With its magic and wit, beloved children’s book “Matilda” by Roald Dahl should have translated spectacularly to the big-stage spectacle of Broadway. While several of the stunts are superb, a predictable plot keeps the show from being enjoyable at an adult level.

Despite its 12 Tony Award nominations, including a nod for Best Musical, there’s a big puzzle-piece missing from “Matilda.” Primarily, the lines seem a little lackluster, and the comedy fails to provoke many laugh-out-loud moments. Even a large man (Bertie Carvel) cross-dressing as the sadistic, kid-hating Miss Trunchbull is a bit of a one-note joke.

But more to the point, it’s the simplicity of the story: The good guys are good, and the bad guys are bad, and there’s never any doubt of who will wind up winning the day. The only reason to keep your eyes open is for the fun choreography (Peter Darling), largely accomplished by a cast of child actors, the likes of which are hard enough to herd in minor roles, much less giving them nearly three hours’ worth of showtime to shoulder. Four young girls share the title role, but there isn’t one in the world that could possibly endear us to this Matilda Wormwood. She’s a cute little genius with superpowers, to whom nothing unbearably awful happens, and it’s hard to envision this heroine as an underdog. In moments of fitful boredom, we began rooting for Trunchbull.

In summary, “Matilda” is probably most appropriate for kids or those who aren’t already familiar with the tale. We’d be willing to give the soundtrack (Tim Minchin) a shot on its own, however, thanks to the libretto’s quick lyrics that never condescend to the listener.

The Tony nominations it received:

• Best Musical
• Best Actor: Bertie Carvel
• Best Featured Actor: Gabriel Ebert
• Best Featured Actress: Lauren Ward
• Best Director: Matthew Warchus
• Best Choreography: Peter Darling
• Best Book: Dennis Kelly
• Best Score: Tim Minchin
• Best Orchestrations: Chris Nightingale
• Best Set Design: Rob Howell
• Best Costume Design: Rob Howell
• Best Lighting Design: Hugh Vanstone
• Also, Sophia Gennusa, Oona Laurence, Bailey Ryon and Milly Shapiro will receive Tony Honors for Excellence in the Theatre for their performances as “Matilda” in “Matilda The Musical.”

If you go

‘Matilda the Musical’
Shubert Theatre,
225 W. 44th St.
$32-$167,
www.matildathe
musical.com

The post ‘Matilda’ is Broadway’s most boring appeared first on Metro.us.

‘A Brooklyn-based art project/punk band’ is a description bordering on the kind of fodder that lives in the world of Portlandia – on first glance. Japanther, the longtime DIY-oriented duo of Matt Reilly and Ian Vanek, do often play their accessible punk rock in unique situations: an 84-hour performance art piece and giant dinosaurs appearing alongside them at shows are just two of many situations that the veteran act can claim to fame.

Behind the theatrics, which ‘keep them interested’ according to Vanek, is a down-to-earth noise rock band happily existing within the confines of Brooklyn’s DIY scene twelve years since they began.

“You’re so vicious Death By Audio, I love it here,” says lead singer Reilly before jumping into another song at the start of their high-powered set Sunday night at the grungy, art-filled Williamsburg warehouse space. The packed crowd –  the majority of whom arrived early for the Olympia, WA-based noisy shoegaze act Broken Water (who just released an album on Japanther’s record label, Tapes Records) – consumed Japanther’s short but raw songs from the start.

Village Voice awarded them the ‘Best Live Entertainment’ award in 2011 and it’s not until you experience the excitement of Reilly belting out heartfelt lyrics over fuzzy garage pop licks live that you’ll truly understand. Interspersed within their hour-long set, Reilly and Vanek fulfilled their community duty of pumping up their fans to care for beaches rocked by Sandy last fall, start something new and just do-it-yourself. “You don’t need a million dollars to be a millionaire,” says Vanek to an attentive crowd.

That same crowd also cleared out the front half of the room with a rowdy session of moshing and crowd-surfing, but that’s just the nature of a Japanther show. The prolific duo released another LP, “Eat Like Lisa, Act Like Bart” yesterday and announced a summer tour. They play Brooklyn, NY next on July 11 at Rare Form and Cambridge, MA on July 14 at Cambridge Elks Lodge.

The post Brooklyn noise rock vets incite crowd appeared first on Metro.us.

‘Behind the Candelabra’
Director: Steven Soderbergh
Stars: Matt Damon, Michael Douglas
Premieres on HBO this Sunday, May 26
4 (out of 5) Globes

“Behind the Candelabra” is not the first TV movie about flamboyant piano man Liberace and his secret decade-long relationship with his “chauffeur” Scott Thorson. In 1988, a year after Liberace’s death from AIDS-related complications, dueling television films aired. Campfests, they reminded the people of that era of their lousy gaydar — that mainstream society had allowed a lifelong bachelor who rocked flowing robes and heavy rings on each finger to become the world’s highest paid entertainer. Steven Soderbergh’s new film — and possibly his last — isn’t quite as crass. Like some of the director’s recent work, it’s detached and slyly intelligent, even as it subscribes to a tried-and-true genre structure.

In this case, it finds him making his twist on a bad relationship movie. Matt Damon plays Thorson, a strapping animal trainer with a Farah Fawcett flip ‘do who meets Liberace (Michael Douglas) when he’s 18. (Damon, incidentally, is 42.) The two wind up together for a decade, some of it warm and magical, much of it unpleasant and nightmarish. Liberace grants him access to his world of tacky excess, but it won’t be long until the fiftysomething sugar daddy, already obsessed with his own decaying looks, starts eyeing newer models.

Richard LaGravenese’s script deserves a lot of credit for not shying away from gay content, which is one reason this is playing on HBO, not in the nation’s multiplexes. But it follows the expected trajectory: The polite, vaguely stupid Thorson eventually succumbs to “Boogie Nights”-style coke tirades. But Soderbergh’s cold and bemused tone neutralizes the insanity. Gaudy jewelry, hirsute men and Roman columns become matter-of-fact, just part of Thorson’s day-to-day. He also brings out some of the story’s weirder elements. The craziest tidbit is that Liberace convinced Thorson to undergo plastic surgery to look more like him. Soderbergh’s characters regularly delude themselves, but here they do it through plastic surgery, even if the process makes them look like freaky gargoyles. (Damon’s fake nose is creepy, but it’s got nothing on the squinty look frozen on Rob Lowe’s predatory plastic surgeon’s face.)

Predictably, Douglas walks off with the movie. It’s not just an impersonation, but a performance that finds notes of vulnerability (and monstrousness) buried under pounds of affectation and furs. But don’t discount Damon. The real Thorson may have been an idiot — he currently sits in jail for credit card fraud — but as portrayed by Damon, he’s thick without being an idiot, as though he was aware he was making bad decisions but not smart enough to think of a way out that didn’t involve drugs and tantrums.

The post ‘Behind the Candelabra’ portrays Liberace love story with sly intelligence appeared first on Metro.us.

Not too long ago, it would have seemed unlikely that someone like Michael Douglas — a man’s man known for sexy movies with Glenn Close and Sharon Stone — would play Liberace, the gaudy piano star who somehow tricked the world into thinking he was straight as an arrow. Times have changed, and now Douglas is doing a movie where he makes out and has sex with Matt Damon. (It’s still only premiering on HBO this Sunday, not on every multiplex screen. But it’s a start.) “Behind the Candelabra,” in which he plays the entertainer in the latter part of his life, also reunites him with his “Traffic” director, Steven Soderbergh.

What are your memories of Liberace?
I met him once, briefly, when I was 12. At the time, my father [Kirk Douglas] owned a house in Palm Springs, close to Lee Liberace’s home. One sunny day, this Rolls Royce stopped in front of the house and Lee stepped out. He was wearing lots of gold and the sunlight was reflecting off his jewelry. He was a sort of pre-Elton John. He invited that style. He was a charming man. He loved entertaining and beautiful things.

How did Steven Soderbergh convince you to do the part?
In 2001, when we were filming “Traffic,” Steven asked me, “Have you ever thought of doing something about Liberace?” I wondered how that character could possibly make him think of me. I was a bit paranoid at the time, so I tried to thank him and slip away! But then, years later, Steven came across this book, “Behind the Candelabra.” Richard LaGravenese, the scriptwriter, showed it to Matt Damon, telling him he would be [Liberace's lover] Scott [Thorson] and I, Liberace. This happened right after my cancer, and offering me this role was a great gift. I will be eternally grateful to Matt and Steven for waiting until I got better.

How did you identify with this role?
I normally play the bad or ambiguous guy. But once you start doing your research on Lee, you realize that he was a generous man. It’s the first time that I play a famous character. I was a bit nervous at first because Lee was a strong Polish guy, much bigger and more built than me. So for me, it was all about getting his voice right. I watched documentaries and as I don’t play the piano, I focused on mimicking his hand gestures.

How did you get the physical look of Liberace?
When we first saw the masks, we were horrified! It was like we had just walked out of a plastic surgery! But it had to look as real as possible and so we spent a lot of time in the makeup chair. And before you know it, everything seems to come together. You put on the right outfit, have the right hairdo and there you go. It was a wonderful experience.

The post Michael Douglas on becoming Liberace in ‘Behind the Candelabra’ appeared first on Metro.us.

