Entertainment

Rapper Soulja Boy arrested on gun charge

  LOS ANGELES, United States (AFP) — Soulja Boy, the rapper who started a viral dance craze while still a teenager with “Crank That,” was arrested Thursday for illegally possessing a gun, police said. Officers entered his Los Angeles home early in the morning and took him into custody after discovering the firearm, a police spokesman said. Although the United States has lenient gun laws, Soulja Boy is banned from owning a firearm as part […]

Pixar’s first original story under Trump a ‘love letter to Mexico’

by Frankie Taggart Agence France Presse SAN FRANCISCO, United States (AFP) — It is known for movies about monsters, insects and children’s toys but Pixar’s latest, very human story is “a love letter to Mexico” at a time of simmering racial tension. Taking the country’s Day of the Dead festival as its theme, “Coco” will hit US theaters some 12 months after Donald Trump’s November 8 election victory on an anti-immigration ticket that enflamed Hispanic […]

2016, the beginning of the end of a rock era

by Shaun TANDON Agence France-Presse The year 2016 began with David Bowie releasing one of the most acclaimed albums of his vast career, a sign of new creative energy from the rock legend. Two days later, he was dead, from an undisclosed battle with cancer. Three months after that, another pop icon, Prince — who had covered Bowie’s classic “Heroes” at one of his final concerts — also died, succumbing to an accidental overdose of […]

Star Wars movie “Rogue One” premieres at London’s Tate Modern

(Reuters) — The “Star Wars” universe landed at London’s southbank on Tuesday (December 14), with stormtroopers standing guard at the riverside Tate Modern art gallery for the launch of the sci-fi franchise’s new standalone film “Rogue One” in Britain. Instead of walking the red carpet in the central Leicester Square, where movie premieres are usually held in the British capital, actors Felicity Jones, Mads Mikkelsen and Forest Whitaker showcased their film at the gallery, home […]

Kanye West emerges from hospital to meet Trump

by Shaun Tandon Agence France Presse NEW YORK, United States (AFP) — Rap superstar Kanye West on Tuesday delivered a surprise even in this most unusual of political years — he met President-elect Donald Trump, marking the artist’s first appearance since a reported mental breakdown. West, a rare artist and even rarer African American celebrity to voice support for Trump, said he went to discuss issues of concern to minorities with the populist leader. Trailed […]

Handwritten J.K. Rowling fairytales sold at UK auction

LONDON, United Kingdom (AFP) — A rare collection of fairytales handwritten by J.K. Rowling as a gift to her “Harry Potter” publisher sold for nearly £370,000 at a UK auction on Tuesday. The copy of “The Tales of Beedle the Bard” reached £368,750 ($467,000, 439,700 euros) in the sale at Sotheby’s auction house in London. The collection of fairytales was created within the “Harry Potter” series and helped the young wizard and his friends defeat […]

Wait nearly over for Star Wars fans as ‘Rogue One’ opens

by Sophie LAUBIE / Fiachra GIBBONS Agence France Presse PARIS, France (AFP ) – The waiting is almost over. Hundreds of thousands of fans will finally get to see the new Star Wars spin-off film Wednesday as it opens in cinemas across Europe. “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story” has already notched up the highest first day pre-sales ever in the US after last year’s “The Force Awakens”. The story, about a maverick Rebel force who […]

‘La La Land’ expected to lead Golden Globe nominations

by Frankie Taggart Agence France Presse LOS ANGELES, United States (AFP) — The nominations for the Golden Globes will be unveiled Monday, with critics expecting musical “La La Land” to lead the pack ahead of “Moonlight,” “Manchester by the Sea” and “Lion.” In a departure from last year’s awards calendar, the announcements come before the influential Screen Actors Guild nominations, making them the first major bellwether of momentum going into the Oscars race. The Globe […]

“Moana” tops weekend box office

(Reuters) — Disney’s animated film ‘Moana’ topped the U.S box office for a third straight week taking the number one spot on Sunday (December 11). The Walt Disney’s Pictures’ animated movie, which has topped the box office for the last two weeks, took in an estimated $18.8 million dollars in ticket sales for the weekend ending December 11, according to BoxOfficeMojo.com. The critically-acclaimed film features Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson as Maui and music from Hamilton’s […]

Viewers, netizens react to Felix Manalo’s quintuple victory at the 64th FAMAS

QUEZON City, Philippines (December 13) – Netizens from around the globe, including those who have watched the historical bio-epic “Felix Manalo,” welcomed and reacted favorably to the quintuple triumph of the movie in the 64th Filipino Academy of Movie Sciences and Arts or FAMAS awards night. The biggest and brightest stars of the Philippine showbiz industry gathered in Century Park Hotel for the 64th or FAMAS Awards night last Sunday, December 4.  And one of the […]

DiCaprio, Trump discuss green job creation

LOS ANGELES, United States (AFP) — Leonardo DiCaprio met President-elect Donald Trump to discuss climate change and how renewable, clean energy could boost the economy by creating millions of new jobs, the actor’s foundation said Thursday. Terry Tamminen, chief executive of the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation, said in a statement he and the Hollywood star presented the Republican property tycoon, his daughter Ivanka and other aides with a plan to unleash “a major economic revival” through […]