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Category: Hollywood

  • ‘Minions’ mania to take over Indian theaters this July

    ‘Minions’ mania to take over Indian theaters this July

    MUMBAI: Universal Pictures India has already tasted success in 2015 with blockbusters Fast and Furious 7 and Jurassic World. The studio is now all set for the release of the animated comedy film Minions, a spin-off of the Despicable Me series. Featuring voiceovers by Sandra Bullock, Jon Hamm, Michael Keaton, Allison Janney, Steve Coogan, Jennifer Saunders and Geoffrey Rush, the film will see a pan India release on 10 July, 2015.

      

    The story revolves around a Minion named Kevin who along with Stuart and lovable little Bob—ventures out into the world to find a new evil boss for his brethren to follow. The trio embarks upon a thrilling journey that ultimately leads them to their next potential master, Scarlet Overkill (Sandra Bullock), the world’s first-ever female super-villain. They travel from frigid Antarctica to 1960s New York City, ending in mod London, where they must face their biggest challenge to date: saving all of Minion kind from annihilation.

     

     Minions co-director Pierre Coffin said, “This movie is not just for one audience. It’s for a broad audience, but we tried to be witty about it, meaning that every time there is a joke, we try putting multiple levels on it. That’s the magic of animation. You can express everything for your characters with sheer physical movements.” 

  • Based on true events ‘Masterminds’ to hit Indian theatres

    Based on true events ‘Masterminds’ to hit Indian theatres

    MUMBAI: Based on the story of 1997 Loomis Fargo Robbery in North Carolina Jared Hess directed heist comedy movie Masterminds is set to hit Indian theatres. The film is written by Chris Bowman, Jody Hill, Danny McBride, Hubbel Palmer and Emily Spivey.

     

    Masterminds stars Zach Galifianakis, Kristen Wiig and Owen Wilson. The film is scheduled to be released in India on 22 August, 2015.

     

    Masterminds, an action comedy film is based on true events of David Ghantt (Zach Galifianakis) who discovers the true meaning of adventure far beyond his wildest dreams. He is an uncomplicated man stuck in a monotonous life. Day in and day out he drives an armored vehicle, transporting millions of other people’s money with no escape in sight. The only glimmer of excitement is his flirtatious work crush Kelly Campbell (Kristen Wiig) who soon lures him into the scheme of a lifetime. 

     

    The film stars actors known for their comic timing.

  • Enrique Iglesias releases special India edition for ‘Sex & Love’ album

    Enrique Iglesias releases special India edition for ‘Sex & Love’ album

    MUMBAI:  Global superstar Enrique Iglesias has once again acknowledged his legion of Indian fans by releasing a `Special India Edition’ of his latest album `Sex and Love’.

     

    This special edition not only includes global hits such as ‘Bailando’ ft. December Bueno & Gente De Zona, ‘I’m A Freak’ ft. Pitbull, ‘Heart Attack’ and ‘There Goes My Baby’ ft. Flo Rida but also four bonus tracks including the English version of ‘Bailando’ ft.  Sean Paul, December Bueno & Gente De Zona, ‘El Perdedor’ (Bachata Version) feat Marco Antonio Solis, ‘I’m A Freak’ (Salim-Sulaiman Remix) and the brand new single ‘Noche Y De Dia’ feat. Yandel & Juan Magan.

     

    Iglesias said, “I’m overwhelmed that my latest album `Sex and Love’ is Triple Platinum in India! I can’t thank my Indian fans enough for their support and love. Here’s a `Special Edition’ of the album just for my fans in India – Hope you all enjoy it!”

     

    Released in March 2014, `Sex & Love’ went to become the highest selling international album in India across all labels.

     

    Since its release, `Sex and Love’ has bagged a whole bunch of awards globally including the prestigious Latin Grammy Awards 2014 for `Song of the Year’, `Best Urban Song’ and `Best Urban Performance’ for ‘Bailando’.  Iglesias also received the Billboard Music Award for `Top Latin Album in 2015’. However, the icing on the cake was his massive haul of a phenomenal nine awards at the 2015 Latin Billboard Music Awards including `Artist Of The Year’ `Latin Pop Album Of The Year’ and `Hot Latin Song Of The Year’.

  • Tom Holland is next Spiderman, Jon Watts to direct the next adventure

    Tom Holland is next Spiderman, Jon Watts to direct the next adventure

    NEW DELHI: Tom Holland will play Peter Parker/Spider-Man in the next Spider-Man film, Sony Pictures and Marvel Studios announced today after a full worldwide casting search.