Try a gluten-free pie at SliCe.

Whether you’re ditching gluten for health reasons or just want a taste of the food fad, we have some dishes for you to try. Check out these options that let you skip the gluten without missing out on your favorite treats.

Burgers and brews

Of all the reasons to love summer, a cool beer paired with a hot burger is among our favorites. Pub On Passyunk East (P.O.P.E.) has gluten-free options for both, including a burger with fried green tomatoes, grilled onion and basil mayo on a Taffets’ gluten-free Kaiser rolls. Wash it down with a cider, almost always on tap during warm-weathered months, or the Dogfish Head’s Tweason, a strawberry ale that has us saying yes, please.

501 E. Passyunk Ave.

215-755-5125

www.pubonpassyunkeast.com

Pizza

Fear not, skipping the gluten doesn’t require breaking up with pizza. That’s a heartbreak SliCE would never let happen. Owners Marlo and Jason Dilks can cook you up a gluten-free pie, baked and delivered in individual heavy-duty aluminum pans to avoid cross-contamination. All toppings are gluten-free, as are their fresh-cut traditional and sweet potato fries.

1740 Sansom St.

215-557-9299

1180 S. 10th St.

215-463-0868

www.slicepa.com

Sandwiches

With sandwiches that include crispy fried lasagna and roasted suckling pig, Paesano’s has received more “Best Sandwich” awards than we can count. Owner Peter McAndrews has two kids with celiac disease and knows firsthand about the challenges of finding a good gluten-free sandwich. From the start, he made sure that his menu wouldn’t leave anyone out. Taffets bakery supplies the Italian Market Paesano’s with bread, while Sweet Christine’s supplies the Northern Liberties location. Consider filling the space between your two homemade hoagie halves with the Paesano classic, consisting of beef brisket, horseradish, mayo, roasted tomatoes, pepperincino, fried egg and sharp provolone.

1017 South 9th St.

215-440-0371

152 W Girard Ave.

267-886-9556

www.paesanosphillystyle.com

Dessert

Ditch the regular doughnuts and bite into a creative treat free of refined sugar, dairy and gluten from Sweet Freedom. Try the Thinola, a doughnut version of the Girl Scout’s legendary Thin Mint, or grab a salted caramel cupcakes or coconut banana chocolate chip cookies.

1424 South Street

215-545-1899

www.sweetfreedombakery.com

Undercover Gluten-Free: Vietnamese Cuisine

Throw on your chef’s hat and get chopping  on Saturday with TV chef and cooking coach Laura Hahn. Hahn will guide the class through whipping up gluten-free Vietnamese classics like summer rolls and grape leaves. “What’s great about Vietnamese cooking is that most of the ingredients are fresh vegetables and proteins, with naturally gluten-free ingredients like rice papers and rice noodles,” says Hahn, who is gluten-intolerant herself. “My favorite thing to teach is anything to eat with your hands because those fun finger foods are hard to come by once going gluten-free.”

May 25, noon-2 p.m.

Greensgrow Community Kitchen at St. Michael’s Lutheran Church

2139 East Cumberland St.

$35

www.greensgrow.org

The post It’s easy to go gluten-free at these restaurants appeared first on Metro.us.

My first indication that Lissie is a down-to-earth kind of chick is that, when I call her to check in before her stops in New York and Boston on a tour in preview of her new album (dropping sometime in September) she’s waiting in line at a gas station bathroom. She asks me, with a throaty laugh, if it would be cool if I called her back when she’s done. Never mind that most touring artists travel on pimped out tour buses with bathrooms nicer than those in some Allston apartments I’ve frequented. When I call back — having waited what I hope is sufficient time to allow Lissie to do her business — she confirms this assessment, having just shot a music video in her hometown of Rock Island, Illinois for the second song on her upcoming album, “Further Away ‘Romance Police.’”

What’s the video about?

I feel like where you’re from has such a big part to do with who you are. I don’t want to ruin the surprises, but we just walked around to lots of different sites that were memorable and special to me. A friend of mine is a police officer and once it got dark he turned on his police lights which made some really cool lighting.

What’s your process for writing this album been like?

I’ve had quite a bit of downtime. I needed a break because I was just getting kind of worn out, but was also anxious to make a new record and hadn’t really done a ton of writing when I was on the road. So he last nearly two years I’ve been writing and kind of spending time at home and cultivating some of my other interests.

What kind of other interests?

I just got a road bike and I’m not like a super awesome pro yet but I really got into riding my bike. About 20 miles is the most I’ve written but I’ve kind of become addicted to it. It’s not something I can really do when I’m on the road. And I live in a really beautiful place — I have a dog, I take him out and we go for long walks. I really just like being outdoors, and that was one thing from the first album cycle — it’s like you’re always on a plane, or in a car, or inside a venue, so when I’m home I’m never inside. But I’ve really gotten addicted to so many TV shows. I’ve gotten really into wine (laughs) I drink a lot of wine. I like red because it’s just kind of calm, this warm rush over you…

Melty.

Yes, melty, exactly.

So what TV shows are you into right now?

Oh, it’s like what shows am I NOT into? I love “Game of Thrones,” I’m really excited about “Arrested Development” coming back. I also like Nashville a lot, it’s very good. I made my first record in Nashville and I think they do a good job of showing the city. I watch everything. “The Office,” “Parks and Recreation,” “Modern Family.” I just watched “House of Cards” on Netflix, that’s amazing. So yeah, basically I spend a lot of time drinking wine and watching TV. (laughs) Oh! I also can swim a mile now. And I’ve been spending time with my family back in the Midwest.

Speaking of the Midwest — and Midwestern values — do you feel like you’ve changed since gaining some fame and moving to California?

I wouldn’t say I feel like the same person but I don’t think that that’s because anything has changed. I think as you get older you kind of come into your personality and learn from life experiences. I guess in a way I put out the single “Shameless” because it’s me proclaiming that I don’t want to have to be anything other than myself or be underhanded or desperate or shady to find success. Even if I wanted to be all Hollywood I wouldn’t know how to do it. I don’t think I’m socially awkward but I don’t really know how to be mysterious, or manipulative, I don’t really know how to manipulate people’s energy. And I’m glad that I don’t know how to do that.

Have you ever been asked to compromise yourself like that?

Not that it was asked of me, but I’ve seen that other people have done it. Say, you and some other girl really liked a guy and she was just going to be throwing herself at him all night. And you feel like, well, I’m not going to do that. And maybe she gets to go home with him. But I don’t want to stoop to that level. I just want to be myself and if he doesn’t come home with me then he’s not the right one for me.

That’s a cool metaphor for fame.

Thanks! I’m glad it made sense. I think in the song, too, I even acknowledge it. Like, why does it bother me, “why do I react so angrily, it’s just my insecurities acting up.” Because there’s also something where, if you are in a situation, and two people are going for the same thing, my inclination is to sort of retreat a little bit, where I’m like (puts on a bratty voice) “well, I don’t even care, I didn’t want to be part of this stupid club.” (laughs)

What do you prefer playing, big fests or club shows?

I think when I was starting out doing festivals I really liked them because it was new to me and it was really exciting. There were so many bands, and you got the cool backstage area where you got to go see music, and you got to talk to people, and it’s very social. I think that used to be very fun for me. Whereas now, it’s still fun but it’s also really exhausting because you have to preserve your strength a little and it’s too tempting at a festival to just be like ‘oh, I’m just going to have a blast’ and then feel like ‘oh, I can’t sing now because I talked too much.’ But I really like club shows because people are there to see you, and I’m still in a place where we get to play kind of intimate shows, and you get the feeling of who your crowd is and connecting with them.

How would you self-describe your genre?

When I started out I was a singer-songwriter, with an acoustic guitar, and kind of had some folk tendencies — but I kind of wrote pop songs. This next record is not as much showing off my folk sensibilities, I mean they’re still there, but I’ve been playing with my band so much over the past few years and we really kind of rock out. So I think this record is a little more consistently rock/pop. You’ll detect some faint traces of folky, kind of country, gospel-ish vocals, potentially, but the music is pretty much rock music.

I think this is an interesting time for folk music, like how the Lumineers were up for a Grammy — I thought that was sort of unusual.

I did too! I mean I like that song, and I like them — so I don’t mean this in a bad way — but I almost feel like that trend has sort of ended. I think the Avett Brothers and Old Crow Medicine Show started it, and were doing it, and it wasn’t mainstream. And then Mumford & Sons really brought that into the mainstream consciousness. Which is really great, because it opened the doors for a lot of bands to be successful, but I’m not sure that that’s where it will stay.

Right. Well, what do you think is going to be the next wave?

My prediction is that the guitar solo is kind of coming back. And I want to be part of that.

Really?

I’ve been listening to a lot of the Hall & Oates Pandora station, and that music has kind of been resonating with me again. It’s kind of dramatic music, and it’s kind of a little cheesy, and it’s got the epic guitar solos. But I think it’s so emotionally evocative, it makes you really feel like ‘YEAHya!’ So I really feel like there’s going to be a Hall & Oates-esque revival, but who knows?

