Knight and Day

Reviewed by: Joshua Starnes
Rating: 6.5 out of 10
Movie Details: View here

Cast:

Tom Cruise as Roy Miller

Cameron Diaz as June Havens

Peter Sarsgaard as Fitzgerald

Jordi Mollà as Antonio

Viola Davis ad Director George

Paul Dano as Simon Feck

Falk Hentschel as Bernhard

Marc Blucas as Rodney

Lennie Loftin as Braces

Maggie Grace as April Havens

Dale Dye as Frank Jenkins

Celia Weston as Molly

Review:

I can't believe Tom Cruise movies have gotten old-fashioned. That's not right. What I should say is: I can't believe movie stars have gotten old-fashioned. But they have and the proof is in "Knight and Day's" pudding, a last gasp of old-fashioned movie star filmmaking that feels as quaint as it sounds.

Super agent Roy Miller (Tom Cruise) has a problem. He needs to sneak something out of Wichita and the less his mule knows the better. Unfortunately that leaves him with a bigger problem, because Roy is a pretty good guy and when the perfect mule turns up in the shape of June Havens (Cameron Diaz) he can't help himself but make sure she gets home to her sister's wedding on time and that the bad guys don't kill her for unknowingly helping him.

This is the kind of thing that was big 20 years ago but has been going out of fashion for a while and there's a whiff of desperation about the whole thing. And the desperation of a couple on the lam.

It's unfortunate because it's not a bad movie. It's not exactly a good movie, either, but it's got its moments. "Knight and Day" is a film about charisma and on-screen chemistry, but unfortunately not much else.

June is very much your every-woman (assuming your every-woman looks like Cameron Diaz); a hard-working blue collar girl who doesn't want much out of life but to live it. It's a world that gets turned upside down when the airplane she's riding with charming Roy suddenly fills itself with dead people and crash lands in a Kansas corn field in one of the films few uninterrupted action sequences.

It's trying to be very over-the-top in its sentiments, with ridiculous, contrived dangers and escapes as only Hollywood can do them, but from such a narrow point of view that it's hard to get close to the danger. The idea is to tell the story as much as possible from June's point of view of these dangers, which is to say frantic and crazed and never entirely certain what to make of what is going on.

That's an interesting way to make an action movie, but director James Mangold ("Walk the Line") can't quite work his way out of the straight-jacket he's put himself in.

After waking up back home in Boston, hoping the entire incident on the plane was a dream, June soon finds herself running for her life from the FBI in a rollicking car chase told mostly from her point of view so we can only tangentially see the other cars exploding and flipping around her while she tries to have a conversation with Roy, who seems to be super-glued to the hood of her car.

It's actually pretty well done but it becomes readily apparent several action scenes in that this is the way he plans to shoot the entire film and it quickly moves from being interesting to being a liability. A big summer action movie is ultimately about letting your audience share in the visceral nature of the over-the-top situations you've created; separating and keeping the audience apart from that is ultimately a case of shooting yourself in the foot.

Because it's an action movie that's not about being an action movie. It's about seeing its two stars spar and flirt on screen, and it does its best to move the action out of the way so that they can get back to it.

Usually I'm all for ditching pointless action in exchange for character development, but ditching it for flirting isn't doing anyone any favors. The leads are very charming, there's no denying, but they're covering up their own film instead of enhancing it.

"Knight and Day" is like the last gasp of a beached whale. Not because of the quality of the movie itself, but just the kind of film it is. The ante for what can and will be put on screen has been raised and just a movie star can't compete with that any more. If done well, you can get a good balance between the two, like Johnny Depp's Captain Jack Sparrow or Robert Downey Jr.'s Iron Man; each enhancing the other.

"Knight and Day" wants to do that, but isn't up to it. Instead its movie stars keep getting in the way of their own film, each tripping over the other. Instead of watching it, you're better off putting "Knight and Day" in a time capsule and singing some Don McLean, 'cause this is the day the movie star died.

Source : comingsoon

FIFA ignoring mistakes, writing sickeningly glossed history

By Brooks Peck
Anger, fear and paranoia abound as the blatantly horrible referee mistakes pile up like the massive amounts of cash being generated by the 2010 World Cup. The two most recent incidents - Frank Lampard's disregarded goal against Germany and Carlos Tevez's miles offside opening score against Mexico - were so bad that they go beyond mere errors in judgment and have some considering more sinister puppeteering at work.

And the justification of that is growing. Already resolute in their anti-technology/instant replay stubbornness, FIFA is now trying to ensure there is no evidence against referee rulings inside the stadiums, as there was when Tevez's offside goal was shown on Soccer City's big screens, which caused Mexican players to intensify their protests. From the AP:

FIFA spokesman Nicolas Maingot said Monday that replaying the incident was “a clear mistake.”

“This will be corrected and we will have a closer look into that,” Maingot told a news conference Monday. “We will work on this and be a bit more, I would say, tight on this for the games to be played.”

Maingot said the screens were used to broadcast a FIFA “infotainment program” to fans before the match and could be used to replay some match action.

