instagram photo with Selena Gomez

Are they or aren't they? Well, Justin Bieber kept fans guessing over the weekend when he posted, and promptly deleted, a photo of him snuggling with ex Selena Gomez. The photo featured Bieber in a baseball cap looking at the camera. Gomez is nuzzling up against his face. According to E!, he posted it to Instagram on Saturday night before it was removed. Gomez was reportedly spotted visiting the singer during a Believe tour stop in Norway Thursday night. "They were holding hands, hugging, and they kissed on the lips," a source told People about the visit. "They looked really in love, like no fights ever happened before. It definitely looked like they were back together." They initially broke up last November and briefly reconciled before breaking up again over the holidays. An Us Weekly source claims that despite their on-again, off-again relationship, "they have a crazy connection. They just can't seem to break their connection. It can be intense." In the days before she visited Bieber abroad, Gomez hit up the MTV Movie Awards, where she performed her brand-new single, "Come & Get It." And while Gomez has been pretty open about her single status in various interviews, including one with David Letterman in which she poked fun at her ex, fans will certainly be interested in knowing what the photo could mean about their status.

If they are looking for some clues, they won't find any on her summer album release. Producer Jason Evigan, one half of the production team the Suspex, opened up to MTV News about hitting the studio with Gomez during various stages of her relationship with Bieber. "She didn't really want to talk about the Justin stuff too much in her music," he recalled. "She didn't want to bash him. She never wanted to write songs about him." He later added, "She wants to be empowering for these girls not to dwell on guys when guys break your heart. She's a super uplifting, positive, amazing person who's, spiritually, she's really strong. And she's a really cool girl. I think she's gonna have a great year."

source link:www.mtv.com

'Oblivion' Box Office Impresses, Scoring Tom Cruise One Of His Biggest Openings

'Oblivion' Box Office Impresses, Scoring Tom Cruise One Of His Biggest Openings 

Tom Cruise's "Oblivion"

It was a good weekend for Tom Cruise as the actor's latest flick, "Oblivion" won the weekend box office. The futuristic film, which also stars Morgan Freeman, Olga Kurylenko, and Melissa Leo, among others, brought in $38.15 million at 3,783 theaters this weekend. Led by director Joseph Kosinski, "Oblivion" had an estimated budget of $120 million. The film is one of Cruise's biggest openings in his illustrious film career -- the opening weekend gross for "Oblivion" was only beat out by that of 2005's "War of the Worlds" and the films in the "Mission Impossible" franchise. "Oblivion" has received mixed reviews from critics and a CinemaScore of B- from moviegoers.
Coming in second for the weekend was Jackie Robinson biopic, "42." The Warner Bros. film continued its successful box office run, bringing in $18 million at 3,250 theaters this weekend. "42," which stars Chadwick Boseman as Jackie Robinson, has reached a total domestic gross of $54.05 million since its April 12 release.
Animated flick "The Croods" continued to bring in major money at the box office. The family film has made $154.89 million since its release, grossing $9.5 million at 3,435 theaters this weekend. Featuring the voices of Emma Stone and Ryan Reynolds, "The Croods" had an estimated budget of $135 million.
"Scary Movie 5" and "G.I. Joe Retaliation" rounded out the top five for the weekend box office, taking the number four and five spots, respectively. Horror spoof "Scary Movie 5" came in fourth with $6.29 million at 3,402 theaters. The latest film in the "Scary Movie" franchise has earned $22.9 million to date. Action film "G.I. Joe Retaliation" brought in $5.77 million at 3,175 theaters. The film, which stars Channing Tatum, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, and Bruce Willis, has reached a total domestic gross of $111.21 million.

Source Link: www.huffingtonpost.com

Amanda Bynes Twitter: Former Actress Lashes Out At Media, Threatens To Sue Us Weekly

Amanda Bynes Twitter: Former Actress Lashes Out At Media, Threatens To Sue Us Weekly 

Amanda Bynes

Amanda Bynes is lashing out at tabloids she says are writing defamatory and untrue stories about her. The 27-year-old former Nickelodeon star took to her Twitter account over the weekend to say that she was suing Us Weekly and specifically pointed to magazine's "ugly Asian editor and the ugly women I met when I did a shoot with you."
The full Twitter message is below:

Yet again, I'm suing @UsWeekly for writing another false story. NOTHING is wrong with me! All Trash mags - contact me personally since you r talking to people I DON'T KNOW then claiming they know me. Please say names of those supposed sources, they sound like you made them up like the crazy person you're trying to portray me as in your ugly magazine. I'm talking to the ugly Asian editor and all the ugly women I met when I did a shoot with you. I am suing you every week you put up awful photos with a false "I'm crazy" story. You have never contacted me once to find out who I am or what I'm up to. Fuck You.