     

    The $4 billion film will be in theatres in IMAX and 3D on 28 July 2017. The film will be directed by Jon Watts, director of Cop Car, the upcoming thriller that made its debut earlier this year at the Sundance Film Festival.

     

    The film will be co-produced by Kevin Feige and his expert team at Marvel and Amy Pascal, who oversaw the franchise launch for the studio 13 years ago. Together, they will collaborate on a new creative direction for the Web-Slinger.

     

    Marvel and Sony Pictures, and producers Kevin Feige and Amy Pascal conducted an extensive search for both the actor and director. The studios and producers were impressed by Holland’s performances in The Impossible, Wolf Hall, and the upcoming In the Heart of the Sea, and by a series of complex screen tests. Following Marvel’s tradition of working with the brightest next wave of directors, Watts also went through multiple meetings with Feige, Pascal, and the studio, before winning the job. 

     

    Sony Pictures Motion Pictures group chairman Tom Rothman said, “It’s a big day here at Sony. Kevin, Amy and their teams have done an incredible job.  The Marvel process is very thorough, and that’s why their results are so outstanding.  I’m confident Spider-Man will be no exception. I’ve worked with a number of up-and-coming directors who have gone on to be superstars and believe that Jon is just such an outstanding talent. For Spidey himself, we saw many terrific young actors, but Tom’s screen tests were special. All in all, we are off to a roaring start.”

     

    Feige commented, “As with James Gunn, Joss Whedon, and the Russo brothers, we love finding new and exciting voices to bring these characters to life.  We spent a lot of time with Jon and find his take and work inspiring.”

     

    Pascal added, “Sony, Marvel, Kevin and I all knew that for Peter Parker, we had to find a vibrant, talented young actor capable of embodying one of the most well-known characters in the world.  With Tom, we’ve found the perfect actor to bring Spider-Man’s story into the Marvel Cinematic Universe.”

      

    Spider Man, embraced all over the world, is the most successful franchise in the history of Sony Pictures, with the five films having taken in more than $4 billion worldwide.

  • ‘Dhanak’ bags top award at Sneakers Children’s Festival, Poland

    ‘Dhanak’ bags top award at Sneakers Children’s Festival, Poland

    MUMBAI: After bagging two awards for Dhanak (Rainbow) co-produced by Drishyam Films Manish Mundra and directed by Nagesh Kukunoor at the Berlinale, it has further bagged the top award at Sneakers Children’s Festival, Poland.

     

    Having won the best film award in the main category, ‘Children’s Feature Film Competition’, the prize ceremony took place on 22 June.

     

    Kukunoor who couldn’t attend the festival shared a recorded message thanking the festival authorities and the audience. The film was screened at International Film Festival Los Angeles (IFFLA) and at Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), Kids.

     

    Dhanak which stars Hetal Gada and Krrish Chhabria in the lead roles is about an eight-year-old blind boy whose 10-year-old sister promises him that he will get his vision back before he turns nine. The film follows the duo on a magical journey through the sand dunes of Rajasthan. The film also stars theater actors, Vipin Sharma and Vibha Chhiber in the prominent roles.

     

    The award winning film had its world premiere at the prestigious film festival, Berlinale where it bagged The Grand Prix for the best feature-length film and the Special Mention for the best feature film by The Children’s Jury for Generation Kplus.

     

  • Time Warner seeks shareholders vote on tobacco depictions in movies

    Time Warner seeks shareholders vote on tobacco depictions in movies

    MUMBAI: Warner Bros’ parent company Time Warner has become the first company to hold a shareholder vote on smoking in movies. The resolution was submitted by shareholder advocacy non-profit As You Sow and non-profit healthcare provider Trinity Health.

     

    According to a 2012 U.S. Surgeon General report, “there is a causal relationship between depictions of smoking in the movies and the initiation of smoking among young people.”

     

    Based on a subsequent 2014 Surgeon General report, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) concluded in 2014: “Giving an R-rating to future movies with smoking would… prevent one million [1,000,000] deaths from smoking among children alive today.”

     

    “This is a historic opportunity for Time Warner. For the first time, shareholders will be informed that the company’s products are putting millions of children at risk,” said As You Sow CEO Andrew Behar.

     

    At the recent Walt Disney annual meeting, Disney CEO Bob Iger announced that Disney would prohibit smoking in all future films. Disney is the first major movie studio to make such a public announcement, although the language of the policy has not yet been released.

     

    “More companies will follow the example of Disney,” said newly-appointed U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, at his swearing-in ceremony in April. “We could save over a million children from premature death if every film studio followed suit.”

