Ang Lee's 'Taking Woodstock': "A Generation Began In His Backyard"

Director Ang Lee on the set of Taking Woodstock

© 2009 Focus Features, All Rights Reserved

Oscar-winning director Ang Lee will premiere his comedy Taking Woodstock a Focus Features Film in competition at Cannes this year.

© 2009 Focus Features, All Rights Reserved

The cast includes Liev Schreiber, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Kevin Chamberlin, Emile Hirsch, Demetri Martin, Eugene Levy, Paul Dano, Katherine Waterston, Kelli Garner, and Imelda Staunton.

© 2009 Focus Features, All Rights Reserved


© 2009 Focus Features, All Rights Reserved

Written by James Schamus, the story is about a man who while working at his parents' motel in the Catskills inadvertently sets in motion the generation-defining concert in the summer of 1969. Danny Elfman's original music score and 60's psychedelic tunes will rock you.

© 2009 Focus Features, All Rights Reserved

Release date is set for Aug 14, 2009.

For behind the scenes clips and more ADD the 'Taking Woodstock' Facebook Page.

P E A C E

YYY

Source:
IMDB.com
RopeOfSilicon/com (photos)

SIZZLING SUMMER 2009 AT THE CINEMA

It's a new season at UK cinemas, and the Film Distributor's Association has put together a trailer of the summer's big films

(view high res trailer at EmpireOnline.com)

You'll see glimpses in there of all the summer blockbusters but also all the independent and smaller-scale films that are set to take UK cinemas by storm over the next three months or so.

Countdown to May 1st where the summer line-up starts!


FILMS NOT TO BE MISSED THIS SUMMER

Visit a listing of the official UK Websites for films released May to August.

Source: FocusOnMovies.co.uk, EmpireOnline.com

YYY

OF KINGS AND QUEENS AND MOVIE STARS: True Revelations of a Hollywood Publicist!

As one of Hollywood’s leading international publicity executives, Leonard Morpurgo has travelled the world, from California to Cannes for over 30 years with many of the greatest movie stars and celebrities of those decades from Cary Grant to Steve McQueen to the Duke of Windsor to Charlton Heston, and Warren Beatty, Leslie Caron, Peter O’Toole, Sir Laurence Olivier, Sir Alec Guinness and many, many more.

Touching and funny, insightful and revelatory, Of Kings and Queens and Movie Stars reveals Morpurgo’s rollicking, frolicking adventures in the glamor cities of the world with the glamorous people of the world who were his friends.

Morpurgo weaves the stories in his book thematically, not chronologically. "It was written this way because this is how I remembered. A story about the handling of a drunken Duke of Windsor would remind me of an embarrassing incident with the Queen of Belgium and another with the Queen of Holland. I was the third person on Cary Grant’s honeymoon with Dyan Cannon, which leads to my own honeymoon with director Stanley Kramer—and without my wife."

Leonard Morpurgo, is vice president at Weissman/Markovitz Communications, formerly Murray Weissman & Associates, a boutique agency with major clients, including Paramount, Fox, Lionsgate, Miramax, the Weinstein Company and AMC. He was previously international vice president of Rogers & Cowan Public Relations, head of international marketing for Universal Studios and held similar positions at CBS Theatrical Films and Lorimar Pictures. Before coming to the United States he was director of European publicity and promotion for Columbia Pictures. London born Morpurgo started out in the industry as publicity director at Rank Film Distributors in the U.K. He has lived in half a dozen countries and worked in a dozen more.

Morpurgo is a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, sits on the Academy’s Foreign Language Film Committee and is fluent in a number of languages. He is also a member of the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences and of BAFTA/LA. This is his fourth book.


WHAT ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY ELITE ARE SAYING ABOUT OF KINGS AND QUEENS AND MOVIE STARS

"A thousand times more interesting and sophisticated than today's gossip mongers...You love movies? Don't miss Of Kings and Queens and Movie Stars."
Sid Ganis, Producer and President of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences

"If you want to know what it's like to be a publicity pro from the days of Cary Grant to George Clooney this is a great read. It is interesting, funny and enlightening."
Robert Dowling, former editor-in-chief and publisher of The Hollywood Reporter

"Told with an engagingly wry and self-deprecating good humor."
Actor Michael York

Michael York at Cannes

Dancing with Ann-Margret in Stockholm

Jack Nicholson

Of Kings and Queens and Movie Stars will be published on May 1st by Global Book Publishers. Order it online at Amazon.com, BookPubIntl.com or at major US book stores.

