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About Glee S4

Glee follows an optimistic high school teacher WILL SCHUESTER (Matthew Morrison), who against all odds and a malicious cheerleading coach, attempts to save McKinley High's Glee Club from obscurity, while helping a group of ragtag performers to make it to the biggest competition of them all: Nationals. It's a tall order when the brightest stars of the group include Kurt (Chris Colfer), a soprano who hits a high note in fashion, Mercedes (Amber Riley), a larger-than-life diva with a voice to match, Artie (Kevin McHale), a geeky guitarist who rocks and rolls and Tina (Jenna Ushkowitz), a punk rocker who hides behind her stutter and blue hair extensions. 

Will's only hope lies with two true talents: Rachel Berry (Lea Michele), a self-proclaimed star who is convinced that MySpace and show choir and are her tickets to fame and Finn Hudson (Cory Monteith), the popular high school quarterback with movie star looks who must protect his reputation from his holier-than-thou girlfriend and Cheerios head cheerleader, Quinn (Dianna Agron) and his arrogant football teammate, Puck (Mark Salling). Will is determined to do whatever it takes to make Glee great again, but his only ally is fellow teacher and germaphobe Emma Pillsbury (Jayma Mays). Everyone else around him thinks he's nuts, from his tough-as-nails wife Terri Schuester (Jessalyn Gilsig) to McKinley's scheming cheerleading coach Sue Sylvester (Jane Lynch). But Will is out to prove them wrong.

Note to Miley Cyrus: Please Stop; Plus Other VMAs Ruminations

THR's music editor likens the former Disney star's MTV moment to "a bad acid trip," while giving props to performances by Bruno Mars, Lady Gaga, Macklemore and Drake.

MTV VMAs: Justin Timberlake Wins Top Prize, Macklemore Earns Three Moonmen

Miley Cyrus and Robin Thicke joined forces for a controversial performance, while 'N Sync reunited -- if briefly. 

New Poster Art Reveled for George Clooney's THE MONUMENTS MEN

New Poster Art Reveled for George Clooney's THE MONUMENTS MEN - BWWMoviesWorld by www.broadwayworld.comNew Poster Art Reveled for George Clooney's THE MONUMENTS MEN

A new poster has been reveiled for THE MONUMENTS MEN, a Smokehouse production directed by and starring George Clooney. The action-thriller was written by Clooney & Grant Heslov, based on the book by Robert M. Edsel with Bret Witter. Get a first look below!

The all-star cast includes Clooney, Matt Damon, Bill Murray, Cate Blanchett, Jean Dujardin, Bob Balaban, Hugh Bonneville, and John Goodman.

Based on the true story of the greatest treasure hunt in history, The Monuments Men focuses on an unlikely World War II platoon, tasked by FDR with going into Germany to rescue artistic masterpieces from Nazi thieves and returning them to their rightful owners. It would be an impossible mission: with the art trapped behind enemy lines, and with the German army under orders to destroy everything as the Reich fell, how could these guys seven museum directors, curators, and art historians, all more familiar with Michelangelo than the M-1 possibly hope to succeed? But as the Monuments Men, as they were called, found themselves in a race against time to avoid the destruction of 1000 years of culture, they would risk their lives to protect and defend mankind's greatest achievements.

Clooney's crew on The Monuments Menincludes director of photography Phedon Papamichael, ASC, Oscar-nominated production designer Jim Bissell, Academy Award-winning editor Stephen Mirrione, A.C.E., costume designer Louise Frogley, and five-time Oscar nominated composer Alexandre Desplat.

THR's music editor likens the former Disney star's MTV moment to "a bad acid trip," while giving props to performances by Bruno Mars, Lady Gaga, Macklemore and Drake.

Think back to some of the MTV Video Music Awards’ most memorable onstage moments -- from Madonna’s open-mouth kiss with Britney Spears to Kanye West’s Taylor Swifterruption -- and you’d probably agree that the show was never known for its subtlety. So why then were audiences both at home and at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center so offended by Miley Cyrus’ raunchy performance on the 2013 edition?

OUR EDITOR RECOMMENDS

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MTV VMAs: Lady Gaga Performs 'Applause' With Five Onstage Costume Changes (Video)

It’s certainly not the first time we’ve seen a former Disney star gone bad, nor is it a rarity for a VMA artist to skirt the basic cable line of an NC-17 rating. What made it so cringe-worthy (there’s no better evidence than this crowd shot of Will Smith and his kids with mouths agape) was its crassness -- from the song itself (catchy but mind-numbingly silly and about five minutes away from sounding dated) to Cyrus’ choice of wardrobe (a stoned-out leotard) and stage props (big-butted teddy bears) reminiscent of a bad acid trip. Instead of singing along to “We Can’t Stop,” it seemed more fitting for the horrified masses to scream, please, stop!

Robin Thicke’s appearance half-way through the song didn’t help matters much. While Cyrus crotch-grabbed, fake-fingered herself and dry-humped the 36-year-old singer, audience members collectively gasped. “Blurred Lines,” the fun-loving song of the summer, was now tainted. Often criticized for what are perceived to be “rapey” lyrics, you could easily add the word “statutory” onto that judgment. Thicke is, after all, nearly old enough to be Cyrus’ father.

PHOTOS: VMAs 2013: Best and Worst Moments Thank goodness for 2 Chainz who put a stop to the madness by taking center stage, along with Kendrick Lamar, for the “Give It 2 U” portion of the mid-show medley.

So is it a sign of the times or of desperation when one such act completely takes over the conversation? So much so that you almost forget who else was on the star-heavy VMAs bill? Or was that the plan all along? To shock the masses and stir a social media frenzy while corporate sponsors clapped along, gleefully counting impressions? Never mind the countless tweens and teens who may come away from the telecast scarred, or the adults who feel like they need a shower.

Those answers are not easy to come by. For more than a decade now, MTV has been struggling to find its identity as a music-light channel targeting young adults and nowhere is that more painfully felt than at the VMAs, which tries to balance today’s pop hitmakers with its own sense of nostalgia, yet doesn’t want to admit how old it really is (30, but who's counting?).

