Dakota Fanning Bares Fangs In 'New Moon'

LOS ANGELES – Dakota Fanning is set to star as a bloodsucking vampire in the highly anticipated “Twilight” sequel, “New Moon”.

Film bosses have finally confirmed that the 15-year-old will play the role of Jane, a member of the Italian Volturi vampires in the sequel.

The teenage actress has been at the centre of fevered speculation in recent months as Internet reports claim she has been offered a role opposite Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson in the upcoming movie.

Filming for “New Moon”, which sees Stewart, Pattinson and Taylor Lautner reprise their roles as Bella Swan, Edward Cullen, and Jacob Black respectively, is set to begin in Vancouver later this month, and the cast is already gushing over the script.

“We did just get a script, we’re shooting the rest of the films back to back,” said Nikki Reed, who plays Rosalie. “[Director] Chris Weitz is amazing and I think it’s going to be wonderful.”

Vanessa Hudgens, of “High School Musical” fame, was rumoured to be up for the role of Leah Clearwater in New Moon. However, it appears to be just rumours, according to screenwriter Melissa Rosenberg.

“I’m not sure about [final] casting but I had heard Vanessa Hudgens was going up for the part of Leah [Clearwater, a werewolf]. But at the moment, the part of Leah doesn’t happen until the third movie,” said Rosenburg.

As for other changes in the next instalment, Rosenberg said she expects new director Chris Weitz, who replaces the first film’s director, Catherine Hardwicke, to put his expertise and imprint on the second film.

“Chris Weitz directed ‘The Golden Compass’, which was a beautiful-looking film,” Rosenberg said. “And I think it’s wonderful we have someone who has worked with CGI animals … that will be a big part of New Moon. I’m delighted we have someone who’s so expert at that.”

Weitz, however, will not direct the third film in the “Twilight” franchise, “Eclipse”.

The second and third “Twilight” films are due to be released very close together and Weitz would still be in post-production on “New Moon” when shooting for “Eclipse” begins. “New Moon” is set to be released in November 2009 while “Eclipse” is scheduled to his screens in June 2010.

Summit Entertainment is already canvassing for new directors to helm “Eclipse”. Actress Drew Barrymore has reportedly joined a “select group” of possible directors – which includes James Mangold (“3:10 To Yuma”) and Juan Antonio Bayona (“The Orphanage”) – who could step behind the camera for the film. Barrymore, who runs her own production company, has just finished work on her directorial debut, “Whip It!”, starring Ellen Page.

Perhaps film bosses are looking to pick two names from the group as Stewart is confident that there will be a fourth film in the series.

“We all really hope there is going to be a number four. I’m pretty confident that the fans aren’t going to, all of a sudden, lose interest

“The only case that a fourth one (instalment to the series) wouldn’t be made is if all of a sudden people stopped caring, and I really don’t think that’s going to happen,” said the actress.

– CNA/ap

Channel News Asia

Tercapai Impian

Oleh Farihad Shalla Mahmud
farihad@bharian.com.my

Selepas lima kali dicalonkan baru sekarang Kate Winslet menggenggam trofi Oscar bagi Aktres Terbaik

TANPA perlu membariskan pelakon popular dan dikategorikan sebagai filem murah, Slumdog Millionaire mengulangi kejayaan pernah diraihnya ketika Anugerah Golden Globe ke-66 dan British Academy Film Awards (Bafta) yang lalu apabila dinobatkan sebagai Filem Terbaik Anugerah Academy ke-81 yang berlangsung dalam suasana penuh gilang gemilang di Kodak Theatre, Los Angeles, semalam.

Malah, filem arahan David Boyle itu berjaya mengungguli lapan anugerah daripada sepuluh kategori dipertandingkan malam itu. Selain dipilih filem terbaik, Boyle diiktiraf sebagai pengarah terbaik dan filem Slumdog Millionaire dilengkapi Lakon Layar Adaptasi, Skor Asal Muzik, Sinematografi Terbaik, Lagu Terbaik, Adunan Muzik Terbaik dan Suntingan Terbaik.

Kemenangan besar filem yang berkisar mengenai kehidupan seorang budak lelaki yatim piatu dan miskin di Mumbai yang kehidupannya berubah apabila dia memenangi program gameshow Who Wants To Be A Millionaire versi India itu bukan sesuatu yang mengejutkan, malah memang disebut-sebut bakal memang besar pada malam itu berdasarkan komen diberikan kebanyakan karyawan seni di Hollywood.

