November 9, 2012
Horror film on opening bill of Rome Film Festival
ROME (AP) – A horror film by cult director Takashi Miike about a school teacher-turned-serial killer of students is one of the opening night features at the Rome Film Festival.
“Lesson of the Evil” by the Japanese master director of gore is among the films in competition at the festival, which begins on Friday and runs through Nov. 17.
Others in competition are Roman Coppola’s “A Glimpse into the Mind of Charles Swan III,” starring Charlie Sheen and Bill Murray, about a rich and famous man who is forced to deal with heartbreak; and “Back to 1942,” a movie by Chinese director Feng Xiaogang about the devastating famine of that year in a Chinese province. Its stars include Adrien Brody and Tim Robbins. Films from 26 countries will be shown.
Lawmakers target operations of data-mining firmsBy Richard Lardner
WASHINGTON (AP) — A group of lawmakers say data-mining companies that collect and sell personal information about consumers should make their operations more transparent.
Members of the Congressional Bipartisan Privacy Caucus said Thursday that responses they received from nine major data brokers provided only a glimpse of a multibillion-dollar industry “that has operated in the shadows for years.” Data brokers tap a variety of sources for consumer information, including mobile phones and social media sites such as Facebook and LinkedIn. The data is then packaged and sold to advertisers and retailers seeking to tailor their marketing campaigns to specific customers.
The privacy caucus sent letters to the data brokers in July. One of the main questions it wants answered is how data brokers rate consumers and group them into categories.
Mark Wahlberg to star in next ‘Transformers’ movie
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Mark Wahlberg, roll out.
“Transformers” director Michael Bay says the 41-year-old actor will star in the franchise’s fourth film.
Bay called Wahlberg the “perfect guy to re-invigorate the franchise and carry on the Transformers’ legacy” in a post on his blog Thursday. He previously squashed rumors that Wahlberg was joining the film franchise about warring robots.
Bay worked with Wahlberg on his upcoming film, “Pain and Gain.”
“Transformers 4” is scheduled to be released by Paramount Pictures on June 27, 2014.
Bay has said the next film will take a new direction in the series. The first three movies starred Shia LaBeouf and featured Peter Cullen as the voice of Autobot general Optimus Prime.
The third “Transformers” film, “Dark of the Moon,” was the second highest-grossing film of 2011.
Priceline negotiates $1.8 billion Kayak deal
NORWALK, Conn. (AP) — The Priceline Negotiator lives after all. The company has struck a deal to buy Kayak Software Corp. for $1.8 billion in a move to expand its online travel business.
The cash-and-stock deal values Kayak at $40 a share, a 29 percent premium over its closing price Thursday. Shares of Kayak — which just went public in July — soared in after-hours trading.
Kayak allows users to compare hundreds of travel sites when looking for flights, hotels and rental cars. It sends the consumer to other websites to complete their purchases and earns fees on those referrals, although some bookings can be made directly on Kayak’s website and mobile applications. It also sells advertising.
Kayak was created by the same executives who helped launch other travel sites including Expedia, Travelocity and Orbitz. The Norwalk, Conn., company went public in July after delaying its offering more than a year while it waited for the market to strengthen.
The strategy of waiting seemed to work — the shares jumped 28 percent on the first day of trading and recently peaked at $37. But Priceline.com Inc. will pay 57 percent more than Kayak’s IPO price. The deal includes about $500 million in cash and $1.3 billion in stock and assumed options.
The deal needs the approval of Kayak’s shareholders and of regulators. It is expected to close in the first quarter of next year.
Priceline said that Kayak will continue to operate independently as a Priceline Group company.
“Kayak has built a strong brand in online travel research and their track record of profitable growth” shows the company’s “popularity with consumers and value to advertisers,” said Priceline CEO Jeffery H. Boyd.
Kayak also reported Thursday that third-quarter earnings jumped on higher sales.
Net income rose to $7.2 million, or 19 cents per share, from $4 million, or 18 cents per share, a year earlier. The company said it would have earned 26 cents per share excluding stock-based compensation and certain other costs. Analysts surveyed by FactSet expected 19 cents per share.
