Controlled Fusion & other

Earth

2008-09-02T18:28:00.001-07:00

First, the key facts: five eld in production; filmed in 200 locations across 26 countries; 40 specialist crews; thousands of hours of footage shot on 35mm and HD cameras; 250 days of aerial photography.

The BBC's Natural History Unit utilised the most advanced technology uncommitted to create this astounding exploration of the frangibility of animation on our dying planet.

In the process, the unit's extensive team accessed some of the remotest landscapes in the world to capture inner wildlife footage that would leave David Attenborough or Jacques Cousteau gasping with envy.

Secondly, the cast of families: arctic bears in Norway; elephants crossing from the Kalahari Desert to the Okavango Delta; humpback whales travel 6000km from the equator to the South Pole.

With sonorous narration by doer Patrick Stewart guiding our feelings and unveiling the facts, the film in the main follows trey families struggling against near insurmountable odds, much of it the inevitable resultant role of globular warming.

Incredibly, the camera crews penetrate the harshest environments to fall out these noteworthy creatures during seasonal migration.

From the desert in the midst of a dazzling sand surprise to thousands of hectares of chip sea ice, the 30 cinematographers (strangely, all male person) discover the hidden reality of precious lives under duress.

Thirdly, the supporting throw of critters: three million caribou in Canada and the wolves that stalk them; newborn mandarin ducks leaping from trees to the run aground; birds of paradise and their sexual union rituals in Papua New Guinea's tropical rainforest; lions hunting elephants; sea lions hunted by a starving male polar bear.

With every species on the planet dependent on others for its survival, the cinema poignantly documents this symbiotic interrelationship by capturing many amazing moments on camera.

These include an engrossing night scene of lions attacking a baby elephant, spell the dramatic shot of a majuscule white shark making a meal of a seal, filmed at 2000 frames per second on a digital photographic camera, allows the human eye to appreciate the splendor of the kill.

The film's directors, wildlife documentary veterans Alastair Fothergill and Mark Linfield, along with co-writer Leslie Megahey, are understandably passionate about their subjects and subject matter.

Their hot air powerfully complements the images themselves, ably assisted by Stewart's overlooking voice.

Paired with composer George Fenton's haunting score, played by the Berliner Philharmoniker, these images, words and sounds

August 13, 2008

2008-08-13T18:17:00.001-07:00

New ratings every Wednesday

The following feature-length motion pictures have been reviewed and rated by the Classification and Rating Administration pursuant to the Motion Picture Classification and Rating program. Each of the designated ratings is defined as follows under the Motion Picture Classification and Rating program.

G -- GENERAL AUDIENCES. All ages admitted.
PG -- PARENTAL GUIDANCE SUGGESTED. Some material may not be suited for children.
PG -13 --PARENTS STRONGLY CAUTIONED. Some material crataegus oxycantha be out or keeping for children under 13.
R -- RESTRICTED. Under 17 requires incidental parent or adult guardian.
NC-17 -- NO ONE 17 AND UNDER ADMITTED

Film Distributor Reason
Rating
1. Christmas Is Here Again
Screen Media Ventures, LLC
G
2. Eagle Eye
DreamWorks/Paramount Distribution Rated for intense sequences of action and violence, and for language.

PG-13

3. Fighting Rogue Pictures Rated for intense fight sequences, a sexuality scene and brief strong language.

PG-13
4 Haunting Of Molly Hartley, The
Freestyle Releasing, LLC Rated for violence.

R

5. Lords Of The Street
Peace Arch Home Entertainment Inc. Rated for force and language.

R
6. Machined Reborn Grindstone Entertainment Group Rated for sadistic wildness and agony, language and some sexuality/nudity.
R
7. Marie And Bruce Genius Products Rated for voice communication including sexual references, and some nudity.

R
8. Milk
Focus Features Rated for language, some sexual content and brief violence.

R
9. Ninja Cheerleaders
Peace Arch Home Entertainment Inc. Rated for nudeness, sexual content and some crude material.

R
10. Nothing But The Truth
Yari Film Group Releasing, LLC Rated for language, some sexual material and a scene of violence.

R
11. Phoebe In Wonderland Thinkfilm Rated for thematic material and brief strong language.

