Tag Archives: japan

Mickey Mouse in North Korea; Wolverine Sets Japanese Cast: Biz Break

Also in Monday afternoon’s round-up of news briefs, Drafthouse Films picks up a lauded film festival circuit doc for U.S. release. James Franco has tapped an Outfest filmmaker to make a ‘Homo-Sex-Art-Film.’ And rounding things out, casting news for a pair of projects. Drafthouse Films Picks Up The Ambassador The dark comic documentary that exposes the corrupt business of selling diplomatic titles to exploit lucrative and limited resources of war-torn third world countries has been picked up by Drafthouse Films, the film distribution label of the Alamo Drafthouse Cinema. The film by Mad Brugger ( Red Chapel ) was financed by filmmaker Lars von Trier’s production company Zentropa. Around the ‘net… Mickey Mouse and Winnie the Pooh Put on Show for N. Korean Leader Disney did not approve the characters that appeared in a concert attended by North Korea’s new 20-something leader Kim Jong-un at an official event last week. Mickey, Minnie, Pooh and Tigger made appearances and footage from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs and Dumbo played in the background. Western references in any North Korean event has been unheard of until now and had been strictly forbidden, ABC News reports . Wolverine Sets Japanese Cast Fox’s 2013 summer tentpole starring Hugh Jackman has set additional cast. The studio won’t discuss details but Japanese actors Hiroyiki Sanada ( The Last Samurai ), Hal Yamanouchi ( Sinbad of the Seas 0 and two newcomers Tao Okamoto and Rila Fukushima are set to star in the film. The story is based in Japan, Comingsoon.net reports . James Franco to Collaborate on a “Homo-Sex-Art-Film” The 127 Hours star is joining filmmaker Travis Mathews on a new project. He wrote on his website that that he received an email from Franco’s agent about possibly working together on a ‘homo-sex-art-film’ and that they soon got on the phone and a week later they were in pre-production. The filmmaker’s indie I Want Your Love played Outfest, Vulture reports . Keri Russell to Star in Thriller Dark Skies She will play the lead in the supernatural thriller, written and directed by Scott Stewart. The film has comparatively a modest budget than producers Blumhouse’s earlier Insidious and Paranormal Activity , Deadline reports . Brie Larson Boards Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s Don Jon’s Addiction The 21 Jump Street and Rampart star has joined the project which will be Gordon-Levitt’s directorial debut. He will star as a porn-addict trying to be a better person after meeting a widowed older woman, played by Julianne Moore.. Larson will play his sister, Variety reports .

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Mickey Mouse in North Korea; Wolverine Sets Japanese Cast: Biz Break

Emily Blunt May Do Prada Sequel, Prometheus & Hunger Games Stars Head to South: Biz Break

In Tuesday evening’s round up of news briefs, Emily Blunt teased she would consider the second Devil Wears Prada under one condition. Also, the Austin Film Festival added details on its October event while Outfest rounds out its upcoming edition next month. The Avengers passes a domestic high water mark and Catherine Keener is set for role opposite Mark Ruffalo. Austin Film Festival Unveils First Round of Panels D.C. vs. Marvel, Hollywood Horror Stories, Crowd Funding Your Indie Film and Writing for Video games are among the topics that will be discussed at the 19th Austin Film Festival taking place October 18 – 25. Among this year’s participants so far are Shane Black ( Iron Man 3), Paul Feig ( Bridesmaids ), Saca Gervasi ( Anvil: The Story of Anvil ), Michael Green ( The Green Lantern ), and Damon Lindelof ( Prometheus ). For more details, visit the festival’s website . Outfest 2012 Adds to its 30th Edititon Outfest, the Los Angeles Gay & Lesbian Film Festival will screen a never before seen episode of ABC’s comedy Happy Endings with cast members and creators present. Also added to the festival’s line up is Eytan Fox’s acclaimed Israeli film, Yossi , the sequel to the director’s hit Yossi and Jagger . Around the ‘net… Avengers Passes $600M in U.S. The mega-hit crossed the $600 million mark in the domestic box office. It is currently number three in the world in the box office and it has yet to open in Japan, Deadline reports . Catherine Keener Joins Mark Ruffalo in Can a song Save Your Life? Keener will play Mark Ruffalo’s estranged wife in the drama directed by Once filmmaker John Carney. She joins Keira Knightley, Mark Ruffalo, Hailee Steinfeld and Adam Levine on board the project, THR reports . Emily Blunt May Be In for Another Devil Wears Prada She said she “might be interested” in another go around playing Miranda Priestly’s spirited assistant Emily Charlton in the sequel to the comes-drama. She noted that Meryl Streep said she’d do it if she didn’t have to lose the “f***king weight,” and agreed. Huff Post reports . Prometheus and The Hunger Games Stars Set for Indie Son of the South Rafe Spall ( Prometheus ) and Jacqueline Emerson ( The Hunger Games ) will star in the new indie drama by Barry Alexander Brown with Spike Lee on board to executive produce. Based on Bob Zellner’s autobiography chronicling the author’s life in Alabama where he grew up as a son of a minister and a grandson of a KKK member before joining the Civil Rights movement, Variety reports .