The only "clear mistake" FIFA admits to is that they shouldn't have allowed people to see the real mistakes. Is it time to grab the torches and pitchforks yet? Not quite. There's more.

As Tom Dunmore at Pitch Invasion points out, the match reports on FIFA's official website recap a much cleaner version of what happened in both of Sunday's matches. On Lampard's goal:

Meetings between these two sides often provide talking points and this one's came 60 seconds later when Lampard's shot from the edge of the box struck the underside of the crossbar and bounced down, with the referee ruling the ball had not crossed the goalline.

It simply bounced down and was ruled as having not crossed the line? That paints a very different picture than what everyone with a television saw. It makes it sound as if it was almost close. And it was only a talking point because the only people who didn't recognize it as a goal were the refs.

On Tevez's first goal:

Tevez might have thought his chance had gone when Perez raced out to block bravely at his feet, but Messi was quick-witted enough to return the ball toward goal, where the Manchester City striker was waiting to head home. Breaking the deadlock enabled Argentina to take a firm grip on proceedings, and within seven minutes that hold was strengthened as Mexico reached for the self-destruct button.

"Waiting to head home" ... in an astoundingly offside position.

Sure FIFA nor any corporate entity wants to highlight their failings on their official website, but FIFA's attempts to hope everyone simply forgets what they saw goes beyond those match reports. According to the AP, they kept their lips locked during the press ravaging that was Sunday's daily briefing, too:

The governing body of world football did not send any officials with responsibility for referees to its daily briefing despite widespread furor over Sunday’s errors.

FIFA spokesman Nicolas Maingot faced hostile questioning but said he was not competent to discuss decisions by referees or football’s rules-making panel, which has rejected introducing video technology that would help match officials.

“We obviously will not open any debate,” Maingot said. “This is obviously not the place for this.”

The debate is already open, Mr. Maingot. It's been released from confinement and it has you surrounded. If the sport's glittering centerpiece of a tournament - the one that this debate threatens to ruin - isn't the place to discuss it and maybe even do something to at least appear as if you care, then where?

But the primary question remains - is it corruption at work or ineptitude compounded by embarrassment? To be honest, it almost has to be the latter. If the fix was in, you'd think they would at least try to be sneaky about it rather than purposefully ignore clear goals and blindly overlook offside infractions that even someone unfamiliar with the rule could spot. That's just stupidity. Then again, this is FIFA and whether it's protecting sponsor against poor street merchants and ladies in orange dresses or doing business through nepotism, subtlety has never been its strong suit.

Source : yahoo sport

Kristen Stewart in No Rush To Marry Robert Pattinson

KRISTEN Stewart says she doesn’t want to get married — yet.

The actress — who’s widely rumored to be dating her Twilight costar Robert Pattinson — insists she’s in no rush to settle down, despite reports to the contrary.

“I don’t want to get married right now,” she says. “Some people want to get married… whatever.

“I really don’t think about it. I’m not the type of girl who grew up planning her own wedding.”

In the next Twilight film, Breaking Dawn, Kristen’s character Bella will be planning her wedding to Edward Cullen, played by Pattinson.

“Bella is older than me and hopefully, by the time I’m there, that’s not going to be weird to play. It will be cool,” she said.

“As soon as you start bringing your own [personal] stuff in, it’s like, ‘No, that’s not right.’ You’re playing a different person. You can relate but you have to leave that stuff at the door.”

Kristen, 20, recently revealed she used to get called a “bitch” when she was at school.

“I couldn’t relate to kids my own age. They were mean and didn’t give you any chance,” she moaned.

“I was never the type of girl to be walking around talking about acting, so I didn’t get a whole lot of hassle until someone saw some old movie I did.

“I tried to play it down, but I definitely got, ‘Oh, she’s such a bitch.’”

Source : showbizspy

World Cup 2010: Arsenal star Robin van Persie thinks that his long injury lay-off will be a blessing in disguise for Holland

By Anthony Sciarrino

Arsenal striker Robin van Persie believes that his long injury absence this season will help him lead Holland to World Cup success.

Van Persie missed five months with a severe ankle injury, returning to the Gunners for only the final matches of the season.

The Arsenal star scored in Holland’s 2-1 victory against Cameroon, a result which made them the first team since the 1982 Brazil squad to win all of their World Cup qualification matches and their first three group games.

Holland will take on Slovakia on Monday in the Round of 16 and van Persie thinks that his long lay-off will help the Dutch in South Africa.

“We’ll have to see in the next couple of weeks whether that’s the case,” van Persie told The Mirror.

“But I feel very, very fresh.

“I know some of the boys have been tired with the travelling and stuff, but I don’t mind waiting around for two hours or staying in a hotel a long time because I’m back with the team.

“Physically and even mentally, there’s more to come. You can be very tired when you start a tournament after playing 60 or 70 games in a season, but I’ve only played 25 and I’m ready physically and mentally.

“I recover quickly after games and the physios are working very hard with me, so it’s looking good.”

