Tuesday, May 8, 2012
Movies On Line For Free
The Hunger Games is a Next year Usa science fiction steps video guided by H Ross, based on the new of the same name by Suzanne Collins. The actual video ended up being made by Nina Jacobson along with Jon Kilik, that has a movie script by Ross, Collins, along with Billy Beam. That celebrities Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, Woodsy Harrelson, Electronic Financial institutions, along with Jesse Sutherland. The tale arises in a dystopian post-apocalyptic foreseeable future from the land regarding Panem, featuring its any affluent area, referred to as the Capitol, enclosed by Twelve a lesser amount of rich zones. When punishment for the prior rise up contrary to the government, the actual Capitol began the Hunger Games-a public total annual occasion where a person kid and something girl coming from every single Twelve zones usually are chosen in a lottery seeing that "tributes" and therefore are forced to fight to the actual dying in a area right until you can find a person staying victor. When the central figure Katniss Everdeen (Lawrence) hears the woman newer sister's name known as the female honor with regards to center, the girl volunteers to adopt the woman invest get in order to save the woman coming from being forced to take part. Accompanied by the woman district's men honor Peeta Mellark (Hutcherson), Katniss travels for the Capitol to train intended for the Hunger Games below the assistance regarding previous victor Haymitch Abernathy (Harrelson). The actual video was published on Goal Twenty one, Next year, within This particular language along with other locations along with throughout the world on Goal 23, Next year, both in classic moviehouses along with digital IMAX moviehouses. At the time of launch, the actual video established the actual report to the lastly greatest opening weekend field business office gross sales of a typical film ($152.5 mil) within Canada and america regarding Harry Knitter as well as Deathly Hallows * Aspect A pair of ($169 mil) as well as the Dimly lit Knight ($158 mil) and was the most important field business office introduction for the non-sequel. It is the first video because Avatar to be on the first page within the field business office intended for four straight vacations. The Hunger Games ended up being acclaimed by nearly all naysayers, exactly who rewarded it is themes or templates along with information, together with Lawrence's operation seeing that Katniss. Such as the new, the actual video offers pulled in judgments because of its parallels with other functions, just like the Japoneses new War Royale as well as video adapting to it, in addition to the Usa small account "The Lottery". It's observed, even so, this Collins' new along with movie script have got essential differences by working with options for enthusiasm just like the fantasy regarding Theseus, Roman gladiatorial games, certainty tv set, as well as Irak Warfare. e hunger games continues to be the main topic of different interpretations, which includes allusions so that you can feminist, governmental, along with faith based allegory. The nation regarding Panem, formed from a post-apocalyptic Canada and america, is made up of affluent Capitol along with 10 worse bordering zones. Being a punishment for the past rise up contrary to the Capitol by the zones, a person kid and something girl between the ages of Twelve along with 19 coming from each and every center usually are chosen by make certain lottery (the "Reaping") to participate in within the Hunger Games. The actual people (and also "tributes") regarding the Hunger Games should combat in a area operated by the Capitol right until merely one continues to be well; the actual victor is definitely recognized using reputation along with wealth. Katniss Everdeen, any 16-year-old girl coming from Section Twelve, volunteers to the 74th total annual Hunger Games, to look at host to the woman newer sis Primrose, who had been chosen by the lottery. Peeta Mellark, any baker's son exactly who when afforded Katniss loaves of bread when the woman relatives ended up being famished, is additionally chosen. Katniss along with Peeta usually are delivered to the actual Capitol, in which their drunk mentor, previous Games victor Haymitch Abernathy, educates these phones check out along with understand the skills with the additional tributes, specially the "Careers", who are properly trained coming from delivery so that you can compete from the Games. Throughout a pre-Games employment interview using Television for computer individuality Caesar Flickerman, Peeta abruptly discloses the romance intended for Katniss. Nancy initially outraged, knowing that it is a trick to find visitors assistance, seeing that "sponsors" could present in-Games products regarding meals, medicine, along with resources. The actual Games begin with 1 / 2 of the actual tributes murdered around the first day time, even though Katniss utilizes the woman well-practiced looking along with out-of-doors knowledge to outlive. Peeta sorts an annoyed connections with the Professions, which includes Cato, Clove, Brilliant, along with Shimmer, is actually her tracking support these people nook Katniss from the woodlands. Katniss evolves any joint venture using Section Eleven honor Rue if your young child suggests any tracker jacker home, that Katniss drops around the Professions, eliminating Shimmer. Rue cares about it intended for Katniss seeing that the girl rebounds coming from tracker jacker toxic body, but the joint venture stops when Rue is definitely fatally hurt by Brilliant, to whom Katniss kills within their protection. Katniss keeps using Rue seeing that the girl drops dead, in that case develops blooms through the woman shape for a symbol of respect. When this is definitely public, that sparks any