To learn more about Leonard Morpurgo and his new book visit LeonardMorpurgo.com

YYY

"Doing Brunch" with Leonard Morpurgo and his lovely wife
2009 Palm Springs International Film Festival

"Always fun times when Leonard's in the house!" - The Schmoozequeen

'X-MEN ORIGINS: WOLVERINE' WORLD PREMIERE

Hugh Jackman, Ryan Reynolds, Taylor Kitsch, Liev Schrieber, Lynn Collins
& Will.i.am

WORLD PREMIERE OF X-MEN ORIGINS: WOLVERINE
(Photo: Mike Moore/Getty Images for 20th Century Fox)


X-Marks The Spot

Hugh Jackman challenged X-Men fans across the US to be "the first to witness the origins" by winning the World Premiere of 'X-Men Origins: Wolverine' for their hometown. . .

Following a hard-fought contest stretching over thousands of towns across the US, the Sunbelt city of Tempe Arizona emerged triumphant in nabbing the Twentieth Century Fox X-MEN ORIGINS: WOLVERINE World Premiere on Monday, April 27th.

Hugh Jackman and his "friends and enemies" from the film attended a Bells & Whistles Red Carpet Premiere at the Harkin's Theatres Marketplace.

Guests in attendance included: Live Schreiber, Ryan Reynolds, Will.i.am, Taylor Kitch, Lynn Collins, and director Gavin Hood.

Celebrity guests included Shaquille O'Neal, Matt Leinart, Alice Cooper and Todd MacFarlane.

Actor Hugh Jackman arrives in style
World Premiere of X-MEN ORIGINS: WOLVERINE
(Photo: Mike Moore/Getty Images for 20th Century Fox)

Actor Hugh Jackman signs autographs for the fans before the preem
(Photo: Mike Moore/Getty Images for 20th Century Fox)

Musician Alice Cooper
(Photo: Mike Moore/Getty Images for 20th Century Fox)

Musician Will.i.am
(Photo: Mike Moore/Getty Images for 20th Century Fox)

X-MEN ORIGINS: WOLVERINE, the first chapter in the X-Men saga, unites Wolverine with several other legends of the X-Men universe, in an epic revolution that pits the mutants against powerful forces determined to eliminate them.

FRIDAY MAY 1, 2009

Guillermo del Toro Talks 'The Strain' Vampire Trilogy

Acclaimed filmmaker and author Guillermo Del Toro (Pan's Labyrinth, HellBoy) talks about vampires, the inspiration for his forthcoming The Strain Trilogy.

GDT loves and collects vampire lore and vampire fiction. He likes his vampire movies scary, not "romantic young men sucking on the neck of beautiful people" scary.

"They have always been here. Vampires. In secret and in darkness. Waiting. Now their time has come. In one week, Manhattan will be gone. In one month, the country. In two months—the world."



TheStrainTheBook.com website and Book Trailer launch Mid-May.

The Strain will be released on June 2nd. Pre-order the book now on Amazon.com


Source: Latina.com, Amazon.com

Hugh Jackman Refuses To Deny He is Gay

Hugh Jackman Hand And Footprints Ceremony
Grauman's Chinese Theater, Hollywood, 04/21/2009
Photo credit: Albert L. Ortega / PR Photos

Film and stage superstar Hugh Jackman is a big human rights advocate.

The married actor has been persistently rumoured to be homosexual since he played Australian musician Peter Allen in camp musical 'The Boy From Oz' in 2003.

Hugh is reluctant to refute the allegations he is gay because he feels it encourages a derogatory view of homosexuality.

He said: "I'd be happy to go and deny being gay, because I'm not. But by denying it, I'm saying there is something shameful about it, and there isn't anything shameful.

"The questions about sexuality I find more in America than anywhere else, because it's a big hang-up and defines what people think about themselves and others. It's not a big issue in Australia."

