"It takes a minnow to catch a barracuda, a barracuda to catch a shark." With one perfect line reading -- in a German accent no less -- the trailer for "A Most Wanted Man" reminds you what an amazing actor Philip Seymour Hoffman was before his death. "A Most Wanted Man," a spy thriller based on the novel by John le Carre, opens on July 25.
'A Most Wanted Man' Trailer: Philip Seymour Hoffman Was Just The Best
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Lea Michele Lives Her Dream & Performs ‘Funny Girl' On Stage
Lea Michele takes a break with her castmates while filming scenes for their show Glee on Thursday (April 10) in Los Angeles.
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Watch Jack Bauer Kick Ass In The New '24: Live Another Day' Trailer
Jack is back!
"24: Live Another Day," Fox's special 12-episode event, airs on May 5, and we couldn't be more excited. When the series ended four years ago, Jack Bauer (Kiefer Sutherland) was a fugitive and living on the run. Exiled from the country he loves, he's still willing to risk everything for freedom and to avert global disaster.
If the trailer is any indication, Bauer is more than ready to deliver the same nonstop action and awesome one-liners that made him the biggest badass on TV.
For instance, when he eloquently states, "Trigger an alarm, and I'll blow your head off." If that's not poetry, what is?
And if the Counter Terrorist Unit's (CTU) biggest threat to Bauer's epic reign of badassery is just the FBI agent from "Miss Congeniality" (Benjamin Bratt), then the trailer puts it best: "They don't know Jack."
"24: Live Another Day" premieres Monday, May 5, at 9:00 p.m. EDT on Fox.
"24: Live Another Day," Fox's special 12-episode event, airs on May 5, and we couldn't be more excited. When the series ended four years ago, Jack Bauer (Kiefer Sutherland) was a fugitive and living on the run. Exiled from the country he loves, he's still willing to risk everything for freedom and to avert global disaster.
If the trailer is any indication, Bauer is more than ready to deliver the same nonstop action and awesome one-liners that made him the biggest badass on TV.
For instance, when he eloquently states, "Trigger an alarm, and I'll blow your head off." If that's not poetry, what is?
And if the Counter Terrorist Unit's (CTU) biggest threat to Bauer's epic reign of badassery is just the FBI agent from "Miss Congeniality" (Benjamin Bratt), then the trailer puts it best: "They don't know Jack."
"24: Live Another Day" premieres Monday, May 5, at 9:00 p.m. EDT on Fox.
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We Can't Believe The Fashion Fails On This Week's Worst-Dressed List
This week's worst-dressed list was a true lesson in what not to wear. A handful of our favorite celebrities simply ignored good sense and stepped out in some of the most bizarre outfits we've seen. However, there are definitely a few rules of thumb the ladies can takeaway from these debacles.
Coco Rocha should avoid wearing stark white at all costs; Naya Rivera should keep her belly button covered on the red carpet; Kelly Rowland needs to dress her age; and Rumer Willis really needs to coverup. Finally, although we love that Maggie Gyllenhaal is a fashion risk taker, dressing like a huge wad of toilet paper is never a good look.
Check out our picks for worst-dressed of the week, and let us know if you agree.
Naya Rivera
![naya rivera]()
While we're definitely impressed by Naya's killer abs, there is nothing impressive about her outfit. Sadly, she looks like she just walked off the set of a horror flick in that slashed blouse and baggy capris. And her overly contoured makeup is pretty scary, too.
Maggie Gyllenhaal
![maggie gyllenhaa]()
Why, Maggie, why? This dress literally makes the actress look like she got teepeed. Enough said.
Coco Rocha
![coco rocha]()
Coco's porcelain complexion goes from stunning to sickly in this white-on-white getup. The supermodel looks washed-out sans her bright pink pout and red hair.
Kelly Rowland
![kelly rowland]()
Kelly was spotted in Easter Sunday best ... circa 1986. All she was missing was a basket filled with eggs and some bunny ears. Furthermore, this outfit is way too boring and tame for one of the most beautiful stars on the planet. While her studded pumps say rockstar, that angora cardigan and floral fit-and-flare frock scream dowdy.
Rumer Willis
![rumer willis]()
Rumer certainly has the figure to rock this revealing skin-tight dress, but that doesn't mean she should. We're tired of seeing the star look like she's working the corner -- if you know what we mean.
Coco Rocha should avoid wearing stark white at all costs; Naya Rivera should keep her belly button covered on the red carpet; Kelly Rowland needs to dress her age; and Rumer Willis really needs to coverup. Finally, although we love that Maggie Gyllenhaal is a fashion risk taker, dressing like a huge wad of toilet paper is never a good look.
Check out our picks for worst-dressed of the week, and let us know if you agree.
Naya Rivera
While we're definitely impressed by Naya's killer abs, there is nothing impressive about her outfit. Sadly, she looks like she just walked off the set of a horror flick in that slashed blouse and baggy capris. And her overly contoured makeup is pretty scary, too.
Maggie Gyllenhaal
Why, Maggie, why? This dress literally makes the actress look like she got teepeed. Enough said.
Coco Rocha
Coco's porcelain complexion goes from stunning to sickly in this white-on-white getup. The supermodel looks washed-out sans her bright pink pout and red hair.
Kelly Rowland
Kelly was spotted in Easter Sunday best ... circa 1986. All she was missing was a basket filled with eggs and some bunny ears. Furthermore, this outfit is way too boring and tame for one of the most beautiful stars on the planet. While her studded pumps say rockstar, that angora cardigan and floral fit-and-flare frock scream dowdy.
Rumer Willis
Rumer certainly has the figure to rock this revealing skin-tight dress, but that doesn't mean she should. We're tired of seeing the star look like she's working the corner -- if you know what we mean.
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That Oscar Selfie Is Never Going To Go Away, Is It?
The 2014 Oscars' signature moment is now suitable for framing. Seattle artist Debbie Faas created a painting of the star-filled Academy Awards selfie, and it's hanging on a wall in Twitter's headquarters.
Faas took to Facebook on Friday to confirm the news about her painting's new home.