huge range within Section Eleven. By using Katniss along with Peeta made available to the public seeing that "star-crossed lovers" * as well as Gamemakers wanting to prevent inciting further riots * a guide switch is definitely released nearly with the Games, praoclaiming that not one but two tributes on the very same center can easily acquire the actual Games for a combine. Upon seeing and hearing this particular, Katniss searches for Peeta along with finds your ex, hurt by Cato that has a sword. When Katniss nursing staff Peeta returning to well being, the girl provides micro seeing that crazy about your ex to find visitors enjoy along with sponsorship. Whenever the girl efforts to recover medicine intended for Peeta, Clove strikes the woman. Thresh appears along with kills Clove, sparing Katniss within recollection regarding Rue. "Foxface" drops dead coming from ingesting nightlock berries thieved coming from Peeta, exactly who was not sure these were hugely deadly. A wrap up regarding horrible hound-like animals are discharged, eliminating Thresh along with requiring Katniss along with Peeta towards the Cornucopia, in which these people encounter Cato. After a intense combat, Katniss launches Cato with the arrow in order to save Peeta's lifestyle. Cato falls for the animals, along with Katniss launches your ex so that you can extra your ex an extended dying. By using Peeta along with Katniss unsurprisingly triumphant together, the actual Gamemakers all of the sudden turn back the concept switch enabling not one but two victors, setting these people up to the multiple one another for the dying. Alternatively, Katniss swallows a cache regarding nightlock berries along with fingers 50 % so that you can Peeta. Realizing that their destruction could deprive the public of a typical victor, the actual Gamemakers quickly declare them both seeing that victors with the 74th Hunger Games. While they usually are treated to the hero's welcome from the Capitol, Katniss is definitely cautioned by Haymitch that they has recently become a governmental attacker right after a really general public defiance regarding the woman society's authoritarian market leaders. When Katniss along with Peeta return to Section Twelve, Chief executive Environments considers purchasing the actual joint victors as well as inner thoughts regarding rise up they will get empowered.
Thursday, March 8, 2012
Reality competition concentrates on Ford Escape
Ford is joining with NBC and Telemundo's mun2 cabler for your reality skein "Escape Routes," which will reveal the 2013 Ford Escape.The program airs on Saturday nights at 8 p.m. beginning March 31 on NBC. It will air at 11 p.m. on mun2, which targets youthful, bilingual Latino auds.Inside the series, six categories of two will compete in the road-trip challenge while using the new vehicle, which can also be incorporated inside the grand prize. The vehicle maker earlier used social media to exhibit the Fiesta and Explorer. Despite the fact that series concentrates on Ford, the program will feature advertising off their sponsors and is not a period of time-buy deal."Escape Routes" is produced by Elise Doganieri, longtime professional producer of CBS' "The Astounding Race." The six hourlong episodes will probably be situated by Rossi Morreale, who situated ABC's "Dating at night time.Inch Participants will visit urban centers including L.A., NY, Atlanta, Miami, San Francisco Bay Area and Las vegas.Challenges will stream survive Escaperoutes.com, and fans will have a way to change the outcomes of the sport.InchThis really is really the first time an vehicle maker provides prime-time television to make a completely new vehicle," mentioned Jim Farley, Ford group veep for global marketing, sales and repair. Contact the number newsroom at news@variety.com
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
Universal in the home for Broadway
Using its brewing musical version of "Animal House," Universal Pictures Stage Prods. has teamed with several legiters which are becoming frequent collaborators using the Hollywood studio's legit arm. Also around the creating team are prolific Rialto producers Jeffrey Richards and Jerry Frankel ("Hair," "August: Osage County") in addition to James L. Nederlander, prexy of Broadway landlord and creating/showing company Nederlander Org. Universal was one of the producers of Richards and Frankel project "The Merchant of Venice" along with the current "Gore Vidal's The Very Best Guy" and "Porgy and Bess" -- using the latter now playing within the Richard Rodgers, a Nederlander house. Another Universal title, "Wicked," continues to be packing the Nederlander's Gershwin Theater for near to ten years. Such bicoastal working together -- together with a roster of qualities which have hit happens such as the tuner version of "Take It On," a present tour which Universal also produces -- has assisted result in the movie studio a normal presence around the Rialto. Recent excursions also provide incorporated "Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson" (another Richards-Frankel production), "Cry-Baby" and also the Tony-sweeping "Billy Elliot." Creating for that stage is definitely an iffy business, but U executives know from first-hands experience that the hit often means large money. "Wicked," a regular top grosser on Broadway, became one from the studio's most lucrative qualities before a film has been made from the "Wizard of Oz" prequel tale. Happens version of Universal's 1978 screen comedy "Animal House" includes a creative team which includes Canuck band Barenaked As well as book author Michael Mitnick, whose play "Sex Lives in our Parents" received a Gotham run included in Off Broadway's Second Stage Uptown series this year. Casey Nicholaw ("It of Mormon") will helm and choreograph. Production timeline for "Animal House: The Musical" has not yet been set. Richards stated the creatives started work on the program a few several weeks ago and hopes with an initial reading through from the show later this season. Contact Gordon Cox at gordon.cox@variety.com
