Chicago – It’s the second week of the 31st edition of the Chicago Latino Film Festival which continues through Thursday, April 23rd, 2015. It concludes on that evening with the musical comedy film “Ciudad Delirio.” All films are at the AMC River East 21 in Chicago.
The energy has been strong so far throughout the festival, with filmmaker appearances, event receptions and representative films from all over the Latino world. The closing night film “Ciudad Delirio” will be followed by a reception at the Embassy Suites Hotel in Chicago. For details and to purchase tickets click here.
’Ciudad Delirio’ is the Closing Night Film at the 31st Chicago Latino Film Festival
Photo credit: Chicago Latino Film Festival
The Closing Night Capsule and the highlights of Week Two are as follows…
Closing Night: “Ciudad Delirio”
Thursday, April 23rd, 6pm
This delightfully romantic, highly energetic, and ultimately fun musical comedy proves that salsa is alive and well in Cali,...
The energy has been strong so far throughout the festival, with filmmaker appearances, event receptions and representative films from all over the Latino world. The closing night film “Ciudad Delirio” will be followed by a reception at the Embassy Suites Hotel in Chicago. For details and to purchase tickets click here.
’Ciudad Delirio’ is the Closing Night Film at the 31st Chicago Latino Film Festival
Photo credit: Chicago Latino Film Festival
The Closing Night Capsule and the highlights of Week Two are as follows…
Closing Night: “Ciudad Delirio”
Thursday, April 23rd, 6pm
This delightfully romantic, highly energetic, and ultimately fun musical comedy proves that salsa is alive and well in Cali,...
- 4/20/2015
- by adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman)
- HollywoodChicago.com
A product of the Disney princess machine. Its highest ambition is to move a new line of toys. Or to evoke despair in the fairy-tale-ization of girls’ lives. I’m “biast” (pro): I’ve enjoyed director Kenneth Branagh’s movies
I’m “biast” (con): I’m so done with princess crap
(what is this about? see my critic’s minifesto)
This is how it begins, the fairy-tale-ization of little girls’ lives. Make sure to get ’em while they’re young, and tell ’em: You don’t need any discernible personality or interest in the world to be successful as a lady. Just “be kind,” even to the point of being a doormat; for god’s sake, don’t make waves or complain, just endure whatever abuse the world throws at you even if you could easily walk away from it. As a reward, eventually, luck and magic will...
I’m “biast” (con): I’m so done with princess crap
(what is this about? see my critic’s minifesto)
This is how it begins, the fairy-tale-ization of little girls’ lives. Make sure to get ’em while they’re young, and tell ’em: You don’t need any discernible personality or interest in the world to be successful as a lady. Just “be kind,” even to the point of being a doormat; for god’s sake, don’t make waves or complain, just endure whatever abuse the world throws at you even if you could easily walk away from it. As a reward, eventually, luck and magic will...
- 3/9/2015
- by MaryAnn Johanson
- www.flickfilosopher.com
Start your job search on the right foot with these templates - Smart Living Actual ways to boost your metabolism - Fitness 12 times the Instagram account F*ckJerry represented your life - Tech Why micellar water is the best cleanser for lazy girls - Beauty The quirky history behind your college food staple: ramen noodles - Food 16 things to know about your hospital stay when you have a baby - Moms The Beauty and the Beast cast share the cutest tweets - Celebrity & News A simple guide to writing your own wedding vows - Love & Sex 6 coffee-table alternatives that will fit right in your home - Home The Empire songs you can't get out of your head - Entertainment Wedding dress trends that may not work Irl - Fashion Video: Steal Emma Stone's beauty tricks with this tutorial - Beauty...
- 3/6/2015
- by Marina-Liao
- Popsugar.com
Congratulations to country singer Jessie James Decker and her husband, New York Jets wide receiver, Eric Decker!
The couple just announced on Instagram that they're expecting their second child together. The latest addition to their family will join daughter Vivianne, who turns one in March.
Photos: The 7 Hottest Celeb-Athlete Power Couples Ever
"Vivianne is so excited because she is going to be a big sister! We are over the moon about having another baby!!!" Jessie, 26, wrote alongside this cute family photo of the Deckers poolside.
Jessie married her 27-year-old NFL star husband in June 2013. The couple starred in two seasons of the E! reality show Eric & Jessie: Game On.
Video: Watch Jessie James Decker Help a Fan Find Wedding Dress Bliss
Last month, Jessie made an appearance on Say Yes to the Dress: Atlanta when she swooped in to help a superfan re-create her wedding look!
Watch the sweet moment below:...
The couple just announced on Instagram that they're expecting their second child together. The latest addition to their family will join daughter Vivianne, who turns one in March.
Photos: The 7 Hottest Celeb-Athlete Power Couples Ever
"Vivianne is so excited because she is going to be a big sister! We are over the moon about having another baby!!!" Jessie, 26, wrote alongside this cute family photo of the Deckers poolside.
Jessie married her 27-year-old NFL star husband in June 2013. The couple starred in two seasons of the E! reality show Eric & Jessie: Game On.
Video: Watch Jessie James Decker Help a Fan Find Wedding Dress Bliss
Last month, Jessie made an appearance on Say Yes to the Dress: Atlanta when she swooped in to help a superfan re-create her wedding look!
Watch the sweet moment below:...
- 3/2/2015
- Entertainment Tonight
Frozen Fever looks like it's going to be a party, and we have your invitation.
Disney revealed that the new short will be about Anna's birthday with Elsa and Kristoff attempting to give her the best celebration ever, but like in Frozen, Elsa's icy powers may be too much for her to handle and could ruin the all the fun.
Will the party freeze over? Here are a few pictures to give you a glimpse of what's to come.
Anna and Elsa are back together, and it looks like Elsa still has her cold magical powers intact.
Disney
News: All About the 'Frozen Fever' Short
And here's what Anna's birthday party looks like.
Disney
Just as we had hoped, our favorite snowman Olaf will be there with some cake.
Disney
News: There's a 'Frozen' Wedding Dress!
The short can be seen on March 13 before Disney's new live-action Cinderella film with Helena Bonham Carter as the Fairy Godmother...
Disney revealed that the new short will be about Anna's birthday with Elsa and Kristoff attempting to give her the best celebration ever, but like in Frozen, Elsa's icy powers may be too much for her to handle and could ruin the all the fun.
Will the party freeze over? Here are a few pictures to give you a glimpse of what's to come.
Anna and Elsa are back together, and it looks like Elsa still has her cold magical powers intact.
Disney
News: All About the 'Frozen Fever' Short
And here's what Anna's birthday party looks like.
Disney
Just as we had hoped, our favorite snowman Olaf will be there with some cake.
Disney
News: There's a 'Frozen' Wedding Dress!
The short can be seen on March 13 before Disney's new live-action Cinderella film with Helena Bonham Carter as the Fairy Godmother...
- 2/3/2015
- Entertainment Tonight
Another "The Bachelorette" has made it down the aisle!
Wedding dress designer Desiree Hartsock was finally a bride herself as she wed Chris Siegfried on Sunday in Palos Verdes, Calif., the couple's rep confirmed to Us Weekly.
"#happysunday," Desiree Tweeted the morning of her big day, as well as a photo with the words "His grace is enough."
Watch: ‘Bachelor’ Chris Soules: Will Jimmy Kimmel Help Him Find Love?
And on Instagram, she posted a photo of the words "Let all you do be done in love."
Chris threw fans off with their scheduled wedding date ...
Copyright 2015 by NBC Universal, Inc. All rights reserved.
This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Wedding dress designer Desiree Hartsock was finally a bride herself as she wed Chris Siegfried on Sunday in Palos Verdes, Calif., the couple's rep confirmed to Us Weekly.
"#happysunday," Desiree Tweeted the morning of her big day, as well as a photo with the words "His grace is enough."
Watch: ‘Bachelor’ Chris Soules: Will Jimmy Kimmel Help Him Find Love?
And on Instagram, she posted a photo of the words "Let all you do be done in love."
Chris threw fans off with their scheduled wedding date ...
Copyright 2015 by NBC Universal, Inc. All rights reserved.
