December 14, 2007

Celebrating its 28th anniversary in honoring the best in film-making, the London Critics' Circle has officially revealed the contenders for the 2008 ALFS Awards, giving most nominations to both "Control" and "Atonement."

The two pictures each scores eight nods that include Attenborough Award for British Film of the Year and British Director of the Year, but neither of them are in the running for top prize Film of the Year. The latter slot lists out titles like "No Country for Old Men", "There Will Be Blood", "Zodiac", "The Bourne Ultimatum", and "The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford" instead.

Gearing up promotion for its upcoming "Horton Hears A Who!", 20th Century Fox has brought online the first full-length trailer for the CGI animated feature, due out March 14, 2008.

Based on the 1954 book of the same name written by Dr. Seuss, pic boasts starry voice cast that includes Jim Carrey, Steve Carell, Isla Fisher, Dane Cook, and Jaime Pressly. It also marks the second time Carrey has ever played a Dr. Seuss character and the first movie of his that is animated as well as the first Dr. Seuss film to be fully computer-animated.

Ludacris has just premiered a video for 'Down in Da Durty', a song that will appear in a new Disturbing Tha Peace, the rapper's label, compilation.

The song is featuring Bun B of UGK and Rick Ross, and produced by DJ Clinton Sparks who also made a cameo in the clip.

Mario has premiered the music video for his latest single lifted from 'GO'. The clip is for the Akon-produced track 'Do Right'.

The black and white clip shows Mario writing a letter to her mother and finding it hard for the first time. This track is allegedly a hint to Mario's personal life where his real-life mother is said to be a heroin addict. In the song he sang, "That's why I'm here to help you fight to do right."

Shifting attention to horror comedy after releasing scare flick "30 Days of Night", Columbia Pictures is now developing a movie of the kind titled "Zombieland", Variety has revealed.

The studio is said to currently be in negotiations with Ruben Fleischer to get him as the project's director. Meanwhile, story revolves around the most frightened guy on Earth who leads a motley crew of survivors in a world overrun by zombies. The film's title itself refers to an old funeral home that is turned into a morbid attraction.

Back to the director's seat after last directed 2003's "The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen", Stephen Norrington has been signed to assume helming duties for "Clash of the Titans", the remake of a 1981 mythical adventure of the same name, Variety has reported.

Production is expected to begin next year based on the script by Lawrence Kasdan, which was originally written by Travis Beacham. Thunder Road's Basil Iwanyk is producing for both Legendary Pictures and Warner Bros. Pictures, the latter also holding the North American distribution to the flick.

Aretha Franklin who is selected to be honored at 50th Annual Grammy Awards as part of MusiCares program, has personally requested for a fresh and funky version of her classics. And for that she nominated rapper Nelly and R'n'B singer Chris Brown.

"Some of the artists that I requested are evangelist Ruby Terry, and Chris Brown and Nelly," Franklin told Spinner.com. "Those are three of the people that I requested. I want Nelly to do anything he'd like to do that's up and funky."

Tony Parker's drama of affair with French model Alexandra Paressant keeps going on. While the basket ball star and his wife Eva Longoria are busy with their persistent denial, Paressant just won't stop revealing more evidence related to her cheating allegation.

Hot on the heels of her shocking interview with X17online on how she and Tony first met to how they ended up having a sexual encounter in his hotel, Paressant comes public with the text messages she exchanged with Tony while at the same time shows off Tony's picture in bed he deliberately sent to her phone.

Has been dominating media headlines with her being romantically linked to actor Javier Bardem, Penelope Cruz has earned a new honor that is Hollywood's new style queen. The Spanish actress has been picked as one of the most consistent best dressers on Tinseltown's red carpets by In Touch Weekly.

On Cruz's picking, In Touch editors claimed "Penelope plays up romance. She steams up the red carpet in strapless gowns that play up her decolletage. A true girlie-girl, Penelope loves to play dress-up in romantic styles by classic designers like Chanel and Valentino, and look like the movie star she is."

Rumor has it that Nicky Hilton is going to get engaged over the holidays.

