Before They Were On 'Parenthood,' This Is What The Bravermans Were Up To

March 20, 2014, 2:43 pm

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If you're like us, you can't get enough of the Braverman clan. But before they were making us laugh and cry on a weekly basis, the stars of "Parenthood" had some pretty impressive careers.

Here's what the Bravermans were up to before they were on "Parenthood."

Peter Krause, Adam Braverman

Adam who? Between 2001 and 2005, Peter Krause was best known for playing Nate Fisher on HBO's "Six Feet Under." He also appeared on "3rd Rock From The Sun," "Spin City," "Dirty Sexy Money" and more.



Lauren Graham, Sarah Braverman

Before her days as Amber and Drew's mom, Lauren Graham was busy being Rory's mom on "Gilmore Girls." She also appeared in films like "Bad Santa" and "Because I Said So."



Dax Shepard, Crosby Braverman

Once upon a time, Dax Shepard was best known for making Justin Timberlake cry on "Punk'd" and for his appearances in the films "Zathura: A Space Adventure," "Baby Mama," "When In Rome" and more.



Monica Potter, Kristina Braverman

Before she played supermom Kristina Braverman, Monica Potter was known for her roles in "Patch Adams" and "Head Over Heels." She also played Lori on "Boston Legal."



Sam Jaeger, Joel Graham

Long before Joelia, Sam Jaeger appeared in films like "Catch And Release" and "Emanuel and the Truth about Fishes." In his early acting days, Jaeger had bit parts on "CSI," "ER," "The West Wing" and more.



Joy Bryant, Jasmine Trussell

Joy Bryant burst on the scene in 2002 when she starred in "Antwone Fisher" alongside Denzel Washington. She went on to appear in "Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins," "Get Rich or Die Tryin'" and more.



Miles Heizer, Drew Holt

He plays a popular college kid these days, but Miles Heizer kicked off his acting career with a small role on "CSI: Miami" in 2005. He went on to appear on "Bones" and "ER," and made his first film appearance in 2007's "Rails and Ties."



Mae Whitman, Amber Holt

Long before her days as the awesome Amber, Mae Whitman was known for both big and small screen roles. She appeared in 1996's "One Fine Day" with George Clooney and Michelle Pfeiffer and made appearances in "Friends" and "Chicago Hope." She later went on to star in "State Of Grace" and had a recurring role on "Arrested Development."



Bonnie Bedelia, Camille Braverman

Before she played the Braverman family matriarch, Bonnie Bedelia had quite the career. She appeared in "The Prince of Pennsylvania," "Fat Man And Little Boy" "Die Hard" and "Die Hard 2" and received a Golden Globe nomination for her role in "Heart Like a Wheel."



Craig T. Nelson, Zeek Braverman

Like his TV wife, Craig T. Nelson was a famous face before his "Parenthood" days. He received Emmy and Golden Globe nominations for the hit series "Coach," and has appeared on shows ranging from "CSI: NY" to "The Mary Tyler Moore Show."


"Parenthood" airs Thursday at 10 p.m. ET on NBC.

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'SNL' Band Auditions With Aimee Mann, Andy Kindler & DC Pierson

March 20, 2014, 2:48 pm

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Think fake laughing every week behind the host of "SNL" is easy? Nope. Only the best of the best are up to the task.

In Daniel Ralston's totally not real behind-the-scenes look at the "SNL" band audition process, Aimee Mann and Andy Kindler reveal what the producers of the long-running comedy show are looking for in their musicians.

Via Flavorwire

J.R.R. Tolkien's 'Beowulf' Translation Finally Being Released

March 20, 2014, 3:21 pm

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About 90 years ago, J.R.R. Tolkien translated the 11th-century Old English epic poem "Beowulf" and then put it on the shelf. It remained there unpublished -- until now.

For the first time ever, Christopher Tolkien will release his father’s translation of the tale. It will be published as a book titled Beowulf: A Translation And Commentary and will include lectures J.R.R. Tolkien gave on the poem. According to The Guardian, which originally reported the news, the younger Tolkien edited the work, which his father wrote back in 1926. HarperCollins will release the translation May 22.