     

    As You Sow published a memo in support of the Time Warner shareholder resolution, noting that Time Warner’s policy to reduce tobacco depictions in movies allows for “compelling creative reasons.”

     

    The number of tobacco images that Time Warner delivers to kids each year is subject to extreme fluctuations. According the University of California San Francisco’s Center for Tobacco Control Research and Education, Time Warner eliminated nearly all smoking in its youth-rated films in 2010. But in 2013, its films accounted for 5.6 billion impressions, which was 44 per cent of all tobacco impressions delivered by top-grossing youth-rated films.

     

    “Tobacco in youth-rated movies is an unnecessary liability. This crisis in an opportunity for the company to demonstrate its leadership and its commitment to health,” said As You Sow environmental health program manager Austin Wilson.

  • Marco Bellocchio to receive the Pardo d’onore at Locarno 2015

    Marco Bellocchio to receive the Pardo d’onore at Locarno 2015

    NEW DELHI: Renowned Italian filmmaker Marco Bellocchio will receive the Pardo d’onore Swisscom during the 68th Festival del film Locarno. 

     

    The occasion will be marked by a Piazza Grande screening of Marco’s debut film I pugni in tasca (Fists in the Pocket), some 50 years after its first screening at Locarno.

     

    With this award, the Festival pays tribute to an extraordinarily rich career, and affirms the strong links between Locarno and Bellocchio, first forged in 1965 with the screening in the Grand Hotel of his debut feature film. The stunning anarchy of his film overwhelmed the audience, the critics and the jury, who awarded him the Vela d’argento. 

     

    Over the years Bellocchio has been featured at Locarno on many occasions: in competition in 1976 with Marcia trionfale (Victory March), in 1997 when he was president of the jury and part of the collective project Locarno demi-si?cle; réflexions sur l’avenir, and in 1998, the year the Festival mounted a major retrospective of his work.

     

    Locarno Festival’s Artistic Director Carlo Chatrian said, “I pugni in tasca remains one of those films that demonstrate Locarno’s history as a festival, which discovers and launches films that could be described, with no fear of contradiction, as challenging. We are showing the film in a restored print as both an appropriate tribute to the start of his trajectory as a major filmmaker, and an indication of a programming policy that has remained faithful to its principles. The choice of Marco Bellocchio for the Pardo d’onore is also prompted by an awareness that the way he makes films – above all, in recent years – has a great deal to say to anyone living in Italy but also to those making films in the rest of the world.”

     

    The Locarno Festival’s tribute to Bellocchio will be accompanied by screenings of a selection of his films. I pugni in tasca will be shown in the Piazza Grande on 14 August. The restored print was produced by Kavac Film, via the Cineteca di Bologna at the laboratories of “L’immagine ritrovata,” with support from Giorgio Armani, and will be distributed internationally by The Match Factory.

     

    The Festival audience will also have an opportunity to talk to the director and discover the secrets of his art at a masterclass in the Spazio Cinema.

     

    The Pardo d’onore, supported by Swisscom for the seventh consecutive year, is the Festival del film Locarno’s award in recognition of major contemporary filmmakers. Previous recipients include those of the caliber of Samuel Fuller, Jean-Luc Godard, Ken Loach, Sidney Pollack, William Friedkin, JIA Zhang-ke, Alain Tanner, Werner Herzog and, in 2014, Agn?s Varda.

  • Ten projects selected for 13th Fast Track film financing market at LA Film Festival

    Ten projects selected for 13th Fast Track film financing market at LA Film Festival

    NEW DELHI: Ten projects were selected today for participation in the 13th annual Fast Track film financing market organized by Film Independent.

     

    Held during the Los Angeles Film Festival, Fast Track is designed to help producer-director teams “fast track” their projects forward through sixty meetings with top industry executives–financiers, agents, managers, distributors, granting organizations, and production companies. During three days of intensive meetings, participants gain valuable exposure and build vital relationships as they propel their films towards completion.

     

    Fast Track is supported by Film Independent Artist Development lead funder Time Warner Foundation, the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, NEA Art Works, EFILM, Loyola Marymount University School of Film and Television, and Netflix.

     

    “We are thrilled to bring this group of visionary filmmakers together with such esteemed industry executives at the 2015 Los Angeles Film Festival. Our annual Fast Track finance market is a unique opportunity for filmmakers to gain critical support for their films, and for the executives to discover some of the outstanding talent that Film Independent curates and develops year-round through our Artist Development initiatives. This year’s projects are truly exceptional,” said Film Independent director of artist development Jennifer Kushner.

