World News

Lady Gaga: 'Born This Way download isn't worth more than 99 cents'

2011-06-02T06:44:00.000-07:00

Source: nme.com

Lady Gaga has said she does not believe her new album 'Born This Way' is worth more than 99 cents (60p) when downloaded legally.

Speaking to the Wall Street Journal, the singer responded to a question about whether she believed her new album was worth more than the 99 cents it was then being sold for on Amazon, by saying: "No, I absolutely do not."

She continued: “For MP3s and digital music. It’s invisible. It’s in space. If anything, I applaud a company like Amazon, for equating the value of digital versus the physical copy, and giving the opportunity to everyone to buy music."

Gaga did admit though that the LP wasn't exactly being sold at that price, as Amazon covered the sales loss. She added: "It also wasn’t really 99 cents, because Amazon paid the difference on all of those purchases as part of their promotional campaign."

'Born This Way' was released last Monday (May 23) and has so far shifted over 1.1 million copies in the US and over 220,000 in the UK.

E.coli outbreak in Europe caused by new toxic strain

2011-06-02T05:08:00.000-07:00

Source: Reuters.com

The scientists at the Beijing Genomics Institute, who are collaborating with Germany's University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, completed sequencing the genome of the bacterium in three days after receiving its DNA samples.

"This E. coli is a new strain of bacteria that is highly infectious and toxic," said the scientists at the Beijing Genomics Institute in Shenzhen city in southern China.

They said in a press release on Thursday the bacterium was closely related to another E. coli strain, called EAEC 55989, which was previously isolated in central Africa and known to cause serious diarrhea.

Authorities are still hunting for the source of the new bacteria, which is believed to have contaminated raw vegetables. The E.coli outbreak has so far killed at least 17 people and made more than 1,500 others ill in eight European countries.

University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, one of the largest hospitals in Hamburg, treated many of the infected patients from northGermany and found they did not respond to some of the antibiotics used, the Chinese scientists said.

"The analysis further showed that this deadly bacterium carries several antibiotic resistant genes, including resistance to aminoglycoside, macrolides and Beta-lactam antibiotics: all of which makes antibiotic treatment extremely difficult," the scientists said.

This new strain of also bore the hallmarks of other E. coli strains that are known to cause symptoms such as bloody diarrhea, or hemorrhagic colitis, and hemolytic-uremic syndrome, which affects the kidneys.

E.coli can be passed from person to person but experts say there was no evidence this was happening in any significant numbers in this outbreak.

Health experts are recommending strict hygiene measures such as hand washing and thorough cleaning and cooking of food.

The sequences of this new E. coli strain have been uploaded to the National Center for Biotechnology Information (SRA No: SRA037315.1) and are also available for download at:

ftp://ftp.genomics.org.cn/pub/Ecoli_TY-2482.

Shark Night 3D Trailer

2011-06-02T04:57:00.000-07:00

ABOUT SHARK NIGHT 3D

Directed by: David Ellis
Written by: Will Hayes and Jesse Studenberg
Cast: Sara Paxton, Dustin Milligan, Chris Carmack, Joel David Moore, Katharine McPhee, Sinqua Walls, Donal F. Logue, Joshua Leonard, Alyssa Diaz and Chris Zylka.
Produced by: Mike Fleiss, Lynette Howell and Chris Briggs.
Executive Producer: Douglas Curtis