"Beowulf" tells the story of the eponymous hero's victory against the monster Grendel and Grendel's dreaded mother. Beowulf later becomes king and rules for many years before being fatally wounded while slaying a dragon.

The Guardian writes J.R.R. Tokien once called "Beowulf" a story “laden with history, leading back into the dark heathen ages beyond the memory of song, but not beyond the reach of imagination. ... [T]he whole thing is somber, tragic, sinister, curiously real."

As IGN points out, the Lord of the Rings author was also responsible for many essays and analyses of Old English tales including “Sir Gawain and the Green Knight” and “Sir Orfeo.” His work on “The Fall Of Arthur" was published last year.

J.R.R. Tolkien died in 1973.

Woman Tweets To Find Man She Met On A Plane, Modern-Day Fairytale Unfolds

March 20, 2014, 3:52 pm

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When Erica Domesek's Prince Charming didn't leave behind a glass slipper, she decided to resort to social media to track him down.

While flying on an American Airlines flight on March 15 from Dallas to Calgary, Canada, Domesek, the founder of the DIY lifestyle brand, "P.S. - I Made This," hit it off with the man sitting next to her, Yahoo reported.

After departing the plane without exchanging contact information or last names, she tweeted at the airline for help:

Dear @AmericanAir: just got off my flight with my future husband, but didn't catch his full name. Wanna be match maker #flight1037

— P.S.- I made this... (@psimadethis) March 16, 2014

They replied saying that they're not able to give out passenger information, but wished her the best of luck in finding him and told her to keep them updated on the search:

@psimadethis We'd love to help you find your "Happily Ever After". We're unable to give out passenger information. Did you have (1/2)

— American Airlines (@AmericanAir) March 16, 2014

@psimadethis something else in mind? (2/2)

— American Airlines (@AmericanAir) March 16, 2014

Cinderella was pretty persistent:

@AmericanAir he was sitting in the front row first class wearing a blue sweater, his name is Clauco. He was born in Torino & lives in soho.

— P.S.- I made this... (@psimadethis) March 16, 2014

@AmericanAir this is like a modern day Sleepless in Seattle. I know @stacylondon @SophiaBush @SgtFelicity will help me find HIM

— P.S.- I made this... (@psimadethis) March 16, 2014

Don't worry, folks. Her friend ended up spotting Clauco and, while Domesek declined to provide any further details to Yahoo, we think this love story has a happy ending. At least, we hope it does:

@AmericanAir all I an say: I'm grateful to Flight1073, my @SamsungMobileUS watch (w/ his photo) & friend I saw @ Apple store who knew him xo

— P.S.- I made this... (@psimadethis) March 16, 2014

h/t Yahoo

Scarlett Johansson Will 'Put The Request In To Marvel' For Black Widow Movie

March 21, 2014, 6:22 am

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Scarlett Johansson told reporters on Thursday that she was interested in seeing a Black Widow standalone movie. Johansson plays Black Widow -- better known as Natasha Romanova -- in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and there has been much discussion about the character receiving her own film.

"If you want to see a Black Widow spin-off movie, then I want to see it," Johansson said on the red carpet for the London premiere of "Captain America: The Winter Soldier." "We'll see. We will put the request into Marvel tomorrow."

Whether Black Widow gets her own movie, even after that request, is still up for debate. In an interview with Badass Digest, Marvel Studios head Kevin Feige said nothing was set in stone because producing a Black Widow movie might not make the societal impact that everyone would want.

"Frankly if we do a Black Widow movie after 'Age of Ultron,' when she’s been central in three or four movies I don’t think we’d get the quote unquote credit for it," Feige said when asked if Black Widow made sense as the studio's "first standalone female hero." "People would say, 'She’s already a big giant superhero!' But if we had a great idea, we'd do it."

In an earlier interview with Coming Soon, Feige stressed that any Black Widow movie would have to make sense within the larger Avengers story the studio is telling.

