Emily Blunt hit the red carpet at the 2012 Palm Springs International Film Festival in support of the opening night film: Salmon Fishing in the Yemen. And in this video courtesy of CBS Films, the lovely Emily Blunt discusses the story, the appeal of the film, working with Ewan McGregor, and what audiences will take away from this movie.
Watch the video:
The Plot:
When Britain’s leading fisheries expert (Ewan McGregor) is approached by a consultant (Emily Blunt) to help realize a sheikh’s (Amr Waked) vision of bringing the sport of fly-fishing to the desert, he immediately thinks the project is both absurd and unachievable. But when the Prime Minister’s overzealous press secretary (Kristin Scott Thomas) latches on to it as a “good will” story, this unlikely team will put it all on the line and embark on an upstream journey of faith and fish to prove the impossible, possible.
Emily Blunt on Salmon Fishing in the Yemen
Melancholia Named Best Film by National Film Critics
The National Society of Film Critics, comprised of 58 film critics and using a weighted ballot system, chose Lars von Trier’s end of the world drama Melancholia as the best film of 2011. The group voted today on the best of the past year, with von Trier’s film narrowing edging out The Tree of Life in the top category. However, Tree‘s director Terrence Malick did beat von Trier to earn the Best Director award.
National Society of Film Critics 2011 Winners:
BEST ACTOR
*1. Brad Pitt – 35 (Moneyball, The Tree of Life)
2. Gary Oldman – 22 (Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy)
3. Jean Dujardin – 19 (The Artist)
BEST ACTRESS
*1. Kirsten Dunst – 39 (Melancholia)
2. Yun Jung-hee – 25 (Poetry)
3. Meryl Streep – 20 (The Iron Lady)
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
*1. Albert Brooks – 38 (Drive)
2. Christopher Plummer – 24 (Beginners)
3. Patton Oswalt – 19 (Young Adult)
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
*1. Jessica Chastain – 30 (The Tree of Life, Take Shelter, The Help)
2. Jeannie Berlin – 19 (Margaret)
3. Shailene Woodley – 17 (The Descendants)
BEST PICTURE
*1. Melancholia – 29 (Lars von Trier)
2. The Tree of Life – 28 (Terrence Malick)
3. A Separation – 20 (Asghar Farhadi)
BEST DIRECTOR
*1. Terrence Malick – 31 (The Tree of Life)
2. Martin Scorsese – 29 (Hugo)
3. Lars von Trier – 23 (Melancholia)
BEST NONFICTION
*1. Cave of Forgotten Dreams – 35 (Werner Herzog)
2. The Interrupters – 26 (Steve James)
3. Into the Abyss – 18 (Werner Herzog)
BEST SCREENPLAY
*1. A Separation – 39 (Asghar Farhadi)
2. Moneyball – 22 (Steven Zaillian, Aaron Sorkin)
3. Midnight in Paris – 16 (Woody Allen)
BEST FOREIGN-LANGUAGE FILM
*1. A Separation – 67 (Asghar Farhadi)
2. Mysteries of Lisbon – 28 (Raoul Ruiz)
3. Le Havre – 22 (Aki Kaurismäki)
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
*1. The Tree of Life – 76 (Emanuel Lubezki)
2. Melancholia – 41 (Manuel Alberto Claro)
3. Hugo – 33 (Robert Richardson)
Source: National Society of Film Critics, January 7, 2012
Underworld Awakening Clip: Somewhere Safe
Ready or not, Underworld returns with Kate Beckinsale once more in the tight black latex. Screen Gems is putting out the fourth film of the series, Underworld Awakening, (in 3D) on January 20, 2012 and Yahoo has a new clip showing Beckinsale in action as Selene.
The Plot:
Kate Beckinsale, star of the first two films, returns in her lead role as the vampire warrioress Selene, who escapes imprisonment to find herself in a world where humans have discovered the existence of both Vampire and Lycan clans, and are conducting an all-out war to eradicate both immortal species.