This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
- 1/19/2015
- by access.hollywood@nbcuni.com (AccessHollywood.com Editorial Staff)
- Access Hollywood
While DC and Marvel might already have a lock on several future release dates past the 2015 campaign with the Coen Bros. circling February on their calendars, for the most part, when it comes to American independent and foreign film flavored items, 2016 is still cloudy with a chance of…. 2015 just broke (we already have plenty to look forward to (Top 100 Most Anticipated Foreign Films / Top 25 Most Anticipated Studio Films / Top 100 Most Anticipated American Independent Films – soon!) but we’re already excited about what is in store for several of our favorite auteurs. Here are picks 100 to 6, with our Nicholas Bell providing further analysis on current top five for 2016. Pictured above is Peter Strickland, who sits in our number six spot.
100. Untitled Edward Munch Project – Erik Poppe
99. Bastille Day – James Watkins
98. Live By Night – Ben Affleck
97. Imagine – Benoit Graffin
96. Pete’s Dragon – David Lowery
95. Bella Luna – Ivan Fila
94. Bat, Butterfly, Moth – Sergio Caballero...
100. Untitled Edward Munch Project – Erik Poppe
99. Bastille Day – James Watkins
98. Live By Night – Ben Affleck
97. Imagine – Benoit Graffin
96. Pete’s Dragon – David Lowery
95. Bella Luna – Ivan Fila
94. Bat, Butterfly, Moth – Sergio Caballero...
- 1/16/2015
- by Eric Lavallee
- IONCINEMA.com
He may have found fame in Beverly Hills, 90210, but Ian Ziering has set his sights on another zip code these days. Ziering relocated to New York City to vie for the title on Donald Trump's Celebrity Apprentice. Besides being a clothing entrepreneur - though he's also Chippendales-approved and ready for any tasks that require shirtlessness - Ziering has one major edge one his opponents: Have they ever faced off against a throng of sharks? That is, not in the boardroom … Follow Ziering on Twitter and check back for his exclusive blog posts on People.com after each episode of The Celebrity Apprentice.
- 1/13/2015
- by Ian Ziering, @IanZiering
- PEOPLE.com
He may have found fame in Beverly Hills, 90210, but Ian Ziering has set his sights on another zip code these days. Ziering relocated to New York City to vie for the title on Donald Trump's Celebrity Apprentice. Besides being a clothing entrepreneur – though he's also Chippendales-approved and ready for any tasks that require shirtlessness – Ziering has one major edge one his opponents: Have they ever faced off against a throng of sharks? That is, not in the boardroom …
Follow Ziering on Twitter and check back for his exclusive blog posts on People.com after each episode of The Celebrity Apprentice.
Follow Ziering on Twitter and check back for his exclusive blog posts on People.com after each episode of The Celebrity Apprentice.
- 1/13/2015
- by Ian Ziering, @IanZiering
- People.com - TV Watch
In what turns out to be one of Hollywood’s best-kept secrets, Angelina Jolie reveals that she and Brad Pitt were married ahead of the couple’s lavish August wedding at their estate Chateau Miraval in France.
In an interview with Italian magazine, Io Donna, the 39-year-old actress-turned-director of Unbroken explains that, as Americans, Jolie and Pitt had to make it official in the U.S.
“One day when I was working on Unbroken, I said to Brad: ‘Honey, why don't we meet at 4:30?’” Jolie explains when prompted to reveal a secret about her marriage. “I take a break for an hour, I call a justice of the peace. I run home, we sign the documents, we look and we say: ‘We did it!’
Facebook
Afterward, she went right back to work. “We kept it a secret. I went back to work without a ring on my finger."
Despite the technicality of getting married in the...
In an interview with Italian magazine, Io Donna, the 39-year-old actress-turned-director of Unbroken explains that, as Americans, Jolie and Pitt had to make it official in the U.S.
“One day when I was working on Unbroken, I said to Brad: ‘Honey, why don't we meet at 4:30?’” Jolie explains when prompted to reveal a secret about her marriage. “I take a break for an hour, I call a justice of the peace. I run home, we sign the documents, we look and we say: ‘We did it!’
Afterward, she went right back to work. “We kept it a secret. I went back to work without a ring on my finger."
Despite the technicality of getting married in the...
- 1/9/2015
- Entertainment Tonight
On December 17, El Dia de St. Lazaro, something extraordinary happened! Equivalent to the “Fall of the Wall”, President Barak Obama simultaneously with Raul Castro of Cuba announced that diplomatic relations between our two countries was being restored; the last of the Cuban Five imprisoned for 15 years in the U.S. for spying (on Cuban terrorists based in Miami) would be returned to Cuba in exchange for Alan Gross (imprisoned for 5 years for bringing Cuba forbidden internet technology), and an unnamed CIA agent incarcerated for 20 years, along with other Cuban political prisoners; And that this would be the first step in finally normalizing relations between Cuba and the U.S.A.
Read More: Sydney Levine's First Impression at the 2014 Havana Film Festival
As my friends and I were driving from Trinidad to visit a sugar plantation which was the basis for the Cuban wealth of the 19th century, we got a message that in one hour Raul Castro would make the formal announcement and President Obama’s address would also be broadcast.
As we entered the former plantation home, now a restaurant, we heard the singing and jubilation coming from the bar and immediately joined in as the only Americans to share the joy; the Scotch (not rum) was flowing and the dancing and singing continued until the address came on the television.
I realized that in my 15 years of coming to Cuba, this was the moment I had been waiting for. We watched Raul Castro explain, and we watched President Obama explain, and as I watched the faces of the beautiful Cuban people as they listened, some with tears and others with smiles, all with great intensity, I understood the meaning of “rapprochement”. We turned toward each other in pure happiness and felt ourselves united after 55 years of separation.
This is The Place and I am here.
We knew when the Mercosur Heads of State were gathered under tight security at the Hotel Nacional during the first days of the festival that something was afoot. We heard that not only were they planning a possible counter boycott of U.S. in their upcoming May meeting, shutting out U.S. from attending, but the Hotel Nacional’s guest roster included the name of an American who was negotiating something much bigger.
Some speak of the idealism behind this long-wished-for move of U.S.; others speak of the economic necessity. Looking back at my most incredible year of traveling around Latin America, I understand that with the new expansion of the Panama Canal enabling the huge Chinese container ships to pass through, the most convenient next-stop-port for them is Havana. And from Havana, the most convenient port is not Cartagena or Cali in Colombia but New Orleans! And so we may see the rapprochement bring back the glorious days when music and adventure were equated with the Louisiana-Cuban connection. My hope is that the values held so dear in Cuba spread to U.S. and that we Americans don’t spread our U.S. arrogance when we land on the shores of the country which has managed 55 years with no help from us.
There is still more to this tale of reunion, but I am sworn to secrecy for the moment. But you will read it in papers other than this blog. Thirteen months of secret negotiations took place in Canada with the help of the Pope. At a wonderful dinner at a newly opened up Cuban-Russian restaurant on the Malecon, “Nostrovia”, our friend the restaurant owner, Rolando Almirante, whom we know as a documentary filmmaker and host of a weekly Cuban TV show, introduced us to a Canadian and an American both of whom had been involved with the long negotiations. Together we toasted the event with vodka.
To return to the Hotel Nacional and the festival:
Exceptionally quiet for those political reasons, it was also quiet because but there was none of the active debating over the new Law of Cinema which so excitedly animated the festival here last year. There was a low-key conference about the law of cinema and audiovisual culture held by the Cuban Association of Cinema Press with Fipresci and other invited guests to discuss and express opinions about whether most countries by now have a law of cinema, whether developing countries are planning on establishing a law of cinema, whether a law of cinema is necessary for a country aspiring to a higher level of culture for its population, and in what way would a law contribute to the development of production and to the appreciation of cinema. But you do not see everyone gathering in groups to discuss these ideas as they did last year.
Some of last year’s top filmmakers – producers like Ivonne Cotorruelo and Claudia Calvino are so busy preparing their next coproductions that they have no time for such discussions. Others shrug and resignedly express Cuban forbearance as usual.
I asked my friends what is the status of the law being established here in Cuba where only one law of cinema exists, which is the establishment of Icaic, the government institute that determines everything about film behind closed doors. Their answer was “Nothing”. Nothing has changed since last year. Discussions are continuing, and there will be a law established, but not yet…and so I learned that once the first big step is taken here, the next steps are very slow to follow.
