Now here’s a proper celebration of Roger Ebert’s life. Tilda Swinton , dressed like David Bowie and channeling Ellen DeGeneres rouses 1,500 people at Ebertfest in Champaign, IL to shake their money makers to Barry White’s “My First, My Last, My Everything” at the Virginia Theater on April 20. (That’s Ebert’s widow Chaz introducing the actress.) The film festival, which is organized by the College of Media at the University of Illinois where Ebert was an alumnus paid tribute to its namesake, who succumbed to cancer on April 4. When he was alive, his prose danced just like Swinton. Ebertfest 2013 Dance Along from Ebertfest on Vimeo . More on Roger Ebert: Roger Ebert’s Death (1942-2013): Forefather Of Movie Blogging Passes Away Follow Frank DiGiacomo on Twitter. Follow Movieline on Twitter.
Mistaken for Strangers , a documentary about indie group the National , comes off like an exercise in self-deprecation. As much a diary film as a rockumentary, it almost compulsively veers away from its ostensible subject, the band’s world tour, probing the relationship between lead singer Matt Berninger and his kid brother Tom (who helmed the film) as though worrying a sore tooth. It remains ambiguous to what extent the director’s screen persona, which raises schlubbiness to an art form, is legit. But with its wry humor and fantastic mix of music and images, this seemingly odd choice for Tribeca’s opening-nighter could carve out a solid theatrical niche. Tom has been invited by Matt to join the National’s world tour as a working roadie. The documentary, shot solo on a small camera, is apparently strictly Tom’s idea. A veteran of a couple of schlock horror videos, Tom portrays himself as being woefully unprepared for the job, plunging in, to Matt’s dismay, with no prepared questions, no organization and not even a notebook as he asks hilariously lame questions like, “Do you ever get sleepy onstage?” or “Where do you see the National in 50 years?” About three-quarters of the way through, Tom finally manages to ask, albeit briefly, about the process of songwriting, and Matt speaks fleetingly of the difficulty of early tours, when nobody showed up. But generally few subjects of substance arise – aside, of course, from the deathless Matt/Tom dynamic. “It sucks being Matt’s brother,” the director says. “He’s a rock star and I am not.” A darling of critics, the National only really achieved commercial success shortly before the featured tour, during which they play to President Obama in Washington and thousands in Paris, London and Warsaw. Though granted little opportunity to discuss its music, the band is given ample room to perform it, and Matt’s penchant for physically interacting with concert-goers, writhing onstage and screaming into the mic lends the live shows plenty of drama. Meanwhile, Tom quietly proves himself a whiz at sound/image counterpoint. But when not documenting concerts and occasional rehearsals, the film reverts back to the misadventures of Tom as he screws up his “other” job as assistant to the road manager. This gives the director the chance to crosscut between the band’s triumphant road trip and his own eventual, ignominious return to his parents’ Cincinnati home, where he plies Mom and Dad with anxious queries comparing himself to his brother. Ensconced in Matt’s Brooklyn home six months later, Tom begins to edit the docu, with chaotic results that nearly threaten to derail the film en route to its upbeat finish. More on Mistaken For Strangers : WATCH: Tribeca Film Festival Rocks Out On Opening Night With The National & ‘Mistaken For Strangers’ Follow Movieline on Twitter .
After the success of “R.A.F.,” 2 Chainz connects with Lil Wayne again in the visual for “Yuck,” the energetic intro from his solo debut Based On a T.R.U. Story. The video is toned down compared to the Atlanta rapper’s previous efforts, as he performs in a blacked out backdrop backed by a full orchestra…. Continue
A Virginia man who stole one of President Obama’s teleprompter, and other equipment, was sentenced to seven years in prison , last Thursday (April 11). Eric Brown cut a deal to serve more time behind bars in order to skip further prosecution for similar crimes…. Continue
Unfortunately your browser does not support IFrames. Watch More News Videos at ABC | Technology News | Celebrity News President Obama handled a heckler with some serious swag in Jerusalem. It’s kinda sad that he’s so used to being interrupted, though.
