1.
Portland, Maine
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Portland is the largest city in the U. S. state of Maine, with a population of 66,881 as of 2015. The Greater Portland metropolitan area is home to half a million people. The Old Port district is frequented by tourists, while Portland Head Light is also a destination, the city seal depicts a phoenix rising from ashes, which is a reference to the recoveries from four devastating fires. Portland was named for the English Isle of Portland, and the city of Portland, Oregon was in turn named after Portland, Native Americans originally called the Portland peninsula Machigonne. Portland, Maine was named for the English Isle of Portland, the first European settler was Capt. Christopher Levett, an English naval captain granted 6,000 acres in 1623 to found a settlement in Casco Bay. The settlement failed, and the fate of Levetts colonists is unknown, the explorer sailed from England to the Massachusetts Bay Colony to meet John Winthrop in 1630, but never returned to Maine. Fort Levett in the harbor is named for him, the peninsula was first permanently settled in 1632 as a fishing and trading village named Casco. When the Massachusetts Bay Colony took over Casco Bay in 1658, in 1676, the village was destroyed by the Abenaki during King Philips War. During King Williams War, a party of French and Native allies attacked. On October 18,1775, Falmouth was burned in the Revolution by the Royal Navy under command of Captain Henry Mowat, following the war, a section of Falmouth called The Neck developed as a commercial port and began to grow rapidly as a shipping center. In 1786, the citizens of Falmouth formed a town in Falmouth Neck and named it Portland, after the isle off the coast of Dorset. Portlands economy was greatly stressed by the Embargo Act of 1807, which ended in 1809, and the War of 1812, in 1820, Maine became a state with Portland as its capital. In 1832, the capital was moved north to Augusta, in 1851, Maine led the nation by passing the first state law prohibiting the sale of alcohol except for medicinal, mechanical or manufacturing purposes. The law subsequently became known as the Maine law, as 18 states quickly followed, on June 2,1855, the Portland Rum Riot occurred. In 1853, upon completion of the Grand Trunk Railway to Montreal, the Portland Company manufactured more than 600 19th-century steam locomotives. Portland became a 20th-century rail hub as five rail lines merged into Portland Terminal Company in 1911. Following nationalization of the Grand Trunk system in 1923, Canadian export traffic was diverted from Portland to Halifax, Nova Scotia, in the 20th century, icebreakers later enabled ships to reach Montreal in winter, drastically reducing Portlands role as a winter port for Canada. On June 26,1863, a Confederate raiding party led by Captain Charles Read, entered the harbor at Portland, more than 10,000 people were left homeless
2.
Los Angeles
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Los Angeles, officially the City of Los Angeles and often known by its initials L. A. is the cultural, financial, and commercial center of Southern California. With a census-estimated 2015 population of 3,971,883, it is the second-most populous city in the United States, Los Angeles is also the seat of Los Angeles County, the most populated county in the United States. The citys inhabitants are referred to as Angelenos, historically home to the Chumash and Tongva, Los Angeles was claimed by Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo for Spain in 1542 along with the rest of what would become Alta California. The city was founded on September 4,1781, by Spanish governor Felipe de Neve. It became a part of Mexico in 1821 following the Mexican War of Independence, in 1848, at the end of the Mexican–American War, Los Angeles and the rest of California were purchased as part of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, thereby becoming part of the United States. Los Angeles was incorporated as a municipality on April 4,1850, the discovery of oil in the 1890s brought rapid growth to the city. The completion of the Los Angeles Aqueduct in 1913, delivering water from Eastern California, nicknamed the City of Angels, Los Angeles is known for its Mediterranean climate, ethnic diversity, and sprawling metropolis. Los Angeles also has an economy in culture, media, fashion, science, sports, technology, education, medicine. A global city, it has been ranked 6th in the Global Cities Index, the city is home to renowned institutions covering a broad range of professional and cultural fields, and is one of the most substantial economic engines within the United States. The Los Angeles combined statistical area has a gross metropolitan product of $831 billion, making it the third-largest in the world, after the Greater Tokyo and New York metropolitan areas. The city has hosted the Summer Olympic Games in 1932 and 1984 and is bidding to host the 2024 Summer Olympics and thus become the second city after London to have hosted the Games three times. The Los Angeles area also hosted the 1994 FIFA mens World Cup final match as well as the 1999 FIFA womens World Cup final match, the mens event was watched on television by over 700 million people worldwide. The Los Angeles coastal area was first settled by the Tongva, a Gabrielino settlement in the area was called iyáangẚ, meaning poison oak place. Gaspar de Portolà and Franciscan missionary Juan Crespí, reached the present site of Los Angeles on August 2,1769, in 1771, Franciscan friar Junípero Serra directed the building of the Mission San Gabriel Arcángel, the first mission in the area. The Queen of the Angels is an honorific of the Virgin Mary, two-thirds of the settlers were mestizo or mulatto with a mixture of African, indigenous and European ancestry. The settlement remained a small town for decades, but by 1820. Today, the pueblo is commemorated in the district of Los Angeles Pueblo Plaza and Olvera Street. New Spain achieved its independence from the Spanish Empire in 1821, during Mexican rule, Governor Pío Pico made Los Angeles Alta Californias regional capital
3.
Child actor
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Closely associated is teenage actor or teen actor, an actor who reached popularity as a teenager. Many child actors find themselves struggling to adapt as they become adults, in the United States, the activities of child actors are regulated by the governing labor union, if any, and state and federal laws. Some projects film in remote locations specifically to evade regulations intended to protect the child, longer work hours or risky stunts prohibited in California, for example, might be permitted to a project filming in British Columbia. US federal law specifically exempted minors working the Entertainment Business from all provisions of the Child Labor Laws, any regulation of child actors is governed by disparate state law. Due to the presence of the entertainment industry in California. Being a minor, an actor must secure an entertainment work permit before accepting any paid performing work. The child does his/her schoolwork under the supervision of a teacher while on the set. Many child actors never got to see the money they earned because they were not in charge of this money, jackie Coogan earned millions of dollars from working as a child actor only to see most of it squandered by his parents. In 1939, California weighed in on this controversy and enacted the Coogan Law which requires a portion of the earnings of a child to be preserved in a savings account called a blocked trust. Some people also criticize the parents of actors for allowing their children to work. The child actor may experience unique and negative pressures when working under tight production schedules, large projects which depend for their success on the ability of the child to deliver an effective performance add to the pressure. Many actors careers are short-lived and this is true of child actors. Peter Ostrum, for example, is now a successful large-animal veterinarian after a starring role in Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory, shirley Temple became a public figure and diplomat. Jenny Lewis, formerly of Troop Beverly Hills, is a indie rock musician. In Poland, child actor identical twin brothers Lech and Jarosław Kaczyński became very successful politicians, at one time Lech being President, there are child actors who have achieved successful thespian careers into adulthood. V. In many cases, the failure to retain stardom and success and exposure at a young age has caused many child actors to lead adult lives plagued by troubles, bankruptcy. Examples include the cast members of the American sitcom Diffrent Strokes, which starred child actors Todd Bridges, Gary Coleman, Plato went on to pose for Playboy magazine and was featured in several softcore pornography films. She was arrested twice for armed robbery and forging prescriptions, and died in May 1999 from an overdose of prescription medication, Coleman famously sued his parents for misuse of his trust fund and, although awarded over $1,000,000, filed for bankruptcy in 1999
4.
Broadway theatre
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Along with Londons West End theatres, Broadway theatres are widely considered to represent the highest level of commercial theatre in the English-speaking world. The Theater District is a popular tourist attraction in New York City, the great majority of Broadway shows are musicals. They presented Shakespeare plays and ballad operas such as The Beggars Opera, in 1752, William Hallam sent a company of twelve actors from Britain to the colonies with his brother Lewis as their manager. They established a theatre in Williamsburg, Virginia and opened with The Merchant of Venice, the company moved to New York in the summer of 1753, performing ballad operas and ballad-farces like Damon and Phillida. The Revolutionary War suspended theatre in New York, but thereafter theatre resumed in 1798, the Bowery Theatre opened in 1826, followed by others. Blackface minstrel shows, a distinctly American form of entertainment, became popular in the 1830s, by the 1840s, P. T. Barnum was operating an entertainment complex in lower Manhattan. In 1829, at Broadway and Prince Street, Niblos Garden opened, the 3, 000-seat theatre presented all sorts of musical and non-musical entertainments. In 1844, Palmos Opera House opened and presented opera for four seasons before bankruptcy led to its rebranding as a venue for plays under the name Burtons Theatre. The Astor Opera House opened in 1847, booth played the role for a famous 100 consecutive performances at the Winter Garden Theatre in 1865, and would later revive the role at his own Booths Theatre. Other renowned Shakespeareans who appeared in New York in this era were Henry Irving, Tommaso Salvini, Fanny Davenport, lydia Thompson came to America in 1868 heading a small theatrical troupe, adapting popular English burlesques for middle-class New York audiences. Thompsons troupe called the British Blondes, was the most popular entertainment in New York during the 1868–1869 theatrical season, the six-month tour ran for almost six extremely profitable years. Theatre in New York moved from downtown gradually to midtown beginning around 1850, in 1870, the heart of Broadway was in Union Square, and by the end of the century, many theatres were near Madison Square. Broadways first long-run musical was a 50-performance hit called The Elves in 1857, New York runs continued to lag far behind those in London, but Laura Keenes musical burletta The Seven Sisters shattered previous New York records with a run of 253 performances. It was at a performance by Keenes troupe of Our American Cousin in Washington, the production was a staggering five-and-a-half hours long, but despite its length, it ran for a record-breaking 474 performances. The same year, The Black Domino/Between You, Me and the Post was the first show to call itself a musical comedy, Tony Pastor opened the first vaudeville theatre one block east of Union Square in 1881, where Lillian Russell performed. Comedians Edward Harrigan and Tony Hart produced and starred in musicals on Broadway between 1878 and 1890, with book and lyrics by Harrigan and music by his father-in-law David Braham. They starred high quality singers, instead of the women of repute who had starred in earlier musical forms. Plays could run longer and still draw in the audiences, leading to better profits, as in England, during the latter half of the century, the theatre began to be cleaned up, with less prostitution hindering the attendance of the theatre by women
5.