"We've got various outlines and ideas of where to take that," Feige said. "The question really is, 'When will we take her out of the ensemble and have her do her own thing?' As you saw in ['Captain America: The Winter Soldier'], as you'll see in 'Avengers: Age of Ultron,' she's really the key to so much of the plot development."

As Feige noted, Johansson plays a big role in the "Captain America" sequel, and will see similar action in the second "Avengers" film.

"Everything for 'Avengers 2' -- we're full steam ahead," Johansson, who is reportedly pregnant, told HuffPost Entertainment in a recent interview. "We start shooting in three weeks and I'm stunt training and we're good to go. [...] Everything is going just fine. The Black Widow always wins and will continue to."

"Captain America: The Winter Soldier" is out on April 4.

Courtney Cash Dead: Johnny Cash's Great-Niece Found Stabbed To Death

March 21, 2014, 6:28 am

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COOKEVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — The great-niece of the late singer Johnny Cash has been found stabbed to death and stuffed in a box in a house, authorities in Tennessee said Thursday.

Putnam County Sheriff David Andrews said Courtney Cash's body was found Wednesday morning in a home near Cookeville, about 70 miles east of Nashville.

Cash's body was found in a chest just inside the front door, Andrews said. A man identified as William Austin Johnson, Cash's boyfriend, was being treated for stab wounds at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, Andrews said.

Andrews said the pair had gone out with a friend before an altercation took place in the house where Johnson and Cash lived with their young child. The friend, identified as Wayne Gary Masciarella, has been charged with first-degree murder.

Johnson escaped the attack and took the child with him before driving to the hospital, Andrews said. The scene inside the house was "somewhat bloody," Andrews told reporters at a news conference.

"There was a struggle," the sheriff said.

The suspect may have been trying to hide Cash's body, Andrews said. A motive was not released, but Andrews indicated the stabbings were likely connected to drugs.

"This is a senseless, tragic death of a young lady whose life was probably taken as a direct or indirect result of drugs," Andrews said.

Johnny Cash's brother, Tommy Cash, released a statement asking for prayers for the family after the loss of his granddaughter.

"We are completely heartbroken," the statement said.

Masciarella is being held without bond. He has a court date scheduled for April 21. Officials in Putnam County said they do not know if he has a lawyer.

Iconic Tuxedos Aired Out For 'Dumb And Dumber To' Posters

March 21, 2014, 6:31 am

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Hollywood's taking a turn for the dumb in 2014, but that's a good thing.

Two decades after the much-loved "Dumb and Dumber" hit the big screen, Jim Carrey and Jeff Daniels are reprising their roles as the bumbling Lloyd and Harry for "Dumb and Dumber To."

The first posters for the film have been released and they star not Lloyd and Harry, but their iconic orange and blue tuxedos. Carrey tweeted a photo of the poster that features his unusual formal attire, to which Daniels responded with the complementary poster that highlights his own tux. Can a poster replicate the smell of moth balls? Because we're definitely getting that vibe.

#DumbTo @Jeff_Daniels ;^) pic.twitter.com/ByTtsbPu4F

— Jim Carrey (@JimCarrey) March 20, 2014

#DumbTo @JimCarrey pic.twitter.com/jCFE1jid1q

— Jeff Daniels (@Jeff_Daniels) March 20, 2014

The film will follow the antics of Lloyd and Harry, 20 years older than they were in the first film, as they search for one of their long-lost children with the hopes of attaining a new kidney.

"Dumb and Dumber To" is scheduled to hit theaters on Nov. 14.

Norwegian Museum Agrees To Return Looted Henri Matisse Painting

March 21, 2014, 6:44 am

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AMSTERDAM (AP) — A Norwegian museum says it has agreed to return a Matisse once looted by Hermann Goering to the family of Jewish art dealer Paul Rosenberg.

The 1937 painting, "Woman in Blue in Front of a Fireplace," has been the centerpiece of the Henie Onstad Art Center near Oslo since the museum was established in 1968 by shipping magnate Niels Onstad and his wife, Olympic figure-skating champion Sonja Henie. The museum said in a statement Thursday that although it acquired the painting in good faith, it has "chosen to adhere to international conventions and return the painting to Rosenberg's heirs."

