Gold Disc Awards 2014 winners announced

(Clockwise from left) Seo In Guk, TVXQ, Girl’s Generation and BAP (www.newsen.com and Jonathan Hicap)

Japanese girl group AKB48 and boy band One Direction won as Artists of the Year at the recently concluded Japan Gold Disc Awards 2014.

Several K-pop artists also emerged as winners in the prestigious awards, including TVXQ, Girls’ Generation and BAP.

The Recording Industry Association of Japan (RIAJ) picked the category winners based on music sales from Nov. 21, 2012 to Dec. 31, 2013.

AKB48 won for Japanese music and One Direction won for western music. According to RIAJ, AKB48 sold 306,829 albums, 9.91 million singles, 750,771 music videos and 4 million music downloads during the period.

In comparison, One Direction sold 672,701 albums, 45,398 singles, 49,455 music videos and 1.39 million music downloads.

Boy band TVXQ won the Best Asian Artist, Album of the Year (Asia), Best 3 Albums (Asia), Song of the Year by Download and Best Music Video.

The RIAJ quoted TVXQ’s Jung Yunho as saying, “I am very happy that TVXQ’s album ‘TIME’ has won the Gold Disc Awards. Thanks to everyone for their support. I will continue to work harder.”

Shim Changmin, on the other hand, said, “I am very grateful to everyone for making it possible to win the prize. In 2014, we will work hard. Thank you for your support.”

Girls’ Generation won two awards in the Best 3 Albums (Asia) category for “Girls Generation II: Girls & Peace” and “Love & Peace.”

Korean boy band BAP won the New Artist of the Year (Asia) and Best 3 New Artists (Asia) along with Korea’s Seo In Guk and Taiwanese singer Lin Yuchun.

AKB48, One Direction and TVXQ also won the Album of the Year awards for Japanese, western and Asian music, respectively.

Here’s the complete list of winners:

Artist of the Year

• AKB48 (Japanese music)


• One Direction (western music)

Best Asian Artist

• TVXQ

Best Enka/Kayokyoku Artist

• Hikawa

Best New Artists

• Chris Hart


• Little Mix


• BAP

Best 5 New Artists (Japan)

• HKT48


• Chris Hart


• Kerakera


• Generations


• Haji

Best 3 New Artists (western)

• The Stripes


• Jake Bugg


• Little Mix

Best 3 New Artists (Asia)

• Seo In Guk


• BAP


• Lin Yuchun

Best Enka/Kayokyoku New Artist

• Daisuke Kawakami

Album of the Year

• Arashi – “Love” (Japanese)


• One Direction – “Take Me Home” (western)


• TVXQ – “TIME” (Asia)

Best 5 Albums (Japanese)

• Arashi – “Love’


• EXILE – “EXILE Best Hits”


• B’z – “B’z The Best XXV 1988-1998″


• Yumi Matsutoya – “The Best of Yumi Matsutoya 40th Anniversary”


• Mr. Children – “Mr. Children [(an imitation) blood orange]

Best 3 Albums (western)

• Bruno Mars – “Unorthodox Jukebox”


• Lady Gaga – “Artpop”


• One Direction – “Take Me Home”

Best 3 Albums (Asia)

• Girls’ Generation – “Girls & Peace”


• Girls’ Generation – “Love & Peace”


• TVXQ – “TIME”

Soundtrack Album of the Year

• “Les Miserables”

Animation Album of the Year

• “Gintama Best 3″

Concept Album of the Year

• Chris Hart – “Heart Song”

Single of the Year

• AKB48 – “Sayonara Crawl”

Best 5 Singles

• AKB48 – “Eien Pressure”


• AKB48 – “Koi Suru Fortune Cookie”


• AKB48 – “Sayonara Crawl”


• AKB48 – “Heart Electric”


• AKB48 – “Suzukake Nanchara”

Song of the Year by Download

• AKB48 – “Koi Suru Fortune Cookie”


• 2CELLOS – “Kagemusha”


• TVXQ – “Catch Me If You Wanna”

Best 5 Songs by Download

• AKB48 – “Koi Suru Fortune Cookie”


• Kyary Pamyu Pamyu – “Ninja Re Bang Bang”


• Kerakera – “Star Loveration”


• Momoiro Clover Z – “Farewell, My Dear Sorrows”

Best Music Videos

• Namie Amuro – “Namie Amuro 5 Major Domes Tour 2012″


• Arashi – “Arashi Live Tour Popcorn”


• Metallica – “Quebec Magnetic”


• TVXQ – “TVXQ LIVE TOUR 2013″

Gold Disc Awards 2014 winners announced

Source: Mb.com.ph (March 01, 2014 at 03:04PM)

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Paulo exerts more effort to win KC’s heart

Paulo Avelino

Actor Paulo Avelino is not about to give up his love for KC Concepcion – who is currently studying abroad – intimating that he is bent on doing everything to prove his feelings for her.

“May effort kumbaga,” he quipped in a report on ABS-CBN.

The 25-year-old actor said that he and Concepcion make it a point to communicate with each other, despite being “sobrang busy namin pareho.”

“I’m doing a soap here and she’s in the US taking different classes,” he intimated.

His friendship with Concepcion is a source of inspiration for Avelino.

“Ngayon, I am inspired. Sometimes you just want to inspire someone, ganu’n din siya. She’s been inspiring me also, giving me advice,” he said.

Avelino shared that he likes Concepcion for her beauty and brains.

In a separate report on Push, Concepcion said that she enjoys Avelino’s company.

“Feeling ko parang hindi lang siya ’yung basta nagpapa-cute,” she said.

Avelino is busy taping for “Honesto,” which will air its final episode on March 14.

Concepcion is in the US taking up classes on acting and professional development.

Paulo exerts more effort to win KC’s heart

Source: Mb.com.ph (March 01, 2014 at 02:58PM)

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Richard Gomez vies for spot in national volleyball team

Richard Gomez

Richard Gomez is both an actor and an athlete and apparently, he is “determined” to flex more of his sports muscles by vying to be part of the Philippine volleyball team.

Gomez, whose interest in the sport started in high school, is among close to 30 players that have been invited for the tryouts currently being held at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum.

“I’ve been joining the tryouts since coach Francis (Vicente) issued the call and I’m not going to miss this chance at serving the flag once more,” said Gomez in a report on Spin.ph.

The official lineup of the national volleyball team that will compete in the 2014 PLDT HOME Fibr Asian Men’s Volleyball Club Championship (AMVCC), which the country will be hosting from April 8 to 16, will be announced by The Philippine Volleyball Federation (PVF), on March 9.

It will be the first national volleyball team organized by the federation after many years of inactivity.

If ever he is picked, Gomez is set to make history as the first Filipino athlete to be able to don the national colors via four different sports.

In the early ’90s, he was part of the national team for rowing. He brought home numerous medals during his stint with the national fencing team from 1995 to 2005. Gomez also competed in a shooting event at the 2005 SEA Games in Manila, placing fourth.

In a separate interview, the film-TV actor, who is turning 48 this April, stressed that volleyball hasn’t really lost its relevance, pointing out that “It is (actually) number two in terms of popularity.”

“‘Yung volleyball association naman is doing something in terms of forming a competitive team sa region. It is also a welcome development na may effort sila to put up a team,” Gomez told Spin.ph.

He even noted that if the national team places well in the Asian volleyball landscape, “may chance tayo na masama sa Asian Games. Next year, may SEA Games kaya hopefully, magtuluy-tuloy ang programa.”

AMVCC organizing committee chairman Philip “Ella” Juico, former chairman of the Philippine Sports Commission, welcomes Gomez’s possible inclusion in the national team.

“Aside from his leadership, his experience playing for the three national teams will be a big factor for the team,” she said.

Richard Gomez vies for spot in national volleyball team

Source: Mb.com.ph (March 01, 2014 at 02:54PM)

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Rose Fostanes sings 'My Way' on 'It's Showtime'

"X-Factor Israel" winner Rose Fostanes showed off her singing prowess as she performed her rendition of Frank Sinatra's "My Way" and Lady Gaga's "Born This Way" on "It's Showtime" on Saturday.



Rose Fostanes sings 'My Way' on 'It's Showtime'

Source: ABS-CBNNews.com (March 01, 2014 at 02:11PM)

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Iza finds ‘love team’ with Jhong ‘fun’

Iza Calzado

Tandems abound in “It’s Showtime,” starting with “VhongAnne” (Vhong Navarro-Anne Curtis), then “ViceRylle” (Vice Ganda and Karylle) and “BiCol” (Billy Crawford and Coleen Garcia).

Now the show has introduced another hit pairing in “JhoZa,” involving Jhong Hilario and newest “It’s Showtime” member Iza Calzado.

The two have been showing the “madlang pipol” some “sampol” of their dance moves together.

Jhong added to the “kilig” factor when he recently admitted to having a crush on Iza.

“Feeling ko kapag katabi ko si Iza pumapayat ako… kasi lagi akong pinagpapawisan eh,” said the Streetboys dancer in a recent episode of the show.

Iza has admitted that she’s having fun with the team-up. “Nakakaloka talaga. Wala. What can I say? Alangan naman I say ‘thank you,’ pero nakakatuwa, ’yun na lang ’yun,” she told Push in an interview.

Iza is confident that being part of JhoZa is a non-issue to boyfriend, Ben Wintle.