Revenue rose 29 percent to $78.6 million, topping analysts’ $77.4 million forecast.
On Thursday, Kayak shares dropped 50 cents, or 1.6 percent, to end regular trading at $31.04. After news of the deal was announced, they jumped $8.32, or 27 percent, to $39.36 in after-hours trading.
Priceline shares closed at $627.87, down $6.74 or 1 percent. In after-hours trading, they dropped $13.87, or 2.2 percent, to $614. Shares of rival Expedia Inc. fell 4 percent after-hours on the news but Orbitz Worldwide Inc.
Yahoo expects $94M in charges for S. Korea closure
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Yahoo estimates it will absorb about $94 million in charges to pay for the closure of its South Korea operations and to account for the eroding value of its business in that country.
Most the charges outlined in a Thursday regulatory filing will be taken in Yahoo’s fourth quarter, which ends Dec. 31.
All but $7 million will be non-cash charges. Yahoo expects to pay $5 million to cover the severance packages for laying off 200 employees affected by company’s exodus from South Korea and another $2 million for closing offices in the country.
Yahoo Inc., which is based in Sunnyvale, Calif., announced it plans to leave South Korea three weeks ago without estimating the cost.
The company had operated a website in South Korea and sold Internet advertising in the country since 1997, but had been steadily losing market share in recent years. That prompted recently hired Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer to decide to focus on other markets as she tries to revive the company’s growth and lift its long-slumping stock price.
Yahoo shares fell 15 cents to close at $17.24. The stock has been stuck below $20 for more than four years.
Go Daddy to air 2 Super Bowl spots with Danica PatrickBy John Marshall, Sports Writer
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Danica Patrick is still Go Daddy’s choice for the Super Bowl.
Quelling speculation that the NASCAR star would have less of a role in in the company’s advertising, Go Daddy executive chairman and founder Bob Parsons announced Thursday that Patrick will appear in both of the website domain provider’s commercials during the Super Bowl.
“It was always fairly understood that Danica (would be in the commercials),” Parsons said. “She’s been our spokesperson, has been in our successful Super Bowl advertising for the past eight years, so it only follows that if something works eight years in a row, there’s a good chance of it working maybe a ninth year.”
Patrick’s familiar place on Super Bowl Sunday came into doubt on Oct. 18, when Go Daddy announced it had signed New York agency Deutsch Inc. to produce its two 30-second Super Bowl spots. The company had done its Super Bowl ads itself since 2005, but teamed with Deutsch to do spots for the Feb. 3 game after working together in an ad campaign that debuted during the summer Olympics.
Though Patrick is still one of the most recognizable drivers in auto racing even after switching from IndyCar to NASCAR, the two spots featuring her during last year’s Super Bowl were rated among the lowest of the 55 commercials that aired.
After announcing the deal with Deutsch, Go Daddy chief marketing officer Barb Rechterman said she hoped the company would be able to come up with some fresh ideas, leading to the speculation that use of Patrick would be geared back.
While Parsons said there was never a doubt in his mind that Go Daddy would again use Patrick in its Super Bowl ads, Rechterman told The Associated Press last month that no decisions had been made. Patrick also said last month while testing at Kansas that she wasn’t sure if she would be in the ads since the company was using an outside ad agency for the first time.
Parsons’ statement contradicting his CMO and Patrick raises questions, that either someone wasn’t telling the full truth or this was part of some ruse to create interest in Patrick’s involvement.
Whether she’s back or never left, Patrick is thrilled to be a part of Super Bowl Sunday for the ninth straight year.
“I’ve always felt so honored to appear in the commercials,” Patrick said. “I feel we’ve made a lot of people laugh, we’ve made a lot of people smile, we’ve had a lot of fun with them. I’m excited to do them and I’m going to start doing sit-ups right now.”
Patrick and Go Daddy first teamed up when the company became an associate sponsor for her IndyCar in 2007. Go Daddy became the primary IndyCar sponsor in 2010, along with a partial NASCAR schedule, and followed her for the full Nationwide Series and limited Sprint Cup schedules this year.
