Hollywood director James Cameron is set to make Australia his next stop to oversee his ongoing film project after the phenomenal success of Avatar.
The Oscar-winner is presently involved with the $30-million psychological thriller Sanctum that is being shot in Gold Coast.
The Titanic filmmaker, serving as executive producer, praised Australian director Alister Grierson for his talent with the lens.
"I am actually coming down to the set in a couple of weeks, and I am going to stay there through the underwater shoot," Herald Sun quoted Cameron as saying.
"They are doing great. Alister Grierson is a really talented director – his first film was Kokoda. I would be proud if that was my third film," he added.
Showing posts with label Australia. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Australia. Show all posts
Sunday, January 17, 2010
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Ledger's tryst with the Oscars, wins after death
Heath Ledger on Monday became the second actor in Oscar's history to win the coveted award posthumously for his memorable portrayal as the villain 'The Joker' in The Dark Knight.
Ironically, the honours come exactly a year after his tragic death which cut short his promising acting career in Hollywood. The golden statue will go to his 3-year-old daughter Mathilda Rose.
Ledger, who died in January last year at the age of 28, is also the second Australian after Peter Finch to win the Academy trophy. Finch won a posthumous Oscar for his 1976 classic Network.
Ironic but true the tragic star never got the kind of recognition in his lifetime that he is getting after his death for his villainous act in The Dark Knight. In his lifetime, Ledger desperately tried to break away from his chocolate boy image by accepting unusual roles.
The Aussie hunk has already won a posthumous Golden Globe and BAFTA for his role as 'The Joker'. Ledger, born on the April 4, 1979, in Perth. He left school and went to Sydney at 17 in the hope of making it big in the acting world.
He got his first break with Blackrock in 1997 which was a small budget movie about a teenager's struggle. Thereafter, Ledger continued doing small and insignificant roles inTV show Sweat in 1996 where he played the role of a gay cyclist. He also had a small role in Paws in 1997.
The major break-through in his career came with Two Hands in 1999, which was written and directed by Australian director Gregor Jordan. The crime movie was highly acclaimed and helped Ledger secure a role in teen-comedy 10 Things I Hate About You in the same year.
But Ledger was not satisfied as he felt he was being typecast as a romantic actor and moved on to play a serious role in the war drama The Patriot in 2000 where he starred
as Mel Gibson's son.
From 2000 to 2005, Ledger played a host of characters where he was cast both as supporting actor and lead hero. He played the small role of Sonny Grotowski, the son
of Hank Grotowski in Monster's Ball (2000). The lead role in A Knight's Tale in 2001, The Four Feathers an American period film directed by Shekhar Kapur in
2002.
Ledger also starred as Casanova in 2005 based on the life of Giacomo Casanova.In 2001, Ledger won a ShoWest Award as Male Star of Tomorrow. With his gay turn in Brokeback Mountain in 2005, the actor finally got his slice of fame.
In this movie Ledger plays the role of a gay cowboy who has an affair with aspiring rodeo rider Jack Twist, played by Jake Gyllenhaal. The role earned him a Golden Globe and Academy Award nomination for Best Actor category. Ledger also received Best Actor of 2005 awards from both the New York Film Critics Circle and the San Francisco Film Critics Circle for his performance in the film.
After Brokeback Mountain, Ledger played the the character for which he would be best remembered -'The Joker' in The Dark Knight. Ledger was found dead on January 22, 2008 in his apartment in the New York in neighbourhood of SoHo, with a
bottle of prescription sleeping pills nearby.
It was concluded weeks later that he died of an accidental overdose of prescription drugs that included painkillers, sleeping pills and anti-anxiety medication. However, the show is still not over for Ledger, who will be seen in the fantasy time travel movie Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus.
Ironically, the honours come exactly a year after his tragic death which cut short his promising acting career in Hollywood. The golden statue will go to his 3-year-old daughter Mathilda Rose.
Ledger, who died in January last year at the age of 28, is also the second Australian after Peter Finch to win the Academy trophy. Finch won a posthumous Oscar for his 1976 classic Network.
Ironic but true the tragic star never got the kind of recognition in his lifetime that he is getting after his death for his villainous act in The Dark Knight. In his lifetime, Ledger desperately tried to break away from his chocolate boy image by accepting unusual roles.
The Aussie hunk has already won a posthumous Golden Globe and BAFTA for his role as 'The Joker'. Ledger, born on the April 4, 1979, in Perth. He left school and went to Sydney at 17 in the hope of making it big in the acting world.
He got his first break with Blackrock in 1997 which was a small budget movie about a teenager's struggle. Thereafter, Ledger continued doing small and insignificant roles inTV show Sweat in 1996 where he played the role of a gay cyclist. He also had a small role in Paws in 1997.
The major break-through in his career came with Two Hands in 1999, which was written and directed by Australian director Gregor Jordan. The crime movie was highly acclaimed and helped Ledger secure a role in teen-comedy 10 Things I Hate About You in the same year.
But Ledger was not satisfied as he felt he was being typecast as a romantic actor and moved on to play a serious role in the war drama The Patriot in 2000 where he starred
as Mel Gibson's son.