"Painting Ellen's selfie was a blast," Faas wrote on her website. "I love how it turned out, and it's been a fun ride."
Twitter employees, naturally, tweeted the acquisition with a shoutout to the selfie orchestrator, Ellen DeGeneres:
Faas previously shared her work with The Huffington Post but didn't hint at its destination.
Now we know.
Twitter makes a natural home for the painting. The Samsung-sponsored selfie, a group shot including Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence and Brad Pitt, became the most-retweeted photo ever.
[h/t AdWeek]
Faas took to Facebook on Friday to confirm the news about her painting's new home.
"Painting Ellen's selfie was a blast," Faas wrote on her website. "I love how it turned out, and it's been a fun ride."
Twitter employees, naturally, tweeted the acquisition with a shoutout to the selfie orchestrator, Ellen DeGeneres:
Hey, @TheEllenShow! We painted a picture of you at Twitter HQ. Come take a #selfie with us! @LizFiandaca @genaweave pic.twitter.com/ORCcDiGA2F
— Lauren (@LaurenMitcheom) April 10, 2014Faas previously shared her work with The Huffington Post but didn't hint at its destination.
Now we know.
Twitter makes a natural home for the painting. The Samsung-sponsored selfie, a group shot including Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence and Brad Pitt, became the most-retweeted photo ever.
[h/t AdWeek]
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This Is Why We Can't Help But Love Anne Hathaway
Anne Hathaway took a break from acting to pay the kids at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis, Tenn., a visit on Thursday, according to WREG.
But her presence wasn't the only gift she gave the kids that day.
The Oscar-winning actress also showed them an advanced screening of her new animated movie, "Rio 2," which opens in theaters Friday.
While she was there, Hathaway gave a little girl named Breanna a hug, and posed for a photo:
![anne hathaway st judes]()
She also embraced Tyler which, of course, made his day:
![anne hathaway rio 2]()
Check out other celebrities who have paid a visit to the patients at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital:
But her presence wasn't the only gift she gave the kids that day.
The Oscar-winning actress also showed them an advanced screening of her new animated movie, "Rio 2," which opens in theaters Friday.
While she was there, Hathaway gave a little girl named Breanna a hug, and posed for a photo:
She also embraced Tyler which, of course, made his day:
Check out other celebrities who have paid a visit to the patients at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital:
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Julianne Hough's Abs Should Win 'Dancing With The Stars'
Well, hello dear abs.
Julianne Hough walked the red carpet at the Kaleidoscope Ball in Los Angeles on Thursday, April 10. The former "Dancing With the Stars" pro wore a matching crop top and maxi skirt combo.
She once told Self that planks are the secret to her killer abs. But, since it's Friday, and it's not like we have to perform on "Dancing with the Stars" next week, we'll just save that workout until Monday.
![julianne hough]()
![julianne hough abs]()
Julianne Hough walked the red carpet at the Kaleidoscope Ball in Los Angeles on Thursday, April 10. The former "Dancing With the Stars" pro wore a matching crop top and maxi skirt combo.
She once told Self that planks are the secret to her killer abs. But, since it's Friday, and it's not like we have to perform on "Dancing with the Stars" next week, we'll just save that workout until Monday.
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The Stars On This Week's Best-Dressed List Deserve A Standing Ovation
We'd like to offer a standing ovation for the stars who landed on our best-dressed list this week. Mena Suvari impressed us in a perfect warm-weather ensemble, while Rashida Jones reminded us about the power of metallic pumps. However, it was Kristen Wiig who donned a sassy leather adorned ensemble that really stole our hearts.
Check out our picks for the best-dressed stars of the week and let us what you think.
Kristen Wiig in J. Mendel
![kristen wiig]()
The funny girl got seriously edgy this week and we're loving every second of it! Kristen's leather high-neck bodice and color-blocked dress strikes the perfect balance between sophisticated and sexy. And that deep crimson lip completes this winning look.
Lupita Nyong'o in Giambattista Valli Couture
![lupita nyongo]()
Lupita showed off her flower power while celebrating her May cover of Marie Claire. It's rare we see the stunning actress in something other than a bold colored frock, but this sweet and demure floral embroidered look proves that she can standout in anything.
Rashida Jones in Erdem
![rashida jones]()
This is what you call preppy chic! Rashida turned her modest school girl-inspired dress into a fashion-forward feat by simply adding a pair of metallic pumps. A+
Mena Suvari in Sachin + Babi
![mena suvari]()
It's pretty tricky for petite gals to rock anything tea length -- for risk of looking too frumpy -- so we were super surprised by how much we adored this ensemble on Mena. The pint-sized star's flouncy white crop top, eyelet skirt and thinly strapped sandals helped to keep the look light and airy.
Taylor Swift in J. Mendel
![taylor swift]()
Crop top, high slit and cutouts -- oh my! Leave it to Taylor to combine all three trends and not look like a walking fashion faux pas. Well done, Ms. Swift!
Check out our picks for the best-dressed stars of the week and let us what you think.
Kristen Wiig in J. Mendel
The funny girl got seriously edgy this week and we're loving every second of it! Kristen's leather high-neck bodice and color-blocked dress strikes the perfect balance between sophisticated and sexy. And that deep crimson lip completes this winning look.
Lupita Nyong'o in Giambattista Valli Couture
Lupita showed off her flower power while celebrating her May cover of Marie Claire. It's rare we see the stunning actress in something other than a bold colored frock, but this sweet and demure floral embroidered look proves that she can standout in anything.
Rashida Jones in Erdem
This is what you call preppy chic! Rashida turned her modest school girl-inspired dress into a fashion-forward feat by simply adding a pair of metallic pumps. A+
Mena Suvari in Sachin + Babi
It's pretty tricky for petite gals to rock anything tea length -- for risk of looking too frumpy -- so we were super surprised by how much we adored this ensemble on Mena. The pint-sized star's flouncy white crop top, eyelet skirt and thinly strapped sandals helped to keep the look light and airy.
Taylor Swift in J. Mendel
Crop top, high slit and cutouts -- oh my! Leave it to Taylor to combine all three trends and not look like a walking fashion faux pas. Well done, Ms. Swift!