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Emily Blunt May Do Prada Sequel, Prometheus & Hunger Games Stars Head to South: Biz Break

Eddie Van Halen Explains Postponed Tour Dates

‘We bit off more than we could chew,’ Van Halen guitarist tells USA Today. By Kara Warner Eddie Van Halen Photo: Frazer Harrison/ Getty Images So what’s the real story behind those canceled Van Halen concerts? Fans have been speculating about the band’s cryptic announcement about the postponed dates last month , and thanks to Eddie Van Halen’s recent interview with USA Today, we have an answer. “We bit off more than we could chew,” Eddie Van Halen told the newspaper frankly. “This record took a lot out of us. And we went on tour earlier than we wanted to so we could play Madison Square Garden [in March, before the venue’s scheduled renovation], and that threw the schedule out of whack.” Van Halen said a lot of the canceled dates on their A Different Kind of Truth Tour were in cities they’d already played. “So in November, we’ll hit Japan, and in the New Year, we’ll possibly do something special,” he teased. “But I can’t talk about it.” Something he could talk about were rumors that the band had to cancel their concert dates because their members, particularly fiery frontman David Lee Roth, were fighting again, which Van Halen straight-up denied. “Dave’s the same as he’s always been, funny, witty,” Van Halen said of Roth. “Sometimes I can only take that in small doses, because he just goes on and on,” he added with a laugh. “But Dave always lands on his feet.” The reunion tour with Roth and Van Halen’s 21-year-old son Wolfgang kicked off February 18 and will play a total of 40 shows on this leg. Related Artists Van Halen

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Eddie Van Halen Explains Postponed Tour Dates

Cannes Bans Controversial Comedy The Anti-Semite

A year after Lars von Trier was publicly castigated for making a Hitler joke at Cannes , the festival has banned a controversial comedy by French comedian/provocateur Dieudonné. Entitled The Anti-Semite , the film was scheduled to play not in the official festival but in the Cannes Film Market, but outrage over its content — including mockery of Auschwitz and Dieudonné in Nazi dress — led the organization to scrap screenings. According to Agence France-Presse, the film includes “images deriding Auschwitz,” “Dieudonne’s violent and alcoholic character dressed as a Nazi officer for a fancy dress party,” and “Holocaust denier Robert Faurisson [appearing] as himself.” Produced by the Iranian Documentary and Experimental Film Center, The Anti-Semite stars Dieudonné, who has been charged numerous times for violating European laws with his controversial statements and performances, including one recent show in France that was halted mid-performance by authorities “for breaking local defamation laws.” As for the Cannes screening, the Cannes Film Market’s Jerome Paillard explained the move thusly: “Our general conditions ban the presence of all films threatening public order or religious convictions, as well as pornographic films or those inciting violence.” [ AFP via The Wrap ]

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Cannes Bans Controversial Comedy The Anti-Semite