Kemarau penantian Kate Winslet yang lima kali dicalonkan dalam Golden Globe begitu juga untuk Anugerah Academy berakhir apabila wanita berusia 34 tahun ini akhirnya berjaya juga menggenggam trofi Oscar bagi kategori Aktres Terbaik.

Kate yang diiktiraf bagi peranannya sebagai bekas tahanan kem Nazi dalam filem The Reader kelihatan cukup terharu apabila namanya diumumkan sebagai Aktres Terbaik. Dia mengetepikan empat aktres hebat lain iaitu Meryl Streep (Doubt), Anne Hathaway (Rachel Getting Married), Angelina Jolie (Changeling) dan Melissa Leo (Frozen River).

PENERBIT filem Slumdog Millionaire, Christian Colson dikelilingi pelakon dan sebahagian krew apabila filem terbitannya menang besar termasuk Filem Terbaik pada Anugerah Academy ke-81.

Biarpun sudah dua kali dia menaiki pentas sebelum ini untuk meraih anugerah sama serta untuk filem serupa, Kate menjadi begitu emosi sedikit kali ini apabila dia mengenang kembali saat dia waktu kecil berangan-angan memegang trofi Oscar sambil bercakap di depan cermin.

Sean Penn yang memegang watak sebagai aktivis gay turut menyinar apabila juri sebulat suara memilihnya sebagai pelakon paling layak dinobatkan sebagai Aktor Terbaik, sekali gus menafikan kehebatan empat calon lain iaitu Richard jenkins (The Visitor), Frank Langella (Frost/Nixon), Bradd Pitt (The Curious Case Of benjamin Button) termasuk calon kegemaran Mickey Rourke.

Sewaktu memberikan ucapan kemenangan, bekas suami kepada penyanyi Madonna itu berkata, kejayaan ini barangkali adalah kerana kegigihannya meyakinkan juri untuk menghargai segala usahanya selama ini.

Seperti dijangka, mendiang Heath Ledger mengungguli kategori Aktor Pembantu Terbaik dalam filem The Dark Knight. Jika pelakon yang memegang watak Joker dalam filem itu masih hidup, pastinya dia akan tersenyum bangga kerana pencalonan kali keduanya ini membuahkan hasil selepas dicalonkan buat kali pertamanya menerusi filem Brokeback Mountain. Ibu, bapa dan adik kepada pelakon itu diberikan penghormatan untuk menerima trofi itu bagi pihaknya.

WALL-E memenangi Anugerah Academy kategori Filem Animasi Terbaik

Aktres jelita yang juga bekas kekasih kepada aktor Tom Cruise, Penelope Cruz mencatat kejayaan peribadi apabila menjadi pelakon Sepanyol pertama memenangi anugerah pada majlis Academy. Cruz memenangi kategori Aktres Pembantu Terbaik menerusi filem Vicky Cristina Barcelona.

Wall-E filem Animasi Terbaik

Acara tahunan itu turut menyaksikan Dustin Lance Black memenangi kategori Lakon Layar Asal Terbaik menerusi filem Milk, manakala kisah percintaan antara dua robot, Wall-E diumumkan sebagai pemenang untuk Filem Animasi Terbaik.

Filem The Curious Case of Benjamin Button tidak pulang dengan tangan kosong apabila berjaya meraih dua kemenangan iaitu arahan seni terbaik dan solekan terbaik, manakala The Duchess pula memenangi anugerah pakaian terbaik.

Kisah seorang lelaki yang berani menggadai nyawa dengan berjalan di atas tali yang merentasi antara Menara Berkembar New York berjudul Man on Wire diumumkan sebagai pemenang filem dokumentari terbaik.

Filem dari Jepun berjudul Departures memberi kejutan apabila berjaya menumpaskan calon kegemaran iaitu filem dari Israel berjudul Waltz With Bashir bagi kategori filem asing terbaik.

Majlis yang berlangsung selama lebih tiga jam itu diacarakan pelakon terkenal, Hugh Jackman yang berjaya memukau penonton dengan gaya nyanyian dan aksinya yang bersahaja. Penonton juga turut dihiburkan dengan persembahan Beyonce, bintang High School Musical, Zac Efron dan Vanessa Hudgens serta persembahan lawak jenaka Ben Stiller yang meniru gaya pelakon Joaquin Phoenix, yang bersara dari dunia lakonan kerana ingin menumpukan perhatian terhadap muzik hip hop yang diminatinya.

