Tag: entertainment

‘Coco,’ a lively take on the Day of the Dead, wins at box office

LOS ANGELES, United States (AFP) — “Coco” gave Disney and Pixar much to be thankful for over the long Thanksgiving weekend, as the highly reviewed animation led all comers on North American screens, according to industry estimates released Sunday. The film, which tells the story of a 12-year-old Mexican, Miguel (Anthony Gonzalez), who longs to become a musician but faces a generations-old family ban on music, netted an estimated $49 million for the three-day weekend […]

Account by Titanic survivor among precious manuscripts to be auctioned in Paris

PARIS, France (Reuters) — An astonishing collection of papers ranging from a handwritten account from a Titanic survivor to a manuscript written from prison by the Marquis de Sade is set to be auctioned in Paris. The Aguttes auction house acquired the collection from bankrupt French company Aristophil, whose founder Gerard Lheritier was charged with fraud in 2015 after suspicions he ran a Ponzi-like scheme. His company, which acquired some 130,000 pieces, was placed into […]

“Coco” set to dominate Thanksgiving weekend box office

Reuters — “Coco,” a colorful animated adventure into the land of the dead, is set to take the top spot at the North American Thanksgiving weekend box office from Friday (November 24) through Sunday (November 26). The Disney/Pixar release, which follows a boy who accidentally finds himself in the land of the dead during the Mexican celebrations for Dia de los Muertos, is expected to take 51 million dollars in its opening weekend, according to […]

Taylor Swift bucks streaming trend

Reuters — Taylor Swift on Tuesday is proving she’s the rare artist who can defy the digital age. Her latest album, “Reputation,” is smashing sales records in part by selling physical ones. The album is bucking the streaming trend in its first week of release with over half a million copies sold on CD. That’s the biggest week for a physical album since Adele’s “25” in 2015. “Reputation” blasted to Number One on the Billboard […]

Denzel Washington promotes new film in New York

NEW YORK CITY, New York (Reuters) — Two-time Oscar winner Denzel Washington promoted his latest film “Roman J. Israel, Esq.” in New York on Monday (November 20). For the title role, Washington underwent a striking transformation as a brilliant defense attorney lacking people skills, a man whose life has been spent fighting for others’ civil rights – and paid a price for his activism. The role was written for Washington by Director Dan Gilroy (‘Nightcrawler’) […]

David Cassidy, 1970s teen heartthrob, dies at age 67

LOS ANGELES, United States (Reuters) — David Cassidy, a singer and actor whose androgynous features and jaunty voice made him a 1970s teen heartthrob on the television show “The Partridge Family,” died on Tuesday (November 21) at age 67, his publicist said. Cassidy entered a hospital over the weekend for treatment of liver failure. He died in the intensive care unit of a Florida hospital, his publicist, Jo-Ann Geffen, said in a telephone interview. In […]

Forbidden Planet’ robot sets price record for movie prop sold at auction

Reuters — “Robby the Robot,” the seven-foot tall creature featured in the 1956 science fiction film “Forbidden Planet,” sold at auction for $5.375 million, a record for a movie prop, a New York auction house said on Tuesday (November 21). Bonhams, which conducted the auction, said the price beat the previous prop record of $4 million for the 12-inch falcon statue in the Humphrey Bogart classic “The Maltese Falcon” and topped the $4.6 million for […]

‘Call Me by Your Name’ tops Spirit Awards nominations

by Frankie Taggart Agence France-Presse LOS ANGELES, United States (AFP) — Coming-of-age tale “Call Me by Your Name” led the pack of independent films tipped for Oscars glory as the Film Independent Spirit Awards nominations were announced on Tuesday. Set in 1980s Italy and starring Timothee Chalamet and Armie Hammer, it tells the story of 17-year-old Elio as he begins a relationship with his father’s American research assistant, Oliver. The film was nominated in six […]

Grizzled Hollywood veteran Nick Nolte given star in Hollywood

LOS ANGELES, California, United States (Reuters) — Oscar and Emmy-nominated actor Nick Nolte was honored in Los Angeles on Monday (November 20) with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Nolte, who was given the 2,623rd on Hollywood Boulevard, has been nominated twice for acting Oscars with the first being in 1992 for “Prince of Tides” and the second in 1999 for “Affliction.” “In the early 1960s my parents lived up here off of […]

‘Justice League’ tops box office with underwhelming total

WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — It might have placed top of the North American box office, but “Justice League” didn’t have the super opening weekend predicted, falling short of expectations with takings of $93.8 million, according to data released Monday. With an all-star cast including Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman, Ben Affleck as Batman and Henry Cavill as Superman, “Justice League” — based on the DC Comics superheroes team — sees a mash-up of classic […]

Beyonce tops Forbes’ 2017 list of highest paid women in music

Reuters — Beyonce’s hit album “Lemonade” and world tour made her the highest-paid woman in music in 2017, according to an annual Forbes list on Monday (November 20), edging out Britain’s Adele and pop star Taylor Swift. The R&B singer earned some $105 million from record sales and from her “Formation” concert tour, according to Forbes. She also has her own Ivy Park fashion line and other business interests. Adele, whose “25” album broke first-week […]

Indian producers delay Bollywood film after protests

MUMBAI, India (AFP) — Indian filmmakers said they have delayed indefinitely the release of a Bollywood historical epic about a legendary Hindu queen that has been the subject of weeks of violent protests. Caste-based groups have been targeting “Padmavati”, which was due to hit screens on December 1, over rumours that the movie will depict a romance between the queen and a Muslim ruler. In a statement late Sunday Viacom18 Motion Pictures said they had […]