Page 1365 - Entertainment Culture

Michael Showalter to helm Octavia Spencer-Jessica Chastain comedy

Michael Showalter has been roped in to director the comedy film starring Jessica Chastain and Octavia Spencer. The untitled holiday comedy was bagged by Universal Studios in a bidding war and is centred around the obstacle course-like journeys of the two women back home in time for Christmas, Variety reported. The "Big Sick" director will helm the project, which is based on a pitch from Chastain's production company Freckle Films. Chastain and Kelly Carmichael wrote the treatment for the film, while the script has been penned by Peter Chiarelli. Chastain is also producing the film along with Carmichael, Celine Rattray and Trudie Styler.

Struggle of independent filmmakers has changed, not stopped: Onir

National Award winning filmmaker Onir, known for helming independent films, says the nature of struggle has changed for small budget movies, but the challenges haven't vanished altogether.

McCartney remembers Lennon during anti-gun protests

Veteran musician Paul McCartney, who joined the students in the anti-gun protests here, remembered late legendary singer John Lennon, who was murdered outside his apartment here in 1980.

Assamese boy Bishal Sharma wins 'Super Dancer Chapter 2'

Bishal Sharma, a 12-year-old from Jorhat, Assam, has emerged the winner of reality show "Super Dancer Chapter 2". The youngster is thrilled.

Hollywood celebs join protests against gun violence

Hollywood celebrities like Kim Kardashian, Nick Offerman, George Clooney, Cynthia Nixon, Laura Dern, Willow and Jaden Smith and David and Jeffrey Katzenberg joined in students to protest against gun violence at the marches here.

Darkest hour for Oscar movies as box office viewership seems to be ebbing

Is there a divergence between a movie winning top awards and its popularity? It would seem so as, in the last few years, blockbusters have been sidelined from top Oscar awards and more esoteric stories and smaller budget movies rule the roost.

'Missing' will shock, stun audiences: Manoj Bajpayee

Actor Manoj Bajpayee is confident his next release "Missing", which unites the actor with one of his favourite co-stars Tabu, will leave the audience shocked.

I am a recipient of child abuse, it's the greatest crime: Michael Caine

Veteran actor Michael Caine has once again said he will not work with filmmaker Woody Allen as child abuse for him is the "greatest crime". The 82-year-old actor previously won an Oscar for his work on Allen's "Hannah and Her Sisters", but is unsure if he would work with the director again after he was accused of abuse by his daughter Dylan Farrow. Allen has long denied the allegations made by Dylan, who is one of the star's three children with ex Mia Farrow. Dylan publicly claimed in 2014 that Allen molested her as a child. "Would I work with Woody Allen again? I see that he's been accused of child abuse. If that's true, I wouldn't. No. But I mean, I read it, but there doesn't seem to be any trials or anything. "For me, the greatest crime in the world is child abuse. That is worse than anything. I was ill-treated when I was evacuated (from London during World War II) so I am a recipient of child abuse. So I am very, very, very, very critical of anyone who abuses a child," Caine told

Google Doodle remembers Farooq Sheikh on his 70th birth annniversary

Google on Sunday remembered late actor Farooq Sheikh on his 70th birth anniversary with a doodle styled on hand-painted movie posters of the 1970s, and especially his "Umrao Jaan".

Don't kill creativity: Amitabh Bachchan to 'Shoebite' makers

Megastar Amitabh Bachchan today once again requested the makers of "Shoebite" -- Disney and UTV-- to not "kill creativity" by shelving a "good film". The Shoojit Sircar-directed project features Bachchan, Dia Mirza, Jimmy Shergill, Sanjeeda Sheikh among others. "Please... Please... Please... UTV and Disney , or whoever else has it... Warners , whoever ... Just release this film. Lot of hard labour been put in. Don't kill creativity," Bachchan posted on Twitter along side two posters of the film. The project was caught in a legal battle between Percept Picture Company and UTV Motion Pictures and was put on the back burner. The post comes two days after a fan appealed to Bachchan about his desire to watch the movie and tweeted, "Amitabh Bachchan in 'Shoebite'... We want this movie to be released... Please do something UTV films... I'm sure that with a little effort it can happen." To this, Bachchan had made an impassioned plea to UTV Films and Disney to sort their differences out in ...

Google remembers Farooq Sheikh on 70th birth anniversary

On the 70th birth anniversary of veteran actor, Farooq Sheikh, search engine Google has paid homage to him with a special doodle. "Today's Doodle by Nimit Malavia is a tribute to Farouque Sheikh's cinematic career in a style evocative of hand-painted movie posters of the 1970s, and especially 'Umrao Jaan'. "We see the wide-eyed romantic hero of the 1970's mature into a comfortingly familiar TV presence of the 1990's, bridging the gap between mainstream and arthouse cinema in India along the way," Google posted on its official doodle blog. Born in 1948, in a simple middle-class household, Sheikh studied law at college but he continued to dabble in theater on the side, and eventually decided to give acting a go. Sheikh made a tremendous contribution in theatre, films and TV as well. He started his career in Bollywood in 1973 with "Garm Hava" and is best remembered for his performances in films like "Shatranj Ke Khiladi", "Chashme Buddoor", "Kissi Se Na Kehna" and "Noorie". His last film

'Read Me Tender': The King of Rock 'n' Roll's fictional gigs (Column: Bookends)

Melding a range of disparate influences, along with his energetic jiving, to create a new musical form that still sways listeners -- and in its time, helped break race barriers in the US -- he became a best-selling and influential solo musician of his generation and a significant cultural icon. That explains Elvis Presley's depictions across all media, save literature, where his appearances rarely match his status.