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
Etan Cohen to helm 'Boy Scouts'
CohenParamount has tapped its "Tropic Thunder" scribe Etan Cohen to make his directorial debut on the horror-comedy "Boy Scouts vs. Zombies."Studio had no comment.Disney Writing Program alums Carrie Evans and Emi Mochizuki wrote the script, which appeared on the 2010 Black List.Story follows three high school Boy Scouts who must use their skills to save their small town from a vicious zombie outbreak.Todd Garner's Broken Road is producing with Andy Fickman and Betsy Sullenger of Oops Doughnuts, as well as Bryan Brucks' Brucks Entertainment. The scribes' manager, Sean Robins, will exec produce.Cohen, who wrote "Tropic Thunder" and "Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa," is among the writers credited on Sony's upcoming tentpole "Men in Black 3." His script "Revenge of the Jocks" is also in development at Warner Bros.Cohen is repped by CAA, Mosaic and attorney Peter Nichols. Contact Jeff Sneider at jeff.sneider@variety.com
Friday, March 2, 2012
New Author For Your Lost Symbol
Serta Brown 3 can get an overhaulAngels And Demons didn't do too, box office-wise, since the Da Vinci Code (most most likely because lots of its potential audience saw The Da Vinci Code), but nevertheless, half a billion dollars in ticket sales is not being sniffed at. The brand new the new sony remain likely to crack the script for Serta Brown's third Robert Langdon conspiracy epic The Lost Symbol, and Danny Strong might be the most recent guy for the job.Strong's task would be to overhaul the script already attempted by Brown themselves and Steven Dark evening (Eastern Promises, the completely new Rebecca). He's faced having a tale set following a Da Vinci Code, happening this time around around situated on American soil, including a massive secret plot about freemasonry. Langdon will decipher clues, and may explain what he's doing the entire time, whether there's anybody there to speak with or else.Effective written the arrival Sarah Palin film Game Change for Cinemax, so he no less than includes a feeling of the unlikely already.Ron Howard isn't pointing The Lost Symbol (while he did The Da VinciCode and Angels &Demons), and Deadline appear reasonably sure that, as formerly reported, Mark Romanek remains aboard. Tom Hanks is predicted to come back, and Howard remains creating, along with his regular cohort John Grazer.The Lost Symbol might be the fastest-selling adult novel ever. It's 2012 as well as the world is ending.
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
VIDEO: Jimmy Fallon and John Williams "Slow Jam" this news Again
Nine days in to the Bachelor and something lady continues to be a significant subject of conversation: Courtney. After three effective fantasy dates, last week's removed contestant Kacie came back to warn Ben (again) concerning the trash-speaking, very confident model. We talked with Chris Harrison, who informs us that Courtney is constantly on the dominate the conversation in next week's Women Tell All episode. Plus: What went wrong with Nicki contributing to her exit? Find Out More > Other Links From TVGuide.com The BachelorChris HarrisonJamieJenniferCourtneyJennaBlakeleyKacie B.Lindzi C.Nicki
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
Pilot Season: Tara's Brie Larson to Co-Star in CBS' Nick Stoller Comedy
John Goodman and Roseanne Barr This fall, the systems wish to party like it's 1992. It had been two decades ago that stars like Roseanne Barr, John Goodman, Kirstie Alley and John Stamos ruled the sitcom world. Now they are all back, and signed onto star in new comedy aircraft pilots this spring. The popularity began this year with Tim Allen's effective go back to TV because the star of ABC's Last Guy Standing. Allen introduced a familiar, identifiable quality towards the show, which makes it a comparatively easy target audiences. Now other 1990's stars are eager revisit their TV-comedy roots. Barr (Roseanne's Nuts) and Alley (Dwts) most lately starred the truth is-Television shows Goodman and Stamos are coming off dramas (Damages and ER, correspondingly). In NBC's Downwardly Mobile, Barr stars because the manager of the mobile-home park, and Goodman, getting back together with his Roseanne wife, will have her renovator. Full House's Stamos plays a guy who finds out he's a delinquent half brother within the Fox pilot My Little Brother. And Alley stars with fellow Cheers alum Rhea Perlman included in a boisterous Italian family on ABC's The Manzanis. "They're legendary TV stars," states one network executive. "There is no reason, as lengthy as they are still vibrant, they should not possess a second shot at success." Sign up for TV Guide Magazine now!
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
New Bel Ami poster arrives online
[brightcove]1349774592001[/brightcove]Rachelle Lefervre fans rejoice: a totally new poster for Bel Ami remains revealed.The completely new one sheet certainly exudes a Dangerous Liaisons vibe, with R-Pattz doing his usual soulful sulk while between several well-attired ladies.Have a look!To ensure that as with the big event which were insufficient, images within the film's world premiere in Berlin also provide showed up online. Pattinson attended the occasions with co-stars Christina Ricci and Holliday Grainger.Look for a selection of pictures within the premiere, and press conference, below:So when that wasn't enough Bel Ami to suit your needs, gleam new clip to whet your appetite:[brightcove]1461923761001[/brightcove]Bel Ami opens inside the Uk on 9 March 2012. Continue-to-date with at its Uk Facebook page.