Keputusan Penuh Anugerah Academy ke-81

Filem Terbaik: Slumdog Millionaire
Pengarah Terbaik: Danny Boyle (Slumdog Millionaire)
Pelakon Lelaki Terbaik: Sean Penn (Milk)
Pelakon Wanita Terbaik: Kate Winslet (The Reader)
Pelakon Pembantu Lelaki Terbaik: Heath Ledger (The Dark Knight)
Pelakon Pembantu Wanita Terbaik: Penelope Cruz (Vicky Christina Barcelona)
Lakon Layar Terbaik: Milk
Lakon Layar Adaptasi Terbaik: Slumdog Millionaire
Filem Animasi Terbaik: Wall-E
Filem Asing Terbaik: Departures
Sinematografi Terbaik: Slumdog Millionaire
Suntingan Terbaik: Slumdog Millionaire
Kesan Visual Terbaik: The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button
Arahan Seni Terbaik: The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button
Rekaan Pakaian Terbaik: The Duchess
Solekan Terbaik: The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button
Suntingan Bunyi Terbaik: The Dark Knight
Adunan Bunyi Terbaik: Slumdog Millionaire
Skor Asal Terbaik: Slumdog Millionaire
Lagu Terbaik: Slumdog Millionaire (Jai Ho)

Berita Harian

Gaya Di Karpet Merah

Rap
KEMUNCAK Anugerah Academy ke-81 yang berlangsung di Kodak Theatre, Los Angeles semalam, bukan saja mendebarkan untuk mengetahui siapa dinobatkan menerima anugerah paling prestij di Hollywood malah menjadi medan bintang popular bergaya hebat dengan pakaian tajaan pereka terkenal.

Mereka yang dicalonkan untuk Aktres dan Aktor Terbaik memilih gaya klasik Hollywood tetapi ramai juga berani bermain dengan warna garang seperti merah dan hijau.

Angelina Jolie yang dicalonkan Aktres Terbaik melalui filem Changeling dan pasangannya, Brad Pitt Aktor Terbaik untuk The Curious Case Of Benjamin Buttons, menjadi tumpuan dengan gaya klasik dan retro. Angelina memilih gaun mendedahkan bahu daripada Elie Saab dilengkapi aksesori subang hijau manakala Pitt dengan bow hitam.

Sean Penn, Aktor Terbaik melalui Milk, segak dengan rekaan Giorgio Armani sepadan dengan isteri, Robin Wright Penn. Turut memilih hitam, Vanessa Hudgens dengan gaun Marchesa, Kate Winslet gaun gelap dan modan rekaan Stefano Pilati (Atelier Yves Saint Laurent) dan Beyonce bersulam emas menampakkan bentuk badannya.

Gaya Kate mendapat pujian pakar fesyen, Mary Alice Stephenson yang menyifatkan penampilannya sempurna tetapi tidak menyukai penampilan Angelina. Katanya, dia berharap Angelina melangkah permaidani merah dengan penampilan mengejutkan berbeza daripada kebiasaannya dengan hitam.

Antara yang memilih warna ceria dan lembut ialah Anne Hathaway dengan gaun Armani Prive warna champagne, Rachel Wood putih gading rekaan Saab, Jessica Biel gaun satin putih Prada, Sarah Jessica Parker hijau muda Dior Couture manakala model Heidi Klum memilih merah.

Penelope Cruz pula memilih gaun putih gaya 50-an rekaan Balmain, Miley Cyrus juga memilih gaun putih dihiasi manik rekaan Zuhair Murad, Marisa Tomei gaun Versace, Freida Pinto gaun biru John Galliano, manakala Queen Latifah, biru tua rekaan Georges Chakra.

Harian Metro

Tiga Almari Simpan Kasut

Sungguhpun imej bersihnya tercalar apabila gambar bogelnya tersiar di Internet, ia tidak menjatuhkan semangat Vanessa Hudgens.

NAMA Vanessa Hudgens terkenal berikutan lakonannya sebagai pelajar pintar sekolah tinggi, Gabriella Montez, dalam filem untuk televisyen Disney Channel, High School Musical.

Filem, yang disiarkan pada tahun 2006 itu dianggap sebagai satu fenomena dunia hiburan itu terus memperkembangkan bakat Hudgens dalam perfileman, muzik dan juga seni persembahan.

Malah, gadis yang bakal mencecah usia 20 tahun pada 14 Disember ini berjaya menarik tumpuan bukan sahaja golongan muda tetapi juga dewasa.

Dilahirkan sebagai Vanessa Anne Hudgens, anak kelahiran Salinas, California ini mempunyai keunikan tersendiri – berketurunan Filipina, Cina dan Sepanyol di sebelah ibunya, Gina dan bapanya, Greg Hudgens yang mempunyai darah Irish dan puak Indian Amerika.

