Saturday, 30 August 2008

Nashville fest taps Brian Owens

40th day of remembrance edition to be held April 16-23




Brian Owens has been named artistic theater director of the Nashville Film Festival.

The fest's next edition, marking its 40th day of remembrance, will be held April 16-23.

Owens was previously the artistic director of the Indianapolis International Film Festival, which he founded in 2003.


More information

Wednesday, 20 August 2008

Kumar, Snoop Dogg crown 'Kinng'

Claims highest worldwide gap gross for an Indian film




NEW DELHI -- "Singh Is Kinng" made Bollywood boxoffice history over the weekend thanks to the star magnate of leads Akshay Kumar and Katrina Kaif and a little help from Snoop Dogg.

"Kinng," which featured a Snoop Dogg guest blame in the end credits, logged the highest-ever world-wide opening for an Indian film at $14.9 million. Indian ticket sales accounted for $11.3 million of that, according to figures from Mumbai-based distributor the Indian Film Co.

Previous record holder "Om Shanti Om" opened in December to an estimated $12.3 million worldwide.

Released on 1,800 screens -- 400 more than "Om Shanti Om" -- "Kinng" collected $3.6 million oversea, with U.S. ticket sales contributing $1.1 jillion and the U.K. $910,000.

"There is no doubt that 'Kinng' ... has galvanized the boxoffice, considering this year has not seen whatever major hits," Mumbai-based film trade analyst Taran Adarsh said Monday.

With India bearing into a long weekend for its Independence Day (Aug. 15), Adarsh added that "Kinng" should cover to do strongly.

"Kinng" producer Vipul Shah predicted that, by the end of its first week, the $12.5 million-budgeted movie would "easily surpass" the $19 million worldwide flagrant of "Om Shanti Om."

The "Kinng" bombinate gained steam last month with the release of its soundtrack on Mumbai-based label Junglee Music. The album features a first-of-its-kind collaboration on the title track betwixt Snoop Dogg, U.K.-based North Indian bhangra music trey RDB and Kumar. According to Junglee Music, the "Kinng" soundtrack has sold 500,000 units since its July 4 release.

Snoop Dogg's participation was coordinated by L.A.- and Mumbai-based promotions agency Cashmere Asia, whose chairman, Ted Chung, as well is vp A&R at Snoop Dogg's Doggystyle Records.

The success of "Kinng" comes despite opposition from Sikh community leadership for its portrayal of Sikh characters. Kumar plays Happy Singh, a comic Sikh simpleton from a village in Punjab in North India who ends up travelling to Egypt and Australia.

Shah and Kumar held meetings with Sikh leadership, who exculpated the celluloid for release Thursday Aug. 7. Some Sikh protesters tried to disrupt a screening in Amritsar metropolis in Punjab, but they were detained by police force outside the cinema.

Meanwhile, Kumar's next vent, slated for December, "Chandni Chowk To China" (earlier titled "Made In China"), also is creating buzz given it is Warner Bros.' Bollywood debut here and co-produced with ex-serviceman filmmaker Ramesh Sippy.

The Indian Film Co. is owned by Mumbai-based media pudding stone Network 18 -- whose ventures admit Viacom 18, a broadcast medium partnership with Viacom Inc. Last June, TIFC listed on London's Alternative Investment Market, where it raised $113 million.

Sunday, 10 August 2008

A guide to NBC's sleek Olympics video player (pros and cons)



NBC's Olympics video player has a nice big screen and is pretty comfortable to use.

Wednesday, 2 July 2008

Node

Node   
Artist: Node

   Genre(s): 
Electronic
   



Discography:


Node   
 Node

   Year: 1995   
Tracks: 5




Including producers Flood and Ed Bueller with Dave Bessel and Gary Stout, Node use parallel synth instruments to recreate a authoritative '70s electronic reasoned on their self-titled 1995 album for the British label, Deviant.






Sunday, 22 June 2008

Bali

Bali   
Artist: Bali

   Genre(s): 
Folk
   



Discography:


Gamelan Semar Pegulingan - Gamelan of the Love God   
 Gamelan Semar Pegulingan - Gamelan of the Love God

   Year: 1972   
Tracks: 5




 






Sunday, 15 June 2008

Circa Survive

Circa Survive   
Artist: Circa Survive

   Genre(s): 
Indie
   Other
   Rock
   



Discography:


On Letting Go   
 On Letting Go

   Year: 2007   
Tracks: 12


The Inuit Sessions EP   
 The Inuit Sessions EP

   Year: 2005   
Tracks: 4


Juturna   
 Juturna

   Year: 2005   
Tracks: 11




Philadelphia's Circa Survive was formed by former Saosin vocalist Anthony Green with guitarist Colin Frangicetto -- both of them veterans of the local emo and hardcore scenes looking to indulge in the rule-breaking freedom of the neo-progressive crusade of the mid-2000s. After Green and Frangicetto observed likeminded bandmates in minute guitar player Brendan Ekstrom, bassist Nick Beard, and drummer Steve Clifford, Circa Survive recorded their debut record album, Juturna (named after a Roman goddess), for Equal Vision Records in 2005. Lots of touring followed, including Warped Tour dates, and the album steady sold close to an impressive C,000 copies. A spotlight on the 2007 Coachella festival lED into the recent May release of Circa Survive's reexamination, On Letting Go.






Wednesday, 4 June 2008

Winehouse's mother says she's recovering

Amy Winehouse's mother Janis has spoken about her daughter's Grammy success, saying that she believes the singer is on "the road to recovery".
Winehouse picked up five Grammy awards but could not attend the ceremony in Los Angeles because of visa problems. She performed at the event via satellite from London.
Speaking on 'GMTV', Janis Winehouse said: "Well, as you saw, she looks good and it's a case of she's on the road, and that's what it's about, she's on the road to recovery."
"I think it would have been too much for her because all of the travelling and flying there, I mean seeing what the Grammys was like... we could see it live from there and I thought if Amy were there, she'd be lost in it, she'd be a little girl lost in it."
Speaking about her daughter's Grammys performance, she said: "Well, it's Amy coming back, she's definitely on the way back."
The star's mother also spoke about her fears for her daughter's health before she entered rehab, saying: "She was sort of with it but not with it, and that's the thing where I think fortunately, thank goodness in our family, she's got a solid family and we're all there for her."