High Society (musical)
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High Society is a musical comedy with a book by Arthur Kopit and music and lyrics by Cole Porter. Some updated or new lyrics were provided by Susan Birkenhead, the musical is based on Philip Barrys 1939 stage comedy, The Philadelphia Story and the subsequent 1956 musical film adaptation, High Society, which features Porters songs. The musical includes most of the featured in the movie. It premiered on Broadway in 1998 and has since been revived, another musical adaptation of the story had opened in London in 1987 with a different book by Richard Eyre. The plot centers on pretentious Oyster Bay socialite who is planning to wed an equally pretentious executive when her ex-husband arrives to disrupt the proceedings. Act I Glamorous but pretentious Oyster Bay, Long Island socialite Tracy Samantha Lord is planning a lavish June 1938 wedding to an equally pretentious executive, George Kittredge. Guests include her mother, grumpy little sister, Dinah, and absent-minded Uncle Willy, Willy is hosting a party for the wedding guests that evening, the night before the wedding. Tracys unwelcome ex-husband and neighbor, C. K, Dexter Haven, sails up to the estate in his yacht. Dexter informs Tracy and her family that tabloid reporters Mike Connor, Dexter invited them to stop Spy from publishing an exposé of Tracy’s father Seth, who is estranged from Tracys mother because he is having an affair with a dancer, Tina Mara. Dexter tries to convince the suspicious Dinah of his good intentions, when Mike and Liz arrive, Tracy and Dinah do not let on that they know of the reporters charade. Tracy pretends that Uncle Willie is her father, but when her father arrives, Dexter confronts Tracy about their relationship, leaving her confused, suddenly George seems so pompous. She also is finding Mike to be sweet and remembers some good times with Dexter on his yacht and she starts drinking champagne before the party at Uncle Willies even begins. Act II After the party, Tracy is still drinking champagne, Dinah hurries to Dexters house, finding him packing for a trip. She calls him a coward and informs him that Tracy is drinking champagne, after many farcical comings and goings back at the estate, George reminds Tracy of their wedding the next day, warns her about her behaviour and stomps away. Mike tells Tracy that George is not good enough for her and he kisses her, and she tipsily invites him to go skinny dipping in the pool. Dexter and Dinah return to witness other romantic entanglements unfolding between Seth and his wife and Uncle Willy and Liz, who really loves Mike, as soon as Tracy gets in the water, the champagne catches up with her, and Mike puts her innocently in her bed. In the morning, Tracy realizes that she was in the pool with Mike and, her memory hazy, fears that she love to him, ruining her wedding. All works out in the end, however, with Tracy’s parents reuniting, the blackmail threat quashed, Mike realizing that he is really in love with Liz, since the wedding is already scheduled and paid for, Dexter steps up and all ends happily
6.
Tony Award
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The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Theatre, more commonly known as the Tony Award, recognizes excellence in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at a ceremony in New York City. The awards are given for Broadway productions and performances, and an award is given for regional theatre, several discretionary non-competitive awards are also given, including a Special Tony Award, the Tony Honors for Excellence in Theatre, and the Isabelle Stevenson Award. The awards are named after Antoinette Tony Perry, co-founder of the American Theatre Wing, the rules for the Tony Awards are set forth in the official document Rules and Regulations of The American Theatre Wings Tony Awards, which applies for that season only. It also forms the fourth spoke in the EGOT, that is someone who has won all four awards, the Tony Awards are also considered the equivalent of the Laurence Olivier Award in the United Kingdom and the Molière Award of France. From 1997 to 2010, the Tony Awards ceremony was held at Radio City Music Hall in New York City in June and broadcast live on CBS television, except in 1999, in 2011 and 2012, the ceremony was held at the Beacon Theatre. From 2013 to 2015, the 67th, 68th, and 69th ceremonies returned to Radio City Music Hall, the 70th Tony Awards were held on June 12,2016 at the Beacon Theatre. The 71st Tony Awards will be held on June 11,2017, as of 2014, there are 24 categories of awards, plus several special awards. Starting with 11 awards in 1947, the names and number of categories have changed over the years, some examples, the category Best Book of a Musical was originally called Best Author. The category of Best Costume Design was one of the original awards, for two years, in 1960 and 1961, this category was split into Best Costume Designer and Best Costume Designer. It then went to a category, but in 2005 it was divided again. For the category of Best Director of a Play, a category was for directors of plays. A newly established non-competitive award, The Isabelle Stevenson Award, was given for the first time at the ceremony in 2009. The award is for an individual who has made a contribution of volunteered time and effort on behalf of one or more humanitarian. The category of Best Special Theatrical Event was retired as of the 2009–2010 season, the categories of Best Sound Design of a Play and Best Sound Design of a Musical were retired as of the 2014-2015 season. Performance categories Show and technical categories Special awards Retired awards The award was founded in 1947 by a committee of the American Theatre Wing headed by Brock Pemberton. The award is named after Antoinette Perry, nicknamed Tony, an actress, director, producer and co-founder of the American Theatre Wing, who died in 1946. As her official biography at the Tony Awards website states, At Jacob Wilks suggestion, proposed an award in her honor for distinguished stage acting, at the initial event in 1947, as he handed out an award, he called it a Tony
7.
Camp (2003 film)
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Camp is a 2003 independent musical film, written and directed by Todd Graff, about an upstate New York performing arts summer camp. The film is based on Graffs own experiences at a camp called Stagedoor Manor. The film centers on the experiences of several teenagers at Camp Ovation, the campers are a mishmash of youngsters from different backgrounds, dealing with different issues, but all feel most comfortable while performing. School is out, and the campers reunite as they prepare to board the buses to Camp Ovation, shy, self-conscious Ellen Lucas happily greets her friends, recovering from an embarrassing situation where she desperately tried to land a prom date, and ended up asking her brother. Nerdy Fritzi Wagner attempts to befriend icy diva Jill Simmons, returning camper Jenna Malloran laments that her parents forced her to have her jaw wired shut in order to lose weight. Upon arrival to Camp Ovation, the settle in. Ellen converses with her friend Michael Flores, a gay teenager who was beaten by his classmates after showing up to his junior prom in drag. The campers are struck dumb with the arrival of Vlad Baumann, a new camper who is, as a staff member marvels. Camp Ovation puts on a new play or musical every two weeks, Vlad and Ellen bond after rehearsal one day and flirt a bit. However, soon afterward, Vlad is seduced by the conceited Jill, feeling guilty, Vlad comforts Ellen and the two begin to inch toward a relationship. The camp enlists a guest counselor for the summer, composer Bert Hanley, frustrated with his lack of recent success, he is now a grumpy alcoholic and shows up two days late at Camp Ovation. He constantly drinks on the grounds and is very irritated by Vlad. Jill shares a cabin with Fritzi, who is still catering to her every whim, however, after Fritzi is caught washing Jills underwear, Jill expresses her disgust with Fritzi and kicks her out of the cabin. The usually meek Fritzi becomes filled with borderline psychotic rage, as Jill vomits during her performance of The Ladies Who Lunch, Fritzi shows up in costume and takes her place mid-song. She reveals herself to be a talented and passionate actress, Michael is rooming with Vlad, on whom he has developed a crush. Vlad convinces Michael to invite his parents to his next play, though his mother tells him they will come, Michael notices mid-performance that they did not. He is found later by Vlad, who explains that he too has his share of problems, though Vlad is a seemingly normal, all-American teenager, he reveals to Michael that he suffers from an acute type of OCD, for which he is medicated. Hanley is angered after hearing Vlad play one of his songs, Vlad follows a drunken Hanley back to his room and berates him for his cruel speech
8.
The Twilight Saga (film series)
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The Twilight Saga is a series of five romance fantasy films from Summit Entertainment based on the four novels by American author Stephenie Meyer. The films star Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, and Taylor Lautner, the series has grossed over $3.3 billion in worldwide receipts and consists, to date, of five motion pictures. The first installment, Twilight, was released on November 21,2008, the second installment, New Moon, followed on November 20,2009, breaking box office records as the biggest midnight screening and opening day in history, grossing an estimated $72.7 million. The third installment, Eclipse, was released on June 30,2010, the series was in development since 2004 at Paramount Pictures, during which time a screen adaptation of Twilight that differed significantly from the novel was written. Three years later, Summit Entertainment acquired the rights to the film, a two-part adaptation of Breaking Dawn began shooting in November 2010 with November 18,2011, and November 16,2012, release dates. Twilight was in development for three years at Paramount Picturess MTV Films, during which time a screen adaptation differing significantly from the novel was written. For example, the script transformed Bella into a star athlete, the idea of seeing a scene converted correctly, specifically the meadow scene, convinced Meyer to sell the rights. In seeing the script, she was frightened that she had made the wrong decision, when Summit Entertainment reinvented itself as a full-service studio in April 2007, it successfully acquired the rights to the novel. Erik Feig, President of Production at Summit Entertainment, guaranteed a close adaptation to the book, the company perceived the film as an opportunity to launch a franchise based on the success of Meyers book and its sequels. Meyer felt that Summit was open to letting her be a part of the film, Catherine Hardwicke was hired to direct the film, and soon afterward, Melissa Rosenberg was selected to be the films structural base as the writer of the film. Rosenberg developed an outline by the end of August and collaborated with Hardwicke on writing the screenplay during the following month, was a great sounding board and had all sorts of brilliant ideas. Id finish off scenes and send them to her, and get back her notes, because of the impending WGA strike, Rosenberg worked full-time to finish the screenplay before October 31. In adapting the novel for the screen, she had to condense a great deal, some characters were left out, and others were combined. Meyer, the author, and Hardwicke, the director, had a relationship while developing Twilight. Hardwicke wanted to embrace the experience and make the characters in the come to life. She would call Meyer after changing a scene slightly, which surprised the author because, Meyer, a natural pessimist, was waiting for the worst but, instead, called her experience in the books film adaptation the best I could have hoped for. Kristen Stewart was on the set of Adventureland when Hardwicke visited her for a screen test. Hardwicke did not initially choose Robert Pattinson for the role of Edward Cullen, Meyer allowed Pattinson to view a manuscript of the unfinished Midnight Sun, which chronicles the events in Twilight from Edwards point of view
9.
Jason Reitman
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Jason Reitman is a Canadian-American film director, screenwriter, and producer, best known for directing the films Thank You for Smoking, Juno, Up in the Air, and Young Adult. As of February 2,2010, he has received one Grammy Award and four Academy Award nominations, Reitman is a dual citizen of Canada and the United States. He is the son of director Ivan Reitman, Reitman was born in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, the son of Geneviève Robert, an actress sometimes billed as Geneviève Deloir, and comedy director Ivan Reitman. Reitman has two sisters, Catherine, an actress, who is three years younger than him, and Caroline, a nurse, who is 12 years younger. Reitmans father was born in Czechoslovakia, to Jewish parents who were Holocaust survivors, Reitmans paternal grandfather ran a dry cleaner and then a car wash. His mother is from a Christian background, and of French-Canadian descent, when he was still a child, his family moved to Los Angeles. His father, Ivan, directed the films Ghostbusters, Stripes, and Kindergarten Cop. Reitman grew up on set and this showed him that making movies is a job that people do, that its not just this piece of magic that happens. Jason described his childhood self as a loser, in the late 1980s, Reitman began appearing in small acting parts and serving as a production assistant on his fathers films. He spent time in the rooms of his fathers movies. Reitman graduated from Harvard-Westlake School in 1995, Reitman was a jumper in high school. Reitman attended Skidmore College and was going to major in pre-med studies before transferring to the University of Southern California to major in English/Creative Writing, at USC he performed with improv group Commedus Interruptus. Reitman started out making short films during his time at USC, throughout his 20s, instead of accepting offers to make commercial feature films, Reitman began making his own short films and directing commercials. Although he was offered the opportunity to direct Dude, Wheres My Car. on two occasions, he declined. Reitmans first feature film, Thank You for Smoking, opened in 2006, Reitman developed the Christopher Buckley novel into a screenplay and, eventually, a film. The film was a commercial and critical success and it grossed over $39 million worldwide by the end of its run, and was nominated for two Golden Globes. After the success of Thank You for Smoking, Reitman mentioned in an interview that his film would be adapting another book into a film. He also mentioned that he had plans to work with Buckley again on an original project, although the first of these projects would eventually become Up in the Air, this second project has not come to fruition. His second film, Juno, generated great buzz after it premiered at the 2007 Toronto International Film Festival and was released in December 2007
10.