I was actually about to ask you what I’d find if I looked at your Recently Played playlist on your iPod…

My obnoxious answer is that I really don’t listen to music because it, like, stresses me out. I know that sounds terrible. But I had this shift happen where I used to listen to a lot of music and I used to write a lot just for fun and I of course still love music and still love performing, but it’s taken on a different kind of role in my life now that I have to think about it differently. But one album that I was listening to a lot was Bruce Springsteen’s “Nebraska”. And I love Lana Del Rey’s album. I think she is someone who I wasn’t really feeling her vibe, because I was just being a bitchy girl. I think I was like, ‘oh she’s glamorous, I don’t like her.’ (laughs) I didn’t want to like her. But then I got her album and I love it, I love the entire thing. It’s like she’s creating a whole world, it’s not just music. I feel like it’s very evocative of another era or something. It haunts you. She’s a good storyteller, I don’t know how much of it is like a character, but I feel like she could write a novel and I’d want to read it.

Did you watch her SNL debacle?

After I saw that, and saw how mean people were being, it made me like her more. Because, you know what, not everyone that is good in the studio is necessarily good live. I think my problem for a long time was that I’m kind of better live than I am in the studio.

That’s not a terrible problem to have.

But that doesn’t make me a better artist or more of an artist. I also like how Kristen Wiig went on as her and defended her, I thought that was really cute. I love Kristen Wiig. Oh, I like the new Tegan and Sara album. That’s kind of my feeling about pop music even, like they’re onto something, they might be a little bit ahead of the trend. I feel like their kind of pop music is going to be considered credible again because it makes you feel good…it’s fun to listen to. I’ve gotten into exercising again, taking care of myself, and I couldn’t really get myself motivated to run — and then I put on the Tegan and Sara record and I was like ‘ok, I can run.’

Yeah, they’re great. And they’ve been great for awhile. It’s funny how one hit song can suddenly propel an artist into the public consciousness — I hope it lasts for them.

It’s a tricky thing. When I look at what I’d like my career to be like, I’d just like to be respected and financially stable, it’s pretty much all I can ask for. And anything else is kind of a pleasant bonus. Even at the level I’m at now — I mean, I got a cold, I keep getting sick because I think I’m not used to being busy, and I have interviews, and have to do a show… and I think to have an overnight hit and be on that trajectory would be so stressful. Maybe I’m afraid of success or something, but I’m kind of really happy where I’m at right now.

I love your cover of Kid Cudi’s “Pursuit of Happiness.” Who would you want to cover one of your songs, if you could pick anyone?

I think it would be cool if Asap Rocky covered me. I guess he did cover me, he sampled me, but somebody in a totally different genre. Like Metallica, but that would never happen. (laughs) I love Metallica.

Haha ok. What else?

Just that if people aren’t sure, just come to our show! I can probably give you, like, a 90 percent guarantee that they’ll enjoy themselves. (laughs)

GO SEE HER:

New York
June 3 @ 8 p.m.
Bowery Ballroom
6 Delancey St., New York
$18
ticketmaster.com

Boston
June 5 @ 9 p.m.
Brighton Music Hall
158 Brighton Ave., Allston
$18
ticketmaster.com

The post Q&A: Lissie on red wine, wishing Lana Del Rey would write a novel, Metallica, and not being able to be “all Hollywood” appeared first on Metro.us.

‘The Hangover Part III’
Director: Todd Phillips
Stars: Zach Galifianakis, Bradley Cooper
Rating: R
2 (out of 5) Globes

The second “Hangover” was the most repetitive sequel since “Home Alone 2: Lost in New York.” Every beat from the original was hit, but with superficial differences: Bangkok instead of Vegas, a monkey instead of a baby, a ladyboy instead of Heather Graham. But there’s no reason that repeating the same joke with variations should be a crime, at least if they only did it twice. They might well have done the same thing a third time, especially since “The Hangover Part III,” which absolutely breaks from formula, plays like weak fan fiction unaccountably directed by and starring those who made the original.

That said, there are stray moments of semi-inspiration. As threatened, this time there is no rohypnol-laced binge session. Our heroes — vaguely douchey Phil (Bradley Cooper), uptight closet transgressive Stu (Ed Helms) and remorseless man-child/possible pedo Alan (Zach Galifianakis) — are simply victims of what we’re told was an elaborate series of events set inextricably in motion during the first movie. (Yeah, right.) It seems that destructive hedonist/Asian stereotype Chong (Ken Jeong) stole from a fearsome mafia type (John Goodman). He assumes that the gang — sorry, Wolfpack — are the best way to find Chong and get payback.

It’s likely the series’ many fans are going to hate this threequel because it isn’t like the others and isn’t very funny. (Neither are the other two, but it’s nice that some people may catch up.) Occasional attempts at deepening the series fail, largely because the writers have tried to humanize the one character who under no circumstances should have been humanized: Galifianakis’ Alan, who ought to have become weirder and scarier, not more fragile and sad.

Honestly, none of the “Hangover” movies are great comedies. But they excel at other genres. At heart, they’re mysteries, and pretty good ones. They’re also incredibly dark. Death, perhaps a violent one, is always around the corner. “Part III” goes darker, even opening with the needless decapitation of a certain animal. Later, actual murder finally enters the franchise. Director Todd Phillips is getting better and better as a visual director of comedy, a genre that tends to treat filmmaking as an afterthought. Jokes are often told through careful framing, not performance, while he carefully allows the tone to sometimes shift to genuine danger. For about two seconds, “Part III” feels like it could end with our heroes dead. If it were actually that kind of movie, there’d be little reason to complain.

The post Film review: ‘The Hangover Part III’ tries something different appeared first on Metro.us.

A member of the Pussy Riot band who was jailed over a protest against President Vladimir Putin in a Russian cathedral said on Wednesday she was starting a hunger strike after she was barred from a parole hearing.

Maria Alyokhina also told her lawyers to quit the proceedings.

She and bandmate Nadezhda Tolokonnikova are serving two-year prison terms for bursting into Moscow’s main Russian Orthodox cathedral in February 2012 and singing a profanity-laced “punk prayer” urging the Virgin Mary: “Throw Putin out!”

Speaking by a video link from prison, Alyokhina told the court considering her request for release on parole that it had violated her rights by not allowing her to take part.

“In protest against the court’s refusal to allow me to appear in person to take part in the hearing, I’m going on a hunger strike,” Alyokhina was shown reading from her statement in a video from the prison in the Perm region.

“In the current circumstances I forbid all my lawyers and representatives to take part in this court hearing”.

The judge at the court in Berezniki, the Ural Mountains town more than 1,000 km (620 miles) northeast of Moscow, adjourned the hearing until Thursday.

Alyokhina’s lawyer packed up her things and left her seat behind the defense’s desk empty, acting on her client’s wishes. She said Alyokhina’s decision was a method of last resort.

“She decided that only in this way, with the attention (brought by) a hunger strike, could she show how the rights of defendants are violated,” Irina Khrunova said.

“She made this decision soundly, independently, and after deliberation.”

Alyokhina’s mother, Natalia, said she had little faith in Russian justice and would not raise her hopes of her daughter’s parole.

“I don’t expect anything good from the judge. It will be hard,” she said.

Reprimands Alyokhina received for violating the prison’s rules may block her parole. She was said to be rude to prison staff and to not respect sleeping hours.

Alyokhina, 24, and two bandmates were convicted of hooliganism motivated by religious hatred last August after a trial seen by Putin’s opponents as part of a clampdown on dissent during a third term in power he began in May 2012.

Western governments and many entertainers, including Madonna, said the sentence was disproportionate but Putin, a former KGB spy who has cultivated close ties with the Russian Orthodox Church, said the state needed to protect the faithful.

One of the three women jailed, Yekaterina Samutsevich, was freed last October when a judge suspended her sentence on appeal after she argued she had been prevented from taking part in the protest because a guard seized her.

Tolokonnikova, 23, was denied parole last month and both she and Alyokhina have had requests for their sentences deferred until their young children are older rejected by courts. They are due for release next March.

The post Pussy Riot member starts hunger strike to protest court ruling appeared first on Metro.us.

Catch “Top Gun” at the Intrepid on Friday.

The warmer weather means Memorial Day must be here! Postpone your barbecue for another weekend because the city has much to offer.

1. Honor the heroes
In case you’ve forgotten, Memorial Day is not simply an excuse for a three-day weekend. To honor the men and women who died while serving our country, head over to the Little Neck–Douglaston parade in Queens, the city’s largest, on Monday. This year’s parade is dedicated to those who served in Vietnam. And a visit to the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum seems like a no-brainer with their Summer Salute to Heroes. The Free Summer Movie Series on the Flight Deck begins Friday with “Top Gun.” The rest of the weekend is chockablock with performances, tours and activities.

2. Grab your swimsuit
All city beaches finally open for swimming on Saturday! If you find yourself in Coney Island, take a break from all the grueling sunbathing and go for a relaxing, heart-thumping ride on the Cyclone at Luna Park, which will be open seven days a week starting Saturday.

3. Go for a ride
On Monday, the CitiBike share will launch its preview week for annual members, and also, Bike and Roll NYC will offer free one-hour bike rentals on Governor’s Island. Anime-inspired hotel Yotel and custom bike company Strada Customs partner once again to offer hotel guests six specially designed fixies featuring snakeskin printed leather seats to commemorate the Year of the Snake. And biking may be one of your only modes of transportation if you live along the L line. Trains will not run between Lorimer St., Brooklyn and Eighth Ave., Manhattan from 11:30 p.m. Friday to 5 a.m. Tuesday.