Jhong Hilario

She related, “Sinabi ko sa kanya, kinuwento ko sa kanya kasi ang tanong niya, ‘Did you have fun on the show?’ Ganyan ’yan, ganun ang mga tanong niya sa akin. Tapos sinabi ko sa kanya, ‘There is a new love team.’ He said, ‘Oh really, what’s it about? Okay good.’ Deadma siya talaga. Walang alam, eh. Hindi naman kasi nanonood, laging nasa office.”

Iza added that Ben is not the jealous type. “Selos? Diyos ko, wala ngang kabahid-bahid ng selos, wala. Sana magselos kahit minsan,” she quipped, adding, “Joke lang. Huwag natin bigyan ng rason para magselos ’yun. Fun lang.”

Iza wouldn’t confirm or deny reports about her replacing Anne on the show, purportedly because of the latter being busy with the upcoming “Dyesebel.”

“Hindi ko naman masasabing permanent. Who knows? But for now, I have been given the opportunity and the task also to fill in kung meron mang mga host na wala kasi busy din sila. Vice is in the States, Anne’s doing ‘Dyesebel’ and Karylle’s going to get married. So for a while, for a number of weeks siguro or for months siguro, kailangan nila ng host.”

She has entertained the thought of becoming a permanent fixture on the show, but she adds, “Bahala na si God at ang mga boss natin sa network kasi nasa sa kanila naman at nasa madlang people din (ang decision).”

For Iza, hosting “It’s Showtime” is an opportunity to show her “makulit” side.

“Ever since, in the past 12 years in the industry, I have been doing really heavy dramatic roles. They have never seen me in a more relaxed atmosphere and to be able to be myself so, this is a wonderful opportunity for me para nga ipakita ’yung kakulitan ko. Kasi minsan sa totoong buhay makulit talaga ako.”

Iza finds ‘love team’ with Jhong ‘fun’

Source: Mb.com.ph (March 01, 2014 at 02:27PM)

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Stirring sets mark day 2 of Malasimbo Festival 2014

PUERTO GALERA, Philippines — The crowd was on its feet on the second night of Malasimbo Music and Arts Festival.



Stirring sets mark day 2 of Malasimbo Festival 2014

Source: Philstar.com (March 01, 2014 at 02:04PM)

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Marian Rivera returns as FHM's anniversary cover

MANILA, Philippines- Marian Rivera graces the cover of FHM magazine for the second time.



Marian Rivera returns as FHM's anniversary cover

Source: Philstar.com (March 01, 2014 at 01:33PM)

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Sarah Lahbati reconciles with GMA exec

Sarah Lahbati

Actress-model Sarah Lahbati and GMA Films President Annette Gozon-Abrogar have finally settled their year-long legal dispute.

“I want everyone to know that I’m really sorry, because I may have said some things before rashly, which both hurt you (Abrogar) and put your integrity in question and I’m really sorry for that. I regret things I’ve said,” said Lahbati in a report that aired on “24 Oras.”

It was in January last year when the 20-year-old actress set off a series of tirades against Abrogar via Twitter. She also broached the subject of an alleged “misunderstanding” with the network’s management arm.

Lahbati then flew to Europe, supposedly to take a rest from show business and to resume her studies.

The GMA executive filed a libel case against her, which led her to return and file counter charges against Abrogar, including libel, perjury, grave coercion and unjust vexation. All charges Lahbati filed have been dismissed roughly a year later, due to lack of probable cause.

Thereafter, the two were reported to have settled their claims in a meeting at the Philippine Mediation Center.

Abrogar now maintains that she’d rather focus on repairing her relationship with Lahbati.

“Ang sinasabi ko naman palagi, ‘pag nakita (ko) ’yung sincerity ni Sarah, wala na talaga lahat ng legal,” she related.

With this, Abrogar will be filing a motion to dismiss the libel case she filed against the actress on March 13.

After all that’s been said and done, both parties realized that all they needed was to talk things out.

“If I could go back nga and undo some things, I would talk to her na lang, because nung nakausap ko nga siya dun na lang pala kadali siyang kausapin,” Lahbati said.

“Nung nangyayari ’yun, hindi kami nag-uusap at all,” Abrogar narrated. “Parang ang dami nang gulong nangyayari, and then, biglang ’yun na, sana nag-usap pala kami agad, kasi 10 minutes lang pala, wala naman pala.”

Lahbati clarified that she is still “working for GMA” and is still “under GMA Artist Center.”

“They’re still managing me, and I’m happy naman the way things are going and excited for future projects with GMA,” she said.

Sarah Lahbati reconciles with GMA exec

Source: Mb.com.ph (March 01, 2014 at 01:08PM)

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Philip Seymour Hoffman died of accidental overdose -official

Actor Philip Seymour Hoffman (Reuters)

NEW YORK (Reuters) – Actor Philip Seymour Hoffman, who was found dead in his New York apartment on Feb. 2 with a needle in his arm, died of an accidental overdose of drugs, the New York City Chief Medical Examiner said on Friday.

The cause of death was acute drug intoxication, including heroin, cocaine, benzodiazepines and amphetamine, according to Julie Bolcer, spokeswoman for the Medical Examiner’s Office.

No other details were immediately available.

A drug overdose had been suspected when Hoffman, 46, was discovered. The confirmation puts the actor, regarded as one of the best of his generation, on a growing list of entertainers who succumbed to drugs.

”Glee” actor Cory Monteith, 31, died in Vancouver of an accidental overdose of heroin and alcohol in October. Drugs were also the cause of death of Australian actor Heath Ledger in 2008 and singer Whitney Houston in 2012.

Hoffman’s tragic death coincides with an increase in US heroin use, which government officials say has reached epidemic proportions during the past five years.

Hoffman, a best actor Oscar winner for his role in the 2005 biographical film ”Capote,” won accolades for his versatility and mesmerizing performances on the stage and screen.

From his Tony-nominated role as Willy Loman in Arthur Miller’s Pulitzer Prize-winning play ”Death of a Salesman” to complex characters in such films as ”Happiness,” in which he played an obscene phone caller, and ”Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead,” Hoffman transfixed audiences with his talent.

He also earned Tony award nominations for ”Long Day’s Journey Into Night” and ”True West.”

His screen roles included ”The Master,” ”Doubt” and ”Charlie Wilson’s War,” for which he won best supporting actor Oscar nominations, and appearances in blockbusters such as ”The Hunger Games” series.

Philip Seymour Hoffman died of accidental overdose -official

Source: Mb.com.ph (March 01, 2014 at 01:04PM)

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Abroad, American Hustle is Scam, Sting or Dream

In this Tursday, Feb. 27, 2014 photo, an ultra-Orthodox Jewish man walks past a movie poster for the movie “That awkward moment” translated to Hebrew as “The date that embarrassed me” outside a cinema in Jerusalem. Big Hollywood films have immediate name recognition in the Unites States. But in the rest of the world, moviegoers are long accustomed to their respective countries translating the titles with their own, often quirkier names.(AP Photo/Sebastian Scheiner)

JERUSALEM (AP) — Titles of Hollywood hit movies don’t always translate well due to cultural differences or nuances in language. That’s why film titles are often changed when movies are shown abroad. Here’s a sampling of well-known films with titles that are substantially different in other countries.

—AMERICAN HUSTLE

In Israel, “American Dream.” In France, “American Bluff.” In Argentina, “American Scandal.” In Portugal, “American Sting.” In Quebec, “American Scam.” In Spain, “Great American Scam.” In Turkey, “Trickster.”

-CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF MEATBALLS

In Israel, “It’s Raining Falafel.” In Turkey, “Raining Kofte.”

—SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK

In Israel, “Optimism is the Name of the Game.” In France, “Happiness Therapy.”

—ANNIE HALL

In Germany, “The Urban Neurotic.”

—ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND

In Italy, “If You Leave Me, I Delete You.”

—ERIN BROCKOVICH

In Turkey, “Sweet Trouble.”

—UP IN THE AIR

In Japan, “Mileage, My Life.”

—THE FULL MONTY

In China, “Six Naked Pigs.”

—DUKES OF HAZZARD

In France, “Sheriff, Make Me Afraid.”

—THE HANGOVER

In France, “Very Bad Trip.”

—NO STRINGS ATTACHED

In France, “Sexy Friends.”

Abroad, American Hustle is Scam, Sting or Dream

Source: Mb.com.ph (March 01, 2014 at 01:00PM)

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Music Review: Hats off to Pharrell’s new album

This CD cover image released by Columbia Records shows “Girl,” the latest release by Pharrell Williams. (AP Photo/Columbia)

Pharrell, “G I R L” (Columbia Records/Back Lot Music)

On the heels of two monster hits where he was the co-star — the Daft Punk jaunty funk jam “Get Lucky” and the much vilified yet utterly catchy “Blurred Lines” with Robin Thicke, Pharrell is taking the lead with the relentless “Happy,” which appears on the “Despicable Me 2″ soundtrack and is nominated for best original song on Sunday’s Oscars. The cheerful tune is also on his second studio album, “G I R L,” released perhaps coincidentally the day after the Academy Award winners are announced.

The 10-track set is an ode to the female form and spirit, peppered with sexy vibes and brash come-ons. A definite change from his raspier, more alternative first album, which wasn’t particularly successful, “G I R L” proves Pharrell — a member of N.E.R.D. and the hit-making Neptunes — is a true, and exceptional, frontman.