From 2000 to 2005, Ledger played a host of characters where he was cast both as supporting actor and lead hero. He played the small role of Sonny Grotowski, the son
of Hank Grotowski in Monster's Ball (2000). The lead role in A Knight's Tale in 2001, The Four Feathers an American period film directed by Shekhar Kapur in
2002.
Ledger also starred as Casanova in 2005 based on the life of Giacomo Casanova.In 2001, Ledger won a ShoWest Award as Male Star of Tomorrow. With his gay turn in Brokeback Mountain in 2005, the actor finally got his slice of fame.
In this movie Ledger plays the role of a gay cowboy who has an affair with aspiring rodeo rider Jack Twist, played by Jake Gyllenhaal. The role earned him a Golden Globe and Academy Award nomination for Best Actor category. Ledger also received Best Actor of 2005 awards from both the New York Film Critics Circle and the San Francisco Film Critics Circle for his performance in the film.
After Brokeback Mountain, Ledger played the the character for which he would be best remembered -'The Joker' in The Dark Knight. Ledger was found dead on January 22, 2008 in his apartment in the New York in neighbourhood of SoHo, with a
bottle of prescription sleeping pills nearby.
It was concluded weeks later that he died of an accidental overdose of prescription drugs that included painkillers, sleeping pills and anti-anxiety medication. However, the show is still not over for Ledger, who will be seen in the fantasy time travel movie Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus.
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
BBC Sound of 2009: Empire of the Sun
Australian fantasy pop duo Empire of the Sun have come fourth on the BBC's Sound of 2009 list, which features the best bands and singers to watch in the next 12 months.
One act from the top five is being unveiled every day this week, counting down to Friday, when the number one will be revealed.
Empire of the Sun are on a spiritual mission.
Dressed as extras from a psychedelic Star Wars, the duo are on an epic journey to seek out ancient cultures across the globe, searching for inner enlightenment while creating a musical dynasty that will last for ever.
It seems like a tall order. But the ambitious, enigmatic and utterly egotastic Empire of the Sun are dead set on their task.
So their debut album, the story it tells and the places it takes them is "a walk to finding the inner being", singer Luke Steele says. "It's kind of like a spiritual road movie.
"We went to Shanghai and met the emperors, and we went to Mexico and met the Aztecs, and now we're going to Iceland.
"It's now or never and we have to push the limit. There's no holding back and there's nothing to lose. We really want to make something otherworldly and special."
Steele, who also fronts indie group The Sleepy Jackson, has teamed up with Nick Littlemore of electronic outfit Pnau, who is friends with Sir Elton John, has worked with The Killers and been in a band with Ladyhawke.
Together, the pair's 1980s-influenced soft pop synthesisers and blissed-out space beats have already taken them into the Australian top 10.
The music is coupled with a striking image of two colourful, cosmic crusaders that has been inspired by movie characters and rosily-remembered childhood idols.
"We are superheroes. We are Emperor Steele and Lord Littlemore," proclaims the singer.
In the video for their first single, Walking on a Dream, the pair are seen in front of the Shanghai skyline striking overblown, dramatic poses.
Steele grandly waves huge feathers and a big red stick while wearing white face paint, a bright blue oriental frock coat, gold ceremonial neckwear and a tall ornamental crown that looks like it might have been a rather nice lampshade in a former life.
"We've done the band thing, which is great, but we wanted it to be a lot more epic and theatrical," he declares.
"We want to start something a bit bigger than what bands have been for the past 20 years. We want to bring entertainment and colour and positivity and melody back into it."
The album, also called Walking on a Dream, was made over two years between other projects. "I was only ever in town for a night in Sydney, where the studio was, so it was all quite spontaneous," Steele says.
"I'm really good at writing top lines and coming up with chord progressions and production." Littlemore is all of the above plus is "amazing in terms of writing words", the singer says. "He's quite romantic with his words. He's like a beat poet."
The group borrowed their name from a 1984 JG Ballard novel, which was adapted for the screen by Steven Spielberg in 1987.
"We wanted something quite epic," Steele says, citing the history of Chinese emperors and the importance of the sun to the Aztecs.
"And obviously Jesus Christ is the son of God and everything," he adds, slightly inexplicably.
"We were looking for a name and we saw that and it just seemed so fitting."
Steele has become so immersed in the band's mythology that he has even named his daughter, born in October, Sunny Tiger. (The band also have a song called Tiger By Your Side and tigers feature in their graphics.)
The singer now wants to blow the minds of young fans in the same way that pop stars did when he was growing up in the 1980s.
"We're so visual," he says. "We want to make something that as a child you see and you just love because it's so colourful and it's got imagination.
"Music is magic, and with imagination combined it can be completely epic. We've been both on the road doing shows for the last 10 years and we wanted something that's higher - visually, mentally, physically, a bigger level, a bigger vision that can last for ever."
One act from the top five is being unveiled every day this week, counting down to Friday, when the number one will be revealed.
Empire of the Sun are on a spiritual mission.
Dressed as extras from a psychedelic Star Wars, the duo are on an epic journey to seek out ancient cultures across the globe, searching for inner enlightenment while creating a musical dynasty that will last for ever.