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Listen To Charli XCX's 'Boom Clap,' From The 'Fault In Our Stars' Soundtrack
Go ahead and reserve a space for Charli XCX's "Boom Clap" on your summer playlists. The track, which will appear on the soundtrack for "The Fault in Our Stars," is an instant smash. We'd write more here, but why bother when we can all listen to "Boom Clap" again and again?
Based on the novel by John Green, "The Fault in Our Stars" stars Shailene Woodley and Ansel Elgort. It's out in theaters on June 6.
Based on the novel by John Green, "The Fault in Our Stars" stars Shailene Woodley and Ansel Elgort. It's out in theaters on June 6.
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What Jon Stewart Can't Tell You About Stephen Colbert as 'Late Show' Host
Is it just me or is there one huge elephant in the Stephen Colbert soon-to-be inhabited Late Show living room?
It's as if the elephant is hanging out in the corner of the room hoping to not be noticed, to not be found out.
The elephant is this: Can the real Stephen Colbert host a show? Is he even funny or likeable or???
Before you go want to smack me upside the head, just hear me out.
There is nobody on this planet, CBS, Colbert or even Jon Stewart who can tell you definitively that Colbert is good enough to host CBS' Late Show when David Letterman leaves.
Why?
Because nobody has seen Stephen Colbert host a late-night talk show....as the real Stephen Colbert. Colbert became popular playing a character who is a late-night talk show host on Comedy Central's The Colbert Report. A character. A very funny and entertaining character, I might add, but a character nonetheless.
The analytical part of me goes, "So, CBS is hiring a guy popular for playing a character who is a talk show host to now be a real talk show host although they have no idea if anyone will like the real guy as opposed to his popular character."
If you think about this move, to Colbert, The Colbert Report Colbert, it makes perfect nonsensical sense. Why wouldn't a guy who has never been a talk show host as himself be given the keys to an iconic late night talk show even though his entire success and popularity is based on playing a character who is a talk show host?? Oh and by-the-way, he's not going to do thing that made him so popular and his show a success. Brilliant!
What next, President Obama announces that Deputy White House Communications Director Jennifer Palmieri is stepping down and that he is naming Rob Lowe as her replacement? Sam Seaborn lives!
To be honest, I made that unfair comparison because I wanted to get a Sam Seaborn reference into this conversation.
But back to Colbert taking over for Letterman. Despite the obvious elephant in the room, I believe Colbert has a decent chance at success. It really depends on two things: Will the audience which loved him as his Comedy Central character follow him to CBS? And if they do, will they love him as this new guy, the real Stephen Colbert?
Secondly, CBS's late night audience skews the oldest of any late night show, the opposite of Colbert's audience. Will the real Colbert appeal to those Letterman lovers enough for them to stick around?
This is important because Colbert needs both to succeed. His following at Comedy Central is not big enough to support a network show. So, Colbert needs a combo-deal -- his Comedy Central fans combined with a decent number of Dave's audience.
As I wrote in an earlier post about Jimmy Fallon's debut as host of The Tonight Show, Fallon had all the stars aligned, including his talent.
Colbert doesn't have that luxury.
You see, Fallon was already familiar to the NBC audience by virtue of his 12:30am time slot on the network and his years of work on Saturday Night Live. Plus, when Fallon moved to 11:35pm, we all knew what we were getting; the things which made Fallon successful at 12:30am. With Colbert, he will no longer do the things that made him successful. He will no longer be in character, which is really what made the show what it is.
Here's hoping the real Colbert is someone we will like equally, if not more, than his talk show character. If not, there's a great guy at 12:30am, who, like Fallon had at NBC, is pretty familiar to the CBS audience. His name is Craig Ferguson. He doesn't play a talk show host. He is one and he's damn good.
It's as if the elephant is hanging out in the corner of the room hoping to not be noticed, to not be found out.
The elephant is this: Can the real Stephen Colbert host a show? Is he even funny or likeable or???
Before you go want to smack me upside the head, just hear me out.
There is nobody on this planet, CBS, Colbert or even Jon Stewart who can tell you definitively that Colbert is good enough to host CBS' Late Show when David Letterman leaves.
Why?
Because nobody has seen Stephen Colbert host a late-night talk show....as the real Stephen Colbert. Colbert became popular playing a character who is a late-night talk show host on Comedy Central's The Colbert Report. A character. A very funny and entertaining character, I might add, but a character nonetheless.
The analytical part of me goes, "So, CBS is hiring a guy popular for playing a character who is a talk show host to now be a real talk show host although they have no idea if anyone will like the real guy as opposed to his popular character."
If you think about this move, to Colbert, The Colbert Report Colbert, it makes perfect nonsensical sense. Why wouldn't a guy who has never been a talk show host as himself be given the keys to an iconic late night talk show even though his entire success and popularity is based on playing a character who is a talk show host?? Oh and by-the-way, he's not going to do thing that made him so popular and his show a success. Brilliant!
What next, President Obama announces that Deputy White House Communications Director Jennifer Palmieri is stepping down and that he is naming Rob Lowe as her replacement? Sam Seaborn lives!
To be honest, I made that unfair comparison because I wanted to get a Sam Seaborn reference into this conversation.
But back to Colbert taking over for Letterman. Despite the obvious elephant in the room, I believe Colbert has a decent chance at success. It really depends on two things: Will the audience which loved him as his Comedy Central character follow him to CBS? And if they do, will they love him as this new guy, the real Stephen Colbert?
Secondly, CBS's late night audience skews the oldest of any late night show, the opposite of Colbert's audience. Will the real Colbert appeal to those Letterman lovers enough for them to stick around?
This is important because Colbert needs both to succeed. His following at Comedy Central is not big enough to support a network show. So, Colbert needs a combo-deal -- his Comedy Central fans combined with a decent number of Dave's audience.
As I wrote in an earlier post about Jimmy Fallon's debut as host of The Tonight Show, Fallon had all the stars aligned, including his talent.
Colbert doesn't have that luxury.
