Are Big Studio Mergers Coming?

Right up front we'll admit that for the moment this is nothing more than an intriguing headline driven by high-power speculation, yet it wouldn't be unheard of if some of the big studios were to soon engage in mergers.
It's a theory that veteran investor Mario Gabelli told Barron's magazine recently. Gabelli, it seems, expects a wave of consolidation in the industry over the next few months.
Gabelli told Barron's magazine that he expects Paramount Pictures to soon merge with Sony Pictures, Universal Pictures or another studio as a way to cut costs.
"Today there are seven or eight motion-picture studios. A round of consolidation will occur in the next six to 12 months because of the costs of financing, prints and advertising, the benefits of globalization and such," said Gabelli. "We hear talk of something going on."
It seems perhaps counter-intuitive with some of the current tentpoles seemingly making money hand over fist, plus record annual profits for studios. But if you stop to consider the enormous up-front risks, preposterously high marketing budgets (sometimes as costly as the films themselves), empowerment of independent filmmakers thanks to advancing technology, and lost revenue due to challenges from other forms of media, such a move might make sense from a corporate perspective.
Moreover, with vertical integration and corporate ownership of major studios (Universal Studios owned by GE, Warner Bros Pictures owned by Time Warner, etc.) — and the current economic downturn — corporate owned studios are being left with dwindling advertising budgets.
Quite frankly, this doesn't sound like a good thing to us. Many believe that corporate ownership of the studios has stifled overall creativity as continued emphasis is placed on the reworking of owned properties and FX-driven "event films," which nonetheless offer several irresistible lures for corporate management, including increased profitability from marketing and merchandising tie-ins.
Somewhere along the way, the studios seem to have largely forgotten that at the end of the day, it's all about the story.

The 20 Sexiest Male Vampires of All Time

Here's a list that makes me scratch my head, frankly. The website Guide To Beauty Schools has compiled a list of who they believe to be the 20 hottest male vampires ever.
Before we get to that, let me describe the problem I have with this. Vampires shouldn't be hot for hot's sake with poofy hair and eye makeup. They should be wretched, evil things, with embers for eyes and the smell of rotting fish for breath. They should scare the living daylights out of you and make you want to run and hide someplace, not head together down to the dance club, after which you follow up with a night of spooning and talking about your "feelings."
They should have a presence that is both majestic and chilling. As described in Bram Stoker's novel, "Dracula":
How he came there, I know not, but I heard his voice raised in a tone of imperious command, and looking towards the sound, saw him stand in the roadway. As he swept his long arms, as though brushing aside some impalpable obstacle, the wolves fell back and back further still. Just then a heavy cloud passed across the face of the moon, so that we were again in darkness.
Now, no one will deny that vampires offer plenty of metaphors for sex, this we've known for years. For example, listen with your Freudian ear to the language in which Dr. Seward describes the driving of a stake into Lucy's breast by her finance in Stoker's novel:
The thing in the coffin writhed; and a hideous, blood-curdly screech came from the opened red lips. The body shook and quivered and twisted in wild contortions; the sharp white teeth champed together till the lips were cut, and the mouth was smeared with a crimson foam.
But a metaphor for sex is different from a sexy vampire, and so we present to you the below list with the following caveat: we think this whole trend of "sexy" vampires is total crap!
James Marsters as Spike in Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel
Robert Pattinson as Edward Cullen in Twilight
Alexander Skarsgard as Eric Northman in True Blood
Antonio Banderas as Armand in Interview with a Vampire
David Boreanaz as Angel in Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel
Keifer Sutherland as David in The Lost Boys
Brad Pitt as Louis de Pointe du Lac in Interview with a Vampire
Jason Dohring as Josef Kostan in Moonlight
Wesley Snipes as Blade in Blade
Stephen Moyer as Bill Compton in True Blood
Gerard Butler as Dracula in Dracula 2000
Ian Somerhalder as Damon Salvatore in The Vampire Diaires
Tom Cruise as Lestat de Lioncourt in Interview with a Vampire
Alex O’Loughlin as Mich St. John in Moonlight
Jason Patric as Michael from The Lost Boys
Kellan Lutz as Emmett Cullen from Twilight
Aidan Turner as Mitchell in Being Human
Ethan Hawke as Edward in Daybreakers
Paul Wesley as Stefan in The Vampire Diaries
Stuart Townsend as Lestat in Queen of the Damned
Hey Hollywood: Can we please have real vampires back again?