On Sunday, she followed up her message with further anger directed at the publication, writing:

This is DISGUSTING! I don't know why @UsWeekly thinks they are legally allowed to say I have a mental illness and need to be "Commited" - Shocked and horrified! It helps to have met them, it's run by the ugliest women and men I've ever met. I'm suing them for writing OFFENSIVE headlines about me weekly! Read my twitter! What about it makes me seem mentally ill? I've lost respect for everyone who works for @UsWeekly.

Bynes also explained her legal cause for suing, though it is unclear whether the former child star has actually made official action against any publication to date:

The reason I'm suing everyone I'm suing: defamation (of character) n. the act of making untrue statements about another which damages his/her reputation. If the defamatory statement is printed or broadcast over the media it is libel and, if only oral, it is slander.

This isn't the first time Bynes has threatened the media and specific persons in response to unflattering photographs and reports of odd behavior published about her. She previously posted a photograph of celebrity gossip blogger Perez Hilton and called him "scum of the earth" on her Twitter page. On Sunday, she also tweeted at the New York Daily News, writing, "I know your paper is run by a bunch of old folks but maybe stop writing the same retarded thing about me."

source Link:www.huffingtonpost.com

‘Macbeth,’ With Alan Cumming at the Barrymore Theater

 One Mad Power Grab, Many Dramatic Roles

Alan Cumming plays the title role

The Scottish play, or “Macbeth” as it is known to laymen and superstition-free theater folk, sounds more Scottish than usual in the Broadway production that opened on Sunday night at the Barrymore Theater. The murderous general of the title is portrayed by the Scotland-born Alan Cumming, whose rich, rolling accent brings a whiff of the green highlands with it.
The real novelty of this production lies elsewhere: Mr. Cumming does not just play Macbeth but also all of the other significant roles in what is essentially a one-man, one-act hurtle through this Shakespearean tragedy of ambition, murder and soul-corroding guilt, here set in the chilly chamber of a mental institution.
The harsh lighting snaps on to reveal a man looking dazed and disoriented as two minders remove his disheveled clothing and help him into hospital garb. His clothes are sealed into brown paper bags with the ominous word “evidence” stamped upon them. His demeanor is meek and subservient, but bloody slash marks on his pale flesh suggest that this fellow has perpetrated (or been the victim of) some bloody deeds that have left his mind shattered and prey to tormenting fantasies.
“When shall we three meet again?” he asks in a tone of frightened urgency as his stoic caretakers depart. This, the first line of the play’s text, spoken by one of the witches, unleashes the dark fury of Shakespeare’s tragedy, as one by one the characters take possession of this disturbed fellow, who flits manically around the green-tiled room as he snaps from one persona to the next, suggesting a swarm of bats let loose in a confined space.
Mr. Cumming, a Tony winner for “Cabaret” who currently appears as a canny political operative on the terrific television drama “The Good Wife,” is a versatile performer who here gets to indulge in the kind of high-hurdle challenge (or ego trip) that can prove irresistible to actors. He is also a born entertainer, who recently appeared with Liza Minnelli in a concert engagement at Town Hall. (Like many a celebrity in this era of all-platform saturation, Mr. Cumming also has his own line of fragrances.)
Watching him perform this personalized rendition of “Macbeth,” I was at times more intrigued by the battle going on between the serious actor and the shameless entertainer than I was by the tense struggles taking place in the divided mind of Macbeth, a noble warrior who knows that killing his king is an evil act, or by the scenes of seething conflict between Macbeth and his more ruthless wife, given a voluptuous sexual manipulativeness by Mr. Cumming.
Some choices made by Mr. Cumming and his directors, John Tiffany (“Black Watch,” “Once”) and Andrew Goldberg, tend to chase away the shadows in this corrosively dark drama. (However, the one passage of authentic comic relief, the sodden porter’s scene, is eliminated.) King Duncan is portrayed as a dizzy fop, speaking in fluty tones that make him seem like a featherweight leader whose dispatching might well be good for the country — an interpretation at odds with his depiction in the text as the generous, responsible antithesis of the ruler that Macbeth will become. Duncan’s son Malcolm, whose status as the king’s heir places him firmly in Macbeth’s cross hairs, is represented by an eerie-looking doll in a dingy dress, and Mr. Cumming uses a childish squeak to speak his few lines. With his innocent victims thus represented, Macbeth’s brutal acts are somewhat denuded of their malevolence. (The use of a child’s tiny sweater, symbolizing one of Macduff’s doomed sons, strikes a more haunting note.)
Macbeth himself evinces a mordant sense of humor now and then. After Macduff’s description of the disturbances in nature that took place during the night of Duncan’s murder — the “lamentings heard i’ the air” and “strange screams of death” — Mr. Cumming’s Macbeth says with a shrug, “ ’Twas a rough night,” eliciting peals of laughter from the audience. Hearing from one of the murderers he has hired that Banquo lies dead in a ditch, with 20 gashes in his head, Mr. Cumming uses the same offhand tone to reply, “Thanks for that.” More laughter.
In others ways, however, the production, from the National Theater of Scotland, lays on the macabre trappings thickly. The cello-heavy music by Max Richter adds ominous underscoring. Three video monitors hanging above the stage flash black-and-white videos (drawn from security cameras swiveling about like snakes) to magnify Mr. Cumming’s face as his features transform themselves, signifying a transition between two characters. Banquo’s ghost causes a jolt of terror by stalking onstage wearing a full-face leather mask, his corporeality all the more striking since we seem to be in the realm of one man’s “horrible imaginings.” And when an unsettled Macbeth seeks out the witches to query them at length about the future, he slowly pulls the entrails out of a dead crow — a long string of intestine grotesquely symbolizing Banquo’s line of descendants, for whom kingship has been prophesied.
But while the stylishly eerie trappings (the grungy sterility of the set, by Merle Hensel, is enough to give you the willies) and Mr. Cumming’s energetic flitting among characters keep us constantly entertained, the staging accrues little in the way of dramatic intensity or emotional power. Perhaps partly because he is playing all the roles (save for two small roles played by Jenny Sterlin and Brendan Titley), Mr. Cumming’s Macbeth never acquires the weighty, antiheroic stature that he should.
Mr. Cumming’s delivery of the major soliloquies is forthright and lucid but oddly weightless: the character’s descent into depravity has been sketched in brisk, light strokes that dissipate quickly, as if drawn in invisible ink. At times Macbeth — who speaks a full third of the lines in the original text — seems to be a supporting player in his own tragedy, and his death arrives with a bit of a whimper.
 In terms of stamina and ingenuity, Mr. Cumming’s achievement is certainly remarkable. But I came away from my second viewing of this production — I first saw it when it was presented by the Lincoln Center Festival last summer — with the confirmed impression that while Mr. Cumming had persuasively differentiated all the key roles, he had not fully inhabited any one of them.