You see, Fallon was already familiar to the NBC audience by virtue of his 12:30am time slot on the network and his years of work on Saturday Night Live. Plus, when Fallon moved to 11:35pm, we all knew what we were getting; the things which made Fallon successful at 12:30am. With Colbert, he will no longer do the things that made him successful. He will no longer be in character, which is really what made the show what it is.
Here's hoping the real Colbert is someone we will like equally, if not more, than his talk show character. If not, there's a great guy at 12:30am, who, like Fallon had at NBC, is pretty familiar to the CBS audience. His name is Craig Ferguson. He doesn't play a talk show host. He is one and he's damn good.
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'Gone Girl' Teaser Previews The Trailer
Here's the 20-second teaser to the "Gone Girl" trailer. Yes, it's a trailer for the trailer to the feature. Can we build anymore anticipation for this movie? "Gone Girl" will be out Oct. 3.
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How a Film Could Get You 25 Years in Jail!
Twenty years ago this April close to one million Rwandans were slaughtered by machetes, hand grenades and bullets in the swiftest and, perhaps, most savage genocide in modern history. Ten years ago, I co-wrote, directed, and produced the film Hotel Rwanda in an attempt to capture the horror, the world's avoidance of the slaughter, and, most of all, the heroism of a handful of Rwandans at the Milles Collines hotel in Kigali. The film was a critical success, and more importantly managed to inform and educate ordinary Americans about the genocide.
The film was initially well-received in Rwanda. In May 2005, I screened the film for Rwandan President Paul Kagame. I sat beside him as he and his wife, and most of Rwanda's parliament watched the movie. Afterward he leaned over to me and said the film had done much good around the world in exposing the horrors of the genocide. The next day I sat with him and discussed how the film might be used to stimulate investment and support for his country, and that evening I screened the film at Amahoro Stadium for some 10,000 people. It was the most emotional screening I have ever experienced. I spent close to an hour afterward accepting thanks and congratulations.
Two months later, all that changed. The film's real-life hero, Paul Rusesabagina, and the film itself, became the focus of a smear campaign by the Rwandan press and by politicians, including President Kagame. The reason was obvious. In his book, An Ordinary Man, Paul had begun to criticize Kagame's government, saying that the presidential election, in which Kagame received 90.5 percent of the vote, was not democratic and that President Kagame suppresses human rights in Rwanda. That criticism has since been echoed by Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, Reporters Without Borders, and numerous International politicians, newspapers and reporters. In recent years, the criticism has grown, with reports of kidnappings and assassinations of political opponents across Africa, military intervention by the Rwandan Army in Congo, and suppression of all opposition inside Rwanda.
While he stifles all opposition, there is no question that Paul Kagame has transformed Rwanda from an impoverished sectarian state into a model of economic growth and modernization. This success has sparked much debate -- the highly successful African strongman who rules with an iron fist versus the liberal desire for Western democratic standards. Kagame has used his impressive achievements, (and the continuing guilt of the West) to mount a sophisticated International PR campaign to counter the accusations that he is a ruthless dictator.
Now Hotel Rwanda has once more become a target of this PR campaign. A recently released book, Inside the Hotel Rwanda: The Surprising True Story ... And Why it Matters Today, by Edouard Kayihura, a former Kagame official, claims to debunk the 'lies' in our film. What's surprising is that this book has suddenly appeared 10 years after the movie's release. It is, in fact, a rehash of the book Hotel Rwanda: Or the Tutsi Genocide as seen by Hollywood, published in Rwanda back when the vilification of Rusesabagina was at its height. That book was also authored by Kagame officials. I guess the latest book has been timed to coincide with the 20th anniversary of the genocide and renewed interest in the film.
I've spent a good part of my life in theater, film and television, and have learned to live with criticism, but accusations of 'lies' are a different matter, particularly about a film that I believe has shaped the understanding of millions of people about the Rwandan genocide. So let's set the facts straight.
We researched the Hotel Rwanda story thoroughly. I interviewed (and videotaped) scores of Milles Collines survivors, including current government officials. We screened the film to hotel survivors, Rwandan and foreign; to UN officials; to both the US and Rwandan Presidents. No one voiced a word of criticism.
Now, a decade on, this book has appeared and been noted in Newsweek and lauded in a Huffington Post blog. And with the power of Google, these attacks will fester on the search page like a Sharpie mustache scribbled on a portrait. What's funny, if it wasn't sad, is that many of the 'accusations' against Paul in the book are documented in the film. He did indeed charge some people for their rooms. He did drink with genocide perpetrators and barter with them for food. He tried to help his wife escape. Who wouldn't?
Frankly the book, its publication, and this 'veracity' debate is pathetic when considered in the context of the Rwandan catastrophe. I'd be happy to ignore it if it weren't for the accusation of 'Genocide Revisionism' in the book. Genocide Revisionism is all encompassing crime in Kagame's Rwanda. Human Rights Watch has this to say about the law:
I don't think I'll be back in Rwanda in the near future to sit and chat once more with President Kagame. I'll just let Hotel Rwanda, named as one of 100 most inspirational Films of All Time by the American Film Institute, speak for itself.
____________
Terry George is an Oscar winning film maker, whose work has included, In the Name of the Father, The Boxer and Hotel Rwanda.
The film was initially well-received in Rwanda. In May 2005, I screened the film for Rwandan President Paul Kagame. I sat beside him as he and his wife, and most of Rwanda's parliament watched the movie. Afterward he leaned over to me and said the film had done much good around the world in exposing the horrors of the genocide. The next day I sat with him and discussed how the film might be used to stimulate investment and support for his country, and that evening I screened the film at Amahoro Stadium for some 10,000 people. It was the most emotional screening I have ever experienced. I spent close to an hour afterward accepting thanks and congratulations.
Two months later, all that changed. The film's real-life hero, Paul Rusesabagina, and the film itself, became the focus of a smear campaign by the Rwandan press and by politicians, including President Kagame. The reason was obvious. In his book, An Ordinary Man, Paul had begun to criticize Kagame's government, saying that the presidential election, in which Kagame received 90.5 percent of the vote, was not democratic and that President Kagame suppresses human rights in Rwanda. That criticism has since been echoed by Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, Reporters Without Borders, and numerous International politicians, newspapers and reporters. In recent years, the criticism has grown, with reports of kidnappings and assassinations of political opponents across Africa, military intervention by the Rwandan Army in Congo, and suppression of all opposition inside Rwanda.