Hugh also revealed he and his wife Deborra-Lee Furness - who have been married for 13 years - felt very strongly about adopting multi-racial children Oscar, eight, and Ava, three.

He added to Parade magazine: "Mixed-race babies have such a hard time being adopted that Deb and I checked off that box specifically when we were filling out our forms.

"Our lawyer brought the form back to us and said, 'This is not the time to be politically correct. Are you sure this is what you want?' We were definite about it. Adoption is about taking a baby into your home and your heart. It's the best thing we've ever done."

Hugh Jackman stars as Logan in X-Men Origins: Wolverine the role that made him a superstar. Logan, the fierce fighting machine possesses amazing healing powers, adamantium claws, and a primal fury known as berserker rage. Wolverine opens May 1st.

Love this guy!

Source: MonstersandCritics.com

Jackman to star in Bdwy 'HOUDINI' and Big Screen 'CAROUSEL' Remake

Photo Credit: Walter McBride/Retna Ltd.

Hugh Jackman, has "revealed" to Sydney's Daily Telegraph that he is working to "reappear" on Broadway in the original musical, Houdini in the spring of 2010.

His production company has been working on two musicals - one for the stage and one for the screen. "I'm really working heavily on a movie version of Carousel , a remake of that," he told the Daily Telegraph.

"For two years we've been trying to find a way to make it relevant and not feel old-fashioned and I think we've finally done that. "On stage we're working on a musical version of the life of Houdini.

"We've been working on that for about a year and we'll probably go to Broadway when we're finished. "But it'll be at least a year away."

Jackman described his fascination with the famous magician to the Telegraph stating, "He was a showman basically. He was probably the first rock star. A master manipulator of the media and a showman through and through."

While Jackman has been seen out and about in New York, most recently at several Broadway openings, his real reason for being in town revealed FOX News a number of weeks back, is the early creative rehearsals of the Harry Houdini musical. Hugh is learning Houdini's magic tricks, tricks that must be reproduced faithfully eight times a week on stage. Sources revealed that Hugh is "already working on magic routines. The show, when it materializes, would include Jackman replicating big Houdini tricks on stage.

Hugh has already played a magician in the movie, "The Prestige," so he's already ahead of the game. Magician extraordinaire Ricky Jay is said to be giving him advice.

Tony Award-winning producer Scott Sanders and Tony- nominated architect/set designer David Rockwell had announced plans to present Houdini, An Original Musical on Broadway in the spring of 2010 a number of months ago. The creative team includes Danny Elfman (music), David Yazbek (lyrics), Kurt Andersen (book), and Jack O'Brien (direction). Houdini, An Original Musical marks the Broadway debuts of Mr. Elfman and Mr. Andersen, and first-time producing debut for Mr. Rockwell, who will also design the sets.

Harry Houdini (1874-1926), one of the world's most famous and stupefying escape artists, was known to constantly up the ante. Throughout his career, the magician seemed capable of outwitting any restraint or obstacle - from handcuffs to jail cells to underwater traps and underground caves to thick walls. The only exception was his inability to satisfy his driving, obsessive quest to challenge the limitations of being human. HOUDINI, An Original Musical ultimately deals with the human yearning for astonishment and miracles-both manmade and supernatural-and the quest to defy death.

Source:BroadwayWorld.com

'Wolverine' Star Hugh Jackman Honoured on Hollywood Walk of Fame

Hugh Jackman, star of the upcoming "X-Men Origins: Wolverine," immortalized his name in Hollywood history on Tuesday by sinking his hand and foot prints into cement outside the famous Grauman's Chinese Theater.

Hugh Jackman shows the cement on his hands during a ceremony
where the actor places his hand and foot prints in cement in front of
the Grauman's Chinese Theater in Hollywood April 21, 2009
REUTERS/Phil McCarten

On May 1st the Australian actor debuts the new "X-Men Origins" movie, reprising his role as conflicted "mutant" Wolverine, who battles other, evil mutants trying to control the world (see below).

Wolverine has sharp blades that protrude from his knuckles. He is among the most popular of X-Men comic book characters on which the films are based. There have been three "X-Men" movies, and combined they have grossed more than $1.1 billion at global box offices.

