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'Miss Pettigrew...' cerebral film with good humour Hollywood Film Review; Rating ***
ENT15Entertainment/Diaspora/Cinema'Miss Pettigrew...' cerebral film with good humour Hollywood Film Review; Rating ***By Sevanand GaddalaFilm: "Miss Pettigrew Lives For A Day"; Director: Bharat Nalluri; Cast: Frances McDormand, Amy Adams, Lee Pace, Cirian Hinds; Rating: ***The past few months have seen the dominance of blockbuster action movies in Hollywood. Smaller, pleasant movies like "Miss Pettigrew Lives for A Day" are at the risk of falling through the cracks though they really deserve much more notice. Held together by a witty script, fine acting and an excellent period look, this pleasant surprise of a movie directed by Bharat Nalluri is a must watch.Nalluri is an Indian born director raised in Britain and developed his skill in British television before he took on this movie. He shows great promise with this film and he deserves to helm more prestigious projects.A period movie, though a comedy, "Miss Pettigrew..." already has quite a few odds stacked against it to make it a hit these days. But with actors like Oscar winner Frances McDormand and the upcoming young actress Amy Adams giving some wonderful performances, this film is bound to be liked by audiences.The movie never veers off into silliness or slapstick and maintains a level of sophistication even as it delivers on the humour. On occasions it gets a little deeper and serious and towards the end takes on a heavier, more melancholic note. It's the great acting that makes these transitions in emotions believable.Miss Pettigrew McDormand is a governess who cant seem to hold on to a job and out of desperation deceives the aspiring singer/actress Delysia Lafosse. She spends just one day with her but it turns out to be quite an eventful day. Miss Pettigrew guides Delysia in choosing the right man to love and manages to get interested in love herself. She has to make some important decisions knowing all the while that they might cost her a lot. There is also this pervasive sense of tension since it is set during the days just before World War II. This tension brings in a much needed balance and keeps everything happening on screen in perspective.McDormand does her job perfectly, as expected from such a talented actress as herself. The surprise in this movie might just be Amy Adams. She has shown promise ever since she made her debut in "Catch Me If You Can" and the more recent "Charlie Wilson's War.' Here Adams confirms that promise and it shouldn't be long before she gets lead actress status for more prominent projects. Her character on the surface seems flaky but there are scenes where we clearly get to see the true person and Adams is completely believable. She does a fine job of maintaining the shrill, delicate and spoilt celebrity but also the character's ambitious and steely resolve.It remains to be seen if Nalluri has the potential to become a big player like M. Night Shayamalan, though Hollywood may not be quite ready to entrust him with big budget projects. For those looking for something light, yet cerebral with a little heart, "Miss Pettigrew Lives For A Day" will prove to be time and money well spent.--Indo-Asian News Servicesev/mv/jg570 Words11101619
2008-10-11 09:00:00
Minogue misses out on breast cancer event
ENT11Entertainment/ShowbizMinogue misses out on breast cancer eventLondon, Oct 11 IANS Australian pop star Kylie Minogue, who is a breast cancer survivor, was upset that she was not able to attend the Breakthrough Breast Cancer event in London.Minogue missed her flight from Paris and could not attend the event at which she was also to get a Lipsy Most Inspirational Celebrity award, reports mirror.co.uk.A source said, “There was a mix-up with flights and she had to stay in Paris.”Minogue had to battle breast cancer last year. She overcame the disease and has since been working hard to raise awareness of the terminal illness.--Indo-Asian News Serviceseva/sh/jg114 Words11101257
2008-10-11 03:02:08
Leona Lewis turns down 1 mn pounds because Harrods sells fur
ENT7Entertainment/Showbiz/WildLife/InternationalLeona Lewis turns down 1 mn pounds because Harrods sells furLondon, Oct 10 IANS Leona Lewis, the new singing sensation, has rejected 1 million pound offer from Harrods boss Mohammed Fayed to open this year's summer sale because the department store sells fur. A staunch vegetarian since the age of 12, the "Bleeding Love" singer stuck to her principles and turned the lucrative offer down, reports dailymail.co.uk.Lewis, who was voted Peta's World's Sexiest Vegetarian Celebrity, said: "I'm totally against animal cruelty. I don't have clothes, shoes or bags made from any animal products."Harrods, which declined to comment, is the only department store in Britain that continues to sell fur, and is regularly targeted by animal cruelty campaigners. Its sales are traditionally opened by an A-list female celebrity. Most of those invited have jumped at the opportunity to parade around Knightsbridge in a horse and carriage before being given a private tour of the discounted goods by Fayed himself. After Lewis turned down the offer, 52-year-old "Sex And The City" star Kim Cattrall will do the job. Last summer, Hollywood actress Sarah Michelle Geller, 31, was given the honour, while singer Lily Allen, 23, opened the winter sale last December. Other leading ladies who have cut the ribbon include Victoria Beckham, Eva Longoria, Christina Aguilera and Lucy Liu. --Indo-Asian News Servicear/jg239 Words10101137
2008-10-10 02:04:08
Curry meal plot spiced up British bank bailout Lead