While he stifles all opposition, there is no question that Paul Kagame has transformed Rwanda from an impoverished sectarian state into a model of economic growth and modernization. This success has sparked much debate -- the highly successful African strongman who rules with an iron fist versus the liberal desire for Western democratic standards. Kagame has used his impressive achievements, (and the continuing guilt of the West) to mount a sophisticated International PR campaign to counter the accusations that he is a ruthless dictator.
Now Hotel Rwanda has once more become a target of this PR campaign. A recently released book, Inside the Hotel Rwanda: The Surprising True Story ... And Why it Matters Today, by Edouard Kayihura, a former Kagame official, claims to debunk the 'lies' in our film. What's surprising is that this book has suddenly appeared 10 years after the movie's release. It is, in fact, a rehash of the book Hotel Rwanda: Or the Tutsi Genocide as seen by Hollywood, published in Rwanda back when the vilification of Rusesabagina was at its height. That book was also authored by Kagame officials. I guess the latest book has been timed to coincide with the 20th anniversary of the genocide and renewed interest in the film.
I've spent a good part of my life in theater, film and television, and have learned to live with criticism, but accusations of 'lies' are a different matter, particularly about a film that I believe has shaped the understanding of millions of people about the Rwandan genocide. So let's set the facts straight.
We researched the Hotel Rwanda story thoroughly. I interviewed (and videotaped) scores of Milles Collines survivors, including current government officials. We screened the film to hotel survivors, Rwandan and foreign; to UN officials; to both the US and Rwandan Presidents. No one voiced a word of criticism.
Now, a decade on, this book has appeared and been noted in Newsweek and lauded in a Huffington Post blog. And with the power of Google, these attacks will fester on the search page like a Sharpie mustache scribbled on a portrait. What's funny, if it wasn't sad, is that many of the 'accusations' against Paul in the book are documented in the film. He did indeed charge some people for their rooms. He did drink with genocide perpetrators and barter with them for food. He tried to help his wife escape. Who wouldn't?
Frankly the book, its publication, and this 'veracity' debate is pathetic when considered in the context of the Rwandan catastrophe. I'd be happy to ignore it if it weren't for the accusation of 'Genocide Revisionism' in the book. Genocide Revisionism is all encompassing crime in Kagame's Rwanda. Human Rights Watch has this to say about the law:
As many Rwandans have discovered, disagreeing with the government or making unpopular statements can easily be portrayed as genocide ideology, punishable by sentences of 10 to 25 years. That leaves little political space for dissent.
I don't think I'll be back in Rwanda in the near future to sit and chat once more with President Kagame. I'll just let Hotel Rwanda, named as one of 100 most inspirational Films of All Time by the American Film Institute, speak for itself.
Terry George is an Oscar winning film maker, whose work has included, In the Name of the Father, The Boxer and Hotel Rwanda.
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Is This Rihanna's Vogue Brazil Cover? We Sure Hope So!
While everybody was busy drooling over these bottomless photos of Rihanna posing for an undisclosed French magazine, fansite RihannaDaily.com managed to get their hands on what appears to be Riri's Vogue Brazil May 2014 cover.
The sexy singer goes topless and covers up in a big straw sunhat, printed shorts and an armful of gold bracelets. We're getting hot just looking at the photograph of Rihanna staring seductively at the camera while sitting on the shore in Rio de Janeiro.
She first teased the photo shoot back in January with bikini-filled Instagram flicks and simple captions like "#brazil" and "@teamvivanco #voguebrazil." And it wasn't too long before paparazzi photos surfaced across the Internet from her barely-there Brazilian shoot. However, this rumored "first look" image makes us want to camp out at our neighborhood newsstand.
While this may be the least amount of clothes Rihanna has sported so far for a Vogue magazine cover (check out her April 2011, November 2012 and March 2013 American Vogue covers), this self-proclaimed bad gal looks confident and comfortable in her own skin.
Wouldn't you agree?
The sexy singer goes topless and covers up in a big straw sunhat, printed shorts and an armful of gold bracelets. We're getting hot just looking at the photograph of Rihanna staring seductively at the camera while sitting on the shore in Rio de Janeiro.
She first teased the photo shoot back in January with bikini-filled Instagram flicks and simple captions like "#brazil" and "@teamvivanco #voguebrazil." And it wasn't too long before paparazzi photos surfaced across the Internet from her barely-there Brazilian shoot. However, this rumored "first look" image makes us want to camp out at our neighborhood newsstand.
While this may be the least amount of clothes Rihanna has sported so far for a Vogue magazine cover (check out her April 2011, November 2012 and March 2013 American Vogue covers), this self-proclaimed bad gal looks confident and comfortable in her own skin.
Wouldn't you agree?
#VogueBrasil coming soon pic.twitter.com/qSsV3Crwht
— Rihanna Daily (@RihannaDaily) April 11, 2014↧
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Lindsay Lohan Rocks Around The Clock At Coachella
One, two, three o'clock, four o'clock rock ... and if you're partying with Lindsay Lohan at Coachella -- it may go even later.
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Conan O'Brien Promises Nudity, Fire And Grumpy Cat At MTV Movie Awards
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Conan O'Brien won't be too shy to strip down as host of the MTV Movie Awards.
"I've been preparing for this job for several years," joked the talk show host backstage Friday during a break from rehearsing for Sunday's fan-favorite ceremony. "I knew I'd be doing the 2014 MTV Movie Awards, so I've been doing a series of isometrics, underwater exercises, Pilates and Greco-Roman wrestling, which had no benefit to my body, but I strangely enjoyed it. My body is in incredible shape, and you might be seeing some of that on the show." The host of TBS' "Conan" also isn't afraid of the show's competition from other networks that night, which includes the latest installment of HBO's "Game of Thrones" and the sixth season premiere of AMC's "Mad Men."
