Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs faces federal charges in New York, his lawyer says

Repost Ent dalamlima.blogspot.com

[unable to retrieve full-text content]

Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs faces federal charges in New York, his lawyer says
Read More
September 17, 2024 at 11:47AM

Celebrity birthdays for the week of Sept. 22-28

Repost Ent dalamlima.blogspot.com

Celebrity birthdays for the week of Sept. 22-28:

Sept. 22: Singer-dancer Toni Basil is 81. Actor Paul Le Mat (“American Graffiti”) is 79. Singer David Coverdale (Whitesnake, Deep Purple) is 73. Actor Shari Belafonte is 70. Singer Debby Boone is 68. Country singer June Forester of The Forester Sisters is 68. Singer Nick Cave is 67. Actor Lynn Herring (“General Hospital”) is 67. Singer Johnette Napolitano of Concrete Blonde is 67. Opera singer Andrea Bocelli is 66. Musician Joan Jett is 66. Actor Scott Baio is 64. Actor Bonnie Hunt is 63. Actor Catherine Oxenberg (“Dynasty”) is 63. Actor Rob Stone (“Mr. Belvedere”) is 62. Actor Dan Bucatinsky (“24: Legacy”) is 59. Bassist-guitarist Dave Hernandez (The Shins) is 54. Rapper Mystikal is 54. Singer Big Rube of Society of Soul is 53. Actor James Hillier (“The Crown”) is 51. Actor Mireille Enos (“World War Z”) is 49. Actor Daniella Alonso (“Revolution,” ″Friday Night Lights”) is 46. Actor Michael Graziadei (“The Young and the Restless”) is 45. Actor Ashley Eckstein (“That’s So Raven,” “Sofia the First”) is 43. Actor Katie Lowes (“Scandal”) is 42. Bassist Will Farquarson of Bastille is 41. Actor Tatiana Maslany (“She-Hulk: Attorney at Law,” “Orphan Black”) is 39. Actor Ukweli Roach (“Blindspot”) is 38. Actor Tom Felton (“Harry Potter” films) is 37. Actor Teyonah Parris (“Mad Men”) is 37.

Sept. 23: Singer Julio Iglesias is 81. Actor-singer Paul Petersen (“The Donna Reed Show”) is 79. Actor-Mary Kay Place is 77. Musician Bruce Springsteen is 75. Director George C. Wolfe (film’s “Nights in Rodanthe,” stage’s “Angels in America”) is 70. Drummer Leon Taylor of The Ventures is 69. Actor Rosalind Chao (2020’s “Mulan,” “Star Trek: Deep Space Nine”) is 67. Actor Jason Alexander (“Seinfeld”) is 65. Actor Chi McBride (“Hawaii Five-0,” ″Boston Public”) is 63. Steel guitarist Don Herron of BR549 is 62. Actor LisaRaye (“All of Us,” ″Beauty Shop”) is 58. Singer Ani DiFranco is 54. Singer Sam Bettens of K’s Choice is 52. Rapper-producer-record head Jermaine Dupri is 52. Actor Kip Pardue (“The Rules of Attraction,” “Remember the Titans”) is 48. Actor Anthony Mackie (“Captain America: The Winter Soldier”) is 46. Singer Erik-Michael Estrada of O-Town is 45. Actor Brandon Victor Dixon (“Hamilton”) is 43. Actor David Lim (“S.W.A.T.,” ″Quantico”) is 41. Actor Cush Jumbo (“The Good Fight,” ″The Good Wife”) is 39. Actor Skylar Astin (“Pitch Perfect” films) is 37.

Sept. 24: Singer Phyllis ″Jiggs” Allbut Sirico of The Angels is 82. Actor Gordon Clapp (“NYPD Blue”) is 76. Actor Harriet Walter (“The Crown”) is 74. Actor Kevin Sorbo (“Hercules: Legendary Journeys”) is 66. Singer Cedric Dent (Take 6) is 62. Actor-writer Nia Vardalos (“My Big Fat Greek Wedding”) is 62. Drummer Shawn Crahan of Slipknot is 55. Drummer Marty Mitchell (Ricochet) is 55. Singer-guitarist Marty Cintron of No Mercy is 53. Guitarist Juan DeVevo of Casting Crowns is 49. Actor Ian Bohen (“Yellowstone,” “Teen Wolf”) is 48. Actor Spencer Treat Clark (“Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.,” “Animal Kingdom”) is 37. Actor Grey Damon (“Station 19”) is 37. Actor Kyle Sullivan (“Malcolm in the Middle”) is 36. Actor Ben Platt is 31.

Sept. 25: Polka band leader Jimmy Sturr is 83. Actor Josh Taylor (“Days of Our Lives,” “Valerie’s Family”) is 81. Actor Robert Walden (“Lou Grant”) is 81. Actor Michael Douglas is 80. Model Cheryl Tiegs is 77. Actor Mimi Kennedy (“Dharma and Greg”) is 76. Actor Anson Williams (“Happy Days”) is 75. Actor Mark Hamill is 73. Actor Colin Friels is 72. Actor Michael Madsen is 66. Actor Heather Locklear is 63. Actor Aida Turturro (“The Sopranos”) is 62. Actor Tate Donovan (“The O.C.”) is 61. TV personality Keely Shaye Smith (“Unsolved Mysteries”) is 61. Actor Maria Doyle Kennedy (“Orphan Black,” ″The Tudors”) is 60. Actor Jason Flemyng (“The Curious Case of Benjamin Button,” ″The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen”) is 58. Actor-singer Will Smith is 56. Actor Hal Sparks (“Queer as Folk”) is 55. Actor Catherine Zeta-Jones is 55. Actor Bridgette Wilson-Sampras (“The Wedding Planner,” “I Know What You Did Last Summer”) is 51. Actor Clea DuVall (“Heroes”) is 47. Actor Robbie Jones (“One Tree Hill”) is 47. Actor Joel David Moore (“Avatar”) is 47. Actor Chris Owen (“American Pie” films, “October Sky”) is 44. Rapper T.I. is 43. Actor Lee Norris (“One Tree Hill,” “Boy Meets World”) is 43. Actor-rapper Donald Glover (Childish Gambino) (“Atlanta,” ″Community”) is 41. Actor Zach Woods (“Silicon Valley,” ″The Office”) is 40. Actor Jordan Gavaris (“Orphan Black”) is 35. Actor Emmy Clarke (“Monk”) is 33.