Up in the Air (2009 film)
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Up in the Air is a 2009 American comedy-drama film directed by Jason Reitman and written by Reitman and Sheldon Turner, based on the 2001 novel of the same name, written by Walter Kirn. The story is centered on corporate downsizer Ryan Bingham and his travels, Vera Farmiga, Anna Kendrick and Danny McBride also star. Filming was primarily in St. Louis, Missouri, which substituted for a number of other cities, several scenes were filmed in Detroit, Omaha, Las Vegas and Miami. Reitman promoted Up in the Air with personal appearances at festivals and other showings. The Los Angeles premiere was at the Mann Village Theater on November 30,2009, Paramount scheduled a limited North American release on December 4,2009, broadening the release on December 11,2009, with a wide release on December 23,2009. The National Board of Review and the Washington D. C, area Film Critics Association named Up in the Air the Best Picture of 2009. It received six Academy Award nominations, but did not win in any category and he also gives motivational speeches, using the analogy Whats in Your Backpack. to extol the virtues of a life free of burdensome relationships with people as well as things. A frequent flyer, Ryan relishes his travels, and desires to become the seventh, during his travels, he meets another frequent flyer named Alex, and they begin a casual relationship. Ryan is called back to his companys offices in Omaha, Nebraska, Natalie Keener, a young and ambitious new hire, promotes a program designed to cut costs by conducting layoffs via videoconferencing. Ryan raises concerns that the program could be seen as detached and apathetic and he then plays the role of a fired employee to demonstrate her inexperience. Ryans boss assigns him to bring Natalie on his round of terminations to show her the ropes. As they travel together, Natalie questions Ryans philosophies on life, particularly on relationships and love, during the trip, Natalie is shattered when her boyfriend unceremoniously dumps her by text message, and Ryan and Alex try to comfort her. On the test run, the earlier concerns Ryan raised prove valid, one laid-off person breaks down in tears before the camera, instead of returning immediately to Omaha, Ryan convinces Alex to accompany him to his younger sisters wedding. He learns that the reason the couple had him take photos of a picture of them in various places was because they cannot afford a honeymoon. When the groom gets cold feet, Ryans older sister talks Ryan into using his skills to persuade the groom to go through with the wedding. Although this runs counter to Ryans personal philosophy, he argues that the important moments in life are rarely unshared. The wedding goes off without any further hitches, Ryan begins having second thoughts about his life and philosophies. As he starts delivering his Whats in Your Backpack, speech at a convention in Las Vegas, he realizes he no longer believes it, and walks off the stage
11.
Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress
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The Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress is an award presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. It is given in honor of an actress who has delivered a performance in a supporting role while working within the film industry. At the 9th Academy Awards ceremony held in 1937, Gale Sondergaard was the first winner of award for her role in Anthony Adverse. Initially, winners in both supporting acting categories were awarded instead of statuettes. Beginning with the 16th ceremony held in 1944, however, winners received full-sized statuettes, currently, nominees are determined by single transferable vote within the actors branch of AMPAS, winners are selected by a plurality vote from the entire eligible voting members of the Academy. Since its inception, the award has given to 78 actresses. Dianne Wiest and Shelley Winters have received the most awards in this category with two awards each, despite winning no awards, Thelma Ritter was nominated on six occasions, more than any other actress. As of the 2017 ceremony, Viola Davis is the most recent winner in category for her role as Rose Maxson in Fences. In the following table, the years are listed as per Academy convention, and generally correspond to the year of release in Los Angeles County. Toronto, Ontario, Canada, University of Toronto Press, inside Oscar, The Unofficial History of the Academy Awards. New York, United States, Ballantine Books, oscars. org Oscar. com The Academy Awards Database
12.
Pitch Perfect (film series)
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Pitch Perfect is a series of musical comedy films created by Kay Cannon, loosely based on the non-fiction book Pitch Perfect, The Quest for Collegiate a Cappella Glory by Mickey Rapkin. Jason Moore directed the first film and Elizabeth Banks directed the second, Paul Brooks, Max Handelman, and Banks produced the films. The series is distributed by Universal Pictures, the first film was a sleeper hit. It received positive reviews and is successful, grossing over $115 million against a $17 million budget. A sequel was made and released in 2015, to greater financial success. The series has gained a cult following and the second film is the current highest grossing musical comedy film of all time. The third film is set to be released on 2017, the film focuses on a female a cappella group, The Barden Bellas, from Barden University. They are disgraced because a member, Aubrey Posen, vomits onstage during their performance at a national a cappella competition. Determined to get back to the top, the now senior Aubrey and co-lead Chloe Beale desperately recruit new members, Aubrey wants everything done her way. Then, theres Beca Mitchell, a freshman who initially isnt interested in college. She attends college by her fathers order and she joins The Bellas after being persuaded by Chloe during showertime after she hears Beca singing. She forms a friendship with fellow freshman, Jesse Swanson, who joins a popular all male Barden a cappella group, The Treblemakers. Tension rises between Aubrey and Beca and their tension heats up when Beca, seeing the crowds getting bored by their performance, improvises a different song onstage, which makes Aubrey furious. Beca exits the group, while The Bellas lost anyway, as this happens, Beca shuts Jesse away. The Bellas are reinstated again after a team was disqualified because their leader is still in high school. When the group, out from Beca, reformed, Aubrey become increasingly controlling and critical to every members during a rehearsal, much to everyones, especially Chloe, meanwhile, Beca realizes that she loves being a Bella and tries to apologize to Jesse, which he declines. The rehearsal turns chaotic just before Beca comes and apologizes to Aubrey, Aubrey takes her back in and after everyone sharing an honest heart-to-heart conversation, Aubrey gives Beca the chance to lead them. Just before the finals, Bumper left the Trebles to be John Mayers back-up singer and he is replaced by Jesses dorky roommate Benji Applebaum, who was previously rejected by Bumper at the beginning
13.
50/50 (2011 film)
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50/50 is a 2011 American comedy-drama film directed by Jonathan Levine, written by Will Reiser, and starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Seth Rogen, Anna Kendrick, Bryce Dallas Howard, and Anjelica Huston. The film is inspired by Reisers own experience with cancer. Adam Lerner is a 27-year-old public radio journalist in Seattle with girlfriend and artist Rachael, of whom best friend, while Kyle is brash and outspoken, Adam is more introverted and mild-mannered. After experiencing harsh pains in his back, Adam is diagnosed with schwannoma neurofibrosarcoma, a malignant tumor in his spine and he sees on the Internet that survival is 50/50. After Adam reveals this, his mother, Diane, who nurses her Alzheimers-stricken husband Richard, offers care for him but Adam rejects. However, she is uncomfortable during his treatments and is late to pick him up since he doesnt drive. She also gets him a racing greyhound, Skeletor, as a pet. Throughout Adams struggle, Kyle attempts to maintain his morale, helping Adam shave his head, while on a date, Kyle sees Rachael with another man at a gallery, forcing her to confess, Adam then breaks up for good. He starts to follow Kyle, using his illness to pick up two women at a bar. Meanwhile, Adam skeptically begins going to a young, inexperienced therapist, Katherine McKay, although their relationship and sessions begin unevenly, he slowly begins to open up to her. After she drives him home one of his chemo sessions. She helps Adam understand his mothers situation and that even loved ones feel just as much stress as the patient, during treatments, Adam befriends Alan and Mitch, two older cancer patients also undergoing chemotherapy, who offer advice and smoke marijuana with him. After Mitch dies, Adams fear of his death and future surface as hes subsequently informed that he needs to undergo surgery. The night before, Adam argues with a drunk Kyle, demanding to drive even though he cant, after a near miss, Adam breaks down and berates Kyle for seemingly not taking him seriously and using it for his own gain. Adam calls Katherine and tells her that he wishes he had a girlfriend like her, the next day, Kyle drops Adam off, who embraces Kyle for being a good friend and apologizes for the previous night. After Adam says his farewells to family, he undergoes the surgery, during the wait, Katherine goes to the waiting room and inadvertently meets Adams family and Kyle. After the surgery, Kyle, Diane, and Katherine are told that although the bone degradation was worse than they had thought, the tumor was removed successfully, and that Adam would recover. Some time later, Adam is getting ready for a date with Katherine, while Kyle encourages him, the doorbell rings and Adam lets Katherine inside
14.
Into the Woods (film)
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Into the Woods is a 2014 American musical fantasy film directed by Rob Marshall, and adapted to the screen by James Lapine from his and Stephen Sondheims Broadway musical of the same name. Ultimately, the characters are forced to rectify the consequences of their actions, principal photography commenced in September 2013, and took place entirely in the United Kingdom, including at Shepperton Studios in London. Into the Woods held its premiere at the Ziegfeld Theatre in New York City on December 8,2014. A Baker and his Wife wish for a child but suffer under a curse laid upon the Bakers family by a Witch who found the Bakers father robbing her garden when his mother was pregnant. The Bakers father also stole some beans which caused the Witchs mother to punish her with the curse of ugliness, the Witch later tells the Baker that she asked him to do this task for her because she is not allowed to touch any of the objects. After a series of failed attempts and misadventures, the Baker, the characters debate the morality of handing Jack over. In the process, Red Riding Hoods Mother and Grandmother, Jacks Mother, the characters blame each other for their individual actions that lead to the tragedy, ultimately blaming the Witch for raising the beans in the first place. She curses them for their inability to accept their individual responsibilities and disappears into the ground, the characters lure the Giants Wife into stepping in the tar pit where she ultimately trips and falls to her death. The Giants Wife is killed, and the move forward with their ruined lives. The Baker, thinking of his Wife, is determined to be a good father, Cinderella decides to leave the Prince and help the Baker, and Jack and Red Riding Hood, now orphans, are living with the Baker and Cinderella. The Baker comforts his son after he begins to cry by telling a story as the ends with the Witchs moral, meaning that children can change due to the parents actions. Thus, the film does slightly differ from the stage production, meanwhile, many of the songs in the film have slightly different lyrics than their stage counterparts due to the slight tweaking of storylines. Other changes include a reduction of the significant role of the Mysterious Man. Also, the character of the Narrator is deleted, and the film is narrated by the Baker. The minor role of Cinderellas Father was cut, and he is mentioned as deceased. Due to the films compressed storyline, Rapunzels pregnancy is eliminated, Rapunzels ultimate fate is also changed, rather than being killed by the giant, she refuses to cooperate with her mother and flees with her prince. Similarly, much of the violence and sexual content is slightly toned down from the original musical. The death of Jacks Mother is less violent in the film, on stage, early attempts of adapting Into the Woods to film occurred in the early 1990s, with a script written by Lowell Ganz and Babaloo Mandel
15.