PG-13
12. Righteous Kill
Overture Films
Rated for vehemence, pervasive lyric, some sexuality and brief drug use.

R

13. Secret Life Of Bees, The
Twentieth Century Fox Film Corp. Rated for thematic material and some violence.

PG-13
14. Surviving Crooked Lake

NeoClassics Films Ltd. Rated for some disturbing flaming images, brief strong language, drug economic consumption and smoke.
PG-13
15. Sushi Pack The Movie
Kidtoon Films, Inc.

G
16. Tyler Perry's The Family That Prevs

Lionsgate Rated for thematic material, sexual references and brief violence.
PG-13
17. Vacancy 2: The Final Cut

Sony Pictures Home Entertainment Rated for strong violence and terror, language and some sexual content.
R
18. World Unseen, The

Regent Releasing L.L.C. Rated for mature thematic material involving gender, and violence.
PG
Updated Wednesday, August 13, 2008.

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A captivating show from Sheryl Crow

2008-08-06T19:07:00.001-07:00

You have to be versatile to go from singing stand-in for Michael Jackson to releasing your own country-tinged, often bluesy, pop-rock album.

Last night at the Bank of America Pavilion, Sheryl Crow place that versatility to serious use in a 90-minute set that was never dull, much astonishing and full of a enthralling roots aesthetic. Refreshingly, Crow has no diva airs - rather, she has a downward home vibration about her and a sense of real world struggle in her songs.

Things didn�t start off with a bang; they began with an acoustic �God Bless This Mess� in front of a peace sign, and then merged into �Shine Over Babylon� as Crow�s six-piece band and two computer backup singers appeared and Crow worked the stage care a cross between a tormented soul singer and a hardworking �American Idol� contestant.

After the good-time stomp of �Love Is Free,� Crow stirred into a series of songs off her debut album, �Tuesday Night Music Club,� including the down-and-out �Leaving Las Vegas,� a brilliant �Strong Enough� and �Can�t Cry Anymore.�

Crow�s birth certificate crataegus oxycantha say she�s 46, simply the tight, blond songstress looks at least 10 years younger, though the ache in her voice - on songs that require it, anyway - seems to be the kind that only comes with years of experience.

Crow wasn�t without social commentary, as in �Gasoline,� which morphed into a cover of the Rolling Stones� �Gimme Shelter.�

Though she didn�t spend practically time plugging her a la mode album, �Detours,� she did perform the folky title track ahead lighting into a incisive �Redemption Day.� Ominous as that vocal was, when Crow transitioned into the jubilant �Out of Our Heads� - which had more than a few crowd members dusting sour their rhythm - followed by the cheery �Soak Up the Sun,� it made sensory faculty; in price of both vocal great power and emotion, Crow moves from helen Newington Wills to sunny, jaded to jubilant with impressive ease.

Based on �You�re Beautiful� oversaturation, James Blunt may look treacly and one-dimensional, only he�s non. True, the sappy lay did make an appearance during his opening set, but it was sandwiched in between upbeat pop-rock numbers, a spirited run through the crowd and, well, other weakly emotional ballads.

The multi-instrumentalist, who took the microscope stage after ska-reggae collective Toots and the Maytals, regular managed to seem haunting on �Goodbye My Lover,� which isn�t nearly as corny as the deed implies.

Sheryl Crow with James Blunt and Toots and The Maytals At Bank of America Pavilion, last night.

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Sam Sparro Announces Single & Robyn Support

2008-06-26T13:21:00.001-07:00

Sam Sparro has been named as support for Robyn on tour this month and he'll be releasing '21st Century Life' as his next single.

After the success of his silver-selling hit single 'Black & Gold' and self-titled debut album, the newcomer is hoping for similar success when the release hits shops on July 21st.

As for those Robyn shows, the five-date tour kicks off tonight (June 7th) in Birmingham, with Sparro then set to play several festivals for the next few months.