This year’s edition really is the textbook example if only in its inconsistencies. Justin Timberlake, the Video Vanguard recipient and a veteran of music videos going back to the late-1990s, took up what seemed like half of the show’s second hour with a medley of his solo hits, yet the NSync reunion portion of his performance, which had the likes of Lady Gaga screaming like a little girl, seemed to last only seconds.

Kanye West, whose seven previous VMAs bows were always memorable displays of art and dance, chose to perform his latest, “Blood on the Leaves,” in silhouette. While the highly touted Daft Punk appearance was just that -- an appearance. No one would “Get Lucky” on Sunday night.

STORY: Miley Cyrus Unveils 'Bangerz' Album Cover

Disappointments extended to those who weren’t there: Brooklyn’s own Jay Z, the surviving Beastie Boys, not one performing rock band in a borough teeming with them. And Brooklyn itself sort of got shafted. Sure, Katy Perry debuted a boxing themed performance of “Roar” against a stunning Brooklyn Bridge backdrop and major artists made their entrances at the carpeted corner of Dean St. and 6th Ave., but that was about it -- a shame considering previous VMA love letters to such cities as Las Vegas and Miami.

On the other hand, the performances that truly resonated had the fewest bells and whistles. Macklemore and Ryan Lewis’ “Same Love” brought class and compassion to the forefront and, with the addition of guest vocalist Jennifer Hudson, added Oscar-winning star-power to the mix. Bruno Mars’ “Gorilla,” with a stage set-up lifted from his current tour, was minimally choreographed but massively moving and probably the best showing of the night. Drake had plenty of pyro for his performance of "Started From the Bottom" and "Hold On, We're Going Home," but the parts that got the crowd most riled up was when the rapper simply rapped.

And lest we forget, Lady Gaga who, with the exception of her too-long Joe Calderone drag act in 2011, truly understands the purpose of a VMA performance: to leave a lasting impression that doesn’t require an application of Nonoxynol-9. To wit: opening number “Applause,” delivered in five different expertly coordinated looks, the last of which had mama monster in a barely there seashell bikini top and G-string -- her outfit for the rest of the night.

n the end, the best and worst acts of the night both screamed for attention by showing a lot of skin with varying degrees of substance. What does that say about today’s VMAs? Perhaps that the unsung heroes are the Brazilian waxers of the world and not much more.

World ComedyTop Funny News

Auguest 18th Sunday

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BBC to debut new comedy on iPlayer

Comedy

BBC Three will air series two of Jack Whitehall's Bad Education on iPlayer a week before it airs on TV as part of an online initiative.

Omid Djalili to star in 'The Shawshank Redemption'

Omid Djalili tells James Rampton why he’s tackling serious drama as well as stand-up at the Edinburgh Festival.

As unplayable, uncastable roles go, the one of Red in The Shawshank Redemption must be right up there. Frank Darabont’s 1994 epic about life in the ferociously brutal Shawshank Penitentiary has a claim to being the world’s most highly regarded film. (It has more than one million votes on the Internet Movie Database, averaging a startling 9.2 out of 10.) And the character of Red, the wise old convict who sets out believing that “Hope is a dangerous thing. Hope can drive a man insane” will forever be associated with one actor… Morgan Freeman. No one else will do.

It is this role, however, that comedian Omid Djalili is taking on in a new stage adaptation of Stephen King’s novella, opening in Edinburgh next month.

“I seem to be the go-to guy when no one has any idea who to cast,” Djalili says.

“It was like that when I did [Lasse Hallström’s 2005 film] Casanova with Heath Ledger. The producer said, 'Can you come and make something out of this part? He’s rich and classy, but a scumbag.’ I replied, 'Of course, that’s me!’”

Djalili though is bullish about the task ahead. “I’ve already done a similar thing when I took over from Rowan Atkinson as Fagin in the West End production of Oliver! You do your own take on the character,” he says. “I’m not going to do an impression of Morgan Freeman. People who play Hamlet don’t worry about Laurence Olivier’s performance. It’s irrelevant.

In Edinburgh, The Shawshank Redemption will be running in tandem with his stand-up show, Omid Djalili Live, which he says focuses this year on getting older. He is 47. But, despite his high profile as a stand-up – he has fronted two series of his own BBC One programme, The Omid Djalili Show, and recently won a new audience when he dived off the 10-metre board in ITV1’s preposterous celebrity diving show Splash! – Djalili says he is not worried how audiences will respond to him in such a serious part. “I like the idea of seeing performers in roles people would never have expected.”

When we meet, in an east London rehearsal room, he has just finished filming the role of the duplicitous diamond dealer Aldobrand, opposite Ray Winstone’s roguish Elzevir, in a new Sky One adaptation of James Meade Falkner’s classic swashbuckler Moonfleet.

He’s full of colourful anecdotes about the experience. “The other day we were filming a fight scene, and Ray said, 'I only feel like I am working when I’m in a fight’. Even before the first punch was thrown, he chucked in the line, 'Leave it!’ So I asked him, 'Are you now going to say, 'You slag!’?’ 'Yeah, but not until the last take!’ He just does it to entertain the crowd.”

In the past Djalili, who is married with three children, has often appeared to be a comedian with an agenda, eager to weave into his material political statements. Now, he says, “I’ve realised people find a lot of things boring. I recently did a joke about Michael Gove, and as soon as I said his name, I felt the audience turn off. I used to think that you could shatter people’s lives with comedy. But I now know that it doesn’t work like that.

“I’m not here to shake anyone up; I’m here to entertain. There’s no sense that people will be transformed by my act. If you set out to do that, the laughs are considerably fewer. My wife says, 'God, when you start getting serious, that’s the worst – I cringe. You might as well raise your fist and shout, “Change things now!” I like it when you keep it light. Just sing and dance. Don’t speak!’ She’s right. I don’t want an earnest clap from the audience. I’d much rather have a laugh.”

Next up, Djalili, who was born in Chelsea to Iranian parents, will be appearing in a movie as Cleopas, the uncle of the seven-year-old Jesus. “It’s great,” he enthuses. “This period has never been tackled on film before. It’s a cast of unknowns. In fact, I nearly didn’t get the role because the producers said I was too well-known. So I had to tell them, 'Really, no one knows me. I’m not Russell Brand or Simon Pegg. The Mummy? I just did it for the money. Gladiator? That was just four minutes on screen.’ I’ve never played down my achievements so much.”