Norway is a signatory of the 1998 Washington Conference Principles on Nazi-Confiscated Art, which requires museums to review their collections for potentially looted works and when such a work is found, to try to locate rightful owners.

Now worth an estimated $20 million, the painting was taken by Goering after Rosenberg fled to New York in 1940, and sold to a Parisian art dealer later convicted of dealing in Nazi looted art. It was acquired from a different French gallery in 1950 by Onstad, who was apparently unaware of its provenance.

The museum investigated the painting's past only after being notified by the Rosenberg family of their claim to it in June 2012. The museum said that in the wake of the investigation — which it believes is the first of its kind undertaken in Norway — it has called upon the country's government to establish a committee to actually meet its obligations under the Washington Principles. Similar reviews have been launched in the U.S., Netherlands and Germany.

"Ultimately, it was the strength of the moral claim that persuaded the Henie Onstad Art Center to restitute this painting unconditionally to the Rosenberg heirs,' said Chris Marinello of Art Recovery Group, a lawyer representing the family.

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'Wurst Challenge' Has People Eat 20-Foot Sausages For Art

March 21, 2014, 7:03 am

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YPSILANTI, Mich. (AP) — A fundraising event for children's art in Michigan has pitted participants with big appetites against 20-foot-long bratwursts that weigh close to 6 pounds.

Twelve competitors and hundreds of onlookers turned out Thursday night for the Wurst Challenge, raising about $7,000 for the FLY Children's Art Center. Jesse Kranyak is a co-owner of The Wurst Bar and says he was excited to host the event at his restaurant.

He says the restaurant contributed the bratwursts, two of them vegetarian and the others pork and beef mixes. New Holland Brewing Co. donated a keg. Blogger Mark Maynard helped organize.

The proceeds benefit FLY's Creativity Lab in Ypsilanti (ihp-sih-LAN'-tee), a city of 19,000 that's home to Eastern Michigan University.

Among the brat-biting competitors were Mayor Paul Schreiber and university President Susan Martin.

98 Degrees' Nick Lachey And 5ive's Abz Love Throw Shade Amid Long-Standing Boy Band Rivalry

March 21, 2014, 7:12 am

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When deep-seated boy band rivalries bubble to the surface, it gets vicious. That came to light earlier this week when Andy Cohen prompted Nick Lachey to name the worst boy band of the '90s during a "Watch What Happens Live" appearance. He didn't hesitate to give 5ive that coveted honor.

To be fair, Cohen named 5ive first and Lachey agreed, but then Lachey went on to explain the "big-time beef" 98 Degrees had with the English quintet, whose success in the U.K. continued well after it had waned in the United States. (5ive is best known for the songs "Slam Dunk (Da Funk)," "When the Lights Go Out" and "Keep on Movin.")

"We were on the Smash Hits tour in the U.K. with a bunch of pop groups at the time, and 5ive, for whatever reason, just had it out for us," Lachey recalled. "So we used to battle every night."

But 5ive's Abz Love wasn't just going to let Lachey slip by with such comments. "98 Degrees sucked so hard," he said during a call to "TMZ Live." "To be fair, we were always looking for trouble. They just happened to be in the way."

Lachey addressed the conflict again on VH1's "Big Morning Buzz Live," a few days after the "Watch What Happens Live" slam. "It never came to blows, but we definitely didn't like each other," he said. "The bottom line is I feel like I started this firestorm and I feel badly about it, and now that I have a show where I have a platform I can set the record straight. Abz, I'm sorry; all the other members of 5ive, I'm sorry. I may have spoken out of turn. When asked who the worst band of the '90s was I said 5ive and that's absolutely not true. 5ive is actually the worst boy band of all time."

Guys, c'mon. We're really not all that different here. Take 98 Degrees' advice: "I know that we'll meet again / Fate has a place and time / So you can get on with your life."

Watch Lachey discuss 5ive on "WWHL":


Love's response on "TMZ Live":

Abz Love Calls TMZ Live
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Superman Artwork Featuring JFK Finally Finds Home In His Boston Museum

March 21, 2014, 7:30 am

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BOSTON (AP) — Superman has finally soared into the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum in Boston.