INT63International/Lifestyle/Society/EconomyCurry meal plot spiced up British bank bailout LeadBy Dipankar De SarkarLondon, Oct 9 IANS British finance minister Alistair Darling and his team steeled themselves with a meal of spicy Indian dishes as they prepared for difficult night-long negotiations on the unprecedented half-a-trillion pound economic rescue package.The meal Tuesday night was ordered from Gandhi’s, a south London restaurant that is popular with government ministers.Darling and around 30 of his key staff ordered the Indian takeaway at around 9.30 p.m Wednesday while finalising the details of the 500 billion pound government package that is aimed at getting cash flowing through the British economy in the middle of a global credit crunch.Darling himself is said to have asked for tandoori chicken, but the order also included rice, karahi lamb, vegetable curry and aloo gobi - at a cost of 245 pounds. But as staff at Gandhi’s delivered the 32 meals to Darling’s office, a group of senior bankers, seated in another room, were fed only tea and biscuits, the British media reported Thursday.Night-long negotiations followed the curry meal as some of the bankers reportedly resisted the government offer, which is expected to lead to banks imposing strict limits on executive pays and bonuses. Among Darling’s three key advisers on the night was Shriti Vadera, the Indian-born minister for economic competitiveness and small business - a close ally of Prime Minister Gordon Brown.The government appeared to have won the day - and the first announcements were made on television and radio at around 6 a.m.The role of the Indian curry in the rescue package negotiations has already been enshrined in the finance ministry and British media, who have dubbed it the Balti Bailout. Gandhi’s, which opened in 1983, has served members of successive British governments, but is a particular favourite of finance ministers - regardless of party affiliations. Former finance ministers who have tucked into a meal of spicy Indian curry before diving into the world of drab figures have included John Major Tory Party and Gordon Brown Labour, both of whom went on to become prime ministers of Britain.There is also Kenneth Clarke, the heavyweight Tory finance minister who never made it as party leader despite having strong support among a section of the party.The London Times once reported, “Mr Kenneth Clarke cheered himself by heading currywards, he took his mob to Kennington Road Gandhi’s.” The restaurant’s website gives a long list of celebrity clients, including leading politicians John Reid, Jack Straw, Paddy Ashdown and Anne Widdecombe, and celebrities such as TV chat show hosts Richard and Judy.Gandhi’s is also a restaurant where politicians scheme and plot, say newspaper reviews. It was named as one of Britain’s top 100 restaurants in 2005 and figured in a list of London’s top 15 restaurants in 2006.--Indo-Asian News Servicedds/sk/jg509 Words*09101721
2008-10-09 07:01:06
Curry meal strategy spiced up British bank bailout
INT45International/Lifestyle/Society/EconomyCurry meal strategy spiced up British bank bailoutBy Dipankar De Sarkar London, Oct 9 IANS British Finance Minister Alistair Darling and his team steeled themselves with a meal of spicy Indian dishes as they prepared for difficult night-long negotiations on the unprecedented half-a-trillion pound economic rescue package announced Wednesday. The meal was ordered from Gandhi's, a south London restaurant that is popular with ministers - and Darling himself went for tandoori chicken. Darling and around 30 of his key staff ordered the Indian takeaway at around 9.30 p.m Wednesday while finalising the details of the 500 billion pound $860 billion government package that is aimed at getting cash flowing through the British economy in the middle of a global credit crunch. But as staff at Gandhi's delivered the 32 meals to Darling's office, a group of senior bankers, seated in another room, were fed only tea and biscuits, the British media reported Thursday. Night-long negotiations followed the curry meal as some of the bankers reportedly resisted the government offer, which is expected to lead to banks imposing strict limits on executive pays and bonuses. The government appeared to have won the day - and the first announcements were made on television and radio at around 6 a.m. The role of the Indian curry in the rescue package negotiations has already been enshrined in the finance ministry and British media, who have dubbed it the Balti Bailout. Gandhi's, which opened in 1983, has served members of successive British governments, but is a particular favourite of finance ministers - regardless of party affiliations. Former finance ministers who have tucked into a meal of spicy Indian curry before diving into the world of drab figures have included John Major Tory Party and Gordon Brown Labour, both of whom went on to become prime ministers of Britain. There is also Kenneth Clarke, the heavyweight Tory finance minister who never made it as party leader despite having strong support among a section of the party. The London Times once reported: “Mr Kenneth Clarke cheered himself by heading currywards, he took his mob to Kennington Road Gandhi's.” The restaurant's website gives a long list of celebrity clients, including leading politicians John Reid, Jack Straw, Paddy Ashdown and Anne Widdecombe, and celebrities such as TV chat show hosts Richard and Judy. Gandhi's is also a restaurant where politicians scheme and plot, say newspaper reviews. It was named as one of Britain's top 100 restaurants in 2005 and figured in a list of London's top 15 restaurants in 2006. --Indo-Asian News Servicedds/sh/jg469 Words*09101330
2008-10-09 04:00:00
DJ AM's Hollywood Benefit Bash
Friends of DJ AM are throwing a party to welcome the celebrity disc jockey home after he survived a fiery plane crash last month in South Carolina. ...