So here is what happened on Day 3, December 7 of the my festival:
Our friend Pascal Tessaud whose short from France “City of Lights” brought him to Los Angeles several years ago, had a screening of his new film “Brooklyn”. Its premiere screening here (It premiered in Cannes’ Acid section earlier this year) was to an odd audience of older people. No doubt they were expecting a film about “Brooklyn” (which used to be the name of a bar in Central Havana) but instead got a film about a young Afro-Swiss rapper-girl named “Brooklyn” who enters the rap scene of Paris, made up of Arabs and Africans.
“Afronorteamericano” films were also spotlighted with Oscar Micheaux’s “Assassination in Harlem” (1935), “Within our Gates” (1920), “Body and Soul” (1926) starring Paul Robeson, “Underworld” (1937), “Swing” (1938), and Spencer William’s “The Blood of Jesus” (1941).
Also showing were North American documentaries “Citizen Koch”, “The Notorious Mr. Bout”, “The Overnighters”, and an homage to filmmaker, Eugene Jarecki (“Capturing the Friedmans” 2003, “Arbitrage” 2012, “The Trials of Henry Kissinger” 2002, “Why We Fight” 2006, Emmy Award winning “Reagan” 2011 and 2012’s “The House I Live In” about the war against drugs which along with “Why We Fight” won the Grand Jury Prize for Best Documentary at Sundance) and a retrospective of Haitian filmmaker Raoul Peck. Trinidad & Tobago’s annual showcase featured “Creole Soup” from Guadalupe and “Legends of Ska” by American DJ and ska specialist Brad Klein. And of course there was the latest crop of new films from Latin America and the newest films from Cuba, and much, much more.
Today Benecio del Toro, a regular at this festival, won the Coral of Honor for his role as “Che” in Steven Soderbergh’s movies and for his role as the narcotraffiker, Pablo Escobar in the NBC miniseries “Drug Wars: The Camarena Story” and here now, as Escobar in “Escobar: Paradise Lost” directed by the Italian Andrea Di Stefano. For Benecio, Cuba is “a dream come true”.
Day 4, December 8.
There seems to be a trend toward films about children. The prize winning film “Conducta” and Cuba’s submission for Academy Award Nomination as Best Foreign Language Film has already won awards around the world including The Coral for Best Picture and Best Actor here in Havana. This young boy loses every government protection because of his family’s dysfunctions and yet he maintains the spirit of survival and transcendence. Another story from Argentina, Poland and Colombia, France and Germany, “Refugiado” directed by Diego Lerman, also deals with a child who returns home from a birthday party to find his mother unconscious on the floor. The mother then flees seeking a safe place for them and he experiences fear in all the formerly secure places he has known. “Gente de Bien” a Colombia-France coproduction directed by Franco Lolli also explores the world of a young boy, abandoned by his mother and placed in the disheveled home of his impecunious father, who is taken in by a teacher who means well but whose family refuses to accept him. This little kid reaches his limit when his dog dies; but thrown back to his caring if off-kilter father, you get the feeling he too will be all right after all.
A couple of new gay films showed: Cuba’s “Vestido de Novia” was so crowded I could not get near it. Lines around blocks and blocks to get into the 1,000 seat theater were incredible proof of how much Cubans love cinema. Winner of last year’s prize for a work-in-progress, “Vestido de Novia” (“Wedding Dress) will soon be on the festival circuit. Two years ago, at Guadalajara’s coproduction market “Cuatro Lunas” by Sergio Tovar Velarde was being pitched. A sort of primer on gayness, four stories tell the tale of 1) discovery of one’s gayness, 2) first gay love, 3) first gay betrayal of love and 4) love at a mature stage of life. Producer Fernando … hung out with us a bit as we all come from L.A. and have friends in common.
What – aside from the new rapprochement between Cuba and U.S.A. – is “good for the Jews”? A wonderful film from Uruguay, Spain and Germany, “Mr. Kaplan” directed by Alvaro Brechner and produced by my most helpful friend Mariana Secco, and my German friends Roman Paul and Gerhard Meixner (Isa: Memento) brought a new understanding for the good and the bad in our recent history. Almost a comedy and almost a tragedy, the film’s resolution served to transform our propensity to see and judge in black and white.
Read More: Sydney Levine's First Impression at the 2014 Havana Film Festival
As my friends and I were driving from Trinidad to visit a sugar plantation which was the basis for the Cuban wealth of the 19th century, we got a message that in one hour Raul Castro would make the formal announcement and President Obama’s address would also be broadcast.
As we entered the former plantation home, now a restaurant, we heard the singing and jubilation coming from the bar and immediately joined in as the only Americans to share the joy; the Scotch (not rum) was flowing and the dancing and singing continued until the address came on the television.
I realized that in my 15 years of coming to Cuba, this was the moment I had been waiting for. We watched Raul Castro explain, and we watched President Obama explain, and as I watched the faces of the beautiful Cuban people as they listened, some with tears and others with smiles, all with great intensity, I understood the meaning of “rapprochement”. We turned toward each other in pure happiness and felt ourselves united after 55 years of separation.
This is The Place and I am here.
We knew when the Mercosur Heads of State were gathered under tight security at the Hotel Nacional during the first days of the festival that something was afoot. We heard that not only were they planning a possible counter boycott of U.S. in their upcoming May meeting, shutting out U.S. from attending, but the Hotel Nacional’s guest roster included the name of an American who was negotiating something much bigger.
Some speak of the idealism behind this long-wished-for move of U.S.; others speak of the economic necessity. Looking back at my most incredible year of traveling around Latin America, I understand that with the new expansion of the Panama Canal enabling the huge Chinese container ships to pass through, the most convenient next-stop-port for them is Havana. And from Havana, the most convenient port is not Cartagena or Cali in Colombia but New Orleans! And so we may see the rapprochement bring back the glorious days when music and adventure were equated with the Louisiana-Cuban connection. My hope is that the values held so dear in Cuba spread to U.S. and that we Americans don’t spread our U.S. arrogance when we land on the shores of the country which has managed 55 years with no help from us.
There is still more to this tale of reunion, but I am sworn to secrecy for the moment. But you will read it in papers other than this blog. Thirteen months of secret negotiations took place in Canada with the help of the Pope. At a wonderful dinner at a newly opened up Cuban-Russian restaurant on the Malecon, “Nostrovia”, our friend the restaurant owner, Rolando Almirante, whom we know as a documentary filmmaker and host of a weekly Cuban TV show, introduced us to a Canadian and an American both of whom had been involved with the long negotiations. Together we toasted the event with vodka.
To return to the Hotel Nacional and the festival:
Exceptionally quiet for those political reasons, it was also quiet because but there was none of the active debating over the new Law of Cinema which so excitedly animated the festival here last year. There was a low-key conference about the law of cinema and audiovisual culture held by the Cuban Association of Cinema Press with Fipresci and other invited guests to discuss and express opinions about whether most countries by now have a law of cinema, whether developing countries are planning on establishing a law of cinema, whether a law of cinema is necessary for a country aspiring to a higher level of culture for its population, and in what way would a law contribute to the development of production and to the appreciation of cinema. But you do not see everyone gathering in groups to discuss these ideas as they did last year.
Some of last year’s top filmmakers – producers like Ivonne Cotorruelo and Claudia Calvino are so busy preparing their next coproductions that they have no time for such discussions. Others shrug and resignedly express Cuban forbearance as usual.
I asked my friends what is the status of the law being established here in Cuba where only one law of cinema exists, which is the establishment of Icaic, the government institute that determines everything about film behind closed doors. Their answer was “Nothing”. Nothing has changed since last year. Discussions are continuing, and there will be a law established, but not yet…and so I learned that once the first big step is taken here, the next steps are very slow to follow.
So here is what happened on Day 3, December 7 of the my festival:
Our friend Pascal Tessaud whose short from France “City of Lights” brought him to Los Angeles several years ago, had a screening of his new film “Brooklyn”. Its premiere screening here (It premiered in Cannes’ Acid section earlier this year) was to an odd audience of older people. No doubt they were expecting a film about “Brooklyn” (which used to be the name of a bar in Central Havana) but instead got a film about a young Afro-Swiss rapper-girl named “Brooklyn” who enters the rap scene of Paris, made up of Arabs and Africans.