Cake (2014 film)
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It debuted in the Special Presentations section of the 2014 Toronto International Film Festival. Anistons performance received praise and earned her nominations for the Screen Actors Guild Award. On February 10,2014, it was announced that Jennifer Aniston would play the lead in Cake, daniel Barnz, the director, said Of the zillions of Jennifer Aniston fans, I might be the biggest one of all. Ive especially loved her more dramatic performances, and I can’t wait to watch her tackle a role that has such a funny voice. I’m honored to be collaborating with Ben, Kristin and Courtney and it feels like we’re all taking a leap of faith together, and that’s pretty thrilling. On March 15, Mexican actress Adriana Barraza was also announced in the cast of the drama, the rest of the cast was revealed on April 1. Principal photography, which place in Los Angeles, began April 3,2014. Cake was released in theatres on December 31,2014 by Cinelou Films. The film was released on DVD & Blu-Ray April 21,2015, Cake received mixed reviews from critics. On Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds a rating of 48% based on 112 reviews, on Metacritic, the film has a score of 49 out of 100, based on 34 critics, indicating mixed or average reviews. At the Toronto premiere, the cast received a standing ovation, the performances of Jennifer Aniston and Adriana Barraza have been highly praised by some critics. Pete Hammond of Deadline described Anistons performance as heartbreakingly good, there are really no tricks to this performance. Its raw and real, poignant and unexpected, clayton Davis of Awards Circuit spoke of Anistons performance as the single best performance by an actress this year. Anistons performance is something that most actresses will pray to be able to achieve, in his review for HitFix, Gregory Ellwood wrote that Aniston makes you believe in Claires pain. She makes you believe this character is at her lowest point, there is no massive crying fit. Its a complete performance from beginning to end and she deserves the appropriate accolades for it, of Anistons performance, David Nusair of Reel Film Reviews wrote. the actress steps into the shoes of her thoroughly damaged character to an often revelatory extent. Official website Cake at the Internet Movie Database Cake at Rotten Tomatoes Cake at Metacritic
16.
Trolls (film)
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Trolls is a 2016 American 3D computer-animated buddy musical adventure romantic comedy film based on the Troll dolls created by Thomas Dam. The film was directed by Mike Mitchell and co-directed by Walt Dohrn, written by Jonathan Aibel and Glenn Berger, the film features the voices of Anna Kendrick, Justin Timberlake, Zooey Deschanel, Russell Brand, James Corden and Gwen Stefani. The film revolves around two trolls on a quest to save their village from destruction by the Bergens, creatures who eat trolls, a sequel is scheduled to be released on April 10,2020 with Kendrick and Timberlake reprising their roles as Poppy and Branch respectively. The Trolls are small creatures who live in an almost perpetual state of happiness, however, they are discovered by the Bergens, large creatures who never feel happy, but discover that they can feel happy for a moment, if they devour a Troll. The Bergens put the Trolls and their tree in a cage, however, the Trolls, led by their King Peppy, escape through underground tunnels on the day that Bergen Prince Gristle Jr. would eat his first Troll. The furious Bergen King Gristle Sr. banishes his Chef who was in charge of the Trollstice preparation, Branchs fears become true when Chef sees the fireworks and captures a number of Trolls. Poppy is among the Trolls who manage to hide, but discovers that none of the other Trolls dare to venture to Bergen Town to rescue their friends. She initially goes by herself, but is accompanied by the reluctant Branch. Poppy and Branch discover that the rest of the Troll captives are being guarded by a Scullery Maid named Bridget, after Poppy comforts him, Branch reluctantly agrees to help. The Trolls leave and attempt to rescue Creek from Gristles room and steals his jewel, the Trolls are then captured by Chef and are shocked to discover that Creek had agreed to sell out the rest of the Trolls to the Bergens in exchange for not being swallowed himself. Creek returns to the Troll village where using Poppys cowbell, he lures the other Trolls out of hiding, letting them be captured by Chef and the other Bergen cooks, who lie in ambush. With all the Trolls captured and soon to be eaten, Poppy loses hope as she, just before being served, the Trolls are rescued by Bridget who wants them to flee while she is ready to sacrifice herself for them. However, Poppy does not want to abandon her Bergen friend, the Trolls invite the Bergen to sing and dance with them, making them feel happy. Chef, refusing to accept the peace, tries to kill Poppy and Branch, the Trolls and Bergens agree to live in peace, and Poppy is crowned as the new Queen of the Trolls. In the mid-credits scene, the cart with Chef and Creek on it stops on a hill in the middle of nowhere. Chef tries to eat Creek, but the hill opens to reveal a mouth, Anna Kendrick as Princess Poppy, the princess of the Trolls and Branchs love interest. Iris Dohrn voices a baby Poppy. Justin Timberlake as Branch, a paranoid, disgruntled Troll and survivalist, christine Baranski as Chef, a mean-spirited Bergen who is in charge of Troll preparation. Russell Brand as Creek, a Troll with a positive personality, James Corden as Biggie, a chubby friendly Troll
17.
Given name
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A given name is a part of a persons personal name. It identifies a person, and differentiates that person from other members of a group, such as a family or clan. The term given name refers to the fact that the name usually is bestowed upon a person and this contrasts with a surname, which is normally inherited, and shared with other members of the childs immediate family. Given names are used in a familiar and friendly manner in informal situations. In more formal situations the surname is commonly used, unless it is necessary to distinguish between people with the same surname. The idioms on a basis and being on first-name terms allude to the familiarity of addressing another by a given name. The order given name – family name, commonly known as the Western order, is used throughout most European countries and in countries that have cultures predominantly influenced by Western Europe. The order family name – given name, commonly known as the Eastern order, is used in East Asia, as well as in Southern and North-Eastern parts of India. The order given name - fathers family name - mothers family name is used in Spanish-speaking countries to acknowledge the families of both parents. Today the order can also be changed legally in Spain using given name - mothers family name - fathers family name, under the common Western naming convention, people may have one or more forenames. If more than one, there is usually a main forename for everyday use, sometimes however two or more forenames may carry equal weight. There is no particular ordering rule for forenames – often the main forename is at the beginning, a childs given name or names are usually chosen by the parents soon after birth. If a name is not assigned at birth, one may be given at a ceremony, with family. In most jurisdictions, a name at birth is a matter of public record, inscribed on a birth certificate. In western cultures, people normally retain the same name throughout their lives. However, in some cases names may be changed by petitioning a court of law. People may also change their names when immigrating from one country to another with different naming conventions, in France, the agency can refer the case to a local judge. Some jurisdictions, like in Sweden, restrict the spelling of names, parents may choose a name because of its meaning
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English people
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The English are a nation and an ethnic group native to England, who speak the English language. The English identity is of medieval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Angelcynn. Their ethnonym is derived from the Angles, one of the Germanic peoples who migrated to Great Britain around the 5th century AD, England is one of the countries of the United Kingdom. Collectively known as the Anglo-Saxons, they founded what was to become England along with the later Danes, Normans, in the Acts of Union 1707, the Kingdom of England was succeeded by the Kingdom of Great Britain. Over the years, English customs and identity have become closely aligned with British customs. The English people are the source of the English language, the Westminster system and these and other English cultural characteristics have spread worldwide, in part as a result of the former British Empire. The concept of an English nation is far older than that of the British nation, many recent immigrants to England have assumed a solely British identity, while others have developed dual or mixed identities. Use of the word English to describe Britons from ethnic minorities in England is complicated by most non-white people in England identifying as British rather than English. In their 2004 Annual Population Survey, the Office for National Statistics compared the ethnic identities of British people with their national identity. They found that while 58% of white people in England described their nationality as English and it is unclear how many British people consider themselves English. Following complaints about this, the 2011 census was changed to allow respondents to record their English, Welsh, Scottish, another complication in defining the English is a common tendency for the words English and British to be used interchangeably, especially overseas. In his study of English identity, Krishan Kumar describes a common slip of the tongue in which people say English, I mean British. He notes that this slip is made only by the English themselves and by foreigners. Kumar suggests that although this blurring is a sign of Englands dominant position with the UK and it tells of the difficulty that most English people have of distinguishing themselves, in a collective way, from the other inhabitants of the British Isles. In 1965, the historian A. J. P. Taylor wrote, When the Oxford History of England was launched a generation ago and it meant indiscriminately England and Wales, Great Britain, the United Kingdom, and even the British Empire. Foreigners used it as the name of a Great Power and indeed continue to do so, bonar Law, by origin a Scotch Canadian, was not ashamed to describe himself as Prime Minister of England Now terms have become more rigorous. The use of England except for a geographic area brings protests and this version of history is now regarded by many historians as incorrect, on the basis of more recent genetic and archaeological research. The 2016 study authored by Stephan Schiffels et al, the remaining portion of English DNA is primarily French, introduced in a migration after the end of the Ice Age
19.
Irish people
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The Irish people are a nation and ethnic group native to the island of Ireland, who share a common Irish ancestry, identity and culture. Ireland has been inhabited for about 9,000 years according to archaeological studies, for most of Irelands recorded history, the Irish have been primarily a Gaelic people. Today, Ireland is made up of the Republic of Ireland, the people of Northern Ireland hold various national identities, including Irish, Northern Irish, British, or some combination thereof. The Irish have their own customs, language, music, dance, sports, cuisine, although Irish was their main language in the past, today the huge majority of Irish people speak English as their first language. Historically, the Irish nation was made up of kin groups or clans, there have been many notable Irish people throughout history. After Irelands conversion to Christianity, Irish missionaries and scholars exerted great influence on Western Europe, the 6th-century Irish monk and missionary Columbanus is regarded as one of the fathers of Europe, followed by saints Cillian and Fergal. The scientist Robert Boyle is considered the father of chemistry, famous Irish writers include Oscar Wilde, W. B. Yeats, George Bernard Shaw, Bram Stoker and James Joyce, notable Irish explorers include Brendan the Navigator, Robert McClure, Ernest Shackleton and Tom Crean. By some accounts, the first European child born in North America had Irish descent on both sides, many presidents of the United States have had some Irish ancestry. The population of Ireland is about 6.3 million, but it is estimated that 50 to 80 million people around the world have Irish forebears, historically, emigration from Ireland has been the result of conflict, famine and economic issues. People of Irish descent are mainly in English-speaking countries, especially the United Kingdom. There are also significant numbers in Argentina, Mexico and New Zealand, the United States has the most people of Irish descent, while in Australia those of Irish descent are a higher percentage of the population than in any other country. Many Icelanders have Irish and Scottish Gaelic forebears, in its summary of their article Who were the Celts. The National Museum Wales notes It is possible that genetic studies of ancient. However, early studies have, so far, tended to produce implausible conclusions from very small numbers of people and using outdated assumptions about linguistics, nineteenth century anthropology studied the physical characteristics of Irish people in minute detail. During the past 10,000 years of inhabitation, Ireland has witnessed some different peoples arrive on its shores, the ancient peoples of Ireland—such as the creators of the Céide Fields and Newgrange—are almost unknown. Neither their languages nor terms they used to describe themselves have survived, as late as the middle centuries of the 1st millennium the inhabitants of Ireland did not appear to have a collective name for themselves. Ireland itself was known by a number of different names, including Banba, Fódla, Ériu by the islanders, Iouerne and Hiverne to the Greeks, other Latin names for people from Ireland in Classic and Mediaeval sources include Attacotti and Gael
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Scottish people
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The Scottish people, or Scots, are a nation and ethnic group native to Scotland. Historically, they emerged from an amalgamation of the Picts and Gaels, who founded the Kingdom of Scotland in the 9th century, and are thought to have been ethnolinguistically Celts. Later, the neighbouring Cumbrian Britons, who spoke a Celtic language, as well as Germanic-speaking Anglo-Saxons. In modern usage, Scottish people or Scots is used to refer to anyone whose linguistic, cultural, the Latin word Scotti, originally the word referred specifically to the Gaels, but came to describe all inhabitants of Scotland. Considered archaic or pejorative, the term Scotch has also used for Scottish people. John Kenneth Galbraith in his book The Scotch documents the descendants of 19th-century Scottish pioneers who settled in Southwestern Ontario and he states the book was meant to give a true picture of life in the community in the early decades of the 20th century. People of Scottish descent live in countries other than Scotland. Scottish emigrants took with them their Scottish languages and culture, large populations of Scottish people settled the new-world lands of North and South America, Australia and New Zealand. Canada has the highest level of Scottish descendants per capita in the world, Scotland has seen migration and settlement of many peoples at different periods in its history. The Gaels, the Picts and the Britons have their origin myths. The Venerable Bede tells of the Scotti coming from Spain via Ireland, Germanic peoples, such as the Anglo-Saxons, arrived beginning in the 7th century, while the Norse invaded and colonized parts of Scotland from the 8th century onwards. In the High Middle Ages, from the reign of David I of Scotland, there was emigration from France, England. Some famous Scottish family names, including bearing the names which became Bruce, Balliol, Murray. Today Scotland is one of the countries of the United Kingdom, culturally, these peoples are grouped according to language. Most of Scotland until the 13th century spoke Celtic languages and these included, at least initially, the Britons, as well as the Gaels and the Picts. Germanic peoples included the Angles of Northumbria, who settled in south-eastern Scotland in the region between the Firth of Forth to the north and the River Tweed to the south. They also occupied the south-west of Scotland up to and including the Plain of Kyle and their language, south-east of the Firth of Forth, then in Lothian and the Borders, a northern variety of Old English, also known as Early Scots, was spoken. The Northern Isles and some parts of Caithness were Norn-speaking, from 1500 on, Scotland was commonly divided by language into two groups of people, Gaelic-speaking Highlanders and the Inglis-speaking Lowlanders
21.
