Social Studies & other

The Pool

2008-09-09T18:22:00.001-07:00

A movie maker who returns to Sundance in a new guise is a familiar sufficiency occurrence, but to deliver with gifts as unambiguously rendered as Chris Smith has with The Pool is rare in whatever year. In the same vein as his latest documentary exploit, Smith's originative acumen focuses on the gulf between the rich and poor, sharing its insights, observations, poignancy, and truth in a misleadingly simple story.

The Pool is the story of Venkatesh, a "room son" working at a hotel in Panjim, Goa, world Health Organization sees from his perch in a mango tree a elaborate garden and shimmering pool hidden behind a wall. In making whatever efforts he ass to better himself, Venkatesh offers his services to the flush owner of the home base. Not content to simply dream around a different life, Venkatesh is inquisitive about the home's inhabitants-indeed about the world about him-and his curiosity changes the shape of his future.

Remarkably cogent and affecting, this is inspired storytelling typical for its ability to transmit a complete stand in scarce a phrase or brief conversation. Working in Hindi with offspring actors and in a country manifestly not his own, Smith has yet created a superbly incisive portrait that will take a place on a global stage. --� Official Site

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Jonas Brothers stay at top 'A Little Bit Longer'

2008-08-30T18:46:00.001-07:00

For a contrast, Kid Rock hits No. 2, Staind bows in third spot

NEW YORK -- Despite a immense drop-off from the jazzy numbers it posted utmost week, the Jonas Brothers begin a second week at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 with "A Little Bit Longer." The Hollywood set sold 147,000 units in the U.S., according to Nielsen SoundScan, 72% less than its debut tote up of 525,000.

Kid Rock's "Rock'n'Roll Jesus" (Atlantic) continues to motor toward the summit, rising from No. 3 to No. 2 on a scarce perceptible gross sales decline to 101,000. Labelmate Staind's "The Illusion of Progress" opens at No. 3 with 92,000. The band's last three albums had all debuted at No. 1, with 2001's "Break the Cycle" unfirm a whopping 716,000 copies in its opening night week.

The "Mamma Mia!" soundtrack (Decca) waterfall from s to quartern place on a 20% drop to 87,000, followed by a No. 5 debut for Ice Cube's "Raw Footage" (Lench Mob) with 70,000. His virtually recent album, 2006's "Laugh Now, Cry Later," debuted at No. 4 with 144,000.

Miley Cyrus' "Breakout" (Hollywood) slides forty-six on a 27% gross revenue decline to 62,000, while Lil Wayne's "Tha Carter III" (Cash Money/Universal) is dispirited 6-7 after a 7.8% slide to 57,000. Sugarland's "Love on the Inside" (Mercury Nashville) drops lviii after marketing 56,000 (-15.5%) and Disney's "Camp Rock" soundtrack falls 8-9 on a 5.5% decline to 47,000.

Shwayze's self-titled Interscope debut lands at No. 10 with 47,000. The mathematical group has enjoyed big visibility in the past month thanks to its MTV reality show, "Buzzin'." New at No. 13 is the Cheetah Girls' TV movie soundtrack "One World" (Hollywood) with 34,000, while the Academy Is ... starts at No. 17 with its third record album, "Fast Times at Barrington High." The Fueled by Ramen set sold 23,000.

Further down the chart ar new entries from Black Stone Cherry's "Folklore and Superstition" at No. 28 (Roadrunner, 14,000), Family Force Five's "Dance or Die" at No. 30 (Transparent Media Group, 13,000), GZA/Genius' "Pro Tools" at No. 52 (Babygrande, 9,000), Karina's "First Love" at No. 57 (Def Jam, 9,000) and Toadies' "No Deliverance" at No. 59 (Kirtland, 9,000).

Album sales are down 4.7% from last week at 7 meg units and 13% from the same week a year ago.

Isaac Hayes Dies At The Age Of 65

2008-08-11T18:01:00.000-07:00

Soul isaac Bashevis Singer Isaac Hayes, who was responsible for the �Theme From Shaft�, has died.

