From The Ground Up: This Budding Rap Group Is Leaving Nobody Behind (VIDEO)

December 27, 2013, 3:12 pm

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Like most musicians, Ground Up is trying to rise to the top. The thing that makes this group special is how they want to get there.

The Philadelphia-based hip-hop trio is composed of two MC's, one DJ and an outfit of people that are helping the group grow in popularity. Instead of seeking out managers or finding the first label that would sign them, the group is doing its best to expand using only the resources they grew up with: their friends and family.

"When people ask us who our biggest inspirations are, we don’t often mention any artists that we look up to," DJ and producer Bij Lincs said. "I know that most of us will say our friends; they bring so much to the table and really know how to get us motivated. They are involved with the process as much as we are, and they really know how to help us facilitate our ideas fast and efficiently."

The presence of their friends in the music can't always be heard, but most of the time it can be seen. A quick look at some of Ground Up's music videos will reveal a large group of their friends that seem to be ever-present.

Measuring success for the group comes in a variety of ways. While being featured on popular sites like DatPiff, Good Music All Day and ReverbNation is something to be proud of, what sticks in their memory are nights like when they became the first independent hip-hop group to sell out the legendary Theater of Living Arts in Philadelphia.

The group has remained mostly a local sensation, but their success has brought in fan mail and sent out merchandise as far as Australia and Zimbabwe.

Dubbed the "The Only Movement in Motion," Ground Up came together when Al Azar and Malcolm "Malakai" McDowell met at Temple University. They swapped some projects they'd been working on, recorded their first song and things took off from there.

Recently, the trio dropped a clothing line called MDCCXI, an allusion to their old house at 1711 Montgomery Ave., where they held their first concert.

"MDCCXI Cloth was our attempt at stepping away from what’s commonly expected from most “band” merchandise," Azar said. "By placing emphasis on the attention to detail and design of each piece, we hope to connect with an even broader audience [through our clothes] than we’ve already reached through our music."

As for what's to come for this dynamic group, you can keep your ears out for "Mega," Ground Up's next music project, which they hope to release in the coming months.

"The project is still in the works and taking shape day by day," Azar said. "Hopefully, "Mega" will serve as a bit of inspiration for the individuals who could perhaps change the world most in the future; the creative youth."

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6-Year-Old Breakdancer Demolishes Her Opponent In Competition

December 27, 2013, 3:58 pm

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Even if you've been practicing and practicing your headspins, you still might not match up to miniature breakdancer "Bgirl Terra."

At just six years old, she's already part of the UK break dancing troupe Soul Mavericks, and is wowing crowds with her fearless moves.

The video above is from the Chelles Battle Pro competition that was held in Paris on March 2, 2013. The British-born little girl competed against worthy opponent "Bboy Leelou" in the Baby Battle division, and even though she was nearly half his size, she gave him a run for his money.

Terra lost the overall battle, but walked away with the "Best Dancer" prize, and certainly won our hearts as well.

Check out more Bgirl Terra here.

Why Julia Roberts Is Picky With Her Movie Roles

December 27, 2013, 4:21 pm

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Julia Roberts has appeared onscreen in every year since 2009, but that doesn't mean she's taking every role thrown her way.

The 46-year-old actress sat down with Amy Kaufman from the Los Angeles Times to talk about her transition into motherhood and how it reflects on her career. "I think people like to say that I'm super picky because of how much I l-oo-ve my kids. But as an actor, I sort of pride myself on the fact that I've always been picky," Roberts explained to the paper.

Roberts has been married to cinematographer Daniel Moder for 11 years, and the couple have three children together. At this point in her life, those kids have become her top priority. "We try to protect our kids. We just want to have our family life and not have that intruded upon," Roberts told USA Today in a separate interview.

Speaking to the Times, Roberts also explained how age plays a part in her decision making. "For one, I'm 46 years old, so falling out of chairs isn't as funny. I could break a hip," Roberts said. "Certain scenarios that worked 10 years ago aren't as appealing, as applicable, as believable, as original -- all those things." These factors have directed Roberts away from many of the big romantic comedies she became famous for, and have allowed her to focus on the roles that inspire her most, like "August: Osage County." The new film finds Roberts in unfamiliar territory, playing a depressed mother on the cusp of a divorce.

"Julia, when we first started talking about it, that was our question," director John Wells told HuffPost Entertainment when asked about the decision to cast Roberts in such an against-type role. "This is an embittered, angry woman in her mid-40s, and it's going to be a lot of time spent not being a very nice person. Julia has a screen persona that she has not exclusively done, but done often, where people sort of expect her to be a certain way. None of that was going to be what we're doing. She said, 'Yeah, that's exactly why I want to do it.'"

The actress credits her career's development and success to finding fame in a time when she was allowed to be herself. "Nobody expected me to be anybody but myself, really," she recalled.

For more of Roberts' interview, and her hopes for niece, Emma Roberts, read the full story at the Los Angeles Times website.

These 'Human' Sculptures Are Enough To Make Your Skin Crawl

December 27, 2013, 11:41 pm

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Artists are often eager to push the boundary between perceptions of the beautiful and the grotesque. From Francis Bacon to Jenny Saville, art history is full of figures whose work floats along some strange compendium beginning with the picturesque and ending with the utterly horrific. Viewers are often left with their heads atilt, pondering where the appealing drops off and the terrifying oozes out.