Toronto International Film Festival
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The Toronto International Film Festival is one of the largest publicly attended film festivals in the world, attracting over 480,000 people annually. Year-round, TIFF Bell Lightbox offers screenings, lectures, discussions, festivals, workshops, industry support, TIFF Bell Lightbox is located on the north west corner of King Street and John Street in downtown Toronto. In 2015,397 films from 71 countries were screened at 28 screens in downtown Toronto venues, welcoming an estimated 480,000 attendees, TIFF starts the Thursday night after Labour Day and lasts for eleven days. Founded in 1976, TIFF is now one of the most prestigious events of its kind in the world, in 1998, Variety magazine acknowledged that TIFF is second only to Cannes in terms of high-profile pics, stars and market activity. In 2007, TIME noted that TIFF had grown from its place as the most influential film festival to the most influential film festival. This is partially the result of TIFFs ability and reputation for generating Oscar buzz, the Toronto International Festival’s Grolsch People’s Choice Award — which is based on popular vote by Festival filmgoers — has emerged as a beacon of awards-season success. Founded by Bill Marshall, Dusty Cohl and Henk Van der Kolk and that first year,35,000 filmgoers watched 127 films from 30 countries presented in ten programmes. Piers Handling has been the director and CEO since 1994. TIFF was once centred on the Yorkville neighbourhood, but the Toronto Entertainment District later gained a level of prominence. TIFF is known for the celebrity buzz it brings to the area with international media setting up near its restaurants and stores for photos and interviews with the stars. In 2010, TIFF opened its permanent headquarters, TIFF Bell Lightbox, TIFF has grown, steadily adding initiatives throughout the years. TIFF Cinematheque and the Film Reference Library opened in 1990, the TIFF Kids International Film Festival launched in 1998. Film Circuit began exhibiting independent and Canadian films in under-serviced cities across Canada in 1994, the festival was founded in 1976 at the Windsor Arms Hotel by Bill Marshall, Henk Van der Kolk and Dusty Cohl. Beginning as a collection of the films from film festivals around the world. Ironically, however, Hollywood studios withdrew their submissions from TIFF due to concerns that Toronto audiences would be too parochial for their products, in 1994, the decision was made to replace the name Festival of Festivals with Toronto International Film Festival. From 1994 to 2009, the organization running TIFF was named Toronto International Film Festival Group. In 2009, the umbrella organization TIFFG was renamed to TIFF, in 2001, Perspective Canada, the programme that had focused on Canadian films since 1984, was replaced by two programmes, Canada First. A forum for Canadian filmmakers presenting their first feature-length work, featuring eight to 15 films, and Short Cuts Canada, in 2004, TIFF was featured as the site of murder mystery in the film Jiminy Glick in Lalawood, a comedy film starring Martin Short
22.
New York City Opera
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The New York City Opera is an American opera company located in Manhattan in New York City. The company has been active from 1943 through 2013, and again since 2016 when it was revived, the opera company, dubbed the peoples opera by New York Mayor Fiorello La Guardia, was founded in 1943. The companys stated purpose was to make accessible to a wide audience at a reasonable ticket price. It also sought to produce an innovative choice of repertory, the company was originally housed at the New York City Center theater on West 55th Street in Manhattan. It later became part of the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts at the New York State Theater from 1966 to 2010, in 2011, the company left Lincoln Center due to financial difficulties and moved its offices to 75 Broad Street in Lower Manhattan. In the 2011−12 and 2012−13 seasons, NYCO performed four operas at various venues in New York City, on October 1,2013, following an unsuccessful emergency fund-raising campaign, the company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. The group, led by Roy Niederhoffer, a fund manager and former board member of the NYCO. The first opera was Puccinis Tosca, presented at the Rose Theater at Jazz at Lincoln Center in January 2016, Sills later served as the companys director from 1979 until 1989. More recent acclaimed American singers who have called NYCO home include David Daniels, Mark Delavan, Mary Dunleavy, Lauren Flanigan, Elizabeth Futral, Bejun Mehta, Robert Brubaker and Carl Tanner. NYCO has similarly championed the work of American composers, approximately one-third of its repertoire has traditionally been American opera, the companys American repertoire has ranged from established works to new works. The company has occasionally produced musicals and operettas, including works by Stephen Sondheim and Gilbert. The NYCO was founded as the New York City Center Opera, laszlo Halasz was the companys first director, serving in that position from 1943 until 1951. To this end, ticket prices during the companys first season were priced at just 75 cents to $2, at such prices the company was unable to afford the star billing enjoyed by the Metropolitan Opera. Halasz, however, was able to turn fact into a virtue by making the company an important platform for young singers. The companys first season opened in February 1944, and included productions of Giacomo Puccinis Tosca, Friedrich von Flotows Martha and Georges Bizets Carmen, all of them conducted by Halasz. Several notable singers performed with the company in the first season, including Jennie Tourel and Martha Lipton, in 1945, the company became the first major opera company to have an African American performer. This was in the production of Leoncavallos Pagliacci, with Todd Duncans performance as Tonio, lawrence Winters and Robert McFerrin were other notable African American opera pioneers to sing with the company during this period. The first African American woman to sing with the company was soprano Camilla Williams, Winters and Williams later went on to sing the title roles in the most complete recording made up to that time of Gershwins Porgy and Bess, for Columbia Masterworks Records in 1951
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Stephen Sondheim
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Stephen Joshua Sondheim is an American composer and lyricist known for more than a half-century of contributions to musical theatre. Sondheim has received an Academy Award, eight Tony Awards, eight Grammy Awards, a Pulitzer Prize, the Laurence Olivier Award, and he has been described by Frank Rich of The New York Times as now the greatest and perhaps best-known artist in the American musical theater. He also wrote the lyrics for West Side Story and Gypsy, Sondheim has also written film music, contributing Goodbye for Now to Warren Beattys 1981 Reds. He wrote five songs for 1990s Dick Tracy, including Sooner or Later by Madonna, the composer was president of the Dramatists Guild from 1973 to 1981. To celebrate his 80th birthday, the former Henry Millers Theatre was renamed the Stephen Sondheim Theatre on September 15,2010, Cameron Mackintosh has called Sondheim possibly the greatest lyricist ever. Sondheim was born into a Jewish family in New York City and his father manufactured dresses designed by his mother. The composer grew up on the Upper West Side of Manhattan and, after his parents divorced, on a farm near Doylestown, Pennsylvania. As the only child of parents living in the San Remo on Central Park West. When he lived in New York, Sondheim attended ECFS, the Ethical Culture Fieldston School known simply as Fieldston, Sondheim spent several summers at Camp Androscoggin. He traces his interest in theatre to Very Warm for May, the curtain went up and revealed a piano, Sondheim recalled. A butler took a duster and brushed it up, tinkling the keys, when Sondheim was ten, his father left his mother for another woman. Herbert sought custody of Stephen but was unsuccessful, Sondheim explained to biographer Secrest that he was what they call an institutionalized child, meaning one who has no contact with any kind of family. Youre in, though its luxurious, youre in an environment that supplies you with everything, No brothers and sisters, no parents, and yet plenty to eat, and friends to play with and a warm bed, you know. Sondheim detested his mother, who was said to be abusive and projected her anger from her failed marriage on her son, When my father left her. And she used me the way she used him, to come on to and to berate, beat up on, what she did for five years was treat me like dirt, but come on to me at the same time. She once wrote him a letter saying that the only ever had was giving him birth. When his mother died in the spring of 1992, Sondheim did not attend her funeral, when Sondheim was about ten years old, he became friends with James Hammerstein, son of lyricist and playwright Oscar Hammerstein II. The elder Hammerstein became Sondheims surrogate father, influencing him profoundly, Sondheim met Hal Prince, who would direct many of his shows, at the opening of South Pacific, Hammersteins musical with Richard Rodgers
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A Little Night Music
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A Little Night Music is a musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and book by Hugh Wheeler. Inspired by the Ingmar Bergman film Smiles of a Summer Night and its title is a literal English translation of the German name for Mozarts Serenade No.13 for strings in G major, Eine kleine Nachtmusik. The musical includes the popular song Send in the Clowns and it was adapted for film in 1977, with Harold Prince directing and Elizabeth Taylor, Len Cariou, Lesley-Anne Down and Diana Rigg starring. The setting is Sweden, around the year 1900, one by one, the Quintet – five singers who comment like a Greek chorus throughout the show – enter, tuning up. Gradually, their vocalizing becomes an overture blending fragments of Remember, Soon and The Glamorous Life, the other characters enter waltzing, each uncomfortable with their particular partner. After they drift back off, the aging and severe Madame Armfeldt and her granddaughter, Fredrika. Madame Armfeldt tells the child that the summer night smiles three times, first on the young, second on fools, and third on the old, Fredrika vows to watch the smiles occur. Middle-aged Fredrik Egerman is a successful lawyer and he has recently married an 18-year-old trophy wife, Anne, a vain girl who is in love with Fredrik, but too immature to grasp the concept of marriage. The two have married for eleven months, but Anne still protects her virginity. Fredrik laments his inability to love to his wife. Meanwhile, his son Henrik, an older than his stepmother, is feeling extremely frustrated. He is a student and everyone is always teasing him. Anne is intrigued by him, but fails to understand his real meaning, Anne promises her husband that shortly she will consent to have sex. Annes maidservant Petra, an experienced and forthright girl, slightly older than the teen herself, offers her worldly, Desiree Armfeldt is a prominent and glamorous actress who is now reduced to touring in small towns. Madame Armfeldt, Desirees mother, has taken over the care of Desirees daughter Fredrika, Fredrika misses her mother, but Desiree continually delays going to see her, preferring, somewhat ironically, The Glamorous Life. She is performing near Fredriks home, and he brings Anne to see the play, while there, Desiree notices Fredrik, the two had been lovers years earlier. Anne, suspicious and annoyed because of Desirees amorous glances, demands that Fredrik take her home immediately, meanwhile, Petra has been trying to seduce Henrik. That night, as Fredrik remembers his past with Desiree, he out to see her
25.