Sept. 26: Country singer David Frizzell is 83. Actor Kent McCord (“Adam 12”) is 82. “The Weakest Link” host Anne Robinson is 80. Singer Bryan Ferry is 79. Actor Mary Beth Hurt is 78. Actor James Keane (“Bulworth,” TV’s “The Paper Chase”) is 72. Singer-guitarist Cesar Rosas of Los Lobos is 70. Country singer Carlene Carter is 69. Actor Linda Hamilton is 68. Singer Cindy Herron of En Vogue is 63. Actor Melissa Sue Anderson (“Little House on the Prairie”) is 62. Singer Tracey Thorn of Everything But the Girl is 62. TV personality Jillian Barberie is 58. Guitarist Jody Davis of Newsboys is 57. Actor Jim Caviezel (“Sound of Freedom,” “The Passion of the Christ”) is 56. Actor Tricia O’Kelley (“The New Adventures of Old Christine”) is 56. Actor Ben Shenkman (“Royal Pains,” “Angels in America”) is 56. Actor Melanie Paxson (“Descendants”) is 52. Singer Shawn Stockman of Boyz II Men is 52. Music producer Dr. Luke is 51. Jazz trumpeter Nicholas Payton is 51. Singer and TV personality Christina Milian is 43. Actor Zoe Perry (“Young Sheldon”) is 41. Singer-songwriter Ant Clemons is 33.

Sept. 27: Actor Kathleen Nolan is 91. Actor Claude Jarman Jr. (“The Yearling”) is 90. Singer-guitarist Randy Bachman of Bachman-Turner Overdrive is 81. Actor Liz Torres (“Gilmore Girls”) is 77. Actor A Martinez (“LA Law,” ″Santa Barbara”) is 76. Actor Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa (“Pearl Harbor”) is 74. Actor-opera singer Anthony Laciura (“Boardwalk Empire”) is 73. Singer-actor-director Shaun Cassidy is 66. Comedian-podcaster Marc Maron is 61. Singer-guitarist Stephan Jenkins of Third Eye Blind is 60. Actor Patrick Muldoon (“Melrose Place”) is 56. Singer Mark Calderon of Color Me Badd is 54. Actor Gwyneth Paltrow is 52. Actor Indira Varma (“For Life”) is 51. Singer Brad Arnold of 3 Doors Down is 46. Bassist Grant Brandell of Underoath is 43. Actor Anna Camp (“The Mindy Project,” ″True Blood”) is 42. Rapper Lil’ Wayne is 42. Singer Avril Lavigne is 40. Bluegrass musician Sierra Hull is 33. Actor Sam Lerner (“The Goldbergs”) is 32. Actor Ames McNamara (“The Connors”) is 17.

Sept. 28: Actor Brigitte Bardot is 90. Actor Joel Higgins (“Silver Spoons”) is 81. Actor Jeffrey Jones is 78. Actor Vernee Watson (“Bob Hearts Abishola,” “Fresh Prince of Bel-Air”) is 75. Writer-director-actor John Sayles is 74. Guitarist George Lynch (Dokken) is 70. Actor Steve Hytner (“Seinfeld”) is 65. Actor-comedian Janeane Garofalo is 60. Country singer Matt King is 58. Actor Mira Sorvino is 57. TV personality and singer Moon Zappa is 57. Actor Naomi Watts is 56. Country singer Karen Fairchild of Little Big Town is 55. Country singer Mandy Barnett is 49. Rapper Young Jeezy is 47. Actor Peter Cambor (“NCIS: Los Angeles”) is 46. TV personality Bam Margera (“Jackass”) is 45. Actor Jerrika Hinton (“Grey’s Anatomy”) is 43. Guitarist Luke Mossman of Nathaniel Rateliff and the Night Sweats is 43. Musician St. Vincent is 42. Comedian Phoebe Robinson (“What Men Want”) is 40. Drummer Daniel Platzman (Imagine Dragons) is 38. Actor Hilary Duff is 37. Actor Keir Gilchrist (“United States of Tara”) is 32.

Adblock test (Why?)

Celebrity birthdays for the week of Sept. 22-28
Read More
September 16, 2024 at 10:11PM

Hiroyuki Sanada and Anna Sawai win Emmy lead drama acting honors, becoming first Japanese actors to win top drama prizes

Repost Ent dalamlima.blogspot.com

[unable to retrieve full-text content]

Hiroyuki Sanada and Anna Sawai win Emmy lead drama acting honors, becoming first Japanese actors to win top drama prizes
Read More
September 16, 2024 at 09:47AM

'Shogun,' 'The Bear' and 'Baby Reindeer' are at the top of the queue as the Emmys arrive

Repost Ent dalamlima.blogspot.com

LOS ANGELES -- LOS ANGELES (AP) — “Shogun” could be in for an epic night, “The Bear” could clean up for the second time in less than a year, and “Baby Reindeer” has gone from dark horse to contender as the 76th Primetime Emmy Awards arrive on Sunday.

Back in their traditional mid-September spot after a single strike-delayed edition in January, the Emmys will air live on ABC from the Peacock Theater in downtown Los Angeles. The father and son duo of Eugene and Dan Levy, the winning stars of the 2020 Emmys with their show “Schitt's Creek,” will host.

Here's a look at the how the evening could play out across the major categories.

The show begins at 8 p.m. Eastern and is being shown live on ABC, which is available with an antenna or through cable and satellite providers.

The Emmys can be also streamed live through live TV streaming services that include ABC in their lineup, like Hulu+ Live TV, YouTube TV and FuboTV. For those without a live TV streaming service, the show will be streaming Monday on Hulu.

It may be impossible to slow the roll of “Shogun.”

With its 14 wins at the precursor Creative Arts Emmy Awards last weekend, the FX series about lordly politicking in feudal Japan has already set a record for most Emmys for a single season of a series.

On Sunday night it can extend its record by six, and industry prognosticators are predicting it will get them all.

The show seized all the Emmy power in the top categories by shifting from the limited series to the drama category in May when it began developing more seasons. And it was in some ways Emmy royalty from the start. During the golden age of the miniseries, the original 1980 “Shogun,” based on James Clavell's historical novel, won three including best limited series.

If it faces any competition at all for the best drama prize, it could come for the sixth and final season of “The Crown,” the only show among the nominees that has won before in a category recently dominated by the retired “Succession.”

Veteran screen star Hiroyuki Sanada, up for best actor, and Anna Sawai, up for best actress, are in position to become the first Japanese actors to win Emmys.

Sanada could face a challenge from Gary Oldman, who has been quietly creating one of his career defining roles on Apple TV+ as schlubby spy chief Jackson Lamb on “Slow Horses.”

Sawai's competition comes from Emmy luminary Jennifer Aniston of “The Morning Show,” who has only won once before in 10 nominations. Imelda Staunton could win her first for playing Queen Elizabeth II on “The Crown.”

This looks to be the year of FX, which is also in for a likely victory lap for “The Bear."

“The Bear” took most of the big comedy Emmys home in January for its first season, and is expected to do the same Sunday for its second, which includes nominations for best comedy series, best actor for Jeremy Allen White and best supporting actor for Ebon Moss-Bachrach.