"'Game of Thrones' is a complete waste of everyone's time," said O'Brien. "The dragons attack everyone and eat their face on Sunday night. That's what happens, so don't even bother watching. 'Mad Men'? Yawn. OK. Someone had too much to drink and slept with somebody. Whatevs, OK? MTV Movie Awards, that's the show to watch."
This year's ceremony will honor the winners in such silly categories as best kiss, best fight and best shirtless performance. The funnyman noted the over-the-top MTV ceremony won't be comparable to his tenure as host of the Emmys in 2002 and 2006. The biggest difference? Lots of special effects on the show's apocalypse-themed stage, which includes a giant 5,000-pound bucket of fake popcorn and a sign that lights on fire.
"It's the most flames I've ever been around in my life," said O'Brien. "I've been working in show business for a long time, and every single part of the set explodes into flames at one point during the show."
O'Brien said he's most excited to see Johnny Depp, Kate Upton and Zedd in attendance. Other celebrities expected at the Nokia Theatre ceremony include Cameron Diaz, Mark Wahlberg and recent Oscar winners Jared Leto and Lupita Nyong'o, who are slated to have front-row seats down the aisle from Grumpy Cat, the frowning feline viral sensation.
"Grumpy Cat will be in attendance, we're told," said O'Brien. "We were told through Grumpy Cat's people. Grumpy Cat is sort of like the Pope. You hear rumors. Maybe you'll get an audience with Grumpy Cat, maybe you won't. Maybe you'll get a blessing from Grumpy Cat? It's very difficult. I think it's easier to get to Jay-Z right now than it is to get to Grumpy Cat."
O'Brien teased the typically hijinks-filled ceremony would include several surprises, including an attempt at the beginning of the show to break a world record, as well as those promised bare-skin moments from the pale 50-year-old talk show host.
"You're gonna see a lot of me in the show, so watch for it," said O'Brien. "I know that's what gets ratings. The idea of an Irish-Catholic male who sort of eats OK showing off his skin."
___
Online:
http://movieawards.mtv.com/
___
Follow AP Entertainment Writer Derrik J. Lang on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/derrikjlang .
"I've been preparing for this job for several years," joked the talk show host backstage Friday during a break from rehearsing for Sunday's fan-favorite ceremony. "I knew I'd be doing the 2014 MTV Movie Awards, so I've been doing a series of isometrics, underwater exercises, Pilates and Greco-Roman wrestling, which had no benefit to my body, but I strangely enjoyed it. My body is in incredible shape, and you might be seeing some of that on the show." The host of TBS' "Conan" also isn't afraid of the show's competition from other networks that night, which includes the latest installment of HBO's "Game of Thrones" and the sixth season premiere of AMC's "Mad Men."
"'Game of Thrones' is a complete waste of everyone's time," said O'Brien. "The dragons attack everyone and eat their face on Sunday night. That's what happens, so don't even bother watching. 'Mad Men'? Yawn. OK. Someone had too much to drink and slept with somebody. Whatevs, OK? MTV Movie Awards, that's the show to watch."
This year's ceremony will honor the winners in such silly categories as best kiss, best fight and best shirtless performance. The funnyman noted the over-the-top MTV ceremony won't be comparable to his tenure as host of the Emmys in 2002 and 2006. The biggest difference? Lots of special effects on the show's apocalypse-themed stage, which includes a giant 5,000-pound bucket of fake popcorn and a sign that lights on fire.
"It's the most flames I've ever been around in my life," said O'Brien. "I've been working in show business for a long time, and every single part of the set explodes into flames at one point during the show."
O'Brien said he's most excited to see Johnny Depp, Kate Upton and Zedd in attendance. Other celebrities expected at the Nokia Theatre ceremony include Cameron Diaz, Mark Wahlberg and recent Oscar winners Jared Leto and Lupita Nyong'o, who are slated to have front-row seats down the aisle from Grumpy Cat, the frowning feline viral sensation.
"Grumpy Cat will be in attendance, we're told," said O'Brien. "We were told through Grumpy Cat's people. Grumpy Cat is sort of like the Pope. You hear rumors. Maybe you'll get an audience with Grumpy Cat, maybe you won't. Maybe you'll get a blessing from Grumpy Cat? It's very difficult. I think it's easier to get to Jay-Z right now than it is to get to Grumpy Cat."
O'Brien teased the typically hijinks-filled ceremony would include several surprises, including an attempt at the beginning of the show to break a world record, as well as those promised bare-skin moments from the pale 50-year-old talk show host.
"You're gonna see a lot of me in the show, so watch for it," said O'Brien. "I know that's what gets ratings. The idea of an Irish-Catholic male who sort of eats OK showing off his skin."
___
Online:
http://movieawards.mtv.com/
___
Follow AP Entertainment Writer Derrik J. Lang on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/derrikjlang .
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Mickey Rooney To Be Laid To Rest At Hollywood Forever Cemetery Alongside Cecil B. DeMille, Jayne Mansfield
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Mickey Rooney will be laid to rest alongside Hollywood royalty.
A judge signed off Friday on an agreement between Rooney's survivors to have the actor buried at Hollywood Forever Cemetery, the final resting place for such luminaries as Cecil B. DeMille, Jayne Mansfield and Douglas Fairbanks. Rooney died Sunday at age 93.
He had purchased a burial plot in Ventura County, where he and his estranged wife, Jan, lived, but his estate's executor, attorney Michael Augustine, said Rooney really wanted to be buried in Hollywood or at a cemetery for veterans.
An agreement to put him at Hollywood Forever was reached Thursday between his stepson Mark Rooney and Jan Rooney.
The agreement bars another of Rooney's stepsons, Christopher Aber, from attending the funeral, which is to be a small family service.
Jan Rooney's lawyer, Yevgeny Belous, said the actor's widow is happy with the agreement.
"All she wanted was for the family to come together and honor Mickey's wishes," Belous said.
Rooney's will disinherited his eight surviving children and left a modest amount of money to Mark Rooney. The estate's value was estimated at $18,000 in an initial court filing earlier this week.