Hudgens memulakan kerjayanya dalam teater muzikal ketika berusia lapan tahun. Beliau telah memainkan watak utama dan sokongan dalam produksi muzikal termasuk Evita, Carousel, The Wizard of Oz, The King & I, The Music Man, Cinderella dan Damn Yankees.

Pada usia 13 tahun, Hudgens membuat penampilan televisyen pertamanya dalam satu episod komedi, Still Standing, sebelum tampil dalam dunia perfileman dalam filem drama, Thirteen pada tahun 2003.

Selepas itu, beliau turut berlakon dalam filem aksi-adventure, Thunderbirds dan sering menjadi pelakon jemputan dalam siri The Suite Life of Zach & Cody Disney Channel.

Berikutan kejayaan High School Musical di seluruh dunia Hudgens terus melebarkan sayapnya dengan menghasilkan dua buah album – V pada tahun 2006 dan Identified pada tahun ini.

Sungguhpun imej bersihnya tercalar apabila gambar bogelnya tersiar di Internet, ia tidak menjatuhkan semangat gadis ini. Malah, beliau telah meminta maaf kepada semua peminatnya.

Kini, wajah dan bakat jurucakap Neutrogena ini boleh dilihat dalam francais ketiga High School Musical, HSM 3: Senior Year, yang sedang bermain di layar perak seluruh dunia.

Anda selalu kelihatan bergaya di mana sahaja anda berada. Siapakah yang mempengaruhi gaya anda?

Media memainkan peranan dalam stail dan fesyen saya, Tetapi bagi saya, Mary-Kate Olsen, Victoria Beckham dan Nicole Richie juga memainkan pengaruh besar. Mereka sentiasa bergembira dengan fesyen.

Apakah fesyen yang menjadi kegemaran anda?

Saya amat menggemari kasut yang baik. Malah, saya sanggup menghabiskan wang untuk sepasang kasut yang sesuai dengan diri saya.

Sekiranya ia suatu yang cool, funky dan menarik hati saya, tidak kira berapa harganya, saya akan membelinya. Asalkan ia membuatkan saya rasa feminin dan seksi – seperti yang harus dirasai oleh seorang gadis.

Saya mempunyai tiga buah almari yang dikhaskan hanya untuk koleksi kasut saya. Kasut kegemaran saya adalah stiletto Christian Louboutin.

Pada tahun ini anda telah tersenarai dalam Senarai Individu Paling Cantik People, tanpa tidak mencalit sebarang alat solek di wajah. Bagaimana anda melihat perkara ini?

Hanya baru-baru ini saya sedar bahawa ia adalah penting untuk menjadi diri sendiri tanpa memakai alat solek.

Adakah ‘kehidupan filem’ dalam High School Musical sama dengan kehidupan realiti anda?

Saya tidak pernah pergi ke sekolah tinggi. Saya pernah mendaftar masuk ke Sekolah Tinggi Kesenian Orange County sebelum memilih untuk menyertai sistem belajar di rumah semasa memasuki gred ke-7.

Oleh itu, saya tidak pernah merasai pengalaman berada di sekolah menengah.

Itu yang menjadikan filem High School Musical amat bermakna bagi saya. Saya dapat ke majlis tari-menari, memakai jubah dan papan mortar buat kali pertama dan tamat pengajian bersama rakan-rakan yang saya sayangi, iaitu pelakon-pelakon lain.

Memandangkan anda dilihat sebagai seorang contoh kepada golongan remaja masa kini, apakah nasihat terbaik yang boleh anda sampaikan?

Adakalanya saya akan berfikiran, ‘memandangkan saya tidak melakukan apa-apa, lebih baik saya lakukan ini’ seperti pilihan kerjaya. Oleh itu, saya rasa anda perlu mengikut kata hati anda.

Kosmo

Weekend Watch: Brazilian FI 'Live' On Sunday Morning

THE Brazilian Grand Prix F1 race in Sao Paulo will be aired “live” over RTM1 early Sunday morning at 12.30am.

New this weekend is a Japanese serial entitled Hana Kim (8TV, Sunday, 3pm).

The drama is based on the popular manga of the same name by Nakajo Hisaya.

It revolves around Ashiya Mizuki, a Japanese girl in the United States. One day, she watches young athlete Sano Izumi on television compete in the high jump.

She begins to idolise him, and decides to move to Japan to attend the same school. However, Izumi goes to an all-boys school, so Mizuki disguises herself as a boy.
The series stars Horikita Maki, Oguri Shun, Ikuta Toma, Konno Mahiru and Kamikawa Takaya.

For a little music, catch Eksklusif… Siti Nurhaliza Bersama Peminat (RTM2, tomorrow, 11pm).

