Archive for the ‘Celebrity News’ Category
Russell Brand already ‘seeing other women’ after Katy Perry split
Friday, January 27th, 2012Tom Cruise Says They’re “Working On” Top Gun 2
Thursday, January 26th, 2012
2012 Oscar Snubs and Surprises
Wednesday, January 25th, 2012
Ice -T talks about directing his Documentary “The Art of Rap”
Monday, January 23rd, 2012Ice-T is finding out the pitfalls of directing: Sometimes you have to cut your friends. And that hurts. The Law & Order: SVU star presented his documentary directing debut, Something from Nothing: The Art of Rap, at the Sundance Film Festival on Saturday. While he’s proud of the film exploring the power of rap music, it didn’t come without some pain — especially in the editing process. “We shot 55 rappers and it was just impossible to get everyone into the movie,” Ice-T says. “So it’s definitely hard to cut at the end. I learned that the hard way.” As it stands, the movie features interviews with artists such as Snoop Dogg, Dr. Dre, Common, QTip and Ice Cube just to name a few.
Ice-T has directed music videos before, but he decided to direct this documentary because the subject is so personal to him and “it was my idea from the get,” he says. “When you are an actor, you are saying someone else’s words,” says Ice-T. “When I shoot a scene in Law & Order I have no control. We’re like puppets. It’s fun to be able to control the scene.” He has also come up with new, colorful ways of phrasing a few director terms, none of which are suitable for family publications. He hopes to incorporate them in his dream project a movie where he directs and handles the soundtrack. “That’s the full and total package,” Ice-T adds.
Underworld: Awakening was an easy No. 1 at the Box Office this weekend
Sunday, January 22nd, 2012Underworld: Awakening was an easy No. 1 with $25.4 million, according to studio estimates from tracking firm Hollywood. The debut met the top end of most analysts’ expectations and marked another strong debut from a series that critics loathe but fans still crave. Since the first Underworld debuted in 2003, most of the vampire-werewolf films cost well under $40 million. Yet they average $100 million worldwide, according to Box Office Mojo. “Like clockwork, every three years brings another Underworld film,” says Gitesh Pandya of BoxOfficeGuru.com. Pandya says that the addition of 3-D and the return of Beckinsale, who sat out 2009′s Rise of the Lycans, excited fans, if not critics. Only 24% of reviewers gave the movie a thumbs-up, according to survey site Rottentomatoes.com. But 84% of moviegoers enjoyed it, the site says.
“Last year saw a shift in the 3-D film industry,” Pandya says. “Consumers showed that they will not pay extra for just any extra-dimensional pic. But the Underworld brand is formidable. Older teens and young adults still come out for the sequels and franchises they care about.” Fans turned out as well for the George Lucas-produced Red Tails. The World War II action film earned $19.1 million, $2 million above projections. While Rottentomatoes.com says just a third of critics liked the movie, 72% of moviegoers recommended it, propelling it to an easy second place. Mark Wahlberg’s crime story Contraband was third with $12.2 million, followed by the 9/11 drama Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close with $10.5 million, meeting expectations. The Steven Soderbergh thriller Haywire met projections with $9 million and fifth place. The awards darling The Artist expanded to 662 theaters nationwide this weekend, but mustered only $2.4 million. The $15 million silent film has done $12.1 million since its release Nov. 25. “That’s a disappointing number,” says Ray Subers of Boxofficemojo.com. He says the weekend haul “suggests that there’s a limited audience for a black-and-white silent movie regardless of how much acclaim it receives.” The strong openers kept 2012′s box office pace brisk. Sales and attendance are up 15% over the same period last year, Hollywood says. Final figures are due Monday.
