UCLICK® revealed an all-new mobile Web application for the iPhone and iPod Touch at the MacWorld event in San Francisco. The largest online collection of comics and editorial cartoons now optimized for mobile Safari browser.
The legal battle over the Bratz doll empire has been getting a lot of headlines lately, and I’m sure there are plenty of kids who are concerned about the threatened death to the franchise. But we have one friend, who will remain nameless because I didn’t double-check this with her, who is openly hoping for the demise of the “those big-headed whore dolls.”
Williams appeared in Sharon Maguire’s “Incendiary,” which premiered at Sundance this year. Coming up, she also has “Mammoth” with Swedish director Lukas Moodysson and “Shutter Island” with Martin Scorsese.
There’s something so enigmatic about “Wendy and Lucy” [opening Dec. 12], so spacious and hard to pin down. It’s tough to imagine what some moments read like in the script, especially when Wendy is by herself.
I think that’s probably why it was a short story first, because the descriptions are unfilmable. That’s why I fell so hard for it, because of those things you couldn’t capture on film. There’s this moment we really tried to shoot because I loved it so much, and it was impossible. Near the end, it says something like, “She pauses in a patch of sunlight and feels the warmth. At least the sun is still free.” I just felt like we had to get that, one good feeling that doesn’t cost. And we tried it and couldn’t relay it, so we gave up. But it became suffused with a feeling, all this stuff that I could think about, and take a lot of feeling from, but not actually show.
Was there ever a temptation to have a moment where Wendy explains herself, tells somebody her story? I couldn’t help but wait for that scene.
That’s what I felt like when I read the script — where’s that really meaty reveal? Why is Wendy the way she is and why has she been spun adrift? When’s that coming? And it never did, and I thought it was such an exciting challenge as an actor to live without that. It did feel like a constant risk to not give her away, to not over-articulate it and trust people would still find there’s a person there and attach themselves to her.
You shot “Wendy and Lucy” right after you filmed a role in Charlie Kaufman’s “Synecdoche, New York.” It’s interesting because one is so willfully simplistic and straightforward, while the other is so purposefully complicated and elaborate.
They were back to back. It proved to be a good contrast. I wanted to get back to a way of working; my career has changed so much in the last few years, and I sort of lost my sense of how I work best. All of a sudden, there was pressure and responsibility, and I felt people were watching in a way I wasn’t accustomed to, and it made me clam up a little bit. “Wendy and Lucy” was a way to free myself up again, like take one for free, just go out into the wilderness and throw out an experiment and feel loose again, to do something in private and in a really safe, tight bubble of an environment.
Can you talk a little more about where that pressure was coming from? Looking at your filmography, there’s only one semi-egregious studio film that would maybe be the result of that [spring’s “Deception”].
It was that. I took that one really hard. . . . I just lost my way a little bit. The first movie I made after the Oscars was like eight months later or something, a really small role in Todd Haynes’ film, and then I did that other thing. I suppose it held some interest because I’d never done anything like that, so in a way it was kind of new ground, I could justify it like that. But mostly I was just trying to adhere to a formula or something. Ultimately, I’m at peace with it and I blamed myself; I was really hard on myself for making that choice, but I learned more from that than anything. It gave me a sense of myself, it was a really important boundary check. And I also think, if I’m going to keep doing this, I’m going to have to give myself the grace of being able to make mistakes.
“Wendy and Lucy” was made on an extremely low budget with a very small crew. Having made a film as intimate and artisanal as this, does it feel funny to have it competing, if that’s the word, in the gamesmanship of the awards race?
The dress and shoes I wore last night must have been half of our budget. The way to promote a film is in such contrast to the way that we made the film. I feel closer to this than many things that I’ve made, and so I’m excited to see it catch on and I want to help it as much as I can. It’s a funny line for me because I feel very self-protective and very private but, at the same time, I want to see it do as well as it can out in the world.
Olsen is a freelance writer.
Will Young may have some celeb challengers for the Question Time seat that’s being kept warm for him. The housemates spent the weekend showing that their high-brow credentials extend far beyond Tommy’s socialism-meets-football t-shirt.
King Terry held court with a potted history of capitalism (summary: rich men with swords started it; interest rates became mightier than swords; laugh along with Marx now as it all implodes…) A proper socialist, our Tez: he’s been to Cuba and everything. To an all-inclusive resort, like. Lucy nodded along. (What happened to the ‘I heart Maggie T’ badge she wore in her entry VT?)
Unlikely allies La Toya and Tina took a tour of the world’s social injustices before “emphatically” agreeing that Obama’s election is the best thing ever. Michelle also had big issues on the brain. Will we EVER get back to the days when we had proper seasons? Then she could have four wardrobes again.
Ulrika and Coolio, in the kitchen, oozed philosophy. “I love static electricity” said the gangsta rapper. Ulrika mused: I always think Ben looks like an Adam, but he’s Ben Adams so perhaps that’s why. Perhaps she’s still feeling light-headed after the removal of all the make-up she wore on Shooting Stars last week - so heavy it was surely applied by fire hose.