The actor had lost much of his fortune in recent years to what he described as elder abuse and financial mismanagement at the hands of Aber and his wife, who is also barred from the funeral.
Mickey Rooney filed a lawsuit against Aber and a settlement was reached, but details weren't disclosed. Augustine has said it is unlikely any money will be recovered.
A judge signed off Friday on an agreement between Rooney's survivors to have the actor buried at Hollywood Forever Cemetery, the final resting place for such luminaries as Cecil B. DeMille, Jayne Mansfield and Douglas Fairbanks. Rooney died Sunday at age 93.
He had purchased a burial plot in Ventura County, where he and his estranged wife, Jan, lived, but his estate's executor, attorney Michael Augustine, said Rooney really wanted to be buried in Hollywood or at a cemetery for veterans.
An agreement to put him at Hollywood Forever was reached Thursday between his stepson Mark Rooney and Jan Rooney.
The agreement bars another of Rooney's stepsons, Christopher Aber, from attending the funeral, which is to be a small family service.
Jan Rooney's lawyer, Yevgeny Belous, said the actor's widow is happy with the agreement.
"All she wanted was for the family to come together and honor Mickey's wishes," Belous said.
Rooney's will disinherited his eight surviving children and left a modest amount of money to Mark Rooney. The estate's value was estimated at $18,000 in an initial court filing earlier this week.
The actor had lost much of his fortune in recent years to what he described as elder abuse and financial mismanagement at the hands of Aber and his wife, who is also barred from the funeral.
Mickey Rooney filed a lawsuit against Aber and a settlement was reached, but details weren't disclosed. Augustine has said it is unlikely any money will be recovered.
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Emma Stone Channels Catwoman At Paris Premiere Of 'The Amazing Spider-Man 2'
Emma Stone may be playing Gwen Stacy in "The Amazing Spider-Man 2," but she seemed to channel another comic-book character at the movie's Paris premiere on Friday. Stone donned a sleek black dress that's reminiscent of Catwoman's leather suit.
Attending with co-star and beau Andrew Garfield, Stone snapped selfies with fans while turning heads in the strapless frock.
![emma stone]()
![emma stone]()
![emma stone]()
Appearing alongside Stone and Garfield were co-stars Jamie Foxx and Dane DeHaan.
![emma stone]()
Attending with co-star and beau Andrew Garfield, Stone snapped selfies with fans while turning heads in the strapless frock.
Appearing alongside Stone and Garfield were co-stars Jamie Foxx and Dane DeHaan.
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'Mom' Finale Takes On A Funny But Serious Tone
LOS ANGELES (AP) — A pregnant teenager, the daughter of an unmarried mother and granddaughter of another, is repeating family history. Does she decide to keep her baby and do her immature best to raise it, or choose adoption for her offspring?
That quandary anchors the season finale of CBS' "Mom" (9:30 p.m. EDT, Monday) a freshman sitcom that has balanced punch lines and pathos in tackling alcoholism, cancer, broken families and other weighty themes. Any one of them would have fitted what TV sitcoms once somberly heralded as "a very special episode," but they are the bread-and-butter of "Mom," starring Anna Faris and Allison Janney.
It's a daring approach and, given its lineage, a surprising one: "Mom" was hatched by Chuck Lorre, the executive producer behind "Two and a Half Men," a show that traffics in superficial raunchiness, and the smartly frothy "The Big Bang Theory."
The women of "Mom" are winning but brittle and complex characters, deftly played by Faris as Christy, the mother of 16-year-old Violet (Sadie Calvano) and a son (Blake Garrett Rosenthal) from another relationship, and Janney as Bonnie, Christy's mom and a soul mate in battling alcoholism.
"Mom" has its own comedic pacing as well as content. Laughs are delivered at a pace more measured than that of a typical sitcom, giving emotions time to rise and fall convincingly.
For Lorre, "Mom" represents a return to the kind of real-life nuance that he explored in the early 1990s as a writer on "Roseanne" and in a sitcom he created about another single mom with addiction issues, "Grace Under Fire."
He got "turned in a different direction," as Lorre put it, with his hits "Two and a Half Men" (which developed its own real-life subplot, ex-star Charlie Sheen's ugly public clash with Lorre and Warner Bros. Television) and "The Big Bang Theory."
"Mom," which Lorre created and produces with Eddie Gorodetsky and Gemma Baker, was the way back. The show, which ranked No. 20 in recent weekly ratings among advertiser-favored young adult viewers, has been renewed for next season.
"I really wanted 'Mom' to be an opportunity to take chances, to see if storytelling and character development could be expanded, and maintain the promise that it's a comedy," Lorre said.
There's no "high concept" and nothing remotely funny in breast cancer or seeing your mom relapse into alcoholism, he said, "but the challenge of it, it seemed worth trying."
The pregnancy plot that forces Violet to confront what's best for her and her baby has been particularly delicate, Lorre said, including the relatively rare depiction of adoption from the birth mother's point of view.
(Faris, coincidentally, played an unwed teenage mother on "Friends" in 2004 whose twins are adopted by Monica and Chandler, series stars Courteney Cox and Matthew Perry.)
The option of abortion was "discussed obliquely but within the boundaries of what CBS will allow us," Lorre said.
The National Council for Adoption, which screened the "Mom" episodes, lauded the series for pursuing "an adoption story line in an in-depth way that isn't often done," according to a statement from the group's Megan Lindsey.
Lorre's cast relishes what he's aiming for with "Mom."
"I particularly love comedy that is rooted in real stuff and pain ... when it's all messy and mixed together. That satisfies me as an actor," said Janney, a four-time Emmy-winner for "The West Wing."
Faris said the show's range allows her to reach emotional depths and still experience "the joy of making comedy."
"As an actor who's known for comedy, I love being able to stretch my legs a bit," she said in an email. "It took me by surprise — I guess I was really naive — how much our industry separates the dramatic and comedic worlds." Faris recalled how drama auditions were tough to get after she appeared in "Scary Movie."
That Lorre has chosen a female-centric series as his incubator for experimentation should come as no surprise.