Source : goal

More protests expected at G-20 summit

By the CNN Wire Staff

Toronto, Canada (CNN) -- Police said they were preparing for more disruptions Sunday after groups of protesters burned cars, hurled bricks and smashed windows as they tried to penetrate the fence surrounding the G-20 summit.

"I do not believe that the individuals bent on vandalism and violence in our city have finished with their intent, so we will remain vigilant," Toronto Police Chief Bill Blair said Saturday night.

Police had arrested more than 180 people by late Saturday night, according to the summit's security unit.

Blair told reporters that packs of disruptive demonstrators infiltrated peaceful protests in order to cause chaos and distract police.

"These criminals rely on the anonymity of hiding in a larger group of the curious and the naive," he said.

At least four police cars went up in flames and smoke during hours of confrontation.

Protesters left behind broken windows and graffiti. Blair said police used tear gas after warning a group of protesters "engaged in acts of destruction" Saturday.

However, not all encounters between police and protesters were hostile. At one intersection, the crowd danced and chanted, "You're sexy, you're cute, take off your riot suit!"

More aggressive groups of demonstrators moved from intersection to intersection, trying to circumvent police and get to the security fence protecting the summit meeting.

"The fence is a symbol that they can build a fence and spend a billion dollars on their agenda. The fence is a symbol of what's wrong with this country," protester Rolf Gerstenberger said.

Everywhere the protesters went, police were waiting to head them off, in some cases with individual blasts of pepper spray, tear gas and bean bag pellets, according to the summit's security unit.

Authorities said the fence was not breached Saturday. Behind it, world leaders began an economic summit focusing on recovery from the global financial crisis.

As they prepared for Sunday's scheduled meetings, the U.N. chief urged them to remember that the world's poor need help making ends meet now more than ever.

"Let me emphasize this evening that, under any circumstances we must not balance budgets on the backs of the world's poorest people," U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said.

Ban said countries should invest in agriculture, green recovery jobs and health.

On Saturday, European Union Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso stressed that European leaders were already taking action to strengthen their economies and deal with a weakening euro caused by public debt woes.

"There should be no doubts. Europe will do whatever it takes to assure the financial stability of the euro," he told CNN.

This weekend's meetings come on the heels of the two-day G8 summit outside Toronto, where the leaders of the United States, Canada, France, Germany, Britain, Italy, Japan and Russia also focused on recovery from the global economic crisis. The group also made note of other thorny issues in their final statement issued Saturday, singling out Iran and North Korea for criticism.

Source : cnn

Sex tape charges for Indonesian star Nazril Irham

By Karishma Vaswani

Jakarta, Luna Maya and Nazril Irham Nazril Irham (r) and Luna Maya are both named in the scandal

One of Indonesia's top celebrities has been charged under an anti-pornography law for his alleged role in sex videos which have appeared on the internet.

Pop star Nazril "Ariel" Irham and two other celebrities, TV presenter Luna Maya and soapstar Cut Tari, have denied involvement in the sex tapes.

The scandal has angered many in Muslim-dominated Indonesia.

Some conservative Islamic groups have called for the celebrities to be punished.

Zainuri Lubis, deputy spokesman of the National Police, told the BBC that Ariel had been charged with the making and distribution of the sex tapes under the controversial anti-pornography law.

He is the first high-profile person to be charged under the law, which came into effect in 2008 despite strong opposition from the public and members of government.

The law has been criticised for being too vague and for its harsh penalties.

Ariel's charge carries with it a maximum sentence of 12 years and a fine of more than $600,000 (£403,000).

He was arrested earlier this week and photos of him behind bars have been spread online by his fans.

Local reports have quoted Indonesian police saying they have plans to detain the two female celebrities who are also allegedly featured in the sex tapes for their own protection.

The celebrity sex scandal has annoyed many conservative Indonesians who see it as an example of deteriorating morals in the country.

Earlier this week, hundreds of members of the hard-line Muslim group Hizbut Tahrir protested against the celebrities, calling for them to be publicly punished.

Source : bbc news

By Jane Douglas, GameSpot UK

UK REVIEW-- For those who enjoyed the N64's Sin and Punishment, either on import or later via Virtual Console download, this glorious Wii follow-up, also an on-rails shooter, is a no-brainer. Sin and Punishment: Successor of the Skies (known as Sin and Punishment: Star Successor in North America) improves on its predecessor in every respect. For everyone else, this game's nonstop creativity will be a treat, too.

Successor of the Skies is set years after the first game and follows two kids called Isa and Kachi as they do battle with military types, mechs, and outlandish animals. It all takes place in, around, and far above a future Japan. Isa is the son of the original game's main characters. Kachi appears to be, but isn't, a young girl. The plot, such as it is, may seem like nonsense, and there's not much more to it than laid out here. But that's no complaint. This is a game about spectacle and action, not story, and it manages both very well.

You play from a third-person perspective, pointing and shooting with the Wii Remote and using the nunchuk to dodge around the screen while you're scrolled through the game's seven stages. The Classic Controller and GameCube Controller are also supported, but the motion-control shooting works so well these are hardly called for. Kachi and Isa each have a melee attack for hitting enemies who get up close and a charged shot for doing massive, explosive damage. Unlike in the original game, you can fly--using a jetpack if you've picked Isa or a hoverboard if you're playing as Kachi. This gives Kachi or Isa full roam of the screen where you traverse with the analog stick and perform a quick dodge manoeuvre via the Z button.