Monday, February 6, 2012
Box Office: Chronicle Edges Out The Woman in Black For Top Spot
Chronicle A magical wizard fell short to three superheroes at the box office, as Chronicle edged out The Woman in Black for the top spot, Box Office Mojo reports. Chronicle, about three teenage friends who gain superpowers, grossed an estimated $22 million in its opening weekend. The Woman in Black, starring Harry Potter's Daniel Radcliffe, drew $21 million to take second place. The Grey leads the pack at the box office At No. 3 was last weekend's top film, The Grey, drawing $9.5 million. The weekend's third new wide release, the whale drama Big Miracle, ranked fourth with $8.5 million. Underworld: Awakening completed the top five, attracting $5.6 million. One For the Money fell to No. 6, grabbing $5.2 million. Red Tails was close behind in seventh place with $5 million. Rounding out the top 10: The Descendants (No. 8, $4.6 million), Man on a Ledge (No. 9, $4.5 million) and Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close (No. 10, $3.9 million).
How I Met Your Mother: 6 Things to Expect During Sweeps and Beyond!
How I Met Your Mother How I Met Your Mother returns Monday with three weeks of new episodes and they're all bound to be doozies. Why? Remember when Victoria (Ashley Williams) told Ted (Josh Radnor) that living with Robin (Cobie Smulders), aka his ex, was complicating his search for The One? And remember when Ted saw Barney (Neil Patrick Harris) cleaning up the rose petals in Robin's room and kept it to himself? They're both going to come up the next few weeks. "The month of February will answer a lot of questions and sort of resolve a lot of things that have been simmering on the surface," Mother boss Carter Bay says. So what else can we expect? Bays and co-creator/co-executive producer Craig Thomas give us the scoop.How I Met Your Mother boss: There are more twists and turns for Robin1. To live with your ex or not to live with your ex? The bottom line: Victoria was right about Ted and Robin's weird living situation, and her words will come back to haunt him when he brings up Barney's rose petal-cleaning spree and addresses his own unresolved feelings for Robin. "There's going to be some fireworks involved," Thomas teases. The two will also reassess their five-year plans - a callback to their Season 2 breakup. "When Ted and Robin broke up was because they asked 'Where do you see yourself in five years?' Robin thought she was going to be living in Russia or Afghanistan or wherever," Bays says. "It's five years later. We made it. It's just interesting exploring why is it that Robin is still in this apartment exactly where she was when Ted asked that question."2. And what about Robin's other friendly ex? Barney will have his hands full with Quinn (Becki Newton), a blind date who first appears in the Feb. 13 episode and will be sticking around. In the same episode, while on a Valentine's Day getaway, Robin and Kevin (Kal Penn) hit a crossroads in their relationship. "The waters don't run as deep with Kevin as they do with, say, Barney or Ted [for Robin]," Bays says. Is that code for "split"? Even so, with Quinn in the picture, it means Barney and Robin will be on different paths for a little while with Robin focused on her career after coming through in the clutch on World Wide News' New Year's Eve broadcast. "But those two characters and two actors have this huge, crazy chemistry that I can't say that we're done exploring," Thomas says. "They inform each other's lives. Before the series ends, we'll have to address that."3. On the move: Marshall (Jason Segel) and Lily (Alyson Hannigan) officially moved to the 'burbs on Long Island last month, but their kitchen table isn't the new MacLaren's booth. "That's not a permanent living arrangement," Thomas says. "It's pretty fun the shifts that happen in terms of where Marshall and Lily end up and how it sets up the next season."Becki Newton suits up for How I Met Your Mother4. Green with envy: Don't worry. Bays and Thomas haven't forgotten about the flash-forward from last season of Ted in a green dress during Lily's pregnancy. That means we will see Ted in a dress before Lily gives birth in the season finale. "I think it's satisfying when we do pay [those things] off," Bays says.5. When will we meet the bride? Barney's bride, that is. Bays and Thomas are still keeping mum on when and how they'll introduce Mrs. Mosby, but, as promised, we will learn the identity of Barney's bride this year - and it'll come at the end of the season. "Fans have always had moments where they fall on one side or the other of some big swing that we've taken, and that will probably happen," Thomas says. "We will answer a big question: Who's Barney marrying? People will have very strong opinions about [who she is]."6. Where's Coco? Last year, Conan O'Brien won a walk-on role on Mother at a charity auction, which hasn't happened... yet. "Keep your eyes peeled because it's gonna come up," Thomas says. "Conan paid good money for this cameo shot and his only caveat is that he doesn't want to be featured at all. So you'll either see him or you won't."How I Met Your Mother airs Mondays at 8/7c on CBS.Additional reporting by Natalie Abrams
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
'Arrested Development' Scripts Are Being Written, Team Has Offices
There are official "Arrested Development" offices set up. The cast and crew have parking spaces. According to writer Dean Lorey, "we're really doing this thing." "This thing" of course refers to the planned 10-episode-into-a-movie "Arrested Development" project that Netflix agreed to finance last year. Lorey took to his blog to say that he and fellow writers Mitch Hurwitz and Jim Vallely are currently writing the new season of "Arrested Development" which is set to premiere on Netflix in 2013. And that's the best news we've heard in a long time. Rumors of a post-series movie were sparked almost immediately after the TV show ended its run in 2006. It's taken six years, but now the full cast is on board and planning on filming the additional content over the summer. According to Hurwitz, who is the show's creator, the 10-episode series will catch audiences up-to-date on what the Bluth family has been up to over the past half a decade and will act as a lead-up to the feature film. MTV News caught up with two of "Arrested Development's" younger cast member while they were promoting movies at the Sundance Film Festival. Michael Cera and Alia Shawkat both shot to fame through their roles in "Arrested Development," and both expressed a certain amount of disbelief about the prospect of returning to set. "It's hard to be excited, because I don't feel any progress day to day," Cera said, adding he believes shooting will start in the summer. "But I'm sure it's happening. I think it's just out of my realm of awareness. I'll be happy when we're on set doing it." Shawkat was a bit more optimistic about the project, though she's just as out of the loop. "They're writing it now, though we haven't seen any scripts yet, but we're all game," she said. "It's been kind of following me around like a very attractive albatross. But now it's hopefully going to happen. It would be very exciting." Are you looking forward to more "Arrested Development"? Tell us in the comments section below or on Twitter!