"Handheld" by UK-based artist Jessica Harrison is one such series. Presenting a series of sculptures that seem to have been constructed from human flesh, the project is simultaneously a collection of startling images and a strangely alluring exploration of body and space.


Armchair, 2009, Mixed Media, 8cm x 7cm x 6cm

"These sculptures represent the beginning of an exploration into this participatory nature of skin," Harrison explains in a statement, "a move away from the idea of skin as boundary between 'inside and 'outside' the body, utilizing touch as a means to explore the active relationship between skin and space."


Table, 2009, Mixed Media, 6cm x 8cm x 5cm

The works are not actually forged from human skin -- they're created from casts of the artist's hands, bent and folded into tiny pieces of furniture. Displayed in the palm of Harrison's hands, there's no denying the miniature sculptures' similarities with your own cutaneous covering. You just can't help but forge through the photographs, enamored with (and likely nauseated by) the curious concept.


Small Table, 2009, Mixed Media, 5.5cm x 5.5cm x 6cm

Scroll through a preview of "Handheld" below and check out more of Harrison's works on her website here.


Clock, 2009, Mixed Media, 4cm x 2.5cm x 18cm


High Back Chair, 2009, Mixed Media, 7.5cm x 6cm x 9.5cm


Small Chair, 2009, Mixed Media, 4cm x 4cm x 7.5cm


Sofa, 2009, Mixed Media, 13.5 cm x 6.5cm x 6cm

The Top 10 Arts Stories Of 2013

December 27, 2013, 11:41 pm

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As we near the end of 2013, us nostalgia-happy folks here at HuffPost Arts & Culture are looking back at the art-centric events that made this year what it was. From blockbuster exhibitions to yonic architecture, art-savvy rappers to unsavory acid attacks, exorbitant auctions to street art atrocities, these were the top arts stories of 2013. Let us know your most memorable arts moments of the year in the comments.

1. Francis Bacon Sets Auction World Record



In early November a 1969 painting by Francis Bacon set a world record for most expensive artwork ever sold at auction. "Three Studies of Lucian Freud" was sold for $142,405,000 at Christie's postwar and contemporary art sale. The triptych depicts Bacon's friend and fellow artist Lucian Freud. The buyer of the work remains unknown. Jerry Saltz memorably called the piece "A middle-brow painting by a middle-brow painter painting another middle-brow painter."


2. The Rain Room Makes Money, Breaks Hearts



rAndom International's Rain Room conquered the art world this summer, luring the masses to MoMA to experience the aesthetics of rain without getting wet. The magic is done through a series of body-mapping cameras, nine controllable spouts, and 2500 litres of water falling at 1000 litres per minute, filtered and cycled back to the spouts from whence the water came. The result is as unnatural a version of a natural phenomenon as one can imagine. You'll feel like Moses parting the Red Sea, explained the Guardian. Lines formed around the block, children cried and eventually the exhibition closed.


3. The Tragic Bolshoi Ballet Acid Attack



The drama and suspense of "Black Swan" paled in comparison to the drama that clouded the Bolshoi Ballet this year. Artistic director Sergei Filin fell victim to an acid attack, a plot which was instigated, it was later revealed, by Pavel Dmitrichenko, primo ballerino and the face of the company's on-stage bad guy, Ivan the Terrible. From there things only got more twisted. Read a play-by-play of the characters involved here.


4. James Turrell Lights Up



Light artist and cosmic Santa Claus James Turrell cast a glowing light over the art world this year with major exhibitions in both the Guggenheim in New York and LACMA in LA. Turrell transformed the entire Guggenheim rotunda into one of his signature Skyspace, alluring New Yorkers to lie down in the middle of the iconic museum and gaze upwards. In Los Angeles viewers got the change to experience perception in a closed cell, where pure light invaded the space and the senses for an entire 12 minutes. At the end of this summer, many finally realized Turrell's message when he famously said light "is not the bearer of revelation -- it is the revelation."


5. Nazi Looted Art Trove Uncovered



A massive hoard of more than 1,400 artworks found by tax investigators in a Munich apartment this November. The uncovered paintings included works by Pablo Picasso, Max Liebermann, Ernst Ludwig Kirchner, Marc Chagall, Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, Gustave Courbet, Auguste Renoir and Canaletto. Meike Hoffmann, an expert on "degenerate art," commented on the find: "When you stand in front of the works, see the ones that were long thought to have been lost or destroyed and in a relatively good state — some of them dirty but not damaged — you have an incredible feeling of happiness."


6. Banksy's New York Takeover



The world's most mysterious and omnipresent street artist, Banksy, spent the entire month of October surprising New Yorkers and Instagram followers with an open-air exhibition titled "Better Out Than In." Throughout the month Banksy delivered his signature stencils and familiar brand of art-inspired pranks, including selling his original pieces for $60 a pop in Central Park. For his final act, Banksy altered a second-hand painting from thrift store Housing Works, selling it back for a whopping $615,000... Until the buyer backed out.


7. Zaha Hadid's Vagina Stadium



Last month starchitect Zaha Hadid designed a football stadium in Qatar that seats 45,000 spectators, costs around $140 billion and looks a lot like a giant vagina. Although Hadid called the allegations "ridiculous," the internet was on a roll and would stop making vagina-like GIFs for nobody. We think the Guardian summed the affair up best: "In a world where sport and vaginas very rarely come together with such prominence (see every UK female footballer's salary versus every UK male footballer's salary), [the stadium design] can only be a good thing. And after all, why not have 45,000 people crammed inside a woman's reproductive system? It's not like they haven't been there before."


