lifestyle SATURDAY, JANUARY 24, 2015 MUSIC & MOVIES ‘Hunger Games: Mockingjay’ becomes highest-grossing film of 2014 in US he Hunger Games: Mockingjay million on Wednesday, edging past - Part 1” shot past “Guardians “Guardians” at $333.17 million at the US “Tof the Galaxy” to become the box office. highest-grossing domestic release of Lionsgate also announced Thursday 2014. It’s the second time in a row that that it will release the Digital HD verison the dystopian franchise has topped the of “Mockingjay-Part 1” on Feb 17 and the Blu-ray Combo Pack (plus DVD and Digital HD), DVD (plus Digital) and On Demand versions on March 6. “Mockingjay - Part 1” opens in China on Feb. 8. It has already grossed more than $700 million worldwide, bringing global box office for the three “Hunger Games” films to over $2.2 billion. “The No. 1 theatrical release of 2014 is poised to become one of the biggest home entertainment events of 2015,” said Lionsgate Home Entertainment president Ron Schwartz and Lionsgate president of worldwide television & digital distribution Jim Packer. Unlike most major tentpole releases, the latest “Hunger Games” didn’t get the benefit of a 3D or Imax surcharge. “Mockingjay - Part 1” stars Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson and Liam Hemsworth and was directed by Francis Lawrence. The next and final film in the series hits the- charts. It gives Lionsgate bragging rights aters in November. It may be difficult for Robert Redford, right, founder of the Sundance Institute, addresses the media as John Cooper, left, programming director of the Sundance Film as the studio with the top film in consec- Lionsgate to score a three-peat; this year Festival, and Keri Putnam, executive director of the Sundance Institute, look on during the opening day press conference at the 2015 Sundance utive years-something no one else has brings sequels to “Star Wars” and “The Film Festival. — AP achieved in over a decade. “The Hunger Avengers.” May the odds be ever in their Games: Mockingjay - Part 1” hit $333.2 favor. — Reuters Robert Redford kicks off Sundance Film Fest obert Redford kicks off the Sundance Film showrooms and celebrity hangouts, Redford the festival include Redford’s appearance along- Festival he founded 31 years ago on said he’s gratified by the festival’s continued side George Lucas at a Power of Story panel set RThursday afternoon at the event’s original growth. to stream live on the Sundance website, and home, the 280-seat Egyptian Theatre. A lot has “When it started to happen, I wasn’t prepared James Franco, in his first appearances since “The changed since those humble beginnings - the for it,” he said. “It grew way beyond my imagina- Interview”-Sony hack scandal, has three films in event now takes over Park City and has tion.” More than 12,000 submissions from Park City - two at Sundance and one at the con- stretched into Salt Lake City - but Redford says around the globe were culled to the 118 feature- current, even-more-indie festival, Slamdance. change is what keeps the festival relevant. length documentary and narrative films featured Funny folks Jack Black and Sarah Silverman take Though it has long outgrown its original venue, during the 10-day event this year. “We’re really dramatic turns in feature films, Bobcat Sundance remains true to its mission of show- seeing a lift in the quality (of independent film),” Goldthwait premieres a documentary about casing the work of emerging artists and experi- said festival director John Cooper. “I think the comic Barry Crimmins, and comedian Tig Notaro mental approaches that exist outside the wild ride of the festival is going to be felt by the stars in her own documentary, “Tig.” Hollywood mainstream. audiences.” Other starry offerings include: “Z for “The festival was meant to use change to Redford himself is featured in a film that pre- Zachariah,” in which Margot Robbie believes underline the word diversity, and diversity is miered yesterday, “A Walk in the Woods.” “That she’s the last woman on Earth, until she discov- something I think moves the ball, and that’s was not my idea,” he said, adding that he has not ers Chris Pine and Chiwetel Ejiofor; “Sleeping something I think we represent,” Redford said at been involved in film selection for the festival With Other People,” starring Jason Sudeikis and Liz Garbus, right, director of the documentary film “What Happened, Miss Simone,” the festival’s opening-day news conference. since its inception, for fear of appearing self-pro- Alison Brie; the gambling drama “Mississippi poses with singer ’s longtime guitarist/musical director Al Schackman at “That comes out of change. As things change, motional. “And I also said at that time, just to Grind,” starring Ryan Reynolds, Alison Brie and the premiere of the