Monday, January 30, 2012
Emma W reups with Fox through 2015
Last Century Fox production prexy Emma W has reupped her contract using the studio through 2015. Watt was upped towards the prexy publish in '09. She's overseen numerous high-profile photos including "Rise from the Planet from the Apes," "We Purchased a Zoo" and "Date Evening" from helmer Shawn Levy. W is credited with assisting to bring the prolific Levy in to the Fox fold, getting overseen the very first installment of his "Evening in the Museum" series. Since that time, Levy makes a lot more than $1 billion dollars for that studio. Levy's 21 Laps banner has become based at Fox. W first became a member of Fox in 1998 like a creative professional. She started her career at Def Pictures before being a director of development for Oliver Stone. Contact Rachel Abrams at Rachel.Abrams@variety.com
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
Nicolas Cage Is Searching To Obtain Justice
Inside the trailer for your thrillerWhat are you able to do if an individual you considered were attacked? Are you able to seek vengeance? Justice? This is actually the question of Nicolas Cage's latest thriller, which same with really titled Seeking Justice. You'll be able to consider the trailer over on Apple's site.Seeking Justice finds Cage as Will Gerard, happily married to Laura (The month of the month of january Manley). However she's attacked, and finally eventually ends up inside the hospital. Troubled, Will is approached by Simon (Guy Pearce), who offers the help of his organisation. Seems they could proceed and take criminal lower and acquire Will somewhat payback. This can not cost him anything, but he'll owe them a favour. Clearly not thinking straight, Will goes along with it. Which is when the trouble really starts.See, the favour involves killing someone else. Then when our hero decides he wants no a lot of it, Simon and also the group decides to pressure his hands. And simply what does Can do then? Fights back, clearly!That certain remains relaxing in limbo for a while, getting finished shooting last season. Which does make us concern yourself with its prospects doing his thing masterdom. Furthermore, you will find no set Uk release date yet. Just one factor is apparent: When Cage sports a beard, crooks show fear...The first title for your movie was Hungry Rabbit Jumps, which does make us question what that has associated with the finished product. Here is a concept! Why not request Mr Cage themselves! For people people who did not know, the man themselves are available in the Empire office for just about any web chat on Thursday (today, The month of the month of january 26 if you're reading through through this inside the Uk it is also not already formerly). We're just wanting he doesn't go all Ghost Driver and continue to wee fire here.
Adele's '21' hits 17th week at No. 1
Adele's "21" took a 17th nonconsecutive week at No. 1, homing in on the 18-week run set by Garth Brooks' "Ropin' the Wind" in 1991. The British vocalist's Columbia release sold 95,000 copies, according to Nielsen SoundScan data for the week ended Jan. 22. Only the Brooks title and Whitney Houston's soundtrack for "The Bodyguard," which tallied 20 weeks at the top in 1992-93, have logged more nonconsecutive time at No. 1 since SoundScan began tracking sales in May 1991. It remains to be seen if Adele's smash set can maintain its pace at the summit, since perennial chart-topper Tim McGraw's "Emotional Traffic" reached stores this week. However, an anticipated bonanza at the Grammy Awards next month could return "21" to the apex. Adele takes her honors amid a threadbare January release schedule that produced just two top-10 debuts. The 21st installment in Kidz Bop Kids' series of tot-friendly covers bowed at No. 2 with a 59,000-unit first week. Current entry in the Razor & Tie Records franchise includes buffed-up versions of adult hits by LMFAO, Lady Gaga and, of course, Adele.
"Identity" (Light), by gospel unit James Fortune & FIYA, signed on at No. 7 with a slim 18,000-unit score. It's the first top-10 album by the Houston-based group.