Jackman, 40, is known as a versatile actor who has starred in a range of movies from action adventures like "Swordfish" to romances such as last year's "Australia." He has enjoyed a Tony-winning stage career on Broadway and recently hosted Hollywood's Oscars.

Source: Reuters.com

Genre: Action-thriller
Release: May 1
Director: Gavin Hood
Screenplay by: David Benioff and Skip Woods
Producers: Lauren Shuler Donner, Ralph Winter, Hugh Jackman, John Palermo
Cast: Hugh Jackman, Liev Schreiber, Danny Huston, Dominic Monaghan, and Ryan Reynolds

X Men Origins: Wolverine; Hugh Jackman as "Wolverine"
PHOTO CREDIT: JAMES FISHER

X-MEN ORIGINS: WOLVERINE, the first chapter in the X-Men saga, unites Wolverine with several other legends of the X-Men universe, in an epic revolution that pits the mutants against powerful forces determined to eliminate them. Hugh Jackman reprises the role that made him a superstar, as the fierce fighting machine who possesses amazing healing powers, adamantium claws, and a primal fury known as berserker rage.

X-MEN ORIGINS: WOLVERINE stays true to the tone of the X-Men motion picture franchise, continuing the films' balance between spectacle and reality, while heightening the emotions and relationships. The film also introduces a team of mutants, including several whose appearances in the movie series have been long anticipated. Movie audiences will meet Team X, a covert military cadre comprised entirely of mutants. Its members are: Wolverine; his brother Victor Creed, aka Sabretooth, a feral being of unimaginable power; Wade Wilson, later to be known as Deadpool, a high-tech mercenary skilled at swordplay; Agent Zero, an expert tracker and lethal marksman; Wraith, a teleporter; Fred J. Dukes, also known as The Blob, a morbidly obese and super-strong behemoth; and Bradley, who can manipulate electricity. Leading them is William Stryker, a figure introduced in "X2" but whose origins and motives are now fully explored, for it is Stryker's complex relationship with Wolverine that defines much of Logan's past ...and future.

Move over Susan Boyle for 'Young Stevie Wonder' Shaheen Jafargholi

A week after Susan Boyle became a global sensation following a barnstorming audition on "Britain's Got Talent," a 12-year-old Welsh boy with a Motown voice has been hailed for his "life-changing" performance on the TV show after earning a standing ovation from Simon Cowell.

Shaheen Jafargholi had been the stand-out act of the show and a possible challenger to Boyle for the TV talent show's £100,000 ($146,000) prize.

Watch Shaheen Jafargholi perform on "Britain's Got Talent"

In an interview for the show, Jafargholi said he had been singing since he was two years old. "When I was a bit older my mum got me some singing lessons and my voice just got bigger and bigger," he said. "Hopefully this is going to be my big break."

Last week's performance by Boyle, the 47-year-old with a Broadway voice who claimed to have never been kissed, brought the show global attention, with her version of the Les Miserables' tune "I Dreamed a Dream" gaining more than 32 million hits on YouTube as well as earning her a string of U.S. media appearances, including on CNN's Larry King Live.

Jafargholi has some way to go to match Boyle's success. By Monday morning a YouTube link to his performance had been watched just 330,000 times.

Source: CNN.com

The Hobbit Film Structure Revealed

Peter Jackson and Guillermo Del Toro’s eagerly-awaited adaptation of the Lord Of The Rings prequel, The Hobbit, would comprise two movies, due in December 2011 and 2012. The make-up of those two movies has been revealed in an Empire Magazine exclusive interview.

“We’ve decided to have The Hobbit span the two movies, including the White Council and the comings and goings of Gandalf to Dol Guldur,” says Del Toro.

“We decided it would be a mistake to try to cram everything into one movie,” adds Jackson. “The essential brief was to do The Hobbit, and it allows us to make The Hobbit in a little more style, if you like, of the [LOTR] trilogy.”

The second film will not be a film that will bridge the 60-year gap between The Hobbit and the start of Fellowship Of The Ring.

Source: EmpireOnline.com

PitchTV: Vote for your favourite video pitch

Introducing PitchTV...

Entrepreneurs in search of investment and exposure for their business ideas are invited to upload short video pitches.