Go Daddy has committed to sponsor the Cup schedule next season, when Patrick moves up to NASCAR’s top level on a full-time basis, and both have shown interest in running the Indianapolis 500 next season.
Patrick has been the face of Go Daddy’s Super Bowl ads since partnering with the company in 2007, appearing in 10 Super Bowl commercials, more than any other celebrity. She’s done 22 commercials overall for Go Daddy and will have at least two more late this winter.
“Go Daddy and Danica are a team, and we’ve been a team for a long time,” Parsons said. “I would think it would be very difficult to figure who has benefited more. It’s a true partnership, and I don’t see it ending anytime soon.”
Julia Child-Thermador suit will be heard in Calif.Denise Lavoie, Legal Affairs Writer
BOSTON (AP) — A lawsuit over the use of Julia Child’s name by the maker of Thermador ovens will be transferred to California, where a related lawsuit is pending, a federal judge in Massachusetts ruled Thursday.
The Julia Child Foundation for Gastronomy and the Culinary Arts says BSH Home Appliances Corp. is using the late chef’s name and image without permission. The company’s advertising has included pictures of Child and referred to her use of Thermador products.
The Irvine, Calif.-based manufacturer says it’s simply making a factual reference to Child’s use of its high-end appliances.
BSH filed its lawsuit in Massachusetts in August, asking a judge to determine the rights of both sides. The foundation filed two lawsuits against BHS in California, one in state court in Santa Barbara, where the foundation is based, and the other in federal court in Los Angeles. The suits ask for an injunction to stop BSH from using Child’s name and seek unspecified money damages.
On Thursday, U.S. District Court William Young granted a request from the foundation to transfer BSH’s lawsuit to Los Angeles. Young said he may end up handling pre-trial matters in the case, but the case will be tried in California.
The cases center on the foundation’s claim that it has exclusive ownership and control of Child’s name, image, likeness and celebrity identity, as well as trademarks and copyrights related to her. The foundation alleges that BSH’s use of her name and image constitutes copyright and trademark infringement.
BSH acknowledges that it has used images of Child and references to her use of Thermador products on its website and on social media sites, but says that does not imply any endorsement by Child. The company says its references are to Child’s well-known use of Thermador products.
Child, who died in 2004, had a Thermador oven in her Cambridge kitchen, which is now displayed at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History in Washington. She also used Thermador products on the set of her popular television show, “The French Chef.”
In its lawsuits, the foundation said Child had many endorsement opportunities during her lengthy career, but she chose not to.
Man behind anti-Muslim film sentenced to prisonBy Greg Risling and Linda Deutsch
LOS ANGELES (AP) — The California man behind an anti-Muslim film that led to violence in many parts of the Middle East was sentenced Wednesday to a year in federal prison for probation violations in an unrelated matter, then issued a provocative statement through his attorney.
The sentence was the result of a plea bargain between lawyers for Mark Bassely Youssef and federal prosecutors. Youssef admitted in open court that he had used several false names in violation of his probation order and obtained a driver’s license under a false name. He was on probation for a bank fraud case.
Shortly after Youssef left the courtroom, his lawyer, Steven Seiden, came to the front steps of the courthouse and told reporters his client wanted to send a message.
“The one thing he wanted me to tell all of you is President Obama may have gotten Osama bin Laden, but he didn’t kill the ideology,” Seiden said.
Asked what that meant, Seiden said, “I didn’t ask him, and I don’t know.”
U.S. District Court Judge Christina Snyder accepted the plea agreement and immediately sentenced Youssef after he admitted to four of the eight alleged violations, including obtaining a fraudulent California driver’s license. Prosecutors agreed to drop the other four allegations under the plea deal, which also included more probation time.
All parties agreed that none of the violations had to do with the content of “Innocence of Muslims,” a film that depicts Mohammad as a religious fraud, pedophile and womanizer.
However, Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Dugdale argued Youssef’s lies about his identity have caused harm to others, including the film’s cast and crew. Deadly violence related to the film broke out Sept. 11 and spread to many parts of the Middle East.