Synopsis:
A sexy summer weekend turns into a blood-soaked nightmare for a group of college students trapped on an island surrounded by voracious underwater predators in Shark Night 3D, a terrifying thrill ride from director David Ellis (The Final Destination, Snakes On a Plane), featuring a red-hot young cast including Sara Paxton (Superhero Movie, Last House on the Left), Dustin Milligan ("90210," Slither), Chris Carmack ("The O.C."), Joel David Moore (Avatar), Chris Zylka (The Amazing Spider Man) and Katharine McPhee (The House Bunny).
Arriving by boat at her family's Louisiana lake island cabin, Sara (Sara Paxton) and her friends quickly strip down to their swimsuits for a weekend of fun in the sun. But when star football player Malik (Sinqua Walls) stumbles from the salt-water lake with his arm torn off, the party mood quickly evaporates. Assuming the injury was caused by a freak wake-boarding accident, the group realizes they have to get Malik to a hospital on the other side of the lake, and fast.
But as they set out in a tiny speedboat, the college friends discover the lake has been stocked with hundreds of massive, flesh-eating sharks! As they face one grisly death after another, Sara and the others struggle desperately to fend off the sharks, get help and stay alive long enough to reach the safety of dry land.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SharkNight3D

Twitter: http://twitter.com//sharknight3d

Bhindi Baazaar Inc Trailer

2011-06-02T04:44:00.000-07:00

Bhindi Baazaar Inc. is the story of a pawn and his calculated moves to reach the other end of the chessboard. Revolving around vicious crime syndicates, the film starts with a game of chess being played between two characters; 'Shroff' & 'Darzi'. It highlights the ambitious and planned moves of a pawn to reach the other end of the board. Their every move in the game correlates with life in the real world and how people are used or killed as the game progresses. For more updates on the film join http://www.facebook.com/bhindibaazaar or log on to http://www.bhindibaazaarthemovie.com

Sean Kingston on the mend after critical watercraft accident

2011-06-01T21:14:00.000-07:00

Source: Los Angeles Times | Entertainment

Sean Kingston is on the road to recovery after being injured in a watercraft accident over the holiday weekend in Miami.

Kingston and a female passenger were injured when their watercraft crashed into the Palm Island Bridge on Sunday evening. Both were rushed to Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami.

Though the passenger, Cassandra Sanchez, has already been discharged, Kingston remains in critical but stable condition, a rep for the singer told Pop & Hiss on Wednesday.

He is reportedly recovering from water in his lungs, a broken jaw and a fractured wrist and will take six weeks to mend.

Details continued to emerge from the accident as fans and celebs such as Justin Bieber, Rihanna and Serena Williams took to Twitter to send well wishes. Though the accident is still under investigation, alcohol was ruled out as a factor early on.

Sanchez told TMZ that the two were going “really fast” and that she believed he lost control when he tried to avoid the bridge. She also said she has absolutely no intentions on filing any charges against him.

"I know this whole thing was just an accident," Sanchez told TMZ. "I won't be pressing any type of charges or hiring a lawyer. Sean is a good guy."
Kingston’s rep said the singer remains at Ryder Trauma Center at the University of Miami/Jackson Memorial Medical Center.

“Sean's family asks for privacy at this time but is thankful to his friends, family and fans for their outpouring of prayers and well-wishes,” his rep said in a statement.

-- Gerrick D. Kennedy

twitter.com/gerrickkennedy

Photo: Sean Kingston arrives at the 2007 American Music Awards in Los Angeles. Credit: Mario

Lone winner bags P356-M Grand Lotto Jackpot

2011-06-01T21:04:00.000-07:00

Source: GMA News

MANILA, Philippines - A lone winner bagged the over P350,000 million Grand Lotto 6/55 jackpot prize of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) after correctly guessing the six-number combination Wednesday night.

The lucky bettor, who was from Luzon, won P356,552,917.20 for correctly guessing the 09-05-26-30-19-45 combination. Grand Lotto consolation prizes are P150,000 for five winning numbers; P2,000 for four; and P150 for three.

The previous big winner of the 6/55 draw was a 60-year-old male balikbayan, who placed a bet at the Royal Duty Free Mall at the Subic Metropolitan Authority in Olongapo City. He won in November 2010. The Olongapo winner took home P741.176 million.

Lady Gaga's Born This Way sells 1m copies in the US

2011-06-01T07:54:00.000-07:00

Source: guardian.co.uk

Amazon grace ... Lady Gaga's Born This Way receives sales boost from promotion. Photograph: Picture Perfect/Rex Features

Lady Gaga's album Born This Way has sold more than 1m copies during its first week of release in the US.