4. Entertain the kids
This weekend signals the start of the summer season, a.k.a, every child’s favorite time of year. On Saturday, take the kids to the Dinosaur Safari debut at the Bronx Zoo. Governor’s Island also opens and the New York Aquarium in Coney Island, badly damaged by Hurricane Sandy, will partially open.

5. Stuff your face
From the folks who brought you Smorgasburg, SmorgasBar opens at the South Street Seaport on Friday. Food vendors include Asia Dog, Blue Marble Ice Cream, Red Hook Lobster Pound and newcomers Fonda. On Monday, Recette (328 W. 12st St., 212 414 3000) is offering a 3 course brunch from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. for $25 per person, and the Windsor West Village (234 W. Fourth Street, 212-206-1208) will be open at noon for their Memorial Day BBQ. Or, enjoy a Spanish twist on barbecue at Andanada (141 W. 69th St., 646-692-8762), which will serve a three course prix fixe with dishes like chorizo hot dogs and roasted bananas with cilantro and coconut sauce for $23. If you’re on the daring side, Louro (142 W. 10th St., 212-206-0606 ) is hosting a kelp cocktail pairing event with Brendan Smith of the Thimble Island Oyster Company ($45).

6. Go shopping
We plan to hit the Hester St. Fair (corner of Essex and Hester sts.) this three-day weekend. Besides browsing for vintage clothing, jewelry, crafts, home goods and more, you can take part in a Ping-Pong tournament on Saturday, and on Sunday, shop “Manhattan’s largest garage sale,” where neighborhood vendors are selling goods way below price.

The post Stuck in the city for Memorial Day? It’s OK! Here’s your game plan appeared first on Metro.us.

Part of an exhibition displaying outfits and photographs of Marilyn Monroe was stolen while being transported to the Czech Republic from Italy, the event’s curator said on Wednesday.

The exhibition, commemorating the 50th anniversary of her death, was created by the Museo Salvatore Ferragamo in Florence last year.

Ferragamo was the actress’ favorite shoemaker and she owned a dozen pairs of his hand-made shoes.

Curator Jan Trestik said a truck carrying mannequins and photographs was raided in an apparently coordinated attack in the central Czech Republic on trucks carrying luxury goods from Italy.

David Sebek, spokesman for Prague Castle, which is due to host the show, said most of the exhibits, including her dresses, had already arrived intact.

Prague police spokesman Tomas Hulan said officers were investigating the case but refused to give any details.

The post Part of Marilyn Monroe exhibition stolen on way to Prague appeared first on Metro.us.

With his new film “World War Z” coming out next month Brad Pitt is making headlines recently. After he revealed he might be face blind: meaning he does not remember anyone’s faces, it is now announced, via an Esquire interview, that he is done with sex scenes.

As we write this, we can hear teenage hearts from the 1990s breaking worldwide.

According to Esquire, Brad Pitt avoids onscreen sex scenes, out of respect for Angelina Jolie, and she does the same for him.

Pitt’s interview in the June/July issue of the magazine includes a quote from his good friend Frank Pollaro about the romance and love between Pitt and Jolie.

“Once I walked in and Angie was standing there and Zahara [the couple’s eight-year-old daughter] walked up and said, ‘Daddy, you’re not going to start making out with Mommy again, are you?’ And it’s like that,” Frank revealed.

“This is a guy who has tried not to do any sex scenes with other women since he’s met Angelina. He’s crazy about her, and she’s the same way about him.”

Pitt also opened up about his current relationship with Jolie as well as his ex-marriage to Jennifer Aniston.

“For a long time I thought I did too much damage – drug damage. I was a bit of a drifter. I went years fucking off. But then I got burnt out and felt that I was wasting my opportunity. It was a conscious change. This was about a decade ago. It was an epiphany – a decision not to squander my opportunities. It was a feeling of get up. Because otherwise, what’s the point?”

Pitt says he’s the happiest he’s ever been now.

“ I have a handful of close friends and I have my family and I haven’t known life to be any happier,” he said. “I’m making things. I just haven’t known life to be any happier.”

His new film “World War Z” will hit theaters June 21.

The post Brad Pitt retires from onscreen sex scenes appeared first on Metro.us.

There isn’t a language barrier when it comes to the music of Prince Royce.

The Latin music superstar rocked the crowd at Jay-Z’s Made in America Festival last summer — even though he sang his set in Spanish.

“It was such a big experience seeing so many genres [of music] and ethnicities getting together as one,” Royce says. “I was singing in Spanish and the people were dancing, it was really nice.”

Royce is a star in Latin America, but he’s certainly made in America. He was born in the States to Dominican parents and raised in the Bronx. His 2010 self-titled debut was a No. 1 smash on the Latin charts and his singles routinely rack up more than 30 million views on YouTube.

“There are so many kids like me growing up and raised Latin who were born in the United States, from mixed cultures,” Royce says. “I try to project that in my songs and my performances.”

It’s fitting that Royce is set to headline the El Zol Fest on Saturday at Festival Pier at Penn’s Landing. El Zol, located at 1340 AM, strives to appeal to listeners who speak both Spanish and English.

The foundation of Royce’s sound is bachata, a guitar-based music that originated in the countryside barrios of the Dominican Republic and has gone on to rival salsa and merengue music in much of Latin America. In the U.S., the music is still only regionally popular, but groups like Aventura have secured such a standing that they performed at the White House for President Obama in 2009.

Royce is making his music more mainstream by adding R&B accents and singing some songs in English, as he did with his bachata version of Ben E. King’s classic “Stand By Me.” He also has a pan-American appeal as he brings in diverse Latin influences, including Mexican ranchera, into his songs.

“I try to reach everybody in Latin culture,” Royce says. “I try to add different sounds to cater to everybody and give everybody something to try to explore.”

He’s diving all the way in to the English-speaking market in the next year or so with an English-language album from RCA.

“It’s definitely a challenge for me, it’s a whole new ballgame,” Royce says. “Myself, I grew up listening to R&B so we’ll have pop, a little Spanish and a little bit of Latin rhythms, but most of it will be in English with a Latin flavor.”
 

If you go

El Zol Fest with Prince Royce and Alex Matos

May 25, 7 p.m.

Festival Pier at Penn’s Landing

Columbus Blvd. and Spring Garden St.

$44.85

www.elzolphilly.com

The post Latin superstar Price Royce brings his signature sound to Penn’s Landing appeared first on Metro.us.

Is anyone surprised ‘The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2’ leads the movie categories for most Teen Choice 2013 nominations?

The awards show, which celebrates the hottest teen icons in television, film, music, sports, fashion and comedy announced this year’s nominees.

The awards show will be broadcast on FOX on Sunday, August 11.

As of today, teens can vote one a day per category. The full list of nominees is below:

MOVIES
Choice Movie: Action
“G.I. Joe: Retaliation”
“Iron Man 3”
“Skyfall”
“The Bourne Legacy”
“The Dark Knight Rises”

Choice Movie Actor: Action
Christian Bale, “The Dark Knight Rises”
Daniel Craig, “Skyfall”
Robert Downey, Jr., “Iron Man 3”
Chris Hemsworth, “Red Dawn”
Dwayne Johnson, “G.I. Joe: Retaliation”

Choice Movie Actress: Action
Jessica Biel, “Total Recall”
Anne Hathaway, “The Dark Knight Rises”
Adrianne Palicki, “G.I. Joe: Retaliation”
Gwyneth Paltrow, “Iron Man 3”
Rachel Weisz, “The Bourne Legacy”

Choice Movie: Sci-Fi/Fantasy
“Beautiful Creatures”
“Iron Man 3”
“Oblivion”
“Oz the Great and Powerful”
“The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2”

Choice Movie Actor: Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Tom Cruise, “Oblivion”
Robert Downey, Jr., “Iron Man 3”
James Franco, “Oz the Great and Powerful”
Taylor Lautner, “The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2”
Robert Pattinson, “The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2”

Choice Movie Actress: Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Mila Kunis, “Oz the Great and Powerful”
Gwyneth Paltrow, “Iron Man 3”
Saoirse Ronan, “The Host”
Kristen Stewart, “The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2”
Michelle Williams, “Oz the Great and Powerful”

Choice Movie: Drama
“Argo”
“Les Misérables”
“The Great Gatsby”
“The Impossible”
“The Perks of Being a Wallflower”

Choice Movie Actor: Drama
Ben Affleck, “Argo”
Bradley Cooper, “The Words”
Leonardo DiCaprio, “The Great Gatsby”
Hugh Jackman, “Les Misérables”
Logan Lerman, “The Perks of Being a Wallflower”

Choice Movie Actress: Drama
Halle Berry, “The Call”
Anne Hathaway, “Les Misérables”
Carey Mulligan, “The Great Gatsby”
Emma Watson, “The Perks of Being a Wallflower”
Naomi Watts, “The Impossible”

Choice Movie: Comedy
“Identity Thief”
“Peeples”
“Pitch Perfect”
“The Incredible Burt Wonderstone”
“Warm Bodies”