Ayo Edebiri, reigning best supporting actress, moves to the lead actress category for a character who is essentially a co-lead on the culinary dramedy. That means she'll be up against Jean Smart, a two-time winner in the category for “Hacks” who is back in the competition after a year off.

Meryl Streep, among several Academy Award winners among the night's nominees, could win her fourth Emmy to go with her three Oscars. She's up for best supporting actress in a comedy for “Only Murders in the Building.”

Another multiple Oscar winner, Jodie Foster, could get her first Emmy for best actress in a limited series for “True Detective: Night Country.”

The HBO show that features Foster as a police chief investigating mysterious deaths in the darkness of a north Alaskan winter was the top nominee among limited or anthology series. Kali Reis could become the first Indigenous woman to win an Emmy in the supporting actress category.

A few months ago it looked as though the show would vie with “Fargo” for the top prizes, but Netflix's darkly quirky “Baby Reindeer” surged on the eve of nominations and is now the popular pick for best limited series, best actor for creator and star Richard Gadd and best supporting actress for the woman who plays his tormentor, Jessica Gunning.

Gadd's category also includes Andrew Scott for Netflix's “Ripley," and Jon Hamm, who has two shots at winning his second Emmy between his nomination here for “Fargo” and for supporting actor in a drama for “The Morning Show.”

___

For more on this year’s Emmy Awards, visit: https://apnews.com/hub/emmy-awards

Adblock test (Why?)

'Shogun,' 'The Bear' and 'Baby Reindeer' are at the top of the queue as the Emmys arrive
Read More
September 15, 2024 at 09:41PM

ESPN and other channels return to DirecTV with a new Disney deal after a nearly 2-week blackout

Repost Ent dalamlima.blogspot.com

DirecTV announced Saturday it had reached a deal with Walt Disney Co. that will restore ESPN and ABC-owned stations to its service after a nearly 2-week dispute that blacked out those networks for millions of viewers across the U.S.

The end of the impasse came in time for sports fans to watch ESPN's slate of college football games on DirecTV. It also will ensure that ABC's telecast of the Emmy Awards on Sunday night will be available in more major markets where viewers subscribe to DirecTV's pay service.

ABC had been unavailable since Sept. 1 on DirecTV in several markets where the station is owned by Disney. Those were located in the San Francisco Bay Area; Fresno, California; New York; Chicago; Philadelphia; Houston; and Raleigh, North Carolina.

DirecTV's 11 million subscribers abruptly lost access to ESPN, the ABC-owned stations and other Disney-owned channels such as FX and National Geographic during the Labor Day weekend in a dispute over carriage fees and programming flexibility.

Some viewers were watching the fourth round of the U.S. Open tennis tournament when ESPN suddenly went dark and others were getting ready to watch a college football showdown between LSU and Southern California.

The impasse also kept the NFL's opening game of Monday Night Football off of DirecTV's service.

Financial details of Disney's new deal with DirecTV weren't disclosed as part of Saturday's announcement. DirecTV's payments to Disney will be based on “market-based” pricing, according to the announcement about the deal.

The agreement also will give DirecTV the ability to offer Disney's video streaming services a la carte as well as in its own bundled packages. DirecTV won the right to include ESPN's forthcoming direct-to-consumer streaming service at an additional cost to its subscribers once it becomes available.

The deal came a few days after the rising tensions led DirecTV to file a complaint with the Federal Communications Commission accusing Disney of negotiating in bad faith.

This is the second consecutive year Disney's wrangling over the rights to its programming has resulted in its networks gong dark on a pay-TV service. Last year, Disney pulled its channels from Spectrum — the second largest cable-TV provider in the U.S. — for 12 days before settling the dispute just before ESPN was set to show that season's Monday Night Football opener.

___

AP sports: https://apnews.com/sports

Adblock test (Why?)

ESPN and other channels return to DirecTV with a new Disney deal after a nearly 2-week blackout
Read More
September 15, 2024 at 08:47AM

Germany's first hobby horsing championship gallops through Frankfurt

Repost Ent dalamlima.blogspot.com

FRANKFURT, Germany -- Germany's first hobby horsing championship will gallop through Frankfurt this weekend, with hundreds of young riders competing in time jumping, style jumping and dressage on their wooden stick horses.

Roughly 300 riders — mostly youngsters, but there are about 20 adults enrolled — are expected to canter around a gymnasium Saturday and Sunday, watched by 1,500 spectators. The competition is part of a growing wave of hobby horsing events internationally: the United States and Australia also held their first championships this year.

The events stemmed from a grassroots movement in Finland, where riders trotted their hobby horses through Nordic forests more than 20 years ago. The pastime has since exploded in popularity through social media during the height of the coronavirus pandemic, and it has been credited with highlighting female empowerment for the enthusiasts.

Julia Mikkonen, head of the Finnish Hobbyhorse Association, said hobby horsing combines Finnish handcrafting culture — some riders make and decorate their own sticks and stuffed horse heads — with gymnastics and sport.

In Germany, the national hobby horsing association was established a year ago with just 13 members. Now there are more than 5,000 active athletes and more than 200 clubs across the country.

“It was very important to us to set an example and make the sport more popular,” said Kay Schumann, president of the German Hobby Horsing Association. "With the championship, which will be held every year from now on, we offer a goal that motivates hobby horsers to improve their performance and compete against each other."

While organizers want to promote empowerment and acceptance through a positive and inclusive experience for competitors, critics have pounced on the activity. Many riders have faced bullying and misogynistic comments online. Other detractors say the pursuit is not a sport.

Mikkonen countered that just like in other sports, hobby horse riders need athleticism, strong core muscles and stamina to succeed.

Competitors in Germany this weekend will be judged on factors including precision, timing and elegance, according to the German Hobby Horsing Association's website. Judges will award marks in the style and dressage contests, and the highest score wins.

For dressage, officials will be looking at the rider's posture, skills and body positioning. Are they using elegant leg movements, with their toes touching the ground first? Are they using various speeds and gaits in their routine?

Style jumpers will also be judged on their posture, as well as jumping over the center of the obstacles, sticking the landing and keeping a steady pace.

Schumann said children and young riders brought hobby horsing to Germany through social media. They swapped videos and images with each other, and built a community around the shared interest.

“It spread like wildfire,” he added.

__

Dazio reported from Berlin.

Adblock test (Why?)

Germany's first hobby horsing championship gallops through Frankfurt
Read More
September 14, 2024 at 08:26PM

Lil Wayne feels hurt after being passed over as Super Bowl halftime headliner. The snub 'broke' him

Repost Ent dalamlima.blogspot.com

LOS ANGELES -- LOS ANGELES (AP) — Lil Wayne opened up for the first time about his devastation after not being selected as the 2025 Super Bowl halftime show headline performer in his hometown of New Orleans.

