lifestyle THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2013 MUSIC & MOVIES Vin Diesel on going dark, getting ripped and Facebook A Minute With: ith a voice several octaves underground We had promised everyone we would have ‘Riddick’ and a piercing stare, action star Vin Diesel before I made “Fast Five.” In my own personal life, I Wgoes to an even darker place as Riddick in was just realizing I was going to have a son and that the third installment of the sci-fi film series, nine was enough for me not to push to make Riddick (in years after ‘The Chronicles of Riddick.’ In ‘Riddick,’ 2010) ... You can’t be Riddick and welcome life. It which opens tomorrow, Diesel’s ex-convict charac- wouldn’t be fair to the audience and it wouldn’t be ter leaves his comfortable world as leader of the fair to the kid. Necromonger death race to search for his home- Q: Why do you think Riddick still resonates land. Once double-crossed and left for dead, he with audiences? resolves to rebuild himself, both physically and A: All of us can identify with a character that has morally, but must do battle against beasts and been given up on, misrepresented, misjudged, bounty hunters. overlooked. We know he has great ability and yet This film image released by Universal Pictures shows Vin Diesel in a scene from “Riddick.” — AP “Riddick” is the second release this year for he is someone just written off as a criminal. Forever to the Dom character and I was about two weeks Q: You do a good job of keeping your life private. Diesel, who got his big break in Steven Spielberg’s we will think of him as someone in the penal sys- into shooting Dom and my twin brother came out A: Thank god. ‘Saving Private Ryan’ but who now is best known as tem. On some occasions, when shit gets really ugly, from New York to visit me. We went to dinner and Q: How important is that to the success of Dominic Toretto in the high-octane thriller ‘Fast & you depend on him more than anything in the he goes like this to my stomach (hits it). ‘Hey man your work? Furious” series. ‘Fast & Furious 6’ has grossed nearly world. I think that is what makes him such an inter- that’s solid. You are cheating, man. I read some- A: I am from the New York school of actors - the $800 million worldwide this year and ‘Fast & Furious esting anti-hero. where that when you do the Dom character you De Niros and the Denzels and the Pacinos - who 7’ is due out next near. Q: Do you maintain a constant in your physi- drink a lot of beers to get a mechanic’s belly. Where have always been really quiet about their lives, as After firing off questions about what will happen cal preparedness or do you have an offseason? If is it, man?’ opposed to the more Hollywood approach that is in Syria, the 46-year-old actor reclined on a couch so, what do you do in your offseason? Q: So did you get a beer belly? more out there. And yet there is a change that and talked about the toll of playing Riddick, the dif- A: You are looking at it. (He then dives on to the A: It’s so tricky, because you can’t go all the way you’ll feel throughout the industry and that is the ficulty of getting a beer belly and what to do with couch). (Director) David Twohy wanted me to cre- like a truck driver. For the Dom character, I have advent of social media ... People are expecting to 46 million Facebook followers. ate a body type that within one week’s notice could never wanted him to feel like he trains in a gym or hear from you, to be somewhat let in. But people Q: You are older, wiser, calmer. Actually, what flip from the slothful Lord Marshal to the primal is a bodybuilder. I wanted him to feel like a guy in are very respectful about my privacy. My friends were you like 10 years ago? planet Riddick ... That was very, very challenging to good shape, one who lifts up engines all over the always talk about the fact that I am never out, never A: I was a maniaaaaaccccc! maintain. That called for building core strength and place, not afraid of some hard work. But I always go to red carpets, don’t go to events in an attempt Q: So, is it a good time for you to be interpret- then while doing production if I had to go slothful, I wanted to maintain that kind of Americana, snap- to generate press. But at the same time, I have ing a more contemplative, isolationist Riddick? would stop training completely. And if I had to on-tool, drink-a-beer kind of character. It is more developed a very intimate relationship with 46 mil- A: Sure, on so many levels. And yet, as a father, return to planet Riddick, I would train double. Last important to be accurate about the character then lion people. And that changes everything. I don’t it’s a little harder to carve out that time to go dark. year, I was transitioning from the Riddick character worrying about being in shape. know how it is going to play out. — Reuters