REVIEW: Is Chernobyl Diaries Offensive? No, It’s Just Dumb

The premise of Chernobyl Diaries , in which a group of twentysomething tourists are menaced by malevolent beings while paying a visit to Pripyat, the abandoned Ukrainian town that used to house workers at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant, has been described by some as uncomfortably exploitative of a real-life tragedy. But real-life tragedies bleed through into horror cinema all the time — the genre is frequently a reflection of subconscious dread and anxiety, from the nuclear detonation-born Godzilla menacing a Japan less than a decade after the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, to the monster that attacked New York in Cloverfield , 54 years later, in a wash of imagery reminiscent of 9/11. The problem with Chernobyl Diaries isn’t that it’s offensive, it’s that it’s dumb — a run-of-the-mill low-budget flick focused on killing off stupid, pretty young things slowly enough to fill out 90 minutes. Directed by Bradley Parker, who worked as a visual effects supervisor on Let Me In , Chernobyl Diaries  is produced and based on a story by Oren Peli, the creator of the Paranormal Activity franchise and ABC series The River . With the exception of an intro and a clip found on a camera explaining what happened to two of the characters, it isn’t part of the found-footage subgenre Peli has made his own, though sometimes it could use the excuse — the film has loose, jerky camerawork that sometimes seems meant to evoke something shot by a panicky observer, though the effect is more likely a practical one meant to obscure the baddies from full view. The monsters are mutants twisted by radiation, as far as we’re told, and it’s for the better that we don’t ever get a good look at them. They lurk in the darkness, outlined in doorways and briefly illumined in flashlight beams, and they’re creepy enough to seem worthy of the film’s greatest effect, its setting. Composed of abandoned brutalist tower blocks and industrial areas, the film’s version of Pripyat (it wasn’t shot there, though you can indeed take a tour of the actual town these days) is ghostly, all remnants of abruptly abandoned lives and packs of wild dogs roaming the streets. “Nature has reclaimed its rightful home,” tour guide Uri (Dimitri Diatchenko) intones to his customers, but there’s no sense of renewal, only of a place burnt out and forever warped. Uri is the best of the batch of Pripyat wanderers, a solid former special forces soldier turned extreme-tourism business owner. Diatchenko conveys the reassuring professionalism needed to convince visitors of his trustworthiness while also making it clear that his gig is a little sketchy. But the tourists themselves are just awful mutant-fodder. There’s the primary four Americans, brothers Chris (Jesse McCartney) and Paul (Jonathan Sadowski) along with Natalie (Olivia Dudley) and Amanda (Devin Kelley), plus Australian backpacker Michael (Nathan Phillips) and his Scandinavian girlfriend Zoe (Ingrid Bolsø Berdal). They have their sibling and romantic tensions, which aren’t really worth describing — all you need to know is that these are the type of characters who always  go into the darkest, scariest room because they need to see what’s there, who split up and who stop to bicker or indulge in a freak-out instead of running away as any sane person would. They are, in other words, the interchangeable, irrational characters who invariably populate horror movies, the kind so cleverly mocked in Cabin in the Woods , and despite the specificity of Chernobyl Diaries ‘ setting, it is really just another generic horror movie reliant on jump scares and ridiculous behavior to carry the action through to the end. The only noteworthy aspect of the film’s three travelers and one dedicated expat is that they aren’t especially ugly Americans. They’re entitled and rude at times, sure, but there’s not the sense of panicked paranoia that fed the likes of  Hostel and  Turistas , that feeling that everyone in the rest of the world secretly does want to kill us. In Chernobyl Diaries , the only sentiment that lingers is one of grinding practicality — that the film is set in Eastern Europe not because it has any larger point to make about the area or the tragedy it uses as a jumping-off point, but simply because it’s so affordable to shoot movies there. Follow Alison Willmore on Twitter . Follow Movieline on Twitter .

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REVIEW: Is Chernobyl Diaries Offensive? No, It’s Just Dumb