“They had no idea he was a recently released felon,” Dugdale said Wednesday. “Had they known that, they might have had second thoughts” about being part of the film.
He said they have had death threats and feel their careers have been ruined.
Seiden said his client admits to being the film’s scriptwriter but had no other involvement except what he described as being a “cultural adviser.”
Youssef, 55, was arrested in late September, just weeks after he went into hiding when the deadly violence erupted.
Enraged Muslims had demanded severe punishment for Youssef, with a Pakistani cabinet minister even offering $100,000 to anyone who kills him.
Federal authorities initially sought a two-year sentence for Youssef but settled on a one-year term after negotiating the plea deal with Youssef’s attorneys. Prosecutors said they wouldn’t pursue new charges against Youssef— namely making false statements — and would drop the remaining probation-violation allegations leveled against him. But Youssef was placed on four years’ probation and must be truthful about his identity and his future finances.
Seiden asked that his client be placed under home confinement, but Snyder denied that request. Youssef will spend his time behind bars at a Southern California prison.
Youssef served most of his 21-month prison sentence for using more than a dozen aliases and opening about 60 bank accounts to conduct a check fraud scheme, prosecutors said.
After he was released from prison, Youssef was barred from using computers or the Internet for five years without approval from his probation officer.
Federal authorities have said they believe Youssef is responsible for the film, but they haven’t said whether he was the person who posted it online. He also wasn’t supposed to use any name other than his true legal name without the prior written approval of his probation officer.
At least three names have been associated with Youssef since the film trailer surfaced — Sam Bacile, Nakoula Basseley Nakoula and Youssef. Bacile was the name attached to the YouTube account that posted the video.
“This is a defendant who has engaged in a long pattern of deception,” Dugdale said. “His dishonesty goes back years.”
Court documents show Youssef legally changed his name from Nakoula in 2002, though when he was tried, he identified himself as Nakoula. He wanted the name change because he believed Nakoula sounded like a girl’s name, according to court documents.
LA County voters mandate condom use on porn setsBy Christina Hoag
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Los Angeles County voters have approved a measure requiring porn performers to wear condoms while filming sex scenes, prompting a pledge by the adult entertainment industry to sue to overturn the measure.
With 100 percent of the county’s precincts reporting, Measure B passed 56 percent to 44 percent in Tuesday’s election.
The measure requires adult film producers to apply for a permit from the county Department of Public Health to shoot sex scenes. Permit fees will finance periodic inspections of film sets to enforce compliance.
The AIDS Healthcare Foundation, which sponsored the initiative, says the measure will help safeguard the public, as well as porn workers, from sexually transmitted infections.
But the adult film industry, which is largely centered in the San Fernando Valley in suburban Los Angeles, says the requirement is unnecessary since the industry already polices itself by requiring performers to undergo monthly tests for HIV and other infections.
The industry also says porn viewers will not watch sex scenes with condoms, forcing adult film producers to relocate to where they can make movies that will sell.
On Wednesday, the Free Speech Coalition, a trade group representing the adult entertainment industry, said it plans to file a lawsuit to overturn the condom requirement on constitutional grounds.
“We believe in the calm, serious deliberations of the legal system, we will find that Measure B is in fact unconstitutional,” Diane Duke, the coalition’s executive director, said in a statement. “The adult film industry will not just stand by and let it destroy our business.”
In a letter sent to the county Board of Supervisors, the industry also requested that it be involved in discussions as to how the county will implement the requirements. It will also explore moves to neighboring states as soon as possible, the coalition said.
“While the AIDS Healthcare Foundation has tried to portray any move of jobs outside of L.A. County as unrealistic, the hard truth of the matter is that is exactly what this industry plans on doing now,” said James Lee, communications director for the No on Government Waste Committee, which opposed the measure.
Michael Weinstein, president of the AIDS Healthcare Foundation, said he is not fazed by threats of a lawsuit or of relocation. The issue is one of public health and safety for workers who run a high risk for sexually transmitted illnesses, he said.
The industry argument did not convince voters, he said. “There was a very high degree of awareness about this proposition,” he said. “Voters were educated about it.”