The community will vote for their favourite video pitches and each month, the winning videos will feature as part of Virgin Atlantic’s PitchTV show which will air on their inflight entertainment system – gaining exposure to the hundreds of business professionals who regularly fly Virgin Atlantic.

Vote for your favourite so far. The five video pitches with the most votes will make it in to the very first PitchTV show which will premiere on board Virgin Atlantic planes. Shortly after, the episode will be shown online for the whole world to see.

Don’t worry if you haven’t yet submitted your own video pitch. PitchTV will be carrying on with the show over the course of the whole year so you can pitch any time. Once a month the latest batch will be posted and put to the vote.

So here goes with the first round of voting.

VOTE NOW for your favourite video pitch.

Voting closes: 27 April 2009

Source: Entrepreneur.virgin.com

THE CRAZIES

Timothy Olyphant stars in THE CRAZIES. Photo Credit: Saeed Adyani
© 2009 Overture Films. All Rights Reserved.

Directed by: Breck Eisner
Screenplay by: Ray Wright and Scott Kosar
Produced by: Michael Aguilar, Dean Georgaris, Rob Cowan
Executive Produced by: George A. Romero
Cast: Timothy Olyphant, Radha Mitchell, Danielle Panabaker, Joe Anderson
Rating: TBD
Runtime: TBD

Imagine living in a small town where everything is safe and happy…until suddenly it isn’t. Imagine your friends and neighbors going quickly and horrifically insane. In a terrifying tale of the “American Dream” gone horribly wrong, four friends find themselves trapped in their hometown in The Crazies, a reinvention of the George Romero classic directed by Breck Eisner from a screenplay by Ray Wright (Pulse, Case 39) and Scott Kosar (The Amityville Horror, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre).

David Dutton (Timothy Olyphant) is sheriff of Ogden Marsh, a picture-perfect American town with happy, law-abiding citizens. But one night, one of them comes to a school baseball game with a loaded shotgun, ready to kill. Another man burns down his own house…after locking his wife and young son in a closet inside. Within days, the town has transformed into a sickening asylum; people who days ago lived quiet, unremarkable lives have now become depraved, blood-thirsty killers, hiding in the darkness with guns and knives. Sheriff Dutton tries to make sense of what’s happening as the horrific, nonsensical violence escalates. Something is infecting the citizens of Ogden Marsh…with insanity.

Now complete anarchy reigns as one by one the townsfolk succumb to an unknown toxin and turn sadistically violent. In an effort to keep the madness contained, the government uses deadly force to close off all access and won’t let anyone in or out – even those uninfected. The few still sane find themselves trapped: Sheriff Dutton; his pregnant wife, Judy (Radha Mitchell); Becca (Danielle Panabaker), an assistant at the medical center; and Russell (Joe Anderson), Dutton’s deputy and right-hand man. Forced to band together, an ordinary night becomes a horrifying struggle for survival as they do their best to get out of town alive.

The Crazies coming soon...

INSTANT SUPERSTAR SUSAN BOYLE

You can't always judge a book by its cover ...

Susan Boyle’s Britain's Got Talent audition has been viewed 2.6 MILLION times and counting on YouTube — and now she’s getting offers from America.

Simon Cowell will give her a record deal whether she wins the show or not.

Before her performance which was watched by 11.8 million viewers, 47 year old Miss Boyle told Geordie hosts Ant and Dec that she's "never had a boyfriend" and she has "never been kissed before". Her previous singing experience was limited to the church choir and karaoke. The audience and judges laughed as she said she would like to be as successfull as Elaine Paige.

The single, unemployed, 47 year old West Lothian strict Catholic villager wowed judges on Saturday’s show with a rendition of Les Misérables hit I Dreamed A Dream...

Susan Boyle on Britain Got Talent
by dwarthy

I Dreamed a Dream

I dreamed a dream in time gone by
When hope was high
And life woth living
I dreamed that love would never die
I dreamed that God would be forgiving.

Then I was young and unafraid
And dreams were made and used
And wasted
There was no ransom to be paid
No song unsung
No wine untasted.

But the tigers come at night
With their voices soft as thunder
As they tear your hope apart
As they turn your dream to shame.

And still
I dream he'll come to me
That we will live the years together
But there are dreams that cannot be
And there are storms
We cannot weather...