Review ‘Populaire’ is a love letter to ’50s films ad Men’ meets “The Artist” in “Populaire,” a superbly crafted, finely acted but some- ‘Mwhat shallow retro rom-com about a young French secretary who, with the help of her highly persuasive boss, hammers her way to becom- ing one of the fastest typists on the planet. This impressive debut feature from writer-director Regis Roinsard is boosted by terrific lead turns from Romain Duris and Deborah Francois (“The Page Turner”), as well as some stunning old-school cinematography from Guillaume Schiffman of “The Artist.” Still, there’s As part of its social something formulaic and all too overtly crowd-pleas- ing about this sepia-toned tale of female empower- ment and lost love, making for a rather soulless affair. Set in the rain-swept towns of Lower Normandy in responsibility plan 1958, the film makes its throwback status heard loud and clear from the get-go, with opening credits (directed by Alexandre Courtes, “Asylum Blackout”) straight out of a Billy Wilder movie and decors and a Arabian Oud sponsors mass color palette that would please the likes of both Alfred Hitchcock and “Mad Men’s” Matthew Weiner. Indeed, wedding for 250 couples in Makkah it’s easy to spend most of the movie simply gawking at the sets (by Sylvie Olive) and costumes (by RIYADH: Arabian Oud, the largest special- Arabian Oud’s luxurious fragrances for men Charlotte David), so Roinsard, along with co-writers This film image released by The Weinstein Company shows Romaine Duris, left, and Deborah ized perfume retailer in the world and the and women, in addition to a selection of Daniel Presley and Romain Compingt, deserves credit Francois in a scene from “Populaire.” — AP Middle East region’s foremost luxury fra- incense for homes. for weaving an amusing intrigue that never lets up grance house, extended its heartfelt con- The event was of great importance at Draper and Peggy Olson - hairstyles and smoking gratulations, as the gold sponsor of the the level of encouraging the youth to mar- habits included - and Rose’s climb to a higher social status is reminiscent of Peggy’s evolution from clerk to event, to 500 youths as they tied their ry and build typical and well-knit families copywriter. The difference here is that while the “Mad knots in the fifth mass wedding held on to effectively contribute to comprehensive Men” duo ultimately transforms into a surrogate 19th of Shawwal 1434 H at King Saud Hall, development in the future. Broadcasted father-daughter team, the two Frenchies clearly have Umm Al-Qura University, Makkah. The live on several television channels, the fifth the hots for each other. Yet Louis is incapable of clos- event was organized by ‘The Charity mass wedding leveraged on the latest ing the deal, blocked by an enduring affection for his Society for Helping Youth Get Married in technologies and advanced solutions to childhood sweetheart (Berenice Bejo) and memories Makkah’, under the auspices of Prince provide a high-spirited, unique environ- of serving in the French Resistance during WWII. Khaled Al- Faisal, Governor of Makkah ment for both the spouses and the audi- While the love story is meant to fuel much of the Province. ence. At the end of the ceremony, Arabian action, it’s often overshadowed by the thrill of the Arabian Oud’s sponsorship of the mass Oud, represented by Mohammed Abdul training sessions and typing competitions, which wedding reflects its strong commitment to Wahab Merdad, received an honorary Roinsard films as if they were some kind of office com- social and humanitarian responsibility to shield for its support to the event. bat sport. Cutting between the competing secretaries raise the bar of these types of communal Arabian Oud upholds an impressive as they pound out keystrokes and slam back their initiatives which target all segments of the track record of excellence in making effec- typewriter carriages, the director and editors Laure society, with particular focus on the youth tive contributions to several social initia- Gardette and Sophie Reine endow these sequences as the present and future pillars of compre- tives across Saudi Arabia, in collaboration with the nail-biting suspense of a finale at Roland hensive development. At the event, with a number of humanitarian and charity Garros, making them the real highlights of the movie Arabian Oud gave away valuable gifts to associations to support the youth, needy But for all the earnestness with which the filmmakers the newlyweds, including a wide range of families and people with special needs. replicate the muted colors and attitudes of the post- war era, they ultimately fail to say anything truly inter- esting about either the past or the present, resulting in a work