2008-10-08 22:00:00
DiSpirito Gets Second "Dance"
He came in last place Tuesday night but celebrity chef Rocco DiSpirito was not dismissed from "Dancing With The Stars." He gets to continue because an injured competitor withdrew the previou...
2008-10-08 09:41:35
Jade Goody planning her funeral
INT65International/Showbiz/EntertainmentJade Goody planning her funeralLondon, Oct 8 IANS British reality TV star Jade Goody, who has been diagnosed with cancer, says she has started planning for her funeral, adding she wants “people to cry over me". "Most people plan their weddings. But I'm planning my funeral,” Goody told OK! Magazine. “Some people say they don't want people crying, but I want people to cry over me. And I don't want anyone to have a booze up when I'm dead. They should have a cup of tea and be crying. I'd want to have an open funeral and let everyone who wanted to come along," she added. The 27-year-old mother of two was diagnosed with cervical cancer in August just as she prepared to appear in the Indian version of the British reality TV show Celebrity Big Brother. Goody became controversial in 2007 after being accused of bullying fellow-contestant Shilpa Shetty, an Indian Bollywood actress, on the show. She was expelled from the show after hosts Channel 4 received complaints from thousands of viewers. Goody, who has been given a 50-50 chance of survival, joked that her funeral wreath should be in the shape of a jar of the British spread Marmite - because she is either loved or hated. "I've never been a God person, but now I pray every time I go to bed and say stuff like, 'Let me see my children grow'," she said. --Indo-Asian News Servicedds/sk/dg266 Words*08101715
2008-10-08 09:01:13
Marketing of Durga Puja takes a step forward
BUS8Business/Religion/CultureMarketing of Durga Puja takes a step forwardKolkata, Oct 8 IANS Durga Puja organisers have long sold space on their marquees to commercial firms. Now the organisers of one Puja have sold the right to sell space, while another has sold TV transmission rights for the second year running, possibly pioneering a trend.The Badamtala Ashar Sangha in south Kolkata's Kalighat neighbourhood has sold the outdoor advertising rights at its marquee to the Indian arm of US-based Manhattan Communications."We have sold outdoor advertisement rights to Manhattan Communications. Now it is their duty to collect sponsorship and market us," said Suvajit Sarkar, a member of the puja organising committee.Durga Puja, West Bengal's largest annual festival, will end Thursday. It has become a symbol of opulence with different community pujas trying to add as much glitz as they can afford.Badamtala Ashar Sangha has been organising Durga Puja for the 70 years, and this year has a budget between Rs.900,000 and Rs.1.1 million.The organisers have this year also roped in Bollywood veteran Mithun Chakrabarty as their brand ambassador, and claim they are the first to float the concept of a celebrity endorsing a particular puja.Bollywood stars including Preity Zinta and Sohail Khan are scheduled to visit Badamtala during the puja to promote their latest film 'Heroes', slotted for release Oct 24.Manhattan Communications is the Indian arm of an NRI-owned company, Media Morphosis. Bennett, Coleman and Co Ltd had acquired a stake this May in Manhattan Communications, which specialises in total marketing solutions - advertising, branding, public relations, marketing and managing events.Meanwhile, entertainment channel Zee Bangla has bought the right to bring all the action from south Kolkata's famous Maddox Square Durga Puja for Rs.1.2 million. Every day, throughout the five-day festival, it is telecasting every ritual of the Puja as well as the activities outside the marquee, where people gather and have a blast. This is the second year of the Zee Bangla-Maddox Square tie-up.Marketing executives here predict that in the next few years, firms will start bidding with one another to bag advertising rights of the better-known Pujas.--Indo-Asian News serviceag/ank/jg384 Words08101341
2008-10-08 05:00:00
Some people think I deserve to die, says Jade Goody
ENT23Entertainment/Showbiz/International/CinemaSome people think I deserve to die, says Jade GoodyLondon, Oct 7 IANS British reality show star Jade Goody claims her racist behaviour with Bollywood actress Shilpa Shetty on the show “Celebrity Big Brother” has led to some people to say she deserved her illness.“There are people out there who think I deserve to be sick and to die, but I'd never wish this on anyone, not even Bin Laden, not that he has a womb,” Goody told OK! magazine.“This isn't something I've brought on myself. Some people will say it's about time I got my punishment, but my whole life has been awful,” she added. Goody is preparing to begin 18 months of chemotherapy and radiotherapy after an eight-hour operation to remove her womb after she was diagnosed with cervical cancer, reports dailymail.co.uk.She has cut her hair short in preparation for the day it falls out due to the chemo sessions and has even started planning her funeral.“I've started writing a will which kind of makes you realise that you are going to die. I have to think about what I'm going to leave my kids or who I'm going to leave them with. The only person good enough for my kids is me,” she averred.--Indo-Asian News Servicerob/sk/vt224 Words07102213
2008-10-07 13:07:12