I had a dream my life would be
So different form this hell I'm living
so different now from what it seemed
Now life has killedB
The dream I dreamed.

Susan soon turned that laughter into tears, Piers Morgan described her as stunning and "the biggest surprise in three years on the show" while Simon Cowell said she can go back home and with her head held high.

She is now tipped as an early favourite to win this years show!

Radio stations and newspapers from the US to Australia viewed the clip online and are now lining up to talk to her.

The community volunteer said: “Over a million? That’s incredible, it’s just fantastic", when learning about her YouTube success.

“I can’t believe all of this, but I suppose it will sink in eventually. I had no idea the show was a worldwide thing.

“I never dreamed of reaching that many people. I am very flattered.”

Simon has first dibs on which acts he signs to label Sony BMG — and fellow judge Piers Morgan reckons he wants to turn Susan into the next Paul Potts.

The opera-singing ex-Carphone Warehouse salesman has made £6million since winning the 2007 series and getting similar YouTube fame.

Piers, 44, said: “As I watched Susan’s performance back, I texted Simon in Hollywood: ‘My god, she was even better than I remembered — she’s unbelievable’.

“He agreed, and I could feel his beady eyes going ‘kerching!’.

Susan says her village of Blackburn is wishing her well.

She hopes the show will help her find love — and admits taking a shine to Piers.

She added: “I don’t intend to be alone for long.”

Susan is living the dream she dreamed...

Visit Susan's fansite.

Source: TheSun.co.uk
Susan-Boyle.com

Duncan Jones' Sci-Fi Thriller 'MOON'

Sony Picture Classics has debuted the first trailer for Director Duncan Jones' Moon, the brilliant indie sci-fi film starring Sam Rockwell. Duncan Jones, (aka Zowie Bowie or Joey Bowie) is the son of David Bowie) and former ad exec turned filmmaker. Moon is his first feature film, after making a sci-fi short from 2000 called Whistle. The original story was written by Jones, and the screenplay was written by Nathan Parker. This first premiered at the Sundance Film Festival earlier this year, where it was bought by Sony Pictures Classics.

Starring: Sam Rockwell, Kevin Spacey, Benedict Wong, Kaya Scodelario, Matt Berry, Dominique McElligott, Malcolm Stewart

Director: Duncan Jones

Studio: Sony Pictures Classics

Rating: R (For language.)

Genre: Sci-Fi / Thriller
Trailer: QuickTime
Website: Moon-Movie.com
Moon stills: 24 stills

SYNOPSIS

Nearing the end of a three-year contract with Lunar Industries, Sam Bell is counting the days until his return to Earth. The lone occupant of a lunar mining base, Sam monitors the tractors that harvest the moon’s surface for helium energy. Buoyed by sporadic transmissions from his wife and young daughter, he combats monotony and isolation by tending to plants, continuing his predecessor’s woodcraft project, and interacting with the station’s robotic computer, Gerty. But Sam is beginning to unravel mentally. After a hallucination causes him to crash his lunar rover, he wakes up in the sick bay and soon realizes that his life at the base is not what it seems. Moon is a refreshingly philosophical and ultimately touching indie inflection on a genre that too often loses sight of character and story amid the wizardry of its special effects. In confining the story to one man (and his robot), director Duncan Jones and writer Nathan Parker create an intimate and insightful character piece about memory and identity anchored by Sam Rockwell's perceptive performance; he brings out the heartache, contradictory emotions, and existential terror of a man gradually stripped of the most fundamental sense of who he is. So for all the creativity of its visual design and technology, Moon is less about outer than it is about inner space.





Moon will arrive in limited theaters starting on June 12th this year.

Source: RopeOfSilicon.com, FirstShowing.net

Depeche Mode "Touring the Angel"

Depeche Mode's new album Sounds Of The Universe will debut a new service on iTunes. The band was the first to sign onto iTunes Pass, Apple’s very first venture into anything resembling subscription music.

The idea behind iTunes Pass is, for a fee, fans can, within a limited time period, snag extra tracks, remixes and whatever else the artist and/or label decides to put in the mix.