About 200 companies produce adult films in Los Angeles. A two-year health permit would cost about $11,000, comparable to permits for tattoo and massage parlors, Weinstein said.
“We don’t want one more person to get HIV,” he said.
Ang Lee: ‘Life of Pi’ more than an art house film
TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — Oscar-winning director Ang Lee said Wednesday that he worked hard during the four-year shooting of Yann Martel’s “Life of Pi” to give the $100 million art house film appeal for general audiences.
The movie stars Indian Suraj Sharma, who plays a boy who drifts on the open sea with a Bengal tiger and a hyena after a ship carrying the rest of his family sinks.
“As an art house film, you can explore the philosophical issues,” Lee said at a news conference. “But for a popular film, we also need to make the audience feel touched, and that was the difficult part.”
Lee said initial reaction to the film had been positive, leaving him to conclude that his “risky experiment” would be a success.
A major problem in the filming, Lee said, was coping with animals on a roiling sea — a problem Lee solved by filming in 3D.
“As a new technology, 3D gives the film additional appeal,” he said.
Much of the film was shot in Taiwan, Lee’s home. He said that one of the key settings — a large water tank built at a studio in the central city of Taichung — allowed the 150-strong foreign crew to use its imagination freely and not be restrained by traditional Hollywood production values.
“I was relieved that they enjoyed their work in Taiwan. … We couldn’t have made the film if it were not here because of all the help we received,” Lee said.
The film is scheduled to premiere in Taiwan and the United States on Nov. 21.
Director John Singleton, Paramount settle lawsuit
LOS ANGELES (AP) – Director John Singleton and Paramount Pictures Corp. have settled a lawsuit over his claim that the studio broke an agreement to let him produce two films in exchange for the rights to distribute the Oscar-nominated movie “Hustle & Flow.”
Court records show the deal was reached late Thursday in Los Angeles, just days before a trial was scheduled to begin.
Attorneys for Singleton and Paramount said the settlement terms are confidential, but the matter was amicably resolved.
Singleton produced “Hustle & Flow” and claimed he agreed to work with Paramount on distribution rights because of the opportunity to make two films for the studio.
A judge had previously ruled Singleton was not entitled to re-acquire rights to 2005’s “Hustle & Flow,” which earned a best actor nomination for Terrence Howard and won for best song.
ABC raises nearly $17 million for hurricane reliefNEW YORK (AP) — ABC says its national “Day of Giving” raised nearly $17 million for Superstorm Sandy relief.
Throughout its programming Monday, the network urged viewers to contribute to the American Red Cross to help victims of the storm, which affected several Northeastern states, but hit New Jersey and the New York metropolitan area particularly hard.
Appeals were aired all day on ABC programming, on Disney’s syndicated shows and across other Disney-owned networks.
Major contributors include ABC personalities Barbara Walters, George Stephanopoulos and Mark Cuban, the Dallas Mavericks owner and star of ABC’s “Shark Tank.” The Samsung Corp. also made a major gift.
In addition, the Walt Disney Co. made a $1 million contribution to local charities.
NBC held a telethon Friday for storm victims that raised nearly $23 million.
Dolby and Paramount Pictures Embark on New Frontiers for J.J. Abrams’ “Star Trek into Darkness”
HOLLYWOOD, Fla.–Dolby Laboratories, Inc. (NYSE: DLB) and Paramount Pictures, a division of Viacom Inc., today announced at ShowEast 2012 that J.J. Abrams’ Bad Robot production of “Star Trek into Darkness” will use the latest technical achievements in cinematic storytelling to deliver a new experience to audiences. “Star Trek into Darkness” is scheduled to be released by Paramount Pictures on May 17, 2013.
“Star Trek into Darkness” will be released in Dolby๏ฟฝ Atmos® to deliver a more natural and realistic soundtrack that moves sound around and above audiences, transporting them into the outer regions of the universe. The Bad Robot Productions team will also integrate the Dolby Professional Reference Monitor PRM-4200 into its pre- and postproduction workflows.