Warner Bros. Celebrates Success

Warner Home Video Canada held its quarterly press event in Toronto on Thursday, January 14. The Oscar-themed event, staged at the Capitol Theatre, was appropriate given that award season is upon us. And because release dates for Warner Home Video titles are the same in Canada as in the U.S., we were more than happy to make the trip.
In the spirit of the event, president John Grant was escorted to the stage by shade-wearing security. He started by saying that "2009 was an amazing year", referencing the record theatrical box office enjoyed by the industry worldwide.
Warner, he continued, pulled in $4 billion in box office, thanks to having nine films hit number 1, and eight earning more than $100 million. "The state of the industry is very healthy."
Manager of publicity Dyan Eaton took over at that point, introducing a series of clips of memorable Oscar moments, including David Niven and the streaker, Marlon Brando's rejection, Jack Palance's one-armed push-ups, and Halle Berry's cry-fest.
Eaton was then joined on stage by Chris Lewchuk, senior publicist, who was wearing a bald cap and was completely covered in gold paint. Lewchuk was much more animated than the traditional Oscar as he walked media through Warner Bros. upcoming releases.
One significant new packaging option from Warner Bros. is the new Blu-ray Combo Pack, which includes DVD, Blu-ray and digital copy editions of a film in one package. Lewchuk said the new SKU was so audiences could "decide how and where they want to watch."
Chuck: The Complete Second Season was released on January 5 and should already be on rotation in your home.
New Warner Bros. films coming soon to DVD and Blu-ray include Whiteout (January 19), starring Kate Beckinsale as a U.S. Marshall stationed in Antarctica, The Invention of Lying (January 19), starring Ricky Gervais — who will be hosting the Golden Globes this weekend — and Jennifer Garner, and The Final Destination in 3D (January 5) includes both 2D and 3D versions.
Films being released on Blu-ray for the first time include: Fame (January 26), The Green Berets (January 5) and Mystic River (February 2).
Some of the best series from Britain continue to find their way to North America courtesy of Warner Bros.
Doctor Who: The Complete Specials, releasing on February 2 on DVD and Blu-ray, includes the four specials that round out David Tennant's tenure as the Doctor: "The Next Doctor", "Planet of the Dead", "The Waters of Mars", and the two-part "The End of Time".
The seventh season of MI-5 — known as Spooks in Jolly Old England — comes out on January 26.
Series 11 and Series 12 of Top Gear, which is more fun with motor vehicles than you can possible imagine, landed on DVD on January 12.
Also coming from Warner Bros. in 2010, but not yet dated, are films such as The Informant! and Where the Wild Things Are, and Halo Legends, an anthology of eight short animated films, each created by a different studio, set in the Halo universe, popularized by the video games.

Are Hollywood Celebrities Being Murdered? Randy Quaid Thinks So.