The album's opening haul of 1,108,000 copies is the best opening week performance since 50 Cent's The Massacre sold 1,141,000 in 2005. It makes Gaga only the fifth female artist to record a 1m-plus sales week.

Initial projections from Universal Music Group, Gaga's label, were modest at around 400,000. However, sales were boosted by AmazonMP3 selling the album at just 99 cents for two days last week. It is estimated that, of the final total, 440,000 sales were from the Amazon offer. Total download sales of 662,000 made it the biggest sales week for a digital album.

In the UK, Born This Way replaced Adele's 21 at No 1 with the biggest opening sales week of the year, outselling the entire top 10 combined.

The album was trailed by a campaign of almost unprecedented scale, including commerical tie-ins with brands including Starbucks to Google Chrome to Metro World News. Fans could even explore the unicorn and crystal-strewn GagaVille, a level on the Facebook game FarmVille.

Lady Gaga is currently working on the video for her single The Edge of Glory.

Endeavour lands for final time

2011-06-01T07:48:00.000-07:00

Source: smh.com.au

SPACE shuttle Endeavour and its six astronauts have returned to Earth, completing the penultimate mission in NASA's 30-year program with a safe middle-of-the-night landing.
Endeavour touched down on the runway a final time under the cover of darkness yesterday just as Atlantis, the last shuttle bound for space, arrived at the launch pad for the grand finale in five weeks.
Commander Mark Kelly brought Endeavour to a stop before hundreds of onlookers that included the four Atlantis astronauts who will take flight in July.
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''One hundred and twenty-two million miles flown during 25 challenging space flights,'' Mission Control told Kelly and his crew, who finished US construction at the International Space Station.

''Your landing ends a vibrant legacy for this amazing vehicle that will long be remembered. Welcome home, Endeavour.''
Kelly replied: ''It's sad to see her land for the last time, but she really has a great legacy.'' He thanked all those who worked on Endeavour over the years.
Kelly's wife, congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, remained at her rehabilitation centre in Houston, where she is recovering from a gunshot wound to the head. A considerably bigger crowd gathered a few hours earlier to see Atlantis make its way to the launch pad, the last such trek ever by a shuttle.
Thousands of Kennedy Space Centre workers and their families lined the route as Atlantis crept out of the Vehicle Assembly Building a little after Florida's Tuesday sunset.
''The show pretty much tells itself,'' Atlantis's commander, Christopher Ferguson, said as he waved towards his ship.
''We're going to look upon this final mission as a celebration of all that the space shuttle has accomplished over its 30-year life span.''
Endeavour's flight lasted 16 days and completed NASA's role in the space station construction that began 12 years ago. AP

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2

2011-06-01T07:36:00.000-07:00

Source: Comingsoon.net

Release Date: July 15, 2011 (3D/2D theaters and IMAX 3D)
Studio: Warner Bros. Pictures
Director: David Yates
Screenwriter: Steve Kloves
Starring: Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, Helena Bonham Carter, Robbie Coltrane, Warwick Davis, Tom Felton, Ralph Fiennes, Michael Gambon, Jason Isaacs, Alan Rickman, David Thewlis, Julie Walters, Bonnie Wright, Kelly Macdonald
Genre: Adventure, Fantasy
MPAA Rating: Not Available
Official Website: HarryPotter.com
Review: Not Available
DVD Review: Not Available
DVD: Not Available
Movie Poster: View here
Production Stills: View here

Plot Summary: In Part 2 of the epic finale, the battle between the good and evil forces of the Wizarding world escalates into an all-out war. The stakes have never been higher and no one is safe. But it is Harry Potter who may be called upon to make the ultimate sacrifice as he draws closer to the climactic showdown with Lord Voldemort. It all ends here.

Watch three new TV spots for the epic finale!