 Macbeth By William Shakespeare; directed by John Tiffany and Andrew Goldberg; sets and costumes by Merle Hensel; lighting by Natasha Chivers; sound by Fergus O’Hare; video by Ian William Galloway; music by Max Richter; production stage manager, Kristen Harris; production manager, Juniper Street Productions; general manager, Bespoke Theatricals; associate producer, Hunter Chancellor. Presented by Ken Davenport, in association with Hunter Arnold and Carl Daikeler, Cody Lassen, Joan Raffe and Jhett Tolentino, Julia Broder, Luigi and Rose Caiola, Michael DeSantis, Neil Gooding Productions, John C. Hall, Marguerite Hoffman, Ken Mahoney, Elliott Masie, Dean Roth, Bellanca Smigel Rutter and Kat White. At the Ethel Barrymore Theater, 243 West 47th Street, Manhattan; (212) 239-6200, telecharge.com. Through June 30. Running time: 1 hour 40 minutes. WITH: Alan Cumming, Jenny Sterlin and Brendan Titley.

source link:www.theater.nytimes.com

GLAAD Media Awards 2013

Bill Clinton, 'New Normal' Honored In Los Angeles 

BILL-CLINTON-GLAAD-AWARDS

LOS ANGELES — NBC's sitcom "The New Normal," FX's thriller "American Horror Story: Asylum" and NBC's daytime drama "Days of Our Lives" took home top TV honors at the 24th annual GLAAD Media Awards held Saturday night in Los Angeles.
The GLAAD awards pay tribute to "inclusive representations of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community and the issues that affect their lives."
The event, hosted by actress-producer-director Drew Barrymore, boasted such Hollywood heavyweights as presenters Jennifer Lawrence, Charlize Theron, Betty White and Leonardo DiCaprio.
Other winners included "Perks of Being a Wallflower," which was named outstanding film: wide release, and former President Bill Clinton was given the first advocate for change award.
On the arrivals line, longtime Clinton friend, Oscar-winner Mary Steenburgen, defended the former president's controversial honor. Under Clinton's administration came the Defense of Marriage Act, which bars federal recognition of same-sex marriage, as well as the "don't ask, don't tell" military policy.