Either a shadowy group responsible for murdering Hollywood celebrities is out to kill actor Randy Quaid and his wife, or the celebrity couple are suffering from paranoia-fueled delusions triggered by substance-abuse. Or perhaps something else altogether.
Most believe it's the latter two. And by most, we mean everyone except Dog the Bounty Hunter (and we seriously doubt he believes their story, either—more on that in a bit).
The older brother of actor Dennis Quaid was arrested last Thursday in Vancouver by several Canada Border Service Agency officials and police officers on outstanding warrants from the United States. Randy Quaid's 47 year-old wife, Evi, was arrested, too.
The couple appeared to be living out of a 10 year-old Toyota.
The couple reportedly failed to show up for a court hearing in Santa Barbara, Calif., on allegations they were squatting in the guest house of a Montecito home they once owned in the 1990s. Evi was also charged with resisting arrest.
After their arrest the Quaids made an appearance before the Immigration and Refugee Board for a detention hearing on Friday where they filed for refugee status. Quaid alleges that a shadowy group he calls 'Star Whackers' is responsible for killing a number of his Hollywood friends, and is now after he and his wife.
Quaid cited the deaths of Dark Knight star Heath Ledger and David Carradine of Kung Fu and the Kill Billfranchise as examples.
In a handwritten note, shown to media by their Vancouver-based lawyer, Brian Tsuji, the couple said: "Yes we are requesting asylum from Hollywood 'STAR WHACKERS.'"
When the issue was raised about his reported problems with substance abuse, 66 year-old Randy Quaid denied the couple had drug or alcohol problems.
Evi Quaid told reporters that "Hollywood is murdering its movie stars for ad sales."
A secret group of international assassins targeting celebrities, you say? Hollywood studios offing its stars to raise ticket revenue? Or how about disgruntled moviegoers?
If all this sounds a bit whacked to you, it gets better. The couple's verbal plea has piqued curiosity about who, or what, 'star whackers' refers to. And the plea may allow the couple to stay in B.C. as refugee claimants.
Which might just be the point.
Meanwhile, a private investigator told Sun Media that the conspiracy theory Evi Quaid hopes will allow her and Randy to claim refugee status in Canada is fictitious.
"Evi believes the ‘union mob’ is out to destroy them, and that they're going to kill Randy and herself and make it look like a murder-suicide," said Becky Altringer by phone from La Verne, Calif.
"There is nobody out to kill Randy or Evi," Altringer went on. "The only one trying to hurt Randy and Evi is Evi, she is really mentally ill."
"Heath Ledger, Chris Penn, David Carradine all died of different things," she added, "they all died of self-inflicted (matters)."
Yep, no need to employ a P.I. to figure that one out.
According to Altringer, she was hired by the Quaids last year to investigate the alleged conspiracy, but ended up quitting and filing a restraining order against the couple, who ran up a $19,000 bill. She said she gave them a place to stay but eventually evicted them over Evi’s behavior.
So the plot thickens.
Asked whether he really wanted refugee status, Randy Quaid stated that "Canada is a very protective nation." If the couple is allowed to access the refugee system, the process will take a minimum of one to two years. During that period, they will have access to Canadian benefits, including work permits, medical care and welfare.
Still, experts doubt the couple's claim for refugee status will be approved. Criminality is typically not an open door to Canada's refugee process.
If unable to discredit the California charges and prove fear of prosecution back home, their time in Canada will be brief, and the likelihood is that the couple will be escorted from the hearing room directly to the back of an immigration truck, where they will face a one one-way trip to the U.S. border and the waiting arms of American law enforcement officials (or the 'star whackers', whomever gets there first, we reckon).
Quaid and his wife also claimed that they chose Vancouver as their destination to talk to an agent about jump-starting Quaid's acting career.
Duane Chapman has wasted no time inserting himself into this sordid saga. After threatening to hunt down Quaid and "do an intervention, Doggy style" (sorry, "Dog style"), the star of A&E's Dog the Bounty Hunter now claims he wants to hear Quaid's 'star whackers' story.
"That is the first time I heard about it," Chapman said. "Something is wrong here and we need to find out … Something is up and we need to get to the bottom of it."
It's unlikely Chapman really believes this story about assassins targeting Hollywood celebrities, either. Anything for ratings, we suppose.
If Dog really wants to pull off a ratings coup, he should consider traveling to Pakistan to hunt down Bin Laden…with Randy Quaid riding shotgun (certainly a better way to jump start Quaid's career than a guest-stint on Smallville).

We’ve never had the privilege

Esquire Magazine, the self-described publication about ‘Beautiful Women, Men’s Fashion, Best Music and Drink Recipes,’ has declared that R&B singer Rihanna is the ‘Sexiest Woman Alive.’
We’ve never had the privilege of meeting Ms. R. and wouldn’t presume to comment on her personality but we will admit that her well cultivated image as an attractive singer is appealing. Quite what she looks like after a day weeding is another matter.
In general, however, we reckon these kinds of polls are nonsense. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Nonetheless, we can’t let this one go by without offering a nod to some of the women in film and TV whom we think should challenge Rihanna for her new title.
Strangely, our five suggestions don’t appear anywhere in Esquire list of runner’s up.
Anne Hathaway: If you share the name of Shakespeare’s wife you’ve got to have something. Hathaway’s star has risen rapidly since she played the unhappy wife of a gay sheep herder in Brokeback Mountainand with good reason: She has considerable smarts to go with her slender frame and bright eyes. Fanboys are eagerly anticipating her appearance as Catwoman in The Dark Knight Rises. Her costume is more conservative than Halle Berry’s (as we might expect from Chris Nolan) but she’ll doubtless have audiences purring when the movie debuts next year. She can leave hair on our office couch any day.
Scarlett Johansson: Men all over the world today are having palpatations after seeing Black Widow throw back her hair in the trailer for Marvel’s The Avengers. There’s a reason why Johansson got the part and you don’t need to have seen those dodgy pictures that someone might have pilfered from her phone to recognise it. Scandinavian beauty + tight-fitting ass-kicking catsuit = surefire box office appeal.
Archie Panjabi has been sultry and a bit scary in The Good Wife.Amanda Tapping: She’s tall, charming, intelligent, attractive and successful. That’s not all. She also somehow finds time to appear in and direct episodes ofSanctuary, raise a family, run a foundation for disadvantaged children (Sanctuary for Kids) and generate awareness of other good causes, such as Once Upon a Cureand Waterkeepers. Now that’s what we call sexy.
Archie Panjabi: One of the hottest women currently on television, Panjabi is also a superb actress. She has deservedly won critical acclaim and an Emmy for her performance as Kalinda in The Good Wifeand you’d be hard pressed to find a better performer in Postman Pat. Bend it Like Beckham boosted her profile. Since then he’s disappeared and she hasn’t.