Choice Movie Actor: Comedy
Skylar Astin, “Pitch Perfect”
Jason Bateman, “Identity Thief”
Steve Carell, “The Incredible Burt Wonderstone”
Nicholas Hoult, “Warm Bodies”
Craig Robinson, “Peeples”

Choice Movie Actress: Comedy
Anna Kendrick, “Pitch Perfect”
Melissa McCarthy, “Identity Thief”
Kerry Washington, “Peeples”
Olivia Wilde, “The Incredible Burt Wonderstone”
Rebel Wilson, “Pitch Perfect”

Choice Movie: Romance
“Beautiful Creatures”
“Les Misérables”
“Safe Haven”
“The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2”
“Warm Bodies”

Choice Movie Actor: Romance
Josh Duhamel, “Safe Haven”
Alden Ehrenreich, “Beautiful Creatures”
Nicholas Hoult, “Warm Bodies”
Robert Pattinson, “The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2”
Eddie Redmayne, “Les Misérables”

Choice Movie Actress: Romance
Jessica Biel, “Playing for Keeps”
Alice Englert, “Beautiful Creatures”
Julianne Hough, “Safe Haven”
Amanda Seyfried, “Les Misérables”
Kristen Stewart, “The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2”

TELEVISION
Choice TV Show: Drama
“Gossip Girl”
“Nashville”
“Pretty Little Liars”
“Revenge”
“Switched At Birth”

Choice TV Actor: Drama
Penn Badgley, “Gossip Girl”
Joshua Bowman, “Revenge”
Lucas Grabeel, “Switched At Birth”
Ian Harding, “Pretty Little Liars”
Nick Wechsler, “Revenge”

Choice TV Actress: Drama
Troian Bellisario, “Pretty Little Liars”
Blake Lively, “Gossip Girl”
Vanessa Marano, “Switched At Birth”
Hayden Panettiere, “Nashville”
Emily VanCamp, “Revenge”

Choice TV Show: Fantasy/Sci-Fi
“Arrow”
“Beauty and The Beast”
“Once Upon a Time”
“Supernatural”
“The Vampire Diaries”

Choice TV Actor: Fantasy/Sci-Fi
Jensen Ackles, “Supernatural”
Stephen Amell, “Arrow”
Jared Padalecki, “Supernatural”
Ian Somerhalder, “The Vampire Diaries”
Paul Wesley, “The Vampire Diaries”

Choice TV Actress: Fantasy/Sci-Fi
Katie Cassidy, “Arrow”
Nina Dobrev, “The Vampire Diaries”
Ginnifer Goodwin, “Once Upon a Time”
Kat Graham, “The Vampire Diaries”
Kristin Kreuk, “Beauty and the Beast”

Choice TV Show: Action
“Chicago Fire”
“Elementary”
“Hawaii Five-0”
“NCIS: Los Angeles”
“Nikita”

Choice TV Actor: Action
Scott Caan, “Hawaii Five-0”
LL Cool J, “NCIS: Los Angeles”
Jonny Lee Miller, “Elementary”
Jesse Spencer, “Chicago Fire”
Shane West, “Nikita”

Choice TV Actress: Action
Lyndsy Fonseca, “Nikita”
Lucy Liu, “Elementary”
Grace Park, “Hawaii Five-0”
Maggie Q, “Nikita”
Monica Raymund, “Chicago Fire”

Choice TV Show: Comedy
“The Big Bang Theory”
GLEE
“Modern Family”
NEW GIRL
“Suburgatory”

Choice TV Actor: Comedy
Chris Colfer, GLEE
Jake Johnson, NEW GIRL
Ashton Kutcher, “Two And a Half Men”
Jim Parsons, “The Big Bang Theory”
Eric Stonestreet, “Modern Family”

Choice TV Actress: Comedy
Kaley Cuoco, “The Big Bang Theory”
Zooey Deschanel, NEW GIRL
Mindy Kaling, THE MINDY PROJECT
Lea Michele, GLEE
Bridgit Mendler, “Good Luck Charlie”

Choice TV: Animated Show
“Adventure Time”
BOB’S BURGERS
FAMILY GUY
“Gravity Falls”
THE SIMPSONS

Choice TV: Reality Competition Show
AMERICAN IDOL
“The Bachelor”
“Dancing with the Stars”
“The Voice”
THE X FACTOR

Choice TV: Reality Show
“Dance Moms”
“Here Comes Honey Boo Boo”
“Keeping Up with the Kardashians”
“Married to Jonas”
“Tia & Tamera”

MUSIC
Choice Male Artist
Justin Bieber
Bruno Mars
Phillip Phillips
Pitbull
Justin Timberlake

Choice Female Artist
Selena Gomez
Demi Lovato
Pink
Rihanna
Taylor Swift

Choice Music Group
Big Time Rush
fun.
Maroon 5
One Direction
The Wanted

Choice R&B Artist
Beyoncé
Alicia Keys
Bruno Mars
Miguel
Trey Songz

Choice Hip-Hop/Rap Artist
Drake
Macklemore & Ryan Lewis
Nicki Minaj
Pitbull
Kanye West

Choice Rock Group
AWOLNATION
Imagine Dragons
Mumford & Sons
Paramore
The Lumineers

Choice Electronic Dance Music (EDM) Artist
Deadmau5
David Guetta
Calvin Harris
Kaskade
Skrillex
Swedish House Mafia

Choice Male Country Artist
Jason Aldean
Luke Bryan
Eric Church
Hunter Hayes
Blake Shelton

Choice Female Country Artist
Jana Kramer
Miranda Lambert
Kacey Musgraves
Taylor Swift
Carrie Underwood

Choice Country Group
Florida Georgia Line
Lady Antebellum
Little Big Town
The Band Perry
Thompson Square

FASHION
Choice Female Hottie
Miley Cyrus
Megan Fox
Selena Gomez
Mila Kunis
Demi Lovato

Choice Male Hottie
Justin Bieber
Liam Hemsworth
Taylor Lautner
Harry Styles
Channing Tatum

Choice Smile
Selena Gomez
Taylor Lautner
Demi Lovato
Harry Styles
Taylor Swift

SPORTS
Choice Female Athlete
Gabby Douglas
Missy Franklin
Alex Morgan
Danica Patrick
Lindsey Vonn
Serena Williams

Choice Male Athlete
David Beckham
LeBron James
Colin Kaepernick
Michael Phelps
Shaun White

Choice Comedian
Ellen DeGeneres
Jimmy Fallon
Melissa McCarthy
Daniel Tosh
Rebel Wilson

The post Full list of Teen Choice 2013 nominations appeared first on Metro.us.

We like big balls and we cannot lie – meatballs that is. These delicious spheres of meat are one of our favorite time-tested snacks. Who has the biggest and the best balls in New York? We went balls to the wall in our search of the city’s most coveted ballers. Let’s get the ball rolling, shall we? (And yes, these ball puns will continue.)

Meatball Obsession
510 Sixth Ave., 212-260-8646

Daniel Mancini remembers his grandmother serving him a meatball in a coffee mug as he watched her in the kitchen as a kid. Years later, he now shares that childhood memory with New Yorkers at this West Village walk-up window. After all, balls are meant to roll, so get your order of balls-on-the-go in a cup of piping hot sauce with toppings like ricotta cheese and gnocchi.

“My grandmother’s meatballs and Sunday sauce may not be as good as your grandmother’s, but I make them with the same love,” Mancini likes to say. We think they might be almost as good as our grandmother’s, though. Shhh, don’t tell Nana!

The Meatball Shop
200 Ninth Ave., 212-257-4363
84 Stanton St., 212-982-8895
170 Bedford Ave., 718-551-0520
64 Greenwich Ave., 212-982-7815

How do you manage to stay on the ball in a competitive meatball city like NYC? Co-owners Daniel Holzman and Michael Chernow put all their balls in one basket, opening a plethora of restaurants that specialize in meatballs — and nothing else. If you like variety in your balls (that’s called free-balling), you’ve come to the right place. Have a ball mixing and matching meats and sauces, and don’t forget add-ons like the “family jewels” (a fried egg). Our favorite combo is the chicken meatballs with Parmesan cream sauce. Vegetarians will be delighted by the veggie balls with pesto.

Num Pang
140 E. 41st St., 212 867-8889
1129 Broadway, 212-647-8889
21 E. 12th St., 212-255-3271
75 Ninth Ave., inside Chelsea Market, 212-390-8851

The Italians aren’t the only ones who know balls. This Cambodian sandwich shop puts an Eastern twist on meatballs that will have you feeling ballsy. A heaping pile of beef hoisin meatballs is stacked atop a fresh baguette with shredded carrots, cilantro and smothered in zesty chili mayo. You’ll need two hands and a whole lot of napkins for this baby, ’cause these balls are quite the handful. A variety of locations all over town lets you grab some balls wherever you might be.

Stanton Social
99 Stanton St., 212-995-0099

If you wake up with balls on the brain, head straight to Stanton Social, where old school meatballs grace the brunch menu. Bring the old ball-and-chain with you while you’re at it, because the double order of traditional meatballs can easily be shared among two. These pork, veal and ground Wagyu beef balls are the perfect balance of traditional and modern-style balls, with a little surprise on top: ricotta-stuffed manicotti.