In this two-hour presentation, Datuk Siti Nurhaliza will sing such hits as Ku Mahu, Kau Ku Sayang, Wanita, Penawar Rindu, Bukan Cinta Biasa and Biarlah Rahsia, as well as more traditional numbers.

Learn about the making of comedy adventure Tropic Thunder, (8TV, tomorrow, 10.30am), teen musical film High School Musical 3: Senior Year (8TV, Sunday, 10.30am) and local film Budak Kelantan (ntv7, Sunday, 1.30pm) this weekend.

Tropic Thunder, starring Robert Downey Jr, Jack Black and Ben Stiller, is about the cast in a big-budget war movie finding themselves in the middle of the jungle where the enemy shoots real bullets.

High School Musical 3: Senior Year stars Zac Efron, Vanessa Hudgens and Ashley Tisdale.

Budak Kelantan, starring Danny X-Factor, revolves around two youths who are influenced differently by city life.

TOMORROW

Midnight Movie (RTM1, 11.30pm) – Chances Are
A man dies in an accident but gets a second chance at life when he’s reborn. Starring Cybill Shepherd, Robert Downey Jr and Mary Stuart Masterson.

Bollygood On 2 (RTM2, 12.30pm) – Abhiman
A pop singer finally settles down and decides to record a duet with his wife, only to regret it when she becomes more popular. Starring Amitabh Bachchan, Jaya Bhaduri, G. Asrani, Bindu and Durga Khote.

Saturday Nite Special On 2 (RTM2, 9pm) – Alien Resurrection
After killing herself to prevent the government from taking a monster alien to Earth, Ellen Ripley awakens 200 years later to find she has been cloned…

Starring Sigourney Weaver, Winona Ryder and Ron Perlman.

Panggung Sabtu (TV3, 2pm) – Yun Hota Toh Kya Hota
Four strangers board a flight to the United States which makes a stop in Boston.

Here passengers board the plane – people who will decide whether they are to live or die. Starring Konkona Sen Sharma, Irfan Khan, Ayesha Takia and Jimmy Shergil.

Hong Movie Saturday (ntv7, Midnight) – Magic Touch
A con artist in “fortune-telling” one day coincidentally manages to predict what is to come. This time, he decides to put it to good use. This top-rated comedy stars Michael Hui, Leon Lai and Ricky Hui.

Chinese Movie (8TV, 8.30pm) – If You Care
Interior designer Chun-fai’s goal is to earn as much money as he can.

But he turns from a selfish person into one who is caring after a car crash.

Starring Eason Chan, Candy Lo, Gillian Chung and Eric Kot.

SUNDAY

Spice Of India (RTM2, 12.30pm) – Naan Avan Illai
Annamalai ends up in jail for cheating several women by marrying them and then making off with their money.

However, the daughter of the judge who is presiding over his case is attracted to him.

This is a remake of K. Balachander’s classic film of the same title.

Starring Sneha, Malavika, Namitha, Jyothirmayi and Keerthi Chawla.

Golden Premier (RTM2, 10pm) – Big Shot’s Funeral
Director Don Tyler is getting sicker by the day while on location in Beijing, so his assistant hires a down-and-out cameraman, YoYo, to take the reins.

YoYo is determined to make an unforgettable movie.

Starring Donald Sutherland, You Ge and Rosamund Kwan.

TV3 Cinema (TV3, 12.30am) – Rocky
An amateur boxer from Philadelphia’s tough neighbourhood gets a shot at the heavyweight championship title.

Starring Slyvester Stallone, Talia Shire, Burt Young and Carl Weathers.

Sinema (TV9, 10pm) – Cantiknya Audra Laili
Audra falls in love with Awang Lekir. Unfortunately, her family decides to marry her off to Tengku Syed Osman, a man who has disappeared under mysterious circumstances.

Starring Imuda, Aida Aris and Azean Irdawaty.

New Straits Times

HSM Di Pawagam GSC

Rap
PEMINAT siri popular filem muzikal, High School Musical (HSM) pasti menantikan aksi Troy, Gabrielle dan kumpulannya. Kini sekuel filem High School Musical 3: Senior Year akan ditayangkan menerusi beberapa pawagam Golden Screen Cinemas (GSC) seluruh Malaysia bermula 24 Oktober ini.

Sempena tayangan itu, GSC turut menganjurkan pertunjukan khas filem berkenaan selain pertandingan bakat di GSC 1 Utama, Petaling Jaya pada 26 Oktober manakala program sama turut diadakan di GSC Gurney Plaza pada 2 November.