From Inside Job to Movie Theaters, the Middle Class Rip-Off Continues

If you watched filmmaker Charles Ferguson’s 2010 documentary Inside Job— about the origins and hubris surrounding the recent global financial meltdown — then odds are you felt angry, cheated…and more than a little bit disgusted by a society that is increasingly putting more and more wealth in the hands of the rich, whilst at the same time ripping off the Middle Class. That same Middle Class that were largely responsible for the creation of said wealth in North America to begin with.
Odds are that unless you’re independently wealthy, you or someone you love has felt the economic crunch of the past few years, and if you’re like many, you get a bit testy when those more fortunate than yourself are perceived as trying to rip you off.
Case in point: movie theaters. Today, just as in the Great Depression, people often go to movies to escape the realities of their every day lives for a couple of hours. A night at the movies offers reasonably inexpensive (I stress the word reasonably here) entertainment, an evening out, and a chance to socialize with friends and family away from work or home. So it’s more than a little annoying to learn that some theater chains aren’t providing the service for which customers are paying.
The Boston Globe recently discovered that a host of theaters have been projecting films with images that are dark and lack color saturation. Research into this situation uncovered a number of theater chains using projectors that require a special lens when showing 3D movies. Yet when a 2D movie was being projected, the special lens was not being removed and replaced with the conventional lens, resulting in a reduction of light by as much as 85%.
Why the difficulty in performing a simple lens change when projecting a 2D film in stead of a 3D film?
Here’s what the paper had to say:
The uniting factor is a fleet of 4K digital projectors made by Sony — or, rather, the 3-D lenses that many theater managers have made a practice of leaving on the projectors when playing a 2-D film. Though the issue is widespread, affecting screenings at AMC, National Amusements, and Regal cinemas, executives at all these major movie theater chains, and at the corporate offices of the projector’s manufacturer, have refused to directly acknowledge or comment on how and why it’s happening. Asked where his company stands on the matter, Dan Huerta, vice president of sight and sound for AMC, the second-biggest chain in the US, said only that “We don’t really have any official or unofficial policy to not change the lens.’’
Sounds like a non-denial, denial…or a distinct lack of interest in charging moviegoers the appropriate ticket price for the appropriate movie format.
A Boston area projectionist explained to the paper that for 3D showings a special lens is installed in front of a Sony digital projector that rapidly alternates the two polarized images needed for the 3D effect to work.
“When you’re running a 2-D film, that polarization device has to be taken out of the image path. If they’re not doing that, it’s crazy, because you’ve got a big polarizer that absorbs 50 percent of the light.’’
As if we needed any more reasons to deride this whole 3D fad.