Cynics will dismiss the album as a shameless attempt to derail the accusations of misogyny leveled at “Blurred Lines.” After all, Pharrell is cheeky and sexy, and his lyrics sometimes blur the lines between playful seduction and outright possession. “Ain’t no sense in you roaming around, if I can’t have you nobody can,” he says in “Hunter,” but maybe that’s his way of saying he can’t help it if the ladies find him attractive and he reciprocates. After all, this is the entire ethos of the album: love in its purest form, love at the first frisson, love settled on a cloud, love of the flesh.

The record’s tempo matches the upbeat “Happy,” and it deploys killer hooks. The sound is eclectic, ranging from dramatic violins in the Daft Punk-assisted “Gust of Wind” to Motown disco beats in “Hunter” and tribal drums in “Lost Queen.” Persistent echoes of Michael Jackson-style sound lurk on the album, from the sultry “Gush” to the deliciously head-bopping “Marilyn Monroe” to the Justin Timberlake-featured “Brand New.”

A definite homage to women is the female empowerment ballad “Know Who You Are,” where Pharrell sings with piano queen Alicia Keys. He croons on the mellow reggae tune, “I know who you are and I know what you’re feeling.” No doubt about where he stands on gender equality there.

Music Review: Hats off to Pharrell’s new album

Source: Mb.com.ph (March 01, 2014 at 12:54PM)

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Where are those onetime Oscar winners now?

An Oscar statue stands on the red carpet as preparations are made for the 86th Academy Awards in Los Angeles, Friday, Feb. 28, 2014. The Academy Awards will be held at the Dolby Theatre on Sunday, March 2. (Photo by Matt Sayles/Invision/AP)

LOS ANGELES (AP) — What’s happened to those onetime Oscar winners who’ve remained onetime Oscar winners? In the case of Cuba Gooding Jr., if you aren’t destined for a return to the Academy Awards stage, you do a Pepsi commercial for the Oscar show.

The ad, touting Pepsi’s mini can, celebrates iconic quotes from movies like “Titanic,” ”Scarface” and “Jerry Maguire.”

“People still ask me to say ‘Show me the money,’” laughs Gooding, who scooped the best supporting actor win in 1996 for “Jerry Maguire.” ”You go to a bar and people have a few cocktails and they’ll say ‘Just say it one time!’”

This year, it seemed “Lee Daniels’ the Butler” was going to get Gooding back to the Oscar ceremony, but the film didn’t make the cut in any category. Is the actor upset? “You can’t get caught up in the horse race that is the awards season,” said Gooding during a recent interview.

But that’s exactly what the actor did after winning in ’96. “Immediately after it was that thing, ‘What do I do next?’” said Gooding. It took eight months before he’d commit to another role — in “What Dreams May Come.”

“I think the mistake I made then was I was too precious with my art when I should have just been jumping back into it,” said Gooding. “When you have people celebrate you in the way that the Oscars are celebrated, there is a lot of pressure to get to that place. Once you get there, there is a lot of pressure to prove that you deserve to be there, so you always second guess yourself. I had to tell myself to get over it and work.”

Gooding has since appeared in more than 30 films.

___

Here are other one-time Oscar winners who have yet to repeat:

In 2009, Mo’Nique picked up the best supporting actress win for “Precious.” ”After I won I looked at my husband and said ‘Daddy, I’m tired,’” said Mo’Nique in a phone interview. After a five-year hiatus, the actress has finally returned to the screen with the indie film “Blackbird.”

She assures that offers for other roles were coming in after her Oscar win, but the parts just weren’t for her. “A lot of the scripts didn’t make sense,” she said. “Some of the feelings were as if I had just got into Hollywood off of the Greyhound bus.”

But the break has given her time to reconnect with her family. “What I won’t do is get to the end of this journey called life and not have anyone there but memories of this business.” Yet she’s also ready to return to work. Besides “Blackbird,” Mo’Nique will also appear in the upcoming “We Are Family” and plans to work with Lee Daniels again on the story of Hattie McDaniel.

____

Joe Pesci won an Oscar for best supporting actor in 1990′s “Goodfellas.” Playing opposite Helen Mirren in 2010′s “Love Ranch” was Pesci’s most recent acting gig, but he’ll soon reunite with his “Goodfellas” crew, Martin Scorsese and Robert De Niro, for “The Irishman,” according to his manager, Melissa Prophet. De Niro chatted about the upcoming project this month, telling The New York Post,” ”We have been trying to do (the film) for the last few years. That’s something I’m looking forward to very much.” Based on Charles Brandt’s book “I Heard You Paint Houses,” the story focuses on mafia hitman Frank “The Irishman” Sheeran.

____

Goldie Hawn won the best supporting actress Oscar in 1969 for “Cactus Flower.” She last appeared opposite Susan Sarandon in the 2002 comedy “The Banger Sisters.” In 2013, she voiced a cartoon character in an episode of the TV show “Phineas and Ferb,” but she has stepped away from the film world now to focus on The Hawn Foundation, an organization she launched in 2003 that’s dedicated to social and emotional literacy for children. Hawn, a grandmother of five (from children Kate Hudson and Oliver Hudson), released the book “10 Mindful Minutes” in 2012, which helps parents educate their children. With her long-time partner, Kurt Russell, by her side, the 68-year-old was honored in December by amFAR for her humanitarian efforts. But no acting jobs for the foreseeable future. In 2012, Hawn told BBC radio that she “didn’t like the roles that have come her way since hitting 50.

Where are those onetime Oscar winners now?

Source: Mb.com.ph (March 01, 2014 at 12:51PM)

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Oscar host Ellen DeGeneres is ready to dance

In this Feb. 25, 2007 file photo, Oscar host Ellen DeGeneres opens the 79th Academy Awards telecast, in Los Angeles. DeGeneres is returning as host at the 86th Academy Awards on Sunday, March 2, 2014, after making her Oscar debut in 2007. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill, file)

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Seven years after her Oscar debut, Ellen DeGeneres is back.

The 56-year-old TV personality talked with The Associated Press about her plans and preparations for hosting her second Academy Awards on Sunday.

AP: What did it take for you to say “yes” again?

DeGeneres: “It took my agent saying, ‘Yes, you should do it.’ And I said, ‘OK.’ Look, it’s the greatest gig in the world. And it’s also really, really hard. So, I wasn’t going to do it, because I’ve done it before. And I thought, ‘I don’t need to do that again.’ And then I realized I’m too comfortable and too complacent and I should scare myself and take a chance. So here I am, scaring myself and taking a chance.”

AP: Describe the fear element of the job.

DeGeneres: “It’s live around the world, to a billion people watching, and every major person who is in the room that has done every major thing. I mean, I know a lot of them. So, it helps a little bit that I’m friendly with everybody. But it’s still scary. It’s the energy in the room. There’s a lot of really anxious energy and, so, you kind of pick that up. You can feel all that when you walk out. So I’m trying to remain calm.”

AP: How will you be able to resist dancing along with the nominated songs, especially Pharrell Williams’ “Happy”?

DeGeneres: “I know. I will be dancing like crazy, whether he likes it or not. I’m just looking forward to the hat he wears. And I hope that the person (sitting) behind him isn’t mad, because he wears a large hat, that Pharrell.”

AP: What’s your ultimate goal for Oscar night?

DeGeneres: “I hope that everyone had fun. I hope that it didn’t seem like it’s as long as it’s going to be. This year it’s six hours. Did you know that? Six hours… Here’s what I hope: I hope when I say, ‘Goodnight,’ I hope people go: ‘One more hour! One more hour!’ And they start chanting and make me stay. That’s what I hope.”

Oscar host Ellen DeGeneres is ready to dance

Source: Mb.com.ph (March 01, 2014 at 12:47PM)

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Chris Brown told to return to rehab for 2 months

In this Feb. 3, 2014 file photo, R&B singer Chris Brown arrives at a Los Angeles Superior Court for a probation review hearing in Los Angeles. A judge ordered Chris Brown on Friday, Feb. 28, 2014, in Los Angeles, to remain in an anger management rehab program and told the pop singer to return to court in two months. Superior Court Judge James Brandlin scheduled the next hearing in Brown’s case for April 23, 2014. (AP Photo/Nick Ut, file)

LOS ANGELES (AP) — A California judge has ordered Chris Brown to remain in an anger-management rehab program and told the pop singer to return to court in two months.

The judge on Friday scheduled Brown’s next hearing for April 23. That would come after what’s expected to be a brief assault trial in Washington earlier that month.

Prosecutors have asked that Brown be sent to jail for violating probation with his October arrest in Washington. In that incident, Brown and his bodyguard are accused of punching a man and breaking his nose outside a hotel.

Brown is on probation for his 2009 attack on then-girlfriend, Rihanna.

Brown’s attorneys have asked the judge to await the outcome of the Washington case before hearing evidence on whether Brown should go to jail.

Chris Brown told to return to rehab for 2 months

Source: Mb.com.ph (March 01, 2014 at 12:41PM)

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LIVE: Academy Awards 2014

We are bringing you the 86th Annual Academy Awards, the most prestigious mainstream film awards in the planet, LIVE from Hollywood's Dolby Theater.



LIVE: Academy Awards 2014

Source: Philstar.com (March 03, 2014 at 01:00AM)

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Sarah Lahbati, Abrogar now in good terms

MANILA, Philippines- Annette Gozon-Abrogar and Sarah Lahbati are now in good terms.