8. Jay Z Makes A Music Video With Lots Of Artists In It



In what was perhaps the end of performance art, rapper and mogul Jay Z created a performance-art project really long music video featuring anyone and everyone related to the art world in the New York City Area. One fateful day Marina Abramovic, Mickalene Thomas, Jerry Saltz and some of the cast of "Girls" danced with Jay as we waxed poetic about all the art he owns.


9. Mike Kelley's Retrospective Wows Everyone



The art world was devastated when multimedia artist Mike Kelley ended his own life last year. This fall a 40,000 square foot retrospective at MoMA PS1 immortalized the experimental and influential artist, turning his dirty jokes and low culture explorations into one massive conceptual exploration. Kelley's ability to combine sugary sweetness with the dark and sticky stuff below the surface is unparalleled, and his vision has shaped the formation of contemporary art. "My entrance into the art world was through the counter-culture," Kelley said of his work, "where it was common practice to lift material from mass culture and ‘pervert’ it to reverse or alter its meaning… Mass culture is scrutinized to discover what is hidden, repressed, within it."


10. 5 Pointz Removed Overnight



Despite the efforts of many to save Long Island City's 5 Pointz from demolition, the renowned graffiti haven disappeared one night without warning. The massive warehouse that served as Queen's biggest street art canvas was whitewashed, erasing nearly 30 years of New York art history. The iconic building and art landmark will be transformed into high-end condos, and the building was whitewashed before its demolition to prevent a last-minute landmarking initiative. Street artist Meres One dubbed the tragic occurrence "the greatest art murder in history."

Runners Up: Tilda Swinton's "The Maybe," Nick Cave's "Herd NYC," Paul McCarthy's "Snow White," Lady Gaga's Art Rave, the strange case of "Renoir Girl."

Meet K.James And Pussy Diet, Brooklyn Drag Kings And Performers

December 28, 2013, 5:13 am

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This is the ninth installment in an ongoing series that explores drag culture and the nightlife scene in Brooklyn, N.Y. Over the past several years, following the large-scale exodus of artists across the East River and into northern Brooklyn, those engaged in drag culture in this outer borough have rethought what "drag performer" signifies. Accompanied by a larger movement to understand drag culture outside of the pageant circuit, many individuals engaged in the drag community throughout Brooklyn approach drag culture through a nontraditional lens of "alternative" drag or performance art. Visit HuffPost Gay Voices regularly to learn not only about the individuals involved in Brooklyn's drag community, but more about the culture of the community itself.

How did you get your start in the drag world?
K.James: Craigslist. No, really. Growing up, my favorite thing to do was to crank up the radio and lip-sync my heart out to Mariah Carey and '90s boy bands. I had no idea that the perfection of this skill would eventually find an outlet in my adult life. But when I moved to Brooklyn, I answered an ad for a queer/trans roommate share with one of the founding members of Switch N' Play. As a trans guy, I had spent a lot of time thinking about masculinity, but the group rehearsals held in the apartment introduced me to king culture and the local drag scene. Soon, I was itching to get on stage myself. In early 2008, I performed for the first time to Color Me Badd’s “Sex U Up” at one of Switch N’ Play’s open drag nights, and my fate was sealed. They asked me to join the group, and I’ve been lip-syncing my way across NYC with them ever since.

Pussy Diet: I’ve always been a performer. As a kid I was heavily involved in musical theater and I spent hours making up choreography and performing for family, friends, and anyone else who would watch! When Miss Malice asked me if I would be interested in performing a Grease number with her at one of Switch N’ Play’s open drag nights in spring 2011, there was no doubt I’d be on stage. My performance as Olivia Newton Dong was such a hit, I’ve been performing with Switch N’ Play ever since. Over the last two years of performing, my drag persona has evolved -- I’ve developed a character for myself in the drag king world and have moved into doing solo numbers in addition to our choreographed group numbers.

Describe the drag scene and community in Brooklyn -- how is it different from drag culture elsewhere?
K.James: I think drag culture in Brooklyn is really eclectic and, in a lot of ways, Brooklyn is revising what drag means for a new generation. Sometimes that means being really political: challenging sexism/racism/classism/ableism or other systems of oppression. Sometimes that means moving away from pageant notions of drag or from ideas about imitation or impersonation in favor of gender fucking. Sometimes, especially for us, it means really tight choreography and just a celebration of dapper queer bodies -- one that is both a commentary on definitions of masculinity and an important challenge to the idea of female masculinity as undesirable.

Pussy Diet: Brooklyn is an incredibly progressive and alternative pocket of our country, and the Brooklyn drag scene definitely embodies that spirit. In Brooklyn, drag performers really push the limits of what most of the country thinks of as drag in a way that reflects the way the LGBTQ community is transforming. In Brooklyn, you’ll see drag kings and queens defining and performing masculinity and femininity broadly, drag kings toying with homosexuality and many performers who do gender-bending burlesque. This is a break from most of the more traditional drag you find in Manhattan at gay clubs, in other parts of the country and world and on "RuPaul’s Drag Race." As queerness becomes more widely accepted, I think Brooklyn-style drag will become more the norm outside of the borough.



