Murder, revenge, lust and rampage take over 'Sin City' sequel
Femmes fatales and brutish men form a complex web in "SinCity: A Dame to Kill For," as old and new faces from Frank Miller's noir graphic novels are brought to life in film. "A Dame to Kill For," out in U.S. theaters on Friday, is both a prequel and a sequel to 2005's "Sin City," adapted by from Miller's gritty series of the same name. Read more
Shakira's hit song ripped off Dominican artist: NY judge
A federal judge has found that a hit 2010 song by Colombian pop star Shakira copied a Dominican songwriter's work. U.S. District Judge Alvin Hellerstein in a ruling in Manhattan federal court on Tuesday said Shakira's Spanish-language single "Loca" infringed on the work of Ramon Arias Vasquez, who wrote "Loca con su Tiguere" in the late 1990s.
Jackie Chan takes 'bow of apology' after son busted for drugs
Kungfu movie star Jackie Chan offered the public a "deep bow of apology" after his son, actor, singer and socialite Jaycee, was arrested in Beijing for drug use. Jackie Chan, 60, served as a goodwill spokesman for the China National Anti-Drug Committee in 2009, promoting anti-drug education. Read more
Billy Crystal to commemorate late actor Robin Williams at Emmys
Comedian Billy Crystal will pay tribute to late actor Robin Williams at television's Primetime Emmy Awards on Aug. 25, the show's organizers said on Wednesday. Crystal, 66, who rose to fame in the 1970s comedy circuit that also thrust Williams into the spotlight, will commemorate Williams during the annual awards show's "In Memoriam" segment, which honors late actors who have influenced television. Read more
China's Peking Opera company marks anniversary with U.S. tour
With lavishly embroidered costumes, elaborate makeup and acrobatics, a troupe of nearly 90 singers, actors and musicians of the Peking Opera begins a special U.S. tour on Wednesday at New York's Lincoln Center. Peking Opera, known as jingju in Chinese, is the country's national form of theater, combining unique storytelling, acrobatics, acting and martial arts with Chinese singing and dance.
Hollywood mogul Simon buys fur farm with animal rights activists
Hollywood mogul and co-creator of The Simpsons, Sam Simon, has bought a chinchilla farm in Southern California as part of a drive by animal rights activists to close the breeding facility. In what all parties described as a "win-win" deal, 90-year-old owner Lurlie Adams was able to offload the farm she did not want any more to Simon for $50,000. And the 425 chinchillas were moved to much larger cages while awaiting adoption.
Swimming away from 'sea of sameness,' U.S. network FX tests TV waters
Television cable network FX revels in its minimalist slogan "Fearless," but it could also opt for "It's OK To Fail," "We Have A Long Way To Go," and "Not For Everybody's Taste." FX is hard to sum up these days. Even John Landgraf, chief executive of the network owned by Twenty-First Century Fox Inc, says he cannot "cleanly and simply articulate the FX brand."
'Awesome Mix' of 1970s hits holds top spot on Billboard chart
The "Awesome Mix" of retro 1970s songs featured in hit superhero film "Guardians of the Galaxy" topped the weekly U.S. Billboard 200 album chart for a second consecutive week on Wednesday. "Awesome Mix Vol. 1," which includes classic hits such as Blue Swede's "Hooked on a Feeling," featured heavily throughout the "Guardians" film as rogue hero Peter Quill's own soundtrack. It sold 93,000 copies last week according to figures from Nielsen SoundScan, keeping its hold on the to spot of the chart.
Rapper Gucci Mane gets three years and three months prison sentence on firearms charges
The rapper known as Gucci Mane was sentenced on Wednesday by a federal court judge in Georgia to three years and three months in prison on firearms charges. "Davis has a long history of violence and of illegally possessing and using guns," Sally Yates, U.S. attorney for the Northern District of Georgia, said of Mane, whose real name is Radric Davis.
Matthew Weiner on 'Mad Men' and male friendships
As the creator of "Mad Men," AMC Networks' period TV drama and its brooding, dysfunctional ad man Don Draper, Matthew Weiner has had some experience in exploring the male psyche. In his directorial feature film debut "Are You Here," in theaters on Friday, Weiner wanted to tackle the reality of a male friendship through actors Owen Wilson and Zach Galifianakis, showing two grown men in a state of arrested development.
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