Sarah Lahbati, Abrogar now in good terms

Source: Philstar.com (March 01, 2014 at 12:01PM)

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Chris Brown told to return to rehab for 2 months

LOS ANGELES — A California judge has ordered Chris Brown to remain in an anger-management rehab program and told the pop singe



Chris Brown told to return to rehab for 2 months

Source: Philstar.com (March 01, 2014 at 11:19AM)

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President's lover Gayet at French film awards

PARIS - Julie Gayet, the woman outed as French President Francois Hollande's lover, made her first high-profile appearance since news of the affair broke when she arrived Friday at France's top film awards.



President's lover Gayet at French film awards

Source: ABS-CBNNews.com (March 01, 2014 at 11:14AM)

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‘Frozen’ theme ‘Let It Go’ leads fierce Oscar fight for best original song

Singer Idina Menzel will perform 'Let It Go' at the Academy Awards on Sunday. (YouTube screenshot)

LOS ANGELES | A recent Grammy winner, a legendary rock band, a Broadway star belting out a girl-power ballad and an impossibly cool indie rocker have found themselves at the juncture of one of the most compelling Oscar races of the year: best original song.

It’s a category that has drawn big names and some drama of its own, and a lot of buzz around one song in particular that many girls and their parents are now playing in their heads; “Let It Go,” from Disney’s blockbuster animated film “Frozen.”

“The song category is the most interesting category in my opinion, and it’s drawn the biggest campaigning this year,” said Matthew Belloni, executive editor of trade magazine The Hollywood Reporter.

The best original song category drew attention early in the race when Oscars organizers revoked a nomination for “Alone Yet Not Alone,” from an independent Christian faith movie of the same name, citing improper campaigning by the songwriter.

The remaining four contenders span a wide spectrum of genres: Grammy winner Pharrell Williams’ upbeat R&B ditty “Happy” from “Despicable Me 2,” Broadway star Idina Menzel’s inspirational interpretation of “Let It Go,” indie rocker Karen O’s dreamy ballad “The Moon Song” from “Her,” and U2′s rock-infused “Ordinary Love” from “Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom.”

All four acts will lend their star power on the Oscars stage on Sunday to sing the nominated tunes.

U2′s song benefited from a high-profile television performance last week on comedian Jimmy Fallon’s debut night on NBC’s “Tonight Show,” while Pharrell’s “Happy” has been heavily featured in a Fiat television commercial. Both songs have been getting regular radio airplay, and both acts have been performing at private parties to drum up buzz during the two-week Oscars voting period this month.

Karen O teamed up with Vampire Weekend frontman Ezra Koenig for a duet on “The Moon Song,” which received attention from fans online and was released in a three-song extended play album.

But all three songs may be dwarfed by Disney’s “Let it Go,” which has been helped by what Belloni calls “the juggernaut that is ‘Frozen.’” The song has become a viral hit with more than 115 million views on YouTube and has helped the film’s soundtrack top the Billboard album chart for five weeks.

In addition to that, Disney has benefited from sing-along versions of the film, which is storming toward making $1 billion at the worldwide box office, becoming the second highest-grossing animated film of all time. “Frozen” is also the frontrunner for best animated film on Sunday.

“It’s in the tradition of the grand Disney musicals,” Belloni said. “I think voters are going to look at that and they’re going to say ‘This movie is successful in part because of this one song,’ and they’re going to vote for it.”

‘Frozen’ theme ‘Let It Go’ leads fierce Oscar fight for best original song

Source: InterAksyon.com (March 01, 2014 at 10:57AM)

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Hollywood couple Mila Kunis, Ashton Kutcher engaged: reports

Mila Kunis and Ashton Kutcher are seen in a combination photo. (Reuters)

LOS ANGELES | Hollywood stars Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis are engaged to be married, according to U.S. Weekly and the E! entertainment news website.

The two, who have been dating for about two years, appeared together on the popular television sitcom “That ’70s Show.”

Photographs on the US Weekly and E! websites taken of Kunis on Thursday in Los Angeles show her sporting a large diamond ring on her left hand.

Kutcher, 36, is divorced from actress Demi Moore. He appears in the TV sitcom “Two and a Half Men” and starred last year in the movie “Jobs.”

Kunis, 30, appeared in the movies “Ted” in 2012, “Black Swan” in 2010 and “Forgetting Sarah Marshall” in 2008.

She was the longtime girlfriend of actor Macauley Culkin.

Representatives for Kunis and Kutcher did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Hollywood couple Mila Kunis, Ashton Kutcher engaged: reports

Source: InterAksyon.com (March 01, 2014 at 10:33AM)

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Philip Seymour Hoffman died of accidental overdose: official

A photo of actor Philip Seymour Hoffman is pictured as part of a makeshift memorial in front of his apartment building in New York February 3, 2014. (Reuters)

NEW YORK | Actor Philip Seymour Hoffman, who was found in his New York apartment on February 2 with a needle in his arm, died of an accidental overdose of drugs, the New York City Chief Medical Examiner said on Friday.

The cause of death was acute drug intoxication, including heroin, cocaine, benzodiazepines and amphetamine, according to Julie Bolcer, spokeswoman for the Medical Examiner’s Office.

She added that it is the final determination in Hoffman’s death. Only the cause and manner of death will be released to the public.

A drug overdose had been suspected when Hoffman, 46, was discovered in his apartment along with dozens of small plastic bags containing a substance believed to be heroin. The confirmation puts the actor, regarded as one of the best of his generation, on a growing list of entertainers who succumbed to drugs.

“Glee” actor Cory Monteith, 31, died in Vancouver of an accidental overdose of heroin and alcohol in October. Drugs were also the cause of death of Australian actor Heath Ledger in 2008 and singer Whitney Houston in 2012.

Overdoses from legal or illegal drugs also have claimed the lives of entertainers including Marilyn Monroe, John Belushi, Jimi Hendrix and Janis Joplin.

Hoffman is survived by his long-time partner, Mimi O’Donnell, and their three young children, Cooper, Tallulah and Willa.

The actor’s tragic death coincides with an increase in U.S. heroin use, which government officials say has reached epidemic proportions in the past five years. Fatal heroin overdoses have risen 45 percent from 2006 to 2010, according to the Office of National Drug Control Policy.

Hoffman, a best actor Oscar winner for his role in the 2005 biographical film “Capote,” won accolades for his versatility and mesmerizing performances on the stage and screen.

From his Tony-nominated role as Willy Loman in Arthur Miller’s Pulitzer Prize-winning play “Death of a Salesman” to complex characters in such films as “Happiness,” in which he played an obscene phone caller, and “Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead,” Hoffman transfixed audiences with his talent.

He also earned Tony award nominations for “Long Day’s Journey Into Night” and “True West.”

His screen roles included “The Master,” “Doubt” and “Charlie Wilson’s War,” for which he won best supporting actor Oscar nominations, and appearances in blockbusters such as “The Hunger Games” series.

Philip Seymour Hoffman died of accidental overdose: official

Source: InterAksyon.com (March 01, 2014 at 10:24AM)

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Oscar host Ellen DeGeneres is ready to dance

LOS ANGELES — Seven years after her Oscar debut, Ellen DeGeneres is back.



Oscar host Ellen DeGeneres is ready to dance

Source: Philstar.com (March 01, 2014 at 08:00AM)

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Fil-Am Malaya Watson escapes early elimination on ‘American Idol’

Malaya Watson performs Bruno Mars' 'Runaway Baby'. (Photo from AmericanIdol.com)

The Filipino-American contestants of “American Idol” are discovering that singing recent popular hits don’t necessarily translate to favorable feedback from both the judges and the audience.

Last week, Marrialle Sellars was sent packing after fumbling her way through a mediocre performance of Katy Perry’s “Roar”. This week, it’s Malaya Watson’s turn to transform from contender to pretender with a restless reading of Bruno Mars’ “Runaway Baby” that packed a lot of energy and not much more.

In a week dubbed as “This Is Me”, the top 13 contestants were each asked to perform a song that best represents them last Wednesday (Thursday, Manila time). While Malaya’s number did elicit an “A+” for performance from judge Jennifer Lopez, Harry Connick, Jr. was more critical when he said that “it went off the rails” while Keith Urban told her to figure out how to put her contagious energy into a performance.

Translation: she needs to be mindful of her singing as well.

As a result of the judges’ lukewarm reception, the 16-year-old tuba player from Southfield, Michigan found herself in the Bottom 3 the following day—a big comedown from being ranked as one of the top 3 female singers in the competition after landing in the top 13 just last week.

Fortunately for Malaya, she received just enough votes to avoid early elimination the following night. Wild Card finalist Kristen O’ Connor was the one sent home following an even more catastrophic rendition of Kelly Clarkson’s “Beautiful Disaster”, a selection that proved to be ominous not just because of the song’s title but also because Clarkson’s “Breakaway” was revealed to be the send-off song played when a contestant is eliminated.

Landing in the Bottom 3, however, meant that Malaya’s seeding in the popular reality talent show also plummeted in a big way. She needs to bounce back with a killer performance next week and rally both her American and Filipino fans to remain in the competition.