Rocket Science (film)
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Rocket Science is a 2007 American comedy-drama film written and directed by Jeffrey Blitz, and starring Reece Thompson, Anna Kendrick, Nicholas DAgosto, Vincent Piazza, and Aaron Yoo. The film was shot over 30 days in Baltimore, Maryland and Trenton, Rocket Science premiered on January 19,2007 at the Sundance Film Festival and was theatrically released on August 10. It was not a success, earning only US$756,000 from its $4.5 million budget. Reviewers praised Thompson and Kendricks performances and the parallels to real life, others believed that the film was deliberately quirky. It was nominated for Sundances Dramatic Grand Jury Prize and three Independent Spirit Awards, though it failed to win any of the Grand Jury Prizes at Sundance, Blitz won its Dramatic Directing Award. Hal Hefner is a student of Plainsboro, New Jersey with a pronounced stutter. Hal is riding the bus home one day when he is approached by Ginny Ryerson. Though Hal initially declines, he finds himself besotted with Ginny, Hal and Ginny begin to study for the upcoming tournament and form arguments on either side of whether the federal government should support the teaching of sexual abstinence in public schools. When Hal finds himself unable to talk during a debate, he runs out of the room and hides in the janitorial closet. Hal kisses her hopefully, and they make out, but she falls out of contact with him. Ginnys parents assure him that she is confident with the work they have already completed and that she will meet him on the day of the debate. On the day of the tournament, Coach Lumbly tells the team that Ginny has transferred to Townsend Prep for the remainder of her senior year. Struggling with his speech and his stutter, Hal calls his therapist, Hal and Heston finish the day without much success, while Ginny wins a trophy for First Place as an Individual Speaker, which inexplicably goes missing. Coach Lumbly asks Hal to leave the team, telling him that Ginny had never planned to debate as his partner and had recruited him as a cruel joke to damage the schools chances of winning. He breaks into Earls bedroom and takes a bottle of tequila, then rides with Heston to his friend Lewiss house. A drunken Hal drags Lewiss mothers cello across the street and throws it through Ginnys window just as she is arriving home with her new teammate, Ram. Later in the year, Hals mother breaks up with Hestons father, and Hal decides to seek out Ginny and return her trophy and she rejects his apology, and he travels to Trenton—the Big City—to find Ben, Ginnys former debate partner. Hal convinces Ben to debate him, and they register as a home-schooled team in the upcoming Policy Debate Championships
26.
Twilight (2008 film)
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Twilight is a 2008 American romantic fantasy film based on Stephenie Meyers popular novel of the same name. Directed by Catherine Hardwicke, the film stars Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson and it is the first film in The Twilight Saga film series. This film focuses on the development of the relationship between Bella Swan and Edward Cullen, and the subsequent efforts of Edward and his family to keep Bella safe from a coven of evil vampires. The project was in development for three years at Paramount Pictures, during which time a screen adaptation that differed significantly from the novel was written. Summit Entertainment acquired the rights to the novel after three years of the projects stagnant development, Melissa Rosenberg wrote a new adaptation of the novel shortly before the 2007–2008 Writers Guild of America strike and sought to be faithful to the novels storyline. Principal photography took 44 days and completed on May 2,2008, Twilight was theatrically released on November 21,2008, it grossed over US$393 million worldwide. It was released on DVD March 21,2009 and became the most purchased DVD of the year, the soundtrack was released on November 4,2008. Following the films success, New Moon and Eclipse, the two novels in the series, were produced as films the following year. Seventeen-year-old Isabella Bella Swan moves to Forks, a town on Washingtons Olympic Peninsula, to live with her father. Her mother, Renée, is remarried to a minor league baseball player, Bella makes several friends at her new high school, but she is intrigued by the mysterious and aloof Cullen siblings. Bella sits next to Edward Cullen in biology class on her first day of school, after a week of absence from school, Edward comes back and talks to Bella normally. A few days later, Bella is nearly struck by a van in the parking lot. Edward saves her by covering a distance of over 30 feet. He subsequently refuses to explain his actions to Bella and warns her against befriending him, after much research, Bella concludes that Edward is a vampire. He eventually confirms this but says he and the other Cullens only consume animal blood, the pair fall in love, and Edward introduces Bella to his vampire family. Carlisle Cullen, the patriarch, is a doctor working in Forks. His wife is Esme, and Alice, Jasper, Emmett, Edward and Bellas relationship is soon put in jeopardy, when three nomadic vampires—James, Victoria, and Laurent—arrive in Forks. James, a vampire with incredible hunting instincts, is instantly intrigued by Edwards protectiveness over a human
27.
Stephenie Meyer
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Stephenie Meyer is an American young adult fiction writer and film producer, best known for her vampire romance series Twilight. The Twilight novels have gained recognition and sold over 100 million copies. Meyer was the author of 2008 and 2009 in America, having sold over 29 million books in 2008. Twilight was the book of 2008 in US bookstores. Her annual earnings exceeded $50 million, in 2010, Forbes ranked her as the No.59 most powerful celebrity with annual earnings of $40 million. Stephenie Meyer was born in Hartford, Connecticut as the second of six children to Stephen and she was raised in Phoenix, Arizona with five siblings, Seth, Emily, Jacob, Paul, and Heidi. Meyer attended Chaparral High School in Scottsdale, Arizona, where her former English teacher remembered her as bright and she attended Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah, where she received a BA in English in 1997. Meyer met her husband, Christian, when she was 4 years old in Arizona, Christian Meyer, formerly an auditor, has now retired to take care of the children. Meyer is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, she has stated that she is straight-laced about her beliefs, Meyer had no experience as a writer of any kind and had never even written a short story before Twilight. Before becoming an author, Meyers only professional work was as a receptionist in a property company, Meyer says that the idea for Twilight came to her in a dream on June 2,2003. The dream was about a girl and a vampire who was in love with her. Based on this dream, Meyer wrote the draft of what became Chapter 13 of the book, in a matter of three months she had transformed her dream into a complete novel, though she never intended to publish Twilight and was writing for her own enjoyment. Her sisters response to the book was enthusiastic and she persuaded Meyer to send the manuscript to literary agencies, of the 15 letters she wrote, five went unanswered, nine brought rejections, and the last was a positive response from Jodi Reamer of Writers House. Eight publishers competed for the rights to publish Twilight in a 2003 auction, by November, Meyer had signed a $750,000 three-book deal with Little, Brown and Company. Twilight was published in 2005 with a print run of 75,000 copies and it reached No.5 on the New York Times Best Seller list for Childrens Chapter Books within a month of its release, and later rose to #1. Foreign rights to the novel were sold to over 26 countries, the novel was named the Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year and a New York Times Editors Choice. Following the success of Twilight, Meyer expanded the story into a series with three books, New Moon, Eclipse, and Breaking Dawn. In total, it spent over 50 weeks on the list, after the release of Eclipse, the first three Twilight books spent a combined 143 weeks on the New York Times Best Seller list
28.
Twilight (Meyer novel)
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Twilight is a young adult vampire-romance novel by author Stephenie Meyer. It is the first book in the Twilight series, and introduces seventeen-year-old Isabella Bella Swan and she is endangered after falling in love with Edward Cullen, a vampire. Additional novels in the series are New Moon, Eclipse, some praised the novels tone and its portrayal of common teenage emotions such as alienation and rebellion. Others criticized Meyers prose and argued the story was lacking in character development and it reached number five on the New York Times bestseller list within a month of its release and eventually reached first place. The novel was named one of Publishers Weeklys Best Childrens Books of 2005, the film adaptation, released in 2008, was a commercial success, grossing more than $392 million worldwide and making an additional $157 million in North American DVD sales as of July 2009. The book was the biggest-selling of 2008, in 2009, it was the second-biggest selling, losing only to its sequel New Moon, as of 2008, Twilight has been translated into 37 different languages. Bella Swan moves from sunny Phoenix, Arizona to rainy Forks, Washington on the Olympic Peninsula to live with her father and her mother, Renée is traveling with her new husband, Phil Dwyer, a minor league baseball player. Bella attracts much attention at her new school and makes friends quickly, a shy girl, she is dismayed by several boys competing for her attention. As Bella walks into the class, a fan blows her scent towards Edward, Bella sits next to Edward Cullen in biology class on her first day of school, but he seems repulsed by her, hurting her feelings in the process. He disappears for a few days, but warms up to Bella upon his return, Edward saves Bella, stopping the van with only his hand. Bella annoys Edward with questions about how he saved her life and she hears that Edward and his family are vampires who drink animal blood. She is told legends of the local Quilyeute people by a friend Jacob Black who she met during a camp out, disturbed by recurring nightmares, Bella researches about vampires. Convinced hes a vampire, she herself in the state of bewilderment. Bella is saved by Edward again in Port Angeles when she is almost attacked, driving a silver Volvo, Edward takes Bella to dinner and home. As they drive, she tells him of the stories that he is a vampire, Edward says he tried to stay away, finding her scent too desirable. Over time, Edward and Bella fall in love and their relationship is affected when a nomad vampire coven arrives in Forks. James, a vampire who is intrigued by Cullens relationship with a human. The Cullen family try to separate Bella and Edward, and send Bella to Phoenix to hide in a hotel, James calls and claims to be holding her mother
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Bella Swan
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Isabella Marie Bella Swan is a character and the protagonist of the Twilight series, written by Stephenie Meyer. The Twilight series, consisting of the novels Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse, in the film series, Bella is portrayed by actress Kristen Stewart. In Twilight, Bella moves to her fathers home in Forks, Washington, meets the mysterious Cullen family, however, she soon discovers that the family is a coven of vampires. Bella expresses a desire to become a vampire herself, against Edwards wishes. She attracts the attention of three nomads, Victoria, James and Laurent. In the second novel, New Moon, Edward and the other Cullens leave Forks in an effort to keep Bella safe from the vampire world. Jacob Black, a member of the Quileute tribe who is also a shape shifter taking a form, comforts the distraught. She comes to care deeply for Jacob, though less than she loves Edward, at the end of Eclipse, Bella becomes engaged to Edward, and they marry in Breaking Dawn. On their honeymoon, she becomes pregnant by Edward and, due to the nature of her baby, Bella nearly dies giving birth to their daughter. Edward turns her into a vampire to save her life and she later faces problems from the Volturi. The premise for both the Bella Swan character and the Twilight series originated in a dream Stephenie Meyer had in which an average girl, were having an intense conversation in a meadow in the woods. In this dream, the pair were discussing the difficulties inherent in the facts that and they were falling in love with each other while. The vampire was particularly attracted to the scent of her blood, the name Isabella was decided upon, Meyer explains, because after spending so much time with, I loved her like a daughter. Inspired by that love, I gave her the name I was saving for my daughter, Bellas positive reception at her new school in Forks, particularly her popularity with male characters, was modelled after Meyers real life move from high school to college. Meyer has said there are similarities between Bella and the title character of Charlotte Brontës Jane Eyre, a novel which she has cited as an influence on the Twilight Saga. Twilight is about a 17-year-old girl named Bella Swan, who moves from her mothers home in Phoenix, Arizona, to live with her father in her birthtown of Forks, there, she becomes intrigued by a student, Edward Cullen. When Edward saves her life, he exhibits super-human qualities, Bella learns from family friend Jacob Black that Quileute legends say the Cullen family are vampires. Edward eventually admits to this truth, though his family hunts only animals, not humans, Bellas love and confidence in Edwards restraint is such that his warnings go unheeded, and on an outing with the Cullens she becomes the target of a sadistic vampire, James. With his familys help, Edward is able to save Bella from James predations, New Moon begins on Bellas eighteenth birthday
30.