Holdovers in the top five include the Black Keys' "El Camino" (No. 3, 29,000 sold, down 19%), Drake's "Take Care" (No. 4, 29,000, down 8%) and Rihanna's "Talk That Talk" (No. 5, 20,000, off 8%). Rest of the top 10 comprises Young Jeezy's "TM 103: Hustlerz Ambition" (No. 6, 19,000, down 19%), Toby Keith's "Clancy's Tavern" (No. 8, 17,000, up 27%), Coldplay's "Mylo Xyloto" (No. 9, 17,000, off 13%) and Nickelback's "Here and Now" (No. 10, 17,000, down 13%). New titles by Celtic Woman and Kelli Pickler, the all-star Amnesty Intl. benefit tribute to Bob Dylan and the 2012 "Grammy Nominees" package will also contend for major chart entries next week. Contact the Variety newsroom at news@variety.com
Friday, January 20, 2012
Etta James dies at 73
Tempestuous R&B diva Etta James, whose hits of the '50s and '60s included the evergreen "At Last," has died. She was 73. CNN reported Friday that the singer succumbed to leukemia at a hospital in Riverside, Calif.James, who logged a professional career of more than half a century, was a gale-force singer and the top female hitmaker at Chicago indie Chess Records. While her career was repeatedly knocked off track by drug and health problems, the 1993 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee recorded and toured profitably into the new millennium.Born Jamesetta Hawkins in Los Angeles to an unwed 14-year-old mother (and, James claimed repeatedly, pool hustler Minnesota Fats), she grew up singing in L.A. churches.As a teenager in San Francisco, she formed a female doo-wop group, the Peaches (whose moniker begat James' nickname). The trio was discovered by R&B bandleader Johnny Otis, who took them into an L.A. studio to record "The Wallflower," aka "Dance With Me Henry," an answer song to Hank Ballard & the Midnighters' lubricious 1954 hit "Work With Me Annie." The tune rose to No. 1 nationally.After a few years of unsuccessful solo work at Modern Records, James' contract was purchased by Chess, where she began a close professional and personal relationship with Harvey Fuqua, leader of the Moonglows and a top cleffer and A&R man at the label.She stepped out in 1960 with the No. 2 ballad "All I Could Do Was Cry," and her powerful quicksilver voice was heard to good advantage on such duets with Fuqua as "If I Can't Have You" (No. 6, 1960).Fuqua also encouraged her to cut standards, leading to the lush, string-laden No. 2 1961 version of the 1941 Harry Warren-Mack Gordon composition "At Last," which has maintained enduring popularity thanks to commercial and movie soundtrack use.James' other hits of the early '60s included the growling "Something's Got a Hold On Me" (No. 4, 1962), "Stop the Wedding" (No. 6, 1962), "Pushover" (No. 7, 1963) and "Loving You More Every Day" (No. 7, 1964). While it fared no better than No. 37 nationally, "In the Basement," her raucous 1966 duet with friend and label mate Sugarpie DeSanto, later became a cult R&B item.Chess lit a renewed fire under James' career in 1967, when the label dispatched her to Rick Hall's hot studio in Muscle Shoals, Ala.,, for sessions. The date spawned the up-tempo soul scorcher "Tell Mama" (No. 10 on the R&B chart that year), a version of Otis Redding's "Security" (No. 11, 1968) and the unforgettable ballad "I'd Rather Go Blind."After the 1969 sale of Chess to GRT and Leonard Chess' subsequent death, James' career began to falter, though such memorable tracks as her covers of David Houston's country hit "Almost Persuaded," the Falcons' "I Found a Love" and Randy Newman's perverse "You Can Leave Your Hat On" scraped the bottom of the R&B charts. She loyally stayed on at the label until the late '70s.In 1975, Atlantic Records executive Jerry Wexler, an outspoken admirer, produced a Chess session for James. Wexler later helmed two much admired albums for the singer, "Deep in the Night" (1978) and "The Right Time" (1992).Her final R&B hit came in 1978: a Wexler-produced cover of "Piece of My Heart," popularized in 1967 by Big Brother & the Holding Co.'s singer Janis Joplin, whose vocal attack owed an abiding debt to James.James maintained her career during the '70s as her personal life fell into disarray. Busted in 1973 for heroin possession with her husband, Artis Mills (who was convicted and served time in prison), she spent 17 months in court-ordered rehab at Tarzana Psychiatric Hospital. (Though she successfully kicked heroin, she was hospitalized again at the Betty Ford Center in the '80s for addiction to prescription painkillers.)After brief associations with Warner Bros., Island, and Asylum, James experienced a career renewal in the '90s at indie Private Music. Her 1993 Billie Holiday recital "Mystery Lady" earned her the first of three Grammy Awards in the best jazz vocal category. She won a second Grammy, for contemporary blues album, with the Private release "Let's Roll" in 2004; after segueing to RCA, she won the traditional blues album Grammy in 2005 for "Blues to the Bone." She received a Grammy lifetime achievement award in 2003.James published her candid and unsparing autobiography "A Rage to Survive," co-authored by David Ritz, in 1998. In 2008, she was portrayed by Beyonce Knowles in the grotesquely fictionalized feature "Cadillac Records"; James took a much-reported swipe at Knowles after the young singer performed "At Last" at Barack Obama's 2009 presidential inauguration.She issued her last album, "The Dreamer," on Verve Forecast in 2011. Universal's Hip-O Select catalog unit released a comprehensive anthology, "Heart and Soul," late that year.Health problems would plague James in later years. She appeared on stage in a wheelchair until gastric bypass surgery in 2003 reduced her excessive weight. She was hospitalized in early 2010 for a serious infection; at that time, her son Donto James told the press she was suffering from Alzheimer's disease.She is survived by her husband, Artis, and two sons. Contact the Variety newsroom at news@variety.com
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
Stars add flair to tech
Rhianna developed a splash finally years CES with Polaroid.