For all his hectic activity, does Djalili ever worry about being perceived as a jack of all trades and master of none? “Do you mean I’m rubbish at everything?” he says, with typical self-effacement. “No, for me, if you have a chance to flourish in different mediums, it’s great. Variety is the spice of life.”

Edinburgh Festival 2013: The Three Lions, interview

What happened when Prince William, David Cameron and David Beckham got together to promote England's bid to host the 2018 World Cup? An anarchic Edinburgh Fringe play goes behind the scenes of a disastrous campaign

“If David Beckham and David Cameron were alone in a hotel room what would they talk about?” asks William Gaminara between bites of Bircher muesli. “I mean, what do they say after they’ve done the niceties?” "The mind boggles", is about as much as I can come up with, but it is this very question that the actor and playwright will attempt to answer at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival this month, when he presents his new play The Three Lions.

Set the night before England’s unsuccessful bid to host the 2018 FIFA World Cup, the play imagines the conversations between the two Davids and their third bid team member, Prince William, as they gather in a Swiss hotel room to thrash out a last-minute plan. It’s a gleefully irreverent "behind the scenes" and at breakfast in a central London cafe, Gaminara, who is an accomplished playwright but has spent the best part of 11 years cutting up corpses as Silent Witness’s Prof Leo Dalton, is clearly relishing the chance to have some fun.

“I found the idea of what those people would talk about really entertaining. They are three very high status individuals but they’re high status in different ways. One thing actors often do is agree between themselves whose character has the highest status, so I wondered how [these characters] would sort that out. I imagined there would be a bit of argy bargy.” He smiles mischievously. “And I didn’t have to invent [the situation]. They actually were together…There are real pictures of the three of them sitting around a table in the Swiss hotel and even the pictures are funny because they all look slightly out of sorts.”

The real Prince William, David Cameron and David Beckham meet in Zurich in 2010

Gaminara’s promise of big-fish-out-of-water comedy is executed perfectly in his zingy script: there are toe-curlingly clumsy attempts at laddishness by Prince William (who discusses getting a ‘Rex’ tattoo to ingratiate himself with Beckham); diplomatic gaffes by Beckham and "Do you know who I am?" huffs from Cameron who is not recognised by hotel staff. There are also wry nods to what we already know about the trio and their circles: a nagging Victoria phones Beckham to check he’s remaining faithful; Cameron has a series of tetchy phone calls with Nick Clegg. But Gaminara has been careful not to make the trio caricatures.

“If it had been a sketch, you’d say, 'OK, Beckham’s thick and William’s posh', but that doesn’t sustain a play. I hope I’ve made it a bit more complicated than that. Beckham is a very canny businessman but one of his roles in public life is to be a bit dim, which he knows and exploits in the play. [My version of] Prince William fancies himself as a joker and there’s a part of him that is desperate to be one of the lads. But he’s also very meticulous and keeps picking Beckham up on his speech (“There’s no such word as ‘worsest.’ But listen don’t beat yourself up”). I actually think it’s quite an affectionate take on them because I like them both.”

And what of Cameron whose portrayal is, to put it mildly, less affectionate? “I’m not so fond of Cameron,” admits Gaminara, “but he’s the motor of the play – he drives it.” That is, he tries to. Keeping Beckham and Prince William on track isn’t easy though, and Cameron’s detractors will enjoy watching him struggle to take charge. At the end, when it's revealed England has received the backing of only two of Fifa's 22 delegates, Cameron loses his temper and tells both William and Beckham to "Shut the f---up!" There is also a farcical cameo from Boris Johnson, who is forced to surrender his trousers to William after the Duke of Cambridge spills water on his own pair. Boris later tackles William to get them back.

But Gaminara has been careful not to base the whole play on flights of fancy and many of the details relating to the bid - which reached a climax in December 2010 when Russia was named the 2018 World Cup host - are true. Tactics discussed by the characters are genuine as is the bid leaders’ decision to buy a Mulberry handbag for the wife of the (since disgraced) vice-president of Fifa, Jack Warner (although it was eventually handed back amid allegations of bribery).

Perhaps more pleasing though are Gaminara’s assurances that many of the trio’s most entertaining, that-has-to-be-fiction foibles are also true. Cameron, for example, really does subscribe to the so-called “full-bladder technique” during negotiations, according to reports. (He deliberately drinks copious amounts of water before important discussions to ratchet-up the tension and achieve maximum focus.)

Is there anything in the play that might attract the attention of lawyers? Gaminara says not.

“It’s nice to know that you live in a country where you can say just about anything as long as it’s not libellous and it’s in the context of comedy. There are some countries where I’d be locked up. And anyway,” he says grinning, “they have far worse things said about them.”

Of course lawsuits aren’t the only risk related to plays based on real people. There is another: casting. One dodgy accent, one unconvincing gesture and the illusion is shattered. But Gaminara is confident in his choice of actors and, although Sean Browne is the spitting image of Beckham, the playwright didn’t seek out lookalikes.

“The sound is almost more important than the look. What you want is for someone to come through the door and say ‘I’m David Cameron’ and you think, ‘Oh OK, I get it.’ There’s got to be something that makes you buy in, and that something tends to come more easily from sound than looks.”

But people don’t tend to wander into auditions sounding like David Cameron. “Actually he is notoriously hard to impersonate,” Gaminara tells me. “Rory Bremner doesn’t do him, none of the big names do. But Dugald [Bruce-Lockhart] has spent a lot of time watching him, and I can tell he’s been listening to the speech rhythms.”

But what really fascinates Gaminara is not the voices, nor the chance to poke well-meaning fun at the great and the good. It’s something altogether more psychological.

“The thing that really struck me when I read about what had happened is that when we went into the bidding, people really weren’t confident and the odds were against us, but something happened in the 48 hours before the vote to make [the bid team] convince themselves that they were going to win. And I thought, what if it was between those three people? Something happened in that room to put those three in a bubble of ‘Of course we can do it’ and [the play] tries to work out what it was that gave them that sense.”

The entitlement of old Etonians, perhaps? Lingering notions of empire? What is it that makes us Brits so sure everything still revolves around us? Gaminara’s play is about a lot more than just football.