The rap megastar publicly expressed his hurt feelings in an Instagram video post Friday, nearly a week after Los Angeles-based rapper Kendrick Lamar was announced as the headliner. He said being overlooked “broke” him, adding that “I’m just trying to put myself back together.”

Over the years, Wayne has been vocal about his desire to perform during halftime of the NFL's championship game, which will be held at the Caesars Superdome on Feb. 9. It will be the second time Lamar will perform during the halftime show after he made a guest appearance with Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Mary J. Blige, 50 Cent and Eminem in 2022.

Wayne appeared somber in the video, saying he had to muster up enough strength to express his thoughts "without breaking.”

“That hurt a whole lot,” said Wayne, a five-time Grammy winner, who has a variety of hits including “Lollipop” featuring Static Major, “Mr. Carter” with Jay-Z, “Go DJ” and “A Milli.” He also helped ignite the careers of Drake, Nicki Minaj and Tyga.

“I blame myself for not being mentally prepared for a letdown, for automatically mentally putting myself in that position," he said. "I thought there was nothing better than that spot, on that stage, on that platform in my city.”

Wayne thanked his supporters — including Minaj and Birdman — who have spoken up on his behalf.

“I feel like I let all of ya’ll down for not getting that opportunity,” Wayne said.

However, Wayne also noted that “Your words turned into arms and held me up when I tried to fall back.”

Adblock test (Why?)

Lil Wayne feels hurt after being passed over as Super Bowl halftime headliner. The snub 'broke' him
Read More
September 14, 2024 at 07:48AM

Too much? Many Americans feel the need to limit their political news, AP-NORC/USAFacts poll finds

Repost Ent dalamlima.blogspot.com

NEW YORK -- When her husband turns on the television to hear news about the upcoming presidential election, that's often a signal for Lori Johnson Malveaux to leave the room.

It can get to be too much. Often, she'll go to a TV in another room to watch a movie on the Hallmark Channel or BET. She craves something comforting and entertaining. And in that, she has company.

While about half of Americans say they are following political news “extremely” or “very” closely, about 6 in 10 say they need to limit how much information they consume about the government and politics to avoid feeling overloaded or fatigued, according to a new survey from the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research and USAFacts.

Make no mistake: Malveaux plans to vote. She always does. “I just get to the point where I don't want to hear the rhetoric,” she said.

The 54-year-old Democrat said she's most bothered when she hears people on the news telling her that something she saw with her own eyes — like the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol — didn't really happen.

“I feel like I'm being gaslit. That's the way to put it,” she said.

Caleb Pack, 23, a Republican from Ardmore, Oklahoma, who works in IT, tries to keep informed through the news feeds on his phone, which is stocked with a variety of sources, including CNN, Fox News, The Wall Street Journal and The Associated Press.

Yet sometimes, Pack says, it seems like a bombardment.

“It's good to know what's going on, but both sides are pulling a little bit extreme,” he said. “It just feels like it's a conversation piece everywhere, and it's hard to escape it.”

Media fatigue isn't a new phenomenon. A Pew Research Center survey conducted in late 2019 found roughly two in three Americans felt worn out by the amount of news there is, about the same as in a poll taken in early 2018. During the 2016 presidential campaign, about 6 in 10 people felt overloaded by campaign news.

But it can be particularly acute with news related to politics. The AP-NORC/USAFacts poll found that half of Americans feel a need to limit their consumption of information related to crime or overseas conflicts, while only about 4 in 10 are limiting news about the economy and jobs.

It's easy to understand, with television outlets like CNN, Fox News Channel and MSNBC full of political talk and a wide array of political news online, sometimes complicated by disinformation.

“There's a glut of information,” said Richard Coffin, director of research and advocacy for USAFacts, “and people are having a hard time figuring out what is true or not.”

In the AP-NORC poll, about 6 in 10 men said they follow news about elections and politics at least “very” closely, compared to about half of women. For all types of news, not just politics, women are more likely than men to report the need to limit their media consumption, the survey found.

White adults are also more likely than Black or Hispanic adults to say they need to limit media consumption on politics, the poll found.

Kaleb Aravzo, 19, a Democrat, gets a baseline of news by listening to National Public Radio in the morning at home in Logan, Utah. Too much politics, particularly when he's on social media sites like TikTok and Instagram, can trigger anxiety and depression.

“If it pops up on my page when I'm on social media," he said, “I'll just scroll past it.”

___

Sanders reported from Washington. David Bauder writes about media for the AP. Follow him at http://x.com/dbauder.

The AP poll of 1,019 adults was conducted July 29-August 8, 2024, using a sample drawn from NORC’s probability-based AmeriSpeak Panel, which is designed to be representative of the U.S. population. The margin of sampling error for all respondents is plus or minus 4.0 percentage points.

Adblock test (Why?)

Too much? Many Americans feel the need to limit their political news, AP-NORC/USAFacts poll finds
Read More
September 13, 2024 at 06:48PM

Francis Ford Coppola sues Variety over story alleging 'Megalopolis' misconduct

Repost Ent dalamlima.blogspot.com

LOS ANGELES -- LOS ANGELES (AP) — Francis Ford Coppola has sued Variety, saying that a July story that said he ran an unprofessional set with impunity and touching and tried to kiss female extras during the production of his film “Megalopolis” was false and libelous.

The suit, which seeks at least $15 million from the entertainment trade publication, was filed in Los Angeles Superior Court on Wednesday, two weeks before the director's long-dreamed-of and self-financed epic is to be released in U.S. theaters.

The suit calls the director of “The Godfather” and “Apocalypse Now” a “creative genius” and says others are “jealous” and therefore tell “knowing and reckless falsehoods.”

It says Variety's “writers and editors, hiding behind supposedly anonymous sources, accused Coppola of manifest incompetence as a motion picture director, of unprofessional behavior on the set of his most recent production, Megalopolis, of setting up some type of scheme so that anyone on the set who had a complaint of harassment or otherwise had nowhere to lodge a complaint, and of hugging topless actresses on the set. Each of these accusations was false."

The lawsuit also names the story's reporters, Brent Lang and Tatiana Siegel, as defendants.

It repeatedly says Variety was either knowingly publicizing falsehoods or showing reckless disregard for the truth, echoing a standard for libel established by the U.S. Supreme Court.

A Variety spokesperson, Jeffrey Schneider, told The Associated Press, "While we will not comment on active litigation, we stand by our reporters.”

The July 26 story used anonymous reports and videos from crew members of the shooting for “Megalopolis” of a nightclub scene in an Atlanta concert hall in February, 2023. The story said Coppola tried to kiss young female extras and “appeared to act with impunity” on the set. It said the film's financial arrangements meant “there were none of the traditional checks and balances in place.”