Here

Three Indians on UAE death row return home

2011-05-31T09:11:00.001-07:00

AMRITSAR, India — Three Indian men sentenced to death in the United Arab Emirates for murder returned home on Tuesday after a businessman paid “blood money” to save their lives.

The prisoners were freed in Sharjah after Dubai-based Indian businessman S.P. Singh Oberoi paid 1.8 million rupees ($40,000) as compensation to relatives of an Indian who was killed by the three men in October 2008.

Kashmiri Lal, Trilochan Singh and Pradeep Kumar, sentenced to death in 2009, told reporters in the northern Indian city of Amritsar that they were innocent.

“I paid the blood money to save these men,” Oberoi told AFP at Amritsar airport where the men were welcomed home by their families.

Spy Kids 4: All the Time in the World trailer

2011-05-31T04:49:00.000-07:00

A mother returns to her old profession -- she's a retired spy -- in order to prevent a villain bent on stopping time.

Directed by Robert Rodriguez. With Jessica Alba, Jeremy Piven, Joel McHale,
Antonio Banderas. set to be released on August 19, 2011.

Two New True Blood Posters Online

2011-05-31T04:35:00.000-07:00

HBO has released three new posters for the fourth season of "True Blood" premiering on June 26 at 9pm.

"True Blood" takes place in the not-too-distant future, when vampires have come out of the coffin, thanks to the invention of mass-produced synthetic blood that means they no longer need humans as a nutritional source. Alan Ball created and executive produces the show, based on the best-selling Sookie Stackhouse novels by Charlaine Harris.

Titles and Release Dates Announced for the Hobbit Films!

2011-05-31T04:00:00.000-07:00

New Line Cinema, Warner Bros. Pictures and MGM have announced the titles and release dates for filmmaker Peter Jackson's two-film adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien's enduringly popular masterpiece "The Hobbit." The first film, titled The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, will be released on December 14, 2012. The second film, titled The Hobbit: There and Back Again, is slated for release the following year, on December 13, 2013.

Both films are set in Middle-earth 60 years before Tolkien's "The Lord of the Rings," which Jackson and his filmmaking team brought to the big screen in the blockbuster trilogy that culminated with the Oscar®-winning The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King. The adventure of "The Hobbit" follows the journey of title character Bilbo Baggins, who is swept into an epic quest to reclaim the lost Dwarf Kingdom of Erebor from the fearsome dragon Smaug.

Under Jackson's direction, both movies are being shot consecutively in digital 3D using the latest camera and stereo technology. Filming is taking place at Stone Street Studios, Wellington, and on location around New Zealand.

Ian McKellen returns as Gandalf the Grey, the character he played in "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy, and Martin Freeman, who just won a BAFTA TV Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role in the BBC series "Sherlock," takes on the central role of Bilbo Baggins. Also reprising their roles from "The Lord of the Rings" movies are: Cate Blanchett as Galadriel; Orlando Bloom as Legolas; Ian Holm as the elder Bilbo; Christopher Lee as Saruman; Hugo Weaving as Elrond; Elijah Wood as Frodo; and Andy Serkis as Gollum. The ensemble cast also includes (in alphabetical order) Richard Armitage, Jed Brophy, Adam Brown, John Callen, Stephen Fry, Ryan Gage, Mark Hadlow, Peter Hambleton, Stephen Hunter, William Kircher, Sylvester McCoy, Bret McKenzie, Graham McTavish, Mike Mizrahi, James Nesbitt, Dean O’Gorman, Lee Pace, Mikael Persbrandt, Conan Stevens, Ken Stott, Jeffrey Thomas and Aidan Turner.

The screenplays for "The Hobbit" films are by Fran Walsh, Philippa Boyens, Guillermo del Toro and Peter Jackson. Jackson is also producing the films, together with Fran Walsh and Carolynne Cunningham. The executive producers are Ken Kamins and Zane Weiner, with Philippa Boyens serving as co-producer.