“Afronorteamericano” films were also spotlighted with Oscar Micheaux’s “Assassination in Harlem” (1935), “Within our Gates” (1920), “Body and Soul” (1926) starring Paul Robeson, “Underworld” (1937), “Swing” (1938), and Spencer William’s “The Blood of Jesus” (1941).
Also showing were North American documentaries “Citizen Koch”, “The Notorious Mr. Bout”, “The Overnighters”, and an homage to filmmaker, Eugene Jarecki (“Capturing the Friedmans” 2003, “Arbitrage” 2012, “The Trials of Henry Kissinger” 2002, “Why We Fight” 2006, Emmy Award winning “Reagan” 2011 and 2012’s “The House I Live In” about the war against drugs which along with “Why We Fight” won the Grand Jury Prize for Best Documentary at Sundance) and a retrospective of Haitian filmmaker Raoul Peck. Trinidad & Tobago’s annual showcase featured “Creole Soup” from Guadalupe and “Legends of Ska” by American DJ and ska specialist Brad Klein. And of course there was the latest crop of new films from Latin America and the newest films from Cuba, and much, much more.
Today Benecio del Toro, a regular at this festival, won the Coral of Honor for his role as “Che” in Steven Soderbergh’s movies and for his role as the narcotraffiker, Pablo Escobar in the NBC miniseries “Drug Wars: The Camarena Story” and here now, as Escobar in “Escobar: Paradise Lost” directed by the Italian Andrea Di Stefano. For Benecio, Cuba is “a dream come true”.
Day 4, December 8.
There seems to be a trend toward films about children. The prize winning film “Conducta” and Cuba’s submission for Academy Award Nomination as Best Foreign Language Film has already won awards around the world including The Coral for Best Picture and Best Actor here in Havana. This young boy loses every government protection because of his family’s dysfunctions and yet he maintains the spirit of survival and transcendence. Another story from Argentina, Poland and Colombia, France and Germany, “Refugiado” directed by Diego Lerman, also deals with a child who returns home from a birthday party to find his mother unconscious on the floor. The mother then flees seeking a safe place for them and he experiences fear in all the formerly secure places he has known. “Gente de Bien” a Colombia-France coproduction directed by Franco Lolli also explores the world of a young boy, abandoned by his mother and placed in the disheveled home of his impecunious father, who is taken in by a teacher who means well but whose family refuses to accept him. This little kid reaches his limit when his dog dies; but thrown back to his caring if off-kilter father, you get the feeling he too will be all right after all.
A couple of new gay films showed: Cuba’s “Vestido de Novia” was so crowded I could not get near it. Lines around blocks and blocks to get into the 1,000 seat theater were incredible proof of how much Cubans love cinema. Winner of last year’s prize for a work-in-progress, “Vestido de Novia” (“Wedding Dress) will soon be on the festival circuit. Two years ago, at Guadalajara’s coproduction market “Cuatro Lunas” by Sergio Tovar Velarde was being pitched. A sort of primer on gayness, four stories tell the tale of 1) discovery of one’s gayness, 2) first gay love, 3) first gay betrayal of love and 4) love at a mature stage of life. Producer Fernando … hung out with us a bit as we all come from L.A. and have friends in common.
What – aside from the new rapprochement between Cuba and U.S.A. – is “good for the Jews”? A wonderful film from Uruguay, Spain and Germany, “Mr. Kaplan” directed by Alvaro Brechner and produced by my most helpful friend Mariana Secco, and my German friends Roman Paul and Gerhard Meixner (Isa: Memento) brought a new understanding for the good and the bad in our recent history. Almost a comedy and almost a tragedy, the film’s resolution served to transform our propensity to see and judge in black and white.
- 12/27/2014
- by Sydney Levine
- Sydney's Buzz
It began quietly enough. I met with Maria Julia Antuna Acosta, the coordinator of international relations of Eictv, the international film school in Havana which is the most acclaimed international film school of the world founded by Gabriel Garcia Marquez with this Nobel Prize money on land donated by Castro. Eictv is a three year film school hosting students from all over the world where they are creating the possibility of creating companies of former students working together to create real Iberoamerican cinema. The “real” University for cinema is University of the Arts, the subject of the 2012 documentary “Unfinished Spaces”. It is a four year university with a faculty of cinema (along with a faculty of dance, of pictorial arts, architecture and plastic arts).
Day One
I spent the day into the evening with Luisa Crespo, my good friend and a board member of L.A.’s Latino Queer Festival and formerly of Laliff. We are celebrating her new freedom as she has just retired as Director of the Senate of the University of California at Irvine. She has not been back to Cuba since 1975 when, as a student, she came with the Vinceremos Brigade to help build the newly liberated nation. We think it is a momentous occasion for that and for other reasons we will explain later.
I was surprised at the quietness in the Hotel Nacional where the festival headquarters are. The usual cars and cabs parked in the driveway are gone and certain passages in the hotel are blocked off. And the streets in front of the Nacional where our apartment is are very quiet as well, and all the surrounding streets are filled with police. We were flattered to think it was all for the film festival, but it was not.
12:30 after changing money and picking up our festival newspaper, the only way to know which films are playing today and tomorrow, we proceeded to see the Argentinian film about the mix and mixing of cultures taking place in an outdoor market in Buenos Aires. “ La Salada” directed by Juan Martín Hsu is a coproduction of Argentina and Spain. It is a mosaic of experiences for new immigrants in Argentina. Three tales of people from different races who struggle with loneliness and alienation during "La feria de La Salada" weave together to form a very moving and effective dramedy.
In 2013, the sixth year of the Havana Film Festival’s Works in Progress, the Post Production Award, Nuestra América Primera Copia an international competition for films from Latin America and from Cuba went to four films: one from Argentina, “La Salada” which went on to premiere at Toronto International Film Festival 2014 and then San Sebastian International Film Festival 2014; one from Chile, “Yo Soy Lorena”, also screening in the Toronto International Film Festival 2014 and here in Havana; and two from Cuba – independent film, “Venezia” (“Venice”) which was also in the Toronto International Film Festival 2014 and one Icaic film, “Vestido de Novia” (“Wedding Dress”) both screening here as well.
At 3:00, after a soggy pizza in the café Frescas y Chocolate across from the Charlie Chaplin Theater, we went to see “ Los Hongos”, directed by Óscar Ruiz Navia, a Colombia-Argentina-France-Germany coproduction being sold internationally by FiGa Films. This Colombian art house film was produced by Diana Bustamente’sBurning Blue (she is now director of Carthagena Film Festival) and Contravia Films. It was workshopped at the Cannes Cinefondation, funded by World Cinema Fund in Berlin. (30,000 €), Hubert Bals Fund, Ibermedia and seemingly every other European fund that could contribute was beautifully shot in Cali, Colombia and starred two skateboarding, bike-riding graffiti artists whose parents and grandparents you would want in your life. The film premiered in Toronto this year.
“Los Hongos” is beautiful to watch, engaging, funny and also eye-opening to the street culture which is actively engaged in Cali and in the affairs of the world. However, it skirted the edge of “too much of a good thing”, that is, you could almost see the European marks of inspiration shaping the almost gritty world of both poor, Christianized Afro-Colombians and bourgeous but bohemian, educated and left leaning whites living in Cali. The father of the white boy, an art-school student gone rogue, was hyper-political, famous locally as a Neapolitan type singer.
Gustavo Ruiz, who played the father was in Havana and introduced the film. He is an elegant man who deservedly is proud of his work in this film. He attended as many films as possible and while we were watching “El Cerrajero” (“The Lock Charmer”) directed by Natalia Smirnoff, we reintroduced ourselves and set up a time for an interview.
Unfortunately we were unable to get into the next film at the Charlie Chaplin Theater, “Vestido de Novia”, a film which won last year’s Work in Progress Award of Nuevas Miradas of Eictv. The huge lines around two blocks of people anxious to enter the 1,000 seat theater attest to the Cuban’s love of cinema.