Do you feel that drag kings receive as much visibility in the drag community as other forms of drag performance?
K.James: It does seem like kings have less visibility, if not in the immediate drag community than in a larger cultural understanding of drag... It’s been exciting to see "RuPaul’s Drag Race" bring queens into the mainstream in a kind of unprecedented way, but king performance hasn’t received the same kind of celebration or recognition -- yet. Maybe it’s a reflection of the way our culture is interested in the spectacle of femininity; the performance of masculinity is often doing something really different. I think that’s why it was so exciting when Lady Gaga performed as Jo Calderone at the VMA’s in 2011 -- so many people saw that and it made them think about masculine performance.

Pussy Diet: I definitely do think that drag kings have less visibility in the drag community than queens... androgyny and masculinity are significantly more accepted for women than androgyny and femininity for men. While most people would view a man in a dress as drag, a woman wearing pants is totally normal and culturally accepted. This is ultimately reflected in the different ways that kings and queens perform. Queens tend to reflect femininity through their makeup, their clothing, and changes to their body (adding hips, breasts, etc). For drag kings, masculinity is reflected through performance. Drag kings may wear facial hair and apply make-up to accentuate masculine features or wear a soft-pack, but exploration of maleness is often emphasized through attitude and prowess on the dance floor.

How does Brooklyn as a community shape and construct drag culture?
Pussy Diet: Brooklyn tends to be less segregated in terms of where the LGBTQ community hangs out. Rather than separate spaces for gay men and gay women, Brooklyn favors queer venues that accept all members of the community. As a result, queens, kings and other gender and burlesque performers mingle more than they might in other places. This leads to great opportunities for collaboration and enables performers to diversify their performance style to blend with other performance types. For example, the Switch N' Play kings often integrate an element of burlesque (or boi-lesque) into our performance.



Both of you are a part of Switch N' Play -- what role does this organization play in the Brooklyn nightlife community?
K.James and Pussy Diet: Switch N’ Play (SNP) is a Brooklyn-born, New York-based drag alliance that spans the gender spectrum in life and on stage. As a group, we perform a wide range of dance and theatrical numbers at various nightlife events throughout NYC, and we are starting a regular show series at Branded Saloon this January. From our inception in 2006, part of our mission has been to foster the drag, burlesque and gender-bending performance community in Brooklyn through our open drag nights at Outpost Lounge, which create space for experienced and amateur performers alike to explore gender performance.

What is your goal with your performances? In what way are you attempting to challenge notions of gender and sexuality?
K.James: We play a lot with reinterpreting mainstream heterosexual masculinity as queer female-bodied masculinity but we also like to explore layers of homoeroticism between kings. Miss Malice of SNP once joked that she had to play the “woman scorned” twice in ten minutes for a set we did at Brooklyn Pride several years ago because we had more than one number featuring drag kings having sexual tension and getting together in the end.

What direction do you see drag king culture playing in the future of the Brooklyn nightlife community?
K.James: I hope to see drag king culture continue to grow in the Brooklyn nightlife community and I hope to see more collaboration across communities of queens, burlesque performers, and other gender and nightlife performance artists in Brooklyn. We all have a lot to offer, and there are ways we can grow through even more contact and blending of the boundaries of these communities.

Any parting words?
Come see us -- and come get on stage with us! We’ll be at Branded Saloon on Jan. 18 for our new show series there, and we will be holding the next open drag night at Outpost Lounge on Jan. 31. There’s still time to get on the set list if you want to sign up; performers of all experience levels are welcome. Like us on Facebook or check out our website to contact us and get involved!

Missed the previous featured drag performers and installments in this series? Check out the slideshow below.

Julia Roberts Has Never Read 'The Hunger Games'

January 3, 2014, 8:53 am

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Julia Roberts, who in a previous interview segment released by MTV wouldn't rubber-stamp Jennifer Lawrence's membership in the club of America's Sweethearts, also told the network that she's never read "The Hunger Games."

Speaking with Josh Horowitz about "August: Osage County," Roberts participated in a pop-culture quiz, which she kind of failed. Not only was "The Hunger Games" -- the blockbuster YA novel trilogy by Suzanne Collins that has been turned into a franchise starring Lawrence -- unfamiliar to Roberts, but so too was Miley Cyrus' latest album, "Bangerz." What Roberts did know? That Taylor Swift has a song called "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together," and that George Clooney should always be People's Sexiest Man Alive. Watch the awkward below. "August: Osage County" is out in limited release now.

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Julia Roberts, Movie Trailers, Movies Blog

Photographer Travels The Country Documenting 'Quintessential Americans'

January 3, 2014, 10:03 am

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What does "Americana" -- that vague term for objects that represent the lore and cultural history of the United States -- mean to artists? Photographer Leland Bobbé attempted to put his answer into words: "I define Americana as what is quintessentially American. This could be its people, clothing, art, music, etc." But perhaps his photo series responds to the query in a more effective way.



Bobbé captured a series of portraits during his travels throughout the United States, snapping photographs of men, women and children from coast to coast. "These people are just people that I see in different places around the country that look interesting to me," he explained, "from rural area summer fairs in upstate New York to the streets to New Orleans."

From bearded companions to smiling toddlers, the series reflects the sheer breadth of people that, in Bobbé's opinion, represent the Americana spirit. Whether it's a baseball cap, flannel shirt or candy striped uniform, the physical bits of United States flair serve as a photographic trip through some of America's cultural heritage. Behold:


























These are just a few of his images -- for the full series, check out Bobbé's website here. For more on his work, see his Neo-Burlesque series here.