"The Hobbit" films are productions of New Line Cinema and MGM, with New Line managing production. Warner Bros Pictures is handling worldwide theatrical distribution, with select international territories as well as all international television licensing being handled by MGM

Mavs, Heat look ahead to NBA finals

2011-05-31T03:44:00.000-07:00

Miami's LeBron James and Dwyane Wade, and Dirk Nowitzki and Jason Kidd of Dallas, offer their thoughts on the NBA finals, which get underway Tuesday in Miami.

Over 100 Libyan army members defect from Gaddafi

2011-05-31T03:37:00.001-07:00

By Deepa Babington – Mon May 30, 1:58 pm ET
ROME (Reuters) – Eight high-ranking Libyan army officers appeared in Rome on Monday saying they were part of a group of as many as 120 military officials and soldiers who had defected from Muammar Gaddafi's side in recent days.
The eight officers -- five generals, two colonels and a major -- spoke at a hastily-called news conference organised by the Italian government, which is one of a handful of countries that has recognized the Libyan rebel movement fighting Gaddafi as the legitimate representative of the Libyan people.
"What is happening to our people has frightened us," said one officer, who identified himself as General Oun Ali Oun.
"There is a lot of killing, genocide ... violence against women. No wise, rational person with the minimum of dignity can do what we saw with our eyes and what he asked us to do."
Another officer, General Salah Giuma Yahmed, said Gaddafi's army was weakening day by day, with the force reduced to 20 percent of its original capacity.
"Gaddafi's days are numbered," said Yahmed.
Libyan U.N. ambassador Abdurrahman Shalgam, who has also defected from Gaddafi, said all 120 military personnel were outside Libya now but did not say where they were.
Earlier, Al Arabiya television said 120 Libyan officers had arrived in Rome. The Libyan ambassador to Rome, yet another defector, said only the eight present at the news conference were in the Italian capital.
The defectors said they escaped Libya over its western border into Tunisia via crossings controlled by the rebels.
"This will create its own momentum against Gaddafi, increasing the pressure on him," British-based Libyan opposition activist and editor Ashour Shamis said on the defections.
Each defection was the result of a combination of factors, said Noman Benotman, another opposition activist who works as an analyst for Britain's Quilliam Foundation think tank.
But the latest group had been spurred largely by tensions, Benotman said, arising from the appointment of what he called newcomers to senior positions in the security services.
The behavior of these men, many of them relatively youthful Gaddafi loyalists in their mid-30s, had stirred anger and dismay among the army's officer ranks, who regarded their actions as overbearing and brutal, Benotman said.
"The army officers feel they are being watched all the time. They feel uncomfortable because they feel a lack of trust. So at the first chance of defection they took it," he said.
He added that many of the newly appointed senior security officials were Gaddafi relatives.

'The Hangover Part II' Biggest Five-Day Opening Ever for an R-rated Pic

2011-05-30T23:35:00.000-07:00

Not only did Warner Bros.' The Hangover Part II score the best opening of all time for a comedy at the domestic box office, it grossed the most of any R-rated film in its first five days.

"Hangover," debuting last Thursday on the eve of the long Memorial Day weekend, earned $137.4 million through Monday. That beats the $134.3 million earned by Warner's "The Matrix Reloaded" in its first five days.

The movie's performance marks a milestone for Hollywood, proving that comedies can become summer event pics, and do as well as superhero franchises. In addition to breaking several key records, "Hangover" also nabbed the fourth-best opening ever for Memorial Day.

Memorial Day comes as troops fight in Afghanistan

2011-05-30T08:39:00.000-07:00

KABUL, Afghanistan – U.S. troops fighting in Afghanistan paused Monday to remember the fallen in Memorial Day services, as a war nearly a decade old trudges on.

Some prayed and held flag-raising ceremonies at dawn to recognize the more than 1,400 killed in combat here since the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks that triggered the war.