"For any writer working on any show, it's much more interesting to write for women because they're more empathetic, they're more compassionate, more articulate, more willing to express their feelings," he said. "Writing for women is an opportunity to express yourself as a writer in ways that you simply can't do with men."
___
Online:
http://www.cbs.com
___
Lynn Elber is a national television columnist for The Associated Press. She can be reached at lelber@ap.org and on Twitter@lynnelber.
That quandary anchors the season finale of CBS' "Mom" (9:30 p.m. EDT, Monday) a freshman sitcom that has balanced punch lines and pathos in tackling alcoholism, cancer, broken families and other weighty themes. Any one of them would have fitted what TV sitcoms once somberly heralded as "a very special episode," but they are the bread-and-butter of "Mom," starring Anna Faris and Allison Janney.
It's a daring approach and, given its lineage, a surprising one: "Mom" was hatched by Chuck Lorre, the executive producer behind "Two and a Half Men," a show that traffics in superficial raunchiness, and the smartly frothy "The Big Bang Theory."
The women of "Mom" are winning but brittle and complex characters, deftly played by Faris as Christy, the mother of 16-year-old Violet (Sadie Calvano) and a son (Blake Garrett Rosenthal) from another relationship, and Janney as Bonnie, Christy's mom and a soul mate in battling alcoholism.
"Mom" has its own comedic pacing as well as content. Laughs are delivered at a pace more measured than that of a typical sitcom, giving emotions time to rise and fall convincingly.
For Lorre, "Mom" represents a return to the kind of real-life nuance that he explored in the early 1990s as a writer on "Roseanne" and in a sitcom he created about another single mom with addiction issues, "Grace Under Fire."
He got "turned in a different direction," as Lorre put it, with his hits "Two and a Half Men" (which developed its own real-life subplot, ex-star Charlie Sheen's ugly public clash with Lorre and Warner Bros. Television) and "The Big Bang Theory."
"Mom," which Lorre created and produces with Eddie Gorodetsky and Gemma Baker, was the way back. The show, which ranked No. 20 in recent weekly ratings among advertiser-favored young adult viewers, has been renewed for next season.
"I really wanted 'Mom' to be an opportunity to take chances, to see if storytelling and character development could be expanded, and maintain the promise that it's a comedy," Lorre said.
There's no "high concept" and nothing remotely funny in breast cancer or seeing your mom relapse into alcoholism, he said, "but the challenge of it, it seemed worth trying."
The pregnancy plot that forces Violet to confront what's best for her and her baby has been particularly delicate, Lorre said, including the relatively rare depiction of adoption from the birth mother's point of view.
(Faris, coincidentally, played an unwed teenage mother on "Friends" in 2004 whose twins are adopted by Monica and Chandler, series stars Courteney Cox and Matthew Perry.)
The option of abortion was "discussed obliquely but within the boundaries of what CBS will allow us," Lorre said.
The National Council for Adoption, which screened the "Mom" episodes, lauded the series for pursuing "an adoption story line in an in-depth way that isn't often done," according to a statement from the group's Megan Lindsey.
Lorre's cast relishes what he's aiming for with "Mom."
"I particularly love comedy that is rooted in real stuff and pain ... when it's all messy and mixed together. That satisfies me as an actor," said Janney, a four-time Emmy-winner for "The West Wing."
Faris said the show's range allows her to reach emotional depths and still experience "the joy of making comedy."
"As an actor who's known for comedy, I love being able to stretch my legs a bit," she said in an email. "It took me by surprise — I guess I was really naive — how much our industry separates the dramatic and comedic worlds." Faris recalled how drama auditions were tough to get after she appeared in "Scary Movie."
That Lorre has chosen a female-centric series as his incubator for experimentation should come as no surprise.
"For any writer working on any show, it's much more interesting to write for women because they're more empathetic, they're more compassionate, more articulate, more willing to express their feelings," he said. "Writing for women is an opportunity to express yourself as a writer in ways that you simply can't do with men."
___
Online:
http://www.cbs.com
___
Lynn Elber is a national television columnist for The Associated Press. She can be reached at lelber@ap.org and on Twitter@lynnelber.
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Sofia Vergara's Latest Bikini Cover Looks Just Like That Vintage Photo
Remember that vintage swimsuit photo of Sofia Vergara? Looks like not much has changed for the "Modern Family" star since then. Vergara hit the cover of Women's Health magazine this month, and she looks like the ultimate cool girl in a tank top and bikini bottoms.
![sofia vergara]()
"I'll tell you something," Vergara said in the interview. "I've always been known for my boobs, but it pisses me off, because I do also have a great ass!" Rock it, girl.
"I'll tell you something," Vergara said in the interview. "I've always been known for my boobs, but it pisses me off, because I do also have a great ass!" Rock it, girl.
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'The Giver' Featurette Comes With New Black-And-White Footage, Wisdom From Lois Lowry
The first trailer for "The Giver" left some questioning how faithful the movie will be to certain aspects of Lois Lowry's beloved 1993 novel. Fans especially raised eyebrows at the movie not being in black and white, seeing as the concept of color has been washed out in the book's supposed utopian society. Now, a new featurette clears up some of these concerns.
Frankly, the fresh footage looks a lot less like "Divergent" and therefore a lot more promising than the trailer. But it's confusing because some of the same clips that appeared in color in the trailer are now presented in black and white. Perhaps the Weinstein Company didn't want to disenchant unsuspecting young-adult moviegoers with stodgy black and white? Either way, we hope "The Giver" looks a lot more like this. (Come for the new footage, stay for an appearance by wise Mama Lowry herself.) "The Giver" opens Aug. 15.
Frankly, the fresh footage looks a lot less like "Divergent" and therefore a lot more promising than the trailer. But it's confusing because some of the same clips that appeared in color in the trailer are now presented in black and white. Perhaps the Weinstein Company didn't want to disenchant unsuspecting young-adult moviegoers with stodgy black and white? Either way, we hope "The Giver" looks a lot more like this. (Come for the new footage, stay for an appearance by wise Mama Lowry herself.) "The Giver" opens Aug. 15.
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