With the openly lesbian MK Nobilette also landing in the Bottom 3 this week, that now leaves Majesty Rose and Emily Piriz as the top female singers to beat while Alex Preston, Caleb Johnson and audience favorite Sam Woolf emerged as the strongest contenders among the boys.

“American Idol” airs on Star World and Star World HD also every Thursdays and Fridays at 6PM, with encore telecasts at 8PM and 11PM and on ETC every Thursdays and Fridays at 6PM, with a primetime telecast at 9PM.

Fil-Am Malaya Watson escapes early elimination on ‘American Idol’

Source: InterAksyon.com (March 01, 2014 at 07:13AM)

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‘Noli’ serialization revisits cast’s indelible portrayals

Last Dec. 30, Rizal day, IBC 13 replayed generous sections of Eddie Romero’s TV serialization of “Noli Me Tangere,” and we watched the replay gratefully, because it gave us another opportunity to appreciate the National Artist’s impressive achievement in reconfiguring Rizal’s complex novel for the television medium.



‘Noli’ serialization revisits cast’s indelible portrayals

Source: Inquirer.net (March 01, 2014 at 12:08AM)

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WATCH: Sarah G, Enrique in dance showdown

Kapamilya stars Sarah Geronimo and Enrique Gil recently showed off their dance movies during the shooting of an upcoming youth-oriented music video, which will also feature The Black Eyed Peas' apl.de.ap and singer Elmo Magalona.



WATCH: Sarah G, Enrique in dance showdown

Source: ABS-CBNNews.com (March 01, 2014 at 12:28AM)

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Beats Mixr: DJ-inspired headphones

MANILA, Philippines - After a successful collaboration with David Guetta to create a DJ-inspired headphone that delivers high-quality stereo sound with attac



Beats Mixr: DJ-inspired headphones

Source: Philstar.com (March 01, 2014)

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Story behind break-up

Now I know why two couples broke up.



Story behind break-up

Source: Philstar.com (March 01, 2014)

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My love affair with Bonbel

I go to Manaoag as often as I can. But I don’t make panata because I am afraid that I might not be able to fulfill it.



My love affair with Bonbel

Source: Philstar.com (March 01, 2014)

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Senate honors Binibinis

MANILA, Philippines - Last year’s grand winners (from left) Miss Supranational Johanna Datul, Miss Universe third runner-up Ariella Arida and Miss Internatio



Senate honors Binibinis

Source: Philstar.com (March 01, 2014)

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The chase is on

MANILA, Philippines - Nothing beats a classic story and a classic character, whether it’s a re-imagined or a remake version.



The chase is on

Source: Philstar.com (March 01, 2014)

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And the Oscar goes to…

Who will make Oscar history this year? When we polled 42 of Tinseltown’s award-giving bodies, including 33 groups on the critics’ grid, the list we came up with revealed clear favorites in five of the six major categories



And the Oscar goes to…

Source: Inquirer.net (March 01, 2014 at 12:18AM)

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Instructive insights from ‘Starting Over Again’

Despite our previously stated notes on scripting flaws in “Starting Over Again,” we congratulate the makers of the film for grossing P300 million after only a couple of weeks in release. This is a signal indication that the mainstream movie industry is slowly but surely climbing out of the rut that it’s inhabited for over [...]



Instructive insights from ‘Starting Over Again’

Source: Inquirer.net (March 01, 2014 at 12:17AM)

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MTRCB’s regulatory moves uphold viewers’ rights

Some viewers are gratified to see that the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) has become more judiciously proactive of late. First to get critiqued was a comedy show, specifically for a skit that “comically” intimated self-abuse, followed by a morning show host’s “rude language and demeanor” while conducting an interview, which offended [...]



MTRCB’s regulatory moves uphold viewers’ rights

Source: Inquirer.net (March 01, 2014 at 12:10AM)

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Paul Soriano has turned his dream into reality

Director-Producer Paul Soriano gave a talk on “Producing an Independent Film” to the 2014 Cinemalaya finalists last Feb. 22 at the CCP. We were present the first time filmmaker Hannah Espia met Soriano, who ended up producing “Transit.” Soriano shares, “When I produced ‘Transit,’ the logistical issues, like funding, hiring actors and arranging the shooting [...]



Paul Soriano has turned his dream into reality

Source: Inquirer.net (March 01, 2014 at 12:08AM)

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Dubious TV awards scored anew

We’re glad that other writers have now joined us in criticizing some schools and universities for the dubious TV awards that they have of late instituted to honor so-called or so-perceived “outstanding” performance on local TV. More than 10 new school-based award groups have been formed, and their choices of shows and personalities to “reward” [...]



Dubious TV awards scored anew

Source: Inquirer.net (March 01, 2014 at 12:04AM)

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‘Nuwebe’ scores several nominations At QWFF

Jake Cuenca

Actor Jake Cuenca has scored a Best Actor Male nomination at the 4th Queens World Film Festival (QWFF) for his role in Joseph Israel Laban’s “Nuwebe.”

Cuenca is up against Kevin Thomas Costigan (“Killer”), Robert Nolan (“Mourning Has Broken”), Dexter Camara (“Silencio”), Rob McClure (“Recursion”), Robbie Capaldi (“Brighton”), Daniel Kyri (“Perfect Day”) and Chaske Spencer (“The Hero Pose”).

Laban is also nominated as Best Director for Narrative Feature, while lead star Barbara Miguel is also nominated as Best Actor-Female.

“Nuwebe,” an entry in the New Breed section of last year’s Cinemalaya, tells the story of Krista, a young girl made pregnant by her own father.

The film garnered a Special Mention Citation at the Puebla Internacional de Cine in Mexico as with the Youth Jury’s Mention of Honor at the III Festival Internacional Lume de Cinema in Brazil.

Prior, Miguel was already named Best Actress at the Harlem International Film Festival for the same role.

Also nominated in this year’s QWFF for Best Director Documentary Short is New York-based director Neha Gautam for her work on the documentary “Juana,” which is about a Filipino domestic worker subjected to domestic violence.

The 4th Queens World Film Festival will run from March 4 to 9 at Jackson Heights, Long Island City.

‘Nuwebe’ scores several nominations At QWFF

Source: Mb.com.ph (February 28, 2014 at 05:16PM)

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The men of ‘Innamorata’

Luis Alandy (Photo by Jojo Panaligan)

Kapuso actors Luis Alandy and Dion Ignacio have been in show business for quite a while now and though they’ve not yet become superstars, they are happy with the projects they’ve been receiving.

Luis said that even if he has already played leading men roles, he has no qualms taking support ones that challenge his acting skills. On “Innamorata,” he plays a blind guy for the first time in his career, prompting him to train for the part.

“Nagsanay ako sa dilim at saka kung paano tumingin through a person instead of ‘at’ him. Naisip ko din na kapag ganun ang kalagayan mo, mas matalas ang ibang senses mo so prinaktis ko din yun,” said he, who cites “First Sight” and “Scent Of A Woman” (both with blind characters) as his pegs.

A fan of Johnny Depp and Christian Bale, Luis believes that people having limited knowledge of his private life keeps them from blurring the lines between the characters he plays and his real-life persona.

He added that it’s not necessary for actors to dip into controversy to create a buzz around himself. “The only image I keep is one that I know my parents would be proud of,” he said.

Some people seem to find Luis snobbish, but he is actually just the quiet type; that once he warms up to a person, he can be playful with them, too.

“Palabiro ako pero hindi naman below-the-belt. Mahalaga sa trabaho ang pakikisama lalo sa mga fans kasi sila ang naglalagay sa amin kung nasaan man kami ngayon ,” Luis said to that effect.

He doesn’t focus on fame but on his growth as actor. Luis is in no contest with anyone over number of fans “o sa padamihan ng Twitter follower,” he joked.

Dion Ignacio (Photo by Jojo Panaligan)

Dion shares some of Dion’s stance. Part of the first batch of reality talent search “StarStruck,” Mercado, he isn’t waiting for bigger projects but instead, he is working on becoming a more effective actor than he already is.

“Kaya tinatandaan ko ang mga natututunan ko sa mga co-actors and directors ko, past and present,” said he, who is also on “Innamorata.”

Aside from acting, Dion is a guitarist of a band, whose gigs tide him over at times between acting projects.

“Kailangan ko kasi magdouble time sa work kasi yung stepfather ko ay nagpa-dialysis,” he said.

Asked what he has learned about the craft in the years he has been around, Dion said he is careful not to “repeat” himself.

“Kahit kung minsan ay parang pare-pareho ang roles mo, dapat hanapan mo ng backstory yung character kahit sa isipan mo lang para maging indibidwal siya. Kapag hindi kasi ay nauumay ang audience mo sa yo dahil pare-pareho ang mannerism at gamit ng boses mo.

“Binabasa ko na din ang buong script para di lang character ko ang kilala ko, kundi kung ano yung pinanggagalingan nung iba. Syempre hangga’t maari po ay gusto ko take one lang kapat shooting or taping,” he said.

Dion considers every role he plays as audition for the next one “kaya ibinibigay ko ang lahat.”

The men of ‘Innamorata’

Source: Mb.com.ph (February 28, 2014 at 05:13PM)

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Sarah Lahbati, GMA-7 exec finally reconcile

Actress Sarah Lahbati and TV executive Annette Abrogar settled their controversial legal row after both parties arrived at an extra judicial settlement at the Philippine Mediation Center.