Later that night, with our newfound friend, Kyle Walcott of Tobago, a 21 year old film student at the University of the West Indies in Trinidad + Tobago whose short film, “Glass Bottom Boat”, screened as part of trinidad + tobago film festival's annual showcase of Caribbean films here, we had dinner in Castropol, one of the new restaurants along the Malecon overlooking the Caribbean. Afterward we went to dance at Café Cantante and Casa de la Musica. However, because the next day (Sunday) was Day of the Martyrs, dedicated to Antonio Maceo and other heroes who died fighting for freedom in Cuba, all entertainment stopped at midnight, which allowed me to get to bed at a decent hour and actually get eight hours of sleep.
Day Two
This morning we handled the stressful logistics of scheduling our time for the upcoming day and people-hunting at the Nacional, no easy task as few who are not Cuban have cel tels that work here. I introduced Kyle to Anne Cross who comes from Scotland every year to find Cuban films to bring to the U.K. for her Cuban film festival. Anne is the mother of Kyle’s colleague, Nicola Cross, a Trinidadian who works with the t+tff and teaches at the University of West Indies.
We three went off to see the Infanta Theater where Kyle’s “Glass Bottom Boat” will screen. Typical of Havana, there on the street, my friend Rolando Almirante (one of Havana’s foremost documentary filmmakers) called to me. With him was Catherine Murphy of “Maestras” the doc about the teachers who went after the Cuban Revolution to the countryside to teach literacy. They are both on the jury awarding a prize to films concerning violence against women or its solutions. She invited us to go later that night to La Fabrica, a new art space opened by singer-composer X Alfonso’s parents of the group Sintesis to hear a concert.
Later that afternoon we walked on to Callejon de Hamel, a street that looks like a combination of Watts Towers and Berlin’s Tacheles and where every Sunday they have that special Cuban music called Rumba. There we found that because it was Antonio Maceos’ Day of the Martyrs, there would be no rumba there or at Casa de la Musica later. I bought a small but beautiful lithograph called 100% Cuban by a local artist showing on “Jon de Hamel”. We had a Boringa (rum drink) with two locals, talked and then walked home along the Malecon. At the statue of Antonio Maceo we watched local members of the Freemasons and veterans place a memorial wreath. As we approached the Nacional from behind, we discovered limousines and chauffeurs from all the embassies along with a cadre of police dressed in their best ceremonial uniforms quietly waiting while whatever was happening at the hotel continued...
Luisa and I grabbed a bite at the palador Los Amigos (palador is the name of restaurants which operated only semi-legally in earlier days but which are now totally legal). After dinner we went to the Cuban Communist Youth Center, Pabellion Cuba, to see Natalia Smirnoff’s Lock Charmer (El Cerrajero) (Isa: Memento), a lovely art film from Argentina which premiered at Sundance January 2014 and went on to screen in Cartagena Film Festival in March 2014 with three other Argentine features, Natural Sciences (Ciencias Naturales) (Isa: Urban Distribution International) after its Berlinale premiere and also showing here in Havana, The Color That Fell From Heaven (El Color que cayó del cielo ),and The Third Bank of the River (La tercera orilla) after its Berlin premiere and which is showing here as well.
At 10 pm went to La Fabrica, a great art space in a former factory, next to a great palador inside the huge factory chimney itself. There we saw the producer Rosa Bosch who has moved from Mexico to Cuba and her friends including a young producer whose short “The Malecon” we hope to catch. La Fabrica exhibits art, artist-inspired jewelry and other “objets”, like clothes made of recycled tabs that open cans or computer wires, designer chairs and furniture. It has several patio bars and performing areas with great acoustics. In one area, we caught three short acts. One large (and gorgeous) man in a small black and gold beaded dress, high heels and a cowboy hat sang a hot song as he posed and strutted. He was incredibly charismatic and enthralled me with his grace alternating between gorgeous female and gorgeous male. – a true gender bender.
Next an elegant petit black woman in a small red dress sang with great gusto a R&B spoof, going overboard with emotions and the tremor in her voice, exaggerated as she sang her lament. It was a hilarious well done performance. Great entertainment is instantly understandable even though I could not understand the words being sung. And the feeling that “only in Cuba” would someone create acts like these was also strong. The familiarity but at the same time the foreignness of Cuba and its people is a contradiction we constantly experience here.
Later we listened to the concert given by the youngest daughter of the renowned balladeer, Pablo Milanese. Catherine was taken by surprise because she had told us the songs were from her latest album, but what she actually was singing were songs Catherine’s own (ex) husband had written which were all about Catherine and love and Catherine and divorce. What a magical world Cuba offers.
Day Two ended on that high note. Onward to tomorrow and more surprises.
Day One
I spent the day into the evening with Luisa Crespo, my good friend and a board member of L.A.’s Latino Queer Festival and formerly of Laliff. We are celebrating her new freedom as she has just retired as Director of the Senate of the University of California at Irvine. She has not been back to Cuba since 1975 when, as a student, she came with the Vinceremos Brigade to help build the newly liberated nation. We think it is a momentous occasion for that and for other reasons we will explain later.
I was surprised at the quietness in the Hotel Nacional where the festival headquarters are. The usual cars and cabs parked in the driveway are gone and certain passages in the hotel are blocked off. And the streets in front of the Nacional where our apartment is are very quiet as well, and all the surrounding streets are filled with police. We were flattered to think it was all for the film festival, but it was not.
12:30 after changing money and picking up our festival newspaper, the only way to know which films are playing today and tomorrow, we proceeded to see the Argentinian film about the mix and mixing of cultures taking place in an outdoor market in Buenos Aires. “ La Salada” directed by Juan Martín Hsu is a coproduction of Argentina and Spain. It is a mosaic of experiences for new immigrants in Argentina. Three tales of people from different races who struggle with loneliness and alienation during "La feria de La Salada" weave together to form a very moving and effective dramedy.
In 2013, the sixth year of the Havana Film Festival’s Works in Progress, the Post Production Award, Nuestra América Primera Copia an international competition for films from Latin America and from Cuba went to four films: one from Argentina, “La Salada” which went on to premiere at Toronto International Film Festival 2014 and then San Sebastian International Film Festival 2014; one from Chile, “Yo Soy Lorena”, also screening in the Toronto International Film Festival 2014 and here in Havana; and two from Cuba – independent film, “Venezia” (“Venice”) which was also in the Toronto International Film Festival 2014 and one Icaic film, “Vestido de Novia” (“Wedding Dress”) both screening here as well.
At 3:00, after a soggy pizza in the café Frescas y Chocolate across from the Charlie Chaplin Theater, we went to see “ Los Hongos”, directed by Óscar Ruiz Navia, a Colombia-Argentina-France-Germany coproduction being sold internationally by FiGa Films. This Colombian art house film was produced by Diana Bustamente’sBurning Blue (she is now director of Carthagena Film Festival) and Contravia Films. It was workshopped at the Cannes Cinefondation, funded by World Cinema Fund in Berlin. (30,000 €), Hubert Bals Fund, Ibermedia and seemingly every other European fund that could contribute was beautifully shot in Cali, Colombia and starred two skateboarding, bike-riding graffiti artists whose parents and grandparents you would want in your life. The film premiered in Toronto this year.
“Los Hongos” is beautiful to watch, engaging, funny and also eye-opening to the street culture which is actively engaged in Cali and in the affairs of the world. However, it skirted the edge of “too much of a good thing”, that is, you could almost see the European marks of inspiration shaping the almost gritty world of both poor, Christianized Afro-Colombians and bourgeous but bohemian, educated and left leaning whites living in Cali. The father of the white boy, an art-school student gone rogue, was hyper-political, famous locally as a Neapolitan type singer.
Gustavo Ruiz, who played the father was in Havana and introduced the film. He is an elegant man who deservedly is proud of his work in this film. He attended as many films as possible and while we were watching “El Cerrajero” (“The Lock Charmer”) directed by Natalia Smirnoff, we reintroduced ourselves and set up a time for an interview.
Unfortunately we were unable to get into the next film at the Charlie Chaplin Theater, “Vestido de Novia”, a film which won last year’s Work in Progress Award of Nuevas Miradas of Eictv. The huge lines around two blocks of people anxious to enter the 1,000 seat theater attest to the Cuban’s love of cinema.
