15th Annual Int’l Family Film Festival
Celebrating its 15th year, the 2010 International Family Film Festival will be held at Raleigh Studios in the heart of Hollywood, 5300 Melrose Avenue, March 11 – March 14. This year’s theme is Family Stories are Timeless .
How true this is of IFFF co-founders, Executive Director Chris Shoemaker, Development Director, Suzanne Shoemaker and Program Director, Patte Dee McKee, the matriarchs of IFFF. The festival was designed by the trio in 1993 to educate, cultivate, and elevate the family film genre by advocating and encouraging the creation and sharing of family films and screenplays through film exhibition, panels, networking and screenplay readings.
‘Alice in Wonderland’ Ad Spurs Controversy
Los Angeles, California (CNN) — At first glance of Friday’s Los Angeles Times, you might think the Mad Hatter has taken over the newspaper.
Johnny Depp’s colorful character in Disney’s new film “Alice in Wonderland” dominates a faked front page, which includes the paper’s traditional flag and two stories that appeared in the paper last month.
‘It Girl’ Janelle Monae Returns with New Singles
By: Brian Bowers
The phrase “a Monet” is typically used to describe an art piece created by the French Impressionist Claude Monet. In slang terms, it can often be used to describe something that has to be viewed from a distance to be understood. If one gets too close, the idea is that the beauty of the piece, art, person is disrupted completely. This isn’t the case with Janelle Monae.
From a distance and up-close Her flawless beauty and effervescence is a pleasant contrast to the rebel who undoubtedly has a cause and calling: inspiration. One can only wonder how much longer it will be before “Monae” will evoke images of the young, underground starlette singer as opposed to any of these clichés and conventions.
With the mantra “imagination inspires nations” it seems Janelle Monae continues to be the ‘it girl’ of the underground music scene. Her and the Wondaland Arts Society don’t seem to be stopping anytime soon. Noted for her eclectic style, funky hair and classic voice, she returns with two brand new singles Tightrope ft. Big Boi and Cold War.
Words cannot completely describe what Monae and the Wondaland Art Society manage to do sonically and capture such a wonderful aural experience. Her voice is classic and versatile combined with a lyrical content that is cryptic and profound. All of her work is a dive into deep, full musical sounds. In the recent past, Monae and her team were able to team up with Diddy and Bad Boi to release what she calls a short film, Many Moons. The video was epic, full of bright colors, multi-layered themes and of course undeniable beauty and charm that is characteristically…well, Monae.
If you want to check out the new singles and amazing art, check out her official page, or her myspace page. The epic debut album The Archandroid appears be a promising, generous effort both sonically and visually. Artists such as this don’t come around often, and it is my greatest hope that this one gets the respect she deserves.
Naomi Campbell Raises Funds for Haiti
Kate Moss and Geri Halliwell teamed up to help supermodel friend Naomi Campbell raise much-needed funds for the women and babies of Haiti in London last night.
Fashion For Relief Haiti was a star-studded catwalk show organised by Naomi who called in celebrity friends including a pregnant Denise Van Outen, Geri Halliwell, Girls Aloud singers Nicola Roberts and Kimberley Walsh and even Dame Shirley Bassey to strut their stuff for a good cause.
Shutter Island at the Berlin Film Festival
No one could dispute the event value of a Martin Scorsese picture – the Berlin film festival’s starriest coup in years. But Shutter Island, the director’s gonzo-Gothic Fifties asylum thriller, offers thornier puzzles than meet the eye.
Madonna To Direct ‘W.E.’
Madonna, the queen of pop, has her eye on a king. She’s set to direct “W.E.,” a biopic about the affair between King Edward VIII and Wallis Simpson that led to the Brit royal abdicating from the throne to marry his divorcee lover.
Source: Variety
AllStar: Mary J Blige + Common Private Hangar Party
International superstars Mary J. Blige & Common, and NBA Allstars Dirk Nowitzki & Jason ‘Jet’ Terry are bringing a private event to Dallas which will re-define All Star weekend. Read More
Lady Gaga + Cyndi Lauper’s MAC Campaign
Lady Gaga and Cyndi Lauper turned up at Lucky Cheng’s in New York City to launch their joint campaign as the new faces of MAC’s AIDS Fund and celebrate their new lipsticks: Viva Glam Gaga and Viva Glam Cyndi. 100% of the selling costs of the $14 lipsticks, a bright blue pink and a light coral red, goes to the MAC Aids Fund, which supports those affected by the disease.
Source: InStyle
Lauryn Hill at Raggamuffin Festival 2010
By: Brian Bowers
After years of unpublicized and almost secretive performances across the globe, singer Lauryn Hill recently appeared at the Raggamuffin Festival in New Zealand on January 23rd. When first announced to be a headliner at the annual festival, fans and the blogsphere wondered whether or not the seemingly reclusive singer would re-emerge. Well, the gifted musician did show up with energetic offerings of songs such as ‘Turn Your Lights Down Low’, ‘Doo Wop’ and ‘Final Hour’ as she moved about the stage and interacted with the lively crowd.
For those of us who couldn’t attend the annual Raggamuffin Festival, have no fear—Youtube was bombarded with clips from her recent performance. Although the sound bites leave much to be desired due to poor quality, one article boldly stated the star showed fans “she’s still got it.” While singing the opening refrain to the Robert Flack classic famously popularized by her and former band mates The Fugees, the audience became ecstatic with screaming and applause. One person could even be heard yelling “Oh my God, Oh my God.”
With a smile as bright as ever, one memorable moment occurs when Hill asks her audience what they would like to hear her sing. Such genuine interaction left the impression that perhaps she is ready to return to the stage. Although in recent interviews former band mate Pras has mentioned she is currently working on new material, Lauryn nor Columbia have made official statements to validate these claims. Whatever the case, she certainly is up to something and I’m sure music lovers all around the world are ready and waiting for her return.