Cannes Film Festival: Our Top 10 Must-See Movies

Films from Robert Pattinson (‘Cosmopolis’) and Kristen Stewart (‘On the Road’) have us pumped, along with eight others. By Kevin P. Sullivan Robert Pattinson in “Cosmopolis” Photo: Alfama Films Hollywood is officially headed to the French Riviera for the 65th Cannes Film Festival, which kicks off Wednesday. With so much of the attention Stateside focused squarely on the “Rob and Kristen Factor,” we thought it would be helpful to take a look at the lineup and share the films we are most excited about at the upcoming festival. Here are our top 10 most anticipated movies at the Cannes Film Festival: 10. “The Paperboy” This adaptation of the Peter Dexter novel marks Lee Daniels’ first film since making it big on the indie scene with “Precious.” “The Paperboy” promises a different direction for Daniels, telling the story of a reporter (John Cusack) who travels back to his home town to investigate a death-row case. 9. “Reality” Director Matteo Garrone made waves at Cannes in 2008 with his hyper-real look at Neapolitan organized crime, “Gomorrah,” which won the Grand Jury Prize that year. For this year’s festival, he returns with “Reality,” a look at the way we perceive life since the dawn of reality television. 8. “Cosmopolis” Robert Pattinson’s name alone has drawn much attention to this in-competition film, but the true nature of its intrigue lies with its director, David Cronenberg. With his adaptation of Don DeLillo’s novel, Cronenberg, with the help of Pattinson, of course, looks to be revisiting the bizarre aesthetics and subject matters that made him famous in the 1980s. We’ve been waiting for this one ever since it won the MTV Movie Brawl 2012 back in January. 7. “Like Someone in Love” “Certified Copy,” the previous film from Iranian director Abbas Kiarostami, earned Juliette Binoche a best actress award at Cannes in 2010, but the film itself is one of the best examples of pure art-house filmmaking in the past few years. With “Like Someone in Love,” Kiarostami shifts his focus from Italy to Japan but keeps the same entry point of a man and a woman who may or may not know each other. 6. “Amour” “The White Ribbon,” Michael Haneke’s previous film tangentially about the saplings of fascism in Germany, wowed audiences on the Croisette in 2009, and “Amour” seems poised to do the same. The film tells the story of Georges and Anne, an octogenarian couple whose bond comes under strain after one of them suffers an attack. 5. “On the Road” Similar to “Cosmopolis,” “On the Road” has drawn a great deal of attention because it features a “Twilight” star, in this case Kristen Stewart, but she only makes up an element of this insanely star-studded Jack Kerouac adaptation, which also stars Sam Riley, Garrett Hedlund, Kirsten Dunst, Viggo Mortensen and Terrence Howard. 4. “Lawless” Formerly known as “Wettest County,” this Southern-set prohibition crime film boasts a cast featuring Tom Hardy, Shia LaBeouf, Jessica Chastain, Gary Oldman and Guy Pearce and a critical darling of a director, John Hillcoat. The recently released trailer looks strong, and Hillcoat’s pedigree alone (his previous films include “The Proposition” and “The Road”) make this a must-see for the festival. 3. “Rust and Bone” A film about a whale trainer who loses a leg to an orca doesn’t necessary seem like Palme d’Or material, but “Rust and Bone” comes from director Jacques Audiard, who took the Grand Jury Prize in 2009 with the impressive “A Prophet,” and it stars Marion Cotillard as the unfortunate trainer. 2. “Killing Them Softly” It wouldn’t be surprising if you haven’t seen “The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford,” but it would certainly be unfortunate. The western starring Brad Pitt and Casey Affleck debuted and left theaters quietly, but since 2007, the film has slowly gained a reputation as a modern classic. As director Andrew Dominik’s first film since “Jesse James,” “Killing Them Softly” stands out as both his reunion with Pitt and his much-anticipated follow-up. 1. “Mud” A writer/director may take a few films to nail down their voice and storytelling identity, but with his first two movies, Jeff Nichols has not only established himself as a serious filmmaker, but also one of the most exciting auteurs working today. Those films, “Shotgun Stories” and “Take Shelter,” are two genuine masterpieces of American filmmaking, and we look forward to his third feature film “Mud,” starring Matthew McConaughey and Reese Witherspoon. For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com . Related Photos Cosmopolis Teaser: 5 Key Scenes ‘On The Road’

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Cannes Film Festival: Our Top 10 Must-See Movies

White PlayStation Vita Releasing in Japan This June; Limited Edition Coming Later

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So it begins. Just like the PSP before it, the PlayStation Vita will be released in a variety of colors, styles, and bundles. For now, though, Japan will be getting a White PlayStation Vita, along with a White Limited Edition bundle. The White PlayStation Vita that can be seen in the video below, will be Broadcasting platform : YouTube Source : PlayStation LifeStyle Discovery Date : 08/05/2012 06:02 Number of articles : 2

White PlayStation Vita Releasing in Japan This June; Limited Edition Coming Later

Boyfriend – Justin Bieber (Boyfriend – D-Pryde Cover)