The game's abundance of ideas and variety of action is admirable. Sometimes the camera will swing to one side, turning it into a side-scrolling or vertically scrolling shooter. At another point, the game briefly becomes a side-on brawler, giving a twist to the finale of one boss fight. The quality and variety of visual design is likewise dazzling, to the point where the sometimes less-than-pretty textures are eclipsed. The on-rails experience takes in sky fortresses, space stations, lava submarines, haunted forests, and underwater tunnels. These are variously populated with soldiers, elaborate robots, chimera-like beasts, bioluminescent fish, and screen-filling bosses. You encounter bosses and minibosses frequently and, like the environments and ordinary enemies, they are hugely, gratifyingly inventive. A voodoo-styled boss with a bird skull on her head fires exploding lotuses and time-bending ravens at you. Another boss transforms into a colossal manta ray and then into a school of flipping, laser-equipped dolphins. Each boss is uniquely memorable and, happily, tough enough to make each encounter feel epic.

Each screen-filling boss is unique, memorable, and suitably tough.

As is traditional, the boss battles are multistage affairs in which you chip away at a vast health bar that passes through all the colours of the rainbow on its way down to zero. In the absence of checkpoints during these battles (elsewhere, checkpoints are generously doled out), the game is at its most brutally challenging but it never quite strays into frustrating difficulty. That said, the ability to switch between difficulty modes on the fly would still be welcome. As it is, the only way to switch among easy, normal, and hard is to start again or to have already unlocked that stage at that difficulty on a previous play-through. An experienced player on a high-score (that is, no-death) run might manage one of these in just three or four hours, but the average player should expect up to six hours for a single play-through. Though it's not an especially long game (it doesn't need to be), its replay value is high, with online leaderboards for players to compete on and personal records to beat.

Scoring is based on a multiplier system that rewards stringing together kills without getting hit, so dodging is crucial. There's often a single, small safe patch on the screen, with the rest filled with lasers, fire, floating mines, boulders, missiles, and other glowing, exploding, or destructive items. This leaves you navigating a hazard-filled screen with one hand and shooting with the other. Doing both at once, with one eye on a distant enemy's movement and another on the shifting pattern of deadly things in the foreground, is key, and there's a great deal of satisfaction to be had in mastering it.

The two-player mode is a letdown. Rather than putting a second character on the (admittedly crowded) screen, the mode adds a second targeting reticle. The second player becomes not much more than an assistant; he or she may be good for a little extra damage, picking up some extra points, and clearing the screen of hazards but has no special attacks. With nothing to do but paint targets with the Wii Remote, the second player's experience is diluted beyond recognition. The weak co-op offering aside, Sin and Punishment: Successor of the Skies impresses with its gratifying action and wealth of ideas. Wii owners owe it to themselves to experience a high-energy on-rails shooter with this diverse and fresh-feeling game.


Source : gamespot

The Last Airbender

Release Date: July 1, 2010 (3D/2D theaters)
Studio: Paramount Pictures
Director: M. Night Shyamalan
Screenwriter: M. Night Shyamalan
Starring: Noah Ringer, Nicola Peltz, Jackson Rathbone, Dev Patel, Jessica Jade Andres, Aasif Mandvi, Shaun Toub, Cliff Curtis, Keong Sim
Genre: Action, Adventure, Fantasy
MPAA Rating: PG (for fantasy action violence)
Official Website: TheLastAirbendermovie.com
Review: Not Available
DVD Review: Not Available
DVD: Not Available
Movie Poster: One-Sheet 1 | One-Sheet 2 | Poster 2 | Banner 1 | Banner 2 | Poster
Production Stills: View here

Plot Summary: Air, Water, Earth, Fire. Four nations tied by destiny when the Fire Nation launches a brutal war against the others. A century has passed with no hope in sight to change the path of this destruction. Caught between combat and courage, Aang (Noah Ringer) discovers he is the lone Avatar with the power to manipulate all four elements. Aang teams with Katara (Nicola Peltz), a Waterbender, and her brother, Sokka (Jackson Rathbone), to restore balance to their war-torn world.

Based on the hugely successful Nickelodeon animated TV series, the live-action feature film "The Last Airbender" is the opening chapter in Aang's struggle to survive.

Source : comingsoon

Style Showdown: Blake Lively vs. Jennifer Love Hewitt

by Ella Ngo

Blake Lively was all over this black lace Dolce & Gabbana mini back in December (at the Sherlock Holmes NYC premiere) because it showed off her cleavage and her gams—which is exactly how this Gossip girl likes it. She paired it with sparkly Christian Louboutin stilettos and a blue cocktail ring and looked smokin'.

Meanwhile, Jennifer Love Hewitt wore the same sexy dress to the blowout Eclipse premiere in L.A. on Thursday. The actress went a little more modest with a lined skirt but wasn't shy with the spray tan—her skin almost matched her strappy bronze platform sandals.