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This Optical Illusion Tree Is About To Blow Your Mind

January 3, 2014, 10:03 am

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Somewhere in Potsdam, Germany, a single, painted tree is blowing minds of passersby (and YouTube viewers) en masse.

Graphic designer Daniel Siering and art director Mario Schuster teamed up to transform a natural form into a mind-bending illusion. With the help of some tin foil and paint, the creative duo camouflaged an unassuming tree trunk to fit the natural landscape that surrounded it.

In the video above, we can barely separate the painted trunk from the horizon, giving the unwieldy foliage the illusion of floating in mid air. In a sea of somewhat tacky optical illusions, this understated visual ploy is just the right amount op and art.

Banksy Graffiti Gets Vandalized In Sundance Town

January 3, 2014, 10:13 am

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Two Utah paintings by the mysterious British graffiti artist Banksy were the targets of vandalism on New Year's Eve, possibly ruining one of the works in the town that hosts the Sundance Film Festival.

Brown spray paint Thursday covered a Park City mural that depicted a young boy with a pink halo and angel wings kneeling to pray behind a can of pink paint. The clear protective covering over the image had been shattered. The second piece, of a cameraman stooped to shoot video footage of a flower, was not defaced, but the covering had been cracked.

The murals have become local points of pride since they appeared three years ago, and Park City police said they don't have a motive for the crime.

Surveillance footage captured a lone white male suspect tampering with the art about 2 a.m. Tuesday, and authorities expect to release images of the man Friday to aid their search, according to police Sgt. Jay Randall.

It's not clear whether the damaged mural can be restored, or how much the work was worth.

"Because of the fact that they weren't sanctioned, it could come down to a judge to determine the value of each of these," Randall said.

The unauthorized art first appeared in 2010, around the time Banksy was in Park City for the Sundance debut of his documentary, "Exit Through the Gift Shop."

The works initially prompted outrage by people who considered them unwelcome graffiti, according to Alison Butz, executive director of the Historic Park City Alliance. But the city has come to embrace the murals. The alliance features the work prominently on its website, and the images are among the most-photographed sites in town, Randall said.

The elusive Banksy, who refuses to reveal his full identity, is known for silhouetted figures and spray-painted messages that show up in unexpected places.

His works have been sold at auction for as much as $1.1 million apiece.

Writers Guild Awards Nominate 'Her,' 'American Hustle'

January 3, 2014, 10:29 am

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The Writers Guild of America announced nominees for best original and adapted screenplays on Friday, providing a boost to awards contenders "August: Osage County," "Her" and "Captain Phillips." The list of nominees:

ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

"American Hustle," Written by Eric Warren Singer and David O. Russell; Columbia Pictures

"Blue Jasmine," Written by Woody Allen; Sony Pictures Classics

"Dallas Buyers Club," Written by Craig Borten & Melisa Wallack; Focus Features

"Her," Written by Spike Jonze; Warner Bros.

"Nebraska," Written by Bob Nelson; Paramount Pictures

ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

"August: Osage County," Screenplay by Tracy Letts; Based on his play; The Weinstein Company

"Before Midnight," Written by Richard Linklater & Julie Delpy & Ethan Hawke; Based on characters created by Richard Linklater & Kim Krizan; Sony Pictures Classics

"Captain Phillips," Screenplay by Billy Ray; Based on the book "A Captain’s Duty: Somali Pirates, Navy SEALS, and Dangerous Days at Sea" by Richard Phillips with Stephan Talty; Columbia Pictures

"Lone Survivor," Written by Peter Berg; Based on the book by Marcus Lutrell with Patrick Robinson; Universal Pictures

"The Wolf of Wall Street," Screenplay by Terence Winter; Based on the book by Jordan Belfort; Paramount Pictures

DOCUMENTARY SCREENPLAY

"Dirty Wars," Written by Jeremy Scahill & David Riker; Sundance Selects

"Herblock – The Black & The White," Written by Sara Lukinson & Michael Stevens; The Stevens Company

"No Place on Earth," Written by Janet Tobias & Paul Laikin; Magnolia Pictures

"Stories We Tell," Written by Sarah Polley; Roadside Attractions

"We Steal Secrets: The Story of Wikileaks," Written by Alex Gibney; Focus Features

Some high profile scripts, including John Ridley's "12 Years A Slave," Ryan Coogler's "Fruitvale Station," Peter Morgan's "Rush," Steve Coogan and Jeff Pope's "Philomena" and Lake Bell's "In A World," were not eligible for nomination by the Writers Guild. HitFix In Contention editor Kris Tapley explained why back in December of 2013:

Every awards season, a number of contenders that might be formidable presences in the Oscar races for Best Adapted and Original Screenplay — or at the very least have ballot support from the Academy's writers branch — end up left out of the WGA conversation due to tighter qualifying rules. Writers who are not members of the guild, films made with production companies that are not WGA signatories and productions otherwise made outside of the guild's guidelines are deemed ineligible year after year, leading to such high-profile recent disqualifications as "The Artist," "District 9," "Amour" and Best Original Screenplay Oscar winners "The King's Speech" and "Django Unchained."