* these gigs supporting Robyn

June Dates:

7th - Birmingham, Academy *

8th - London, Astoria *

10th - Manchester, Academy 2 *

11th - Norwich, UEA *

12th - Bristol, Academy *

25th - London, Bloomsbury Ballroom

27th - Wiltshire, Bowood House

29th - Glastonbury Festival

July Dates:

4th - Abersoch, Wakestock

5th - London, Wireless

26th - Long Marston, Global Gathering

Sept

6th - Bestival

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Musician John Moore recalls several happy encounters with Bo Diddley

2008-06-19T01:25:00.001-07:00

One evening in 1981, I knocked on the dressing room door at the Halfmoon in Putney, feeling terribly nervous and extremely foolish, but determined to meet the man who was playing there that evening. I was pretty sure that I'd be sent away with a flea in my ear, but the minuscule possibility of success far outweighed any potential humiliation. I would not return home to Wokingham without at least trying to shake the hand of the great Bo Diddley, one of the pioneers of rock'n'roll.

I was accompanied by my dad's friend, Peter Banham, who was responsible for my musical education. At the age of 10, when I'd first started having guitar lessons, he'd tired of my renditions of Streets of London, and given me some "proper stuff" to learn. Peter had been a teenager in the early 60s and had a fabulous collection of records - mainly purchased at Dobell's Jazz shop on Charing Cross Road in central London. While my schoolfriends listened to Showaddywaddy, Darts and the Rubettes, I had Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf, Lightnin' Hopkins and Bo Diddley for company.

Having only two small daughters, and delighted at the effect his record collection had had on me, Peter would borrow me from time to time to accompany him to gigs. By the time we got to see Bo Diddley, I was 16. Having somehow succeeded in gaining admittance to the dressing room, I sat quietly, awestruck about being in such close proximity to my hero. He was having his picture taken at the time. I listened to him talk and make jokes: he seemed to laugh a lot.

An American woman sat down next to me and we began to chat. I told her how much I loved Bo, and asked her what she thought my chances were of my getting to speak to him. She said he was very busy, and not to be too disappointed if I didn't get the chance, but she'd try for me. She introduced herself as his wife, Kay. As we waited, I told her I'd been to see where he was born in Mississippi, after persuading my mother we should go on a Freddie Laker Fly-Drive holiday whose itinerary, at my insistence, included the birthplaces of the great bluesmen and rock'n'rollers.

"You know what?" she said, " He's going want to know about that." As soon as he'd finished the photos, she called him over and introduced us, telling him, "This young man's been to McComb."

Talking to Bo Diddley was wonderful. The voice that shouted out "I'm a roadrunner honeyyyyyy" and "What you say man, quit mumblin' and talk out loud" was now directed at me. He told me he wasn't actually born in McComb, but in a tiny place along the highway called Magnolia, Mississippi. That was even better. We'd spent half a day there and he wanted me to tell him all about it. George White, who was writing Bo's biography, took our picture and promised to send it to me: as you can see, he was as good as his word. As we shook hands, I remember thinking how huge Bo's hands were, and his arm felt as if it were made of iron: no wonder he played rhythm guitar.

His tour was passing Reading that weekend, which was just three stops away from my home on the train, and he told me that if I wanted to come, my name would be on the door - an unimaginable honour - and to get there early and come and find him.

I followed his instructions, and backstage I asked him about the song Cops and Robbers -a song about being held at gunpoint by a short-sighted villain and made to act as the getaway driver in a liquor store heist in Chicago. Having robbed the store, the villain runs and jumps into the car, failing to notice it's the wrong one - a police car. This was, Bo told me, all true, except a line about a cigarette: he said he'd never smoked in his life, that he didn't like seeing young people smoke, and that I should quit. The best thing that night was that he let me play his famous rectangular guitar. It was tuned to open E, and he showed me the fingering he used. Moments later, somebody else picked it up without asking. "Nobody touches my guitar unless I tell them it's all right," he shouted.

As kind as he was, nobody could mess with Bo Diddley. He was funny and eccentric and made rock'n'roll records that made everybody feel good, but do anything to offend him and there was a big mean old bluesman waiting to get out. As we parted, his wife gave me their address in Florida and said anytime I was down that way to look them up. Bo then added that he was the sheriff of that town: "So if you mess around down there I'll have to arrest you." Then he laughed.