     

    Film Independent presented two Alfred P. Sloan grants to support films that explore science and technology themes or that depict scientists, engineers and mathematicians in engaging and innovative ways at the annual Fast Track Welcome Dinner.

     

    Film Independent’s inaugural Alfred P. Sloan Distribution Grant was awarded to Michael Almereyda’s Experimenter produced by Uri Singer, Fabio Golombek, Isen Robbins, and Aimee Schoof. The filmmakers will receive $50,000 in funds to support the release of the film. Experimenter premiered at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival and was acquired by Magnolia Pictures with a release planned for fall 2015. Additionally, the sixth annual Alfred P. Sloan Fast Track Grant, a $20,000 production grant, was awarded to writer/director Elena Greenlee and producer Márcia Nunes for their narrative fiction film in development, Dark Forest.

     

    The ten projects shortlisted are: A Paso de Mangles by co-writer/director Paola Mendoza; Dark Forest by writer/director Elena Greenlee; Ethel by producer Anil Baral; First Match by producers Chanelle Elaine and Veronica Nickel; Give Me Liberty (writer/producer/director Kirill Mikhanovsky); Last Call (documentary) by director/producer Lana Wilson; Millie to the Moon by director Jen McGowan; Shot in the Dark (documentary) by director Dustin Nakao Haider; The Bad Kids (documentary) by director Lou Pepe; and Wild Nights by director Kyle Henry.

     

    Current industry participants include: Alchemy, Amasia Entertainment, Amazon Studios, And So It Begins Entertainment, Apex Entertainment, Black Label, Bloom Project, Broad Green, CAA, Canana, CBS Films, Chicken & Egg/Gamechanger, Cinedigm, CNN Films, Cold Iron Pictures, Dreambridge Capital, Electric City Entertainment, Electric Entertainment, Endgame Entertainment, Europacorp., Film Finances, Inc., Fluency Studios, Fortitude Int’l/BiFrost, Fox Digital, Fox International Channels, Fox Searchlight, Haven, Heidi Levitt Casting, ICM, Indian Paintbrush, Joanna Colbert Casting, Junto Box Films, Loeb & Loeb, Los Angeles Film Festival, Los Angeles Media Fund, Mosaic, Participant Media, Playback Motion Pictures. Preferred Content, Radiant Films, Rhino Films, River Road, Roadside Attractions, San Francisco Film Society Filmmaker360, Sandbar Pictures, Shoreline Entertainment, Slated, Sony Pictures Worldwide Acquisitions, Straight Up Films, Sundance Documentary Fund, Sundance Institute, Super Crispy Films, The Film Collaborative, Treehouse Pictures, UTA, Vega Baby, Voltage Pictures, WME, and XYZ Films.

  • Scorpions celebrate 50 years of rock with 19th album

    Scorpions celebrate 50 years of rock with 19th album

    MUMBAI: The most successful export from continental Europe with more than 100 million records sold, Scorpions are celebrating 50 years of rock with the release of their 19th studio album, Return To Forever on 11 September, 2015.

     

    Produced by Mikael Nord Andersson and Martin Hansen, the 19-song collection will be available in various formats including digital, Deluxe CD, and vinyl.

     

    The North American configuration boasts three exclusive tracks alongside four bonus tracks previously available only in specific territories. The first single, ‘We Built This House’releases digitally on 3 July, and will be available to fans as an instant-grat for the album preorder, available at Amazon:http://smarturl.it/Scorps_RTF_Amzn and iTunes:http://smarturl.it/scprns_rtf_itns. Scorpions embark on a 16-city North America tour this fall.

     

    “We have been overwhelmed with the amazing response to our new album across the globe and can’t wait to finally release Return To Forever in North America. We have always had such a special connection with our incredible fans and are so excited to get them the new album and return to play live this fall,” said Klaus Meine.

     

    Scorpions have also launched an official D2C store with exciting offerings for fans featuring brand new t-shirt and sweatshirt designs coupled with the CD and Vinyl versions of Return To Forever. Also included in each bundle is an exclusive ‘fanified’poster that will feature every fan’s name on it who pre-orders Return To Forever through the D2C site by 14 August.

     

    Return To Forever celebrates a global return for Scorpions as the album is already available in many parts of the world breaking and remaining in the Top 10 in multiple markets including Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Japan and Switzerland, with continued chart activity in Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Holland, Italy, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the UK.