Legendary comic book artist Al Plastino thought he donated the 10 hand-drawn comic strips of Superman teaming up with John F. Kennedy decades ago, but the artwork somehow fell in the hands of a private owner. In December, comic book publisher DC Entertainment bought the black-and-white artwork and donated it to the library.

Plastino died in November at the age of 91. His four children, grandchildren and wife attended the exhibit opening on Thursday.

"We are just thrilled that these came home to where they belong," said his daughter MaryAnn Plastino Charles, who made the trek from Alabama.

"This has been a long-time coming," she said. "My father thought for so many years that it was here."

The 1964 story called "Superman's Mission for President Kennedy," was part of a White House initiative to promote the president's national physical fitness program.

The comic book was in production when Kennedy was assassinated in November 1963 and set aside until his successor, Lyndon Johnson, pressed for its publication. The published version said the story's original artwork would be donated to the library, but that apparently never happened.

Plastino was upset when he discovered that the original copies were not in the library, said his son Fred, who was with him at a New York Comic Con event in October when he heard the news.

Fred Plastino said he wished his father could have seen the exhibit.

"Kennedy meant a lot to him," he said. "He would have been blown away by this."

Tom Putnam, the library's director, said Kennedy wanted to make sure kids were staying fit and eating healthy.

"Comic books were the social media of its time," Putnam said. It was the one of the best ways to reach this age group back then, he said.

Although Plastino drew Superman for 20 years, his children say the Kennedy story was his pride and joy.

"He would talk about it all the time," MaryAnn said. "This is the story he told at Christmas, Thanksgiving and birthdays."

The artwork will be on display until May 31.

'Frozen' Is Now More Successful At The Box Office Than 'Jurassic Park' And 'Star Wars: Episode I'

March 21, 2014, 7:58 am

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Moviegoers just wouldn't let it go, and now "Frozen" is more successful than "Jurassic Park" and "Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace."

The Oscar-winning Disney film has spawned a best-selling soundtrack, a lucrative line of merchandise and a host of a viral videos inspired by the movie's songs. It also just took the 13th spot on the list of the highest-grossing movies of all time, surpassing Steven Spielberg's dinosaur classic and the first installment in the "Star Wars" prequel trilogy.

With a worldwide gross of $1.032 billion and counting, "Frozen" could become the highest-grossing animated movie, ever. It's already topped "The Lion King" and "Finding Nemo," and it needs only about $31 million to climb past "Toy Story 3," which currently sits at No. 11. If it does, it'll also eclipse "Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides," which is positioned at No. 12.

To top off its box office magnitude, "Frozen" is one of the most successful DVD and Blu-ray releases in recent years. As of March 19, one day after it hit stores, Disney reported sales of 3.2 million copies, including pre-sales.

Russian Daredevil Takes Insane Selfies Dangling From The Top Of High-Rise Buildings

March 21, 2014, 9:24 am

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We've found the Evel Knievel of photography.

Armed with nothing but a camera and an abundance of bravery, Russian photographer Kirill Oreshkin takes some photographs that'll make you nauseous -- but there is nothing gross about them.




In the short Vocativ feature below, Oreshkin explains why he climbs to the tops of some of the world's tallest buildings, risking life and limb, just for the perfect photo.

"I started doing it because I like the views," Oreshkin said. "I like photographing the city and the people I get to spend time with."

He goes on to take the film crew on the harrowing and mind boggling experience that is a Kirill Oreshkin photo shoot. To see more of his work, you can check out his website.

Idina Menzel & John Travolta Are 'Buddies' (Adele Dazeem Is Probably His Buddy Too)

March 21, 2014, 9:43 am

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Idina Menzel has turned away and slammed the door on any potential awkwardness between herself and John Travolta. Asked by Billboard about Travolta's infamous Oscars gaffe (he introduced Menzel as "Adele Dazeem" before she sang "Let It Go"), the 42-year-old actress said the past is in the past.

"He was really gracious and sent this gorgeous email, and we're buddies and it's all cool," Menzel said. Not that she wasn't initially flummoxed by Travolta's unexpected pronunciation.