The big surprise of the WGA nominations was Berg's nod for "Lone Survivor," a film that has not yet made a huge impact in the awards conversation. WGA snubs, however, include Alfonso and Jonas Cuaron's "Gravity" screenplay, Danny Strong's script for "Lee Daniels' The Butler" and Joel and Ethan Coen's "Inside Llewyn Davis" work.

Thus far, only "American Hustle" and "Dallas Buyers Club" have been nominated for top prizes by the Writers, Producers and Screen Actors guilds. "12 Years A Slave" would have likely turned that hat trick as well, had Ridley's script been eligible at the WGA.

Laverne Cox Producing 'Free CeCe,' Documentary About Transgender Woman CeCe McDonald

January 3, 2014, 10:58 am

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Transgender actress and "Orange Is The New Black" breakout star Laverne Cox is currently co-producing an important and compelling new documentary about the life and incarceration of CeCe McDonald.

Titled "Free CeCe," Cox is producing the film alongside Jacqueline Gares in order to heighten visibility and awareness surrounding McDonald, a transgender woman of color in the midst of a "41 month prison sentence for defending herself against a violent, racist and transphobic attack in Minnesota which resulted in the death of one of her attackers."

"CeCe’s story is one that should have been covered more in the press. Trans women, particularly trans women of color, experience disproportionate amounts of violence and not enough is being done to eradicate that violence," Cox said in an interview with "Persephone Magazine." "CeCe’s story in so many ways encapsulates the intersectional issues that lead to far too many of us experiencing violence. I wanted to do a piece that explores the nature of how race, class and gender affect violence towards trans women and also give CeCe a space to tell her story in her words in the context of a piece that truly values the lives of trans women of color."

According to GLAAD, the film will primarily consist of Cox's interview with McDonald in prison and explore the events surrounding what happened to her on that night in 2011, as well as her experiences being incarcerated in a men's prison.

To learn more about "Free CeCe" or to make a tax-deductible contribution to the project, visit this website.

Britney Spears Fans Spend $2500 For Seconds-Long Meet-And-Greet (REPORT)

January 3, 2014, 11:42 am

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Britney Spears has reportedly disappointed some fans by devoting mere seconds to those who forked over thousands of dollars to meet her in Las Vegas.

One of the packages being offered with the Spears' residency at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino is a VIP meet-and-greet package. This offer comes with a front-row seat, backstage access and a signed poster, as well as a meet-and-greet and photo opportunity.

The hefty price tag of $2,500, however, apparently only gets fans three seconds with Spears, according to RadarOnline.com.

“Fans were told before the meet-and-greet that they were not to hug or touch Britney without her permission and they weren’t allowed to bring her any gifts,” a source told Radar. “Fans were anticipating a flashy meet-and-greet with Britney but instead it was just awkward and uncomfortable. She barely spoke. She just smiled and nodded and said ‘thank you’ a lot.”

Although some might have expected a bit more time with the 32-year-old pop star, such encounters are typically quick because the celebrity often has a long line of people to get through, CBS' 98.7 Amp Radio noted.

"It’s up to the artist to make it memorable," the station added. "It’s unfortunate that Britney didn’t give them a 'piece of her,' if you know what I mean."

Earlier this month, reports claimed fans were angered over the high cost of the special packages. But in October, The Hollywood Reporter noted that $500 VIP tickets had already sold out.

Artist Brings Our Prehistoric Ancestors To Life (VIDEO)

January 3, 2014, 12:21 pm

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Ever wonder about the origins of those incredibly life-like busts of our prehistoric ancestors on display in natural history museums?

As it turns out, the renderings are the handiwork of a handful of highly skilled paleo-artists around the world -- including John Gurche, featured in the video above.

"I think it is inconceivable to not wonder what we are, what kind of phenomenon we represent," Gurche, a resident of Trumansburg, N.Y., says in the video. "The human story is really nothing short of the story of a little corner of the universe becoming aware of itself."

Gurche, 62, spent four years sculpting the 15 detailed busts of human ancestors now on display at the National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C. In addition to many sculptures, he's also produced a book, "Shaping Humanity: How Science, Art and Imagination Help Us Understand Our Origins."

'Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones' Review: Fifth Installment Brings New Angles

January 3, 2014, 12:52 pm

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LOS ANGELES (AP) — It would be a wild exaggeration to suggest that "Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones" breathes new life into the increasingly fumes-fueled found-footage horror subgenre, but it certainly represents a shot in the arm for this series after 2012's poorly regarded "Paranormal Activity 4."

Functioning more as a mythology-expanding spinoff than a proper sequel, this fifth installment (the first directed by longtime series writer Christopher Landon) smartly switches the setting away from airy suburbs to overcrowded working-class apartments, and introduces a winning sense of humor that almost compensates for its relentless reliance on every terror trope in the book. At this point, the conventions and limitations of the found-footage horror film are almost as well-worn and cliched as those of horror flicks at large: "Put down the camera, stupid!" has now probably been shouted at just as many screens as "Don't go down into the basement!" (Look for "Tilt your viewfinder 20 degrees to the left!" to finally supplant "Look out behind you!" within the present decade.)

Appropriately, the hapless heroes of "The Marked Ones" never put down the camera even as they venture into dark basements, or struggle to start a stalled car, or split up in the middle of a haunted mansion — and it's to the credit of the film's primary cast that these bits of genre-appropriate stupidity generate more laughs than groans.

