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Category: Hollywood

  • ‘Avengers – Age of Ultron’ to release in India ahead of US

    ‘Avengers – Age of Ultron’ to release in India ahead of US

    MUMBAI: The next installment of Marvel’s Avengers franchise – Avengers – Age of Ultron will release in India on 24 April, 2015, which is a week earlier than its North American release.

     

    This sequel to one of the highest grossing Hollywood film of all times The Avengers (2012), will be released in Hindi, Tamil and Telegu versions simultaneously along with the English version.

     

    The movie stars Robert Downey Jr.(Iron Man), Chris Hemsworth (Thor), Mark Ruffalo (Hulk), Chris Evans (Captain America), Scarlett Johansson (Black Widow), Jeremy Renner (Hawkeye), Don Cheadle (James Rhodes/War Machine), Cobie Smulders (Agent Maria Hill), Stellan Skarsg?rd (Erik Selvig) with James Spader (Ultron) and Samuel L. Jackson (Nick Fury).

     

    The movie will also see two mysterious and powerful newcomers, Pietro Maximoff, played by Aaron Taylor-Johnson, and Wanda Maximoff, played by Elizabeth Olsen and meet an old friend in a new form when Paul Bettany becomes Vision.

     

    Avengers: Age of Ultron has been written and directed by Joss Whedon and produced by Kevin Feige.

  • Mauritanian ‘Timbuktu’ sweeps Cesar Awards; Sean Penn gets honorary award

    Mauritanian ‘Timbuktu’ sweeps Cesar Awards; Sean Penn gets honorary award

    NEW DELHI: Abderrahmane Sissako’s foreign-language Oscar-nominated Timbuktu swept the 40th Cesar Awards in France with seven awards including the Best film and director prizes.

     

    The film also received awards for original screenplay (Abderrahmane Sissako, Kessen Tall), cinematography (Sofian el Fani), editing (Nadia Ben Rachid), sound (Philippe Welsh, Roman Dymn, and Thierry Delor), and music (Amin Bouhafa).

     

    Timbuktu was curiously overlooked at Cannes where it world premiered in competition. Although the movie is considered to be the first Mauritanian film in the running for a foreign-language Oscar, it was financed in France, produced at Sylvie Pialat’s Paris-based Les Films du Worso and distributed/sold by Jean-Labadie’s Le Pacte.

     

    Kristen Stewart was chosen supporting actress for her performance as Juliette Binoche’s assistant in Clouds of Sils Maria, becoming the first American actress to win a Cesar trophy.

     

    Xavier Dolan’s French-Canadian Mommy won best foreign film and the best actor and actress wins went to Comedie Francaise-trained Pierre Niney for his performance in Jalil Lespert’s film on the famed French designer Yves Saint Laurent and Adele Haenel for her role in Love at First Fight.

     

    Another picture on the designer by Bertrand Bonello, Saint Laurent, won best costumes award for Anais Romand.

     

    Love at First Fight, an unusual romantic comedy that takes place in an Army boot camp, also won best directorial debut for Cailley and male newcomer for Kevin Azais. The film also marks the first film of its producer, Pierre Guyard at Nord-Ouest. The film has been sold to all major territories and will be distributed in the United States by Strand Releasing.

     

    Up-and-coming thespian Reda Kateb, who previously starred in Zero Dark Thirty and Lost River, won best supporting actor for his performance as an intern in a Paris hospital in Hippocrate.

     

    Eric Lartigau’s dramedy blockbuster La Famille Belier, the most mainstream contender of this year’s race, earned its star Louane Emera a best newcomer award. La Famille Belier is still playing in theaters and has so far totaled more than 6 million admissions.

     

    Well-known American actor and director Sean Penn was presented an honorary Cesar award.

     

    Other awards were: Adapted Screenplay – Cyril Gely, Volker Schlondorff, Diplomacy; Set Decoration – Thierry Flamand for ‘The Beauty and the Beast’; Animated Film – Minuscule and Documentary – Salt of the Earth, Wim Wenders.

  • Oscars 2015: ‘Birdman’ takes home four awards including Best Picture

    Oscars 2015: ‘Birdman’ takes home four awards including Best Picture

    MUMBAI: Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) has pipped other contending movies like Boyhood, Whiplash, The Grand Budapest Hotel, American Sniper, The Imitation Game, Selma and The Theory of Everything at the 87th Academy Awards to take home the Best Picture statuette.

     

    Birdman won a total of four Academy Awards, which are as follows: Best Picture, Best Director (Alejandro G. Inarritu), Best Cinematography (Emmanuel Lubezki) and Best Original Screenplay (Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu, Nicolas Giacobone, Alexander Dinelaris, Armando Bo).