It seems like a tall order. But the ambitious, enigmatic and utterly egotastic Empire of the Sun are dead set on their task.
So their debut album, the story it tells and the places it takes them is "a walk to finding the inner being", singer Luke Steele says. "It's kind of like a spiritual road movie.
"We went to Shanghai and met the emperors, and we went to Mexico and met the Aztecs, and now we're going to Iceland.
"It's now or never and we have to push the limit. There's no holding back and there's nothing to lose. We really want to make something otherworldly and special."
Steele, who also fronts indie group The Sleepy Jackson, has teamed up with Nick Littlemore of electronic outfit Pnau, who is friends with Sir Elton John, has worked with The Killers and been in a band with Ladyhawke.
Together, the pair's 1980s-influenced soft pop synthesisers and blissed-out space beats have already taken them into the Australian top 10.
The music is coupled with a striking image of two colourful, cosmic crusaders that has been inspired by movie characters and rosily-remembered childhood idols.
"We are superheroes. We are Emperor Steele and Lord Littlemore," proclaims the singer.
In the video for their first single, Walking on a Dream, the pair are seen in front of the Shanghai skyline striking overblown, dramatic poses.
Steele grandly waves huge feathers and a big red stick while wearing white face paint, a bright blue oriental frock coat, gold ceremonial neckwear and a tall ornamental crown that looks like it might have been a rather nice lampshade in a former life.
"We've done the band thing, which is great, but we wanted it to be a lot more epic and theatrical," he declares.
"We want to start something a bit bigger than what bands have been for the past 20 years. We want to bring entertainment and colour and positivity and melody back into it."
The album, also called Walking on a Dream, was made over two years between other projects. "I was only ever in town for a night in Sydney, where the studio was, so it was all quite spontaneous," Steele says.
"I'm really good at writing top lines and coming up with chord progressions and production." Littlemore is all of the above plus is "amazing in terms of writing words", the singer says. "He's quite romantic with his words. He's like a beat poet."
The group borrowed their name from a 1984 JG Ballard novel, which was adapted for the screen by Steven Spielberg in 1987.
"We wanted something quite epic," Steele says, citing the history of Chinese emperors and the importance of the sun to the Aztecs.
"And obviously Jesus Christ is the son of God and everything," he adds, slightly inexplicably.
"We were looking for a name and we saw that and it just seemed so fitting."
Steele has become so immersed in the band's mythology that he has even named his daughter, born in October, Sunny Tiger. (The band also have a song called Tiger By Your Side and tigers feature in their graphics.)
The singer now wants to blow the minds of young fans in the same way that pop stars did when he was growing up in the 1980s.
"We're so visual," he says. "We want to make something that as a child you see and you just love because it's so colourful and it's got imagination.
"Music is magic, and with imagination combined it can be completely epic. We've been both on the road doing shows for the last 10 years and we wanted something that's higher - visually, mentally, physically, a bigger level, a bigger vision that can last for ever."
Friday, December 19, 2008
Sam Worthington favourite to play the Phantom
Australian actor Sam Worthington is a strong favourite to play the coveted character of the Phantom in the latest movie adaptation of the comic book.
The actor recently won a vote of confidence from the film's screen writer.
Tim Boyle, who has been handed the job of taking the superhero to the big screen in The Ghost Who Walks, is keen to work with fellow Australian, the 'Contactmusic' reported.
The duo had worked together in a low budget action flick Fink and if everything goes well, the pair may be reunited once again.
The two have yet to discuss the role and Boyle has yet to learn from studio chiefs if he will also be allowed to direct the movie.
Worthington's next film is Terminator: Salvation with Christian Bale.
The actor recently won a vote of confidence from the film's screen writer.
Tim Boyle, who has been handed the job of taking the superhero to the big screen in The Ghost Who Walks, is keen to work with fellow Australian, the 'Contactmusic' reported.
The duo had worked together in a low budget action flick Fink and if everything goes well, the pair may be reunited once again.
The two have yet to discuss the role and Boyle has yet to learn from studio chiefs if he will also be allowed to direct the movie.
Worthington's next film is Terminator: Salvation with Christian Bale.
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Actor Hugh Jackman to host Oscars
Australian actor Hugh Jackman will be the host of the 2009 Academy Awards, organisers have announced.
The 40-year-old star has not hosted the event before, although he presented the award for best original score in 2007.
Best known for playing Wolverine in the X-Men films, the actor can currently be seen in Baz Luhrmann's epic Australia.
His involvement marks a change of pace for the ceremony, which in recent years has employed a comedian or comic actor as master of ceremonies.
Last year's event was hosted by Jon Stewart, presenter of satirical US programme The Daily Show.
Musical appearances
Jackman, whose other film credits include Van Helsing and The Prestige, was recently named People magazine's "sexiest man alive".
His presenter experience includes three years as host of the Tony Awards between 2003 and 2005.
He also took home an award in 2004 for his role in Broadway musical The Boy from Oz.
He has also trod the boards in London, playing the lead role in a National Theatre revival of Oklahoma! in the late 1990s.
Early reports had linked British comedian Ricky Gervais to the post, filled in previous years by Billy Crystal, Whoopi Goldberg and the late Bob Hope.