Unlike sister Paris Hilton who's still looking for the perfect man she could in love with and marry for the rest of her life, the other Hilton heiress has been in relationship with current boyfriend David Katzenberg for over a year now.

Unleashing another treat to the fans and moviegoers alike, Paramount Pictures has launched a special widget for J.J. Abrams-produced "Cloverfield" containing an extended clip from the movie as well as a contest giving chance to be the first to see the flick.

The clip contains the complete scene during which lead character Rob is at his party, followed by the horrible incident that cuts down the Liberty statue's head, all shots presented without any edits or cuts. Take a peek on the piece now down below.

Has become an expert in music and is a successful entrepreneur, it appears that Jay-Z can never have enough just yet and thus has been planning to be the next Donald Trump.

The rap icon, who has helped catapulting numbers of musicians into worldwide fame, is now about to become a hotel mogul. Has been buying up a chunk of land in Manhattan's upmarket Chelsea through his company, J Hotels, reportedly worth $66 million, Jay-Z is said to be planning on turning it into a hotel or art gallery.

Lil' Kim is having a new career choice. The rap star, best known for her 1996 album "Hard Core," is invading the world of fashion, about to come out with her own line of fur.

Braves the wrath of animal rights group PETA, she's naming her new collection of fur Royalty Fur, which will be a range of clothes and accessories all made from animal pelts.

Emma Bunton of the Spice Girls had injured her ankle, sending the band to pull out of a TV special which is part of the group's reunion schedule. The 'Baby Spice' twisted the ankle while performing on-stage on the last show at Las Vegas' Mandalay Bay Events Center.

They were slated to appear on BBC's Strictly Come Dancing on Saturday, December 15 to mark the beginning of the U.K. leg of their tour. The performance at London's O2 which is scheduled at the same night is still in doubt although Bunton said yesterday, "I'm sure to make a speedy recovery, so see you all at The O2 arena!".

Best known for her role as Marissa Cooper in the American television series "The O.C.", Mischa Barton braves the challenges to invade the big screen before then secures herself some starring roles in such film projects, as "St. Trinian's", "Virgin Territory", and "Closing the Ring." In between times promoting the latest-mentioned flick, the actress sat down for an interview with Maxim Magazine.

Discussed her venture into the movie business to the magazine's January 2008 issue, Mischa said that "Even if I was a precocious teenager, it's a New York vs. L.A. thing. I never experienced the 'anything goes' chaos we sold on The O.C.," adding her character Marissa "was a nut case. I didn't have much in common with her. In New York I'd want to go out at 15 or 16, but I got it out of my system."

Reese Witherspoon is reportedly in talks to join the cast of "Night at the Museum 2: Escape from the Smithsonian". According to reports, the 31-year-old Hollywood leading actress is being persuaded by the 20th Century Fox to portray Amelia Earhart.

Meanwhile, the movie sequel of "Night at the Museum" which is directed once again by Shawn Levy is written by Robert Ben Garant and Thomas Lennon, the writers of "Night at the Museum". It will be filmed at the museum complex in Washington, DC and is going to be released on December 18, 2009 despite the fact that the original release date was scheduled on May 22, 2009.

With their fourth studio album in near completion, Coldplay spared some time to work on a Christmas song titled '2000 Miles'. The single which is a cover of The Pretenders' 1983 classic is posted on the band's official site for fans to listen.

On their decision to go for a cover instead of an original material, vocalist Chris Martin said, "We love Christmas songs, but every time we try and write one it's awful. So we cover them. Well, once or twice actually. The one song I would most liked to have written is 'Fairytale of New York' by de bloody Pogues of Ireland."

Pamela Anderson has shot down reports she and husband Rick Solomon have signed a deal to star in a new reality TV show for E!

The former "Baywatch" star and her new husband Solomon were reported to be producing and starring in an as-yet-untitled series to debut in the spring of 2008 on the celeb-drenched cable channel which will follow them around Vegas as they balance their non-stop party life, while showing their family life with their children from their previous marriages.

Twenty six years after she jumped into the music business, Madonna is finally eligible to be inducted to Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The singer who signed to Sire Records in 1982 will join other artists who have released their works more than quarter of a century ago.