     

    The Oscar for the Best Actor went to Eddie Redmayne (The Theory of Everything), whereas the Best Actress award went to Julianne Moore (Still Alice). On the other hand, the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor went to JK Simmons for Whiplash, whereas Patricia Arquette won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for her role in Boyhood.

     

    Birdman and The Grand Budapest Hotel tied for the most number of nominations (nine) and incidentally both movies won four Oscars each. Wes Anderson’s The Grand Budapest Hotel won the award for Achievement in Costume Design (Milena Canonero), Best Original Score (Alexandre Desplat), Best Production Design (Adam Stockhausen, Anna Pinnock) and Best Makeup and Hairstyling (Frances Hannon, Mark Coulier).

     

    The Oscar for Achievement in sound mixing went to Craig Mann, Ben Wilkins and Thomas Curley for Whiplash, whereas the Oscar for Achievement in sound editing went to Alan Robert Murray and Bub Asman for American Sniper.

     

    Whiplash won Tom Cross an Oscar for Achievement in film editing, whereas Interstellar took home the Oscar for Achievement in visual effects (Paul J Franklin, Andrew Lockley, Ian Hunter, Scott R Fisher). The Oscar for Best original song went to Common and John Legend for their song ‘Glory’ from the Martin Luther King drama Selma.

     

    The Oscar for the Best foreign-language film went to Polish film Ida, directed by Pawel Pawlikowski. On the other hand, The Phone Call (Mat Kirkby, James Lucas) took home the award for Best live-action short film. The Best documentary short subject went to Crisis Hotline: Veterans Press 1 (Ellen Goosenberg Kent, Dana Perry). The Best animated short film was won by Feast (Patrick Osborne, Kristina Reed).

     

    The Oscar for the Best Adapted screenplay went to Graham Moore for The Imitation Game. The Best animated feature film award went to Big Hero 6. The Best documentary feature award went to the Edward Snowden docu Citizenfour (Laura Poitras, Mathilde Bonnefoy, Dirk Wilutzky). On the other hand, the Oscar for the Best original score went to Alexandre Desplat for The Grand Budapest Hotel.

  • Sony Pictures Entertainment appoints Matt Milam as VP – creative productions

    Sony Pictures Entertainment appoints Matt Milam as VP – creative productions

    NEW DELHI: Sony Pictures Entertainment has appointed Matt Milam as vice-president of creative productions.

     

    Prior to this, Milam was with Skydance, where he served as vice president of production. He has earlier also been with Warner Bros.

     

    “We are tremendously excited about Matt joining the Columbia team. We have followed his career from Warners to Skydance and have been utterly impressed with both his talent and his taste,” Sony Pictures Entertainment president of production Michael De Luca.

     

    Milam most recently worked on the Dean Devlin project Geostorm at Skydance. Earlier at Warner Bros, he had handled projects that included Clash of the Titans, Wrath of the Titans, Terminator Salvation and The Informant.

     

    Prior to Warner Bros., Milam acted as creative executive at Mandate Pictures, helping oversee Harold and Kumar Escape From Guantanamo Bay, The Grudge 2 and 30 Days of Night. He was co-producer on Boogeyman 2, for which he oversaw the development, production and post-production.

  • ‘Fifty Shades of Grey’ publishing partner wins lawsuit

    ‘Fifty Shades of Grey’ publishing partner wins lawsuit

    MUMBAI: In a verdict with blockbuster implications, a jury in the case of Pedroza vs. Hayward and TWCS Operations Proprietary awarded a victory to Jennifer Lynn Pedroza in a dispute over royalty rights for the publishing phenomenon Fifty Shades of Grey. The jury’s verdict was announced by Pendroza’s attorneys at Vincent Lopez Serafino Jenevein, PC. 

     

    The original publisher of the trio of books was The Writer’s Coffee Shop, an independent publisher of e-books and print-on-demand books. The plaintiff, Jennifer Pedroza was one of four original partners in the start-up company that published Fifty Shades of Grey. The Writer’s Coffee Shop eventually sold the publishing rights to the books to Random House. 

     

    The verdict has confirmed that Jennifer Pedroza was a partner in The Writer’s Coffee Shop. The jury determined that fraud had been committed by Amanda Hayward and TWCS Operations Proprietary when they induced Pedroza into a Service Agreement, and also deprived her of her share of one of the most successful book deals in history. To date Fifty Shades of Grey has sold more than 100 million copies and is currently on the New York Times best seller list. 

     

    Damages will be assessed at a later court hearing after a forensic audit determines Pedroza’s appropriate share of royalties. Pedroza was represented by the Dallas law firm of Vincent Lopez Serafino Jenevein, PC.

  • Filipino festival cancels feature competition for lack of funds

    Filipino festival cancels feature competition for lack of funds

    NEW DELHI: The Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival has cancelled plans for a feature film competition this year.