Gervais, though, subsequently distanced himself from the role, saying he feared he might not get the "freedom" he would need.
The 40-year-old star has not hosted the event before, although he presented the award for best original score in 2007.
Best known for playing Wolverine in the X-Men films, the actor can currently be seen in Baz Luhrmann's epic Australia.
His involvement marks a change of pace for the ceremony, which in recent years has employed a comedian or comic actor as master of ceremonies.
Last year's event was hosted by Jon Stewart, presenter of satirical US programme The Daily Show.
Musical appearances
Jackman, whose other film credits include Van Helsing and The Prestige, was recently named People magazine's "sexiest man alive".
His presenter experience includes three years as host of the Tony Awards between 2003 and 2005.
He also took home an award in 2004 for his role in Broadway musical The Boy from Oz.
He has also trod the boards in London, playing the lead role in a National Theatre revival of Oklahoma! in the late 1990s.
Early reports had linked British comedian Ricky Gervais to the post, filled in previous years by Billy Crystal, Whoopi Goldberg and the late Bob Hope.
Gervais, though, subsequently distanced himself from the role, saying he feared he might not get the "freedom" he would need.
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
Kylie Minogue to sing for Rahman
Just her fees and recording of the video will add around Rs 10 crore to the already sky high budget of Blue
Madonna didn’t respond because she was going through a bitter divorce, Rihanna asked for a sum that was not affordable, so finally it is Kylie Minogue who’ll be making history as the first international A-list pop star to lend her voice for a mainstream Bollywood music director.
According to sources, the Australia-born crooner who has sold more than 60 million records, has agreed to sing for AR Rahman. Kylie will be coming to India by January 2009 with her entourage to record the song with Rahman. She has reportedly charged the producers of the film about Rs five crore as her fees ($1 million).
“The song will be recorded for the film Blue, which has Akshay Kumar, Sanjay Dutt and Lara Dutta. The producers also want Kylie to make a music video of the song. In all probability, the song might be shot in Hollywood,” says the source.
The total cost of hosting the star in Mumbai and recording the song and music video could well cost the producers an extra Rs five crore. The company negotiating with Kylie confirmed that they are very close to inking the deal.
“We are negotiating with an international artist. Within two to three weeks, we’ll make a formal announcement,” said Rajnigandha Shekhawat of Nine Winds, which is handling the film’s communications. Sources also revealed that there were a fresh round of negotiations last week. The singer, sources say, is not afraid of visiting Mumbai though she is well aware of the recent terrorist attack.
The production cost of Blue is already hovering around Rs 130 crore - without the expense they are incurring for Kylie’s song. With the last leg of shooting left, at Rs 140 crore-odd, Blue might race past Rajnikanth’s Endhiran to become the costliest film to be produced in India.
Monday, December 8, 2008
Bollywood now eyeing Thailand locales
Bollywood's fascination with foreign locales is not new, but Indian filmmakers seem to have taken a fancy to shooting action movies in Thailand and say it works out cheaper as compared to Europe.
At least two dozen action-adventure films during the past two years have been shot in Thailand.
In fact, recently one couldn't take two steps in Bangkok without running into a Bollywood crew. Among them were the cast and crew of Nikhil Advani's "Chandni Chowk To China", Anthony D'Souza's directorial debut "Blue" and Suniel Shetty's "Loot".
Neil Nitin Mukesh, who has been shooting there for "Freeze", told IANS: "There was so much of Bollywood in Bangkok I was confused whether I was in Mumbai or Bangkok. We did a lot of heavy duty action scenes in Bangkok. I guess the atmosphere there is conducive to crackling and bone-cracking stunts."
A producer has to reportedly shell out about $1,000 per week to shoot in Bangkok, which is much cheaper than in Europe. In terms of airfare too, Thailand is nearer and therefore cheaper.
Is this an indication of geographical aptness or plain practical common sense?
Hansal Mehta thinks it's laziness and lack of imagination that propel all actioners to Bangkok.
Soham Shah, who shot his rugged adventure film "Luck" in South Africa, said: "I think thrillers are shot in places like Bangkok and Thailand because a crime action adventure film needs a dark dingy hectic atmosphere with shady bylanes and alleys.
"Bangkok gives a certain edge to a crime drama. Because it has a history of crime behind it whereas European countries like Switzerland with their green virgin locales lend themselves well to romance."
Director Kunal Kohli, who shot his romantic films "Hum Tum" and "Thoda Pyaar Thoda Magic" in Europe, thinks it's all about economics.
"Action films cost a lot of money. So they anyway need cheaper locations with good infrastructure. You get that in Southeast Asia."
Echoing the same, Sanjay Gadhvi, who shot his actioner "Kidnap" in Mumbai but went to Bangkok for one crucial action scene, said: "Why Bangkok? I'll tell you. It's more economical. Shooting shifts for action films are far more expensive. So costs are cut through cheaper locations."
Added producer Bunty Walia: "South Asian countries have the look, manpower and the expertise to execute complicated action scenes at a comparatively cheaper rate. As for love stories, filmmakers need virginal beauty spots, imposing architecture and super outdoors. Understandably they head for Europe and Australia."