"I was very zen, I had all of these visuals set for myself. Meditations. I was going to think about my 4-year-old son, all this stuff to stay focused and stay in the moment and enjoy it and not think of all the crazy celebrities out there," Menzel said about performing on the Oscars' stage. "Then that happened and it threw me for a minute. But then I got back on track and reminded myself of where I was and what a beautiful moment it was."

For his part, Travolta has let it go as well. "I've been beating myself up all day. Then I thought ... what would Idina Menzel say ... 'She'd say, Let it go, let it go!'" Travolta said via his publicist two days after the Academy Awards. "Idina is incredibly talented and I am so happy 'Frozen' took home two Oscars Sunday night!"

For more on Menzel, head over to Billboard. Watch her discuss Oscar night and "Let It Go" in the video below.

Darren Aronofsky's 'Noah' Finds Rough Seas In The Leadup To March 28 Release

March 21, 2014, 10:26 am

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NEW YORK (AP) — In the beginning of their work together on "Noah," director Darren Aronofsky made Russell Crowe a promise: "I'll never shoot you on a houseboat in a robe and sandals with two giraffes popping up behind you."

Decades after Cecil B. DeMille's "The Ten Commandments" and "Ben-Hur," Aronofsky has renewed the tradition of the studio-made, mass-audience Bible epic, albeit as a distinctly darker parable about sin, justice and mercy. While much of his "Noah" is true to Scripture, it's nothing like the picture-book version many encounter as children. "The first time I read it, I got scared," the director says. "I thought, 'What if I'm not good enough to get on the boat?'"

It's an altogether unlikely project: a $130 million Bible-based studio film made by a widely respected filmmaker ("Black Swan," ''Requiem for a Dream") few would have pegged as a modern-day DeMille. In the lead-up to its March 28th release, "Noah" has been flooded by controversy, with some religious conservatives claiming it isn't literal enough to the Old Testament and that Noah has been inaccurately made, as Aronofsky has called him, "the first environmentalist."

"Noah" is a culmination of the shift brought on by Mel Gibson's independently produced "The Passion of the Christ," which awakened Hollywood with its unforeseen $612 million box office haul in 2004. In the time since, Hollywood has carefully developed closer ties to faith-based communities, (Sony and 20th Century Fox have set up faith-based studios targeting evangelicals).

Yet the debate about "Noah" proves that it can be tricky to satisfy both believers and non-believers, and that finding the right intersection of art, commerce and religion is a task loaded with as much risk as potential reward.

A lot is at stake, and not just for "Noah" and distributor Paramount Pictures. In December, Fox will release Ridley Scott's "Exodus," starring Christian Bale as Moses.

On the heels of the recently released "Son of God," the religious drama "God's Not Dead" opened Friday and Sony is releasing the less straightforwardly Biblical "Heaven Is for Real" ahead of Easter next month. The studio is also developing a vampire twist on Cain and Able with Will Smith. In Lionsgate's pipeline is a Mary Magdalene film, hyped as a prequel to "The Passion of the Christ" and co-produced by mega-church pastor Joel Osteen.

When Jonathan Boch started his company Grace Hill Media in 2000 to consult Hollywood studios on reaching the faith community, the two "really didn't know each other," he says. Since then, films like "The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe" and "The Blind Side" have benefited from outreach to churchgoers.

"Over the course of those 15 years, you've seen the faith community go from almost pariah status or fly-over status to now being seen as an important market," says Boch, who consulted on "Noah." ''In my mind, what we're seeing is another renaissance where the greatest artists are telling the greatest stories every told."

Though Hollywood largely swore off the Bible epic when films like 1965's "The Greatest Story Ever Told" flopped, the revival dovetails recent trends. Figures like Noah are globally recognizable, and thus easier to market. They come with no licensing fee, and, often, plenty opportunity for flashy special effects. "Noah," which is being released in converted 3-D overseas, is perhaps the oldest apocalypse story.