"We reflect on those who have gone before us. We reflect on their service and their sacrifice on behalf of our great nation," said Brig. Gen. Lewis A. Craparotta, who commands a Marine division in Afghanistan's southern Helmand province. "We should also remember those serving today who embody that same commitment of service and sacrifice. They are committed to something greater than themselves and they muster the physical and moral courage to accomplish extraordinary feats in battle."

In Iraq, an estimated 46,000 U.S. troops remain stationed there though officials say combat operations are over in a nation that saw more than 4,400 American troops die in combat. Under an agreement between Washington and Baghdad, the troops still in Iraq must leave by Dec. 31.

Black Hawk helicopters churned through the night sky Sunday as a strong wind coming over Kabul's surrounding mountains blew against the flickering candles that cast an orange glow on those gathered for a remembrance ceremony at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' headquarters.

Earlier in the day, those working there enjoyed one of their five days off a year from building police stations, dams and other projects in a nation torn by decades of war. Col. Thomas Magness, 47, of Los Angeles, California urged the more than 100 corps employees and U.S. troops gathered there to remember the meaning of Memorial Day — advice that could carry home to America.

"While we were playing volleyball today, no doubt some soldier gave the ultimate sacrifice," the corps commander said.

Memorial Day, instituted to honor America's war dead, will be observed Monday with a public holiday. This Memorial Day comes before the 10-year anniversary of the Sept. 11 terror attacks, which ultimately brought U.S. troops into Afghanistan to unseat the Taliban government and hunt terrorist leader Osama bin Laden.

"Our country got attacked, and we're here to fight the war on it," said Roger Nowicki of the corps.

While Navy SEALs shot and killed bin Laden earlier this month in neighboring Pakistan, the U.S.-led war here continues. President Barack Obama plans to draw down U.S. troops beginning in July, while NATO has committed to handing over control of security in the country to Afghans by 2014.

In the meantime, the war grinds on toward its 10th year. The sharp pangs of loss are visible on some attending the event, like Maj. Erica Iverson, 33, of Vermillion, South Dakota. She spoke of serving as a casualty assistance officer after the 2010 death of Staff Sgt. Adam Dickmyer of Winston-Salem, North Carolina, who once served as a sentinel at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington Cemetery.

Iverson's voice choked as she recounted how Dickmyer's mother fell off her chair in grief when her son's body returned to the U.S. His widow chased after the casket, screaming: "Don't leave me!"

"His wife has an empty house," Iverson said. "His entire unit came home today, and he didn't come with them."

Iverson said speechwriters for Obama called her in recent days, saying the president may honor Dickmyer in remarks on Memorial Day.

Increasingly skeptical American and Afghan publics question why U.S. and NATO forces remain there. The Taliban recently begun its spring offensive, as suicide bombings, roadside explosions and attacks in remote posts have returned with a frightening regularity.

"You don't get used to it because you're in a war zone," said civilian corps worker George S. Triggs, 54, of Louisville, Kentucky. "You learn to tolerate it and do the best you can."

Yet the worst stress, some acknowledged, is that of family members waiting at home for their loved ones to return. Lt. Col. Jon Chytka, 44, of Tabor, South Dakota recounted having to explain to his 5-year-old daughter why he had to leave.

He gave this answer: "I told her that before she was born, there were 19 people who killed 3,000."

Westwick draws Tybalt in 'Romeo'

2011-05-30T07:33:00.000-07:00

'Gossip Girl' star to play cousin in Fellowes' adaptation

"Gossip Girl" star Ed Westwick is in final negotiations to play Tybalt in a new adaptation of William Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet."

Italian filmmaker Carlo Carlei is directing from a script by Julian Fellowes ("Gosford Park").

Hailee Steinfeld is set to star as Juliet, while Holly Hunter was recently cast as the Nurse, who effectively raised Juliet and serves as a go-between for her and Romeo, who has not yet been cast.

Westwick will play Tybalt, Juliet's hot-tempered cousin who is always quick to draw his sword.