     

    When Klaus Meine (vocals), Rudolf Schenker (rhythm guitar) and Matthias Jabs (lead guitar) conceived this record, the idea was to revisit their past, recording updated outtakes and unfinished song ideas from their most famous 80’s sessions.

     

    Jabs explains, “There had been quite a few unused songs over the years that were really good, but in the end didn’t make the cut back then due to the limited space on vinyl. We focused on eight songs, which were partly finished which we then recorded from scratch. During the work, new song ideas were
    added. We were having so much fun we suddenly found ourselves in the middle of the songwriting process once again. And in the end, it turned out to be a brand-new Scorpions album after all.”

     

    “In the end, it tells our story. We’ve built this house called Scorpions brick by brick and often quite arduously. From the first days in Hannover, the first concerts abroad, until this very day. We’ve weathered severe storms, but the house withstood everything, turned out to be weatherproof and stable. However, building the house was never just cumbersome, but joyful as well. The joy of music, the joy of having experienced and still experiencing it all, the joy of and the thankfulness for the fan’s affection,” said Meine.

     

    The fact that the 50th band anniversary was coming up, hit Rudolf Schenker rather accidentally. “Not long ago I found an old cash account book of my mom’s, in which she meticulously recorded the earnings and expenses of the band from fifty years ago. My parents had lent me the money for the first equipment back then, so they kept a of record of my earnings so I could pay them back in installments. Fifty years is a long time for a working band. Apart from us, only the Rolling Stones, the Beach Boys and The Who have managed to do it. So the timing for the new album is perfect; We’re celebrating half a century of Scorpions with the record and the upcoming tour,” he said.

     

    Founded in Hannover, West Germany in 1965, Scorpions were part of the first wave of metal in the 1970S with their debut album, Lonesome Crow, released in 1972. The band rose to arena status with seminal releases Lovedrive, Virgin Killer and Animal Magnetism. In the 80S, Scorpions amassed a string of Billboard chart toppers from Love at First Sting and Blackout, including multiple Top 10 singles ‘Rock You Like a Hurricane’and ‘No One Like You’, as well a string of successful singles such as ‘Send Me an Angel’,’Still Loving You’ and ‘Winds of Change.’

     

    Celebrated across the globe, the iconic rock act have sold more than 100 million albums worldwide, and have received multiple honors including World Music Award winners, a postage stamp in Brazil, their Star on Hollywood Rock Walk, Echo honors, most recently they were honored with the Lower Saxon State Award.

     

    Scorpions Return to Forever 50th Anniversary Tour, featuring longtime members Klaus Meine, Rudolf Schenker and Matthias Jabs, alongside James Kottak (drums) and Pawel Maciwoda (bass), kicks off in September 2015 with dates in four continents. For these milestone shows, Scorpions have built a career-spanning setlist of Scorpion’s hits, anthems, ballads and vintage classics. North American dates also feature special guests Queensryche.

  • Katherine Waterston to star opposite Eddie Redmayne in ‘Harry Potter’ spinoff

    Katherine Waterston to star opposite Eddie Redmayne in ‘Harry Potter’ spinoff

    MUMBAI: Katherine Waterston will star opposite Eddie Redmayne in Warner Bros. Pictures’ Harry Potter spinoff Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, set in J.K. Rowling’s Wizarding world.

     

    Waterston will play the pivotal role of Tina, short for Porpentina, a witch who – unlike the beloved characters from Rowling’s Harry Potter books – works her magic in the U.S. She meets magizoologist Newt Scamander (Redmayne) when he stops in New York City on his travels to find and document magical creatures.

     

    Warner Bros. Pictures president of creative development and worldwide production Greg Silverman said, “Katherine Waterston is a rising star, who was a revelation in our film Inherent Vice, earning the praise of both critics and audiences. We are thrilled to have her back in the Warner Bros. family, especially in one of our most anticipated titles for 2016, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.”

     

    David Yates (director of the last four Harry Potter films) will direct from Rowling’s screenplay, inspired by Newt Scamander’s Hogwarts textbook Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.

     

    The film is being produced by David Heyman, producer of all eight Harry Potter features; Rowling; Steve Kloves, who scripted all but one of the Harry Potter films; and Lionel Wigram, who served as an executive producer on the last four installments of the franchise.

     

    Waterston recently starred in Paul Thomas Anderson’s Inherent Vice, for which she shared in an Independent Spirit Award for Best Ensemble. She also stars in the upcoming biopic Steve Jobs, under the direction of Danny Boyle.

     

    Warner Bros. Pictures will release Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them in 3D and Imax on 18 November, 2016.