Watch the clip:
4 New The Divide Clips
Anchor Bay Films’ The Divide is hitting theaters in limited release on Friday, January 13th, and the studio’s just provided a few more clips of what we can expect from this post-apocalyptic thriller.
The Plot:
Nine strangers—all tenants of a New York high-rise apartment—escape a nuclear attack by hiding out in the building’s bunker-like basement. Trapped for days underground with no hope for rescue, and only unspeakable horrors awaiting them on the other side of the bunker door, the group begins to descend into madness, each turning on one another with physical and psycho-sexual torment. As supplies dwindle, and tensions flare, they grow increasingly unhinged by their close quarters and hopelessness. Each act against one another becomes more depraved than the next. While everyone in the bunker allows himself or herself to be overcome by desperation and lose their humanity, one survivor holds onto a thin chance for escape, even with no promise of salvation on the outside.
The Opening Scene:
Mikey’s Finger video:
Not Exactly the Garden of Eden video:
Narrow Escape video:
Tangled Ever After – Film Clip: The Rings
Disney’s just released this little clip from Tangled Ever After, the animated short that will be showing in front of Beauty and the Beast 3D in theaters beginning January 13, 2012.
Watch the clip:
‘Jersey Shore’ Season 5: Plot Details, Cast, and Trailer
Season five of MTV’s popular reality series Jersey Shore kicks off on January 5, 2012. The one-hour show features Nicole ‘Snooki’ Polizzi and Mike ‘The Situation’ Sorrentino, and Paul ‘DJ Pauly D’ DelVecchio.
Season five also features Jenni ‘JWoww’ Farley, Ronnie Ortiz-Magro, Sammi Giancola, Vinny Guadagnino, Angelina Pivarnick (season one and part of season 2), and Deena Cortese.
What You Need to Know:
Jersey Shore is back for its 5th season and it’s more popular than ever. The MTV series follows the lives of eight strangers who share a house at the Jersey Shore. It quickly became everyone’s favorite train wreck to watch, what with all the partying, fighting, hookups, and breakups. Two cast members – Ronnie and Sammi – even decided to get into a relationship that shortly turned into the world’s worst and most annoying pair-up. They fight and break up and get back together – and the viewers soon realized that’s all they do.
In Season 2 they took the show on the road and went to Miami, and it was absolutely no surprise the partying and fighting continued. It was the women in the house who did all the fighting, with most of the action going on between Angelina and Snooki (Nicole Polizzi). No one liked Angelina and, eventually, she left. JWoww (Jenni) and Sammi finally came to blows with the fight heard around the world…well, at least the “reality” world.
In Season 3 they went back to Seaside Heights on the Jersey Shore. Snooki brought a friend to come live with them for the summer, and the girls were still on the outs with Sammi. And, of course, soon after arriving at the Shore, Sammi and JWoww got into another physical altercation.
But with all the girl-on-girl action going on, let’s not forget ‘The Situation (Mike Sorrentino) – although I think a lot of people would like to forget about him. All Mike does is cause problems with everyone in the house and start drama.
By the end of season three, the girls have kissed and made up and all is right in the house – with the girls, at least.
Season 4 found the group heading off to Italy. Since most are Italian-Americans, I guess the producers thought this would be a good idea. However, most Italians weren’t happy with the way they were portrayed. The girls all got along fine, but everyone became increasingly tired of Mike’s behavior. Ronnie finally had enough of Mike’s antics and they got into an actual fist fight. But as soon as it began it was over…because Mike managed to knock himself out.
By the end of season 4, the group couldn’t wait to return to the States and everyone wanted Mike to leave.
Melissa McCarthy, Michelle Williams to be Honored with Oscar Wilde Awards
Emmy-winner McCarthy was chosen to receive an Oscar Wilde award for her supporting role in Bridesmaids, a performance which also earned her a SAG nomination as well as a Critics’ Choice Movie Awards nomination. Williams was selected for her outstanding portrayal of Marilyn Monroe in the dramatic film My Week With Marilyn, based on real events.