Later that night, with our newfound friend, Kyle Walcott of Tobago, a 21 year old film student at the University of the West Indies in Trinidad + Tobago whose short film, “Glass Bottom Boat”, screened as part of trinidad + tobago film festival's annual showcase of Caribbean films here, we had dinner in Castropol, one of the new restaurants along the Malecon overlooking the Caribbean. Afterward we went to dance at Café Cantante and Casa de la Musica. However, because the next day (Sunday) was Day of the Martyrs, dedicated to Antonio Maceo and other heroes who died fighting for freedom in Cuba, all entertainment stopped at midnight, which allowed me to get to bed at a decent hour and actually get eight hours of sleep.
Day Two
This morning we handled the stressful logistics of scheduling our time for the upcoming day and people-hunting at the Nacional, no easy task as few who are not Cuban have cel tels that work here. I introduced Kyle to Anne Cross who comes from Scotland every year to find Cuban films to bring to the U.K. for her Cuban film festival. Anne is the mother of Kyle’s colleague, Nicola Cross, a Trinidadian who works with the t+tff and teaches at the University of West Indies.
We three went off to see the Infanta Theater where Kyle’s “Glass Bottom Boat” will screen. Typical of Havana, there on the street, my friend Rolando Almirante (one of Havana’s foremost documentary filmmakers) called to me. With him was Catherine Murphy of “Maestras” the doc about the teachers who went after the Cuban Revolution to the countryside to teach literacy. They are both on the jury awarding a prize to films concerning violence against women or its solutions. She invited us to go later that night to La Fabrica, a new art space opened by singer-composer X Alfonso’s parents of the group Sintesis to hear a concert.
Later that afternoon we walked on to Callejon de Hamel, a street that looks like a combination of Watts Towers and Berlin’s Tacheles and where every Sunday they have that special Cuban music called Rumba. There we found that because it was Antonio Maceos’ Day of the Martyrs, there would be no rumba there or at Casa de la Musica later. I bought a small but beautiful lithograph called 100% Cuban by a local artist showing on “Jon de Hamel”. We had a Boringa (rum drink) with two locals, talked and then walked home along the Malecon. At the statue of Antonio Maceo we watched local members of the Freemasons and veterans place a memorial wreath. As we approached the Nacional from behind, we discovered limousines and chauffeurs from all the embassies along with a cadre of police dressed in their best ceremonial uniforms quietly waiting while whatever was happening at the hotel continued...
Luisa and I grabbed a bite at the palador Los Amigos (palador is the name of restaurants which operated only semi-legally in earlier days but which are now totally legal). After dinner we went to the Cuban Communist Youth Center, Pabellion Cuba, to see Natalia Smirnoff’s Lock Charmer (El Cerrajero) (Isa: Memento), a lovely art film from Argentina which premiered at Sundance January 2014 and went on to screen in Cartagena Film Festival in March 2014 with three other Argentine features, Natural Sciences (Ciencias Naturales) (Isa: Urban Distribution International) after its Berlinale premiere and also showing here in Havana, The Color That Fell From Heaven (El Color que cayó del cielo ),and The Third Bank of the River (La tercera orilla) after its Berlin premiere and which is showing here as well.
At 10 pm went to La Fabrica, a great art space in a former factory, next to a great palador inside the huge factory chimney itself. There we saw the producer Rosa Bosch who has moved from Mexico to Cuba and her friends including a young producer whose short “The Malecon” we hope to catch. La Fabrica exhibits art, artist-inspired jewelry and other “objets”, like clothes made of recycled tabs that open cans or computer wires, designer chairs and furniture. It has several patio bars and performing areas with great acoustics. In one area, we caught three short acts. One large (and gorgeous) man in a small black and gold beaded dress, high heels and a cowboy hat sang a hot song as he posed and strutted. He was incredibly charismatic and enthralled me with his grace alternating between gorgeous female and gorgeous male. – a true gender bender.
Next an elegant petit black woman in a small red dress sang with great gusto a R&B spoof, going overboard with emotions and the tremor in her voice, exaggerated as she sang her lament. It was a hilarious well done performance. Great entertainment is instantly understandable even though I could not understand the words being sung. And the feeling that “only in Cuba” would someone create acts like these was also strong. The familiarity but at the same time the foreignness of Cuba and its people is a contradiction we constantly experience here.
Later we listened to the concert given by the youngest daughter of the renowned balladeer, Pablo Milanese. Catherine was taken by surprise because she had told us the songs were from her latest album, but what she actually was singing were songs Catherine’s own (ex) husband had written which were all about Catherine and love and Catherine and divorce. What a magical world Cuba offers.
Day Two ended on that high note. Onward to tomorrow and more surprises.
- 12/12/2014
- by Sydney Levine
- Sydney's Buzz
Frozen fever is real!
The highest grossing animated film of all time about sisterly love and the bitter cold is one that we wont have to "let go" of just yet.
Disney is releasing an all-new short called Frozen Fever that will feature our favorite Frozen characters including Anna, Elsa, Kristoff and that cute snowman Olaf.
Disney
Disney reveals this of the plot: "In Frozen Fever, it's Anna's birthday and Elsa and Kristoff are determined to give her the best celebration ever, but Elsa's icy powers may put more than just the party at risk."
News: Disney Is Releasing a 'Frozen' Wedding Dress
News of the short comes after Idina Menzel recently confirmed to the Telegraph that a Frozen sequel is "in the works."
The short will debut before Disney's new live-action Cinderella film with Helena Bonham Carter as the Fairy Godmother and Cate Blanchett as the wicked step-mother.
Watch: [link=nm...
The highest grossing animated film of all time about sisterly love and the bitter cold is one that we wont have to "let go" of just yet.
Disney is releasing an all-new short called Frozen Fever that will feature our favorite Frozen characters including Anna, Elsa, Kristoff and that cute snowman Olaf.
Disney
Disney reveals this of the plot: "In Frozen Fever, it's Anna's birthday and Elsa and Kristoff are determined to give her the best celebration ever, but Elsa's icy powers may put more than just the party at risk."
News: Disney Is Releasing a 'Frozen' Wedding Dress
News of the short comes after Idina Menzel recently confirmed to the Telegraph that a Frozen sequel is "in the works."
The short will debut before Disney's new live-action Cinderella film with Helena Bonham Carter as the Fairy Godmother and Cate Blanchett as the wicked step-mother.
Watch: [link=nm...
- 12/3/2014
- Entertainment Tonight
Kaley Cuoco has proven herself a legitimate television actress, starring in two long-running sitcoms and earning a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame all before her 29th birthday. In celebration of her final year in her 20s, we're taking a look back at her illustrious career – with a hidden talent revealed along the way.
Et first met 14-year-old Kaley back in 2000, when she portrayed Maureen McCormick in the TV movie, Growing Up Brady.
Just two years later, she landed a major starring television role as Bridget Hennessy in the ABC sitcom 8 Simple Rules, playing the daughter of late-comedian John Ritter.
"He's just one of the funnest, funniest people," Kaley said of working with her TV dad. "It's really hard for me to get through scenes because of his expressions! He makes me laugh so hard. I just feel so lucky."
Watch: Kaley Cuoco Recycles Real-Life Wedding Dress for Music Video
Kaley also learned a special talent...
Et first met 14-year-old Kaley back in 2000, when she portrayed Maureen McCormick in the TV movie, Growing Up Brady.
Just two years later, she landed a major starring television role as Bridget Hennessy in the ABC sitcom 8 Simple Rules, playing the daughter of late-comedian John Ritter.
"He's just one of the funnest, funniest people," Kaley said of working with her TV dad. "It's really hard for me to get through scenes because of his expressions! He makes me laugh so hard. I just feel so lucky."
Watch: Kaley Cuoco Recycles Real-Life Wedding Dress for Music Video
Kaley also learned a special talent...
- 12/1/2014
- Entertainment Tonight
When Solange tied the knot with her longtime music video director beau Alan Ferguson, the Knowles ladies were right by her side.
Now mom Tina Knowles sits down with Entertainment Tonight's Nancy O'Dell and Kevin Frazier to spill wedding day secrets, including her favorite moment of the New Orleans nuptials and how big sis Beyonce saved the day.