Edinburgh Festival Fringe: insider travel tips

Fringe benefits: how do you navigate the world’s biggest arts festival? Photograph: Massimo Borchi/ Atlantide Phototravel/Corbis

It is a question we had pondered for years: just how do you navigate the world's biggest arts festival? The mass of artists, performers, day-trippers and visitors – never mind residents – can feel overwhelming, and knowing where to go to eat, drink and explore can be just as difficult. So we decided to ask the most loyal of visitors – the comedians who return to Edinburgh each year – to help us through the maze with hints on how to live the Fringe like a performer. Here are a few of their top tips

Best for breakfast – and hangover cure

Snax Café Overlooking the Meadows, Snax Café is known locally as a proper greasy spoon and a decent place to head to shake off a heavy Fringe night. As double act Horse & Louis say, "The clientele are real people, working people, people who are genuinely looking for chicken curry with a side of haggis at 6.30am and who expect, nay demand, that every meal comes with chips. The bacon is so thick you could use it as a door stop, and the eggs, if hard boiled, would do some damage down a 10-pin lane." 

Best for lunch/brunch

Cheesee Peasee For those looking to chase down a true Edinburgh delight, Cheesee Peasee is a mobile food van which serves up gourmet French cheeses in and around Edinburgh. Hailing from Lyon, Cédric will slice you a portion of savoury delight – the perfect accompaniment to a late-afternoon picnic in the park. Eric Lampaert says: "Everyone from miles around comes to seek cheese guidance from this Gouda guru and if you impress him with his native tongue, he'll (probably) slice you an extra 50g of Camembert. Merci beaucoup!" 

Best place to escape the crowds

Northern star: North Berwick beach, not far from Edinburgh. Photograph: Kathy Collins/Getty Images

North Berwick Those looking to escape the hectic pace of the Fringe could follow in the footsteps of Mark Thomas and cycle to North Berwick. "If you want a temporary escape from the sometimes insular world of the Edinburgh Festival," says Thomas, "nothing quite does the job like fish and chips by the seaside in North Berwick after a cycle. One of my favourite days during any festival was visiting the Highland Games in North Berwick. What's not to like? Fairground rides, pipe bands, big things being thrown, the sun out, fish and chips, all good in their own right but together…

Best for a pre-show pint

Under The Stairs Nestled in an alcove under the main street between Bistro Square and the Grassmarket, Under The Stairs is a hideaway that serves up top-notch food and drink within easy distance of most of the main venues. Regular patron Keith Farnan says: "I snuck in the back door of what I thought was the kitchen and was greeted by soft armchairs, an array of fine foods and a sense of peace that is rarely found in an Edinburgh pub, but that slowly fades away into a pleasantly raucous evening." 

Best for a post-show pint/bite

Port O'Leith Edinburgh is not short of fantastic pubs and lively clubs which carry on late into the night, but if you take Jim Jefferies's advice, then the Port O'Leith is a good choice for a post-show pint. "I used to disappear here when I didn't fancy having a mad night," says Jefferies, "and this pub has it all: great atmosphere, great people, the walls and ceiling have so much naval history and bits and bobs from all over the world hanging off it or stuck to it, and the drinks are reasonably priced – not the £4 that most venues charge nowadays for a pint. So yes, check this place out!" 

The Witchery After a long day at the festival, one of the top places to lay your head (if you can afford it) would have to be The Witchery on the Royal Mile. Set just down from the Castle, the hotel is in the thick of the Fringe action, yet it occupies a corner which at night is a little oasis of quiet. The hotel also comes with a fantastic restaurant recommended by Zoe Lyons, who says: "It is my Edinburgh guilty pleasure. Practically underneath the castle, it is so beautiful at night with candles on the steps as you descend into the Secret Garden dining room. It also looks a bit like it has been built as the set of a Dracula movie, with candelabras, drapes and goblet glasses." "

Police in Canada find 40 snakes in motel room

The reptiles were found in several plastic storage bins on Thursday night in a room in Brantford, Ontario, where a couple who had been evicted from their home were staying, police said in a statement.

Officers have opened a probe into the incident but they did not say where the couple were at the time or whether the pair would be charged with breaking local laws that prohibit owning pythons.

The snakes, which ranged in length from 30 centimetres to 1.4 metres, were in poor health and have been taken in by the Canadian Society for the Protection of Animals, where a veterinarian is monitoring them.

The find comes 11 days after Connor and Noah Barthe, aged six and four respectively, died in the eastern town of Campbellton, New Brunswick when an African python escaped from its terrarium and killed them.

The boys had been enjoying a sleepover with a friend, whose father’s private menagerie of exotic animals included the python.

London 2012 Olympics: day six – live

02-August 2012

 

Andy Murray, one of Team GB's strong podium hopefuls, has moved within one match of securing at least a silver medal at the Olympic Games after dismantling Spaniard Nicolas Almagro in today's quarter-final.

The Scot - who lost only a month ago in the Wimbledon final to Roger Federer - is desperate to earn a gold medal at the Games after his plucky defeat at SW19, and must progress through the semi-final and the final to fulfill his dream.

Serbia's Novak Djokovic or France's Jo-Wilfried Tsonga await the Scot now, and he could meet world No 1 Federer in the final.

Bradley Wiggins: Thousands of fans delight in Olympic cycling gold
Thousands of fans roared with delight in the Olympic Park as they watched on a big screen as Bradley Wiggins hammered the field to win the Olympic road cycling time trial and become Britain's most decorated Olympian with seven medal


London 2012 Olympics - First day at the Velodrome Odds and Betting Preview


LONDON, UK - Thursday sees the first day of track cycling at the Olympic Park's newly constructed velodrome. A total of five preliminary and qualification events kick-off proceedings in Stratford, before two evening medal events - the Women's team sprint at 17:59, and the Men's team sprint at 18.15. We look at the betting for both of the day's showpieces.

With Qualification and Round 1 to get through, punters might be wary of placing a bet on either sprint at this stage; but the bookies have the favourites fairly nailed down already. In the Men's team sprint, due to start at 1815 BST, the home support will be happy to see Team GB Men as favourites for a gold medal. They're odds on with most firms but Stan James are quoting a best pice of evens on them winning the event. Sir Chris Hoy, Jason Kenny, and first-time Olympian Philip Mendes make up the British team - and after a sensational haul at the Beijing events, they look a fine medal prospect.