that feels as superficial as it does slick. This film image released by The Weinstein Company shows Deborah Francois in a scene from As Louis’ expat buddy, Bob (Shaun Benson) Jon Stewart returns to “Populaire.” — AP explains at one point, “America is for business, France until the closing half-hour, when his premise starts to (Duris, sharp and sprightly), who’s impressed by both is for love,” and there are times when “Populaire” ʻThe Daily Showʼ after film grow old. her superhuman typing skills and killer looks. Before seems to be channeling its love of movies simply as a long, he takes Rose under his wing as his protegee, on Stewart is back as host of “The Daily of the Syria alleged poison gas attack. Stewart A quick intro presents small-town gal Rose means to achieve Hollywood clout. “Populaire,” a training her for a regional secretary competition and Show,” and the shaggy beard he grew had been off Comedy Central since June 6, Pamphyle (Francois, channeling the feistier side of Weinstein Company release, is rated R by the Motion moving her into his country mansion, where she’s over the summer is gone. In his return directing and producing a movie. British Grace Kelly), who works at her dad’s local grocery Picture Association of America for “a scene of sexuali- J swept into a daily regimen of extreme typewriting ty.” Running time: 111 minutes. MPAA rating definition Tuesday, Stewart referenced stories he missed comedian John Oliver subbed, to strong store but longs for a better life. She thus decides to and unrequited romance. -New York mayoral candidate Anthony reviews. apply for a secretarial position at a neighboring insur- for R: Restricted. Under 17 requires accompanying The bond the two form is not unlike that of Don Weiner’s sexting and Miley Cyrus’ sultry MTV Stewart was welcomed in an extended skit ance office run by the sleek, fast-talking Louis Echard parent or adult guardian. — AP dance - then took up the challenge of trying with Oliver and Stephen Colbert, who tried to to make comedy and social commentary out bring back the old Stewart after Oliver mock- worried that “the Middle East has changed him.”Back at his desk, Stewart beckoned the Douglas and Damon to camera close to whisper to his audience: “I’ve missed you so much. You don’t know what it’s like in the real world. Nobody applauds every stupid (expletive) thing that you do.” present at Emmy Awards Stewart played a tape of President Barack ehind the Candelabra” stars Michael Douglas and Matt Damon will Obama urging military action against Syria. present trophies at the 65th Primetime Emmy Awards, the first pre- “America taking military action against a Bsenters confirmed for the September telecast. Another first: Neither Middle East regime,” Stewart said. “It’s like I has been a presenter at the television awards show in the past. Both never left.” After showing Secretary of State Douglas and Damon are nominated in the Outstanding Lead Actor in a John Kerry referring to “signatures of sarin Miniseries of Movie category for the HBO film. The evening marks the fifth gas” in the attack, Stewart launched into a Emmy nomination for each. mock commercial for “Signature of Sarin” per- fume. “I came back to a dark, dark place,” he Douglas was previously nominated in 2002 for Outstanding Guest Star in said. He played news network tape of various a Comedy Series (“Will & Grace”) as well as for Best Supporting Actor in a commentators saying that military action Drama (“The Streets of San Francisco”) in 1974 and Outstanding Continuing against Syria is necessary because the United Performance by a Supporting Actor (“The Streets of San Francisco”) in 1975 States would look weak without doing it. “Oh, and 1976. Damon was previously nominated in 2011 for Outstanding Guest right,” he said. “We have to bomb Syria Star in a Comedy Series (“30 Rock”) as well as one of the nominated produc- because we’re in the seventh grade.” He con- ers for Outstanding Non-Fiction Program (“Project Greenlight”) in 2002 and Outstanding Reality Program (“Project Greenlight”) in 2004 and 2005. The In this Nov 8, 2012, file photo, Jon ducted an interview with the head of the In this May 31, 2013 file photo, actor Matt Damon, left, and Michael telecast will air live from the Nokia Theatre LA Live in Los Angeles on Stewart performs at the 6th Annual United Nation’s relief effort in Jordan, taking Douglas pose for photographers while leaving after the screening Sunday, Sep 22 at 8 pm ET/5 pm PT on CBS. Neil Patrick Harris will host and Stand Up For Heroes benefit concert care of refugees from Syria that have now of “The Great Beauty” at the 66th international film festival, in exceeded two million. — AP produce; Ken Ehrlich will executive produce. — Reuters in New York. — AP Cannes, southern France. — AP