Both babes rocked luscious curly locks, but which starlet looks better? We say Blake takes the win, but are you loving J.Love's look more? Weigh in below!

Source : eonline

President Barack Obama berates North Korea over Cheonan

US President Barack Obama at G8 summit President Obama: "There has to be consequences"

US President Barack Obama has said North Korea must be "held to account" for the sinking of a South Korean warship.

He said he stood with South Korean leader Lee Myung-Bak, and condemned Pyongyang's "irresponsible behaviour".

His comments came shortly after the G8 group of industrialised nations meeting in Toronto condemned the sinking of the corvette Cheonan earlier this year.

North Korea has denied attacking the ship.

An international investigation concluded that it was sunk by a North Korean torpedo.

After meeting the South Korean leader on the sidelines of the summit, Mr Obama said: "There has to be consequences for such irresponsible behaviour."

The G8 leaders also criticised of North Korea - and Iran - over their nuclear activities, and they described the Israeli blockade of the Gaza Strip as "not sustainable".

And they admitted that the global financial crisis had compromised efforts to meet UN targets for reducing world poverty.

Canada is also hosting a summit of the wider G20 group of industrial and developing powers, which will will discuss the global economy and financial reform.

Thousands of demonstrators marched on the G20 summit on Saturday in what is being reported to have been a largely peacefully rally that saw outbreaks of violence on its edges. These saw groups of young men scuffle with riot police and set fire to at least two patrol cars.
Security concerns

In their final summit statement, the G8 - the US, Canada, Germany, UK, France, Italy, Russia and Japan - said: "We deplore the attack on 26 March that caused the sinking of the Republic of Korea's naval vessel, the Cheonan, resulting in tragic loss of 46 lives."

Noting that an international investigation had found that, despite its denials, Pyongyang was to blame for the attack that sank the warship, the statement adds: "We condemn, in this context, the attack which led to the sinking of the Cheonan.

"We demand that the Democratic People's Republic of Korea refrain from committing any attacks or threatening hostilities against the Republic of Korea."
Continue reading the main story Canadian flag G8 powers to boost aid to mothers Cameron and Obama hold talks G8/G20 summits security map

Reuters news agency says the statement was not as strongly worded as some nations, including the United States, had hoped. It says Russia was said to have held out against stronger language.

The statement also expresses the G8 leaders' "gravest concern that the nuclear test and missile activities carried out by the Democratic Peoples' Republic of Korea have further generated increased tension in the region and beyond, and that there continues to exist a clear threat to international peace and security."

The document calls on Iran to carry out a "transparent dialogue" over its controversial nuclear programme.

"We are profoundly concerned by Iran's continued lack of transparency regarding its nuclear activities and its stated intention to continue and expand enriching uranium," it says.

The UN Security Council earlier this month approved a fourth round of sanctions against Tehran for failing to halt nuclear enrichment. The measures include tighter finance curbs and an expanded arms embargo, but not the crippling sanctions the US had wanted.

On Gaza, the communique says the G8 leaders "deeply regret" the loss of life and injuries in the aid flotilla that was stormed by Israeli commandos last month as it was approaching the Palestinian territory. Nine Turkish activists died on board the flotilla's main ship.

In a reference to the Israeli blockade of the Palestinian territory, which is controlled by Islamist group Hamas, it says: "We urge all parties to work together... to ensure the flow of humanitarian and commercial goods and persons, to and from Gaza. The current arrangements are not sustainable and must be changed."
Poverty of ambition

The grouping concedes that the global economic crisis had jeopardised the chances of meeting the UN's development goals by the target year 2015, and that renewed aid commitments are necessary.

It says supporting development remains a cornerstone of the G8's approach, and that the countries will meet their obligations.

But BBC diplomatic correspondent Bridget Kendall, in Toronto, says that unlike last year, the G8 has sidestepped any mention of the aid targets they set themselves five years ago at their Gleneagles summit, some of which have still not been met, and focused instead on maternal health and child mortality.

On Friday, the G8 agreed to donate $5bn (£3.3bn) over five years towards improving the health of mothers and young children in the developing world.

Our correspondent says that the immediate response from aid agencies has been dismay, and that they have accused G8 leaders of moving from "ambition on poverty in 2005 to poverty of ambition in 2010".

Efforts to bridge differences over budget policy dominated Friday's talks before Saturday's discussions on global security.

The twin summits, being held in and near Toronto, have come at a time when largest economies are divided over whether to cut deficits or stimulate economic growth.

President Obama is worried that a series of austerity measures announced by European countries may delay global recovery.

The G8 leaders will be joined by China and other rising economic powers for the G20 summit.

Mr Obama has called for the group to pull together to promote economic growth, saying that world economies are "inextricably linked".

BBC economics correspondent Andrew Walker says there is a dilemma for the group on the best timing for fixing debt problems.