The musician, world Health Organization was 65, was launch unresponsive near a treadmill at his home in Memphis, according to constabulary.

Hayes was taken to Baptist East Hospital just later pronounced dead. The cause of death was not straight off known.

In addition to his notorious 70s hit for Shaft, which won an Academy laurels, Hayes too provided the voice for Chef in the animated TV exhibit South Park.

The popularity of Hayes� role in the cartoon brought him sweet chart success in the UK with �Chocolate Salty Balls�.

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Akon/ Michael Jackson Collaboration, 'Hold My Hand,' Leaks

2008-07-02T02:52:00.001-07:00

Akon wanted to be starting something with Michael Jackson — and apparently, that something involves holding hands.

A song that the two worked on for Akon's upcoming album has leaked to the Internet, and it's called "Hold My Hand." An earlier version of the track, without Jackson's contributing vocals, leaked in February, just as the pair's "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin' 2008" was officially released as the first single for the re-release of Thriller.

A mid-tempo ballad featuring strings at its beginning, "Hold My Hand" layers the singers' vocals over a drum machine and a twinkling piano melody as the pair trade off lyrics like "We're better off being together than being miserable alone" and "Nothing can come between us if you just hold my hand." Jackson's softer, more lilting vocal lines start the duet, but Akon soon becomes dominant, thanks to his distinctive phrasing.

Akon's label rep said that the singer's as-yet-untitled third album, due later this year, has not been completed, so there's no word on whether "Hold My Hand" will make the cut, and as such, there hasn't been any plan to release the song as a single.

Akon previously told MTV News that working with MJ was a dream come true, calling the King of Pop "incredible" and a "genius."

"Just to be in the same room [with him], I felt everything I wanted to accomplish in life has been achieved," Akon said. "That aura ... that's how incredible that aura is. We about to shake the world up, man. You know how you be with somebody and you can't even explain [the feeling]? I used to sit and think, 'How does somebody sell so many records and dominate a whole business genre to a point [where] nobody can't be a part of that without associating with you?' The way he thinks ... some artists think regional, some think national, I was thinking international. He thinks planets. It's on another level."

See Also

Krypteria

2008-06-24T05:29:00.001-07:00

Artist: Krypteria

   Genre(s):
Gothic
   Pop

Discography:


Bloodangeles Cry

   Year: 2007
Tracks: 12


Liberatio

   Year: 2005
Tracks: 15

Formed in the early years of the 21st 100 by guitar player Chris Siemons, bassist Frank Stumvoll, and drummer S.C. Kuschnerus, Krypteria were in the beginning formed as a musical field studio project with a selection of rotating vocalists. One of these singers was Ji-In Cho, wHO added her part to the track "Liberatio" on 2003's Krypteria. When the song was elect by a German television system station to be included in a benefit for hurricane victims, the trio distinct to bring Cho as a lasting member of the band. Their debut full-length as a four-piece, In Medias Res, came out in 2005, followed by heavy touring and the tone ending of Bloodangel's Cry 2 years later.

Patrick Swayze diagnosed with cancer

2008-06-18T01:57:00.001-07:00

'Dirty Dancing' and 'Ghost' star Patrick Swayze has been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.
The 55-year-old actor is currently "responding well to treatment", according to a statement released by his publicist.
The statement dismissed previous media reports which suggested that the star only had weeks to live.
Swayze's physician, Dr George Fisher, said in a statement: "Patrick has a very limited amount of disease and he appears to be responding well to treatment."
"All of the reports stating the timeframe of his prognosis and his physical side effects are absolutely untrue. We are considerably more optimistic."
The statement also said that Swayze deeply appreciated the "outpouring of support and concern" he has received from the public.
The actor is best know for his roles as dance teacher Johnny in 'Dirty Dancing' and the deceased character Sam in 'Ghost'.