Walia is currently busy with his film "Lamhaa", which is being directed by Rahul Dholakia and stars Bipasha Basu and Sanjay Dutt.
Milan Luthria of "Kachche Dhaage" fame attributes the exodus for action to Southeast Asia to these factors.
"There are so many props required in an action film. There are cars, bikes, chopper and boats to ply and wreck. Action crews are far cheaper in South Africa and Southeast Asia. And since an action film needs a much bigger crew to be transported, the airfare to these countries is relatively cheaper.
"Regarding romance, European and Australian locales are prettier for love and the quality of light in these countries is best for close-ups and other intimate moments," said Luthira.
Anurag Basu's "Murder" was said to be the first film to be shot entirely in Bangkok. Other Hindi movies shot there include "Ek Ajnabee", "Zinda", "Family".
At least two dozen action-adventure films during the past two years have been shot in Thailand.
In fact, recently one couldn't take two steps in Bangkok without running into a Bollywood crew. Among them were the cast and crew of Nikhil Advani's "Chandni Chowk To China", Anthony D'Souza's directorial debut "Blue" and Suniel Shetty's "Loot".
Neil Nitin Mukesh, who has been shooting there for "Freeze", told IANS: "There was so much of Bollywood in Bangkok I was confused whether I was in Mumbai or Bangkok. We did a lot of heavy duty action scenes in Bangkok. I guess the atmosphere there is conducive to crackling and bone-cracking stunts."
A producer has to reportedly shell out about $1,000 per week to shoot in Bangkok, which is much cheaper than in Europe. In terms of airfare too, Thailand is nearer and therefore cheaper.
Is this an indication of geographical aptness or plain practical common sense?
Hansal Mehta thinks it's laziness and lack of imagination that propel all actioners to Bangkok.
Soham Shah, who shot his rugged adventure film "Luck" in South Africa, said: "I think thrillers are shot in places like Bangkok and Thailand because a crime action adventure film needs a dark dingy hectic atmosphere with shady bylanes and alleys.
"Bangkok gives a certain edge to a crime drama. Because it has a history of crime behind it whereas European countries like Switzerland with their green virgin locales lend themselves well to romance."
Director Kunal Kohli, who shot his romantic films "Hum Tum" and "Thoda Pyaar Thoda Magic" in Europe, thinks it's all about economics.
"Action films cost a lot of money. So they anyway need cheaper locations with good infrastructure. You get that in Southeast Asia."
Echoing the same, Sanjay Gadhvi, who shot his actioner "Kidnap" in Mumbai but went to Bangkok for one crucial action scene, said: "Why Bangkok? I'll tell you. It's more economical. Shooting shifts for action films are far more expensive. So costs are cut through cheaper locations."
Added producer Bunty Walia: "South Asian countries have the look, manpower and the expertise to execute complicated action scenes at a comparatively cheaper rate. As for love stories, filmmakers need virginal beauty spots, imposing architecture and super outdoors. Understandably they head for Europe and Australia."
Walia is currently busy with his film "Lamhaa", which is being directed by Rahul Dholakia and stars Bipasha Basu and Sanjay Dutt.
Milan Luthria of "Kachche Dhaage" fame attributes the exodus for action to Southeast Asia to these factors.
"There are so many props required in an action film. There are cars, bikes, chopper and boats to ply and wreck. Action crews are far cheaper in South Africa and Southeast Asia. And since an action film needs a much bigger crew to be transported, the airfare to these countries is relatively cheaper.
"Regarding romance, European and Australian locales are prettier for love and the quality of light in these countries is best for close-ups and other intimate moments," said Luthira.
Anurag Basu's "Murder" was said to be the first film to be shot entirely in Bangkok. Other Hindi movies shot there include "Ek Ajnabee", "Zinda", "Family".
Sunday, December 7, 2008
Heath Ledger honoured in home country
The late Australian actor Heath Ledger has been posthumously honoured with one of his country's top film awards.
Ledger was granted the Australian Film Institute's (AFI) international award for best actor for playing The Joker in the Batman movie, The Dark Knight.
Guests at the awards ceremony in Melbourne's Princess Theatre gave Ledger a standing ovation.
The 28-year-old actor died in January of an accidental overdose of painkillers and other medicines.
His sister Kate accepted the award, accompanied by her parents.
"It has been without a doubt the most difficult year, losing such a loved family member," she said.
"We are so proud of him and humbly accept this award on behalf of his beautiful daughter [Matilda], who we will cherish forever."
The AFI, celebrating its 50th annual award ceremony, paid tribute to Ledger, who was nominated for an Oscar for his role as a gay cowboy in Brokeback Mountain in 2005.
"He was the untamed spirit many of us wish we could be. May the legend live on," said an AFI tribute.
Cate Blanchett won the equivalent award for women for her role in Elizabeth: The Golden Age.
Black Balloon, a drama about a teenage boy learning to live with an autistic brother, won the award for best film.
The film, which opens in the United States this month, also saw Luke Ford and Toni Collette win the awards for best supporting actor and actress.
Its director and co-writer Elissa Down won the awards for best direction and original screenplay.