Right on their tails, however, are the Australian Men, who Bet365 and Ladbrokes are pricing as an 11/10 chance for gold. In their most recent outing they were the only team to record two final laps of under 13 seconds, and the Aussies would no doubt enjoy upsetting Thursday evening's party in East London.

According the British team, the Russian Men and New Zealand Men remain serious threats for the podium spots, but the bookies don't fancy them as real shots for a gold. Skybet have the Kiwis down as 20/1 shots for victory in the event, while Russia are 25/1 with Stan James in the same market.

Top of the pile in the women's event are Australia Women, priced at 6/4 with William Hill and Ladbrokes for the gold medal, and the team from down under will be full of confidence. Led by world record break Anna Meares, who set a new best time for the 500m time trial in April, Britain's arch rivals will be determined to land more than the one cycling medal they managed in Beijing.

But Team GB aren't next on the favourites list - that accolade belongs to Germany Women, who can be backed for victory at a best price 15/8 with Coral and William Hill. The Germans have enjoyed an impressive start to their overall Olympic campaign, but failed to pick up a medal in either the men's or women's road races last weekend.

Skybet and Coral are both rating Team GB Women's chances of victory in the event at 9/4. All eyes will no doubt be on star of the team Victoria Pendleton, described by the Daily Mail as a 'British track cycling beauty' - and a new design of 'self-heated shorts' is hoped to give the team a new-found edge over their rivals. Buoyed by what is sure to be a vocal home crowd, and the possibility of Team GB going for a first gold medal, they could be the smart bet.

Propping up the three favourites in the women's competition are the China Women, 10/1 with Skybet, and France Women, 40/1 with William Hill. Upset-hunters can opt for either of the unfancied South American duo of Columbia Women or Venezuela Women - both 200/1 shots at the same bookmaker

London 2012: the experts' view of the Olympic opening ceremony

02-August  Olympic opening ceremony  2012 images

So what did our experts make of the Olympic opening ceremony, from the use of music, dance and humor to the way British history was depicted? Here, they give their verdicts

Comedy Movies News

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Amazing Friday comedy move News

IFC Buys James Gunn's SUPER at TIFF
Posted by: Michael

I am a huge fan of James Gunn and actor Rainn Wilson so I am quite pleased to report that IFC has just bought the new film SUPER which is a James Gunn film with Rainn Wilson of The Office fame starring.

In SUPER James Gunn plays a man who turns to crime fighting after his wife falls under the influence of a drug dealer. He becomes Crimson Bolt, a superhero with the best intentions, though he lacks for heroic skills.

Super Stars Ellen Page, Liv Tyler and Rainn Wilson. I am a big fan of this genre of films the 'wannabe' superhero. Kick Ass really brought it to the mainstream and was a fantastic film but other great films that you should also checkout include Mystery Men and Woody Harrelsons Defendor. Equally fantastic films. Below you can checkout a NSFW clip for Super.



Win Ashton Kutchers KILLERS on DVD
Posted by: Michael

Time for another contest this time sponsored by Lionsgate and Ashton Kutchers new film KILLERS which is now on DVD. Jen Kornfeldt (Heigl) thinks she has found the man of her dreams. He’s smart, charming and funny. So what if he’s also…an international spy? Fresh off of a sudden break-up, Kornfeldt reluctantly accompanies her parents on a vacation to the French Riviera. Unexpectedly, she stumbles upon the perfect guy, the too-good-to-be-true and incredibly handsome Spencer Aimes (Kutcher).

After three wonderful years of romance, the newlyweds prepare to celebrate Aimes’ 30th birthday. However, events are cut short when bullets start flying, and his little secret is revealed. Confronting the news head-on, Kornfeldt is determined to discover what else he might be hiding – all the while trying to dodge bullets, keep up neighborly appearances, manage the in-laws, and work out some major trust issues. …And you thought suburban life was easy!
Actors: Katherine Heigl Ashton Kutcher Tom Selleck

When we first see Jacky Vanmarsenille (Matthias Schoenaerts) shooting himself up with anabolic steroids, the sense is that he's some kind of bulk-obsessed juicehead. As we watch him move through the crooked world of the Belgian cattle industry, he becomes a frightening creature: immense, inarticulate and volatile as a truckload of nitroglycerine. He's primed to explode. But even before we learn why he's transformed himself into a true raging bull, we feel for the beast. Jacky seems helpless and heartbroken. Someone made him this way.

The best-left-undisclosed trauma of Jacky's childhood sets in motion the tragedy of Michael R. Roskam's absorbing debut film, BULLHEAD. On one hand, it is a noir told from the perspective of the muscle. But it is also a procedural that guides viewers through the largely unexplored subculture of Flemish growth hormone trafficking. It is an ambitious, sometimes sprawling film, but Roskam never loses sight of the burly lug at the center of narrative. This isn't a crime film about getting over, nor is it a simple revenge narrative; though BULLHEAD toys with noir conventions throughout, it also owes a great thematic debt to monster movies like KING KONG and BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN.

After making a good deal of noise on the festival circuit, BULLHEAD is finally opening in U.S. theaters this Friday. It is also a nominee for this year's Best Foreign Film Oscar, which will be handed out next Sunday. Last week, I had the pleasure of chatting with Roskam, who's finally nearing the end of a press tour that began last February at the Berlin Film Festival. He was fighting a cold, but was still plenty lucid as we discussed the real-life inspiration for his film, the influence of everything from KING KONG to RAGING BULL, and how Bruce Wayne's transformation into Batman parallels Jacky's journey from boy to bull.


Bruce Willis Interview, RED
Posted by: Sheila Roberts

Frank (Bruce Willis), Joe (Morgan Freeman), Marvin (John Malkovich), and Victoria (Helen Mirren) used to be the CIA's top agents -- but the secrets they know just made them the Agency's top targets. Now framed for assassination, they must use all of their collective cunning, experience and teamwork to stay one step ahead of their deadly pursuers and stay alive. To stop the operation, the team embarks on an impossible, cross-country mission to break into the top-secret CIA headquarters, where they will uncover one of the biggest conspiracies and cover-ups in government history.