Oblivious to any name-confusion or high-brow debate, Ben/Adam let his practical abilities shine through. He can carry four hot teas at once, without burning his knuckles, you know. Skill.
Denim is for whimps. So say D&G, which showed tough-guy leathers instead. The show opened with a pair of studded a zip-strewn, leather biker trousers and in keeping with the biker theme, there was plenty of metal hardwear in the…
Frank Praverman
Sir Jackie Stewart told Edward Gorman exclusively in today’s Times that it’s time to put an end to Bernie and Max’s power show.
The three-time world champion said: “Bernie has such power that he could suffocate almost any performer who would dare to suggest change,” and went on to declare: “the FIA should replace Mosley with somebody not from within its organisation, or even motor sport.”
When Sir Jackie speaks, the world listens. But is he right this time? Does Formula One need a shake-up at the top? Have these two giants of business taken the sport as far as they can?
Have you say below.
Pretty, pretty pictures are at odds with sometimes wearisome words in “The Story of India,” an ambitious attempt to encapsulate 5,000 years of what is now “the world’s largest democracy” into a mere six hours of television. The articulate interlocutor for the BBC-PBS co-production is a chatty chap named Michael Wood, and though he’s amiable and erudite, he hasn’t organized the material for maximum clarity and coherence.
At the 1893 inaugural ball of Stephen Grover Cleveland, heralded as “a triumph of the electricians’ skill” at the time, a canopy constructed of 10,000 square yards of gold bunting hung over a jubilant display of silk, flowers and incandescent light bulbs, which spelled out the names of all previous presidents in gargantuan twinkly letters. A 120-piece orchestra led by John Philip Sousa played for the guests, who could pause from dancing to nibble on 60,000 oysters, 10,000 chicken croquettes, 150 gallons of lobster salad and 1,300 quarts of ice cream, among other things.
NASSAU (Reuters) - Actor John Travolta broke a two-day silence over the death of his 16-year-old son Jett on Sunday, saying he and his wife, actress Kelly Preston, were “heartbroken” by their sudden loss.
Hollywood actor John Travolta has said he and his wife are “heartbroken” over the death of their 16-year-old son.
AP – Actor John Travolta and actress-wife Kelly Preston arrive at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival’s …
FREEPORT, Bahamas – John Travolta and Kelly Preston are “heartbroken” over the death of their chronically ill 16-year-old son, who collapsed at the family’s vacation home on Grand Bahama, the actors said Sunday.
Police Superintendent Basil Rahming has said a caretaker found Jett Travolta unconscious in a bathroom late Friday morning and he was later pronounced dead at a Freeport hospital. The youth was last seen entering the bathroom on Thursday, according to Rahming’s police statement.
“We are heartbroken that our time with him was so brief. We will cherish the time we had with him for the rest of our lives,” Travolta and Preston, his wife, said in their first public statement since Jett’s death.
“Jett was the most wonderful son that two parents could ever ask for and lit up the lives of everyone he encountered,” said a statement posted Sunday on Travolta’s Web site.
“We have received many messages of condolence from around the world and we want to thank everyone for their prayers and support. It has meant so much to us. It is a beautiful reminder of the inherent goodness in the human spirit that gives us hope for a brighter future.”
Preston and Travolta have said that Jett became very sick when he was 2 years old and was diagnosed with Kawasaki Syndrome, an illness that leads to inflamed blood vessels in young children. Preston blamed household cleaners and fertilizers, and said that a detoxification program based on teachings from the Church of Scientology helped improve his health, according to People magazine. Others said Jett was prone to seizures.
Michael McDermott, an attorney for the actor, said Sunday that although Jett was last seen Thursday and found the following day, he doesn’t believe that the teen was in the bathroom for a substantial amount of time.
“The police left the impression that the boy was unsupervised. No. There were two nannies with him for the entire evening,” McDermott told The Associated Press. “They made it seem like he was sent to the condo and nobody checked in on him until the next morning.”
“(Jett) was spectacularly supervised,” said McDermott, who said he has not had the chance to talk to the two nannies himself.
McDermott said he had no knowledge of Jett’s medical history but “understood he had a history of seizures.” It is unclear whether Jett was taking medication for that.
The Bahamas’ health minister, Dr. Hubert Minnis, has said that a second, U.S.-certified pathologist will fly in at dawn Monday to assist with the teenager’s autopsy.
“I have spoken to (Travolta) and informed him that the government is doing everything it can,” Minnis said Sunday, adding he could not disclose further specifics about the autopsy.
About a dozen security guards and Bahamian police officers patrolled Sunday around the luxury Old Bahama Bay resort community where Travolta and Preston remained inside their home. The white-sand beach in front of the suites was closed.
The couple also have an 8-year-old daughter, Ella Bleu.
Travolta, 54, is trying to finish funeral arrangements and hopes to fly his son’s body to Florida by midweek, McDermott said. Travolta and Preston, 46, have a house in Ocala, Florida.
The Church of Scientology, established in 1945 by science fiction writer L. Ron Hubbard, has attracted numerous celebrity followers, and among its more famed members is Travolta, who has long been one of Hollywood’s biggest names.