In one video, Coppola, wearing a white suit, walks through a dancing crowd, stopping to apparently lean in to several young women to hug them, kiss them on the cheek or whisper to them. Another video shows him leaning into a woman who pulls away and shakes her head.

All of the women have tops on, and the Variety story mentions “topless” extras only in reference to an original report on the allegations in the Guardian.

In a subsequent story about a week later, which is mentioned only parenthetically in Coppola's lawsuit, one of the women, Lauren Pagone, spoke to Variety and agreed to be identified, saying Coppola left her “in shock” when he touched, hugged and kissed her without her consent.

Pagone said she came forward because another of the extras, Rayna Menz, said in Variety's sister publication Deadline that Coppola did nothing to make her or anyone else on the set uncomfortable.

The AP does not typically name people who say they have been sexually abused unless they come forward publicly as Pagone has.

Asked about the touching and kissing allegations by The AP before the lawsuit was filed, Coppola said, “I don’t even want to (talk about it). It’s a waste of time.”

Later in the same interview, without being asked about the subject again, Coppola said “I’m very respectful of women. I always have been. My mother taught me — she was a little nuts — she said, ‘Francis if you ever make a pass at a girl, that means you disrespect her.’ So I never did.”

The lawsuit takes particular issue with an assertion in the Variety story that Coppola inadvertently got into a shot and ruined it. The suit says Coppola was well aware that some camera angles would include him, and that he was supposed to appear in the scene anyway.

“The average reader would understand that Coppola was so aged and infirm that he no longer knew how to direct a motion picture,” the suit says.

“Megalopolis” is a Roman epic set in a futuristic New York starring Adam Driver and Nathalie Emmanuel. Coppola sold off pieces of his considerable wine empire to largely finance it himself.

___

AP Film Writer Jake Coyle contributed to this report.

Adblock test (Why?)

Francis Ford Coppola sues Variety over story alleging 'Megalopolis' misconduct
Read More
September 13, 2024 at 06:11AM

Music Review: Nilüfer Yanya returns with the vibrant, spare and breathtaking 'My Method Actor'

Repost Ent dalamlima.blogspot.com

The great news is that Nilüfer Yanya's third album is about to drop. But that means a little homework on your part: Carving out the time to listen. Not just half-listen.

Her 11-track “My Method Actor” is not the kind of music you blast from cars or bars or even put on while cooking. Yanya’s brand of spare, jewelbox-like songs demand your attention, each note and instrument used so deliberately.

The London-based singer-songwriter is like no one else out there, offering songs that appear at first like pleasing soft sketches until they reveal their depth and power, like tissue paper made of palladium.

“My Method Actor” sees Yanya reunite with Will Archer, who co-produces and adds lyrics as well as guitar, drums, piano, backing vocals and synthesizer. In the publishing splits, he sometimes earns the majority of the percentage, making this in many ways as much his album as hers.

The standout tracks — “Call It Love,” “Made Out of Memory” and “Just a Western” — are just three that show off Yanya's allegorical lyrics on a bed of shifting, bright then shadowy riptides of rhythms and melodies that can include gorgeous smears of pedal steel guitar or cello. Her vision is sharper and even less cluttered than before.

There is always the air of unpredictability, with Yanya whipping out her falsetto or a wall of fuzzy guitars coming from nowhere. On “Mutations,” strings briefly pop up and it’s as pleasing as a glass of water in the desert.

Her lyrics explore the push-pull of love and sometimes the space between lovers, the pulling away. “Can you tell I’m torn now, baby?/Tell me it’s alright/When I’m falling out of view,” she sings on “Like I Say (I runaway).” More ominously, on the title track, she reveals coiled emotions: “Spit my teeth out as you're bleeding/I gave you everything you needed.”

This is music that is part of the world and yet not of it. So a suggestion: Grab a pair of noise-canceling headphones, hit “play” and really focus on a remarkable collection of songs.

___

For more AP reviews of recent music releases, visit: https://apnews.com/hub/music-reviews

Adblock test (Why?)

Music Review: Nilüfer Yanya returns with the vibrant, spare and breathtaking 'My Method Actor'
Read More
September 12, 2024 at 04:47AM

Movie Review: Two ideas compete for the soul of 'My Old Ass' but sweetness finally wins

Repost Ent dalamlima.blogspot.com

They say tripping on psychedelic mushrooms triggers hallucinations, anxiety, paranoia and nervousness. In the case of Elliott, an 18-year-old restless Canadian, they prompt a visitor.

“Dude, I'm you,” says the guest, as she nonchalantly burns a 'smores on a campfire next to a very high and stunned Elliott. “Well, I'm a 39-year-old you. What's up?”

What's up, indeed: Director-writer Megan Park has crafted a wistful coming-of-age tale using this comedic device for “My Old Ass” and the results are uneven even though she nails the landing.

After the older Elliott proves who she is — they share a particular scar, childhood memories and a smaller left boob — the time-travel advice begins: Be nice to your brothers and mom, and stay away from a guy named Chad.

“Can we hug?” asks the older Elliott. They do. “This is so weird,” says the younger Elliott, who then makes things even weirder when she asks for a kiss — to know what it's like kissing yourself. The older Elliott soon puts her number into the younger's phone under the name “My Old Ass.” Then they keep in touch, long after the effects of the 'shrooms have gone.

Part of the movie's problem that can't be ignored is that the two Elliotts look nothing alike. Maisy Stella plays the coltish young version and a wry Aubrey Plaza the older. Both turn in fine performances but the visuals are slowly grating.

The arrival of the older Elliott coincides with her younger self counting down the days until she can flee from her small town of 300 in the Muskoka Lakes region to college in Toronto, where “my life is about to start.” She's sick of life on a cranberry farm.

Park's scenes and dialogue are unrushed and honest as Elliott takes her older self's advice and tries to repair relationships with her golf-loving older brother and gloriously odd younger one, who has an obsession with Saoirse Ronan. This is a filmmaker who knows siblings and how they vibe.

Then Chad pops up.

Chad is sweet and thoughtful and goofy and cute and smart and resourceful and really, really into Elliott. “Everything about him feels so right,” the younger wails. A central question in the movie is why My Old Ass wants young Elliott to stay away from Chad, played so beautifully by Percy Hynes White that you want to shake sense into both women.

Both parts of Park's movie — the coming-of-age tale and the me-visiting-from-the-future tale — work, but maybe not in the same movie, a little like the two different Elliotts. The tone of each part are different, one wistful, the other zany, and together threaten to pull “My Old Ass” apart.

Aside from a stunningly funny ‘shroom-induced dream sequence that includes a Justin Bieber concert, Park is strongest exploring the liminal space between one thing ending and another beginning — soft beautiful memories that are sad and yet necessary.