Source : news.bbc

Michael Jackson Fans Pay Tribute, Dad Files Lawsuit

by The Associated Press

On the day Michael Jackson's fans paid their respects with tears, tributes, songs and dance, Jackson's father filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the doctor charged with giving his son a lethal dose of drugs.

Joe Jackson's visit to a federal courtroom in Los Angeles, while thousands of people were filing through the gates of a nearby cemetery to mourn the man they call the King of Pop, punctuated once again just how brilliantly the star that was Michael Jackson's life had burned, and how suddenly it had been extinguished.

"The King of Pop, Michael Jackson, Gone Too Soon," proclaimed a 100-foot banner spread out near the entrance to Forest Lawn Cemetery in Glendale on Friday to mark the first anniversary of Jackson's death.

"He's been my idol all my life since I can remember. I feel like I haven't had closure," said Erick Dominguez, who traveled more than 80 miles from his home in Victorville to the Los Angeles suburb to pay his respects. As he spoke, the 37-year-old sales representative, his eyes hidden by sunglasses, began to weep. He was joined by mourners from Italy, France, Spain, Norway and numerous other parts of the world.

Several of Jackson's relatives also visited the cemetery, going to its mausoleum, where Jackson's body is entombed and which is off limits to the public. Brother Tito shook hands with fans as he arrived, and brother Jermaine rolled down a window and waved as the family left in a fleet of luxury vehicles. As they departed, fans released a flock of white doves.

"It was a beautiful sight," said one of the mourners, Courtland Llauger.

In Jackson's hometown of Gary, Ind., hundreds cheered as the entertainer's mother, Katherine Jackson, unveiled a memorial to her son in the front yard of the modest home where he grew up.

"This past year has been very hard on the family," she told the crowd. "If it wasn't for the help of all of you, we wouldn't have made it through."

Jackson died June 25, 2009 at age 50, just before he was to begin a comeback tour. Dr. Conrad Murray has pleaded not guilty to felony involuntary manslaughter. Authorities say Murray provided the entertainer with a mix of sedatives - including the powerful anesthetic propofol - that killed him.

Jackson's father filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the physician Friday, seeking more than $75,000. The complaint accuses Murray of professional negligence and contends he tried to conceal his administration of propofol after Jackson's death. Propofol is normally administered only in hospital settings. Murray had been providing it in the bedroom of Jackson's rented mansion in Los Angeles to help him sleep after the physically grueling rehearsals the performer had been putting himself through to get in shape for his comeback.

Murray attorney Charles Peckham said in a statement he expected his client's innocence to be "proven in a court of law."

Away from the courtroom, numerous tributes to Jackson, both poignant and joyful, unfolded throughout the day.

In Japan, hundreds met at Tokyo Tower to honor Jackson with a candlelight vigil, a gospel concert and more. Some got a chance to see some of his possessions, including costumes from his tours and even a 1967 Rolls-Royce Phantom that he used to drive around Los Angeles.

"I don't know what to say. Seeing all his things makes it all come back to me," said Yumiko Sasaki, a 48-year-old Tokyo office worker who said she has been a Jackson fan since she was 12. "It makes me so sad to think that he is gone. He was wonderful."

In New York City, crowds gathered at Harlem's fabled Apollo Theater, where Jackson and his brothers rocketed to fame as the Jackson 5, winning amateur night in the late 1960s. His pictures were hung outside and a sidewalk plaque honored the singer alongside such other Apollo legends as James Brown and Smokey Robinson.

In Santa Barbara's wine country, people showed up throughout the day at Neverland, the playland home where Jackson once lived with his own zoo and amusement park. There, by the front gates, they danced, listened to music and exchanged hugs and tears.

In cyberspace, people also paused to remember Jackson. Among them was Mariah Carey who said via Twitter that she was marking the day by watching the video "You Are Not Alone."

"Love and prayers to MJ 'King of Pop,'" she tweeted. "You will be remembered forever. We miss you."

Source : billboard

A victory for Africa' as Ghana defeats the US in extra time

by David Smith
Black Stars move a step closer to being first African side in a World Cup semi-final

So it is an African World Cup after all. Ghana's extra-time win over the United States last night brought redemption to a continent that had looked set for an almighty anti-climax on home ground.

"This is a victory for Africa," bellowed one of the triumphant Black Stars moments after the final whistle. The sentiment was echoed in cheers that erupted across South Africa and in the calls of politicians and newspaper editorials for all Africans to rally round their sole flag-bearer.

Despite missing their star player, Chelsea's Michael Essien, through injury, Ghana are now just one win away from becoming the first African side to play a World Cup semi-final. Their run is all the sweeter because Algeria, Cameroon, Ivory Coast, Nigeria and South Africa fell meekly at the first hurdle.

Soul-searching is already under way, with critics blaming African football officials for appointing short-term foreign coaches and failing to build grassroots structures. Ghana, by contrast, have invested in youth development which paid off when they recently won the under-20s World Cup.

South Africa's governing African National Congress (ANC) last night praised them for ensuring African representation in the last eight. "The ANC would like to thank the Ghana national soccer team [the Black Stars] for salvaging the image of the continent in this tournament," it said.