Ledger was granted the Australian Film Institute's (AFI) international award for best actor for playing The Joker in the Batman movie, The Dark Knight.
Guests at the awards ceremony in Melbourne's Princess Theatre gave Ledger a standing ovation.
The 28-year-old actor died in January of an accidental overdose of painkillers and other medicines.
His sister Kate accepted the award, accompanied by her parents.
"It has been without a doubt the most difficult year, losing such a loved family member," she said.
"We are so proud of him and humbly accept this award on behalf of his beautiful daughter [Matilda], who we will cherish forever."
The AFI, celebrating its 50th annual award ceremony, paid tribute to Ledger, who was nominated for an Oscar for his role as a gay cowboy in Brokeback Mountain in 2005.
"He was the untamed spirit many of us wish we could be. May the legend live on," said an AFI tribute.
Cate Blanchett won the equivalent award for women for her role in Elizabeth: The Golden Age.
Black Balloon, a drama about a teenage boy learning to live with an autistic brother, won the award for best film.
The film, which opens in the United States this month, also saw Luke Ford and Toni Collette win the awards for best supporting actor and actress.
Its director and co-writer Elissa Down won the awards for best direction and original screenplay.
Saturday, December 6, 2008
Britney Spears' 'vulgar' song angers parents
A song from pop star Britney Spears' new album "Circus" has upset parents in Australia as they feel it encourages children to use vulgar language.
According to contactmusic.com, the song "If You Seek Amy" seems harmless on the surface, but some mothers were angry when they heard their children singing the lines. They claim the lyrics spell out "F*** me" and that Spears is courting controversy.
Leonie Barsenbach, a concerned mother, said: "I was astonished and totally taken aback when I heard my five and seven-year-old kids walking around the house singing 'F***'. When I asked them what it was, they told me it was Britney Spears. I was horrified. I got them the 'Circus' album because little kids are Britney fans, but there was no warning on the album...
"Listening to it, it is extremely blatant and offensive. I feel I have been deceived into believing that this was acceptable content for children but instead it is objectionable."
According to contactmusic.com, the song "If You Seek Amy" seems harmless on the surface, but some mothers were angry when they heard their children singing the lines. They claim the lyrics spell out "F*** me" and that Spears is courting controversy.
Leonie Barsenbach, a concerned mother, said: "I was astonished and totally taken aback when I heard my five and seven-year-old kids walking around the house singing 'F***'. When I asked them what it was, they told me it was Britney Spears. I was horrified. I got them the 'Circus' album because little kids are Britney fans, but there was no warning on the album...
"Listening to it, it is extremely blatant and offensive. I feel I have been deceived into believing that this was acceptable content for children but instead it is objectionable."
Beyonce is richest young star with $80 mn
American R&B singer-songwriter, record producer and actress Beyonce Knowles has been named as the richest star under 30 with an estimated $80 million (55 million pound) bank balance.
According to contactmusic.com, Knowles, 27, topped the list of wealthy young celebrities compiled by Forbes magazine, just weeks after she and her rapper husband Jay-Z were named Hollywood's richest couple by the publication.
Pop superstar Justin Timberlake, 27, came second with an earnings of $43 million (30 million pound) followed closely by US basketball player Kobe Bryant with $39 million (26.8 million pound).
Others to have made it to the top 10 in sequential order are LeBron James, Roger Federer, Keira Knightley, Maria Sharapova, Daniel Radcliffe, Miley Cyrus and Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen.
According to contactmusic.com, Knowles, 27, topped the list of wealthy young celebrities compiled by Forbes magazine, just weeks after she and her rapper husband Jay-Z were named Hollywood's richest couple by the publication.
Pop superstar Justin Timberlake, 27, came second with an earnings of $43 million (30 million pound) followed closely by US basketball player Kobe Bryant with $39 million (26.8 million pound).
Others to have made it to the top 10 in sequential order are LeBron James, Roger Federer, Keira Knightley, Maria Sharapova, Daniel Radcliffe, Miley Cyrus and Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen.
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
U.S. Film Deals Still in Place for Shaken Bollywood
Terrorism has cast a shadow over Bollywood, India's Mumbai-based film industry, but as the smoke clears from Wednesday's attacks on Mumbai, Hollywood studios with Indian interests remain committed to the region.
After a gang of as few as 10 men stormed Mumbai with automatic weapons Wednesday, killing 183 people, including 18 foreigners, business in India's financial capital ground to a halt. An additional 239 were wounded, including 22 foreign visitors to the port city of 19 million.
Cinemas, some set to open 20th Century Fox's "Max Payne," closed Thursday and Friday, and many stayed shuttered Saturday as the five-star Taj Mahal Palace & Tower hotel, the Bollywood home to many celebrities and media executives, burned for a third day. Not until Saturday night did Indian commandos finish rooting out the attackers with grenades and rooftop raids at the Taj and other sites throughout the city.
Australian TV actress Brooke Satchwell barely escaped a Taj bathroom with her life as gunmen mowed down guests in a hallway. German media entrepreneur Ralph Burkei, 51, was not so lucky: He leapt from a height at the Taj and died on his way to a hospital.