Former New Line execs Ileen Maisel and Mark Ordesky are producing with Gabriele Muccino and Fellowes.

Production is scheduled to start this summer in Italy.

Westwick is coming off a supporting turn in Clint Eastwood's "J. Edgar," which Warner Bros. is slated to release Dec. 14. Thesp's commitment to the CW's "Gossip Girl" is not expected to interfere with "Romeo and Juliet's" shooting schedule. Westwick is repped by WME and Affirmative Entertainment.

Angelina Jolie's Directorial Debut Lands U.S. Distributor (Cannes)

2011-05-30T07:28:00.000-07:00

UPDATED: FilmDistrict sets Dec. 23 release date for "In the Land of Blood and Honey."

CANNES -- FilmDistrict has been tapped to release Angelina Jolie’s feature directorial debut In the Land of Blood and Honey, which is now slated to open Dec. 23 in the U.S.

The pact was announced Sunday in Cannes by Graham King and his producing partner Tim Headington, together with Peter Schlessel, CEO of FilmDistrict, the new production and distribution company that GK Films launched last year.
GK Films also produced the film, which Jolie wrote as well as directed.
Land is set against the backdrop of the Bonsian Civil War in the 1990s, and Jolie said, “The film is specific to the Bosnian War, but it’s also universal. I wanted to tell a story of how human relationships and behavior are deeply affected by living inside a war.”
It stars Zana Marjanovic (Snow), Goran Kostic andRade Serbedzija (In the Rain). Jolie worked with a completely local cast, filming the project in both Serbo-Croation, the language spoken at the time of the war, and English. FilmDistrict will be releasing the English-language version.
“The former Yugoslavia has a rich history of dramatic arts. The cast was extraordinary. I was privileged and honored to work with them and I am very excited for everyone to see their immense talent,” Jolie added.

The project reteams Jolie with King, who produced last year’s thriller The Tourist, in which she starred with Johnny Depp.
“Working with Angelina on this film and story has been a great collaboration and I am extremely proud of this film,” said King. “The filmmaking is impeccable, and signals the arrival of a visceral and compelling storyteller.”
GK Films has several other titles that will also be released stateside in the fall: The Rum Diary, starring Depp, will be released by FilmDistrict on Oct. 28, and Martin Scorsese’s foray into 3D,Hugo Cabret, will be distributed by Paramount on Nov. 23.
Jolie, who has been in Cannes this week to promote DreamWorks Animation’s Kung Fu Panda 2, in which she voices the character of the Trigress, directed the 2007 documentary A Place in Time before making her current move into helming a narrative feature.

Cullen and Ellis join 'Dark Knight'

2011-05-30T07:22:00.000-07:00

Exclusive: Christopher Nolan's longtime casting director John Papsidera must have seen "Apollo 13" recently, as veteran character actors Brett Cullen and Chris Ellis are set to round out the ensemble of Warner Bros. and Legendary Pictures' tentpole "The Dark Knight Rises."
Cullen will play a judge, while Ellis will play a priest.

Duo joins Matthew Modine, Tom Conti, Joey King, Daniel Sunjata, Diego Klattenhoff and Burn Gorman as newcomers to the superhero franchise. All of their castings were first reported by Variety.

"The Dark Knight Rises" is skedded for release on July 20, 2012.

Cullen, best known for his recurring role as an Other on ABC's "Lost," recently played Nicolas Cage's father in "Ghost Rider" and Dakota Fanning's father in "The Runaways." Thesp will soon be seen as Chris Hemsworth's dad in "Red Dawn," and also co-stars in the upcoming Fox 2000 release "Monte Carlo."

Ellis is no stranger to working with A-list directors, having appeared in Steven Spielberg's "Catch Me If You Can," Tim Burton's "Planet of the Apes" and Michael Bay's "Transformers."

Cullen is repped by Domain Talent and Lovett Management, while Bauman, Redanty & Shaul reps Ellis.