In Depeche Mode’s case, this means a new single called “Wrong,” as well as the Black Light Odyssey dub remix of another new track – “Oh Well.” Fans signing up for a Depeche Mode iTunes Pass will also receive the band’s new album – Sounds Of The Universe – one week before it hits stores April 20 (UK) and April 21 (US). Plus, other exclusive tracks will be also included in the iTunes Pass.

Interested? You’ll need $18.99 to sign up (US iTunes Store).

“The relationship between Depeche Mode and their fans has always been our top priority,” band manager Jonathan Kessler said. “We are thrilled to be the first to participate with Apple in giving fans the kind of deep musical experience they expect from Depeche Mode.”

Depeche Mode - "Wrong" (official music video)



Touring the Angel global tour dates include North America. The venues for this summer’s Canada and US tour includes all the arenas and amphitheatres you’d expect a top live act like Depeche Mode to play.

Canadian tour stops include Toronto's Molson Ampitheatre July 24 and Montreal's Bell center July 25.

Some outdoor venue stops include the Shoreline for the San Francisco market on August 12; two nights at the Hollywood Bowl on August 16 & 17; Denver’s Red Rocks on August 27 and Atlanta’s Lakewood on Sept. 1.

For those who feel it isn’t a big concert unless it happens in a place where basketball backboards hang from the rafters, look for the band to play NYC’s Madison Square Garden August 3; Seattle’s KeyArena August 10 and Phoenix’s U.S. Airways Center August 23.

Access global tour dates and tickets at Depechemode.com


Source: Pollstar.com

'Star Trek' World Premiere Beamed Down in Sydney

Actor Eric Bana, who plays Nero, arrives at the Star Trek World Premiere

The world premiere gala for the highly anticipated "Star Trek" was held by Paramount Pictures in Sydney, Australia at the Sydney Opera House's legendary Concert Hall Tuesday, April 7. The premiere was attended by many of the people behind the eleventh feature installment of the famous sci-fi series.

Stars in attendance included Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Eric Bana, Karl Urban and John Cho. Joining them on the Red Carpet were director J.J. Abrams and producer Bryan Burk.

Celebrity guest attendees included Australian media personalities, Mark Beretta and Rove McManus, 2008 Miss Australia Laura Dundovic, and "Australia's Next Top Model" judge Charlotte Dawson were among those guests.

Earlier, Abrams explained why he chose Down Under as the world premiere location. "The idea was to try and do a big launch in a place that was exotically beautiful and noteworthy," he said as quoted by The Epoch Times. "I've been here only once before and loved it, and when they were throwing around the names of different places I was very excited to come back. Part of it is, on a number of our parts, selfish."

"Star Trek" will chronicle the early days of James T. Kirk and his fellow U.S.S. Enterprise crew members during their time at Starfleet Academy. The movie scripted by Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman will begin with the time Federation starship U.S.S. Kelvin is being attacked by a vicious Romulan. It will speed up to the big screen across the U.S. on May 8.

Abrams explained why he chose Down Under as the world premiere location. "The idea was to try and do a big launch in a place that was exotically beautiful and noteworthy," he said as quoted by The Epoch Times. "I've been here only once before and loved it, and when they were throwing around the names of different places I was very excited to come back. Part of it is, on a number of our parts, selfish."

"Star Trek" will chronicle the early days of James T. Kirk and his fellow U.S.S. Enterprise crew members during their time at Starfleet Academy. The movie scripted by Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman will begin with the time Federation starship U.S.S. Kelvin is being attacked by a vicious Romulan. It will speed up to the big screen across the U.S. on May 8.

Meanwhile, in North America...crew of the faithful gathered in Austin's Alamo Drafthouse for a late-night showing of a newly restored print of Star Trek 2: Wrath of Khan only to have the print burn out after the opening credits. To apologize for the mistake, the theater sent out Vulcan god Leonard Nemoy, who hand delivered a print of the new Star Trek movie. He asked the audience rhetorically if they wouldn’t just rather see the new film instead. And then, the Paramount logo flashed big and bright, looming over a crowd that would soon be transported to space - the final frontier. Read Jon B's review here.