Peminat filem berkenaan mendapat peluang untuk menunjukkan bakat serta kemahiran menyanyi dan menari. Penyertaan dihadkan kepada 10 pasukan setiap lokasi merangkumi lima pasukan untuk kategori Satu iaitu berusia 12 tahun dan ke bawah sementara lima pasukan untuk kategori Dua iaitu berusia 13 tahun ke atas.

Setiap pasukan dihadkan kepada empat peserta. Mereka yang berminat boleh mendaftar berasaskan pendaftaran terawal yang diterima penganjur mulai jam 10 pagi di GSC 1 Utama (26 Oktober) dan GSC Gurney Plaza (2 November).

Peserta dikehendaki menggabungkan elemen nyanyian atau latar suara (miming) dan tarian dalam persembahan mereka. Persembahan dinilai berdasarkan koreografi, bakat menyanyi dan gaya. Pemenang berpeluang membawa pulang cenderamata eksklusif HSM seperti cakera padat (CD) HSM daripada Universal Music dan baucer filem GSC.

Selain pertandingan bakat, orang ramai juga dapat menyaksikan persembahan tarian khas dan persembahan artis. Peminat juga boleh menyemak lagu pilihan mereka dengan melayari laman web http://www.gsc.com.my.

HSC mengisahkan pengalaman, harapan dan kebimbangan pelajar senior terhadap masa depan mereka selepas meninggalkan East High. Filem ini diterajui Zac Efron dan Vanessa Hudgens.

Harian Metro

Keluarga, Rakan Kuatkan Hudgens

LOS ANGELES – Aktres popular, Vanessa Hudgens (gambar) berasa lega selepas skandal gambar bogelnya yang tersebar di internet kini sudah berakhir, lapor sebuah akhbar semalam.

Hudgens, 19, sebelum ini mencetuskan kontroversi selepas beberapa gambar bogelnya dicuri dan disiarkan di internet sehingga menjejaskan imejnya.

Aktres yang popular dengan filem High School Musical itu berkata, dia berasa sangat malu apabila gambar bogelnya ditonton oleh berjuta-juta pengguna internet.

Bagaimanapun, Hudgens memberitahu bahawa dia gembira kerana skandal itu telah berakhir dan kini mahu meneruskan kehidupannya.

Menurutnya, dia dapat menghadapi tempoh sukar dalam kehidupannya itu dengan sokongan keluarga, rakan dan para peminatnya.

“Saya sangat berterima kasih kepada mereka. Tanpa mereka, saya tidak tahu apa yang akan terjadi terhadap saya,” katanya. – Agensi

Kosmo

Hudgens Hadapi Saman AS$5j

LOS ANGELES – Aktres muda Hollywood, Vanessa Hudgens (gambar atas) kini dalam proses disaman sebanyak AS$5 juta (RM16.55 juta) oleh individu yang membantu dirinya memasuki dunia nyanyian, lapor sebuah akhbar semalam.

Pelakon filem High School Musical itu sebelum ini menandatangani satu perjanjian penerbitan bersama Johnny Vieira.

Namun Vieira menyaman remaja itu kerana mendakwa aktres tersebut melanggar perjanjian yang sudah ditandatangani.

Lelaki itu mendakwa dia mempunyai ‘hak berkongsi kejayaan’ secara saksama dengan Hudgens.

Menurutnya, perjanjian itu disahkan oleh mahkamah kerana Hudgens masih di bawah umur.

Vieira mendakwa artis muda itu meninggalkannya setelah filem The High School Musical mendapat kejayaan dan mereka kemudian terlibat dalam satu perjanjian penyelsaian. – Agensi

Dia menyatakan Hudgens berhutang sebanyak AS$2 juta (RM6.62 juta) dan menyaman aktres itu dengan jumlah keseluruhan AS$5 juta (RM16.55 juta). – Agensi

Kosmo

See: Dreadful Ride

JOYRIDE

Directed by John Dahl
Starring Steve Zahn, Paul Walker, Leelee Sobieski, Jessica Bowman, Stuart Stone and Basil Wallace.
Distributed by Movie Magic Sdn Bhd

This is not even a ride but a slow and stale movie about a joke gone wrong. It’s a thriller, one that is supposed to glue you to your seat and make you breathless whenever the villain appears. But I nearly fell asleep.

The story is about two siblings who take a road trip and play a practical joke on an anonymous trucker. Expectedly, the trucker doesn’t find the joke funny and decides to track down the boys and make them pay for the humiliation he suffered.

The villain, known only as Rusty Nail, didn’t appear terrifying enough. The other characters are flat too. The brothers argue most of the time. And the side plot which has Fuller (Zahn) liking his brother’s girlfriend Venna (Sobieski) is so stunted it might as well not be there.