Fire breaks out during pro baseball game

2011-05-30T07:15:00.000-07:00

Sing it with me: The roof! The roof! The roof is on fire!
Thousands might have dusted off that old-school hit at Dodger Stadium on Saturday night as it appeared that the roof literally was on fire in the right-field upper deck. Smoke began billowing into the seating area of the ballpark during the fifth inning of the Los Angeles Dodgers' 6-1 loss to the Florida Marlins.
Thousands of fans were moved from the affected sections and relocated to another part of the stadium. (As L.A. Times reporter Steve Dilbeck pointed out, there were plenty of empty sections to move to, with an announced crowd of 29,971 on hand.)
No one was evacuated from the park, but some reportedly suffered from smoke irritation. The smoke wafted from the upper tiers of the ballpark down to the lower levels, and eventually reached center field. Marlins outfielder Chris Coghlan(notes) definitely noticed something wrong in the air.
From the Palm Beach Post:
"I could smell that smoke and I was like, 'That ain't a hot-dog stand.' Then I saw this huge puff and I said, 'Oh, my God, this place is on fire and we're still playing,' " [he] said.
No, it wasn't a hot dog stand ablaze.
According to the Los Angeles Fire Department, the fire originated from a small warehouse below the reserved level. Officials on the scene said a small fire of paper products was the cause of the smoke, and was put out by firefighters in 20 minutes.
The stadium's public address announcer informed the crowd of the situation during the sixth inning, assuring them that the fire was under control and there was no need to evacuate the ballpark.
Ultimately, it was yet another bizarre incident in a season full of off-the-field embarrassment for the Dodgers.

The Muppets - Official FuzzyPack Teaser Trailer

2011-05-28T08:51:00.000-07:00

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With the help of three fans, the Muppets must reunite in order to save their old studio from a greedy oil tycoon.

Director: James Bobin
Writers: Jim Henson (characters), Jason Segel (screenplay), and 1 more credit »
Stars: Amy Adams, Jason Segel and Chris Cooper

Happy Feet 2 - Official Teaser Trailer

2011-05-28T08:50:00.000-07:00

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Director: George Miller
Writer: George Miller
Stars: Elijah Wood, Robin Williams and Pink

'The Perfect Host' Trailer

2011-05-28T08:48:00.001-07:00

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Movie Release Date:
1 July 2011

Synopsis for movie "The Perfect Host":

Warwick Wilson is the consummate host. He carefully prepares for a dinner party, the table impeccably set and the duck perfectly timed for 8:30 p.m. John Taylor is a career criminal. He's just robbed a bank and needs to get off the streets. He finds himself on Warwick's doorstep posing as a friend of a friend, new to Los Angeles, who's been mugged and lost his luggage. As the wine flows and the evening progresses, we become deeply intertwined in the lives of these two men and discover just how deceiving appearances can be. With outstanding performances by David Hyde Pierce and Clayne Crawford, cowriter/director Nick Tomnay takes us on a suspense-filled ride where nothing is as it seems. THE PERFECT HOST is a slippery psychological thriller that exposes true human nature and reveals just how far we're willing to go to satisfy our needs.

The Whistleblower Trailer 2011

2011-05-28T08:47:00.001-07:00

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Synopsis Inspired by actual events, Kathy (Academy Award(R) winner Rachel Weisz) is an American police officer who takes a job working as a peacekeeper in post-war Bosnia. Her expectations of helping to rebuild a devastated country are dashed when she uncovers a dangerous reality of corruption, cover-up and intrigue amid a world of private contractors and multinational diplomatic doubletalk. Directed by first time filmmaker Larysa Kondracki, the film also stars Academy Award winner Vanessa Redgrave, Monica Bellucci and Academy Award nominee David Strathairn.
Genre: Drama
Director: Larysa Kondracki
Cast: Rachel Weisz, Vanessa Redgrave, Monica Bellucci, David Strathairn
In theaters: August 5th, 2011