Both Chad and Elliott’s mother (a strong Maria Dizzia) have lovely dialogue about the profound effects that tiny moments of change can have: Sometimes you know it has ended forever — like a baby transitioning from your bed to a crib — and sometimes you never get to say goodbye, like the last day you spent all day messing around with your friends on bikes.

Even if the road is a little rocky, stay for a satisfying end, one in which, somewhat predictably, the younger Elliott offers some wise advice to the older. There's a moment or two when Chad threatens to overpower “My Old Ass” and steer it into a third movie, but Park knows her way out. It's a story that has always been about the younger Elliott and seeing her finally steer her boat — literally and metaphorically — is a joy.

“My Old Ass,” an Amazon MGM Studios release that opens in movie theaters in New York and Los Angeles on Friday and wide Sept. 27, is rated R for “for language throughout, drug use and sexual material.” Running time: 89 minutes. two and a half stars out of four.

Adblock test (Why?)

Movie Review: Two ideas compete for the soul of 'My Old Ass' but sweetness finally wins
Read More
September 12, 2024 at 12:12AM

The MTV Video Music Awards are back. Will Taylor Swift make history?

Repost Ent dalamlima.blogspot.com

NEW YORK -- The MTV Video Music Awards return Wednesday night with a whole lot of Taylor Swift. Will she become the most-awarded musician in VMAs history?

The pop star leads the nominations with 12 — eight for her “Fortnight” music video, two social categories and nods in the best pop and artist of the year categories. She’s followed by her “Fortnight” collaborator Post Malone, who has 11. He is nominated along with Swift 10 times and earned his 11th nom for his country hit “I Had Some Help,” featuring Morgan Wallen.

It's unclear whether Swift will attend the show, but if she does, winning would give her a prominent stage to voice support for Kamala Harris' presidential bid. Swift endorsed the vice president Tuesday night, moments after Harris' debate with former president Donald Trump ended.

If prior years are any indication, Swift may make multiple speeches.

She took home nine VMAs last year, bringing her total to an impressive 23. That places her just behind Beyoncé, who has 30 and just ahead of Madonna, who has 20 awards. Lady Gaga, has 19.

Seven Swift wins would tie Beyoncé’s record, and if she wins eight, she could become the most awarded musician in VMA history.

That is, if Beyoncé doesn't take home any of her own trophies. She's up for song of the year ("Texas Hold 'Em") and two social categories.

The VMAs, which begin at 8 p.m. Eastern and are being held at the UBS Arena on New York’s Long Island — will be hosted by Megan Thee Stallion. It marks her first time hosting an award show. She'll perform as well. The last two years have been hosted by Nicki Minaj: She emceed solo in 2023, in 2022, she was joined by Lil Wayne and Jack Harlow.

Katy Perry will receive the Video Vanguard Award and also perform. Previous recipients include Shakira, Beyoncé, Minaj, Madonna, Janet Jackson, Jennifer Lopez, Rihanna and Missy Elliott.

Other scheduled performers include Eminem, who will open the show, as well as Benson Boone, Sabrina Carpenter, Megan Thee Stallion, Chappell Roan, GloRilla, Halsey, Lenny Kravitz, LISA, Rauw Alejandro, Karol G, LL COOL J, Shawn Mendes, Camila Cabello and Anitta, who will be joined by Fat Joe, DJ Khaled and Tiago PZK.

The VMAs will air on MTV and simulcast on BET, BET Her, CMT, Comedy Central, Logo, MTV, MTV2, Nick at Nite, Paramount Network, Pop, TV Land, VH1, and in Spanish on Univision.

Adblock test (Why?)

The MTV Video Music Awards are back. Will Taylor Swift make history?
Read More
September 11, 2024 at 03:47PM

National Book Award long list for young people's literature has a poetic touch

Repost Ent dalamlima.blogspot.com

NEW YORK -- This year's long list of National Book Awards for young people's literature has a poetic touch.

Five of the 10 nominees announced Tuesday by the National Book Foundation are novels written in verse, including Olivia A. Coles' “Ariel Crashing a Train” and Shifa Saltagi Safadi's “Kareem Between,” a young Muslim's coming-of-age story. The other novels in verse are Margarita Engle’s “Wild Dreamers,” Alicia D. Williams' “Mid-Air” and Angela Shanté's “The Unboxing of a Black Girl.”

Judges also selected two debut novels, Josh Galarza’s “The Great Cool Ranch Dorito in the Sky” and Ali Terese’s “Free Period,” along with Violet Duncan's “Buffalo Dreamer,” Randy Ribay's “Everything We Never Had” and Erin Entrada Kelly's “The First State of Being.”

Throughout the week, the foundation will be unveiling long lists in five competitive categories, including poetry, nonfiction and fiction. The lists will be narrowed to five on Oct. 1, and winners will be announced during a Nov. 20 dinner ceremony.

Ten nominees for books in translation also were announced Tuesday, their settings ranging from Scandinavia to the Middle East to Taiwan. Three books originated in Arabic: Nasser Abu Srour's “The Tale of a Wall,” translated by Luke Leafgren; Bothayna Al-Essa's “The Book Censor’s Library,” translated by Ranya Abdelrahman and Sawad Hussain; and Samar Yazbek's “Where the Wind Calls Home," translated by Leri Price.

Translation judges also cited three books in Spanish: Layla Martínez's “Woodworm,” translated by Sophie Hughes and Annie McDermott; Fernando Vallejo's “The Abyss," translated by Yvette Siegert; and Fernanda Trías' “Pink Slime,” translated by Heather Cleary.

The other translation nominees were Linnea Axelsson's “Ædnan,” translated from the Swedish by Saskia Vogel; Solvej Balle's “On the Calculation of Volume (Book I),” translated from the Danish by Barbara J. Haveland; Fiston Mwanza Mujila's “The Villain’s Dance,” translated from the French by Roland Glasse; and Yáng Shuāng-zǐ's “Taiwan Travelogue,” translated from the Mandarin Chinese by Lin King.

Adblock test (Why?)