"There wasn't a dry eye on the place," she says of the couple's personalized vows, which were her favorite part of the three-day event. "They were just so heartfelt and I just think the wedding epitomized Solange as a person, and her and Alan's artistic flare."
Watch: See Solange's One-of-a-Kind Wedding Dress!
Tina reveals that despite the congregation's coordinated all-white ensembles, Solange actually opted out of having a traditional bridal party. The highly-publicized group photo in Vogue just captures the star's closest female family and friends.
Solange made more headlines on Tuesday after tweeting a shout out to...
Now mom Tina Knowles sits down with Entertainment Tonight's Nancy O'Dell and Kevin Frazier to spill wedding day secrets, including her favorite moment of the New Orleans nuptials and how big sis Beyonce saved the day.
"There wasn't a dry eye on the place," she says of the couple's personalized vows, which were her favorite part of the three-day event. "They were just so heartfelt and I just think the wedding epitomized Solange as a person, and her and Alan's artistic flare."
Watch: See Solange's One-of-a-Kind Wedding Dress!
Tina reveals that despite the congregation's coordinated all-white ensembles, Solange actually opted out of having a traditional bridal party. The highly-publicized group photo in Vogue just captures the star's closest female family and friends.
Solange made more headlines on Tuesday after tweeting a shout out to...
- 11/19/2014
- Entertainment Tonight
With Helena Bonham Carter as the Fairy Godmother and Cate Blanchett as the wicked step-mother Lady Tremaine, you've never seen Disney's Cinderella like this before.
The first trailer for the live-action fairy tale was released on Wednesday and showcases newcomer Lily James (an Elle Fanning lookalike) and her whimsical acting abilities.
Video: Cate Blanchett On Her Cinderella Moment
James, 25, plays Cinderella in this retelling of the classic story about a servant step-daughter who wins the heart of a prince. And you'll be happy to learn that those glass slippers are "really comfortable," according to Ella's Fairy Godmother.
One of the sweeter lines in the trailer comes from Cinderella's late mother (Hayley Atwell) who gives her daughter some advice before she leaves her. "Have courage, and be kind," she says. "Where there is kindness, there is goodness and where there is goodness, there is magic."
She was right!
News: Disney Is Releases a Frozen Wedding Dress
There's...
The first trailer for the live-action fairy tale was released on Wednesday and showcases newcomer Lily James (an Elle Fanning lookalike) and her whimsical acting abilities.
Video: Cate Blanchett On Her Cinderella Moment
James, 25, plays Cinderella in this retelling of the classic story about a servant step-daughter who wins the heart of a prince. And you'll be happy to learn that those glass slippers are "really comfortable," according to Ella's Fairy Godmother.
One of the sweeter lines in the trailer comes from Cinderella's late mother (Hayley Atwell) who gives her daughter some advice before she leaves her. "Have courage, and be kind," she says. "Where there is kindness, there is goodness and where there is goodness, there is magic."
She was right!
News: Disney Is Releases a Frozen Wedding Dress
There's...
- 11/19/2014
- Entertainment Tonight
Marriage looks good on Angelina Jolie as she covers the Dec. issue of 'Vanity Fair' magazine.
Newlywed Angelina Jolie has never looked better on the cover of Vanity Fair magazine, and it just may be due to her recent "I dos" to Brad Pitt.
Though Pitt and Jolie already have six kids and have been together since 2006, the actress still admits of being a wife, "It does feel different."
Video: See Angelina Jolie's Wedding Dress
She adds, "It feels nice to be husband and wife."
Sharing a bit about their wedding, Jolie recalls to di Giovanni the vows that her children wrote for her and Pitt. "They did not expect us never to fight, but they made us promise to always say, 'Sorry,' if we do," she explains. "So they said, 'Do you?,' and we said, 'We do!'"
Photos: Brad and Angie's Most Matching Moments
Now that they're married, Pitt and Jolie...
Newlywed Angelina Jolie has never looked better on the cover of Vanity Fair magazine, and it just may be due to her recent "I dos" to Brad Pitt.
Though Pitt and Jolie already have six kids and have been together since 2006, the actress still admits of being a wife, "It does feel different."
Video: See Angelina Jolie's Wedding Dress
She adds, "It feels nice to be husband and wife."
Sharing a bit about their wedding, Jolie recalls to di Giovanni the vows that her children wrote for her and Pitt. "They did not expect us never to fight, but they made us promise to always say, 'Sorry,' if we do," she explains. "So they said, 'Do you?,' and we said, 'We do!'"
Photos: Brad and Angie's Most Matching Moments
Now that they're married, Pitt and Jolie...
- 11/4/2014
- Entertainment Tonight
The celebrated designer passed away on Monday.
Iconic fashion designer Oscar de la Renta has passed away at the age of 82, after a long battle with cancer, according to ABC News.
He was reportedly first diagnosed with cancer in 2006.
The Dominican-American designer most recently made headlines for designing Amal Alamuddin's gown for her wedding to George Clooney in September.
Video: Everything You Need to Know About Amal Alamuddin's Wedding Dress
De la Renta came to fame in the 1960s as one of Jacqueline Kennedy's personal couturiers, and established his own fashion house that has stood as one of the pillars of the fashion industry for years.
Oscar de la Renta is survived by his wife Annette de la Renta, three step-children, and his adopted son Moises.
Iconic fashion designer Oscar de la Renta has passed away at the age of 82, after a long battle with cancer, according to ABC News.
He was reportedly first diagnosed with cancer in 2006.
The Dominican-American designer most recently made headlines for designing Amal Alamuddin's gown for her wedding to George Clooney in September.
Video: Everything You Need to Know About Amal Alamuddin's Wedding Dress
De la Renta came to fame in the 1960s as one of Jacqueline Kennedy's personal couturiers, and established his own fashion house that has stood as one of the pillars of the fashion industry for years.
Oscar de la Renta is survived by his wife Annette de la Renta, three step-children, and his adopted son Moises.
- 10/21/2014
- Entertainment Tonight
The songstress opens up about her ex-Taye Diggs and how parents hate her for Frozen.
Idina Menzel is still riding the success of the past year. The songstress made her triumphant return to Broadway in If/Then, starred in Frozen, the top-grossing animated film of all time, and her song "Let It Go" from the film has quite literally become a culture phenomenon.
But, when Et Special Correspondent Jessica Shaw sat down with the 43-year-old, she shared that not everything has been so rosy in her life.
Photos- Biggest Celebrity Splits
"This whole year has been professionally rewarding and fantastic," she admits. "Personally [it has been] a little more challenging and that is the way of life."
While promoting her new holiday album, Holiday Wishes, Idina opened up about her split from Taye Diggs after 10 years of marriage and how she balanced that with her tremendous career successes.
"Thank God I have music and a play that I am in...
Idina Menzel is still riding the success of the past year. The songstress made her triumphant return to Broadway in If/Then, starred in Frozen, the top-grossing animated film of all time, and her song "Let It Go" from the film has quite literally become a culture phenomenon.
But, when Et Special Correspondent Jessica Shaw sat down with the 43-year-old, she shared that not everything has been so rosy in her life.
Photos- Biggest Celebrity Splits
"This whole year has been professionally rewarding and fantastic," she admits. "Personally [it has been] a little more challenging and that is the way of life."
While promoting her new holiday album, Holiday Wishes, Idina opened up about her split from Taye Diggs after 10 years of marriage and how she balanced that with her tremendous career successes.
"Thank God I have music and a play that I am in...
- 10/17/2014
- Entertainment Tonight
On the happiest day of George Clooney and Amal Alamuddin's lives, it was charity that came out as the real winner.
On the happiest day of George Clooney and Amal Alamuddin's lives, it was charity that came out as the real winner.
Photos: Clooney's First Wedding Shots
Exclusive photos of the couple's wedding are rumored to have been sold to People and the British tabloid Hello! for around seven figures, and the money will be donated to charity.
People's 25 exclusive photos include shots of the 30-minute ceremony, the star-studded parties and other candid moments. Hello!'s pictures are a part of their special 40-page report, which goes on sale October 1.
But that's not the only thing that cost seven figures.
News: Everything You Need to Know About Amal's Wedding Dress
Speculation as to the price tag of Clooney's "I do"s has placed it anywhere from $4.6 million to $13 million, as Clooney...