Dr. Dre, center, could expand his initial Monster partnership, introduced within the 2008 CES, because he grew to become part of Peter Chou, left, and Jimmy Iovine for just about any collabration between HTC and Beats by Dr. Dre this season.Lady Gaga and Polaroid developed a paparazzi-worthy splash by announcing a cutting-edge partnership throughout last year's Electronic Products Show. Despite the fact that their first product, a co-high quality printer, later showed up on numerous best-of lists, with CNet stating it "made mobile inkjet ink jet printers sexy again," two more products also introduced within the confab have not yet materialize.Meanwhile, within the same Las vegas confab, fans mobbed a booth where artist 50 Cent suggested his entry to the crowded headset category getting an item referred to as Sleek by 50.Within several days, though, that deal soured and Sleek by 50 never turned up inside a Biggest Score in your town.CES has extended tried to create its tech awesome and, consequently, has progressively found itself inside the celebrity game.Just have a look at press conferences for that new the new sony and Yahoo, formerly, that presented Tom Cruise and Seth Rogen, even though this year, The brand new the new sony and Yahoo featured Will Cruz and Tom Hanks.But CES is learning what Hollywood knows perfectly: where stars go, drama follows.That is not always an undesirable factor. A hollywood contingent, ultimately, brings from it elevated visibility and media attention, which might be a boon to technology businesses that use stars, artists and filmmakers.Nevertheless the jury's still on exactly how effective a couple of of those alliances are, even though it's not surprise they keep happening thinking about that they're a sure-fire approach to generate warmth, no less than initially. (Nikon and Ashton Kutcher continue being going strong, and Rim has elevated its brand together with your famous pitchmen as Adrian Grenier and customary)."CES is nearly the Super Bowl of tech marketing," mentioned David Schwab, controlling director of Octagon First Call, which supports brands assess celebrity value for ad campaigns. "Like brands use sports sports athletes to create products within the Super Bowl, tech companies perform the identical factor with stars at CES."If there's a defacto standard in the past couple of years, it may be Beats by Dr. Dre, a partnership that opened up in 2008 pairing within the stylish-hop mogul, with record executive Jimmy Iovine and audio gear company Monster Cable Products.Though exact figures aren't available, estimations known as the product's retail sales at $50 million for fourth quarter 2009, after Biggest Score put into-store Club Beats locations.Not only gets the Beats line grown substantially over time, the item has showed up at into other industries with innovative crossover deals. The earphones are built-into a $2,300 Hewlett-Packard laptop and into Chrysler's renovated 300 sedan, for example."Beats has become synonymous with a specific level of quality,In . mentioned Jonathan Geller, editor in the influential tech blog, Boy Genius Report. "And they're a means statement for your youthful audience they're marketed to."Dr. Dre, who used the earphones in the popular Dr. Pepper commercial, through which he starred, may be within achieve of Iovine's conjecture that he'd be to earphones what Jordan would be to sports footwear.The fashionable-hop artist surely tips when you're first inside the category, which has since become crowded together with other famous faces.Jay-Z, along with his RocNation Aircraft pilots from Skullcandy, and Soul by Ludacris from Signeo now fight it with Beats' own JustBeats (associated with teen heartthrob Attacking Youthful Boys) and DiddyBeats (rapper P. Diddy). The 2nd, according to launched reviews, may be producing about $millions of yearly for your artist-businessman.Bieber will probably be at CES to market TOSY Robotics' new robot.For that carefully seen Rhianna-Polaroid deal from last year's CES? There's still an instantaneous camera coming, that's been postponed but looks like it's being launched sometime this year. The long run is less certain for some advanced camera-glasses that have been very well-liked by people collected last The month of the month of january. To produce a champion, the tech product must be excellent, industry audiences mentioned, much spoken about representative or else. As well as the association between star and gadget must appear sensible to clients. Because way, technology is equivalent to sports drinks or clothing brands.Also secret weapon to success may be the celebrity's hands-on participation inside the product, once the tech customers are shilling it "created byInch or "produced byInch the star.This is why 50 Cent (born Curtis Jackson) scrapped his prior earphones deal and made a decision to produce their very own product via SMS Audio, a company through which lucrative has a large part stake and may serve as Boss."Clients know when somebody's stuck a title around the product or when they're really devoted to it," mentioned John Nohe, leader of SMS Audio, which recently released the wireless earphones, Sync by 50, and wired version, Street by 50. "50 is invested personally and financially."Because the earphones category remains growing around 20% percent yearly throughout the final a long time, Nohe mentioned he isn't worried about oversaturation. More youthful crowd mentioned he thinks 50 Cent's global