     

    Organisers blame the decision on the late approval of this year’s budget, which was only confirmed in December.

     

    Indications had come in November of the potential cancellation of this year’s New Breed competition section after CCP vice president Chris Millado raised the possibility at a forum in Vietnam.

     

    In place of its competition section, this summer’s 11th edition- held 7 to 14 August, 2015- will host a retrospective of selected features from its first 10 years. The competition will return in 2016 without the New Breed section.

     

    For its 12th edition, Cinemalaya will increase its grants from 500,000 to 750,000 ($17,000). The ten finalists — who will have 12 months to produce their films — will be announced at the closing ceremony of this year’s festival.

     

    The festival will remain at the Cultural Center of the Philippines | Sentrong pangkultura ng Pilipinas despite interest to relocate the event in Metro Manila’s Quezon City by its mayor. Additional screenings will be hosted at regular partner malls in Makati City and Quezon City within Metro Manila.

     

    Earlier this month, film director Laurice Guillen was appointed president of the Cinemalaya Foundation. She previously held the position of competition chairman.

  • Sony Classical to release OST of ‘The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel’

    Sony Classical to release OST of ‘The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel’

    MUMBAI: The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel is the second installment of the star-studded British comedy that follows a group of British retirees who decide to spice up their lives in India. In theaters on 6 March, 2015, the sequel is once again directed by John Madden, best known for his acclaimed movies Shakespeare In Love (Academy Award winner for Best Picture, 1998), Proof (based on the eponymous Pulitzer Prize winning play, 2005) and The Debt. The first film The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel proved to be an international success, grossing over $136 million worldwide.

     

    The cast has reunited for the film including stars Judi Dench, Maggie Smith, Bill Nighy, Dev Patel, Celia Imrie, Penelope Wilton, Ronald Pickup, Tina Desai, Diana Hardcastle and Lillete Dubey. Additional cast making their debut include Tamsin Greig, with David Strathairn and Richard Gere. 

     

    The soundtrack for The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel will be made available on 24 February, 2015 via Sony Classical. Thomas Newman, one of the most respected composers in the movie industry, has once again composed the original score. With a career spanning over 30 years, Newman has scored more than 70 feature films. Newman has thus far been nominated for 12 Academy Awards and has won an Emmy Award, two BAFTA Awards and six Grammy Awards.

     

    Newman has composed the scores for films like American Beauty, Skyfall, Erin Brockovich, The Good German, Finding Nemo and Wall-E for Pixar as well as The Horse Whisperer, The Help and The Iron Lady.

     

    Newman’s vibrant and inspirational score for The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, masterfully evokes the Indian musical textures and ensures an elegant and delightful musical journey.

     

    “Tom’s ability to penetrate the soul of a film is unmatched; In the two Marigold films, Tom’s group of collaborators expanded to include some extraordinary Indian players and vocal soloists, creating a musical and cultural synthesis that has produced two ravishing and interlocking scores: atmospheric, surprising, thrilling, funny, haunting and entirely sui generis,” says director John Madden.

  • Jafar Panahi’s ‘Taxi’ wins Golden Bear at Berlinale

    Jafar Panahi’s ‘Taxi’ wins Golden Bear at Berlinale

    NEW DELHI: The Iranian ‘Taxi‘ by Jafar Panahi – who cannot even leave his country as he is awaiting trial – bagged both the Golden Bear as well as the FIPRESCI (film critics) awards at the 65th Berlin International Film Festival at the Berlinale Palast.

     

    The Silver Bear went to El Club (The Club) by Pablo Larrain of Chilea while the Silver Bear Alfred Bauer Prize for a feature film that opens new perspectives was given to Ixcancul (Volcano) by Jayro Bustamante from Guatemala.

     

    The Silver Bear for Best Director was shared by two films: Radu Jude for Aferim! from Romania and Malgorzata Szumowska for Body from Poland.

     

    The Silver Bears for best actress and best actor went to Charlotte Rampling and Tom Courteny respectively for the same film: In 45 Years by Andrew Haigh.

     

    Interestingly, Panahi cannot even have credits in his films and his films do not exist ‘officially’ and are not ‘distributable’ there. The well written, directed and performed film is overtly political and a pithy indictment of the Iranian censorship laws as well as the ‘sharia-based’ criminal justice system of the theocratic regime. His award was collected by his niece.

     

    The Silver Bears for Outstanding Artistic Contribution went to the German Sturla Brandth Grovlen for his ‘one-take’ cinematography in Victoria directed by Sebastian Schipper while the Russians Evgeniy Privin and Sergey Mikhalchuk got it for Pod Electricheskimi Oblakami (Under Electric Clouds) directed by Alexey German Jr.