The story fascinated Aronofsky as a Jewish kid growing up in Brooklyn. He recalls a poem he wrote about the tale as a 13-year-old — and a teacher's subsequent encouragement — as his birth as a storyteller. Whereas "The Passion of the Christ" was largely made by Christians and for Christians, Aronofsky says his "Noah" (which was advertised during the Super Bowl) is "for everybody."

"It's wrong when you talk about the Noah story to talk about it in that type of believer-nonbeliever way because I think it's one of humanity's oldest stories," he says. "It belongs not just in the Judeo-Christian-Islamic tradition. Everyone on the planet knows the Noah story."

The Genesis story is only a few pages, with more details on the dimensions of the ark (which Aronofsky held to) than who Noah was. He's instructed by God — "grieved" in his heart by what mankind had become generations after creation — to build an ark and fill it with two of every animal. After the flood, Noah is referred to as drunk and then banishes his son, Ham — all clues for Aronofsky on the pain of Noah's burden.

Paramount sought the approval of religious leaders, consulting with Biblical scholars in pre-production and doing extensive test screenings (during which Aronofsky and Paramount feuded over the final cut before an apparent truce).

But early criticism bubbled up online based on what Paramount vice chairman Rob Moore says is an old, unused version of the script (which Aronofsky penned with Ari Handel).

"It has been a very interesting journey," says Moore. "It's been highly chronicled along the way, much of which was based upon either speculation or hearsay or old information."

After seeing the film, Jerry A. Johnson, president and CEO of the National Religious Broadcasters, urged Paramount to advertise the film with a disclaimer. Moore acquiesced, adding a warning that "artistic license has been taken."

"Darren, as an artist, had some sensitivity about what that meant in terms of what we were saying the movie was or wasn't ahead of time, versus letting people experience it for themselves," says Moore. "But there was such a group of people who had concern about it."

"For the vast majority of people, the controversy will go away," he says.

Johnson still has mixed feelings about "Noah," calling it "a great plus, minus": neither worthy of the boycott that Roman Catholics held for Martin Scorsese's "The Last Temptation of Christ," nor a film like "The Passion of the Christ" that will have churches sending busloads to theaters.

"They got the big points of the story right," says Johnson. "It's so counter-cultural today in America or the West to talk about sin, right and wrong, and particularly the idea of judgment — and that is so serious in this film."

Johnson adds that, among other reservations, "the insertion of the extremist environmental agenda is a problem." Aronofsky disputes that.

"It's in the Bible that we are supposed to tend the garden," the director says. "To say there's no ecological side to the Noah story when Noah is saving the animals just doesn't make sense to me."

Picturehouse founder Bob Berney, who as president of Newmarket Films distributed "The Passion of the Christ," says balancing artistic license and faithfulness to Scripture is challenging.

"It's a kind of a trap, and you have to be very careful," says Berney. "At the same time, they are movies, and they have to be really good. I think the faith-based audience, the Christian audience still wants a big, exciting movie."

All the conversation — both negative and positive — may lure audiences to "Noah," which Moore says will do its biggest business internationally, even though the film has been banned in many Islamic counties where it's taboo to depict a prophet. He and Aronofsky believe they have a rich history of artistic ambition on their side.

"It's strange that the conversation for a little bit has turned into a controversy about literalism," says Aronofsky. "What is literalism when it comes to interpreting and making an artistic representation of the text? Is Michelangelo's David a literal interpretation of what David looked like?"

___

Follow AP Film Writer on Twitter at: http://twitter.com/jake_coyle

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'Wall-E' Gets Even Cuter With A Robot Kitten

March 21, 2014, 10:38 am

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"Wall-E" managed to prove that robots, trash and dystopian society could actually be kind of adorable. Could anything be cuter than a couple of animated robots falling in love?

Yes. It's almost like a cheap trick, but The Pet Collective has utilized a cuddly kitten, stuffed bears and a child narrator to make "Wall-E" even more aww-worthy, and we're totally okay with it. If only we could snuggle with these new characters! Check out the video above for a heartwarming interpretation of artificially intelligent love.