The Marc Pease Experience
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The Marc Pease Experience is a 2009 comedy film directed by Todd Louiso and written by Louiso and Jacob Koskoff. The film stars Jason Schwartzman as Pease, Ben Stiller as Marcs former mentor, in high school, Marc Pease ran out on his performance as the Tin Man in a production of The Wiz, succumbing to his stage fright despite his mentor Mr. Jon Gribbles encouragement. Eight years later, he is dating Meg Brickman, a school senior who is bitter about being in the chorus. Marc is keen for Gribble to produce the tape for his a cappella singing group Meridian 8. Gribble, however, tries to avoid Marc, frustrated that Marc refuses to him alone because of the friendly advice he gave Marc eight years ago. Meg, meanwhile, begins to doubt Gribbles sincerity when he tells her what a terrific singer she is when she realizes that she is always in the chorus, questioning whether she even enjoys singing, she decides to quit. Marc drives to a performance with Meridian 8, where the way he can keep the group from splitting up is to lie that Gribble has given them the chance to record in a studio. After insisting that he should sing his Tin Mans song, he starts crying on stage and that night, the opening night of The Wiz, Marc is working as a chauffeur for a high school prom couple. After dropping them off and cutting off his frequently ridiculed ponytail and he unsuccessfully tries to discuss Meridian 8s demo with Gribble, who brushes him off, then learns from another bandmate that they are losing another member. After hearing the Tin Mans song from outside the auditorium, Marc goes inside, Marc confronts him about his empty promises for Meridian 8 to record in a studio. Gribble tells Marc that he is living as if he were in high school. As they fight, Marc accuses Gribble of denying Meg a main role as a means of revenge on him and he then goes backstage and breaks up with Meg because she is too young for him. Seeing that the actor of the Wiz has injured himself, Marc takes his cape, runs onto the stage, Meg runs away but decides that she loves singing and returns to the stage. Marcs performance is met with cheers from the audience, and he is overjoyed, one year later, having left exorcised his Wizard of Oz demons, Marc is working as a professional singer under the title The Marc Pease Experience. Ben Stiller as Mr. Jon Gribble, Marcs overzealous former mentor, Anna Kendrick as Meg Brickman, a high school senior, romantically involved with both Pease and Gribble. Final funding from Paramount Vantage and producer Michael London was received in early February, Anna Kendricks role in the film was announced in mid-April, after filming had begun. Principal photography began on March 12,2007 in the state of North Carolina, various locations around Wilmington and New Hanover County were used for filming, including Wilmingtons Eugene Ashley High School and the schools auditorium. Filming continued through March and into April, on the last day of shooting at Eugene Ashley High, Stiller presented the schools morning announcements
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The Twilight Saga: New Moon
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The Twilight Saga, New Moon, commonly referred to as New Moon, is a 2009 American romantic fantasy film based on Stephenie Meyers 2006 novel New Moon. It is the film in The Twilight Saga film series and is the sequel to 2008s Twilight. Summit Entertainment greenlit the sequel in late November 2008, following the success of Twilight. Directed by Chris Weitz, the film stars Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, and Taylor Lautner, reprising their roles as Bella Swan, Edward Cullen, and Jacob Black, respectively. Melissa Rosenberg, who handed in a draft of the script during the opening weekend of Twilight. Filming began in Vancouver in late March 2009, and in Montepulciano, furthermore, New Moon opened with the third highest domestic opening weekend since 2002 grossing a total of $142,839,137. New Moon was released on DVD and Blu-ray Disc on March 20,2010 through midnight release parties, the film was well received by fans, but received generally negative reviews from critics. On her eighteenth birthday, Bella Swan wakes up from a dream in which she sees herself as an old woman and she expresses her distaste about growing older than her boyfriend Edward Cullen, a vampire who stopped aging physically at seventeen. Despite her lack of enthusiasm, Edwards adoptive family throw Bella a birthday party, while unwrapping a gift, Bella gets a paper cut. Edwards brother, Jasper, becomes overwhelmed by the scent of Bellas blood, realizing the danger that he and his family pose to Bella, Edward ends their relationship, and the Cullens leave Forks, Washington. After seeing a movie with Jessica, Bella sees a group of men on motorcycles and this reminds her of when Edward previously rescued her from an assault, and she sees his image warning her to keep away. Bella discovers that any thrill-seeking activities she engages in evoke Edwards preserved image and she is also comforted by Jacob Black, a cheerful companion who helps to ease her pain over losing Edward. When Jacob suddenly begins avoiding her, Bella discovers that he, and others of his tribe, are descended from a line of werewolves. Bella also learns that the werewolves are an enemy of vampires. Jacobs pack members are on constant alert for Victoria, a vampire seeking to avenge the death of her mate, James and they rescue Bella from Laurent, when he tries to kill her. With Jacob busy coming to terms with his nature, Bella again finds herself alone. Through a series of miscommunications, Edward believes that Bella has killed herself by jumping off a cliff into the ocean, distraught over her apparent suicide, Edward travels to Italy and attempts to provoke the Volturi to kill him by exposing himself as a vampire to humans. Alice, Edwards sister, and Bella travel to Italy to save Edward, Edward explains that he always loved Bella and only left to protect her
32.
George Clooney
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George Timothy Clooney is an American actor, filmmaker, and activist. He has received three Golden Globe Awards for his work as an actor and two Academy Awards, one for acting in Syriana and the other for co-producing Argo, in 1999, he took the lead role in Three Kings, a well-received war satire set during the Gulf War. In 2001, Clooneys fame widened with the release of his biggest commercial success, the heist comedy remake Oceans Eleven, in 2013, he received the Academy Award for Best Picture for producing the political thriller Argo. He is the person who has been nominated for Academy Awards in six different categories. In 2009, Clooney was included in Times annual Time 100 as one of the Most Influential People in the World and he is also noted for his political activism, and has served as one of the United Nations Messengers of Peace since January 31,2008. He is also a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, Clooney was born in Lexington, Kentucky. His mother, Nina Bruce, was a beauty queen and city councilwoman and his father, Nick Clooney, is a former anchorman and game show host who hosted AMC for five years in the late 1990s. Clooney has Irish, German, and English ancestry and his maternal great-great-great-great-grandmother, Mary Ann Sparrow, was the half-sister of Nancy Lincoln, mother of President Abraham Lincoln. Clooney has a sister named Adelia. His aunt was the cabaret singer and actress Rosemary Clooney. Through Rosemary, his cousins include actors Miguel Ferrer, Rafael Ferrer, and Gabriel Ferrer, Clooney was raised a strict Roman Catholic, but said in 2006 that he does not know if he believes in Heaven, or even God. He has said, Yes, we were Catholic, big time, whole family and he began his education at the Blessed Sacrament School in Fort Mitchell, Kentucky. He attended St. Michaels School in Columbus, Ohio, then Western Row Elementary School in Mason, Ohio, from 1968 to 1974, and St. Susanna School in Mason, the Clooneys moved back to Kentucky when George was midway through the seventh grade. In middle school, Clooney developed Bells palsy, a condition that partially paralyzes the face, the malady went away within a year. In an interview with Larry King, he stated that yes and it takes about nine months to go away. It was the first year of school, which was a bad time for having half your face paralyzed. After his parents moved to Augusta, Kentucky, Clooney attended Augusta High School and he has stated that he earned all As and a B in school, and was an enthusiastic baseball and basketball player. He tried out to professional baseball with the Cincinnati Reds in 1977
33.
82nd Academy Awards
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The ceremony was scheduled well after its usual late-February date to avoid conflicting with the 2010 Winter Olympics. During the ceremony, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences presented Academy Awards in 24 categories, the ceremony was televised in the United States by ABC, and was produced by Bill Mechanic and Adam Shankman and directed by Hamish Hamilton. Actors Alec Baldwin and Steve Martin hosted the show, Martin hosted for the third time, he first presided over the 73rd ceremony held in 2001 and last hosted the 75th ceremony held in 2003. Meanwhile, this was Baldwins first Oscars hosting stint and this was also the first telecast to have multiple hosts since the 59th ceremony held in 1987. On February 20,2010, in a ceremony at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Beverly Hills, California, the Hurt Locker won six awards, including Best Picture and Best Director for Kathryn Bigelow, the first woman to win an Academy Award for Best Director. The telecast garnered nearly 42 million viewers in the United States, the nominees for the 82nd Academy Awards were announced on February 2,2010, at 5,38 a. m. PST at the Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills, California, by Tom Sherak, president of the Academy, Avatar and The Hurt Locker led the nominations with nine each. The winners were announced during the ceremony on March 7,2010. Kathryn Bigelow made history as the first female to win the Oscar for Best Director, up became only the second animated film to earn a Best Picture nomination. 1991s Beauty and the Beast was the first such film to achieve this feat, Best Adapted Screenplay winner Geoffrey Fletcher was the first African American winner of a screenwriting Oscar. Winners are listed first, highlighted in boldface and indicated with a double dagger, the Academy held its 1st Annual Governors Awards ceremony on November 14,2009, during which the following awards were presented. Lauren Bacall — In recognition of her place in the golden age of motion pictures. Roger Corman — For his rich engendering of films and filmmakers, gordon Willis — For unsurpassed mastery of light, shadow, color and motion. John Calley The following individuals, listed in order of appearance, because of the declining viewership of recent Academy Awards ceremonies, the Academy sought ideas to revamp the show while renewing interest with the nominated films. After the previous years telecast, which saw a 13% increase in viewership, AMPAS then-president Sid Ganis announced that the ceremony would feature ten Best Picture nominees, rather than traditional five. The expansion was a throwback to the Academys early years in the 1930s and 1940s, I cant wait to see what that list of ten looks like when the nominees are announced in February. Ganis also said that became difficult to get a clear winner, a cause of this was required a change in the voting system from first-past-the-post to alternative vote. Choreographer Adam Shankman and Bill Mechanic were hired as producers for the ceremony, many of the previous years well-received elements returned
34.