More on Melissa McCarthy [Courtesy of the US-Ireland Alliance]:
McCarthy’s previous feature film work includes The Back-Up Plan alongside Jennifer Lopez and Alex O Loughlin, Life As We Know It with Katherine Heigl, Pretty Ugly People with Josh Hopkins, Missi Pyle and Allison Janney, Just Add Water with Danny DeVito, director John August’s sci-fi mystery The Nines with Ryan Reynolds and Hope Davis, White Oleander with Michelle Pfeiffer, Pumpkin with Christina Ricci, and Go directed by Doug Liman. Additionally, she starred in John August’s short film God as a young woman having a gossipy phone conversation and short-lived spat with the Almighty, and also appeared in The Life of David Gale starring Kevin Spacey.
On television, she previously starred as the clumsy culinary genius Sookie St. James in Gilmore Girls and as Dena in the series Samantha Who?, which was created by Irish novelist Cecelia Ahern.
McCarthy first made her mark on the comedy stage, performing stand up in New York at The Improv and Stand Up New York. At the same time, she received dramatic training from The Actors Studio in New York and starred in a variety of stage productions throughout the city. In Los Angeles, McCarthy spent nine years as a main-stage member of the world-renowned improv and sketch troupe The Groundlings.
McCarthy and Annie Mumolo (co-writer of Bridesmaids) have sold a pitch to Lorne Michaels and John Goldwyn for Paramount Pictures. The story follows a group of Midwestern women who set out to steal the Stanley Cup. Additionally, she will star in Tammy for New Line Cinema in a script she co-wrote with her actor/writer husband Ben Falcone (What to Expect When You’re Expecting). They will also serve as executive producers. McCarthy is also designing her first clothing line.
In My Week With Marilyn, Williams stars opposite Kenneth Branagh and Judi Dench. For her role as the iconic actress, Williams received the Hollywood Actress Award at the 2011 Hollywood Film Festival. Williams was also nominated for her fifth Independent Spirit Award and will be honored with the Desert Palm Achievement Actress Award at the 2012 Palm Springs Film Festival.
Ms. Williams was last seen in Derek Cianfrance’s Blue Valentine opposite Ryan Gosling. Williams’ captivating performance earned her an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress as well as Golden Globe and Broadcast Film Critics Association nominations and her fourth Independent Spirit Award nomination.
She stars opposite Seth Rogan in Sarah Polley’s Take This Waltz, which premiered at the 2011 Toronto Film Festival. Williams is currently in production on Sam Raimi’s Oz: The Great and Powerful opposite James Franco, where she stars as Glinda the Good Witch.
Her performance in Ang Lee’s Brokeback Mountain, released in 2005, earned her a Broadcast Film Critics Association Award as well as an Independent Spirit Award, SAG, Golden Globe, BAFTA and Academy Award nomination for “Best Supporting Actress.” She was next nominated for a 2007 Independent Spirit Award for “Best Actress” for her performance in Wim Wenders’ Land of Plenty. In her first collaboration with Kelly Reichardt on her critically acclaimed independent film Wendy and Lucy, Williams’ moving and evocative performance as “Wendy” garnered a Toronto Film Critics Award for “Best Actress” in 2009 and her third Independent Spirit Award Nomination. In 2004, Williams shared a Screen Actors Guild Award nomination with her fellow actors for Thomas McCarthy’s The Station Agent for “Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture.”
Williams’ other film credits include her second collaboration with director Kelly Reichardt’s Meek’s Cutoff, Martin Scorcese’s Shutter Island, Sharon Maguire’s Incendiary, Charlie Kaufman’s Synecdoche, New York, Todd Haynes’ I’m Not There, Ethan Hawke’s The Hottest State, Sandra Goldbacher’s Me Without You, and Andrew Fleming’s Dick. On television, she starred opposite Chloë Sevigny in Martha Coolidge’s HBO movie If These Walls Could Talk 2. She also had a six-year run as “Jen Lindley” on the WB’s hit television series Dawson’s Creek. The series premiered in 1998 and remained one of the WB’s top-rated shows throughout its run.