film on the opening night of the 2015 on the filmmakers here roll with it, and their films make sure, I don’t ever think that anything I do Alfre Woodard; “Lila & Eve” with Jennifer Lopez Thursday. — AP show how change is affecting the life we live should be in the festival. I think that would be and ; “Slow West” with Michael and the society that we’re in.” Though he always self-interested and I don’t want to do that,” Fassbender; and the closing-night film, Nina Simone documentary a blasts the “ambush marketers” who take over the Redford said. “So we all agreed on it, until recent- “Grandma,” starring Lily Tomlin. The Sundance powerful portrait of the artist town’s Main Street with gift suites, sponsored ly. John went out of bounds.” Other highlights at Film Festival continues through Feb 1. — AP

hrough archival footage and interviews of Music because of her race. That denial with her family, closest confidants and turned her into an entertainer. She started play- Tcollaborators, Nina Simone comes to life ing in bars to make a living, and the managers again - still enigmatic but more easily under- there required her to sing. Before long, she was stood - in the new documentary “What playing at the Newport Jazz Festival, and, even- Happened, Miss Simone?” which premiered tually, Carnegie Hall. Still, she felt a profound Thursday night at the Sundance Film Festival. A emptiness, reflected in her journal entries classically trained pianist, accidental singer, included in the film. She was lonely and passionate activist and often-lost soul, Simone’s depressed, and her husband and manager, In this Jan 19, 2014 many facets are illuminated in the film by direc- Andrew Stroud, was abusive. file photo, writer and tor Liz Garbus, whose first film played at Simone found purpose in the civil rights director Richard Sundance 16 years ago. movement, and realized she could use her Linklater, right, pos- “This is the film I’ve been practicing to make fame and talents to support the fight for equal- es with cast member all these years,” Garbus said before the screen- ity. “I could sing to help my people,” she says in and daughter Lorelei ing. The film opens with Simone onstage in the film, “and that became the mainstay of my Linklater, at the pre- 1968, just before her self-imposed exile to life.” “What Happened, Miss Simone?” - the title miere of the film Liberia, then goes back to her childhood piano taken from a Maya Angelou quote - tells the In this Jan 28, 2012 file photo, Director Benh Zeitlin, left, holds up actress Quvenzhane Wallis as they accept the “Boyhood” during lessons. She took instantly to piano as a young story of a troubled, gifted and passionate the 2014 Sundance girl, catching the notice of a white teacher who woman who found her voice in music. She was Grand Jury Prize US Dramatic award for the film “Beasts of the Southern Wild” during the 2012 Sundance Film Film Festival, in Park offered to provide lessons. Still known then by fervent about the dignity of African-Americans City, Utah. her given name, Eunice Waymon, she is shown and fought staunchly for equality. Festival Awards Ceremony in Park City, Utah. walking across the train tracks that separated Simone’s songs for justice are just as rele- whites from blacks in her North Carolina home- vant now, the film’s director said. “If we had town to reach the teacher’s home. voices like Nina Simone’s today, speaking the Eunice Waymon dreamed of becoming the pain and the passion of the movement that’s A look at the first black classical pianist in the United States, been building, I think, on the streets in the past and she saw herself at Carnegie Hall - until she six months...” Garbus said, “I think we can all see was denied admittance to the Curtis Institute the place of these songs today.” — AP and the Sundance kids

Rogen responds to n Academy Award nomination is an incompara- ed with the Academy’s expansion of the best picture ble stamp of approval for any film - and for an category from five films to as many as 10. “I think ironi- ‘American Sniper’ comments Aindie feature coming out of the Sundance Film cally what’s happened is now it’s almost like ‘best of Festival, in some cases, it’s a downright miracle. The the fest’ in some ways. This year is a very good exam- eth Rogen responded to the outrage (Inglourious) Basterds.” festival, which kicked off this week in Park City, Utah, ple of that. Every film except for ‘American Sniper’ incited by a series of tweets he wrote Quentin Tarantino’s 2009 revenge fanta- has had a scattered record with the Oscars, but its debuted at a festival,” he said, referring to this year’s Sregarding the film “American Sniper” sy film shows clips from a fake propaganda track record for the night’s top award - best picture - best picture