     

    Nagesh Kukunoor’s Dhanak received two awards: the Special Mention by the Children’s Jury Generation KPlus, and the Grand Prix of the Generation KPlus International Jury for the best feature-length film, endowed with  7,500 by the Deutsches Kinderhilfswerk.

  • ‘American Sniper’ collections surpass $300 million in N. America

    ‘American Sniper’ collections surpass $300 million in N. America

    MUMBAI: Warner Bros. Pictures’ and Village Roadshow Pictures’ Oscar-nominated blockbuster American Sniper continues to make cinema history, crossing $300 million at the North American box office.

     

    Directed by Clint Eastwood and starring Bradley Cooper and Sienna Miller, American Sniper has continued to fill conventional and IMAX theatres nationwide. It is now the top-grossing war movie of all time, Bradley Cooper’s biggest live-action feature ever, and the second-highest-grossing R-rated drama ever. In addition, it is the first Warner Bros. non-franchise film, only the seventh Warner Bros. release of any kind, and one of only 50 films in cinema history to achieve this milestone domestically.

     

    Warner Bros. Pictures president of domestic distribution Dan Fellman said, “This is another extraordinary benchmark for an extraordinary film. Rarely does a film come along that strikes such an emotional and thought-provoking chord with such a wide audience. Congratulations to Clint Eastwood and everyone involved in American Sniper on the film’s huge success, both at the box office and in the hearts and minds of people everywhere.”

     

    American Sniper is also showing strength overseas. With just 40 per cent of international markets launched to date, the film has grossed an impressive $85.7 million, with many major territories prepping to release next week, including France, Spain, Japan, Brazil and Mexico.

     

    American Sniper, from a screenplay written by Jason Hall, is based on the book by Chris Kyle, with Jim DeFelice and Scott McEwen.

     

    The movie has earned six Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture, Best Actor (Cooper), and Best Adapted Screenplay (Jason Hall). In addition, Eastwood was honored by his peers with his fourth Directors Guild of America Award nomination and also won the National Board of Review Award for Best Director. The film’s other honors include a Producers Guild of America Award nomination, a Writers Guild of America Award nomination, and a BAFTA Award nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay.

  • ‘Fifty Shades of Grey’ seduces box office with $239.7 million

    ‘Fifty Shades of Grey’ seduces box office with $239.7 million

    MUMBAI: Universal Pictures’ erotica movie Fifty Shades of Grey has seduced the global box office with stupendous collections of $ 239.7 million in its opening weekend. 

     

    According to Rentrak’s box office estimates for the weekend of 15 February, 2015, the movie collected a whopping $81.7 million at the box office in North America.

     

    Rentrak senior media analyst Paul Dergarabedian said, “Universal’s erotic drama Fifty Shades of Grey felt the love from audiences as it earned a whopping $239.7 million around the globe this weekend. Generating an impressive $158 million in 58 international territories (and $81.7 million in North America), this is Universal’s second biggest international opening weekend ever behind Fast & Furious 6 at $160.3 million. Also impressive is the super cool Kingsman: The Secret Service from Fox that in its second weekend internationally took no prisoners with $23.1 million in 38 territories. This combined with the $35.6 million it earned in its North American debut gives Kingsman $58.7 million for the weekend and a worldwide total to date of nearly $80 million.”

     

    The top 12 worldwide weekend box office estimates, listed in descending order, per data collected as of Sunday, 15 February, 2015, are below:

     

    1. Fifty Shades Of Grey – $239.7 million

    2. Kingsman: The Secret Service – $58.7 million

    3. Spongebob Squarepants: Sponge Out Of Water – $44 million

    4. Somewhere Only We Know – $30 million

    5. Jupiter Ascending – $25 million

    6. American Sniper – $20.1 million

    7. Big Hero 6 – $9.9 million

    8. Taken 3 – $8.3 million

    9. The Imitation Game – $7.5 million

    10. Night At The Museum: Secret Of The Tomb – $7.1 million

    11. Detective K: The Laborer’s Daughter – $6.2 million

    12. Paddington – $5.1 million

     

    The top 12 North American weekend box office estimates, listed in descending order, per data collected as of Sunday, 15 February, 2015, are below:

     

    1. Fifty Shades Of Grey – $81.7 million

    2. Kingsman: The Secret Service – $35.6 million

    3. Spongebob Squarepants: Sponge Out Of Water – $30.5 million

    4. American Sniper – $16.4 million

    5. Jupiter Ascending – $9.4 million

    6. Seventh Son – $4.2 million

    7. Paddington – $4.1 million

    8. The Imitation Game – $3.5 million

    9. The Wedding Ringer – $3.4 million

    10. Project Almanac – $2.7 million

    11. Black Or White – $2.6 million

    12. The Boy Next Door – $1.8 million