MoviesOnline caught up last weekend with Bruce Willis at the press conference for Red at Comic Con in San Diego. Here’s what the star had to tell us about his exciting new film that combines action with adventure, mystery, suspense and comedy:

Q: It’s been great to see the Bruce Willis action movie come back. We’ve got Live Free or Die Hard, Surrogates, Cop Out and now we’re looking forward to Red. What do you think it is about now that makes it the right time for what you do?

Bruce Willis: That’s a good question. I always question whether it’s the right time for anything because I rely a lot of times on my own choices for the stories I’ve had and the scripts that I like. This film was always ambitious right from the very start. It could have just been defined as an action movie or as a comedy or as a romantic comedy and the studio and the story always was about them and stayed there. And it always felt ambitious and everyone you talk to that sees the film, the guys would say “It’s an action movie” and some people say “It’s a comedy” or “It’s a romantic comedy.” But it weaves all these things together in a way that doesn’t move you off of liking the action or liking the comedy or liking the romance or it being a romantic comedy. So it seems creatively I am pleased with this choice.

Q: Can you talk about Robert Schwentke as a director and this combination of action with humor and tension? What it was like working with him?

Bruce Willis: I think Robert had a lot of things he juggled and I think it would be intimidating for almost anyone to have to work with as many talented actors and big movie stars and Robert managed every day with a lot of grace and a sense of humor and got the work done.

Q: What about how the film evolved from the graphic novel?

Bruce Willis: I knew these guys wrote a pretty well thought out story that already had drama that showed up long before it ever made the transition from a graphic novel to a film. So we had to take 66 pages of the graphic novel and turn it into a 110 or 115 page script and trying to film 90 minutes of that and it was very ambitious and there would be many days where I’d say “Where are we in the story?” and Robert always knew the answer. He always knew exactly where we were, what we were doing, what this scene was about. But I think this story was already really dramatic and very easy to play and very easy to understand.

Q: This film really explores the concept that there are heroes older than 50 years old and that people over a certain age can actually be viable and relevant and, when pushed to the extreme, are capable of what they are doing. Can you talk about that?

Bruce Willis: The word is certainly used and used in the title of the film -- retired, extremely dangerous -- and it’s commented on a couple of times, but when you see the film it’s right now. It’s hip. Karl (Urban) and I went at it in one of the toughest fights I’ve ever fought in my life and contact was made. I wasn’t going “I’m a little too old, I can’t fight this hard.” It was definitely crafted along the lines of mixed martial arts. We were throwing each other around, I mean literally, and doing things that are very cool and very right. I don’t see anyone who’s is reported to be retired in this film that wasn’t sexy and hot and romantic and funny.

Q: What is the one thing that drew you to this project? What made you say I’ve got to do this?

Bruce Willis: I was talking with Lorenzo (di Bonaventura) about this I think two years before we started shooting. There was never any way you or I could ever have imagined the richness of what a film could be that has a huge cast of characters in it when all those characters are played by actors you already know and I was already a fan of for a long time. I was excited all the time. What? Who’s? Oh. Just excited. I think we’re just starting to talk about it now. We’re starting to talk about it and get a response and find out how to respond in this film, but one thing that’s going to be talked about a lot more is just the phenomenon of having this many actors and this many movie stars in a film being told, a good story, and telling an ambitious story that’s fun and funny and has action in it and is very satisfying.

Q: This is a brilliant adaptation of a wild ride graphic novel. One of your dearest friends has come out with an action mish-mosh type movie with another cast. Do you call each other back and forth and bust each other’s chops like dueling banjoes of movies coming out?

Bruce Willis: I hadn’t thought about it like that but I’m still a fan of films. I still go to movies all the time. I like to see what’s out there. I don't know about you guys but I never think there’s any competition between films. I hear it said but I root for everybody’s film. I especially have a fond place in my heart for graphic novels, for comics. What’s really cool to me about coming here and seeing Comic Con and seeing 7000 people who all dig the same kind of thing is I’ve never seen it. I’ve never seen any other slice of the audience that’s all in one place and all really excited to be here. I think it’s a really cool thing to see.

Q: Are you feeling more and more the vibe of the creators of the actual written portions of the storylines or having more control of the film adaptations of those being truer and truer to the original storyline?

Bruce Willis: I think we all try to live up to the storyline and I would hope that [we do]. I’d rather have you ask the guys that came up with the idea, did we live up to what that story was? Did we live up to taking that piece of material and art in one genre and translating it to another? I think I was always much more interested in what they would think of how we take the story and what we turn it into.

Q: You mentioned loving graphic novels. Do you collect them?

Bruce Willis: I don’t collect them but I’ve done a couple movies that are based on them. They all turn out to be really fun projects and fun to do. There’s just more character in it. There’s just more stuff that’s already there that you can go to. For the most part, people would expect actors to fill in blanks anyway, but when the blanks are not blanks anymore and there’s a specific story and characters and things that you’re upset about and what is your beef in this film, what is my beef in this film, it’s always a lot easier.

Q: At this stage in your career and your life, is there anything that still scares you?

Bruce Willis: It’s my favorite part of making movies. There are lots of different parts of moviemaking that I take part in and that’s talking about the project prior to the time they turn the camera on and doing work after the film’s been made and talking about it afterwards and participating in the marketing of it and getting the word out there. My favorite part is the making of it. I’m scared every day. I keep thinking that somebody’s going to throw me the ball I’m going to go “Oh wow, oh god, I just messed that up.” It’s not fear so much as excitement and not that thrill of you have to create something out of 115 typewritten pages and make it be human and lifelike. I am afraid of other things. I thought you were just talking about filmmaking. There’s that kind of fear. I’m afraid of a lot of other things in the world. I think I’m much more afraid of making a mistake in raising my daughters than I would be of any work that I do as an actor. It’s a much higher scale of fear, raising kids.



Jason Segal Interview, Despicable Me
Posted by: Sheila Roberts

A newcomer to the world of animation, Jason Segal was excited for his first time out to play a delicious villain named Vector in Universal’s inaugural 3-D CGI feature, Despicable Me. He also enjoyed having the chance to tap into his geeky side when he came up with the voice for his character.