Piccolo Angolo
621 Hudson St., 212-229-9177

If you think you can play hardball with the best of them, head to this classic Italian joint for a trip to the old country. It’s exactly the type of atmosphere you imagine when you think about sitting down to a heaping pile of spaghetti and meatballs. We hope you’re hungry for balls, because Piccolo Angolo serves em’ up nice and big. Seriously, one ball will feed at least two people — we won’t bust your balls if you can’t finish it. These giant meat globes are served in fresh tomato sauce and are washed down perfectly with the charming bottles of house wine that grace each table.

Casa Nonna
310 W. 38th St., 212-736-3000

You’re in Midtown and you’re craving meatballs – what do you do? Head to this hidden treasure off the beaten path and get your ball fix, of course. There is plenty to choose from on the menu at Casa Nonna, but we’re partial to the polpettine di vitello. Ball hard with these steaming hot veal meatballs in pomodoro sauce perfectly balanced with a cool dollop of ricotta cheese.

The post Get your ball fix with Metro’s guide to meatball madness appeared first on Metro.us.

Sequels come in few flavors. Some continue a storyline. Some hit repeat. Others, like the James Bonds, help a franchise endure by shape-shifting, adapting for the times and swapping out stars as they age or move on. Very few completely change course midstream. With “The Hangover Part III” not being about a hangover, unlike parts I and II, we round up films that mess with formula — and sometimes get burned.

‘Sudden Impact’ (1981)
Clint Eastwood made his directorial debut with “Play Misty for Me” in 1971, the same year he first embodied rebel cop “Dirty” Harry Callahan. The five-film series had mostly been helmed by genre directors of varying quality. For the fourth, Eastwood — a more laid back and thoughtful breed of filmmaker than, say, Ted Post (“Magnum Force”) — took over. Though it’s the one that features the “Make my day” bit, it’s a slower and more probing film than the rest, with Harry finding unexpected empathy with a vengeful murderer (Sondra Locke) he’d historically have gunned down with his .44. Regardless of this, it’s the series’ biggest grosser.

‘Halloween III: Season of the Witch’ (1982)
John Carpenter originally envisioned his series as boasting new villains with every film. But even though the first sequel brought back Michael Myers, the third adhered to this vision, thus confusing everyone when the baddie turned out to be 62-year-old Dan O’Herlihy, playing the owner of a Halloween costume manufacturer hell-bent on a bizarre form of domination.

‘Army of Darkness’ (1993)
“Evil Dead” goes medieval! Ash, the survivor of “The Evil Dead” and its comic sequel/sorta-remake, was suddenly whisked to the Middle Ages for no reason other than, “Wouldn’t that be kind of awesome if a gorefest franchise did that?”

‘The Neverending Story III’ (1994)
It’s probably appropriate that the first “Neverending Story” film only got about halfway through the book’s events. A barely seen 1990 sequel covered, rather unfaithfully, the rest. Even fewer people saw the third, which goes with its own narrative but spends most of the time away from magical Fantasia and in the real world, including malls, where people run from the bad guy (played by a young Jack Black).

‘Babe 2: Pig in the City’ (1998)
There could have easily been endless nice films about Babe, the talking pig, on his farm with talking animals. But the first sequel killed these prospects dead by taking our pig into a mega-city and going dementedly, creepily, wonderfully dark. Parents famously freaked, but most kids would adore this.

‘Universal Soldier: Day of Reckoning’ (2012)
When no one was looking, “Universal Soldier — a modest hit for Jean-Claude Van Damme and Dolph Lundgren back in 1992 — lived on as a direct-to-video mainstay about the cyborg battler. Anyone who caught up with its sixth entry would have been shocked to see it barely resemble the original: Van Damme is the bad guy, the star is just some guy (Scott Adkins) on a routine revenge mission and, most glaringly, the film, by director John Hyams, is very well-made and a lot of fun.

‘The Hangover Part III’ (2013)
There’s no hangover. There’s no wedding. And there’s nothing of equal or even comparable invention to dudes trying to find out what they did when they were blackout crazy drunk. Still, at least they tried. (And they failed.)

The post Movie sequels that went their own way appeared first on Metro.us.

Rapper Pitbull has taken his blend of American pop music fused with Latin beats from the clubs of Miami to international pop charts, but he now is crossing into film with his first acting role as an animated character in the upcoming movie “Epic.”

Pitbull, whose real name is Armando Perez, has become a staple in the pop music field with lively dance-floor tracks including recent chart hits “Feel This Moment” with Christina Aguilera and “Live it Up” with Jennifer Lopez. The rapper, 32, plays street-smart frog Bufo in “Epic,” due to be released Friday and which explores a secret universe where the natural world is battling evil forces. Pitbull talked to Reuters about his film debut, working with Lopez and the origins of his numerous nicknames.

What do you make of this whole animation world you got a chance to work in?
Before I didn’t understand what it meant to put a voice to animation and see it come to life. But I’m always game for trying new things. I love how those artists could see my voice on the character before it was even drawn up.

How did the animators bring your influence to the character of Bufo the frog? Did they capture your essence?
They captured a piece of my essence, absolutely. The suits, the business/hustler, knowing how to navigate his way through the good and bad. Bufo knows how to play the middle. It’s business, not personal for him. I think they captured about 75 percent of my essence. The gestures, the hand movements, the way he walks — I think they watched me a lot in the studio when I was there.

Many musical artists have made their way to film. Why haven’t you transitioned sooner?
It’s all about timing. I’ve had projects on the table but I didn’t have the time to do them. This caught me at the right time … I hope there’s a sequel because I would love to see more of Bufo. I have a lot of good ideas for them, ideas that would capture the rest of that 25 percent of the essence they may have missed.

Your stage moniker ‘Pitbull’ comes from a breed of a dog that tends to get a lot of bad press.
Pitbulls are misunderstood, and that’s the same thing with me when I first came into the music business. Being Cuban-American made me politically incorrect. My whole life was trying to make people understand that we all come from the same place. It’s the same with the dog. The pitbull is a very loyal, very loving dog that doesn’t understand the concept of losing. I believe in fighting hard for what you believe in and never giving up.

How important is your Cuban heritage?
It’s very important. I’m Cuban-American, first generation. The Latin culture is everything. But I’m very careful to not let that box me in. I want to represent [my heritage] and I’m proud of who I am, but it’s about letting others know that we are just like everybody else. We don’t want people to judge us; we want people to understand us, to see that we’ve gone through the same things everybody else has gone through and suffered the same struggles.

What were some of the pivotal moments in your career that really changed things for you?
The record that took it global was “I Know You Want Me” (in 2009). Before that, I lived in the clubs and in the streets as far as my music. But that song took it to the next level. “Give Me Everything” (in 2011) was a turning point. This record coming out (on May 28) called “Outta Nowhere” will be another turning point, I think.

How so?
It’s a different side of me. It’s going to show everything that we’ve been speaking about here — motivation, believing in yourself, not giving up. With this record, I wanted to come out of nowhere, which is why the name is perfect.

‘Live It Up’ is your third collaboration with Jennifer Lopez, following ‘On the Floor’ and ‘Dance Again.’ What’s your partnership like?
Jennifer is a hard worker, very professional, gorgeous — and she’s a walking empire. Anytime I’m around her, I’m watching, learning, studying. It’s a natural combination, like a student and teacher. I’m a student all day. I think it would be an honor for Jennifer to watch me grow and say, “That kid did learn.”

With all your recent success, do you feel like you’ve gotten the respect you deserve? Do you feel more relaxed now and less needing to prove yourself?
No, I’m never relaxed. I think complacency is a cousin of death. As far as respect, whether they do or don’t, to each his own. But I do tell you this much, this is just the beginning. I promise you, it’s just the beginning.

The post Pitbull on music, Jennifer Lopez and his ‘Epic’ acting role appeared first on Metro.us.

Walking the red carpet of the world’s most famous film showcase is a test of nerves for celebrities, not helped by wind, rain and the chaos of hundreds of photographers shouting their names. From choosing the perfect dress and hairdo, to trying not to trip on the famous red steps, the pressure is on for movie stars and glitterati at the 12-day Cannes film festival on the swanky French Riviera, which wraps up May 26. “It’s always scary and I’m always intimidated by these things,” actress Carey Mulligan told Reuters TV after her entrance in the pouring rain at the festival’s premiere of Baz Luhrmann’s “The Great Gatsby” in a pale pink Dior gown.

“There’s always a lot of pressure. Girls have lots of pressure. But I felt great and comfortable. Apart from the rain it was all pretty smooth,” she said. An actress who can smile, wave to the cameras and sign autographs while battling wet feet, goosebumps and mussed hairdos deserves an acting award. “I’m going to blow away! I feel like Mary Poppins!” joked jury member Nicole Kidman, wearing a spring-like floral gown, also by Dior, on opening night.

In the latest celebrity wardrobe malfunction, “Desperate Housewives” star Eva Longoria inadvertently exposed herself as she hiked up her gown to avoid red carpet puddles on Saturday. The foul weather has meant local stores have done brisk sales of jackets, sweaters, closed-toe shoes and umbrellas.

Some stars, however, managed to stay immaculately groomed. French actress Marion Cotillard arrived at Monday’s premiere of “Blood Ties” by director Guillaume Canet and co-starring Clive Owen with a high beehive hairdo that would have been impossible without a girl’s best friend: hairspray.