National Book Award long list for young people's literature has a poetic touch
Read More
September 11, 2024 at 03:27AM

US-Audiobooks-Top-10

Repost Ent dalamlima.blogspot.com

Nonfiction

1. Don’t Believe Everything You Think by Joseph Nguyen, narrated by the author (Joseph Nguyen)

2. Atomic Habits by James Clear, narrated by the author (Penguin Audio)

3. Good Energy by Casey Means, MD, and Calley Means, narrated by Casey Means, MD (Penguin Audio)

4. The Dragon’s Prophecy by Jonathan Cahn, narrated by Lawrence Richardson (Frontline)

5. The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt, narrated by Sean Pratt and the author (Penguin Audio)

6. Lovely One by Ketanji Brown Jackson, narrated by the author (Random House Audio)

7. 48 Laws of Power by Robert Greene, narrated by Richard Poe (HighBridge, a Division of Recorded Books)

8. Change Your Paradigm, Change Your Life by Bob Proctor, narrated by the author and Dan Strutzel (Ascent Audio)

9. If You Tell by Gregg Olsen, narrated by Karen Peakes (Brilliance Audio)

10. The Mountain Is You by Brianna Wiest, narrated by Stacey Glemboski (Thought Catalog Books)

Fiction

1. Not Till We Are Lost by Dennis E. Taylor, performed by Ray Porter (Audible Originals)

2. Natural Selection by Elin Hilderbrand, narrated by Erin Bennett (Amazon Original Stories)

3. Passions in Death: An Eve Dallas Novel by J. D. Robb, narrated by Susan Ericksen (Macmillan Audio)

4. It Ends with Us by Colleen Hoover, narrated by Olivia Song (Simon & Schuster Audio)

5. Capture or Kill by Vince Flynn and Don Bentley, narrated by Steven Weber (Simon & Schuster Audio)

6. A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas, narrated by Jennifer Ikeda (Recorded Books)

7. Starter Villain by John Scalzi, performed by Wil Wheaton (Audible Studios)

8. The Women by Kristin Hannah, narrated by Julia Whelan and the author (Macmillan Audio)

9. It Starts with Us by Colleen Hoover, narrated by Colin Donnell and Olivia Song (Simon & Schuster Audio)

10. All the Colors of the Dark by Chris Whitaker, narrated by Edoardo Ballerini (Random House Audio)

Adblock test (Why?)

US-Audiobooks-Top-10
Read More
September 11, 2024 at 03:12AM

George Lucas, Mark Hamill, Debbie Allen, Bob Iger, CNN and more mourn James Earl Jones

Repost Ent dalamlima.blogspot.com

Famous fans and collaborators are paying tribute to James Earl Jones, the award-winning actor and commanding voice of Darth Vader, who died Monday at 93.

“One of the world’s finest actors whose contributions to ‘Star Wars’ were immeasurable. He’ll be greatly missed.” — actor Mark Hamill, who played Vader's son Luke Skywalker in the “Star Wars” movies, in a statement to The Associated Press.

“James was an incredible actor, a most unique voice both in art and spirit. For nearly half a century he was Darth Vader, but the secret to it all is he was a beautiful human being. He gave depth, sincerity and meaning to all his roles, amongst the most important being devoted husband to the late Ceci and dad to Flynn. James will be missed by so many of us...friends and fans alike.” — “Star Wars” creator George Lucas, in a statement to the AP.

“That booming voice. That quiet strength. The kindness that he radiated. So much can be said about his legacy, so I’ll just say how thankful I am that part of it includes ‘Field of Dreams.’ If you’ve seen it, you know that this movie wouldn’t be the same with anyone else in his role. Only he could bring that kind of magic to a movie about baseball and a corn field in Iowa. I’m grateful to have been a witness to him making that magic happen. Rest in peace, friend.” — Actor Kevin Costner, who starred in “Field of Dreams” with Jones, on Instagram.

“James Earl Jones will forever be remembered as The GOAT. It was truly a privilege to direct him and a Blessing to be loved by him. We will forever speak his name and tell the great stories that will become Legend and Myth and seed generations to come.” — actor and dancer Debbie Allen, who directed Jones in the 2008 Broadway production of “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof,” on Instagram.

“Legendary doesn’t even begin to describe his iconic roles and impact on cinema forever. His voice and talent will be remembered always. Sending love to his family, friends and countless fans in all the galaxies, far, far away.” — actor Octavia Spencer, on Instagram.

“James Earl Jones… there will never be another of his particular combination of graces.” — actor LeVar Burton, on X.

“From the gentle wisdom of Mufasa to the menacing threat of Darth Vader, James Earl Jones gave voice to some of the greatest characters in cinema history. A celebrated stage actor with nearly 200 film and television credits to his name, the stories he brought to life with a uniquely commanding presence and a true richness of spirit have left an indelible mark on generations of audiences.” — Disney CEO Bob Iger, in a statement.

“Thank you for showing us ourselves. Our complicated selves, our dignified selves, our smiles, our pain. A job well done. A gift beautifully shared. Bless you as you journey on.” — director Ava DuVernay, on Instagram stories.

“Thank you dear James Earl Jones for everything. A master of our craft. We stand on your shoulders. Rest now. You gave us your best.” — actor Colman Domingo, on X.

“James Earl Jones will never die. His talent, work and influence will be with us always. RIP, Mr. Jones.” — director Paul Feig, on X.

“We are deeply saddened to hear of James’s passing. He was the voice of CNN and our brand for many decades, uniquely conveying through speech instant authority, grace, and decorum. That remarkable voice is just one of many things the world will miss about James. Our thoughts are with his family.” — CNN, on X.

“RIP James Earl Jones, the legendary actor who memorably appeared in the iconic baseball movies ‘Field of Dreams’ and ‘The Sandlot.’ Jones gave a moving recitation of our National Anthem at the 1993 MLB All-Star Game in Baltimore.” — Major League Baseball, on X.

“Mourning the death of University of Michigan graduate James Earl Jones. Your inspirational career and your inspiring words - heard at every home game - move us as a university community. We will miss you.” — University of Michigan President Santa Ono, on Instagram.

Adblock test (Why?)

George Lucas, Mark Hamill, Debbie Allen, Bob Iger, CNN and more mourn James Earl Jones
Read More
September 10, 2024 at 02:47PM

Givenchy names Sarah Burton new creative director

Repost Ent dalamlima.blogspot.com

PARIS -- Givenchy has named Sarah Burton creative director for women’s and men’s collections, with immediate effect, the fashion house announced on Monday.

Burton, who stepped down from Alexander McQueen last year, said she was excited “to bring to Givenchy my own vision, sensibility and beliefs.”

“It’s a great honor to be joining the beautiful house of Givenchy, it is a jewel,’’ she said.

Her first collection will be presented during Paris Fashion Week next March.

Givenchy, owned by the LVMH conglomerate, named a new CEO, Alessandro Valenti, in July.

Burton becomes the eighth designer at the French luxury house founded in 1953 by Hubert de Givenchy, who stayed on until 1995. She is its second female creative director.

Burton’s predecessors at Givenchy include Alexander McQueen, who designed at the Paris fashion house from 1996-2001.

Burton, who created the wedding dress for Kate, the Princess of Wales, stepped down from McQueen after two decades at the brand, and since 2010 as creative director. Owner Kering said upon her exit that she had left “an indelible mark.”

Adblock test (Why?)