RED CARPET ARRIVALS


Actor Chris Pine, who plays James T Kirk

Zachary Quinto, who plays Mr Spock

Actor Eric Bana, who plays Nero, and wife Rebecca Gleeson

Actor Karl Urban

Actor John Cho

Actor Zachary Quinto, who plays Mr Spock, and Director J.J. Abrams (R)

(L-R) Zachary Quinto, J.J. Abrams, Bryan Burk, Chris Pine,
Karl Urban, Eric Bana and John Cho

(2nd left-R) Tara Moss, Rove McManus & girlfriend Tasma Walton

Photo Credit: Gaye Gerard/Image.net

Source: Aceshowbiz.com

CinemaBlend.com

World Premiere of Star Trek in Sydney - 7th April 2009

J.J. Abrams' Star Trek premieres tomorrow in Sydney, Australia, and fans around the planet will be able to follow the event on Twitter. TrekMovie.com will be posting images (and hopefully video) from the red carpet as close to live as possible.

There will be a 10 minute preview of the Star Trek movie tonight at a special Fantastic Fest screening of Star Trek The Wrath of Khan in Austin TX. But fans who attend will be in for a surprise as three members of Star Trek’s ‘Supreme Court’ will be on hand in the Lone Star State. According to a trusted source the Star Trek Screenwriting team of Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman, along with Producer Damon Lindelof, have all made the journey to Austin and they will be going on stage to introduce the preview. The show kicks off tonight at 9:50 PM TX time at the Alamo Drafthouse Theater on South Lamar in Austin TX.

As the movie kicks off the world tour leading up to its May arrival in the United States, Paramount announced it will have bloggers using mobile technology to bring fan-submitted questions to the movie's stars. Trekkers are invited to submit questions for director Abrams and cast members Eric Bana, Chris Pine and Zachary Quinto via Twitter using an #asktrek hashtag.

Video responses to those questions will be published to a Star Trek channel using Phreadz, alongside a live Twitter feed and photos from Flickr. That channel will also feature a live Ustream feed from the red carpet.

Sydney Opera House Photo: Kosso/Flickr

It goes live at 7 a.m. GMT Tuesday before being archived for global consumption.

Oh, and don't forget to turn your device into the ultimate weapon – Star Trek Phaser. Mwahahahahaha. Visit the Star Trek Phaser App at the iTunes App Store.





Photo: Image.net
Source: TrekMovie.com, Wired.com

Passchendaele wins Best Picture at Canada’s Genie Awards

Paul Gross’ WWI epic Passchendaele took six awards, including best picture, as the Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television announced the 29th annual Genie Award winners in Ottawa on Saturday.

The film, which premiered at Toronto in 2008, also won the prizes for art direction, costume design, sound editing and overall sound. It was also presented with the Golden Reel Award as the highest-grossing Canadian film of the year, with C$4.4m ($3.6m).

Benoit Pilon’s The Necessities of Life (Ce qu'il faut pour vivre), the most nominated film with eight, took four major prizes, earning best direction for Pilon, best actor for lead Natar Ungalaaq, original screenplay for Bernard Émond as well as best editing for Richard Comeau. The film was Canada’s submission for the foreign-language Academy Award. Best adapted screenplay went to Marie-Sissi Labreche and Lyne Charlebois for Borderline.

US actress Ellen Burstyn won Best Actress for her role in The Stone Angel while Kristin Booth took the supporting actress prize for Young People Fucking. Callum Ketih Rennie won supporting actor for Carl Bessai’s Normal. The Stone Angel also won for best original score while best original song went to Dr. Shiva for “Rahi Nagufta’ from Amal.

The cinematography prize went to Gregory Middleton for Jeremy Podeswa’s Fugitive Pieces.

Yves-Christian Fournier won the Claude Jutra Award for best debut film with Everything Is Fine (Tout Est Parfait).

Best Documentary went to Yung Chang’s Up The Yangtze while Denis Villeneuve’s Next Floor earned the the prize for Best Live Action Short Drama. The animated short prize went to Claude Cloutier and Marcel Jean for Sleeping Betty.

Dave Foley hosted the show. Presenters included George Stroumboulopoulos, Callum Keith Rennie, Wendy Crewson, Sarah Polley and Gordon Pinsent Join Elite Roster of Award Presenters

For the complete list of winners visit GenieAwards.ca
http://www.genieawards.ca/Genie29/main.cfm