Even less-glamorous dealmakers who head to the festival to buy and sell new films have been affected by the weather. “If this Cannes market turns out to be slower than usual, I will blame it entirely on wet socks,” tweeted Magnolia Pictures executive Peter Van Steemburg.

With all eyes in the entertainment industry on Cannes, making a memorable red carpet entrance is a must for stars, and brands from Swarovski to L’Oreal also seek to benefit. “Now the movies, and especially the red carpet, are becoming the new fashion catwalks,” said Swarovski’s public relations director Francois Ortarix. “As a brand, we had to be here also.”

Stars managed to keep the fashion stakes high, with fashionistas like China’s Fan Bingbing showing off new outfits at a series of parties. Dior, with its full skirts and elegant appeal, appeared to be the favorite of the fashion set this year as new designer Raf Simons has made wooing A-listers a priority. Cotillard and actress Jessica Biel attended Dior’s cruise collection fashion show in Monaco on Saturday night. It was marked by bold colors and pointy-toed shoes.

But some opted for Chanel: “Harry Potter” actress Emma Watson chose a pink and black sequined dual-tone dress for the premiere of Sofia Coppola’s “The Bling Ring.” Model and actress Milla Jovovich chose a black and white floral sequined Chanel in one of the few bold prints to hit the red carpet.

An even more striking choice was made by “Baywatch” actor David Hasselhoff, in town to promote his new movie “Killing Hasselhoff,” who wore a fuchsia pink shirt under his tuxedo. “Red carpet, pink shirt … I know, sorry,” he quipped.

The post Nerves of steel and hairspray are musts for Cannes red carpet appeared first on Metro.us.

Will Smith may be heading back to the music world, and if he does we have Kanye West to thank.

“I’ve been messing around with Kanye,” Smith tells HipHollywood.com. “We went in the studio a couple times, so I might get the bug. I’m not going to do it unless I’m truly inspired, but [Kanye has] been pushing me a little bit.”

Smith has not released any music since 2005. In a recent interview with Metro, Smith said musically he’s not that poetic with his lyrics but in thinking of the big picture. “My strength is ideas. And record structure. I knew how to make records in the way you get to the hook when the crowd wants it.”

The post The Word: Is Will Smith going to release a new album? appeared first on Metro.us.

Whoa, this sounds like a game changer: Amazon Publishing announced Wednesday that it will soon debut Kindle Worlds, the first commercial platform designed for officially sanctioned fanfiction, according to Deadline. Fanfiction writers can not only publish their work on Kindle Worlds; they can earn royalties for doing so.

Here’s how Kindle Worlds will work: Rights holders will license their content to the platform. They’ve already got Alloy Entertainment’s “Gossip Girl,” “Pretty Little Liars” and “The Vampire Diaries” books signed on, and they expect to announce more soon. When a writer puts their fiction on Amazon’s platform, every sale generates royalties for both the author and the holder of the rights for the original content.

It’s not surprising to hear that someone’s trying to aggressively monetize fanfiction: Last year’s megahit book series, the erotic trilogy “50 Shades of Grey,” was originally written as “Twilight”-inspired fanfiction. But will writers be able to release control of their creations from their inkstained little hands? At least some seem willing to embrace it.

“I loved writing the characters in this world, the dynamics of the friendship between the four girls as they deal with life-threatening situations,” says “Pretty Little Liars” writer Barbara Freethy. “I also really enjoy the ongoing mysteries and surprising twists that always keep the reader guessing. It’s great that Amazon Publishing has given those who put passion into fanfiction the opportunity to commercialize this work.”

The post The Word: Amazon is now in the fanfiction business appeared first on Metro.us.

Zoe Saldana is shaking her head at the backlash she’s been feeling over her Allure magazine cover story that revealed her weight as 115 pounds.

“I don’t understand it sometimes. It almost felt like you were just looking for a reason to just be upset at the fact that I allowed myself to be very free and collaborating with a magazine that is known for collaborating with the subjects,” she tells E! News. “It’s not the first time that people have said, ‘For such a delicate-looking person, you’re very tough.’ And I think that was the idea that they wanted to get across as a compliment to what they saw in me.”

In that article, the ”Star Trek Into Darkness” star hinted that she might be bisexual. Zoe says she might “end up with a woman raising my children … that’s how androgynous I am!”

Did Saldana just come out as bi, or does she just mean she plans to have a nanny? And what does androgyny have to do with anything? It’s unclear — she refuses to say whether she’s ever had a romantic relationship with another woman.

The post The Word: Zoe Saldana faces backlash over Allure magazine cover appeared first on Metro.us.

In the wake of her split from Robert Pattinson, Kristen Stewart is apparently seeking the counsel of a pal who’s something of a breakup specialist.

The “Twilight” star was spotted heading to Taylor Swift’s Beverly Hills home earlier this week, according to PopSugar. Kristen reportedly “spent all day there” before heading home.

This comes after Rob was seen removing his possessions and dogs from Kristen’s house. According to the Daily News, Rob and Kristen’s relationship has been strained for some time, and they’ve been arguing about her moodiness and her cheating with director Rupert Sanders last year.

Kristen is reportedly devastated by the breakup.”She tried, they both tried,” a source tells Us Weekly of the split. “They’re both good people. It was just not the right thing for either of them right now.”

The post The Word: Kristen Stewart sees a ‘breakup specialist’ (aka: Taylor Swift) appeared first on Metro.us.

Julie Delpy has developed quite the professional relationship with co-star Ethan Hawke and director Richard Linklater. Every nine years they re-team for another look into the lives of Celine and Jesse, the lovers we met 18 years ago on a train to Vienna in “Before Sunrise” and saw again in Paris in 2004′s “Before Sunset.” The latest, “Before Midnight,” finds them married with twin daughters finishing up a summer in Greece — and debating where their relationship is headed. Delpy helped clue us in to some of the secrets of their quiet franchise.

There’s no one side for the audience to root for:
“Here there’s no bad guy in particular, but they still have to make compromises — and what compromise might jeopardize their relationship, their love?” says Delpy. “It’s all about finding the right road. When you have a long-term relationship, you have to make choices. Actually their relationship started with a choice that Jesse made, which was to follow his heart, but that comes with consequences, and the film starts with the consequence of that choice. We find them in a situation where they have to make a choice again, and it might jeopardize their entire life. That’s the life of a relationship.”

It’s not a chick flick:
“It’s very important that it’s balanced female and male, that it’s not a macho movie or a feminist movie with a meaning or anything — that it’s very, very balanced in that sense,” explains Delpy, who also co-wrote the script with Linklater and Hawke. “And that’s our goal, actually, to make sure when we write this that it’s neither macho or feminist. She doesn’t hate men.”

The emotional scenes are just more fun:
“It’s pleasurable for an actor, believe it or not, to cry, to suffer. It’s a pleasant thing,” she admits. “That’s what we train for. When you see someone on camera crying or being hurt, they’re actually enjoying it. [laughs] But actually what’s most painful is the simple things. That’s the hardest thing to find as an actor. I mean, obviously it is draining as an actor to do scenes where you’re emotional and stuff, but there’s a certain pleasure to it. I can’t explain it. Or maybe I’m weird, I don’t know.”

She knows everything they’ve been doing between movies:
“We have to think about their backstory every time we start to write one line on the screenplay,” Delpy says. “You can’t start writing without knowing everything about what happened in between. I wouldn’t say Celine lives with me 24/7, otherwise I’d be crazy — like there’s a bunch of people in my head. [laughs] Truly we let go of them, but then when we get back to working on those films, it’s a tremendous amount of homework figuring out what happened during those nine years. But we have the luxury of time.”

Now, how about the next movie?
As for where Celine and Jesse will be in nine years, “I don’t know yet,” Delpy says. “I have no clue. We actually don’t think about the future, that’s how we operate on these films. We don’t want to think about the fourth. We might not even do a fourth, this could be it. We made three, that’s a lot already.”

The post Julie Delpy dishes on sustaining the ‘Before’ indie franchise appeared first on Metro.us.

“Star Trek Into Darkness” producer Damon Lindelof has heard fans’ complaints about the film’s gratuitous female skin. And you know what? He thinks they’re right on the money.

The new “Star Trek” film, which opened last weekend, has some fans riled up because of a scene in which Alice Eve, who plays Dr. Carol Marcus (who? Well, exactly.) wanders around seminude while talking to Captain Kirk (Chris Pine). Many are calling the scene unnecessary and misogynistic, and Lindelof took to Twitter to admit they’ve got a point.

“I copped to the fact that we should have done a better job of not being gratuitous in our representation of a barely clothed actress,” Lindelof tweeted.

He does claim that they’re equal opportunity objectifiers, at least. “We also had Kirk shirtless in underpants in both movies. Do not want to make light of something that some construe as mysogenistic.”

Oh, so Lindelof stripped down Chris Pine because he finds him smoking hot? I sort of doubt that. It’s great that Lindelof’s taking responsibility for his film’s misogyny, but it might be a little more reassuring if he could at least spell the word.

“Also, I need to learn how to spell ‘misogynistic.’” OK, maybe he really is listening to our concerns.

The post The Word: ‘Star Trek Into Darkness’ producer is sorry for Alice Eve’s underwear scene appeared first on Metro.us.