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Associated Press Writers Lisa Orkin Emmanuel in Miami and David McFadden in San Juan, Puerto Rico, contributed to this report.
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On the Net:
travolta
Ari: All of my shoe/feet complaints have taught you nothing?! Did they at least have the decency to look great?
Heather: Have we MET? Of course they did. I got them at Target.
Ari: That’s my girl!
My feet are killing me. Obviously a lot has been going on and I have tons to dish about, but right now the only thing I can concentrate on is the throbbing pain in my poor tootsies. My new position is very… social - an aspect of the job which delights me exceedingly; it just happens to mean less time sitting at my desk admiring my new shoes and more time actually piloting around in them. I know. Hard knock life. Two days in and I’m looking into getting a one of those senior citizen scooters. You know, like a Rascal. Because in two more days, the damage just might be permanent. Bright side: if both of my big toes fall off, I’ll get to buy smaller shoes. Closed-toed, naturally, but think of all the options!
This morning, my high school Spanish teacher and Facebook friend Phoebe (Gracious! I’m an alliterative genius!) determined that I need “a big hunka man” in my life - specifically, in my bed. Because I’m 30 years old and afraid of thunder. Judge away, I don’t care, because that shit scares me senseless. And according to Phoebe, a big hunka man lying next to me in bed would go a long, long way to easing my terror. Seeing as calling for the cat and hiding under my pillow doesn’t seem to work, I’m totally on board with The Big Hunka. Especially if when not on thunderstorm duty, he was ammenable to rubbin’ some feet. In return, I’d pay handsomely in baked goods and kissin’.
-Photo by Getty Images-
It was a happy new year for Britney Spears and her fam, as the clan gathered in New Orleans for a joyous occasion. Brit’s brother, Bryan Spears, wed girlfriend Graciella Sanchez – who just happens to be little sis Jamie Lynn’s manager.
I’ve never been one to love labels. In fact, my motto has always been: The cheaper, the better.
I’m going to divert from my usual budget mantra because the holidays are upon us and I couldn’t help but feel love at first sight when I laid eyes on this D&G gold cuff.
Okay, so it’s a whopping $295 at D&G boutiques and Nordstrom. Sure, it’s not super-obscene for D&G, but it’s still out of my price range. Regardless, I’m putting the fabulous bling on my holiday wish list. Fingers crossed that someone buys it for me (or at least find something that comes close).
–Ysolt
Tell me what’s on your wish list!
Who are the Killers, really? Are they the Las Vegas quartet that made the 2004 “Hot Fuss” album, in which their propulsive new-wave knockoffs took them from Morrissey’s opening act to festival headliners? Or are they the self-serious arena-rockers of the 2006 release “Sam’s Town”?
Some teens are reportedly using a ringtone so high-pitched that most adults cannot hear it. What do you think?
11:56am UK, Saturday January 03, 2009
Obesity is an increasing problem in Australia
Recent reports have suggested that people in Australia among the most obese in the world, despite the country’s reputation for sport and healthy outdoor living.
And officials in New South Wales are now considering buying two larger planes in order to deal with the problem.
The state is looking to upgrade its entire Flying Doctor fleet from four to seven planes.
As well as the two larger planes, all the new planes would have stronger stretchers able to take patients up to 260 kg (573lb), nearly twice the current limit of 140 kg (308lb).
The new maximum weight that could be carried is similar to that of a baby elephant.
The plans follow similar moves by other parts of the service, including ambulances and helicopters, to accommodate larger patients.
“It is alarming to consider that the number of people who are obese has increased so much that special equipment is needed to lift those in a medical emergency to safety,” Acting Health Minister Ian Macdonald said.
“This should be a wake up call to the community to watch what they eat by cutting down on fats and sugars and increasing how often they exercise.”
Rex Features
Madonna may be playing at this year’s Glastonbury Festival, reports have suggested.
The singer is said to be concerned about her profile in the UK after her split from British husband Guy Ritchie. Her latest single ‘Miles Away’ also bombed in the charts.
According to The Mirror, Madonna is now looking to line up some UK dates in an attempt to get the public back on her side.
It was announced last month that a newly-reunited Blur would perform at Glastonbury this summer.
Rex Features
Josh Brolin has revealed that he tries to relate to the controversial characters he plays in movies.
The actor, who recently took on the role of George W. Bush in Oliver Stone’s W., portrays 1970s killer Dan White in new political biopic Milk.
He said that he attempts to understand the morally dubious parts he signs up for, telling The Buffalo News: “You have to find the humanity in the person. People might perceive a person to be evil. But you know there is more to the person than that.”
Brolin added that he tried to get into the mind of White, who assassinated San Francisco Mayor George Moscone and gay supervisor Harvey Milk in 1978.
“You go, ‘What led him to the moment to make the decisions he made? What led him to that moment where he put the bullets in his vest and decided to go out and kill four people?’ He only accomplished half of what set to accomplish. But he did end up killing two people. To me, that is an amazing moment,” he said.
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