"We are very confident that having gone this far, you are indeed heading for the 2010 Fifa World Cup finals on our soil. We are very proud of you, as South Africa and as part of the continent of Africa, you are our pride."

There has already been much talk of pride off the field from the ANC and others. Ghana's performance puts the seal on a World Cup increasingly being hailed as one of the most successful ever.

"South Africans are already winners," president Jacob Zuma said last week, seeking solace for the national team's exit. "We won on 15 May 2004 when the announcement was made, declaring us as the hosts. The whole world is looking at us and applauding our success so far as hosts."

South Africa does appear to have proved the doubters wrong, though complacency would still be dangerous. Matches have kicked off on time, stadiums have been (mostly) full, floodlights have stayed on and even the great bogeyman – crime – appears to have retreated in the teeth of a huge police operation and harsh penalties.

Whatever the economic pros and cons, there has also been a surge of patriotism and unity. Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu said: "Over the past few weeks South Africa has experienced an extraordinary revival of its national spirit."

Some believe it is a turning point for all of Africa too. The World Cup has come at a moment when politicians and investors are already arguing that corruption, disease, famine, poverty and war should no longer be hung around the continent's neck. They say its economies are growing, its dictatorships are waning and it has seen no new major wars in the past five years. Hosting the world's biggest sports showpiece is the ultimate symbol of a developing, normalising Africa at ease with itself.

Steve Bloomfield, author of Africa United: How Football Explains Africa, said: "I'd wait until 12 July to completely crow but it's now clear that some of the stories about how bad South Africa was going to be as host were ludicrously over the top.

"The image we have in the west of war, famine and corruption is part of the African story, but only part. The World Cup will help chip away at that image."

As for Ghana's impressive displays, Bloomfield added: "On the field, Africa is down but it's certainly not out."

Source : guardian

'Grown Ups' Star Chris Rock On Adam Sandler: 'He's Dre, I'm Snoop'

By Eric Ditzian
NEW YORK — Before we meet the grown-ups of "Grown Ups," which opened Friday (June 25), we get a peek back in time to the year 1978, when Adam Sandler, Chris Rock and their pals were pre-teens on a championship youth basketball team. They have braces and bad haircuts, rock painfully retro polyester duds with butterfly collars, and generally have you laughing at them the moment they pop up on the screen.

But just how do they choose the young actors who'll play the onscreen counterparts to these established actors? And, with Sandler as producer and co-writer, do the rest of the guys even have a say in the casting process? We put those questions to the "Grown Ups" on the red carpet, when the movie premiered earlier this week.

"You would think Adam would have asked me, but no, I got nothing," laughed co-star Rob Schneider, whose younger self sports a poof to rival Snooki's. "I think my kid is funkier looking than the other kids. But I trust him. The good thing about Adam, you know, he's got your back."

That believe-in-Sandler ethos is one the rest of the cast subscribes to as well.

"I trust Sandler," Rock told MTV News. "Sandler's Dre. I'm Snoop," the comedian said comparing the pair to the West Coast super-producer and his onetime protégé. "I don't question Dre. Dre says, 'Do it again,' you do it again. It's going to be hot."

For his part, Sandler made sure to institute a bit of a DNA upgrade when it came to choosing the actors who would play the young versions of their characters. "The kid who plays me is much handsomer than I was," he said. "And Rock's got a handsome kid too."

"They had to get a girl to play me," Rock laughed.

Co-star David Spade's young counterpart was the right gender, but not quite as striking as he was hoping for.

"I didn't pick him, but I think he's hilarious," he said. "When he comes on, people laugh. They know it's me already. He's trying to be all cool like I do. But in the beginning, I go, 'How about someone like a young Brad Pitt?' And they were like, 'No. How about a young, white Urkel?' "

Source : mtv

Eminem's 'Recovery' On Pace For 700K First Week

by Keith Caulfield, L.A.

Things just got better for Eminem.

Industry sources predicted Wednesday that Em's new "Recovery" album, released on June 21, was on track to easily debut at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart with perhaps 600,000 copies sold by week's end on Sunday, June 27. Sources now estimate "Recovery" will rack up the biggest sales week for a single album in more than 18 months, as it should sell in excess of 700,000 by week's end on Sunday, June 27.

Thus, it may earn the best sales week for an album since - wait for it - October 2008. That's when AC/DC's "Black Ice" debuted with 784,000 in its first week according to Nielsen SoundScan. (Eminem will also blow past 2009's best sales week, when Susan Boyle's "I Dreamed a Dream" started with 701,000 last November.)

"Recovery" is on track to be Eminem's sixth straight No. 1 debut - and sixth overall No. 1. His only album to miss the top spot was his "Slim Shady LP" debut, which bowed and peaked at No. 2 in 1999.

Last week's No. 1, Drake's "Thank Me Later," will likely slip to No. 2 on next week's Billboard 200 chart with perhaps 180,000 to 200,000 copies sold in its second week, while Miley Cyrus' new "Can't Be Tamed" might debut at No. 3 with around 120,000 to 130,000.