Academy Award๏ฟฝ winner Andy Nelson and multiple Academy Award nominee Anna Behlmer are the re-recording mixers at the helm of the Dolby Atmos mix; Academy Award winner Ben Burtt and multiple Academy Award nominee Matt Wood are the supervising sound editors. Dolby Atmos is a new audio platform that revolutionizes the experience of sound in entertainment. It allows sound designers and mixers a new level of creative control and ensures that audiences will experience the full impact of the sound mix, regardless of theatre configuration.
The list of theatres selected to show Star Trek into Darkness in Dolby Atmos will be made available closer to the release date.
The Dolby PRM-4200 has been at the center of the visual effects (VFX) production, having been used for color-critical VFX reviews and previsualization work.
“Star Trek into Darkness” is written by Damon Lindelof, Alex Kurtzman, and Roberto Orci. It is directed by J.J. Abrams. Abrams will also produce the feature with Bryan Burk through Bad Robot Productions, along with Lindelof, Kurtzman, and Orci.
‘Elementary’ gets key post-Super Bowl slot
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Sherlock Holmes is going to the Super Bowl.
CBS said Monday that its freshman drama series about the famous detective is getting the post-Super Bowl broadcast slot in February.
“Elementary,” set in modern New York City, stars Jonny Lee Miller as Holmes and Lucy Liu as his sidekick, Dr. Joan Watson.
The series, which airs Thursdays, will get a special airing at 10 p.m. EST on Sunday, Feb. 3, following CBS Sports’ coverage of the Super Bowl in New Orleans, the network said.
The NFL championship game is historically among TV’s most-watched programs, so airing after it can help a series get discovered by more viewers.
SAG Creates $200,000 Superstorm Sandy Assistance Fund
NEW YORK–The Screen Actors Guild Foundation (SAG Foundation) today announced that it has partnered with the Screen Actors Guild Motion Picture Players Welfare Fund (SAG MPPWF) to create a Superstorm Sandy Emergency Assistance Fund specifically to provide financial support grants to active SAG-AFTRA members affected by the recent hurricane.
The SAG Foundation has provided initial funding through a $100,000 contribution that is being matched by an identical $100,000 from the SAG MPPWF for a total available assistance pool of $200,000. The Actors Fund is partnering with the SAG Foundation and SAG MPPWF in this much-needed effort and will provide the social services and coordinate the grant reviews and approvals. Checks will be made available for in-person pick-up at SAG-AFTRA’s New York local office within days.
The process has been minimized to speed relief to those in need and consists of a quick, confidential and non-invasive application and consultation to establish need. During the consultation, the social services professionals will also assess each applicant’s need for additional assistance, programs or services.
Affected and eligible SAG-AFTRA members may apply to the fund for cash grants of up to $2,400 from the SAG Foundation and an additional $2,400 from the SAG MPPWF, for a total potential assistance grant of $4,800 per person upon approval. Members are eligible to apply if they are currently active and have paid their dues through the May 2012 billing cycle.
“This was a devastating crisis and people throughout the area are having a very tough time,” said actor and SAG Foundation Board Member Ron Perlman. “That’s why we’re here – to lend a helping hand to SAG-AFTRA members in their time of need. Actors, broadcasters, sound recording artists are all eligible to apply and I look forward to getting help to all SAG-AFTRA members.”
Longtime New Yorker and actor Jane Curtin said, “I see it walking down the street each day and I know that my friends and colleagues – SAG-AFTRA members — are suffering. This is one really great thing we can do to help out.”
“We are grateful to the SAG Motion Picture Players Welfare Fund for partnering with us and co-funding this effort and to The Actors Fund for providing their unparalleled services in supporting SAG-AFTRA members. We expect to be providing relief within a day,” said SAG Foundation President Jo Beth Williams.
“This was an epic storm with devastating consequences to SAG-AFTRA members across this area. We’re pleased to partner with the SAG Foundation on this important effort to provide assistance specifically to affected SAG-AFTRA members,” said SAG MPPWF Chair Maureen Donnelly.
Members in need can apply by contacting The Actors Fund intake services at: Eastern Region 212.221.7300 ext. 119 or intakeny@actorsfund.org
No SAG-AFTRA membership dues are being used to service or administer the Superstorm Sandy Emergency Assistance Fund.