Givenchy names Sarah Burton new creative director
Read More
September 10, 2024 at 01:47AM

'Shogun' wins record-breaking 14 Emmys at Creative Arts ceremony as Jamie Lee Curtis gets her first

Repost Ent dalamlima.blogspot.com

LOS ANGELES -- LOS ANGELES (AP) — “Shogun” won the most Emmys ever for a single season of a television series with 14 at the Creative Arts Emmy Awards on Sunday night, while “The Bear” won seven including best guest actress in a comedy series for Jamie Lee Curtis.

Presenters were saying “Shogun” all night at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles on the second night of the two-night Creative Arts Emmys, where awards are handed out that don’t quite make the main Primetime Emmys ceremony. It broke the record of 13 set by the 2008 limited series “John Adams” before even reaching the Sept. 15 main Emmys ceremony, when it can pad its record with up to five more.

“Shogun," the FX series about political machinations in feudal Japan, won all but two of the possible 16 trophies it could have claimed on Sunday night, including Emmys for costumes, makeup, editing, stunts and cinematography, along with a best guest actor in a drama Emmy for Néstor Carbonell.

As he accepted, Carbonell thanked the crew, then marveled at how many of them were in the audience.

“You’re all here! You’re all nominated!” Carbonell said. “I love the team sport of this.”

Curtis was emotional on stage after winning her first Emmy 18 months after winning her first Oscar for “Everything Everywhere All at Once.”

“I’m the luckiest girl in the world,” Curtis said backstage. “I just never thought I would get to do work at this level of depth and complexity and intelligence. It’s been the thrill of my creative life these last couple of years.”

Asked if she could win a Grammy and a Tony to make it an EGOT, she said no way.

“I can't sing at all,” she said, “and I've never been on stage.”

The songwriting team of Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, however, did become the 20th and 21st members of the elite EGOT club when they won their first Emmy for a song they co-wrote for “Only Murders in the Building.” The duo had previously won an Oscar for “La La Land” and a Grammy and Tony for “Dear Evan Hansen.”

Curtis won for the season two “Bear” episode “Fishes," in which she played the mother of star Jeremy Allen White at a nightmare holiday family gathering. Jon Bernthal, who played White's big brother in the episode, won best guest actor in a comedy.

Michaela Coel won best guest actress in a comedy series for her appearance on “Mr. and Mrs. Smith.”

“Shogun” shook up the Emmys race when it switched from the limited series to the drama series category in May and led all nominees with 25 when nominations were announced in July.

It won so steadily that the few who beat it — it lost only in two music-composition categories — felt the need to comment on it.

“I didn’t write a speech, because there was no way I was beating ‘Shogun’ tonight," said Siddharta Khosa, who won best music composition for a series for “Only Murders in the Building.”

When Eric Andŕe was asked only one question in the media room after winning his first Emmy for his performance on his self-titled talk show, he said, with fake exasperation, “Sorry I'm not on Shogun!"

Maya Rudolph and Angela Bassett were among the Creative Arts winners on Saturday night, which focused on reality and variety TV. Rudolph won her sixth career Emmy, for her voice-over work on the animated “Big Mouth.” Bassett won her first, for her narration of the National Geographic wildlife documentary series “Queens.”

Both nights of the show will be edited into a single 2 1/2 hour show that will air on FXX on Sept. 14 and stream the following day on Hulu.

Dan and Eugene Levy will host the Primetime Emmy Awards, also at the Peacock Theater, airing on ABC on Sept. 15.

___

For more coverage on this year’s Emmy Awards and recent television shows, visit: https://apnews.com/hub/television

Adblock test (Why?)

'Shogun' wins record-breaking 14 Emmys at Creative Arts ceremony as Jamie Lee Curtis gets her first
Read More
September 09, 2024 at 01:11PM

‘Beetlejuice Beetlejuice’ jolts box office with $110M opening weekend

Repost Ent dalamlima.blogspot.com

After 36 years of waiting, the juice is finally loose again in “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice,” this time racking up $110 million in its premiere weekend.

The long-awaited Tim Burton sequel is the third-best opening weekend of the year, only behind box office triumphs “Inside Out 2” and “Deadpool & Wolverine.”

Michael Keaton returns as the titular spirit and Catherine O’Hara and Winona Ryder also reprise their roles as Delia and Lydia Deetz, with newcomer Jenna Ortega playing the latter’s daughter, Astrid. Willem Dafoe, Monica Bellucci and Justin Theroux round out the cast.

The Warner Bros. sequel is the second-highest grossing September movie of all time, only behind 2017’s “It,” which opened with a staggering $123 million. The 2019 sequel “It Chapter 2” opened with $91 million and previously held the No. 2 spot for September openings.

The original “Beetlejuice” film earned a mere $8 million in its opening weekend in 1988, unadjusted for inflation, but went on to make $77 million in theaters domestically as it became a cult classic.

Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst at Comscore, said September is “not known as a hotbed of $100 million blockbuster debuts,” but attributed part of the film's success to Burton's singular style and the star cast.

In addition to the returning cast, Ortega, who starred in the Netflix series “Wednesday” about the Addams family character, likely brought in younger audiences.

“If all this was were a nostalgia play for people who saw the first movie, it wouldn’t really necessarily work,” Dergarabedian said. “Part of the magic formula of ‘Beetlejuice Beetlejuice’ is having a great cast of a revered generation of actors and then having young actors who are making their own mark.”

The electric opening weekend kicks off the fall movie season with a bang after a sleepy Labor Day weekend and a relatively slow August that saw newer films struggle as holdover movies ruled the box office.

Beyond “Beetlejuice,” “Deadpool & Wolverine” placed second on the box office charts, making $7.2 million in its seventh weekend. Its cumulative domestic total is now $614 million.

“Reagan,” the Dennis Quaid-led biopic about the 40th U.S. president, continues to beat expectations. Climbing the ranks to third place in its second weekend, the film made $5.2 million.

“Alien: Romulus" and “It Ends With Us,” two more holdovers from the summer, came in fourth and fifth place, respectively. The sci-fi horror film brought in $3.9 million and the romance drama brought in $3.8 million.

The only other new release of the weekend to make it on the box office rankings was “The Greatest of All Time,” an Indian Tamil-language science fiction action film. The movie stars Joseph Vijay and was directed by Venkat Prabhu, who is known for directing and writing other Indian action films. Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Comscore. Final domestic figures will be released Monday.

1. “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice,” $110 million.

2. “Deadpool & Wolverine,” $7.2 million.

3. “Reagan,” $5.2 million.

4. “Alien: Romulus,” $3.9 million.

5. “It Ends With Us,” $3.8 million

6. “The Forge,” $2.9 million.

7. “Twisters,” $2.3 million.

8. “Blink Twice,” $2.1 million.

9. “The Greatest of All Time,” $2 million.

10. “Despicable Me 4,” $1.8 million.

Adblock test (Why?)

‘Beetlejuice Beetlejuice’ jolts box office with $110M opening weekend
Read More
September 09, 2024 at 01:11AM