Northwestern Students Create Tongue-In-Cheek 'First Kiss' Parody Video For Sex Week

March 21, 2014, 11:19 am

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Northwestern University students are celebrating "Sex Week" on campus, and what better way to highlight the event than with a quite literal tongue-in-cheek parody of the viral hit "First Kiss" video? (It's a rhetorical question, don't answer.)

Watch in this clip above as 27 students are asked to kiss for the first time. The scenarios range from the awkward to the provocative to the downright raunchy. We just hope they all learned something from the experience. (Probably not.)

Dad's Original Song Is A Sweet Soundtrack To This Pregnancy Time-Lapse Video

March 21, 2014, 12:43 pm

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The pregnancy time-lapse video has become the go-to way to, well, recap an entire pregnancy really quickly. In this one, dad Tom Fletcher sings an original song, "Something New," while photos from each day of mom's pregnancy form a virtual flip book.

At the end of the video, mom and dad do get something new and his name is Buzz Michaelangelo Fletcher. Congrats!

(hat tip: Buzzfeed)

1993 Was Seriously The Best Year For Movies

March 21, 2014, 3:04 pm

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People like to argue about which year was the best year for the film industry. What most of these people don't realize is that unless they've been arguing in favor of 1993, they're just plain wrong. Every truly great film came out in 1993. Don't believe us? Check out a few of the stellar picks from that year:

Oscar Worthy



"The Fugitive"
"The Piano"
"Philadelphia"
"Searching for Bobby Fischer"
"Schindler’s List"

Comedic Perfection



"Groundhog Day"
"Mrs. Doubtfire"
"Robin Hood: Men In Tights"
"Benny and Joon"
"So I Married an Axe Murderer"
"Wayne's World 2"
"Dazed and Confused"

Regular Perfection



"What’s Eating Gilbert Grape"
"The Secret Garden"
"The Pelican Brief"
"Carlito’s Way"
"Sleepless in Seattle"
"Rudy"
"Jurassic Park"

Guilty Pleasures



"Leprechaun"
"Addams Family Values"
"Coneheads"
"Surf Ninjas"
"We’re Back! A Dinosaur's Story"
"Super Mario Bros."
"Cool Runnings"

Best Childhood Movies Ever



"Free Willy"
"Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey"
"Rookie of the Year"
"Dennis The Menace"
"Hocus Pocus"
"The Nightmare Before Christmas"
"The Sandlot"

We rest our case.

[h/t IMDb]

Ai Weiwei Gets The Shepard Fairey Treatment

March 22, 2014, 8:33 am

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Iconic L.A. street artist Shepard Fairey is expressing his love toward Chinese artist activist Ai Weiwei in the most Shepard Fairey way possible, turning Ai's beloved visage into an iconic poster.

The image, rendered in Fairey's classic faux-propaganda style, features Wei with a furled brow and a gash on his head -- a reference to his 2010 confrontation with Chinese police. The warm red and orange tones contrasted with the thick black lines conjures feelings of strength, violence and hope all at once, an appropriate combination to honor one of the world's most fearless dissident artists.


Photography by Gao Yuan


Ai, a political artist known for challenging authority and fighting for freedom of expression through minimalist artworks and internet activism, has been under house arrest since 2011. His passport is still in the possession of the Chinese authorities since it was confiscated that year. Fairey created this poster in collaboration with Friends of Ai Weiwei, a group dedicated to retrieving Ai's passport, allowing him to travel freely and visit his exhibitions worldwide.

Fairey explained his respect for Ai in an email to The Huffington Post:

"I admire Ai Weiwei for his art and his activism. His art is beautiful in form, and in function embodies the principles of populism and social consciousness I aspire to in my own practice. This poster is a tribute to Ai Weiwei’s art, his courage to be outspoken, and in support of his ongoing political struggle with the Chinese government. I hope the image will help raise awareness and advance dialogue that might lead to permission for Ai Weiwei to travel freely and continue to express himself."

The bold portrait will be printed in a limited edition of 375, 100 of which will be donated to the Brooklyn Museum, which will present an Ai Weiwei retrospective exhibition, “Ai Weiwei: According to What?” from April 18 through August 10, 2014.