Kicking off with a high-school graduation, "The Marked Ones" centers on likably lunkheaded teenage buddies Jesse (Andrew Jacobs) and Hector (Jorge Diaz), as well as Jesse's tag-along relative Marisol (Gabrielle Walsh). Set in gritty Oxnard, Calif., the film boasts an almost entirely Latino cast of characters — a welcome gesture toward a huge filmgoing demographic that rarely gets to see itself onscreen — while smart casting and production design help capture the flavor of the environs with only moderate deployment of cultural stereotypes.

Seemingly possessing no greater postgrad ambitions than milling around and attempting "Jackass" stunts with their omnipresent video camera, Jesse and Hector harass Jesse's abuela (Renee Victor), smoke pot, play basketball, occasionally run afoul of some local gangsters, draw penises on one another's faces, and generally break each other's balls for a decent chunk of the film. Fortunately, Jacobs and Diaz boast an easy "Beavis and Butt-head"-esque chemistry throughout, making for pleasant company as the audience waits for the inevitable horrors to befall them.

The first complication comes from Jesse's elderly downstairs neighbor, Anna (Gloria Sandoval), whose reclusive behavior is strange enough for Hector to postulate that "maybe the bitch is a bruja." The two attempt to spy on her by lowering a camera down through a ventilation shaft, where they witness Anna scrawling arcane symbols on the belly of a nude younger woman. Being teenage boys, they're far too intrigued by the boobs on display to fret over the obvious occult ritual taking place, but when Anna is subsequently murdered, they decide to attempt some amateur late-night sleuthing, with predictably unpleasant results.

While the film hardly plays it coy about where this is all heading, it doesn't seem to be in a rush to get there, and it springs a number of smart ideas along the way. Replacing the typical Ouija board with a haunted Simon game is sure to provoke howls of laughter from those in the appropriate age bracket, and the idea that a victim of demonic possession would rush to YouTube to show off his gnarly new abilities — and be promptly torn to shreds by comment section trolls — is sadly in keeping with the times.

The haunted house set-pieces provide reliable doses of jolts, even if one can see the scaffolding of each scare being built from miles away, and director Landon has fun with some clever camera placement here and there. A very meta twist ending promises to either open up new narrative possibilities, or else push the franchise deep into a self-referential rabbit hole.

"Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones," a Paramount release, is rated R by the Motion Picture Association of America for "pervasive language, some violence, graphic nudity and some drug use." Running time: 84 minutes.

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MPAA rating definition for R: Restricted. Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.

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Feast Your Eyes On This Time-Lapse Of 12,400 Gallons Of Beer Fermenting (VIDEO)

January 3, 2014, 1:15 pm

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It's alive!

By which we mean the process that goes into the creation of beer. That's right: Sierra Nevada has put out a short video of a six day time-lapse showcasing four traditional open fermenters. In order to create the brew, they used 1,216 pounds of whole-cone hops, 1,000 pounds of pure brewers yeast and - of course - 33 years of tradition.

The results go beyond just the 12,400 gallons of beer extracted. Instead, it's a fascinating, foamy look into the way beer is made. Anyone else suddenly thirsty?

The Most Beautiful Instagram Pics From The Northeast Snowstorm (PHOTOS)

January 3, 2014, 2:02 pm

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Despite the urge to curl up in bed and hibernate for the day, Instagram users all over the Northeast took a moment to remind us the snow storm Hercules brought us a bit more than a frustratingly prolonged commute -- it also brought us quite the winter wonderland, as well.

Dears' Singer Murray Lightburn Escapes 'Indie Rock Prison' With 'Mass:Light'

January 3, 2014, 2:14 pm

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Murray Lightburn, singer of Montreal band The Dears, has made a mother of a solo album.

"Mass:Light" is an electronic concept album, a sci-fi story about death and war and crystal balls, which follows a despicable, yet sympathetic character named “The Ruiner” as he faces his judgment day. Lightburn calls it “a cross between Dune, Slaughterhouse 5 and Jesus Christ Superstar.” Apart from Janelle Monáe and whatever Coheed and Cambria are up to lately, it’s the kind of thing more associated with‘70s prog rockers, funkadelics and Mr. Robotos than a guy who has made his name in an indie rock band.

“Black people love science fiction!” says Lightburn, laughing, from his home in Montreal. “It’s definitely something a lot of white people don’t know. I think the reason black people like science fiction so much is that it seems like anything is possible in sci-fi, like as if all of our troubles would be washed away!”

“It goes back to Star Trek in the ‘60s, ‘Look, there’s a black lieutenant on the starship!’ When that happened, black people were elated to the point where Martin Luther King [Jr.] told [Nichelle Nichols, who played Uhura] she couldn’t quit the show. There had not been a character like that on TV, ever! So I think that is something that still connects deeply. This is totally just an observation, I may be completely alone in this theory. But I bet you if you did some research you would find that nine out of ten black people would tell you they love Star Trek!”

With this fantastical musical adventure the singer hopes to break out of what he calls “indie rock prison".

To make "Mass:Light", he tried completely new tactics. He didn’t use any guitars. He eschewed the collective spirit and recorded it all himself in seclusion, even keeping it secret from his wife, Dears keyboardist Natalia Yanchak.

He describes the two-year long process as a “battle” and attempts to get the finished album heard “a struggle.” One of the stumbling blocks to mass exposure may be the album’s opening track and first single, a catchy synth-pop number, which he either boldly or foolishly titled “Motherf---ers.”