Sarah Lahbati, GMA-7 exec finally reconcile

Source: ABS-CBNNews.com (February 28, 2014 at 04:47PM)

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Paulo exerting extra effort in wooing KC

Actor Paulo Avelino said he has been exerting extra effort in wooing actress KC Concepcion, who is currently studying abroad.



Paulo exerting extra effort in wooing KC

Source: ABS-CBNNews.com (February 28, 2014 at 04:07PM)

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Cristine denies getting back together with Rayver

MANILA - Actress Cristine Reyes maintained that she is still single, reacting to rumors that she has gotten back together with her former boyfriend, Rayver Cruz.



Cristine denies getting back together with Rayver

Source: ABS-CBNNews.com (February 28, 2014 at 04:01PM)

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Liam Neeson mimics idol Manny Pacquiao on live TV

Liam Neeson on ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’ (YouTube)

Liam Neeson is a proud fan of Manny Pacquiao, which was why he accepted the role of narrator for “Manny,” a documentary that chronicles the life story of the eight-division champion boxer-politician.

Neeson spoke fondly of Pacquiao during his recent appearance on ABC’s “Jimmy Kimmel Live!”

“What a boxer he is. He’s one of the greatest (boxers),” the “Taken” star said.

“You’re a fan of his, I guess,” said show host Jimmy Kimmel.

Neeson retorted, “I have been (a fan) for many, many years.”

The Academy Award nominee then shared a “fan moment.”

“After I narrated our film, the producers sent me a little e-mail, a little film footage of Manny saying into cam (mimics Pacquiao), ‘Hello Liam, I look forward to meeting you.’

He proudly said, “(And) I’m showing it to everybody.”

“He’s (a) fantastic boxer (and that is what made me accept the narrating gig),” revealed Neeson.

Kimmel, who also participated in “Manny,” is thrilled to become “co-stars” with Neeson.

“You were the narrator and I’m just talking for like five seconds in it but I feel like we’re co-stars,” Kimmel said in jest.

“Manny,” directed by Academy Award-winner Leon Gast (“When We Were Kings”) and Fil-Am Ryan Moore, hits Philippine theaters on March 12.

It will premiere at the South by Southwest (SXSW) Film Festival in Austin, Texas, which will run from March 7 to 15.

Liam Neeson mimics idol Manny Pacquiao on live TV

Source: Mb.com.ph (February 28, 2014 at 04:01PM)

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Malasimbo 2014: The hills are alive…

The crowd of music and art lovers at the Malasimbo Music & Arts Festival (photo from http://ift.tt/1fvi8po)

Last year’s Malasimbo Music & Arts Festival had its most mainstream, so to speak, headliners: English R&B singer/songwriter and Grammy Awardee Joss Stone and Jamaican singer, musician, multi-instrumentalist Jimmy Cliff (of “I Can See Clearly Now” fame). This year, one of the festival’s organizers Miro Grgic notes, “The lineup has been regarded by taste-makers as the best lineup to date in Asia, ever.”

Indeed, if your taste in music goes beyond what is heard on mainstream radio or, simply, if you are a jazz music aficionado, the Malasimbo festival would be your heaven on this piece of earth. The glorious Mount Malasimbo in Puerto Galera will be awashed in music this weekend from such acts as the Swedish indie folk singer/songwriter and guitarist José Gonzáles; UK’s dub legend Mad Professor who has collaborated with the likes of Sade and Massive Attack; the young Australian Jordan Rakei who is often described as a mix of Stevie Wonder, d’Angelo, Bob Marley & Fat Freddy’s Drop; and the Manila-born, London-bred Mishka Adams, among others.

This year The Robert Glasper Experiment is also in the lineup – featuring Ron Ayers, touted as the founder of Neo Soul; and Lonnie Liston Smith, known to many as Miles Davis’ keyboard player. Artists as varied as Mos Def, Jay-Z, Jill Scott, Nora Jones and even Stevie Wonder have had the pleasure of working with Robert Glasper himself. That list of artists, among others, is just the beginning.

“I don’t want that lineup to be why people come to the festival. I want the people to come to festival because of the Malasimbo experience, which is not just the music but the culture, it’s the arts; it’s the environmental part of it,” Grgic says.

Held in open air at the foothills of Mt. Malasimbo, on the property owned by the D’Aboville family that overlooks the Puerto Galera bay, the attendees of the first three years of the Malasimbo Music & Arts Festival describe it as an adventure. Under the blanket of stars, experiencing the music drifting up the natural amphitheater and the camaraderie among attendees make the Malasimbo festival one of a kind.

More than the music though, three other pillars form the foundation of this passion project shared by Grgic, the Croatian-Australian musician, sound engineer and DJ who founded Volume Unit Entertainment, and the company’s partner, the D’ABOVILLE Foundation led by its president Hubert D’Aboville, who is also president and co-founder of Malasimbo Music & Arts Festival Inc. The foundation sees to the sustainable development of the area and the preservation of indigenous peoples’ cultures through part of the festival’s proceeds.

Art figures heavily in the Malasimbo experience, wherein attendees will be among stunning art installations all over the venue. With over 30 artists exhibiting their work since the festival’s inception in 2011, this year will see more pieces that promise to delight, like the masks of “Disenchantment” by Hiyas Bagabaldo, and add to the mood come nighttime like Agnes Arellano’s “Haliya Mantra,” the pregnant Moon Goddess half buried on the ground. (The festival happened on a Full Moon on its first year and the effect is nothing short of eerie and magical.)

Hubert D’Aboville’s daughter, Olivia, herself an artist that exhibits her work at the festival, notes, “The (artists) pick a spot that they feel comfortable with and they get inspired by the area and they can choose the material that they want (to use for their artwork). All artists are very different. So far our theme was nature, Puerto Galera, what you want to express when you’re there. So it’s very free. This year we’ll have installations like Illac Diaz’s the ‘Liter of Light.’”

The environment is also important to the organizers of the Malasimbo festival. “It’s hard to put something superficial in that venue when it’s gorgeous,” Grgic says. “We’re just visitors to that mountain. So we’re just grateful to have the opportunity to utilize that mountain; make something of it. Malasimbo is a magical experience because there’s something happening there that has nothing to do with us – it’s the place. We are grateful to be able to express ourselves on it.”

The core ethos of the festival is sustainable development, which is being supported by the D’ABOVILLE Foundation, which itself is already helping provide electricity to the Mangyan people that call the area their home. Giving due importance to the indigenous people, the fourth pillar of the festival, the event helps preserve the indigenous culture of the Mangyan tribes of Mindoro by highlighting by a life-size Mangyan Village exhibit on festival grounds. “I want the people and the Filipino that has never seen a Mangyan hut or house to understand how these people live,” says Hubert D’Aboville.

As such, the festival lineup includes heritage workshops and even performances from the T’boli people of South Cotabato, Mindanao, showcasing their various traditional musical instruments. T’boli items are also being sold on festival grounds. Listed on the festival’s website are the different ways that proceeds from the event contribute to the eco-cultural development and sustainability of these tribes, including the preservation of the Mangyan’s traditional poetry and written language.

The Malasimbo Music & Arts Festival opened on Feb. 27 and will run until March 3. For more details, visit http://ift.tt/1fvi8po or http://ift.tt/1ho4XeV.

Malasimbo 2014: The hills are alive…

Source: Mb.com.ph (February 28, 2014 at 03:21PM)

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Nyong’o admits complexion was ‘obstacle’ in youth

Lupita Nyong’o arrives at Essence Black Women in Hollywood Luncheon at The Beverly Hills Hotel, on Thursday, Feb. 27, 2014 in Beverly Hills, Calif. (Photo by Annie I. Bang /Invision/AP)

BEVERLY HILLS, California (AP) — Lupita Nyong’o delivered an emotional speech while accepting her honor for best breakout performance at Essence magazine’s seventh annual Women in Hollywood luncheon.

The “12 Years a Slave” star and Oscar nominee for best supporting actress confessed Thursday that as a young girl, she had wished her skin would become lighter.

“I got teased and taunted about my skin,” the Mexican-born actress of Kenyan descent said. “My one prayer to God was that I would wake up lighter-skinned. The morning would come and I would be so excited about seeing my new skin that I would refuse to look down at myself until I was in front of the mirror because I wanted to see my face first. Every day I would feel the disappointment of being just as dark as the day before.”

Nyong’o said she tried to bargain with God by vowing to stop eating sugar cubes and to never lose her school sweater again, if she could only see a change in her skin tone. It wasn’t until she discovered Sudanese British supermodel Alek Wek that she began to believe in her own beauty.

“She was dark as night and was in all the magazines and on runways,” Nyong’o said. “My complexion had always been an obstacle to overcome. I couldn’t believe that people were embracing a woman who looked so much like me as beautiful. It was perplexing and I wanted to reject it because I had begun to enjoy the seduction of inadequacy. But a flower couldn’t help but bloom inside of me.”

Nyong’o said she would also like to inspire young women.

“I hope that my presence on your screen and my face in magazines may lead you, young girls, on a beautiful journey,” she said. “That you will feel the validation of your external beauty, but also get to the deeper business of being beautiful inside.”

Essence also paid tribute to Cheryl Boone Isaacs, the first black president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, who was presented with the trailblazer award by Sidney Poitier and Oprah Winfrey.