Those in the list for the 2008 batch are John Mellencamp, songwriter Leonard Cohen, instrumental rock band The Ventures and English beat group The Dave Clark Five. They will all be hailed on March 10 in the induction ceremony which is held at New York's Waldorf Astoria hotel.

Bun B, Chamillionaire, Mike Jones, Trae and Willie D of the Geto Boys were among thousands of families and friends saying farewell to Pimp C in a funeral held Thursday, December 13 at the Robert A. Bowers Civic Center in the rapper's southeast Texas hometown of Port Arthur.

As the funeral service was about to begin, instrumentals of the music that made Pimp C famous were played over the sound system and when the music stopped playing the Rev. John R. Adolph began a prayer. The religious ceremony also included the reading of a resolution by the mayor of Port Arthur and remembrances by Jeff Sledge of Jive Records and Pimp C's mother, Weslyn Monroe who said her only son was in heaven.

"Atonement" leads the pack on the 2008 Golden Globes nominations. On Thursday, December 13, in the 65th annual Golden Globe Awards' nominees announcement, the drama movie was announced to be the receiver of seven nods, including Best Drama Picture, Best Director for Joe Wright, Best Screenplay for Christopher Hampton, and Best Original Score for Dario Marianelli.

However, unlike on other Golden Globes, this time "Atonement" will have to face hard competitions from six other nominees, including the two film critics' favorite movies, "No Country for Old Men" and "There Will Be Blood", as the Hollywood Foreign Press Association declared that they are breaking the tradition of listing 5 nominees for Best Drama Picture. The remaining competitors are "American Gangster", "Eastern Promises", "The Great Debaters" and "Michael Clayton".

Island Def Jam has announced that Janet Jackson's new album will be titled 'Discipline' and will be dropped in stores on February 26. The single 'Feedback' meanwhile, will take its first impact on the radio outlets on January 7.

Stated in the press release is the involvement of Janet's boyfriend Jermaine Dupri, Ne-Yo, Stargate, Tricky Stewart, The-Dream and Rodney Jerkins in the production of the album. The whole album is executive produced by Antonio "L.A." Reid, the chairman of the label.

Shakira nails a nomination at 65th Annual Golden Globe Awards for her composition for the score of Benjamin Bratt-starring drama flick 'Love in the Time of Cholera', sharing it with Brazilian composer Antonio Pinto.

Her song which is titled 'Despedida' is running for 'Best Original Song', the same category that also put Clint Eastwood's 'Grace is Gone' and Eddie Vedder's 'Guaranteed', soundtracks to 'Grace is Gone' and 'Into the Wild' respectively.

The nominations for the upcoming 65th annual Golden Globe Awards are in already. With "Atonement" gains the most nominations in movie category, taking in a total of 7, the TV category is dominated by HBO, leading the pack with 18 nods.

The premium television programming subsidiary of Time Warner is up for such categories as Best Television Series - Drama for "Big Love," Best Performance by an Actress In A Television Series - Drama for Edie Falco of "The Sopranos", Best Performance by an Actor In A Television Series - Drama for Bill Paxton of "Big Love" and Best Television Series - Musical Or Comedy for both "Entourage" and "Extras".

Before the actual music video receives its world premiere, a snippet of Britney Spears' 'Piece of Me' has been ran to ABC's '20/20' last night (December 14). A 30 seconds clip of the highly-anticipated video shows Britney and her 'twins'.

As previously reported, Britney uses multiple body doubles for this clip to create camouflage for the paparazzi who always want a "piece of" her. In the short clip, it is shown that the photographers snapped the back of one of the blondes, and made headline out of it without making sure that it's really Britney.

Had been rumored to be dating hockey hottie Sean Avery, Mary-Kate Olsen is now romantically linked to actor Dave Annable, famous for playing the character of Justin Walker in ABC's dramatic TV series "Brothers & Sisters."

The young and rich actress was said to be seen having dinner at Los Angeles' Teddy's restaurant in the Roosevelt Hotel during which she was seen "all over" the 28-years-old actor.