FLAGSHIP! JUNE 3RD! THE MOST REQUESTED REMIX ON MY TWITTER HAS BEEN BROUGHT TO LIFE! Everybody asked for it so I’m dishing it out for you guys since all of you have been waiting. This isn’t going on my mixtape, I just did this for fun so you guys could have something while I work on the album! Enjoy! DOWNLOAD THIS SONG! hu.lk LYRICS: (VERSE 1) If I was your boyfriend I swear I’d never leave// squeeze you when I hug you I would never let yo breathe// cookin’ in the kitchen and I’ll never let you clean// Shamballas on your sleeve, with a dangerous physique// So fresh, chillin’ in my room, rubbin on your bare chest// kisses on the neck got her ocean type wet// Russy Love, get’er done, in 3 2 1 blast off (PRE-CHORUS) I’d like to be, anything you want, hey girl…Can I talk to ya// (CHORUS) If I was your boyfriend, never let you go Keep you on my arm girl, you’d never be alone I can be a gentleman, anything you want If I was your boyfriend, I’d never let you go, I’d never let you go (VERSE 2) She want me I’ll be there in just a sec// candle lit dinner, rose pedals on the bed// Rockin the same boots, she ain’t rockin’ Jimmy Choos, I say that I’m wearin’ Docs then she wearin’ Docs too breakin it breakin down you my girl so-never-forget it she my wifey, wedding gown got her smilin and cheesin, cause your boy just be the reason sweet like peanut butter reeses when im tearin up these beats trick prizzy (CHORUS) (BRIDGE) I could give you my all, you could have that right now … http://www.youtube.com/v/cPCNN9wNI6w?version=3&f=videos&app=youtube_gdata Read more: Boyfriend – Justin Bieber (Boyfriend – D-Pryde Cover)

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Boyfriend – Justin Bieber (Boyfriend – D-Pryde Cover)

Justin Bieber – Boyfriend (Matt Cab cover)

Acoustic cover of Justin Bieber’s latest single, “Boyfriend.” Watch the official music video here t.co Matt Cab debut album “The One” now available on iTunes worldwide: Japan: itunes.apple.com US: itunes.apple.com “Flashback” cover album on iTunes now: itunes.apple.com Heartbeats EP available on iTunes: click here: bit.ly FOLLOW Matt Cab: www.mattcab.com http www.facebook.com mattcab.tumblr.com http://www.youtube.com/v/vORDTUr4djg?version=3&f=videos&app=youtube_gdata See the original post here: Justin Bieber – Boyfriend (Matt Cab cover)

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Justin Bieber – Boyfriend (Matt Cab cover)

Nicki Minaj Announces North American ‘Pink Friday’ Dates

U.S. tour dates kick off with a July 16 show in Chicago. By Gil Kaufman Nicki Minaj Photo: Getty Images Nicki Minaj has announced the first North American dates for her “Pink Friday” tour, which will kick off on July 16 with a gig at the Chicago Theatre. The 15-stop sequel to her sold-out debut international outing is slated to run through an August 12 date in Vancouver at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre. With capacities ranging from 2,800 to close to 7,000, the tour is likely to sell out quickly considering that tickets for Minaj’s shows in the U.K., Japan and Australia sold out within hours of going on sale, according to a release announcing the road trip. Along with the official tour dates, Minaj will also hit a number of radio shows in the coming months, starting with a May 10 stop at the KYLD “WiLD Jam 2012, which will also feature Bay legend E-40, Gym Class Heroes, B.o.B. and Neon Hitch. She’ll swing by the KPWR gig in Los Angeles on May 12, then the WRDR show in Philadelphia on June 1, the WJMN gig in Boston on June 2, the Hot 97 Summer Jam in New York on June 3 and WZMX’s July 20 show in Hartford. For fans with a little extra coin, Nicki will be offering another shot at her VIP meet and greets on the tour, where Barbz will get a chance to have early access to the venue on the night of the show, get some face time with Minaj, as well as autographs and photos. Information on the VIP deals can be found on her website . Tickets for the tour go on sale on Friday (May 4). Minaj just released the beach-tastic video for her pop single, “Starships,” ? and is in the process of shooting the clip for her next one, “Right By My Side.” Nicki Minaj tour dates: