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Home , Christian Bale, Omar Sharif

lifestyle WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2015

Fashion Drake sells big in new surprise release ap superstar Drake, whose unexpected mixtape earlier championships. “I do not chase girls, but they run a mile for download on iTunes but not on competing streaming plat- this year became a top-seller, has dropped another sur- me,” Drake boasts. Drake also uses a sports analogy to take on forms such as Spotify or on CD or vinyl. Nonetheless, Billboard Rprise release-to an enthusiastic commercial response. his critics-presumably including Meek Mills, a rapper who predicted that “What a Time To Be Alive” was on course to The Toronto rapper teamed up with Atlanta-based rising star sparked controversy by charging that Drake did not write his debut on the next weekly chart at number one and to be the Future to release a mixtape entitled “What a Time To Be Alive.” own songs. “Are we talking teams? ... This game is different, top-selling new release since Drake’s previous work. The two rappers had been known to be collaborating with you only get one shot,” Drake raps. Drake in February put out a Previously, Billboard had forecast a number-one debut for each other, but they released the mixtape at short notice late mixtape on his own, “If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late,” that “Honeymoon,” the highly anticipated fourth album by the Sunday on Apple Music, where Drake is a key player. has been the only album released this year to go platinum, gloomily introspective singer Lana Del Rey. Drake’s celebrity The mixtape features a cover of glittering diamonds and defined as selling more than one million copies, in the United has grown with a series of headlining performance at major has multiple references to precious gems as the rappers States. festivals, including Coachella in California in April. — AFP address their recent successes. “Man, what a time to be alive,” Like his previous release, Drake has described “What a Time each rapper says separately on “Big Rings.” Drake starts the To Be Alive” as a mixtape rather than as a full-fledged album of Canadian rapper Aubrey Graham, aka song by asking for a cash advance, despite his recent success. new material. In a still unusual commercial tactic, Drake put ‘Drake’, arrives for the premiere of the “I got a really big team / And they need some really big rings,” out both mixtapes first on Apple. “What a Time To Be Alive” movie ‘Get Hard’ at the TCL Chinese Drake raps, an allusion to sports teams’ jewelry for winning was available Monday for streaming on Apple Music and for Theatre in Hollywood, California. — AFP New York Film Carlos Santana, Pitbull in pro-immigrant song Festival to host Albert atin music stars including Carlos Santana and Pitbull on harassed and made to be scapegoats for the ills of their Monday launched a music video in celebration of immi- respective countries of residence,” it said. “The song celebrates Maysles tribute Lgrants, voicing alarm at the harsh turn of US political dis- the positive contributions of immigrants in the United States course. “We’re All Mexican,” in English and Spanish with a Latin as a balance to the negativity being expressed publicly,” it incoln Center will host a tribute to the late documentary beat and mariachi brass, features images of famous Mexicans said. Stars involved in the song include the Cuban-American filmmaker Albert Maysles during the upcoming New such as painter Frida Kahlo as stars say the song’s title. With US rapper Pitbull, Chicano rock legend Carlos Santana and LYork Film Festival. The Film Society of Lincoln Center and Mexican flags waving, the video also shows images of Mexican American actress . announced Monday that the event, co-hosted by the Maysles immigrants’ contributions to US society ranging from farm Other stars in the project include Haitian-born rapper family, will take place October 4 at Alice Tully Hall. Maysles will labor to Mexican cuisine. Wyclef Jean of Fugees fame and Oscar-winning actress be celebrated with in-person guests, clips from his work and Cuban-American producer Emilio Estefan led the initiative . Trump, the property mogul and television special attention to his work with Maysles Documentary given the popularity in the Republican presidential nomina- star who has defied all political odds to lead the Republican Center, the Harlem nonprofit he co-founded. tion contest of tycoon Donald Trump, who denounced undoc- race ahead of the November 2016 election, stunned many Maysles died in March at the age of 88. His 60-year career umented Mexicans as rapists and drug dealers. “‘We’re all across the United States when he described Mexican immi- spanned seminal documentaries of so-called “direct cinema,” Mexican’ is a metaphor symbolizing that we can all become grants as rapists. Hispanic-Americans are the largest and including “Gimme Shelter,” “Grey Gardens” and “Salesman.” The the victims of racism and bigotry at any moment,” said a state- fastest growing US minority; most Latinos are of Mexican 53rd New York Film Festival begins Friday. — AP ment accompanying the video. Without referring directly to descent or origin. And Republicans need to court Hispanics’ Trump, the statement denounced the vilification of Mexicans votes to win the White House. Trump, 69, also wants to build a but said their situation was not unique. wall along the US-Mexican border. — AFP Carrie Underwood “Around the world, different immigrant groups are Neeson to star in action movie ‘The Commuter’ iam Neeson is set to star in the Studiocanal suspense thriller “The Commuter,” sources confirm to Variety. LByron Willinger and Phil de Blasi penned the script with In this Jan 21, 2013 file photo, filmmaker Albert Andrew Rona and Alex Heineman producing with Maysles poses for a portrait during the 2013 Sundance Studiocanal through their shingle the Picture Company. No Film Festival to promote his film, ‘Focus Forward’ in director is currently attached. Plot revolves around a busi- Park City, Utah. — AP nessman on his daily commute home, who unwittingly gets caught up in a criminal conspiracy. It threatens not only his life but the lives of those around him. Production is set to Bille August start sometime next spring. Studiocanal will finance the pic. Neeson has become the Country singer go-to actor for suspense thrillers and action movies, like Fox’s “Taken 3” and Warner Bros.’ “Run All Night,” both of which August to head Film debuted earlier this year. Neeson has Martin Scorsese’s Underwood says “Silence” and the Focus movie “When a Monster Calls” both bowing in the next year. Universal also recently acquired the Festival jury, Sharif to be honored pitch “The Revenger” with Neeson attached to star and scar-winning Danish Director Bille August (“Pelle the A UCLA graduate, Fahmy has served as Ruben Fleischer on board to direct. Willinger and de Blasi are her songs are for Conqueror”) will head the main jury of the 37th Cairo Film Development Program Goodwill Ambassador to the Arab region both repped by Verve and most recently wrote “Skyscraper” Festival which will pay tribute to the memory of the late and North Africa and is also a former president of the Cairo fest. for Universal and “The Crossing” for Screen Gems. The pic O great Omar Sharif and also honor popular Egyptian actor Hussein The Cairo fest is under new management with the appointment ‘real people’ marks one of a handful movies the Picture Company has set Fahmy with a lifetime achievement award. August (pictured) a earlier this year as president of Magda Wassef, former head of the up since Rona and Heineman announced the creation of the inging a live-streamed concert in , seven-time double Palme d’Or winner, also known for “Smilla’s Sense Of Luxor fest, and of prominent film critic and academic Youssef banner last year with “Escape From New York” and a “Robin Grammy award winning American country singer Carrie Snow,” “The House of Spirits,” and “Les Miserables,” will bring his lat- Cherif Rizkallah as artistic director. The new toppers at Cairo were Hood” retelling also in the works. CAA reps Neeson and the Underwood said she thinks her style of music knows no est film, “Silent Heart,” to the Cairo fest which will run November installed by ’s culture minister after the resignation late last S Picture Company. The news was first reported by Deadline boundaries because it’s about “real people” everywhere. “I def- 11-20. The tribute to Omar Sharif, who died aged 83 in July, will year of esteemed veteran critic Samir Farid who cited health rea- Hollywood. — initely get that country music has most of its culture in the take place November 12 and involve onstage testimonials from sons for stepping down. (United) States and in the southern part of the States. But we several international and Egyptian artists who worked with the Farid had successfully revamped the oldest film fest in the sing about real people and real stories and people that work first Arab actor to achieve worldwide fame. Middle East and Africa, giving it a new configuration, following a hard, and I feel like that’s universal,” Underwood told Reuters Besides classics Sharif starred in, such as “Lawrence of Arabia,” hiatus and downfall due to post-revolutionary turbulence. The on Monday night at London’s Roundhouse music venue. the Cairo fest will also screen lesser known gems such as a new team, which has plenty of previous experience, is talking its “So country music has evolved a lot over the decades and I restored version of French director Jacques Baratier’s 1958 cue from his internationally well-received 36th edition. But they feel like there’s a lot of artists like myself that are just working romancer “Goha,” featuring one of Sharif’s earlier roles which he have also reinstated the Cairo Film Connection co-production hard to break stereotypes and just bring good music to every- plays opposite . Hussein Fahmy, who has platform market component for Arab filmmakers which Farid has body,” Underwood said before stepping on stage to perform appeared in more than one hundred Egyptian movies and plenty scrapped. —Reuters for the live-streamed Apple Music Festival. Underwood, 32, of TV shows, will receive the Lifetime rose to fame after winning the musical talent contest Achievement Award, named after the Egyptian icon who died in “American Idol” in 2005. After her debut album “Some Hearts” January. Hamama and was married to Sharif for nearly twenty was voted the top country album of the past decade by trade Liam Neeson years. publication Billboard, she said she’d felt under pressure for the follow-up, but now has her career in hand. “I felt like there was a lot of pressure on my second album, and like my first headlining tour. There’s certain things that have been in my career that I felt like I was just needing them ‘Sicario’ sequel in the works at to work,” she