The Hollywood visionary award went to filmmaker Ava DuVernay, the first black woman to win best director at the Sundance Film Festival in 2012 for “Middle of Nowhere.” DuVernay, who directed an episode of the current season of “Scandal,” was presented her honor by actress Kerry Washington.

“Ava has firmly established herself as the gutsiest of storytellers and working with her is so inspiring,” said Washington, who, with one hand resting on her pregnant belly, wiped away tears with the other during DuVernay’s acceptance speech.

The magazine also celebrated the champions of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as this year marks the 50th anniversary of its signing. Clarence Williams III, Denise Nicholas, Diahann Carroll, Dr. Maya Angelou, Jim Brown and Nichelle Nichols were commended. Nicholas, Brown and Nichols took the stage to accept their medals after a short video highlighted their activism.

“It’s just beautiful that among the fan fair during Oscar week, we are able to honor each other and our work,” said Angela Bassett. “It is undeniable the imprint that we’ve made.”

Nyong’o admits complexion was ‘obstacle’ in youth

Source: Mb.com.ph (February 28, 2014 at 01:35PM)

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Liam Neeson chides NYC mayor on horse carriages

Actor Liam Neeson waves his hand to the media after a press conference to promote his new movie “Taken 2″ in Seoul, South Korea, Monday, Sept. 17, 2012. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)

NEW YORK (AP) — Actor Liam Neeson says he’s upset at New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio for wanting to shut down the city’s horse-drawn carriage industry.

Neeson complained during an appearance on “The Daily Show” this week that critics have put out false information about how the horses are treated. He says drivers treat the horses like their own children.

De Blasio has declared his intention to shut down the industry, saying it’s inhumane to keep horses in Manhattan. The Democrat wants to replace them with electric cars.

Neeson says most New Yorkers want to keep the horses and de Blasio “is supposed to be representing the New York people.”

Carriage drivers say shutting the stables would eliminate a rare outlet for surplus horses, meaning they’ll be sent to the slaughterhouse faster.

Liam Neeson chides NYC mayor on horse carriages

Source: Mb.com.ph (February 28, 2014 at 01:30PM)

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Martin Nievera on past woes, future investments

Martin Nievera

For three decades, Martin Nievera lorded over the local performance scene, earning the title “Concert King” along the way.

This he carries with aplomb till today. In fact, last Valentine’s Day, Martin had another successful performance at the SM MOA Arena, with good friend Regine Velasquez-Alcasid. The show further cemented his and Regine’s reputation as a certified crowd-drawers.

He may be reaping success after success in his endeavors nowadays but there was a time in his life when Martin was down and out.

He admitted in an interview that the years following his separation with ex-wife Pops Fernandez were “lean years.”

He added, “Siguro mga one year akong walang show, walang trabaho. Walang tumatawag, so I went to Las Vegas and became a bum.”

While there, Martin jammed with bands, apart from “washing and vacuuming cars, cooking barbecue…”

“That was my therapy,” he explained.

“Sobrang numbed ang feeling ko, hindi ko alam na wala akong trabaho. Sobrang manhid ang feeling ko. Singing solo or with a group is like therapy then, it’s my happiness. It’s all about me,kung ano ako, puede kong itago or ilabas sa stage, the good or the bad…”

He related his experience to that of Vhong Navarro, who is currently embroiled in two rape cases.

“For artists like Vhong who go through a crisis, it’s the one thing we hate most in show business – this saying that ‘the show must go on.’ Kung may show ka, people depend on you to entertain them, the show must go on. You have to cry later, think about yourself later. The show must go on! Kailangan marunong kang magtago ng feelings mo, ng sakit mo, ng frustrations mo.”

As hard as it was, Martin admits that he emerged through it a better person.

“Somehow it (hiding your feelings) helped. I became a better singer, a better composer. I even became a poet! It’s really hard to be in show business when you have a battle. It makes you a better performer or artist, but napakasakit ang process.”

To keep himself in top form, Martin admitted to going on diets. “But ang hirap mag-diet at mag-perform at the same time. But I have to do it ’cause I don’t want to look like a fat pig on TV. We gain so much weight on TV.”

He also works out but “not religiously.”

He said, “I have a gym in the house and in the hotels where I stay, I make sure that there’s a gym. I also like to walk. I get intense about it a week or two before the show…”

When asked about investments, Martin was sad to say “diyan ako kulang.”

“I don’t have any business endeavor yet, I didn’t have the money to burn. I think that would be next. My dream is to have a restaurant, a comfort food restaurant where I can sing. Where my son Robin can sing, where all my kids can sing. That’s what I want to do – have a place not too big or too small with comfort food to offer.”

With a tinge of regret, Martin added “I should have done this earlier. That’s my regret, when I was younger, my not being business-minded. I was having so much fun kasi.”

Given the chance, Martin would want to call the resto “Big Mouth Burger.”

“Mahirap hanapin ang right beef for it, but I’ll find a supplier and find a nice place, ‘yung cute lang, hindi masyadong malaki…there’s hope pa naman for me for this, di ba?”

Martin Nievera on past woes, future investments

Source: Mb.com.ph (February 28, 2014 at 01:22PM)

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Sharon Cuneta bids ‘Madam Chairman’ adieu, looks forward to new shows, indie debut

Sharon Cuneta speaks to reporters on the set during the last taping day of 'Madam Chairman'. (Photo by Connie Tungul)

She’s definitely going to miss her.

That’s what Megastar Sharon Cuneta keeps saying about indefatigable barangay chairman Bebeth de Guzman as “Madam Chairman” finally end its five month run on TV5 this Friday, February 28.

“Going in on our last taping days, we try to avoid talking about the show’s finale because it makes us sad, the cast and the crew have grown to become very close to each other over the course of the series,” she told InterAkasyon and other entertainment during a recent set visit.

Ate Shawie admits that even she was surprised with how she was able to provide her first ever teleserye with the kind of commitment she was never able to give her other previous TV projects.

“I’ve never had so many working days for a TV station in a week. Dati, two days lang, big deal na sa akin,” she exclaimed. “I guess it’s really my love and devotion to ‘Madam Chairman’ and I’m thankful because it really is a good show.”

Sharon added that the involvement of both writer Jose Javier Reyes and director Joel Lamangan were big factors in motivating her to work very hard on the show. It also helped that she was also surrounded by a wonderful supporting cast that mixed seasoned veterans with promising newcomers.

She said also enjoyed working with leading man Jay Manalo, who played Bebeth’s philandering husband Dodong. After teasing viewers about a possible reconciliation, the show’s final episode will reveal if the estranged couple will give love another chance even as Madam Chairman ponders the future of Barangay Sta. Clara and her constituents.

So what’s next for Mega after “Madam Chairman”? The 48-year-old actress said she will take a brief vacation after which she will immediately start working on her new series, “My Pirated Family”.

Oh, and she and Ogie Alcasid will also start Season 2 of “The Mega and the Songwriter”.

“It’s something I want to keep doing. I miss watching and having shows like that on TV. Me and Ogie, we both like laughing and being funny. I always had a great time on that show,” she quipped.

By the third quarter of the year, Sharon will also start work on “Minamahal” but contrary to initial speculations, she explained that the show is not following the same format as “Maalaala Mo Kaya”.

“We’re not imitating ‘MMK’. Institusyon na yun. There’s no letter to read and I’m not going to host. What I will do is sing the a song of the week with Jay Durias. A story will then be based on that song, which other actors will dramatize. Since I’m a singer, we thought a song is a nice way to connect with a story.”

One other project Sharon is very excited about is an upcoming indie film that she will produce based on the ongoing scriptwriting contest she announced last year.

“We’ve extended the contest but we’re not actually looking for a script in the literal sense. We realize not everybody can write a script so just a really good storyline,” she noted.

To avoid bias, Sharon said she is not personally reading the submitted entries—yet. “I have people that’s going to choose the top 20 and submit to Direk Joey Reyes. From the top 20, they’re going to narrow it down to a top 5 and then choose the eventual winner which will receive P300,000 and will be mentored by Direk Joey who will guide this person and come up with a good script for us to make.”

Sharon Cuneta (center) with her TV family (from left), husband Jay Manalo and kids Byron Ortile, Akihiro Blanco and Shaira Mae dela Cruz. (Photo by Connie Tungul)

The actress added that any of the non-winning entries in the Top 20 may still be used for a TV show or movie in the future “because you’ll never know”. Those interested can still send their scripts and storylines to megascripts2013@gmail.com.

As to what exactly she’s looking for, Sharon said while does not have anything particular in mind, she hopes to see something that “excites” her, something different and something she has not done yet.

Perhaps a project with an off-beat character like Bebeth de Guzman herself? We’ll find out soon enough.

Catch the farewell telecast of “Madam Chairman” on TV5 this Friday at 7:30PM after “Let’s Ask Pilipinas”.

Sharon Cuneta bids ‘Madam Chairman’ adieu, looks forward to new shows, indie debut

Source: InterAksyon.com (February 28, 2014 at 12:46PM)

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Regine throws despedida for Rachelle

Regine Velasquez and Rachelle Ann Go (Instagram)

Regine Velasquez hosted a party for Rachelle Ann Go as a send-off before she leaves for London.

Rachelle will be leaving the country soon for her 14-month stint in the reboot of West End’s “Miss Saigon,” which will be staged starting May 3.

On Instagram, Rachelle posted a photo of her and Regine and expressed gratitude for the latter’s generosity.

