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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 Nina Simone’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 Sundance Film Festival 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 Viola Davis; “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 Academy Awards 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.

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