In a nutshell, it’s a two-dimensional movie that is more tedious than fun. The DVD sleeve mentions that there are “special features”. How misleading. There is nothing special about interactive menus, scene access and multiple language subtitles as they are basic DVD features. – SL

Rating: H

THE BUCKET LIST

Directed by Rob Reiner
Starring Jack Nicholson, Morgan Freeman, Sean Hayes, Beverly Todd, Rob Morrow, Alfonso Freeman and Rowena King.
Distributed by Movie Magic Sdn Bhd

IT’S a difficult lesson to master, but dying can teach us how to live. Morris Schwartz taught us that, in Mitch Albom’s Tuesdays With Morrie. Randy Pausch’s uplifting The Last Lecture at Carnegie Mellon University also spoke in the same tone.

The Bucket List is a more hilarious, yet profound take on dying, as seen from the eyes of two cancer wardmates who came up with a list of things to do before cancer gets the best of them.

So billionaire Edward Cole (Nicholson) and scholarly mechanic Carter Chambers (Freeman) set out to do what they haven’t done – skydiving, car racing, viewing the Taj Mahal, the Great Wall of China and the Egyptian pyramids.

Nicholson and Freeman have an amazing on-screen chemistry as two strangers who share the last months of their lives together and the story they weave out of that is just superb and humbling.

Not many actors can bring out that level of madness and sadness hand-in-hand but these seasoned and talented actors do it with complete ease.

Too bad that the special feature is only a music video by John Mayer. If there are commentaries and even examples of others who wring out the most of their lives in their last few months, it would have given the story added impact.

This is a fantastic movie not about dying and leaving, but about living and loving. A drama/comedy that will one day be a classic. – SL

Rating: HHHH

HOT FUZZ

Directed by Edgar Wright
Starring Simon Pegg, Nick Frost and Jim Broadbent
Distributed by Berjaya HVN Sdn. Bhd

Puzzling title? “Fuzz” is actually a slang word for police in England. And this is a very British film – it is set in an apparently idyllic, pastoral English country town and possesses that quirky, offbeat British humour.

In this cop thriller/black comedy for lack of a better way to describe it, the humour comes at several different levels, in your face, very dry, sometimes almost subliminal and sometimes in questionable taste.

It is the story of a dedicated, brilliant, highly-decorated and completely humourless London cop, who after being wounded in action, is posted from London to a quiet country town; actually because his success in London makes his colleagues look bad.

However, mysterious “accidental” deaths which the police and civic leaders of the town dismiss lightly, trouble the “super cop”. All is not as it appears in this rural paradise. The town harbours dark secrets, nothing is quite as it appears, and soon blood is flowing freely.

Our hero with his partner and admirer, set to restore law and order.

This is a bloodthirsty comedy thriller, which you will either love or not be too amused with. There’s an excellent cast of quality British TV actors and even a guest appearance by Cate Blanchett in disguise (I only discovered this when listening to the excellent commentary in the Bonus Features section). – JH

Rating: HHHH

HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL 2

Directed by Kenny Ortega
Starring Zac Efron, Vanessa Hudgens, Ashley Tisdale and Lucas Grabeel
Distributed by Berjaya HVN Sdn. Bhd

Very much an American film. It’s the summer holidays and the kids from the famous high school are all off to the Lava Springs Country Club. Most of them take on a summer job whilst a few rich kids are there to lounge around.

And so the song and dance routines begin in this somewhat vacuous feel-good musical movie which I assume will appeal to middle class American teenagers.

The plot will not tax the intellect. A rich girl (a Paris Hilton look alike) wants a talented boy to perform with her to win the “midsummer night talent show”. Will the boy sell out his buddies and girlfriend working in the club kitchen, to join the rich set?

You can guess the answer. The movie is really about the song and dance routines, which are competent but not exactly inspiring. One set piece where the hero danced and sang his way across a verdant green golf fairway, with lofty mountains in the background was pure Bollywood!

The special features section offers Karaoke versions of all the songs with some music videos using materials from the film but featuring international artistes. Look out for one song performed by Malaysia’s Vince Chong and Jaclyn Victor.

A movie for those who are into wholesome, American high school pop song and dance, but not much for the rest of us though. – JH

Rating: HH

 

New Straits Times

High School Musical: Dawn Of A New Empire

SINGAPORE: How did a squeaky-clean television movie-musical about high school life that has none of the saucy ingredients found in Beverly Hills 90210 become a US$600-million (S$824-million) global phenomenon that has spawned a sequel, live stage musical, concert tour, book series, video game, reality TV series, worldwide ice tour, mountains of merchandise and a highly anticipated cinematic release in a mere 31 months?