Currently on hiatus from his CBS hit comedy series, How I Met Your Mother, Jason tells us it’s very cool to be part of an animated film that adults and kids alike can enjoy. In Despicable Me, he stars opposite Steve Carell who plays Gru, a villain who’s on track to become the greatest villain of all time by committing the crime of the century. But Gru’s nemesis, the nerdy Vector (Segel), has other ideas and tries to thwart Gru’s plans.

MoviesOnline sat down to talk with Jason at the Los Angeles press conference for Despicable Me. He told us how voicing an animated character compares to voicing a puppet, the challenges he faced coming up with funny lines and staying on-story while alone in the animation booth, and how he drew on his sense of humor and improv style for inspiration.

Jason also updated us on his work on The Greatest Muppet Movie Ever Made, described the post-apocalyptic finale he envisions for How I Met Your Mother, and shared what it was like dancing the conga line with co-stars Steve Carell and Miranda Cosgrove.

Q: Can you tell us what it's like to play such a delicious villain, and what you drew on for inspiration?

Jason Segel: I was given a sketch very early, and I have a bit of a background in puppetry. So coming up with a voice to match this sketch I was given was my real inspiration. I had a few months to come up with a voice, and I came up with a few and I went in and they helped me choose. These guys are such geniuses. The one they ended up choosing was perfect.

Q: Obviously, you look nothing like your character, but did you see any mannerisms that they picked up from you?

Jason Segal: I'm going to answer that question twofold. One, I was very excited, the whole thing that drew me to doing an animated film is that you're freed from the physical limitations of your physical body. All of a sudden you get to be something that has nothing to do with the fact that I'm a 6' 4", kind of lumbering dude. And that was really exciting; puppetry is very similar. And then this guy is based almost wholly on insecurity. He just wants to prove to his dad that he's worthy, in this case the most evil person alive. So I kind of drew from there. It was very freeing. I think for all of the cast, you'll probably notice, that nobody is doing their voice. Steve, myself, Russell, Julie… no one is talking like they normally talk, and it's because all of a sudden you're freed from the physical limitations of how you look, which is amazing.

Q: Speaking of the physical look of your character, he looks like Bill Gates…

Jason Segal: He does look a bit like Bill Gates!

Q: You saw the character before you started finding the voice, but did he change at all during the process?

Jason Segal: No, I got a sketch very early on that looked exactly like he ended up looking, and I came up with two voices, really -- one that we used and one that was totally counter to the way he looked, which was like, "Hellooo. What do you think YOU'RE doing here?" And we ended up choosing the one that I think was appropriate. I couldn't be more proud of the way the producers and directors made this film, it's beautiful.

Q: Which one of Vector's gadgets did you love and wish was real?

Jason Segal: Which was real? None of them were real! Which do I wish I had? I wouldn't mind the shrink ray, because I would like to make a lot of foods bite-sized so that I could eat them constantly. [Laughs]

Q: How is voicing an animated character different or similar to voicing a puppet?

Jason Segal: Well they're very similar experiences. Like I said, the thing that ties them together is the idea that you're not tied to your physical body. So being able to voice a character that looked nothing like me was very exciting. If I did that voice as an actor, you would call b.s. You would say, no, that's not what he sounds like. But all of a sudden I could be 5' 3", wear an orange jumpsuit, and be nerdy. You know, in real life I'm, like, SUPER good looking. And so to all of a sudden play a character that was nerdy was very exciting to me. [Laughs]

Q: Where does this fit in with your sense of humor, as far as the improv style you use and sometimes going blue, as in Forgetting Sarah Marshall?

Jason Segal: Well, what's cool about doing this animated film -- this is the only one I've done, so I have no other frame of reference -- is that you go in for three hours every few months. I probably went in six times over two years, something like that. And I think the goal is, from their standpoint, for me to give them as much material as I can possibly come up with, and they choose the funniest and the best and the most on-story. So every time it was just three hours of intense effort, trying to be as funny as I could and be on story and improv and give them as much material as I possibly could.

Q: Does it fit with your sense of humor?

Jason Segal: Yeah -- I actually am more proud of this movie than anything else I've ever done. There's something very special about the idea of a family being able to go to a movie and everyone enjoying themselves, genuinely. It's something The Muppets did beautifully and The Simpsons kind of does it, but parents aren't placating their kids when they take them to this movie. They're enjoying it as well. So there's something really great about the idea of a family walking out of a theater and everyone's had a really great experience and is enjoying themselves. I think a family getting along for a few hours is a special thing, funny enough.

Q: When are we going to get a chance to hear your music again?

Jason Segal: I'll play it for you later, tonight. [Laughs] I wrote some of the music for Get Him to the Greek. I wrote "Bangers and Mash" and "Supertight." You know, that's a real side job for me but I enjoy it. I taught myself to play piano when I was 17 to pick up girls. When you try to pitch a real musician these songs, they write them too musically, and when you try to pitch them to comedians they write them too funny. And I somehow found a middle ground because I'm not that good a musician and I'm not that funny. So it ends up being perfect.

Q: Did it work to pick up girls?

Jason Segal: Well, I remember the first thing I did was I found a really not-that-intelligent girl and I told her that I wrote "Your Song," by Elton John. I was like, "I wrote this for you." And then I lost my virginity.

Q: Do you think that animated movies are like an actor's workshop, in a sense?

Jason Segal: It's a very unique experience in that you're not working with any of these actors in any of these scenes. You're alone in a booth. To me it felt like a test; if I could be funny and good and on-story. On-story, to me, is a big part of improv. It's very easy to come out and say funny lines that you've thought of the night before, but to be on-story is the real challenge. So you're in there for three hours trying to give them material they can actually use. I have a million jokes I could say, but to try to make it on story and valuable to them was something that was a challenge, and I really enjoyed that idea. It's just you alone, which is kind of awesome because a lot of the time, other actors really slow me down, because they're not quite as good as me. [Laughs]

Q: We heard you did a conga line with Miranda Cosgrove and Steve Carell for the film…

Jason Segal: Yeah, we got to play with the minions a bit, who I think are the cutest element to the movie. The minions are Steve Carell's/Gru's assistants, kind of the architects of his plan. We did a little conga line with them. It was a bit awkward, because, to be honest, it's midgets in outfits. And at one point I had to come up with something funny, and I said, "Hey, can I throw this ball off of your head and see if it bounces back to me?" And one of the guys in the outfits said, "You've got to remember, I'm a real human being." And then I felt really awkward.