Leave LA, Wahlberg tells Beckhams

2008-06-16T21:29:00.001-07:00

Mark Wahlberg wants British celebrities David and Victoria Beckham to leave Los Angeles.

The Boogie Nights actor claims the couple are causing a huge disturbance in his neighbourhood because of the constant attention surrounding them.

Wahlberg is furious with the photographers hanging around his back garden trying to get a picture of the Los Angeles Galaxy player David, 33, and wife Victoria, 34.

When asked if he had met David, Wahlberg jokingly said: "No, but that f***er lives down the road from me, man! He has to go back to the UK, because he has the paparazzi all over my house."

He added: "I was in the UK for the last week and they don’t want him back there. They said, ‘Keep him over there'."

Meanwhile, Wahlberg has announced his long-term girlfriend Rhea Durham, 29, is pregnant for the third time.

The couple - who already have two children, daughter Ella, four, and two-year-old son Michael - are planning to extend their brood even further.

Wahlberg said: “When the kids are good, we want eight or nine. When they’re bad, we want to stop at three!”

See Also

Massimo Vivona

2008-06-16T21:28:00.003-07:00

Artist: Massimo Vivona

   Genre(s):
New Age

Discography:

001

Year: 2000
Tracks: 8

Kevin Spacey - Spacey Named Oxford University Professor

Mondsucht

2008-06-16T21:28:00.001-07:00

Artist: Mondsucht

   Genre(s):
Electronic

Discography:

Nachtfalter

Year: 2001
Tracks: 4

Panteon Rococo

McCartney rocks his Ukrainian fans

2008-06-16T21:27:00.001-07:00

London (ANI): Sir Paul McCartney did not let torrential downpours spoil his Ukrainian fans Saturday night, and performed before an audience of more than 350,000 people in Kiev's Independence Square. The former 'Beatle' rocked the audience with an astonishing 33 hit songs. Given that abundant amounts of rain had reduced the capital's streets to waterways, it seemed uncertain whether McCartney's concert would go ahead. However, the show did take place, though a couple of hours later than its scheduled time. McCartney was seen speaking the local lingo, and waving Ukraine's national flag. "I've waited a long time to play this song here," British tabloid The Sun quoted McCartney as telling the crowds.

Paul McCartney watched by Yoko Ono in Liverpool as Dave Grohl helps out

2008-06-16T21:26:00.001-07:00

Sir Paul McCartney played a homecoming show at Liverpool's Anfield stadium in front of 36,000 fans last night (June 1).

The former Beatle headlined the event, which also saw performances from Kaiser Chiefs, The Zutons and a guest spot from Foo Fighters' Dave Grohl, as part of the city's celebrations at being the European Capital Of Culture during 2008.

Playing a set that mixed songs from The Beatles, Wings and his solo work, McCartney was watched by John Lennon's widow Yoko Ono from the crowd as he also included her late husband's Give Peace A Chance' in the show.

Introduced onstage by comedian Peter Kay as "a local lad who's done very well for himself in the music game", McCartney's set included the likes 'Drive My Car', 'Blackbird', 'Eleanor Rigby' and 'Yesterday', along with Wings songs 'Live And Let Die', 'Jet', and solo tracks including 'Flaming Pie'.

"Thank you for coming here in the City Of Culture, at the centre of the universe," McCartney told the crowd to loud cheers, adding, "I was born just down the road and I lived not far from here. Every time I come back to Liverpool all the memories come flooding back."

Later former Nirvana drummer Grohl � who often covers 'Band On The Run' in Foo Fighters � got to live out a school boy fantasy, joining McCartney on guitar for the Wings' track, before switching to drums for 'Back In The USSR' and show closer 'I Saw Her Standing There'.

However the highlight of the evening proved to be the loud crowd sing-a-longs to 'Let It Be' and 'Hey Jude'.

"You've been brilliant tonight," McCartney told the crowd. "I knew you would be."