On the happiest day of George Clooney and Amal Alamuddin's lives, it was charity that came out as the real winner.
Photos: Clooney's First Wedding Shots
Exclusive photos of the couple's wedding are rumored to have been sold to People and the British tabloid Hello! for around seven figures, and the money will be donated to charity.
People's 25 exclusive photos include shots of the 30-minute ceremony, the star-studded parties and other candid moments. Hello!'s pictures are a part of their special 40-page report, which goes on sale October 1.
But that's not the only thing that cost seven figures.
News: Everything You Need to Know About Amal's Wedding Dress
Speculation as to the price tag of Clooney's "I do"s has placed it anywhere from $4.6 million to $13 million, as Clooney...
- 9/30/2014
- Entertainment Tonight
Do you want lies with that?
That was the question of the week, as many TV couples opted to go with whoppers instead of a good ol’ truth sandwich. But were your favorites able to stay on their diets? Or did they fall off the wagon while indulging in a little white lie?
Find out in this installment of ‘Ship Shape, TVLine’s recurring feature that tracks the latest developments for series’ hottest duos — and then offers our forecast for each pairing.
Photos | Fall TV Preview: Your Guide to What’s New!
Don’t see your favorite love match represented here?...
That was the question of the week, as many TV couples opted to go with whoppers instead of a good ol’ truth sandwich. But were your favorites able to stay on their diets? Or did they fall off the wagon while indulging in a little white lie?
Find out in this installment of ‘Ship Shape, TVLine’s recurring feature that tracks the latest developments for series’ hottest duos — and then offers our forecast for each pairing.
Photos | Fall TV Preview: Your Guide to What’s New!
Don’t see your favorite love match represented here?...
- 8/25/2014
- TVLine.com
Lifetime’s latest project is “all for you!”
The cabler announced Monday that it has given a six-episode, straight-to-series order to Damien, a sequel drama based on the 1976 horror classic The Omen.
Written and executive-produced by former Walking Dead showrunner Glen Mazzara, Damien follows the adult life of evil Omen child Damien Thorn, who must come to terms with being the Antichrist after growing up unaware of the satanic forces around him.
Related Lifetime’s Saved By the Bell Movie: Watch the First Five Minutes Now
“We are thrilled to be bringing a contemporary version of The Omen’s Damien Thorn back to the screen,...
The cabler announced Monday that it has given a six-episode, straight-to-series order to Damien, a sequel drama based on the 1976 horror classic The Omen.
Written and executive-produced by former Walking Dead showrunner Glen Mazzara, Damien follows the adult life of evil Omen child Damien Thorn, who must come to terms with being the Antichrist after growing up unaware of the satanic forces around him.
Related Lifetime’s Saved By the Bell Movie: Watch the First Five Minutes Now
“We are thrilled to be bringing a contemporary version of The Omen’s Damien Thorn back to the screen,...
- 8/25/2014
- TVLine.com
True Blood may have ended Sunday, wrapping up seven seasons of fang-banging fun, but Sookie Stackhouse’s story is far from over.
Related True Blood Series Finale Recap: Kill Bill?
The HBO drama’s final episode — in which Bill met the true death and Sookie found new love with a mystery man, among other twists — received a largely negative response from fans, garnering a big fat “F” from TVLine readers. But even more than anger, the finale left viewers with a million questions, which showrunner Brian Buckner happily fielded from the press on Monday.
First thing’s first: Who did Sookie end up married to?...
Related True Blood Series Finale Recap: Kill Bill?
The HBO drama’s final episode — in which Bill met the true death and Sookie found new love with a mystery man, among other twists — received a largely negative response from fans, garnering a big fat “F” from TVLine readers. But even more than anger, the finale left viewers with a million questions, which showrunner Brian Buckner happily fielded from the press on Monday.
First thing’s first: Who did Sookie end up married to?...
- 8/25/2014
- TVLine.com
Here’s a video we know you’re going to Cherish.
HBO on Sunday aired the first official teaser for The Comeback‘s highly anticipated return, and it’s definitely something we do want to see.
Related The Comeback Season 2: Scoop on the New DNA, Guest Stars and… a Season 3
Though brief, the teaser captures Lisa Kudrow in all her Valerrific glory, as she’s (sort of) swarmed by paparazzi and her (sort of) adoring fans.
An official premiere date has yet to be announced, but long-suffering fans can take heart knowing that several of their favorite characters will...
HBO on Sunday aired the first official teaser for The Comeback‘s highly anticipated return, and it’s definitely something we do want to see.
Related The Comeback Season 2: Scoop on the New DNA, Guest Stars and… a Season 3
Though brief, the teaser captures Lisa Kudrow in all her Valerrific glory, as she’s (sort of) swarmed by paparazzi and her (sort of) adoring fans.
An official premiere date has yet to be announced, but long-suffering fans can take heart knowing that several of their favorite characters will...
- 8/25/2014
- TVLine.com
Blake Lively opened up about her typically private relationship with husband Ryan Reynolds.
Who wouldn't? Just look at him.
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In a new interview with Marie Claire, Gossip Girl’s Blake Lively opened up about her typically private relationship with husband Ryan Reynolds.
"We've never gone a week without seeing each other. There's no major decision that I make without him. The best part is when we turn off our phones and just talk and hang out. He's my best, best friend. What do you do with your best friend? You do nothing," she tells the magazine about her husband.
News: Blake Lively’s Wedding Dress Catches Fire
When asked about her past claims of wanting 30 kids of her own she stated, "I gotta get started. If I could spit out a litter of kids, I would." Come on Blake, those kids would probably be way too attractive.
She also revealed her husband’s favorite meal is hot-fudge...
Who wouldn't? Just look at him.
<span id="XinhaEditingPostion"></span>
In a new interview with Marie Claire, Gossip Girl’s Blake Lively opened up about her typically private relationship with husband Ryan Reynolds.
"We've never gone a week without seeing each other. There's no major decision that I make without him. The best part is when we turn off our phones and just talk and hang out. He's my best, best friend. What do you do with your best friend? You do nothing," she tells the magazine about her husband.
News: Blake Lively’s Wedding Dress Catches Fire
When asked about her past claims of wanting 30 kids of her own she stated, "I gotta get started. If I could spit out a litter of kids, I would." Come on Blake, those kids would probably be way too attractive.
She also revealed her husband’s favorite meal is hot-fudge...
- 8/12/2014
- Entertainment Tonight
Somehow Kim Kardashian managed to make someone's birthday all about her birthday suit.The "Keeping Up with the Kardashians" star shared a throwback pic via Instagram on Friday from her wedding preps, showing her being dressed by Givenchy's Artistic Director Riccardo Tisci. Kim's pictured topless in the sexy shot, wearing only black sheer stockings as the designer drapes her wedding veil over her. Photos: Kim Kardashian Flaunts Famous Booty In New Wedding Dress Photo."Happy Birthday @riccardotisci17 I love you soooo much!!! Can't wait to celebrate with you tonight!!!!," she captioned the candid snap. Kim does look pretty gorgeous in the photo ... but leave it to her to wish someone a happy b-day with a shot of herself, right?Photos: Kim Kardashian Flaunts Killer Curves in Sexy Bikini Pic.What do you think about Kim's latest TwitPic? Tell toofab in the comment section below and click "Launch Gallery...
- 8/1/2014
- by tooFab Staff
- TooFab
Piper Perabo is off the market!The "Covert Affairs" star married her boyfriend Stephen Kay in New York City over the weekend.The 37-year-old actress looked radiant on her big day, donning a textured metallic Michael Kors gown with a gold veil.Snooki Celebrates Upcoming Wedding with a Great Gatsby-Themed Bridal Shower After the ceremony, the newly-married pair walked to their reception with a New Orleans-style brass band playing music behind them.The couple got engaged in September after working together on the hit USA spy show. Piper recently talked about the challenges of portraying CIA agent Annie Walker while planning a wedding."I'm getting married this Summer, so it's a lot to balance with everything going on," she told Popsugar. "I do have that date clear, [though]." See Jessica Simpson's Wedding Dress, Ring and Groom Eric Johnson This is the first marriage for Perabo, who was last linked to Sam Rockwell,...
- 7/28/2014
- by tooFab Staff
- TooFab
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