If you don’t have a clue, you’re probably not between the ages of six and 16.

Neither are you a parent, grandparent, aunt or uncle who has used the TV set as a nanny so you can have some “quiet time”.

You’re also probably not a participatory observer of popular culture, either. In fact, you might want to think about getting out of the house more.

It’s been near impossible to ignore the singing and dancing juggernaut that is the High School Musical (HSM) franchise, all based around the simple sweet story of a basketball captain and the shy brainiac who overcome peer pressure to follow their passion for music and audition for their high school’s musical, and eventually fall in love.

What started as Disney’s low-budget venture for the small screen back in January 2006 has since clocked incredible records.

The first HSM movie captured an astounding 250 million viewers in more than 100 countries in 20 languages. Its sequel became the most watched basic-cable telecast in US television history the following year.

The first soundtrack went quadruple-platinum with 4 million copies sold and became the year’s No 1 selling album in the US. The second soundtrack sold 3 million copies and was the second best-selling album last year.

This wholesome pie, served with a side of moral integrity, has captured the hearts of tweens and a few reluctant parents.

It has even has its share of 20-something fans who have no problem coming out of the HSM closet.

“I like HSM because it’s a simple fun thing to watch. With HSM, it’s all in front of me in song and dance. I am lazy to imagine how life can be perfect and uncomplicated,” said Johnson Tan, a 28-year-old salesman.

He added: “I love the songs. I know all the lyrics by heart because they are so catchy!”

One can then only imagine the delight of Tan and the legions of tween devotees and their accompanying parents at Tuesday’s debut of the ice version of this Emmy-winning cultural phenomenon in Singapore.

“It’s amazing! The parents are watching the movie every day with their kids, over and over again,” Disney’s High School Musical: The Ice Tour performance director Jackie Soames told TODAY.

“When they bring their kids to the show, we realised that they know the songs better than the kids! They sing along as well!”

Running at the Singapore Expo till August 10, the ice-skating extravaganza features the exact same songs and energetic dance moves from the movies.

“We used all the moves from the actual movie and had Chucky Klapow, who was the choreographer for both movies, work very closely with Cindy Stuart, the ice-skating choreographer, to translate it perfectly onto the ice,” added Soames.

The ice show is performed by world-class skaters performing two fast-paced acts taken from the first and second TV movie respectively.

“Doing the show on ice added a whole new dynamic to it. In the movie, everything is in one spot. On the ice, you can add speed and power behind it. It makes it more thrilling,” said choreographer Klapow.

It also increases the building momentum towards HSM’s big-screen debut. High School Musical 3: Senior Year is scheduled for release on October 23 this year.

All the principal cast members – Zac Efron (Troy), Vanessa Hudgens (Gabriella), Ashley Tisdale (Sharpay), Lucas Grabeel (Ryan), Corbin Bleu (Chad) and Monique Coleman (Taylor) – will be reprising their characters on the silver screen.

And why wouldn’t they? Being part of the HSM phenomenon propelled then-unknowns Efron, Hudgens, Tisdale and Bleu to teen idol stratosphere status almost instantly.

These young stars have become so powerful in Hollywood that Forbes’ most recent Celebrity 100 list included a tween subcategory for the first time.

Hudgens, 19, rounded up the Top 10, raking in US$3.2 million last year while Tisdale, 23, is at No 6 with US$5.5 million. Efron, however, is the one to look out for.

The 20-year-old hearttrrob is No 5 on the list with US$5.8 million. He parlayed his lead in HSM into a role in last year’s hit movie Hairspray.

Declared the “poster boy for tweenyboppers” by the Rolling Stone magazine, he is primed to rise the rank of bona fide movie star with roles in the upcoming 17 Again, Me and Orson Welles, and Paramount’s musical remake of the ’80s classic Footloose.

That’s a tough act to follow for the performers on ice.

“It’s a big responsibility to play our characters because everybody knows what they are like and how they behave on-screen,” shared Vyacheslav Chiliy, the first Senior Men’s figure skating champion from the Ukraine who plays Ryan in the ice version.

Olympian and two-time Swedish National Champion Helen Grundberg, who plays diva Sharpay, agreed: “You have to know it better than you know yourself. They are, after all, characters that so many fans know inside out and love.”

Perhaps superfan Johnson Tan was right: The idea of a geek trumping the diva and ending up with a jock is an alluring guilty pleasure fantasy in our jaded, complex world. Synchronized dancing on ice really doesn’t hurt, either. –

Channel News Asia