Next week's album charts competes with the same week in 2009 when in the wake of Michael Jackson's death, the King of Pop ruled with the top three selling albums in the U.S. as "Number Ones," "The Essential Michael Jackson" and "Thriller" ranked at Nos. 1-3 with 108,000; 102,000 and 101,000; respectively.

Source : billboard

Despite Controversy, Sunscreen Is Safe Doctors Say

By Anne Harding

TUESDAY, June 22, 2010 (Health.com) — It’s that time of year again. As the weather heats up, people across the country are dusting off their barbecues, breaking out the swimsuits—and working themselves into a frenzy over the latest sunscreen-related health concerns.

Each year since 2007, a consumer watchdog organization known as the Environmental Working Group (EWG) has been issuing a report on sunscreen safety as summer gets under way. The reports tend to be a bit alarming, and this year’s was no different.

The group gave its stamp of approval to just 39 of the 500 sunscreens it evaluated this year, and it says that some common sunscreen ingredients may disrupt hormone function or even increase the risk of melanoma—the deadliest form of skin cancer.

The hazards outlined in the report have generated headlines and even caught the attention of Charles Schumer, a U.S. Senator for New York. Last week, in response to the report’s mention of a possible link between skin cancer and a type of vitamin A (retinyl palmitate) found in many sunscreens, Sen. Schumer called for the FDA to evaluate the data on the vitamin and map out new sunscreen regulations.

In addition, the EWG stated that sunscreen may be giving sunbathers a “false sense of security” regarding their skin cancer risk, and could even be contributing to vitamin D deficiency.

But don’t cancel that beach vacation just yet. Dermatologists say that while the group does raise some valid concerns, it shouldn’t discourage people from using sunscreen.

Source : new.health

Twilight Eclipse movie premiere: Robert Pattinson red carpet style & interviews

by Liz Gellar

This week was the L.A. red carpet premiere of the Twilight Eclipse movie. Were you one of the lucky fans who attended? Chances are you weren't but don't worry. There's plenty of red carpet footage to check out, including a couple of Robert Pattinson interviews that are posted here. Check out videos from E! Online and MTV below.

I tried listening to what R-Patz (a.ka. Taylor Lautner, apparently...you'll see what I mean from the first video) had to say, but I became more focused with his look. Can we all agree that the Twilight Eclipse star made a serious fashion statement here? Though he recently cut his hair, Robert Pattinson's trademark hairstyle was resurrected. It was one hot mess...but "hot" in a good way. The suit wasn't the traditional kind you see on a red carpet. It was brick red with a skinny tie! Forget Hollywood actor. Rob was looking way more rock star here. The color wasn't my favorite, but kudos to him for taking a chance and switching up the wardrobe so he didn't look like everyone else.

Source : style.gather

Brazil Vs Portugal World Cup 2010: Brazil leads group, both enter round 2

by Kanishk Matta
Everyone were enthusiastically awaiting Brazil Vs Portugal world cup 2010 match and day was here with massive speculations and brimming hopes of fans, but at the end of the day, no one knew, who would prove its competitive edge. Brazil had been five times FIFA world cup champions, whereas Portugal yet to make its mark. However, throughout FIFA world cup 2010, Portugal has been proving its mettle pretty satisfactorily and again in Brazil Vs Portugal world cup 2010 match, though match was drawn, Portugal has came out favorite for FIFA world cup 2010 competition.

Brazil was playing without star mid fielder Kaka in Brazil Vs Portugal world cup 2010 match, and Portugal was looking
most promising with star attacker Cristiano Ronaldo in the team. At the ground level, Fabio Coentrao was effectively penetrating again and again Brazilian defense to disturb them, however at other end, despite clean passes Ronaldo and Tiago were not able to take advantage.

Meanwhile Brazil in Brazil Vs Portugal world cup match, was not able to get through Portugal defense wall, thanks to Queiroz, who had done most commendable job by churning out powerful defensive equation and striking strategy for Portugal.

It looked somewhat ridiculous in Brazil Vs Portugal world cup match that Yellow card being raised for even unintentional collisions and crashes as knees and elbows seemed to be disturbing the rhythm. Nevertheless, this could not be denied that both the teams before the end of first half were looking for chance to goal but both sides remained unaffected and any space to a silly mistake was never allowed on both side.

In Brazil Vs Portugal world cup match, Ricardo Carvalho found ball passed on time by Nilmar but again Brazil defensive equation was not going to give a slightest chance and Carvalho was prevented just short to goal. Brazil also tried to made difference, when Luis Fabiano just missed a quick header to goal as Dani Alves expertly passed the ball.

Brazil Vs Portugal world cup match rose to high excitement level, when Ronaldo in 50th minute, nicely attempted to sprint forward speedily but Lucio splendidly blocked in time and diverted the ball off from Ronaldo.

Afterwards, with few attempts from both sides, Brazil Vs Portugal world cup 2010 match ended at 0-0 draw. Now both teams have qualified for world cup 2010 last 16, Brazil is winner in Group H and Portugal is first runner up after Cote d’Ivoire.

Source : infocera