The next time I met him was seven years later in New York. By that time, having been a member of the Jesus and Mary Chain and fronted my own band, I was living the degenerate rock star life to the best of my abilities, and was not quite as fresh-faced as before. I felt rather guilty about seeing him, especially as he'd just made a heartfelt plea to the crowd at the Ritz not to take drugs - a thing I did from time to time. He was a bit suspicious of me at first: my hair was cropped and bleached, and I may have been wearing a nose ring, and I still hadn't given up smoking. I'd taken along the old photo of us together and passed it to him, asking him to sign it. As he looked at it, then at me, he began to laugh, and called his friends over to have a look. "What the hell happened to you, boy? You wait until my wife sees this." I can't remember whether of not he accused me of having been "whupped with an ugly stick", but I think that was on his mind.

I saw Bo Diddley play many times with various backing bands. He was never less than enthralling: even the last few times where he was evidently too old to really cut loose, you still felt that he might. And now my daughter loves him, with virtually no prompting from me. She's even got a rectangular guitar. Having listened to his songs and seen his picture, she said that he looked like a very nice man, and she liked his sound because it made her feel fizzy inside. I know what she means.

While he was recuperating from illness last year, I sent him a photo and a film of her singing along to Who Do You Love?, along with a copy of the old photo from the Halfmoon in Putney. I hope he got them. Anyway, my story is not so rare. Over the years, Bo Diddley met and inspired thousands of teenage twangers who made it to his dressing room and remembered their manners. Some of them even went on to make records of their own.

Bo Diddley was a one-off. He was a lean, mean, lovable, dangerous, gun-slinging, guitar-playing genius, and as my daughter pointed out, a very nice man. Bo Diddley RIP.

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Rapper Lil Wayne's new CD 'Tha Carter III' fails to live up to his own hype

2008-06-10T00:29:00.001-07:00

More than most rappers, Lil Wayne is a master at self-mythologizing. Like his predecessors the Notorious B.I.G. and Jay-Z, Wayne claims of no longer writing down his lyrics before recording. Given the volume of record-stealing guest appearances and the flood of mixtapes since his last studio album, "Tha Carter II" (2005), that free-association songwriting approach seems all the more remarkable. So much so that he has claimed to be the best rapper alive.

Now with the release of "Tha Carter III," Wayne attempts live up to his own hype, but falls short. The disc is a frustratingly uneven effort that's filled safe songs aimed at commercial radio and a few quirky cuts that feature Wayne's bizarre sense of humour and inflated opinion of his rap skills. The best of the latter is "A Milli," a bizarre, breathless rundown of Wayne's self-worth: "Threw the pencil and leak on the sheet of the tablet in my mind/Cause I don't write (expletive) cause I ain't got time/Cause my seconds, minutes, hours go to the all mighty dollar." He gets conceptual on the jazzy, Swizz Beatz-produced "Dr. Carter," on which he diagnoses and cures rap's ailments. Later Kanye West lends a soaring soul sample under Wayne's staccato, twangy flow on "Let the Beat Build." And on "Phone Home," he channels E.T. in a semi-robotic cadence: "We are not the same/ I am a Martian."

However, it's obvious that Wayne's rap ambition is more dependent on radio play than true experimentation. Hence, there are Auto-Tuned throwaway ditties - "Got Money" with T-Pain and the ubiquitous first single, "Lollipop" featuring the late Static Major. And he further tempers the out-there moments with conventional R&B hooks and smoothed-out grooves - Robin Thicke, Bobby Valentino and Babyface all make appearances. Ultimately the gloss seems to dull Wayne's potential to be one of rap's true innovators.

Check out this track: On the clever "Dr. Carter," Wayne plays Dr. Phil urging rappers to "stand out like Andre 3K" and then offers to put "more vocab in your IV."

-

"Tha Carter III"

Lil Wayne (Universal Motown)

See Also

Marco Scherer

2008-06-04T15:56:00.001-07:00

Artist: Marco Scherer

   Genre(s):
Trance: Psychedelic

Discography:

Live at Metamorphix Pi-Club Berlin 11.02.2006

Year: 2006
Tracks: 1

Hudson confirms dramatic Corrie exit

Blu Cantrell

2008-05-30T20:53:00.001-07:00

Artist: Blu Cantrell

   Genre(s):
Other
   R&B: Soul

Discography:


From L.A. To L.O.