“Yay!!! Thank you for throwing this wonderful despedida party for me! You have the most generous heart… I love you ate reg @reginevalcasid ),” read her caption.

Other celebrities spotted at the party were singers Jed Madela, Angeline Quinto, Gian Magdangal, Sam Milby and Slater Young, whom Rachelle has been dating.

Jed also shared his happiness for Rachelle, posting a photo of them on Instagram and writing:

Slater Young, Rachelle Ann Go, Sarah Geronimo, Jimmy Marquez, Erik Santos, Mark Bautista, and Christian Bautista (Instagram)

“Bon voyage to you, Shin! Just wishing you all the best in London. Geez! I just realized that tonight might be the last night we’d be singing NARITO live but I’m so happy for you and what you have achieved. Always remember we’ll be here for you no matter what. Go get ‘em! So proud of you! @gorachelleann.”

Earlier, Rachelle – along with Slater – had a reunion with her GMA-7 co-stars Mark Bautista and Christian Bautista, as well as friends Sarah Geronimo and Erik Santos. Posting another Instagram photo, she called them her “favorite people.”

Meanwhile, “Adarna” star Benjamin Alves, who recently confessed that he almost courted the singer, admitted that he and Rachelle are no longer close. Nonetheless, he’s looking forward to watching her in “Miss Saigon.”

“Of course, having Rachelle representing there as a Filipino. But more than that, I would want to watch her as a friend,” he was quoted by Pep.

Regine throws despedida for Rachelle

Source: Mb.com.ph (February 28, 2014 at 12:49PM)

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Anne on staying fit: I'm struggling, too

MANILA - Actress Anne Curtis admitted that just like everyone else, she struggles to maintain a fit and healthy body.



Anne on staying fit: I'm struggling, too

Source: ABS-CBNNews.com (February 28, 2014 at 12:23PM)

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Coco, Kim feel pressure over new soap

Coco Martin and Kim Chiu admit that they are feeling the pressure of doing ABS-CBN's upcoming series "Ikaw Lamang" with Jake Cuenca and Julia Montes.



Coco, Kim feel pressure over new soap

Source: ABS-CBNNews.com (February 28, 2014 at 12:22PM)

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Cameras start rolling for Sarah-Coco film

MANILA - Shooting has begun for the Star Cinema and Viva Films movie project starring singer-actress Sarah Geronimo and actor Coco Martin.



Cameras start rolling for Sarah-Coco film

Source: ABS-CBNNews.com (February 28, 2014 at 12:17PM)

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Kris watches 'Starting Over Again' with Toni

Television host Kris Aquino was moved to tears after watching "Starting Over Again" starring Toni Gonzaga, Piolo Pascual and Iza Calzado.



Kris watches 'Starting Over Again' with Toni

Source: ABS-CBNNews.com (February 28, 2014 at 11:25AM)

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Hollywood primed for possibly stormy Oscars night

Preparations for the 85th Academy Awards last year. (AFP)

HOLLYWOOD | Hollywood is ready for its close-up Sunday as stars gather for the most fiercely contested Oscars show in decades, but organizers hope the weather doesn’t rain on their glamorous red carpet parade.

Forecasters predict Los Angeles could have its biggest storm for two years from Friday and potentially through the weekend, when the movie industry’s finest come together for the climax of the annual awards season.

Three movies — harrowing historical drama “12 Years a Slave,” 3D space thriller “Gravity” and 1970s crime caper “American Hustle” — are leading a packed field for the top prizes.

On the acting front, Cate Blanchett is the hot favorite for her turn in Woody Allen’s “Blue Jasmine,” while Matthew McConaughey is widely tipped to strike Oscars gold for his portrayal of homophobic AIDS activist Ron Woodroof in “Dallas Buyers Club.”

Jared Leto’s role as Woodroof’s unlikely transgender business partner has put him ahead of the field for best supporting actor, and Lupita Nyong’o could take home a statuette for her big-screen debut in “12 Years a Slave.”

But all bets are off for the big prize of the night, the best picture Oscar, which will be handed out at the end of the 86th Academy Awards ceremony hosted by US talk show host Ellen DeGeneres.

“There’s going to be genuine suspense this year when that final envelope is opened,” awards consultant Tony Angellotti told the Los Angeles Times.

The 6,000 or so voting members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences cast their ballots over 12 days starting on Valentine’s Day and ending on Tuesday.

But the best picture race is so close that the winner could come down to only a few votes, under the Academy’s preferential voting system. Under the rules, voters rank all nine nominated films.

They are: “American Hustle,” “Captain Phillips,” “Dallas Buyers Club,” “Gravity,” “Her,” “Nebraska,” “Philomena,” “12 Years A Slave” and Martin Scorsese’s “The Wolf of Wall Street.”

Those with the least first-place votes are dropped, and their votes given to the next highest-ranked nominees. This continues until one movie has 50 percent plus one vote.

It has been a long awards season — extended by the Sochi Winter Olympics, which bumped the Oscars from February into March.

And it has also been among the most grueling, partly due to the bumper crop of films vying for glory.

Topping nominations are “American Hustle” and Mexican director Alfonso Cuaron’s “Gravity,” with 10 nods apiece, followed by “12 Years a Slave,” a true story of a black man sold into slavery, with nine.

Cuaron is the frontrunner for the best director prize, and his star Sandra Bullock earned high praise for her work in the spectacular space drama, prompting some to suggest she could cause an upset in the best actress race.

But Australia’s Blanchett remains the firm favorite in that category, despite a strong field also containing Meryl Streep (“August: Osage County”), Judi Dench (“Philomena”) and Amy Adams (“American Hustle”).

The star-studded Oscars broadcast will feature performances by Irish rockers U2, playing their nominated song from “Mandela: Long Walk To Freedom,” and a first Oscars turn by veteran Bette Midler.

Sunday night’s show will be preceded by the usual fashion extravaganza on the red carpet, as Tinseltown’s finest parade along Hollywood Boulevard and into the Dolby Theatre.

Organizers hope rain doesn’t affect the parade; they hastily rescheduled the carpet roll-out to avoid forecast rain earlier in the week, and said Thursday they were reviewing some camera positions, partly due to the weather.

The storm clouds come as a relief to many locals, as California has been suffering its worst drought for a century over the last few months, threatening farmers and cattle ranchers.

But for organizers of Tinseltown’s biggest night, it is probably one headache they could do without.

Hollywood primed for possibly stormy Oscars night

Source: InterAksyon.com (February 28, 2014 at 10:42AM)

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‘Citizen Kane’ script up for sale at Sotheby’s

The last page, in this version of the incomplete script, with the last lines of the then originally titled ‘American’ or as it is now known ‘Citizen Kane’ which was Orson Well working copy of the script held by an employee of Sotheby’s auction house in London, Thursday, Feb. 27, 2014. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)

LONDON (AP) — Orson Welles’ personal draft script for “Citizen Kane” is up for sale — from the collection of an American almost as wealthy as the movie’s monstrous newspaper mogul, though considerably more private.

Sotheby’s auction house said Thursday it is offering the typed script, covered in the director’s amendments and marked “Mr. Welles’ working copy” on the front page.

The script, which has an estimated price of 15,000 pounds to 20,000 pounds ($25,000 to $33,000), is part of a sale of more than a thousand items owned by the late Stanley Seeger, an affluent collector of everything from Old Masters and contemporary art to historical oddities.

Other lots to be offered March 5 and 6 in London include eight 100-million-year-old dinosaur eggs, an armchair once owned by Winston Churchill and gangster Al Capone’s silver-plated cocktail shaker, a gift from his underlings engraved “To a Regular Guy, from the Boys.”

“Citizen Kane,” released in 1941, has frequently been voted one of the best films ever made. It depicts the rise and fall of an ambitious tycoon modeled on the real figure of U.S. publisher William Randolph Hearst.

The script being sold — one of only two known surviving copies belonging to Welles — bears the movie’s earlier title, “American.” It was changed, in part, to distance the fictional Charles Foster Kane from Hearst.

Sotheby’s director David Macdonald, who put together the sale, said Thursday that Seeger often watched the movie, following along with script in hand.

Seeger, who died in 2011 at the age of 81, lived quietly — even reclusively — but on a grand scale. He and his partner Christopher Cone had 11 properties, including the Tudor manor house Sutton Place in southern England, once owned by J. Paul Getty. All were filled with art and artifacts, as was Seeger’s yacht which boasted a Cezanne on its walls.

The sale includes items from 50 countries, from Adm. Horatio Nelson’s silver teapot to a claret jug from the Titanic and dinnerware by graffiti artist Keith Haring.

In his lifetime, Seeger sold major works including 88 Picassos that raised $32 million in 1993. Macdonald said he’d get rid of collections when he considered them complete, or when works became too famous. Once, when a visiting paramedic recognized a Francis Bacon triptych hanging on a wall, Seeger decided it had to go.

Macdonald said Seeger collected for pleasure and for fun — “Having Nelson’s teapot but using it for afternoon tea. If you’re having your friends over for Bloody Marys, you have to use Al Capone’s cocktail shaker.”

Some of the proceeds from the sale will ultimately go to the Seeger Center for Hellenic Studies at Princeton University, of which he was benefactor, Sotheby’s said.

‘Citizen Kane’ script up for sale at Sotheby’s

Source: Mb.com.ph (February 28, 2014 at 09:35AM)

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