nominees. While the Toronto in a statement issued exclusively to The movie about a skilled Nazi sniper. Online has been steadily improving over the past few years. International Film Festival and Telluride will continue Associated Press on Thursday, saying it was- outlets including Fox News Insider, the Daily This year, “Whiplash” and “Boyhood” - both to be harbingers of major awards contenders from n’t his intent to offend anyone or to say any- Caller and Brietbart concluded that Rogen’s Sundance premieres - are among the eight best pic- major studios, mainstream success for an indie film thing with political implications. The actor intent was to liken Clint Eastwood’s fact- ture nominees. “Boyhood” is considered a favorite to festival is challenging to maintain year after year. “It’ll and filmmaker, fresh off of the whirlwind, based drama about the late Navy SEAL win. Coming on the heels of previous best picture be interesting to see how they follow last year,” said Sony-hack-addled release of his film “The Chris Kyle to “Nazi propaganda.” On nominations for Sundance films like “Precious,” “Beasts Davis. “That actually kind of puts pressure on the film Interview,” was thrown back into the spot- Monday, Rogen went back to to clar- of the Southern Wild” and “Winter’s Bone” over the festival to keep up with that. If they don’t have two or light Sunday when he tweeted that ify that he “actually liked” Eastwood’s film past few years, the festival has become a breeding three best picture nominees that come out of this “American Sniper kind of reminds me of the and that he wasn’t comparing the two at all. ground for awards candidates. In 2014, for example, year’s lineup, is it a failure for them?”—AP movie that’s showing in the third act of Conservative blogs, however, were not Damien Chazelle’s “Whiplash” was programmed as the appeased. Celebrities like Dean Cain and opening night film. Erik Davis, a contributing editor at Kid Rock joined in to publicly criticize movie ticketing site Fandango, believes it’s a ripple effect. “Because filmmakers, studios, producers are Rogen, too. In this Jan 30, 2010 file photo, Director Debra In his statement Thursday, Rogen reiter- seeing a lot of Oscar movies begin to come out of Sundance, I think they’re looking at Sundance as a Granik accepts the Grand Jury Prize for ated that the movie only reminded him of strategy to put the movies that they feel have a Dramatic Film for “Winter’s Bone” on stage at the other “because they both involved plots chance in the Sundance lineup,” said Davis. the Awards Night Ceremony during the 2010 In this Jan 23, about the most lethal of snipers.” He went Davis said he’s seen the quality of the films steadily Sundance Film Festival, in Park City, Utah. on to explain that he would never compare 2010 file pho- increase in the decade since he began attending. “In to, actress the film to Nazi propaganda, and that he all the years I’ve been going to Sundance, I’ve never to the changing landscape of theatrical releases. Jennifer has nothing against Kyle or veterans in gen- seen an opening night film as strong as ‘Whiplash.’ I “Because there are fewer dramas in theatrical release eral. “My grandfather was a veteran,” Rogen feel like the festival was kind of making a statement and one of the few places to see the new and the best Lawrence of said. “My comment about the movie was but at the same time taking a risk by programming of indie dramas is Sundance, then when it comes to the film, not meant to have any political implica- such a strong film right at the start of the festival,” he Oscars, those dramas at Sundance gain even greater “Winter’s tions,” he said. “Any political meaning was said. “Whiplash” in some ways is the ultimate Oscars importance and visibility,” he said. Some movies, Bone,” poses ascribed to my comment by news commen- Cinderella story. What started as a short at the 2013 Tourtellotte said, come to the festival with an eye on for a portrait tary.” Rogen also apologized for any offense festival and premiered in feature form at the 2014 fes- the prize. Others, like a “Whiplash,” for example, bene- during In this Oct 13, 2014 file photo, his tweets might have caused. The actor tival without a distributor lined up 12 months later fit from the fact that there is so much media and Sundance Film actor/writer Seth Rogen poses for a concluded the statement by saying he gets singled out by the Academy as one of the best industry already there. Festival in Park portrait in Los Angeles. — AP hoped that “this clears things up.”— AP pictures of the year. Producer Bob Tourtellotte (“Meth Keith Simanton, managing editor of IMDB, thinks City, Utah. Head”) thinks the focus on festivals has intensified due that there is something bigger going on that all start- —AP photos