Source: US-Ireland Alliance Non-Profit
‘Shameless’ Season 2 Episode 1 Trailer and Details
Shameless returns to Showtime for season two on January 8, 2012 at 9pm ET/PT, and you can bet it’s going to be just as shamelessly outrageous as season #1. So what’s in store for season two episode one? Here’s the scoop:
“In the Season 2 premiere, despite her breakup with Steve, Fiona tends bar at a local hotspot with Veronica, hangs out with a successful young business executive, and enjoys her youth; Debbie runs a daycare with Carl; Ian takes over at the Kash and Grab when Kash leaves town; Lip runs a Little League book and helps Kev out with their annual ice cream/pot truck; despite Eddie’s disappearance, Sheila takes small steps to finally leave the house; Frank loses a bet and surrenders Liam as collateral.”
Watch the trailer:
Giuliana & Bill Returns for a 5th Season
Giuliana & Bill is returning to The Style Network for a fifth season, with Giuliana and Bill facing their most difficult challenge to date – a battle with cancer. Their desire to become parents and the upcoming opening of RPM Italian in Chicago also play a role in season five.
“Since day one of our marriage, Giuliana and I have let Style viewers into our lives from traveling with us to Italy for our wedding to following our struggles to conceive,” stated Bill Rancic.
“In 2011 we faced our scariest obstacle yet when I was diagnosed with breast cancer, but as we start 2012 I am happy to say that I am cancer free and focused on living in the present. Bill and I look forward to this new year of opportunity and good health and can’t wait to once again share our journey with our viewers,” added Giuliana Rancic.
Season 5 will premiere in April.
Source: The Style Network – January 6, 2012
Kelly Clarkson, Miranda Lambert Join The Voice
The Voice returns on Sunday, February 5, 2012 (10-11 p.m. ET; time approximate) after Super Bowl XLVI and then will switch over to its normal time slot of Mondays (8-10 p.m. ET) starting on Monday, February 6.
Per NBC, the adviser and team pairings are as follows:
Team Adam: Alanis Morissette (@morissette) and Robin Thicke (@robinthicke)
Team Blake: Kelly Clarkson (@Kelly_Clarkson) and Miranda Lambert (@Miranda_Lambert)
Team Cee Lo: Kenny “Babyface” Edmonds (@KennyEdmonds) and Ne-Yo (@NeYoCompound)
Team Christina: Jewel (@jeweljk) and Lionel Richie (@LionelRichie)
Paul Telegdy, President, Late Night and Alternative Programming at NBC made the announcement, saying, “These renowned musicians will bring their unique and recognizable musical styles to the teams. They are well-respected singers whose invaluable experience will be a tremendous asset to Christina Aguilera, Cee Lo Green, Adam Levine and Blake Shelton’s artists.”
The Details from NBC:
The battle rounds will pit two artists from each team against each other to sing a duet. At the end of each battle round performance, the artists’ respective coach will decide who among their team will move on to the live shows, and who will be eliminated from the competition.
Aguilera (@TheRealXtina), Green (@CeeLoGreen), Levine (@adamlevine) and Shelton (@blakeshelton) each recruited two music industry giants as advisers to help mentor and prepare six separate artists on their respective teams of 12 for the battle rounds. The artists will receive personal one-on-one training with their coach and adviser as they break down their song selection and stage performance. Each artist will also join their coach and adviser for an intimate conversation whereby they will have the opportunity to ask questions of the superstars before them.