Q: Is that your "despicable" moment?

Jason Segal: Yes, that's my worst moment. To date.

Q: Would you talk about the music in this movie that was done by Pharrell?

Jason Segal: The thing about this movie in general is that everything has been done to perfection, to some extent. With the exception of me, they hired the best actors that they could possibly imagine, the best comedians. The music is perfect and the story is so beautifully written. You watch this and you kind of expect a kids' movie, it's about villains fighting, but there's such an underlying sense of heart to this movie. I cried at the end. I'm not a real cryer, but at the end of the movie, Gru -- Steve Carell, who did his part to perfection -- reads a story to these kids, and part of the theme is that even the coldest heart can be melted by love. That really got me. The movie is perfect.

Q: How did you become attached to Despicable Me?

Jason Segal: John Cohen, one of our great producers, came to my house and told me about the story. Then he gave me a sketch of Vector and I was hooked instantly. Like I said, the story is so beautifully told. There was no doubt I was going to do the film.

Q: When you alter your voice and go at it for a long time, does your voice tire or do you have a hard time keeping it up?

Jason Segal: That's my real voice. This is an affect I do for press conferences.

Q: What from this film has informed your work on The Muppets and how's it coming along? How terrifying is it to have to live up to Jim Henson's legacy?

Jason Segal: Well that part is very intimidating. What I do think is if I approach it with a real sense of respect… I'm very earnest about the way I approach it. There's no sense of irony with me, going into The Muppets. I don't think it's funny that I'm doing The Muppets. I truly love them. But what I learned from this film is the idea of a family being able to bond over seeing something together, and walking out with everyone in a great mood. It's a very special thing; for a family to walk out of a film satisfied and happy, and then go have lunch or dinner together feeling happy and talking and laughing -- it's a very rare thing. Family dynamics aren't easy, so the notion of anything drawing them together, especially a movie like Despicable Me, I think is a very special thing.

Q: We all know you're perfect and wonderful now, but where did you find your inner dork to play Vector?

Jason Segal: I've been 6' 4" since I was 12. I was 6' 4", 100 lbs. I looked like Jack Skellington. And kids used to stand around me in a circle and one by one they would jump on my back and the rest would chant, "Ride the oaf! Ride the oaf!" It's true. So you either become funny, which is hopefully what I did, or you become a villain, which is where I got the idea for Vector; he's a guy who was horribly picked on and this is where he's ended up.

Q: When you go back to work on "How I Met Your Mother," what's in store for Marshall and Lily?

Jason Segal: I don't know the storylines. Allegedly, from what I've heard, I'm going to get even funnier. Which seems impossible. But that's the plan. I think there might be a kid in our future, if I had to guess -- but I'm truly guessing -- but I always pictured myself and Marshall a bit like the Abominable Snowman from the Bugs Bunny cartoons: "I'll hug him and squeeze him and kiss him all over" -- I picture me holding a baby upside down by the leg, shaking it.

Q: Are the producers amused by your idea for a post-apocalyptic finale?

Jason Segal: [Laughs] I just think, if the narration takes place in the future, there should be a reveal where they open the window and it's horrible out there. I just think that's a hilarious idea. But no, they're not amused by anything I do. A lot of these ideas come from the fact that I'm a bizarre human being.

Q: Both Vector and Gru have parent issues. Do you have any insight into why they both have these despicable qualities?

Jason Segal: I think they could be siblings. You only see Gru's mom and you only see Vector's dad. Despicable Me 2: This Time It's Personal?

Q: Do you support any specific charities or are you affiliated with any green organizations?

Jason Segal: I think recycling is a myth - an Internet myth. I don't think it's real. [Laughs] No, the charity I'm most associated with is the Make-A-Wish Foundation, which I think is just a beautiful association.

Q: In the film, you and Steve play nemeses; in real life, who is your celebrity nemesis?

Jason Segal: I think it's probably Ryan Reynolds, in that we have very similar comedic tastes and all that, and our bodies are so [similar] that it's basically a rivalry over who can be in better shape. At this point, I think I'm winning.

Q: What's your best advice for writing comedy?

Jason Segal: To write a drama. I'm not joking. That was the first advice I got from Judd Apatow, and I think it's why his movies are so brilliant. He told me when I was writing Forgetting Sarah Marshall, "I want the first draft you give me to be a drama. We'll make it funny. It's going to be funny because we're funny, and we're going to add jokes, and the people you cast will be funny. The reason people will see it -- and see it again and again or connect to it -- is because there's an underlying drama." So that's the best advice I can give when you're trying to write a comedy: first write a drama, and then make it funny.

Q: So how do you write a drama?

Jason Segal: You go from real experience. Almost everything I've written is somehow tied to something I've gone through. You try to hit a universal theme; Sarah Marshall's about how complicated break-ups are, which everyone has gone through. The next thing I'm writing is about engagement and love, and everyone has gone through that. Hitting a universal theme -- this movie does it perfectly. The idea of somehow opening yourself up to something in your life is universal, and that's what everyone relates to.

Q: Growing up, did you have a favorite animated film?

Jason Segal: That's a good question. I was really drawn to the early Disney villains -- and funny enough, this movie is about villainy. They managed to be really terrifying without scaring kids. If you think about Ursula from The Little Mermaid, that's a terrifying character! The Cinderella witch -- they're all witches, for the most part in the Disney [universe]. But they're really terrifying, terrible and intense for the heroes, but somehow your eye was always drawn to them.

Q: Does your height ever hinder you in getting roles?

Jason Segal: Not now. It hindered me when I was a kid. I remember when I was 18, I was allegedly really close to playing Dustin Hoffman's son. I knew I wasn't going to get that part. I'm like eight inches taller than Dustin Hoffman! I might be a foot taller than Dustin Hoffman. It just wasn't going to happen. So it hindered me then, when I was playing a boy. Now that I'm playing a man, it's a bit easier. Girls have heels. Dustin Hoffman in heels isn't a good look.

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