   Year: 2004
Tracks: 11


Bitter Sweet

   Year: 2003
Tracks: 12

As she grew up in Providence, R.I., with her basketball team siblings, Blu Cantrell was toted from one jazz performance to another to observe her mother sing. From that point fore, she knew what she precious to do, and began auditioning for outspoken gigs and displaying her dynamic alto at talent shows. On a visit to Atlanta in 2000, Cantrell played her demonstration tape for A&R executive Tab and producer C. Stewart (aka Tricky) of RedZone Entertainment. They were so impressed that they immediately provided studio work to the loretta Young isaac Merrit Singer, and she panax quinquefolius backgrounds for artists including Gerald Levert, Faith Evans, Puff Daddy, and Aaron Hall. Meanwhile, Cantrell began recording tracks for what would at long last suit her showtime full-length album. Upon hearing the abridge "Public treasury I'm Gone," L.A. Reid, the CEO and president of Arista Records, signed Cantrell. Before the discharge of the full-length, the single "Hit 'Em Up Style (Oops!)" occupied the numeral two situation on the Hot 100 number. The bombilate was forbidden and Cantrell was invited to do on home television system programs. Her full-length debut, 2001's So Blu, reached the Top Ten on the album charts. Her side by side record, 2003's Bittersweet, didn't do as considerably on the charts merely did take in Cantrell a Grammy nomination for best R&B album.

Lisa Edelstein - House Spin-off In The Works

Ben Sage

2008-05-08T22:59:00.001-07:00

Artist: Ben Sage

   Genre(s):
Drum & Bass

Discography:


Subsistence EP

   Year: 2005
Tracks: 4


GAIN023 DD

   Year: 2005
Tracks: 2


All About You Vip Gain023 Vinyl

   Year: 2005
Tracks: 2


All About You Vip Gain023 Vin

   Year: 2005
Tracks: 2

Mocedades

Mika is eager to win a Brit Award

2008-05-05T21:00:00.000-07:00

Mika is eager to win a Brit Award

Pop singer Mika has said that he would dear to gain a Brit Honour at tonight's ceremonial occasion.
Speech production to The Sunshine, he said: "Quite frankly I'd making love to win single. I'd like to catch British people Male person only the contention is fierce."
The isaac Merrit Singer, wHO faces competition from Take That in the categories of C. H. Best Album and Best Single, said: "Claim That are a Brits institution instantly."
Mika too said that he would erotic love to check his friends in Muse picking up an prize.
"I really bob Hope that they gain because they truly deserve it," he said.

Cerys and Marc criticise 'misleading' footage

2008-05-05T20:25:00.001-07:00

Cerys and Marc criticise 'misleading' footage

'I'm A Famous person...' couple Marc Bannerman and Cerys Matthews have claimed that their relationship was edited in a misleading style on the strike show.
The pair became close in the jungle last month following a series of incidents where they were seen to flirt with for each one other.
However, Matthews has now insisted that their love story was made to take care more significant than it was by producers of the reality TV show.
She told OK! cartridge clip: "It was edited to make it look wish we were doing things 24 hours a day, when we weren't. We hadn't even kissed! People said we snogged in the jungle just it was only a goodnight kiss on the cheek."
Bannerman added that any footage of any of the campmates could be mixed to indicate that they were more than friends.
He said: "It's been built up as roughly love story just it wasn't. The dear narrative could've been with anyone - [Christopher] Biggins, Rodney [Marsh] or J [Jason John Brown], they were altogether somewhat tactile."
Bannerman and Matthews ar presently staying together at the ex-Catatonia star's household in Cymru where they are believed to accept spent Christmas Day together.

Carla Thomas

New Film Club for Over 55s

2008-05-05T19:26:00.001-07:00

New Film Club for Over 55s

Axis Ballymun and Irish capital Metropolis Council's Humanities Office, in association with The Irish people Film Establish and Access Cinema, are unveiling a freshly monthly Film Golf club for the over 55s
'The Pictures' commences this month with the classic comedy 'Some Like It Hot' and testament show one screening per month of completely genres of films in the Axis of rotation Arts and Community Resource Centre in Ballymun.
The season continues with three other films: 'About Schmidt' on Monday 18 February at 2.30pm, 'The Swingin' 60's' on Monday 31 March at 2.30pm and 'The Painted Veil' on Mon 28 Apr at 2.30pm.
For farther data physical contact Axis on 01 8832100.