Advisers to Team Christina:
Jewel — Jewel is an acclaimed American singer, songwriter, actress, poet, painter, philanthropist and daughter to an Alaskan cowboy singer-songwriter. From the remote ranch of her Alaskan youth to the triumph of international stardom, the four-time Grammy nominee, hailed by the New York Times as a “songwriter bursting with talents,” has enjoyed career longevity rare among her generation of artists. Whether alone with her guitar or fronting a band of ace musicians, Jewel has always been a charismatic live performer, earning the respect of other singer-songwriters such as Merle Haggard, Bob Dylan and Neil Young, who, not only invited her to open their shows, but mentored her in the early phases of her career. Her singular style and beauty continuously land her on the covers of such diverse magazines as Time, People, Entertainment Weekly, Vanity Fair, In Style, Glamour and Seventeen. The London Times called her “the most sparkling singer songwriter since Joni Mitchell” while Blender crowned her “rock’s sexiest poet.”
Lionel Richie — Richie is an award-winning International singer-songwriter, producer and humanitarian. His touchingly soulful lyrical prowess and crisp, soothing vocals have earned him recognition as one of the most successful and talented balladeers of all time, and he is behind such #1 hits as “Endless Love,” (the iconic duet with Diana Ross) “Truly,” “All Night Long (All Night),” “Hello” and “Say You, Say Me.”
Richie has attained long-standing success and international acclaim and has sailed beyond genre to carve out his mark among the best singer-songwriters of all time. A music legend, he has received numerous awards and sold over 100 million albums worldwide. After gaining international fame and widespread recognition as a notable figure in both music history and music present, Richie is now working on his 10th studio album, Tuskegee, due out in March 2012.
Advisers to Team Cee Lo:
Kenny “Babyface” Edmonds – A 10-time Grammy winner with 11 solo albums of his own, Edmonds’ impeccably crafted explorations of love, romance and relationships have made an indelible imprint on the evolution of contemporary pop music throughout the world. These include over 125 Top-10 R&B and pop hits, 42 #1 R&B hits, and 51 Top-10 pop hits (including 16 #1’s), which have produced single and album sales in excess of over 500 million units worldwide. Just a few of the vocalists from which his music can be heard include Beyoncé, Whitney Houston, Boyz II Men, Mariah Carey, Madonna, Eric Clapton, Mary J. Blige, Michael Jackson, TLC, Toni Braxton, Celine Dion, John Mellencamp, Brandy, Aretha Franklin, Fall Out Boy, Pink, Charlie Wilson, Chrisette Michele and Anthony Hamilton.
Edmonds is the recipient of numerous awards, including the Soul Train Music Awards, BMI Awards, NAACP Image Awards and American Music Awards, and was the recipient of the third BET Walk of Fame Award (previous honorees were Jackson and Houston), and was named BET’s “Entertainer of the Year” at the first Annual BET Awards Ceremony.
Ne-Yo — This Grammy Award-winning singer, songwriter, composer, and producer is one of music’s most talented and prolific artists and a man who needs only one name: Ne-Yo. In less than five years, he’s produced three #1 albums, sold more than 10 million copies worldwide and collaborated with everyone from Michael Jackson to Tim McGraw.
After taking a few years off to work on several films, Ne-Yo’s back with his fourth project, Libra Scale, a stellar effort that’s sure to race up the charts and catapult the R&B superstar to even greater heights.
Advisers to Team Adam:
Alanis Morissette — Since 1995, Morissette has been one of the most influential singer-songwriter-musicians in contemporary music. Her deeply expressive music and performances have earned vast critical praise, 12 Canadian Juno Awards, seven Grammy Awards (with an additional 14 nominations), and sales of over 60 million albums worldwide. Morissette’s 1995 debut, Jagged Little Pill, was followed by such eclectic and acclaimed albums as Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie (1998), MTV Unplugged (1999), Under Rug Swept (2002), So-Called Chaos (2004), Jagged Little Pill Acoustic (2005), her greatest hits album, The Collection (2005), Flavors of Entanglement (2008), as well as musical contributions to theatrical releases. Morissette is currently in the recording studio working on her sixth studio album which is due out this spring. For more information, see www.alanis.com.