"Actually, ("don't ask, don't tell") was a sorrow for him," Steenburgen said. "So, I think he's spent a large part of his life making up for that. But I tell you this: He's never not had his heart in the right place, in terms of the gay community."
Many who walked the press gauntlet shared personal stories. Actor Justin Bartha said a brother's coming out moved him both personally and professionally.
"It was an inspiring moment – I'm sure for him and definitely me and my whole family," Bartha noted. "So, it was at the forefront of my mind when looking at (the role of half of a gay couple in "The New Normal")."
"Kyle XY" actor Matt Dallas discussed his decision to come out publicly earlier this year. MSNBC news anchor Thomas Roberts talked about the recent marriage to his male partner of 12 years. Entertainment blogger Perez Hilton detailed the challenges of being the single gay parent of a newly adopted child.

And transgendered Chaz Bono expressed hopes for the gay lesbian bisexual transgender community's future.
"I mean, I think the goal always has to be equality in all aspects under the law," he said. "You're never going to eradicate discrimination. We see that with other minorities. Racism is still, unfortunately, alive and well. But equal protection under the law makes a huge difference. So, I think, for me, that is the goal, that is the thing to strive for."
Additional 2013 GLAAD Media Awards were presented in New York on March 16. The final awards will be presented in San Francisco on May 11.

source link:www.huffingtonpost.com

Sandra Bullock's 'The Heat'

 Sandra Bullock's 'The Heat' to honor Boston cops with screening

Bullock, McCrathy, The Heat

Sandra Bullock and Melissa McCarthy's buddy cop comedy "The Heat" will be screened in advance for Boston police officers and FBI agents. The city was stunned Monday after twin bombings at the Boston Marathon killed three people and injured scores more. Bullock, who plays an uptight "Miss Congeniality"-esque FBI agent sent to work on a case in Boston in the film, thought the screening was a small token of appreciation.
 "It's been an amazing tightknit community before this happened, and it just bonded a community even more," Bullock told CNN at tge CinemaCon gathering in Las Vegas. "I don't think a screening would ever be enough, feel like it's enough to do for them."
The Oscar winner, who partook in quite a bit of banter as she "hosted" the convention with her costar, also said that she was touched by the city's resilience during the tragedy.
"I think having been there, having had our entire crew around us all the time, who are all from Boston, you're just hoping," Bullock told the Associated Press. "And when you see the aftermath, I try to look on the other side, which is, 'Look how amazing the people were. Look at those people that ran toward everyone without thinking twice about themselves.' "
A spokeswoman for 20th Century Fox said the screening was "not pegged to a charity or recent events. Just a special screening in the town where it was shot."
"It's a remarkable place, an amazing city that's obviously going through a really tough situation," said McCarthy, who plays a testy Boston cop. "I have a sweet spot for it now."
Director Paul Feig, who previously directed McCarthy in "Bridesmaids," also had kind words for the city and equated his latest film to "a love letter to Boston."
 "It's not a movie where it's supposed to be New York but it's shot in Boston," he said. "This takes place in Boston. We have Boston natives in the movie, like Jane Curtin and [comic-actor] Bill Burr and [New Kids on the Block's] Joey McIntyre — all these famous Bostonians are in it. And if this movie can help Boston laugh, then that would be great."
The actresses' unlikely partnership film was well-received at the convention Tuesday, indicating it could be McCarthy's second box-office hit of the year, Movies Now reported.
"The Heat" hits theaters June 28.

Source Link:www.latimes.com

Nicole Eggert HOSPITALIZED

Nicole Eggert HOSPITALIZED After Botched High-Dive 

Nicole Eggert pcn-splash

 ANOTHER celebrity injury on the set of "Splash" -- TMZ has learned Nicole Eggert was hospitalized yesterday after bungling a high-dive and brutally back-flopping into the pool during a taping of the ABC show.

Sources tell us ... the "Baywatch" babe was trying to execute a dive that included multiple backflips ... but something went wrong, and she went crashing into the water back first ... hard.

We're told the impact looked so painful, on-site EMTs rushed in to pull the 41-year-old out of the pool ... and she went to a nearby hospital for treatment.

Sources tell us ... Eggert didn't break any bones, but docs wanted to make sure she didn't suffer internal injuries from the impact  -- they're monitoring her kidneys in particular.  Eggert was released from the hospital after a few hours.

News Link: www.tmz.com