The SAG Foundation is accepting donations directed to the Superstorm Sandy Emergency Assistance Fund from individuals and corporate donors who may wish to help provide relief to hard-hit SAG-AFTRA members in the affected areas.
Argentine film director Leandro Favio dies at 74
By Almudena Calatrava
BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) — Movie director, actor and singer Leandro Favio, one of Argentina’s most important cultural figures, has died. He was 74.
Argentine national film institute spokeswoman Susan Casais says Favio died Monday after suffering from chronic illnesses.
Favio was known for his romantic ballads, helping to establish a genre later filled by many Latin American crooners. He was a film star in the 1950s and 60s, and then fled into exile when Argentina’s military dictatorship took over in 1976. Favio returned after democracy was restored and made films celebrating his hero, Gen. Juan Domingo Peron.
Favio’s last film, titled “The Good People,” celebrates Argentina’s bicentennial as well as the current government, which he supported. A viewing was being held Monday night in Argentina’s Senate in his honor.
MTV to air fundraiser for devastated Jersey shoreNEW YORK (AP) — MTV, home of the “Jersey Shore” reality show, plans to air a fundraising special to help rebuild New Jersey’s devastated shoreline.
The one-hour program will air Nov. 15 from MTV’s Times Square studio in New York City. It will feature the cast of “Jersey Shore” along with other guests.
The network said Monday the program will solicit contributions for the rebuilding of Seaside Heights, the heart of the Jersey shore and the principal setting for the “Jersey Shore” series.
For this effort, MTV will be partnering with Architecture for Humanity, a nonprofit organization that provides design and construction services to communities in need.
Seaside Heights was among numerous coastal areas devastated by Sandy last week.
Lucas plans ‘little personal films’ in futureBy Nekesa Mumbi Moody, Entertainment Writer
NEW YORK (AP) — George Lucas is done with “Star Wars,” but not with filmmaking.
The “Star Wars” creator says he still plans to make his “own little personal films.”
Lucas spoke Friday night while attending Ebony magazine’s Power 100 Gala, days after announcing the sale of his storied Lucasfilm to Disney for $4.05 billion. The deal would allow for more “Star Wars” films. While Lucas will be a creative consultant, longtime collaborator Kathleen Kennedy will be in control.
When asked if he’d have a hand in picking a director for the films, he said, “I’ve turned it over to a wonderful producer, Kathy Kennedy, and I’ve known her for years. She’s more than capable of taking it and making it better than I did.”
Lucas admitted mixed emotions about letting Lucasfilm go. “It’s very sad. It’s 40 years of work and it’s been my life, but I’m ready to move on to bigger and better things.”
Among them are his educational foundation, which will be a major benefactor of the money he got for Lucasfilm.
“Mostly it will be philanthropy but I’m also going to make my own little personal films,” he said of his plans.
His last film was this year’s “Red Tails,” which told the story of the Tuskegee Airmen, a legendary black flight unit formed in 1941 that debunked widely held beliefs that black pilots were incapable of fighting in combat. While he described that film as a labor of love, he said, “I’m going to go further out than that. I barely got ‘Red Tails’ into the theaters. The ones I’m working on now will never get into the theaters.”
21 animated features vying for Oscar nominations
LOS ANGELES (AP) — “Brave,” ”Wreck-It Ralph” and “Rise of the Guardians” are among the animated features angling for an Oscar nomination.
The motion picture academy said Friday that 21 films have been submitted for consideration in the Academy Awards’ animated feature category.
“Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax,” ”Frankenweenie,” ”Ice Age Continental Drift” and “ParaNorman” are among the high-profile movies vying for one of five nominations. Other contenders include France’s “The Rabbi’s Cat” and Japan’s “From Up on Poppy Hill.”
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences says several of the films listed have not yet had their required Los Angeles qualifying runs.
“Rango” won the prize earlier this year after 18 films were in nomination contention.
The 85th annual Academy Awards are set for Feb. 24, 2013, at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood.