Robin Thicke – Thicke’s breakthrough release, 2006’s The Evolution of Robin Thicke, produced the mega-hit “Lost Without U,” which became the #1 most played song in Urban Adult Contemporary BDS and topped four Billboard charts simultaneously as he established himself as one of the most-respected singer-songwriters in soul and R&B music today. By 2007, his awards included the VH1 Soul/Vibe award for Best Breakthrough Artist and nominations from BET (Best Male R&B and Viewer’s Choice), Soul Train (Best R&B Soul Album, Male), MTV VMA (Male Artist of the Year), MOBO (Best Song, “Lost Without U”), the American Music Awards (Favorite Breakthrough Artist) and the ASCAP Song of the Year for “Lost Without You.”
The award-winning multi-platinum superstar returned to center stage in 2008 with Something Else. Debuting at #3 on The Billboard 200, Something Else is Thicke’s highest-charted album to date. Thicke obtained yet another Top-10 hit single with “Magic” hitting #2 on the urban charts. In December 2009, Thicke released Sex Therapy, an album that created a fantasy world of eroticism, while still dealing with the honest struggle a man has with seduction, loneliness and betrayal. The title song, “Sex Therapy,” was hailed by critics as “the sexiest song of the year” and went on to be #1 on the R&B/ Hip Hop charts and also won an ASCAP Rhythm and Soul Award. Thicke recently released his fifth studio album, Love After War.
Advisers to Team Blake:
Kelly Clarkson — Since bursting onto the music scene 10 years ago, Clarkson has released five studio albums (Thankful, Breakaway, My December, All I Ever Wanted and Stronger), sold over 20 million albums worldwide, 10 million albums in the U.S., and has had nine singles in the Top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles Chart. She is the recipient of two Grammy Awards, two American Music Awards, two MTV Awards and 11 Billboard Awards. Clarkson’s most recent effort, Stronger, debuted at #2 on both the Billboard Top 200 and Digital Albums Chart. The album produced the single, “Mr. Know It All,” which marks her ninth Top-10 hit.
Miranda Lambert – Lambert is country’s reigning Female Vocalist of the Year, as bestowed by both the Country Music Association (CMA) and Academy of Country Music (ACM). She’s won the prized Album of the Year trophy from both organizations, as well as from the ACMs, her second record, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, and from the CMAs and ACMs for her third, Revolution.
She received the top country female vocal performance honor at the most recent Grammy Awards for The House That Built Me. She’s also been named one of People magazine’s Most Beautiful People and one of Maxim’s Hottest Women of Country. Lambert recently released her fourth studio album, Four the Record, which debuted at #1 on Billboard’s Top Country Albums Chart and established her as the first country artist in the SoundScan era to have each of her first four albums debut at #1.
Details on The Voice [Courtesy of NBC]:
The show’s innovative format features three stages of competition: the first begins with the blind audition, then the competition enters into a battle phase, and finally, the live performance shows.
During the blind auditions, the decisions from the musician coaches are based solely on voice and not on looks. The coaches hear the artists perform, but they don’t get to see them — thanks to rotating chairs. If a coach is impressed by the artist’s voice, he/she pushes a button to select the artist for his/her team. At this point, the coach’s chair will swivel so that he/she can face the artist he/she has selected.
Once the teams are set, the battle is on. Coaches will dedicate themselves to developing their singers, giving them advice, and sharing the secrets of their success. During the battle rounds the coaches will pit two of their own team members against each other to sing the same song together in front of a studio audience.
After the vocal face-off, the coach must choose which of his/her singers will advance.
At the end of the battle episodes, only the strongest members of each coach’s roster remain and proceed to the live stage shows.
In this final performance phase of the competition, the top artists from each team will compete against each other during a live broadcast. The television audience will vote to save their favorite talent, leaving the coach to decide live who they want to save and who will not move on. In the end, each coach will have one star artist left ready to compete against the other teams’ finalists to be named “The Voice” – the winner will receive the grand prize of a recording contract.
Source: NBC – January 6, 2012
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