“Dancing with the Stars” wrapped up its 16th season last night and crowned a new famous person who’s slightly better at fancy dancing than other famous people. Spoiler alert: This season’s winner is singer and “American Idol” runner-up Kellie Pickler.

Pickler, who is apparently better at dancing than she is at singing, took the top prize with her partner Derek Hough. They beat out Disney star Zendaya and his partner Val Chermkovskiy in second place, football player Jacoby Jones and Karina Smirnoff in third, and left gymnastics gold medalist Aly Raisman and Mark Ballas trailing in fourth, according to E! Online. Too bad there’s no combo foxtrot/parallel bars event in ballroom dancing — Raisman would’ve had it in the bag.

Zendaya was a gracious runner-up. ”I’m very proud and I get to leave here with an amazing experience, so I’m happy,” he said.

Jacoby Jones also chose not to throw a tantrum about losing and praised his partner. ”Out of all my trainers that I’ve had, I’ve never had a woman that pushed me like she did,” he said of Karina.

Due to sagging ratings, “Dancing with the Stars” will air only once a week when it returns for a 17th season in the fall, according to USA Today.

The post The Word: ‘Dancing with the Stars’ has a new champ appeared first on Metro.us.

How do you get from Australia to starring in big Hollywood films like “Bridesmaids”? No really, how do you physically get there? That is quite far. For Rebel Wilson, the answer came in the form of a fellow Aussie who’d already made the leap across the pond: She says Nicole Kidman financed her first sojourn stateside.

“When I learned about acting, Nicole Kidman gave me a scholarship. Not that much money. But I came here, saw Broadway shows and got a West 46th Street apartment,” Rebel, who apparently has a different definition of “not that much money” than I do, told the New York Post.

That wasn’t the first weird stop in the Rebel World Tour, either: Her decision to become an actress was made during a disease-induced vision. “I was in South Africa, law school, when I developed malaria. It affected my brain. Hallucinating from drugs, I thought I’d won an Oscar,” she said.

Rebel did once try to thank her tall ginger benefactress, but it didn’t go that well. “One time in Sydney, I saw [Nicole Kidman] having dinner with Russell Crowe and I go, ‘OK, now’s my chance. I’m going to say thank you. I went up to them but, before I could say anything, Russell Crowe turns to me and says, ‘F— off!’ I just put my head down and walked the other way. But thanks, Nicole!”

The post The Word: Nicole Kidman paid for Rebel Wilson to move to America appeared first on Metro.us.

If there’s one thing we all know in this modern world of ours, it’s that the only thing worse than gluten intolerance is gluten intolerance intolerance. The Disney Channel learned that lesson the hard way this week, when it was forced to pull an episode of “Jessie” that mocked a kid on a gluten-free diet following a fan outcry.

Gluten-free diets are both a health necessity for some serious disorders and a trendy way to be difficult at restaurants. Disney realized too late that they maybe shouldn’t expect children to make the distinction and quickly moved to kill the episode, which included a scene of people throwing pancakes at the gluten-free kid while he screams “Gluten!” and wipes his face, according to CBS News.

“We are removing this particular episode from our regular programming schedule and will re-evaluate its references to gluten restrictions in the character’s diet,” the Disney Channel said in a statement on Facebook. “Please accept our apologies for the upset this episode caused you and your family.”

Pah. Kids today are soft. If they can’t be mocked for potentially life-threatening dietary conditions, what can I mock them for? Oh, nothing? I shouldn’t mock children? Whatever. Like I said: soft.

The post The Word: Disney Channel yanks episode mocking gluten intolerance appeared first on Metro.us.

Jonathan Rhys Meyers reportedly tops director J.J. Abrams’ dream cast list for the next film in the “Star Wars” saga, according to E! Online.

If so, he would join old “Star Wars” hands Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford and Carrie Fisher, who played Luke, Han and Leia in the original trilogy. The Big Three, as I call them and no one else does, are reportedly already confirmed to make appearances in the new film.

Rhys Meyers, who previously starred in the historical drama “The Tudors,” seems like an excellent heir to the shiny sword, following a long line of thick-necked man candy. In fact, he kind of looks like the love child of Hayden Christensen and Ewan McGregor. Well, this is a science fiction universe. That could well be his origin story. My only concern, really, is that he might be too good of an actor to fit in in the “Star Wars” universe.

“Star Wars: Episode VII,” to be directed by J.J. Abrams, is the first of three new “Star Wars” films announced by Disney in October 2012, when it purchased George Lucas’ Lucasfilm company for $4.05 billion.

Disney has said it will also produce a new “Star Wars” animated series to air on television in autumn 2014, giving fans of the science-fiction franchise fresh stories before the next live-action film hits theaters in 2015.

The post The Word: Jonathan Rhys Meyers is reportedly top casting choice for ‘Star Wars’ appeared first on Metro.us.

Oscar winner Ang Lee canceled his plans to direct the pilot of new television series “Tyrant,” saying on Tuesday that he needed to rest after spending four years working on 3D fantasy-adventure film “Life of Pi.”

Lee, 58, signed on to direct the pilot of the drama series for cable network FX in March, shortly after winning the Best Director Oscar for “Life of Pi.”

“It is one of the most brilliant ideas for a series that I’ve seen and one about which I was very excited,” Lee said in a statement. “However, after spending over four years making and promoting ‘Life of Pi,’ I have recently realized that I need some rest.”

“Tyrant” tells the story of an American family that is pulled into the workings of a restive Middle Eastern nation, and Lee was slated to begin filming the pilot this summer.

It would have been the Taiwanese-born director’s first foray into television.

“Tyrant” is produced by Howard Gordon and Gideon Raff, who also are producers on Showtime’s Emmy-winning counter-terrorism thriller “Homeland.”

FX did not immediately reply to messages seeking comment.

The post Citing fatigue, director Ang Lee leaves pilot of TV series ‘Tyrant’ appeared first on Metro.us.

The title of Woodmere Art Museum’s 72nd annual juried exhibition, In Front of Strangers I Sing, comes from the final line of Romanian poet Paul Celan’s “Night Ray.” This year’s jurors, Philadelphia artists Dona Nelson and Rubens Ghenov, thought the line applied to the show as a whole, which is mounted in the museum’s eccentric gallery space, in particular its grand rotunda.

“We were thinking of the museum as a strange piece of architecture,” Ghenov says. “It looks like a boat, or to me it looks like an asymmetrical opera house. We were thinking about the pieces in the show being these choir-like voices singing in front of strangers, so that line in the poem resonated with the feeling or the sentiment of the show.”

Unusually for the Woodmere, this year’s exhibition focuses strongly on conceptual work from young Philadelphia artists such as Anthony Campuzano, Ryan Foley and Virginia Fleming. There is little of the traditional landscape or abstract work the museum is usually associated with. That tendency emerged from a combination of the jurors’ tastes and the evolution of the selection process, according to Ghenov: “The pieces and artists we chose began to concoct a type of story. We began to see thematic elements appearing, which fortified our selections a little more.”

The themes that emerged, Ghenov says, deal with a particular Philly regionalism, and with a blending of artistic styles and approaches. “There’s a lot of work where disciplines began to cross over into each other. Photographs that were acting like paintings, sculptures that live as photographs, rugs and sculptures that are painted on — there was this interdisciplinary conversation going on.”

To illustrate, Ghenov points to a work by Frank Bramblett made up of countless scraps of notepaper. “From far away they look like a beautiful painting, but when you come up close they’re just pieces of paper with notes,” Ghenov says. “I think the piece hits at the heart of this show. Yes, they’re notes on sheets of paper that you can buy at Staples with a Sharpie marker, but when they’re all brought together they speak a painting language. There’s a slight abstraction to them, but simultaneously you know what those things are.”

If you go

In Front of Strangers, I Sing: The 72nd Annual Juried Exhibition
May 25-Sept. 1
Woodmere Art Museum
9201 Germantown Ave.
$7-$10
215-247-0476
www.woodmereartmuseum.org

The post Woodmere’s juried exhibition takes a conceptual approach this year appeared first on Metro.us.

An 18-foot, 8-inch Burmese python set a record for the longest snake ever captured in South Florida, where the exotic species has taken up residence.

College student Jason Leon snared the female python in a rural area southeast of Miami earlier this month, when he saw part of it sticking out from brush along the roadside, said Carli Segelson, a spokeswoman for the state’s Fish and Wildlife Commission.

The python broke the previous record set in 2012 by a 17-foot, 7-inch snake caught by researchers studying the impact of the growing population of pythons on the Everglades National Park.

With the help of his friends, Leon wrestled and killed the snake with a knife, Segelson said. He then reported the find through Florida’s “IveGot1″ program, which connects callers to wildlife researchers.

The Burmese python is an invasive species in Florida. Native to the region from India to lower China, the species has been documented to grow as long as 26 feet and weigh 200 pounds.

Florida sponsored a python hunting competition in January to see whether annual hunts might put a dent in the local population, and to provide specimens for further research.

Theories on how the snakes got into the Everglades include dumping by pet owners and the destruction of a nearby exotic pet dealership during the 1992 Hurricane Andrew.

The post College student snares record long Burmese python near Miami appeared first on Metro.us.