New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie said this week that he isn’t sure if he would sign a bill to ban the practice of using therapies to turn a gay child into a straight child. His expected challenger for reelection, State Sen. Barbara Buono, a co-sponsor of the bill banning gay conversion therapy of minors, calls that “disgusting.” The Buono team clearly senses an opening to cast the popular Republican governor as a right-wing fanatic, something he is rarely if ever called. He was asked yesterday about the bill, which passed out of a legislative committee Monday and has yet to be approved by the full state legislature. Christie said that he generally doesn’t decide on bills before they reach his desk and he had only recently heard of the practice of gay conversion. He also said: “You know, I’m of two minds on this stuff in general. One, I think there should be lots of deference given to parents on raising their children.” “This is general now not to this bill, but generally philosophically on bills that restrict parents’ ability to make decisions on how to care for their children.” “I’m generally a skeptic on those things. Now, of course, there can always be exceptions to those rules and this bill may be one of them.” Buono responded: “I was shocked at the stunning level of ignorance that statement showed.” She accused Christie of playing to the right. “All of this governor’s decisions are geared to what plays in the national Republican party,” Buono said on a conference call with reporters Wednesday. The bill, which passed out of committee with all Democrats voting in favor and all but one Republican voting no or abstaining, is short and straightforward. It would forbid licensed therapists and counselors from trying to change the sexual orientation of a minor. Simple, and yet anything but for Christie. Senators heard dramatic testimony about such conversion therapy, with a transgender woman from Toms River telling of being forced to go to a conversion camp. There, she said she was shocked with electricity and given vomit-inducing medicine while being shown “unacceptable” images during her “conversion.” Others who experienced gay conversion told of being forced to masturbate while looking at images of naked women and being shown pics of AIDS victims. Opponents said that banning conversion therapy – also known as reparative therapy – would violate both parents’ rights and the First Amendment. “I don’t understand why you people are coming into our homes and trying to tell us what to do with our minor children,” said Carol Gallentine of Living Free Ministries. “Under 18, it’s the parents’ right, it’s our civil right, to raise our children the best we can.” Christie opposes gay marriage but doesn’t believe homosexuality is a sin. He favors civil unions and a ballot referendum so voters can decide on gay marriage. A Christie spokesman later said he “does not believe in conversion therapy.” He also cited his comments that sexual orientation is determined at birth. He won’t say whether he will sign the gay conversion ban until he sees the final bill. Christie, a name frequently mentioned as a 2016 election candidate for president, is seeking a second term as Governor of New Jersey this fall.
Yup, an Oscar winner has been cast in Divergent . Following weeks of speculation it’s been confirmed that Kate Winslet will play a key role in the adaption of this wildly popular novel. She will come on board as Jeanine Matthews, the most powerful member of the Erudite faction and someone who pens articles to smear the Abnegation faction. Divergent tells the story of a teenager (Shailene Woodley) in the future, as she looks to break free from her homogeneous society, one that divides people based on human traits. She leaves her sect and joins its rival, where she falls for a young man played by the recently cast Theo James .
It’s new, it’s sort of improved and it will soon be on supermarket shelves around the nation. PepsiCo Inc. announced yesterday that it will be rolling out a new shape for its 20-ounce bottle, marking that item’s first change in 20 years. The updated version (pictured) will possess an easier-to-grip, contoured bottom half, along with a wraparound label that is shorter than before, allowing more of the beverage to be exposed. Pepsi has been losing a great deal of its market share to Coca Cola and is actively trying to alter its brand. The company signed a mega deal with Beyonce earlier this year, while spokeswoman Andrea Foote said this change is part of an overall, major marketing makeover. The new bottles will first appear in the New York region, then hit Chicago and parts of California and Florida. It may take two full years to replace all the old bottles. So… what do you think of the new Pepsi bottle?!? I love it! I hate it! Just give me a Coke! View Poll »
U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN) said Thursday that it’s time to repeal Obamacare before it literally kills women, children and senior citizens. “That’s why we’re here: Because we’re saying repeal this failure before it literally kills women , kills children, kills senior citizens,” she said on the House floor. “Let’s not do that. Let’s love people. Let’s care about people. Let’s repeal it now while we can,” added the controversial 2012 presidential candidate. The outspoken tea party congresswoman is no stranger to hyperbole, especially when it comes to President Obama’s landmark health care bill. Her comments harken back to 2009, when the bill was still being debated, or last year, when the GOP vowed to repeal it if President Obama lost. He didn’t, of course, but don’t think that will stop symbolic efforts to overturn it. The Republican-led House has passed bills to do so 30-plus times. Despite zero chance of success – the Democratic-controlled Senate and White House would also have to sign off – repeal efforts keep on coming. Michele Bachmann certainly isn’t sounding like she’s moved on. Should she? Have you? What do you think of Obamacare? Uphold the law, it’s clearly constitutional! Repeal the law, it’s so unconstitutional! View Poll »