said. “At this point in my career, 10 years in, I feel ionsgate is developing a sequel to “Sicario” that will center on added that he hoped that “Sicario” with its eerie shots of nighttime like some of that’s off because I feel like I’ve solidified a place ’s mysterious hitman. The project is being raids and violent border cronfrontations might finally score an in country music, on the radio... I have an amazing fan base overseen by Taylor Sheridan, the writer of the acclaimed Oscar for Roger Deakins, who is zero for twelve despite nomina- that’s incredibly supportive. “So I don’t feel like I have to top L thriller. Director Denis Villeneuve is also involved, although it’s ear- tions for the likes of “Unbroken,” “Fargo,” and “Skyfall,” calling the what I did last time and because of that I feel like I’m able to ly in the process and it’s not clear if he would come on board to award, “past due.” Wachsberger also agreed with critics who have make better music and be more creative and just do things direct. “Before the release of this movie, I was talking to Denis and I been predicting Oscar love for Blunt and calling her performance that are good for the sake of being good and not like for the said what happened to this character?” said Patrick Wachsberger, as tough agent forced to question her beliefs one of the finest of sake of trying to sell albums or trying to get played on the co-chair of the studio’s motion picture group. “Where is Benicio her career. radio.” going?” “She is totally credible,” said Wachsberger. “You end the Underwood, who is among the top selling US female The studio executive was thrilled Monday after “Sicario” movie wondering what’s going to happen? What happen to her vocalists, and whose fifth album, “Storyteller”, will be released debuted to a sizzling $401,288 last weekend from just six theaters. character? Is she becoming a wolf?” Despite the strong box in October, said social media is increasingly important in her Its per-screen average of $66,881 is the highest of the year. The office response, Lionsgate is going to roll out “Sicario” at a delib- career. “It is playing a bigger and bigger role in the careers of film centers on a steely FBI agent (Emily Blunt) who finds herself erate pace. It expands to eleven cities and roughly 65 locations music artists especially. But you know it is what it is and it’s involved in an off-the-books operation to bring down a Mexican next weekend, before going wide on Oct 2. “This is a movie that wonderful to be able to connect with people that you might drug kingpin. co-stars as a morally flexible govern- needs word of mouth,” said Wachsberger. “It’s not an easy title. British actress Emily Blunt, poses between Puerto Rican not ever get to see. “You know there’s people in other coun- ment operative. Lionsgate is planning an Oscar campaign, ‘Sicario’? You have to Google that. You’re not going to wear a t- actor Benicio del Toro, right of her, Canadian film director tries that are like ‘Carrie please come to Brazil’ and I’m like, ‘Oh Wachsberger said. “This movie has multiple Oscar potential-best shirt of that.” — Reuters Denis Villeneuve and film producer, Edward McDonell, my gosh, people in Brazil have heard of me, that’s incredible.’ movie, best director, best cinematography, best music, and, of left, after arriving at Victoria Eugenia cinema to promote So that part’s really cool.” — Reuters course, the actors,” he said. “All of the characters feel real.” He their film ‘Sicarios’. — AP Bale, Pitt’s ‘’ gets release date, AFI Fest premiere aramount Pictures opted for “Good Morning players out there. These guys, who were really just could be an awards play for and par- America” yesterday to announce that Adam trying to stick it to the big banks (which themselves ticularly , with other hopes for best pic- PMcKay’s “The Big Short”-with an all-star cast would of course be bailed out), hit the jackpot while ture and best adapted screenplay lingering. It’s a featuring Christian Bale, , Steve Carell, Ryan the American dream was being flushed down the potential power player for New Regency, already rid- Gosling, Marisa Tomei and -would be toilet for regular Joes in the real world. ing a one-two best picture punch in “12 Years a getting a December 2015 release. Not only that, but The announcement comes on the heels of a Slave” and “Birdman.” Like David Gordon Green’s “Our the film will see its world premiere as the closing wave of successful test screenings and at a time Brand Is Crisis,” it tackles current events from a dark night selection of November’s AFI Fest in Los when the studio could really use some more fodder humor angle and that could resonate amid other, Angeles. The film, based on the book by Michael for the awards season. Paramount picked up deadly serious contenders like “Black Mass” and “The Lewis (“The Blind Side”), tells the story of bond and “Anomalisa” at the Toronto Film Festival last week, a Danish Girl.” The AFI Fest premiere will be held at the real estate derivative geeks who saw the housing challenging animated endeavor from Charlie TCL Chinese Theatre on Nov 12. — Reuters crash of 2008 coming and bet against the collateral- Kaufman and Duke Johnson that has inherent limi- ized debt obligation bubble, thus striking it rich. It’s tations as a broader Oscar play. “The Big Short” will Christian Bale, Brad Pitt and kind of like betting the “Don’t Pass” line, for the craps hit theaters in limited release Dec 11 and, as I hear it,