Earlier the show, which was watched by footballers Wayne Rooney, Jamie Carragher and Liverpool FC manager Rafael Benitez, was opened by fellow Scousers The Zutons, before Leeds' Kaiser Chiefs got the crowd going ahead of McCartney's performance.

So How Much Trouble Is MGM in These Days?

2008-06-16T21:25:00.003-07:00

According to a massive (and massively entertaining) story in yesterday's New York Times, a lot! It's $3.7 billion in debt and hemorrhaging cash in interest payments; Sony, which bought MGM in 2004 hoping to turn a profit on its massive library of old movies, has all but given up hope of seeing a return on its investment (and collapsing DVD sales don't bode well for the future); the decision to outsource all of MGM's production to independent studios yielded only two modest hits last year (Halloween and 1408), both of them from the Weinstein Company, which itself has pretty much just been releasing films it found at festivals; and the future of MGM subsidiary United Artists could live or die on the box-office strength of Tom Cruise's upcoming Nazi movie, Valkyrie. Yikes!

According to MGM CEO Harry Sloan, though, "[T]here's a lot of evidence that we've begun the turnaround." What is it? Sloan's recently hired former Universal executive Mary Parent as MGM's motion-picture group's new chairwoman, gambling that she can reboot the studio as an actual production company. Parent is hoping to green-light twelve movies for 2010, something for which it doesn't yet have the funding, exactly. In the Times piece, Parent turns in an impressive performance not totally unreminiscent of that of the shopkeeper in the Monty Python parrot sketch. ("She also says she has been wooing talent by casting MGM’s negatives as positives. So, Ms. Parent says, the studio isn't understaffed; it's 'streamlined.' It's not desperate; it's 'hungry.'"): "Nothing else matters — it's just the movies," she says. "And making sure that the people driving the movies aren't panicking. And that they're not panicking because they think we don't have money."

In the two months since her hire, Parent's been optioning books and pitches in the hopes that something might turn into a 2010 tent pole. What's she got so far? A Robert Ludlum thriller (with Denzel Washington attached), a Dirty Rotten Scoundrels remake, and "a romantic comedy from the director of Wild Hogs." The production push is purportedly to raise the value of the company in advance of a possible sale, but if Walt Becker's Wild Hogs follow-up turns out as bad as we think it might, you could probably buy MGM.

MGM: A Lion or a Lamb? [NYT]

Glamour Magazine Woman of the Year Awards 2008: Photos

2008-06-16T21:25:00.001-07:00

Geri Halliwell at Glamour Magazines's Woman of the Year Awards at Berkeley Square Gardens in London Tuesday, June 3. Photo Credit: Solarpix / PR Photos

June 4, 2008 () - A lot of glamour was on display at the 'Glammies' - Glamour Magazines's Woman of the Year Awards at Berkeley Square Gardens in London Tuesday, June 3.

The awards recognize women achievers in fields such as music, TV, film and theatre.

Lilly Allen received the Editor's Special Award. The 23-year-old singer and TV presenter wowed in a pink hair do and a white off shoulder sleeveless dress.

The Spice Girls, who staged a comeback tour late 2007 through early 2008, were adjudged the best band of the year.

Geri Halliwell, Emma Bunton and Melanie Brown were there to collect the prize.

Beth Ditto won international artist of the year while Kate Moss, Leona Lewis and Annie Lennox also won awards.

Mark Ronson, the only male winner, was there to receive his Man Of The Year award accompanied by girlfriend Daisy Lowe.

Restuaranteur Eats Crow

2008-06-16T21:24:00.001-07:00

To hell with Lance -- Sheryl Crow has a new boo! TMZ cameras spotted the singer at Madeo last night, and when we asked her about getting her country on with her new BF, a restaurant investor from Alabama, her face lit up.

Bet he loves strumming her guitar.

See Also

Social Studies

2008-06-16T21:23:00.001-07:00

Artist: Social Studies

   Genre(s):
Dance

Discography:

Mathematics-SOSTUD011-Vinyl

Year: 2007
Tracks: 2