"(The attacks are) a shocking blow to all of those in India and all of those who do business there," said Pete Smith, the London-based president of NBC Universal International, who has led his company's expansion in Asia and said he regards India as one of its most exciting growth prospects.
Smith, a regular in India thanks to NBC Universal's 26 percent stake in Mumbai- and New Delhi-based channel group NDTV, said travel to Mumbai is out for now, but he intends to fly to New Delhi this week.
HOLLYWOOD CONNECTION
The Mumbai tragedy comes at a time when Bollywood is very much on Hollywood's lips. Mumbai industrialist Anil Ambani recently invested $550 million to back Steven Spielberg's new studio, and a day before the attacks, veteran screenwriter Paul Schrader said he was bound for Mumbai to write and direct the Bollywood action movie "Extreme City." Indie director Jennifer Lynch is making the India-set mystery "Hisss," and Will Smith's Overbrook Entertainment has a deal to produce two movies with Indian entertainment company UTV.
After a gang of as few as 10 men stormed Mumbai with automatic weapons Wednesday, killing 183 people, including 18 foreigners, business in India's financial capital ground to a halt. An additional 239 were wounded, including 22 foreign visitors to the port city of 19 million.
Cinemas, some set to open 20th Century Fox's "Max Payne," closed Thursday and Friday, and many stayed shuttered Saturday as the five-star Taj Mahal Palace & Tower hotel, the Bollywood home to many celebrities and media executives, burned for a third day. Not until Saturday night did Indian commandos finish rooting out the attackers with grenades and rooftop raids at the Taj and other sites throughout the city.
Australian TV actress Brooke Satchwell barely escaped a Taj bathroom with her life as gunmen mowed down guests in a hallway. German media entrepreneur Ralph Burkei, 51, was not so lucky: He leapt from a height at the Taj and died on his way to a hospital.
"(The attacks are) a shocking blow to all of those in India and all of those who do business there," said Pete Smith, the London-based president of NBC Universal International, who has led his company's expansion in Asia and said he regards India as one of its most exciting growth prospects.
Smith, a regular in India thanks to NBC Universal's 26 percent stake in Mumbai- and New Delhi-based channel group NDTV, said travel to Mumbai is out for now, but he intends to fly to New Delhi this week.
HOLLYWOOD CONNECTION
The Mumbai tragedy comes at a time when Bollywood is very much on Hollywood's lips. Mumbai industrialist Anil Ambani recently invested $550 million to back Steven Spielberg's new studio, and a day before the attacks, veteran screenwriter Paul Schrader said he was bound for Mumbai to write and direct the Bollywood action movie "Extreme City." Indie director Jennifer Lynch is making the India-set mystery "Hisss," and Will Smith's Overbrook Entertainment has a deal to produce two movies with Indian entertainment company UTV.
Friday, November 28, 2008
Jada fine with Will's women fans
Actress Jada Pinkett-Smith is fine with the fact that other women lust after husband actor Will Smith.
Thesun.co.uk reports that she has been married to Smith for 11 years now and has never been jealous of his female fans.
She says: "I wouldn't want him if they didn't! "That's the whole point - to be married to one of the most wanted men in the world. Absolutely!"
Pinkett-Smith more recently has played a hippo in an animated film and also the lesbian author Alex Fisher in "The Women".
She loves the controversy and also wishes her love scenes were more explicit.
She added: "That shows range - from Hippo to lesbian! Controversy is always a beautiful thing. I love controversy and I try to fan it as much as I can without having my husband's head pop off! I enjoyed playing a lesbian and I wish I could have been more of a lesbian in the movie, but I wasn't allowed to do that."
Thesun.co.uk reports that she has been married to Smith for 11 years now and has never been jealous of his female fans.
She says: "I wouldn't want him if they didn't! "That's the whole point - to be married to one of the most wanted men in the world. Absolutely!"
Pinkett-Smith more recently has played a hippo in an animated film and also the lesbian author Alex Fisher in "The Women".
She loves the controversy and also wishes her love scenes were more explicit.
She added: "That shows range - from Hippo to lesbian! Controversy is always a beautiful thing. I love controversy and I try to fan it as much as I can without having my husband's head pop off! I enjoyed playing a lesbian and I wish I could have been more of a lesbian in the movie, but I wasn't allowed to do that."
Oscar tribute for Ledger: James Franco
In a tribute to late Australian star Heath Ledger, actor James Franco said Ledger should get Oscar for his realistic performance as 'The Joker' in 'The Dark Knight'.
'The Spiderman' actor said Ledger's character in the film had real emotional depth. He has expressed his views in Variety's 'Contenders' issue, in which actors single out their fellow professionals for praise ahead of Oscar awards season, the Contactmusicreported.
Unusual for a blockbuster film, 'The Dark Knight' second in all-time box office takings, has been widely tipped for Oscar recognition in 2009.
Having starred in a comic book film himself, as Harry Osborn in the 'Spider-Man' films, Franco admitted that Ledger's work in 'The Dark Knight' was "great".
"With any superhero movie villain, everybody is still contending with the huge shadow that Jack Nicholson cast with the first Batman," Franco said.