Bernd Glemser, Piano

Live: Alicia Keys at the Honda Center

2008-05-05T18:26:00.000-07:00

Live: Alicia Keys at the Honda Center

IN THE film clip that introduced Alicia Keys' concert at the Honda Centre in Anaheim on Billy Sunday, a fiery gospel choir raised the church cap and a thomas Young Alicia stepped from her church bench and prepared to name her way in the world. The sermonizer, played by Cedric the Entertainer, sent her forth, with or so mysterious advice about seeking "the Star Maker."

Like the concert's production numbers game, this form of duplicate baggage is just now a misdirection from Keys' unique perfume. The segments when she simply panax quinquefolius and played pianoforte, whether solely or with her band slow her, were the real heart of the concert, both musically and emotionally.

Merely in mainstream pop, fans look a show up with a capital S, and even having the second-biggest album of the year, as Keys does with "As I Am," ostensibly doesn't give you a fleet.

The staging and choreography were evenhandedly modest and restrained by contemporary standards, and about of the more active sections, especially the energetic accept on Baby Cham's "Ghetto Story," had around charm. Overall, though, Keys' involvement seemed dutiful, if not quite mechanical.

Non that she was a stick-in-the-mud. Being a diva (even if a medium, caring form of prima donna), she's not averse to the personal effects of a k scale and a little showiness. And by presenting herself as an idealized alternate for everyone who's chased a dream or been dumped by a lover, she fulfilled that classic prima donna function. She power receive a goddess-like beauty and a privileged sprightliness, simply the connexion between singer and attender is grounded in shared experience.

Keys, world Health Organization was also scheduled to spiel Staples Center tonight, alluded to that moral force early in the show when she rundle around her desire to write "meaningful" music. (And if there's a little lordliness in her separating herself from other, presumptively to a lesser extent meaningful artists, well, that's a prima donna thing excessively.)

Keys is a fundamentally different engender from coeval R&B's virtuosic singers and athletic, all-around entertainers. More attuned to parallel textures and ringing than digital gratification, she's an old fashioned singer-songwriter out to slyness a personal, organic sort of program line, and every metre the doors at the back of the stagecoach slid open William Ashley Sunday and her grand piano emerged in a sully of stage fog, you knew a second was coming.

The bluesy "How Come You Don't Call Me," the intense "Prelude to a Kiss" (its "sometimes we completely need an angel" sentiment linked to a plea for attention to the needy in Africa), the urgent "Like You'll Ne'er See Me Again" and "Diary" (a stormy twosome with a backup vocaliser) combined soulful intimacy and arena-size force.

"Fallin' " showcased a dramatic refinement of blues, and her ubiquitous recent epoch hit "No 1" had a hunt of Bob Marley in its blending of idealism and black bile. Together, these formed a career-spanning aspect that reminded everyone wherefore she's one of the most systematically popular and acclaimed artists of this decennium.

These peaks too made the show's monetary standard routines appear all the to a greater extent anonymous. If Keys genuinely wants to do something special, she should intent a show around that core group fabric and have it to smaller rooms where it could get a nuanced sound and full gist. Now that would be meaningful.

Earlier Keys took over the evening, rising star Ne-Yo had rocked the house jolly impressively in his second-billed pip. The singer-writer-producer, wHO won a Grammy for best R&B record album this year, didn't play it low-key, striking the stage with a flashy, white-suited nine-piece band and a few chorus girl dancers (no surprise that he's from Las Vegas).

Betwixt the untier, the Euro-disco-flavored fresh bingle "Closer," and the closing curtain of his big hit "Because of You," he flashed considerable charm, or so sharp saltation moves and a supple, feathery voice.

richard.cromelin @latimes.com

Controlled Fusion

2008-05-05T17:47:00.001-07:00

Artist: Controlled Fusion

   Genre(s):
Dance

Discography:

Patient Zero

Year: 2001
Tracks: 10

Coroner