appeal -- in addition to his 3.8 million Twitter fans -- will separate the completely new product within the relaxation in the pack.In line with Jackson's charitable efforts, there's a tie between SMS and Feeding America, using the organization giving portions of comes from headset sales for the domestic food bank.The rapper will probably be signing autographs Thursday within the SMS Audio booth (LVCC, South Hall, #20818) and discuss his wireless earphones with editors of TechCrunch within the America online Studio and CNET today.Stars attending CES this weekBOOMDIZZLE: LL Awesome JHAIER AMERICA: Robert Horry, John Salley, Allison FishmaniCONNECTIVITY: Jordan RudessONSTAR: Greg Grunberg, Wayne BradyPALTALK: Dennis RodmanPANASONIC/last century FOX: John Glen, Martin Campbell, Michael Apted, Olga Kurylenko, Caterina MurinoQUALCOMM: Alistair OvereemROBOTICS TECHZONE: Justin BieberSMS AUDIO: 50 CentSONY: Will Cruz, Craig Sonnenfeld, Ron BakerSPIKE TV: Eliza Dushku (CES celebrity ambassador)SPORTS AND FITNESS TECHZONE: Jillian MichaelsYAHOO: Tom HanksZEIKOS/iHIP: Nicole "Snooki" Polizzi, Jose "Hyde" Cotto, Carl Banks Contact the number newsroom at news@variety.com
Monday, January 9, 2012
Samsung 'Pushing Boundaries' with TV sets
Under the theme "Pushing Boundaries," Samsung wants to make its new line of TVs the center of an entertainment hub in which viewers share content across devices.Among the PC features are multitasking apps (so you don't to quit your Netflix app to check game scores), slots in the back of the TVs to update software, and a large and rapidly expanding selection of apps.They will also include a built-in video camera and microphone to enable video conferencing, and receive voice and gesture commands (a demo used a swiping motion to navigate channels and poking movement to press a button to make purchases).The camera-equipped TVs will also have face recognition, so they can sense which family member is watching.One app migrating from Samsung's smartphones and tablets is the Samsung Media Hub, Samsung's content store for buying movies and TV shows. Another app, with its origins in Hollywood gets its first TV-maker partner: Technicolor's M-GO app, which puts bonus content on a handheld or tablet screen during a movie or TV show.Tim Baxter, prexy of Samsung Electronics America, unveiled the company's high-end ES 8000 TV line. Largest screen in the line is 75" diagonal. All boast dual-core processors to permit app multitasking, and the slim bezels that are such a trend across the TV industry. Its Smart TV line will grow by 60% this year.On 3D TV, Baxter said Samsung has sold 12 million 3D TVs worldwide and half of those sold this year would be 3D enabled. He acknowledged, "We know there isn't enough content to make 3D a must-have feature, so this year we're putting the focus on building a library of 3D content that can be streamed." Among those promised include SyFy's "Battlestar Galactica" in 3D.Also coming to Samsung TV is "Angry Birds" as a streaming app. The on-demand streaming HD channel, free on Samsung TVs, will show "Angry Birds" animated shorts.The greatest excitement at the presentation came from the unveiling of Samsung's 55-inch OLED TV, which offers a picture bright and clear enough to be startling even at a distance. It has all the features of the other high-end Samsung TVs: dual-core processors, built-in camera and microphone, and 3D. No price point was mentioned.The Korean electronics giant also used CES to show off ways to future-proof its TV sets so that buyers don't have to purchase replacement sets as frequently -- something consumers already are slow to do.In a crowded ballroom at the Venetian Hotel and Casino, Samsung unveiled new "smart" hardware that integrates what was once considered the hallmark of personal computers, as well as voice and gesture controls.Samsung is the No. 1 TV brand for the sixth consecutive year, and took the lead in global market share in smartphones for the first time last year. Contact David S. Cohen at david.cohen@variety.com
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
'Hunger' score boosts composer ire
The American Federation of Artists, angry that Lionsgate is scoring "The Hunger Games" abroad, will picket a Lionsgate shooting location in downtown L.A. on Thursday.AFM leader Ray Hair mentioned Wednesday that "Lionsgate is unfair to professional artistsInch and desires to consider its situation for the public utilizing a picket line within the Structure Theater where "Mad Males," a Lionsgate Tv program, is scheduled to shoot.According to Hair, "The Hunger Games" is "a u . s . states movie, with American stars and American deckie's, getting a soundtrack that's exclusively American." He mentioned efforts to acquire Lionsgate to achieve the film inside the U.S. went nowhere.Composer James Newton Howard looks like it's scoring the film london. Its soundtrack may even include tunes produced by T Bone Burnett with entertainers including Taylor Quick.Lionsgate is not a signatory for the AFM, unlike most major art galleries whose AFM contracts require that films shot inside the U.S. be acquired here. Hair's point is always that Lionsgate has labor deals "with stars, company company directors, authors and film deckie's, while not with professional artists.InchLionsgate music professionals could not be showed up at for comment Wednesday mid-day. Contact the number newsroom at news@variety.com
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