67th Golden Globe Awards
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The 67th Golden Globe Awards was telecasted live from the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, California on Sunday, January 17,2010 by NBC, from 5,00 PM –8,00 PM and 8, 00PM –11,00 PM. The ceremonies were hosted by Ricky Gervais, and were broadcast live for the first time, nominations were announced on December 15,2009. Among films, Up in the Air led with six nominations, followed by Nine with five and Avatar, television programs receiving multiple nominations include Glee, Dexter, Damages, Mad Men, House, and 30 Rock. Avatar, Up and Crazy Heart were the movies, with each winning two awards. Avatar won awards for Best Motion Picture – Drama and Best Director, Up for Best Animated Feature Film and Best Original Score, martin Scorsese was presented with the Cecil B. DeMille Award for lifetime achievement in motion pictures and these are the nominees for the 67th Golden Globe Awards. Winners are listed at the top of each list.4 ratings share among 18–49 years old demographic, the averaged viewers was up 14% and it gained a 12% rise among 18–49 demographic rating share versus last year telecast. The 67th Golden Globe telecast of NBC presents the network its biggest non-sports viewership in the Sunday slot in six years
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63rd British Academy Film Awards
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The 63rd British Academy Film Awards, given by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts, took place on 21 February 2010 and honoured the best films of 2009. Fox, Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince, The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus, In the Loop, The Lovely Bones, Moon, A Single Man, Star Trek, British Academy of Film and Television Arts. Archived from the original on 23 March 2010
36.
The Twilight Saga: Eclipse
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The Twilight Saga, Eclipse, commonly referred to as Eclipse, is a 2010 American romantic fantasy film based on Stephenie Meyers 2007 novel Eclipse. It is the installment of The Twilight Saga film series, following 2008s Twilight. Summit Entertainment greenlit the film in February 2009, directed by David Slade, the film stars Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, and Taylor Lautner, reprising their roles as Bella Swan, Edward Cullen, and Jacob Black, respectively. Melissa Rosenberg, who penned the scripts for both Twilight and New Moon, returned as screenwriter, filming began on August 17,2009, at Vancouver Film Studios, and finished in late October, with post-production began early the following month. Bryce Dallas Howard was cast as Victoria, replacing Rachelle Lefevre who previously played her, the film was released worldwide on June 30,2010 in theatres, and became the first Twilight film to be released in IMAX. The film has received mixed reception from critics, the film then scored the biggest Wednesday opening in the United States and Canada history with $68,533,840 beating Transformers, Revenge of the Fallens $62 million. In Seattle, not far from Forks, Victoria attacks and bites Riley Biers, in order to begin creating an army of newborns, back in Forks, Edward Cullen and Bella Swan discuss the complications of becoming an immortal vampire. Bella insists that Jacob Black and the rest of the pack would never harm her. Bella wants to go to Jacobs home even though Edward expresses his dislike and concern for her safety, during one of her visits, Jacob confesses that he is in love with Bella, and forcefully kisses her. Furious, she punches him and sprains her hand, and Edward later threatens Jacob, Bella even revokes the invitations of Jacob and his pack members to her graduation party, but when Jacob apologizes for his behavior, she forgives him. Meanwhile, Alice sees a vision that the army will attack Forks within the week. Jacob, accompanied by Quil and Embry overhear this, which leads to an alliance between the Cullens and Wolf pack, later, the Cullens and the wolves agree to a meeting place and time to train and discuss strategy against the powerful newborns. During the training Jasper explains to Bella that he was created by a vampire named Maria to control a newborn army and he hated his original existence until he met Alice and joins in Cullens gang. Bella sees the bond between a mated vampire pair and begins to understand Jasper better. Despite her reluctance to marry, Bella realizes that spending eternity with Edward is more important to her anything else. Edward and Bella camp in the mountains to hide Bella from the bloodthirsty newborns, during the night, Bella overhears a conversation between Edward and Jacob, in which they temporarily put aside their hatred towards each other. In the morning, Jacob overhears Edward and Bella discussing their engagement and storms off, Bella desperately asks Jacob to kiss her, and she realizes that she has fallen in love with him. Edward finds out about the kiss but is not upset, as Bella says she loves him more than Jacob, when Victoria appears, Edward kills her while Seth kills Riley
37.
Scott Pilgrim vs. the World
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Scott Pilgrim vs. the World is a 2010 action comedy fantasy film co-written, produced and directed by Edgar Wright, based on the graphic novel series Scott Pilgrim by Bryan Lee OMalley. It stars Michael Cera as Scott Pilgrim, a musician who must battle his girlfriend Ramonas seven evil exes. It was initially planned as a film after the first volume of the comic was released, Wright became attached to the project, and filming began in March 2009 in Toronto. The film premiered after a discussion at the San Diego Comic-Con International on July 22,2010. It received a release in North America on August 13,2010. It failed to regain its budget during its theatrical release. In Toronto, 22-year-old Scott Pilgrim is a bass guitarist in Sex Bob-Omb, to the disapproval of his friends, he is dating Knives Chau, a high-school student. Scott meets an American Amazon. ca delivery girl, Ramona Flowers, having first seen her in a dream, when Sex Bob-Omb plays in a battle of the bands sponsored by record executive G-Man Graves, Scott is attacked by Ramonas ex-boyfriend Matthew Patel. Scott defeats Patel and learns that, in order to date Ramona, Scott breaks up with Knives, who blames Ramona and swears to win him back. Scott defeats Ramonas second evil ex, Hollywood actor and skateboarder Lucas Lee and he defeats her third ex, vegan Todd Ingram, who is dating Scotts ex-girlfriend, Envy Adams, by tricking him into drinking dairy. He defeats Ramonas fourth ex, Roxy Richter, by prodding the spot behind her knee, Scott becomes upset with Ramonas dating history, and Ramona breaks up with him. At the next battle of the bands, Sex Bob-Omb defeats Ramonas fifth and sixth evil exes, twins Kyle and Ken Katayanagi, Ramona gets back with her seventh evil ex, Gideon, also known as G-Man Graves, the sponsor of the event. Sex Bob-Omb accepts Gideons record deal, except for Scott, who leaves the band in protest, Gideon invites Scott to his venue, the Chaos Theater, where Sex Bob-Omb is playing. Resolving to win Ramona back, Scott challenges Gideon to a fight for her affections, earning the Power of Love, Knives fights Ramona over Scott, and Scott is forced to reveal that he dated them concurrently. After Gideon kills Scott, Ramona visits him in limbo and reveals that Gideon has implanted her with a control device. Scott uses his 1-up to restore his life and he makes peace with his friends and challenges Gideon again, this time for himself. He gains the Power of Self-Respect and disarms Gideon with the sword it grants him and he apologizes to Ramona and Knives for cheating on them, and Scott and Knives join forces to defeat Gideon. Free from Gideons control, Ramona prepares to leave, Knives accepts that her relationship with Scott is over
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Cult film
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A cult film, also commonly referred to as a cult classic, is a film that has acquired a cult following. Cult films are known for their dedicated, passionate fanbase, a subculture that engage in repeated viewings, quoting dialogue. Inclusive definitions allow for major productions, especially box office bombs, while exclusive definitions focus more on obscure. The difficulty in defining the term and subjectivity of what qualifies as a cult film mirror classificatory disputes about art, Cult films trace their origin back to controversial and suppressed films kept alive by dedicated fans. In some cases, reclaimed or rediscovered films have acquired cult followings decades after their original release, Other cult films have since become well-respected or reassessed as classics, there is debate as to whether these popular and accepted films are still cult films. After failing in the cinema, some films have become regular fixtures on cable television or profitable sellers on home video. Others have inspired their own film festivals, Cult films can both appeal to specific subcultures and form their own subcultures. Other media that reference cult films can easily identify which demographics they desire to attract, Cult films frequently break cultural taboos, and many feature excessive displays of violence, gore, sexuality, profanity, or combinations thereof. This can lead to controversy, censorship, and outright bans, films that fail to attract requisite amounts of controversy may face resistance when labeled as cult films. Fans who like the films for the reasons, such as perceived elements that represent mainstream appeal and marketing. Likewise, fans who stray from accepted subcultural scripts may experience similar rejection, since the late 1970s, cult films have become increasingly popular. Films that once would have limited to obscure cult followings are now capable of breaking into the mainstream. Films are frequently stated to be an instant cult classic now, fickle fans on the Internet have latched on to unreleased films only to abandon them later on release. At the same time, other films have acquired massive, quick cult followings, easy access to cult films via video on demand and peer-to-peer file sharing has led some critics to pronounce the death of cult films. A cult film is any film that has a following, although the term is not easily defined. Cult films are defined by audience reaction as much as they are content and this may take the form of elaborate and ritualized audience participation, film festivals, or cosplay. Over time, the definition has become more vague and inclusive as it drifts away from earlier, stricter views, academic Mark Shiel has criticized the term itself as being a weak concept, reliant on subjectivity, different groups can interpret films in their own terms. Academic Mike Chopra‑Gant says that cult films become decontextualized when studied as a group, in 2008, Cineaste asked a range of academics for their definition of a cult film
39.
Joseph Gordon-Levitt
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Joseph Leonard Gordon-Levitt is an American actor and filmmaker. As a child actor, he appeared in the films A River Runs Through It, Angels in the Outfield and 10 Things I Hate About You and he took a break from acting to study at Columbia University, but dropped out in 2004 to pursue acting again. He has since starred in 500 Days of Summer, Inception, Hesher, 50/50, Premium Rush, The Dark Knight Rises, Brick, Looper, The Lookout, Manic, Lincoln, Mysterious Skin and G. I. He starred as Philippe Petit in the Robert Zemeckis-directed film The Walk and he also founded the online production company hitRECord in 2004 and has hosted his own TV series, HitRecord on TV, since January 2014. In 2013, Gordon-Levitt made his film directing and screenwriting debut with Don Jon. He previously directed and edited two short films, both of which were released in 2010, Morgan M. Morgansens Date with Destiny and Morgan and Destinys Eleventeenth Date, Gordon-Levitt was born in Los Angeles, California, and was raised in its Sherman Oaks neighborhood. He is Jewish, from a family that is not strictly religious and his father, Dennis Levitt, was once the news director for the Pacifica Radio station, KPFK-FM. Gordon-Levitts maternal grandfather, Michael Gordon, was a Hollywood film director between the 1940s and 1970s, and directed the 1959 Doris Day/Rock Hudson film Pillow Talk, Gordon-Levitt attended Van Nuys High School and graduated in 1999. Gordon-Levitt joined a theater group at the age of four. Subsequently, he was approached by an agent and began appearing on television and in commercials for Sunny Jim peanut butter, Cocoa Puffs, Pop-Tarts, at age six, he starred in several made-for-television films. In 1991, he played both David Collins and Daniel Collins in the Dark Shadows television series, and appeared in the movie A River Runs Through It. During 1992–93, he played in The Powers That Be, a sitcom starring John Forsythe, also in 1992, he portrayed Gregory Kingsley in the made-for-TV film Switching Parents, based on Kingsleys real life case of divorcing his parents. In 1994, he starred in the Disney film Angels in the Outfield as an orphan who sees angels, in 1996, he began playing Tommy Solomon on the sitcom 3rd Rock from the Sun. The series ran for six seasons, the San Francisco Chronicle noted that Gordon-Levitt was a Jewish kid playing an extraterrestrial pretending to be a Jewish kid. During the 1990s, he was featured in teenage magazines. In 2000, he began attending Columbia University School of General Studies and he studied history, literature, and French poetry. He became an avid Francophile and a French speaker and he said that moving to New York City from his hometown forced him to grow as a person. He dropped out in 2004 to concentrate on acting again, Gordon-Levitt has said that he made a conscious decision to be in good movies after returning to acting
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