“That song outlines the entire record. This character is a bit of a motherf---er,” says Lightburn from his home in Montreal. “He’s also talking about motherf---ers and how motherf---ers have created this motherf---er that he is. So it’s a triple entendre. I didn’t think it would be a big deal, but I took a lot of flack with that song. I would get a text, ‘great song, change the title.’ As if the title was going to be this big c--kblock to the success of the record. But then I found it hard to get it on Youtube, and it was just really problematic in different ways.”

“I remember Peaches had [an album] called Fatherf--ker, and she got away with that. Rappers say a lot worse than me. How is that rappers can swear up and down: b---h, motherf---ers, yo, b---h, motherf---ing ni--er, b---h. They can do that all f---ing day long. I’m a black man, but I don’t rap. So for some reason I’m can’t say this word? I think people are using the song title as an excuse not to deal with me, or with this album.”

Since the album’s release in August as a limited-edition vinyl through his own Ting Dun imprint, Lightburn has been focused on creating an accompanying concert. "Mass:Light" live, which is billed as “an electronic pop opera,” premièred last month at Pop Montreal and hit Toronto’s Adelaide Hall on Friday. It is more of a musical than a rock show, with the singer flanked by back-up singers dressed as angels and a drummer in full-on Masque of the Red Death get-up. The music is pre-recorded, the singing is live.

“The focus is on the singing, the performance, the costumes, the experience,” he says. “I already play in a rock band, so why would I want to put together a rock band? I want to do something different when I get on stage. I’m even wearing a headset!”

Lightburn confirms that "Mass:Light" does not signal the end of The Dears, but admits he is keen to pursue other art projects outside of the band, including photography and, ultimately, a full film. Until then, he’s keeping things in perspective: “I’m a 42-year-old man playing make-believe. I think that’s pretty great.”

Photographer And Her Daughter With Down Syndrome Collaborate On Beautiful Portraits Of One Another

January 3, 2014, 2:27 pm

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At first, it was Irish-born photographer and mother Emer Gillespie who was behind the camera. But after Laoisha, her young daughter, starting asking to take the photos, she relinquished control.

Inspired by Laoisha's interest in the camera, the U.K.-based photographer launched "Picture You, Picture Me" in 2008, when Laoisha was 6 years old. Every few months, Gillespie pulls out the camera and the pair stages scenes of activities they like to do together, such as blowing bubbles or flying kites.



Six years later, the photos they have created together comprise a unique mother-daughter series that features now 11-year-old Laoisha, who has Down syndrome, and Gillespie in parallel scenes, each captured by the other.





Though the project has been a great way for the pair to spend time together, the photo sessions have also enabled Laoisha to advance her verbal and visual language skills by talking about what she wants for each photo.

"A lot of the images are Laoisha's ideas, for example, 'Bed Jumping,' 'Hair' and 'Make-up,' as she loves those activities," Gillespie told The Huffington Post. "Anyone who knows her will spot her interests and personality shining through in the subject matter. We both make suggestions for shoot ideas, but I will always start by first asking her if she wants to take photos, which so far has always been a yes, and then I will ask if she has any ideas or suggestions."







Other images, like the photo of the mother-daughter duo in a school classroom, came at Gillespie's suggestion.

"Going to her classroom was my idea, as I wanted to take shots in an environment where she was more in control and more comfortable in than I was. So it really does vary from photo session to photo session," Gillespie explained.



Usually Gillespie sets up the camera, a Mamiya RB 67, since it's a bit complicated, but she has begun teaching Laoisha the basics.

"I have been trying to teach her the light meter and how to load the film, so hopefully in time she will be able to operate the camera herself," Gillespie said.



However, the camera does not focus itself automatically, so Laoisha has to make her own adjustments for each shot. That's why some of them, like 'Teeth Brushing,' are out of focus, Gillespie admits.



"Picture You, Picture Me," which Gillespie has exhibited in New York, London and Portugal, is still ongoing. Gillespie assures HuffPost there will be more diptychs of her and her daughter to come -- as long as Laoisha is interested.

"This is a very personal, enjoyable project for us, so we take our time and only take photos when it feels right and we both want to," she said.

Paul Walker's Character Will Be Retired In 'Fast 7'

January 3, 2014, 3:04 pm

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Paul Walker's "Fast and Furious" character, Brian O'Conner, won't be killed off for "Fast and Furious 7." According to THR, the plan is to "retire" O'Conner and give the character a proper send off in the wake of Walker's tragic death on Nov. 30.

Per THR, director James Wan will use existing footage of Walker, who died in a car crash, while screenwriter Chris Morgan will add additional scenes to the film's script to patch O'Conner's exit over. After Walker's death, Universal delayed production on "Fast and Furious 7," which up to that point had featured Walker in a major role.

“Right now, all of us at Universal are dedicated to providing support to Paul's immediate family and our extended 'Fast & Furious' family of cast, crew and filmmakers," a representative for Universal said in a statement on Dec. 4. "At this time we feel it is our responsibility to shut down production on 'Fast & Furious 7' for a period of time so we can assess all options available to move forward with the franchise."

On Dec. 22, 2013, star Vin Diesel announced the new release date for "Fast and Furious 7" via his Facebook page. The film had originally been set for a July 11 release, but Universal will now push the feature to April 10, 2015.

Post by Vin Diesel.

For more on "Fast and Furious 7," head to THR.

[via THR]