Unseen photos of The Beatles fetch 253,200 pounds at auction

A teenage portfolio of more than 350 previously unseen photos of The Beatles early invasion of the US has fetched 253,200 pounds ($357,950) at an auction in England, the media reported.

New directors taking up social issues in mainstream format:

Actor Paoli Dam, who has won adulation for her role in 'Halkaa', which is a winner at the Montreal Film Festival, is eager that the flick is released commercially in the country. 'Halkaa' is made by 'I am Kalam' director Nila Madhab Panda. It is about a child's dream to make a toilet of his own in a slum and takes up the issue of open defecation in slums. The film bagged the 'Grand Prix de Montreal' award at the 21st 'Festival International du Film pour Enfants de Montreal Film festival (FIFEM)' earlier this month. "There is now a new breed of directors who are making such films in mainstream format in both Hindi and Bengali and tackling important social issues. We had shot in real time locations," Paoli told PTI. Gushing over how she got fan messages on her Twitter and Facebook accounts for her role in 'Halkaa', Paoli said, "Indians abroad liked the film and are posting comments on my (FB and Twitter) accounts and those of co-actor Ranvir Shorey and director Nila Madhab

Movie stars, singers, TV celebs lend support to 'March for Our Lives' rally

The March for Our Lives rally in Washington D.C. and elsewhere in the US, organised by the students from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Florida was galvanised by the presence of prominent Hollywood stars, who also lent their support to the anti-gun violence demonstration.According to E Online and The Hollywood Reporter, at the main rally in Washington D.C., Ariana Grande, Miley Cyrus, Demi Lovato, Lin-Manuel Miranda and Ben Platt, Vic Mensa, Andra Day and Common all took the stage to provide musical interludes between the speeches delivered by victims of gun violence, including the students from the Florida school.Hundreds of prominent Hollywood personalities also participated in the main rally in the American capital and in other places across the country.Actor George Clooney and his wife Amal Clooney, who donated USD 500,000 to the march were seen participating in the "March for Our Lives" rally and clicking pictures and selfies with the students.Actor Nick Offerman, ...

Brendan Fraser looks unrecognisable on beach holiday

Actor Brendan Fraser looked unrecognisable on beach holiday in Barbados after claiming that doing his own movie stunts "ruined" his body.

Lupita Nyong'o wants own Marvel movie

Oscar winning-actress Lupita Nyong'o loved working on "Black Panther" so much that she wants her own spin-off movie.

Hollywood stars attend 'March for Our Lives' rally

The March for Our Lives rally in Washington D.C. and elsewhere in the US, organised by the students from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Florida was galvanised by the presence of prominent Hollywood stars, who also lent their support to the anti-gun violence demonstration.According to E Online and The Hollywood Reporter, at the main rally in Washington D.C., Ariana Grande, Miley Cyrus, Demi Lovato, Lin-Manuel Miranda and Ben Platt, Vic Mensa and Common all took the stage to provide musical interludes between the speeches delivered by victims of gun violence, including the students from the Florida school.Hundreds of prominent Hollywood personalities also participated in the main rally in the American capital and in other places across the country.Actor Nick Offerman, participating in the Los Angeles march, showed off a t-shirt reading - "Don't be a dope, vote like a Knope," referencing his former Parks and Recreation colleague Amy Poehler's public-servant character in the ...

Google doodle honours Farooque Shaikh on 70th birth anniversary

Search engine Google on Sunday dedicated its doodle to late Bollywood actor Farooque Shaikh on his 70th birth anniversary.Born in a small village of Gujarat, Farooque Shaikh is known for his magnificent acting skills.Shaikh was not only a proficient movie actor, his contribution to the world of television and theatre has also been equally appreciated.He is remembered for his performances in films like Chashme Baddoor, Noorie, Shatranj Ke Khiladi and Umrao Jaan.Shaikh made his debut in the year 1973 with MS Sathyu's 'Garam Hawa'. Soon he gained fame with his acting skills as well as his impeccable comic timing.He is also the recipient of the National Award for Best Supporting Actor for the 2010 movie 'Lahore'.Shaikh had also hosted a popular TV show Jeena Issi Ka Naam Hai where he interviewed many Bollywood celebrities.Shaikh died of a heart attack at the age of 65 in the year 2013, while he was holidaying with his family in Dubai.

Reese Witherspoon wants to work on relatable movies

Actress Reese Witherspoon wants to work on "universal and relatable" movies with women at the heart of it.