"His was such an indelible performance. Heath had to be very conscious of it when he and Christopher Nolan went into their movie.
"And they did such an incredible job of getting away from the Nicholson character while being faithful to the idea of the Joker," he added.
Ledger was found dead in his New York City apartment in January, having suffered an accidental overdose of prescription medication.
"Heath wasn't the funniest of Jokers, but certainly the more grounded of villains.
"At least on an emotional level, you could follow why he was doing this stuff; there was real emotional depth," he added.
'The Spiderman' actor said Ledger's character in the film had real emotional depth. He has expressed his views in Variety's 'Contenders' issue, in which actors single out their fellow professionals for praise ahead of Oscar awards season, the Contactmusicreported.
Unusual for a blockbuster film, 'The Dark Knight' second in all-time box office takings, has been widely tipped for Oscar recognition in 2009.
Having starred in a comic book film himself, as Harry Osborn in the 'Spider-Man' films, Franco admitted that Ledger's work in 'The Dark Knight' was "great".
"With any superhero movie villain, everybody is still contending with the huge shadow that Jack Nicholson cast with the first Batman," Franco said.
"His was such an indelible performance. Heath had to be very conscious of it when he and Christopher Nolan went into their movie.
"And they did such an incredible job of getting away from the Nicholson character while being faithful to the idea of the Joker," he added.
Ledger was found dead in his New York City apartment in January, having suffered an accidental overdose of prescription medication.
"Heath wasn't the funniest of Jokers, but certainly the more grounded of villains.
"At least on an emotional level, you could follow why he was doing this stuff; there was real emotional depth," he added.
Is Madonna Becoming Sticky and Sour?
Poor Madonna. The mistress of spin who has so carefully controlled her image ever since she worked every DJ in New York City in the 1980s when she first burst on the scene, no longer appears to be calling all the shots at age 50.
The pop diva had reportedly planned on announcing that her marriage to director Guy Ritchie was over after her Sticky and Sweet tour wrapped. Instead, the announcement came in the middle, and the tour is growing more sour than sweet as it rolls on.
A few hours after the breakup was made public, Madonna opened her show in Boston with the track "I'm Not Sorry," telling the crowd, "That's right, I'm not sorry."
Later she performed "Miles Away," a song she once said was inspired by her often long-distance relationship with Ritchie.
Introducing it, she told the audience, "This song is for the emotionally retarded. Maybe you know some people who fall into that category. I know I do."
Perhaps Madonna's bitterness stems from losing her grip on all things in her world. At a concert in New York earlier this month, she made the following cryptic announcement to the audience: "In exactly 29 moves, the Queen will dump the King."
At the time, she had 29 dates left on her U.S. tour.
Whether it was Ritchie or Madonna who jumped the gun, it's now clear the couple is headed for what could be a bitter divorce and custody battle over their son, Rocco, 8, and adopted son, David Banda, 3.
Even David's father, Yohane Banda, weighed in on the divorce from his home in Malawi. According to British newspaper The Sun, he wondered if David would be better off back home with him. "I am still a poor farmer with nothing to offer, but maybe he would be better off back with us," he said.
Ritchie's father, John, also jumped into the fray. After hearing about Madonna's "emotionally retarded" comments, he lashed out at the Material Girl in the British press. "She is being beastly," he said. "She is saying, 'Did you ever love me?' It goes back to a time when she fell off her horse and she's blaming him for that. She's calling him an emotional retard. When he's being bashed by her it's horrid."
Source : http://www.abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/story?id=6079787&page=1
The pop diva had reportedly planned on announcing that her marriage to director Guy Ritchie was over after her Sticky and Sweet tour wrapped. Instead, the announcement came in the middle, and the tour is growing more sour than sweet as it rolls on.
A few hours after the breakup was made public, Madonna opened her show in Boston with the track "I'm Not Sorry," telling the crowd, "That's right, I'm not sorry."
Later she performed "Miles Away," a song she once said was inspired by her often long-distance relationship with Ritchie.
Introducing it, she told the audience, "This song is for the emotionally retarded. Maybe you know some people who fall into that category. I know I do."
Perhaps Madonna's bitterness stems from losing her grip on all things in her world. At a concert in New York earlier this month, she made the following cryptic announcement to the audience: "In exactly 29 moves, the Queen will dump the King."
At the time, she had 29 dates left on her U.S. tour.
Whether it was Ritchie or Madonna who jumped the gun, it's now clear the couple is headed for what could be a bitter divorce and custody battle over their son, Rocco, 8, and adopted son, David Banda, 3.
Even David's father, Yohane Banda, weighed in on the divorce from his home in Malawi. According to British newspaper The Sun, he wondered if David would be better off back home with him. "I am still a poor farmer with nothing to offer, but maybe he would be better off back with us," he said.
Ritchie's father, John, also jumped into the fray. After hearing about Madonna's "emotionally retarded" comments, he lashed out at the Material Girl in the British press. "She is being beastly," he said. "She is saying, 'Did you ever love me?' It goes back to a time when she fell off her horse and she's blaming him for that. She's calling him an emotional retard. When he's being bashed by her it's horrid."
Source : http://www.abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/story?id=6079787&page=1
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