Apple, Disney and Pixar Innovator Steve Jobs Dies, Aged 56

Apple has announced the death of Steve Jobs at the age of 56. His passing comes one day after the company heralded the launch of it’s follow-up to the iPhone 4, the iPhone 4S.
Although Jobs, who was born in 1955, is probably associated in the public consciousness primarily with his innovative work with Apple and its products, he also has historic ties to Lucasfilm, The Walt Disney Company and Pixar Animation Studios.
Jobs acquired The Graphics Group from Lucasfilm in 1986. The company would go on to become Pixar, probably the most respected computer animation studio in the world. Under Jobs’ ownership, the company moved into animated films when that looked like being more profitable that the production of hardware like the high-end Pixar Image Computer.
Like many of Jobs’ decisions, that proved to be a wise one. Thanks to a partnership with Disney, it resulted in such Pixar hits as Toy Story, A Bugs Life, Toy Story 2, Monsters Inc., The Incredibles, WALL-E,Cars and Toy Story 3. The association with Disney started before the Pixar days, though, as Jobs explained in an interview with Animation Magazine.
“Our relationship with Disney started in 1986 or 7, the first year we were a company,” Jobs is quoted as saying. “When Disney ran into some rough times and hired Michael Eisner to turn the company around, there was talk of shutting animation down. Roy Disney decided that the way out of this was to automate some of the animation, so it could be more affordable, and so they could get some new capabilities. So Roy had a team do a worldwide search for technology which could help their 2-D cel animation process, and guess who they picked? Pixar. Roy was the first person from Disney ever to visit Pixar. We did a deal with them to create all the graphics that became a 2-D paint system called CAPS [Computer Animation Production System].”
Disney subsequently bought Pixar in 2006 in a deal reportedly worth $7.4 billion. Jobs thereafter became a major shareholder on Disney’s Board of Directors.
Steve Jobs influence over media extended not only to his work on Apple’s computing products and his involvement with Disney and Pixar. Apple’s iTunes download service, together with the app revolution driven by the introduction of iOS devices such as the iPad, are helping to revolutionize the delivery of digital and conventional broadcast entertainment (see here).
Jobs stepped down as CEO of Apple in August presumably because of his failing health. He had been suffering from pancreatic cancer and had a liver transplant in 2009.
Everyone at CinemaSpy extends their condolences to Steve Jobs’ family. His influence will be greatly missed in the technology and entertainment industries.

KIMBERLY ELISE TIED IN A BIND

Hollywood star Kimberly Elise arrived at the Kotoka International airport on Friday to commence work on Leila Djansi’s blockbuster in the making Ties That Bind. The multi million dollar movie which Leila describes as her biggest project yet stars Nollywoods Omotola Ekeinde, British Ghanian Ama K Abebrese, Hollywood star Randal Batinkoff and Ebbe Bassey. Other billed stars include John Dumelo, David Dontoh, Prince David Osei and a host of other cameo appearances.
Ties that Bind is the story of Adobea, Buki and Theres, three women from different walks of life bound together by a similar pain; the loss of a child. In a destined meeting, in a small village in Kroboland, the women journey together to redemption, love, life and forgiveness as they renovate a dilapidated clinic for the villagers.
Kimberly Elise Trammel is a box office success story who usually stars alongside Denzel Washington; John Q, Manchurian Candidate, Great Debaters and has also played alongside the Tv Mogul Oprah Winfrey in the movie Beloved. Probably best known for her two movies “set it off” and Tyler Perrys Diary of a Mad Black woman, Kimberly Elise replaces Nia Long in the movie.
The movies director said returning the role to Kimberly Elise who was the first choice for the role of Theresa Harper is the best decision she has ever made. Asked whether she will eventually work with Nia, she responded in the affirmative saying she thought it best to bring Kimberly for Ties That Bind and work with Nia on another project which shoots in December. She quickly added that Nia Long was never officially on the project since both parties were still working out dates and schedules after the initial acceptance.
“I was surprised to see press releases of Nia Long all over the place. My publicist was upset but we let it ride. Sorry to disappoint Nia’s fans but a more suited actress has the role and we are very happy with that. We could still have made Nia happen but many reasons influenced our decision including the issue of some online character who went all out to spread negative vibes. Kimberly Elise is the best choice I have ever made for a movie role and I a very excited and honored to work with such a legend.”
Kimberly Elise is best described as one of the best actresses to come out of Hollywood and this is proven by the many accolades she has won to include Most Outstanding Actress at the just ended NAACP awards for the movie “For Colored Girls”.
This is to wishing the production the best of luck. Nigeriafilms.com promises exclusive first hand photos of the film next week. Watch this space.

Who Is the Most Overpaid?

Want to feel poorer than you already do? The top 10 highest-paid TV actresses earned a total of $94 million between May 2010 and May 2011, Forbes reports. With so much money going around, why couldn't we find anything decent to watch last night?
SODAHEAD SLIDESHOW: See the highest paid TV actresses.
Forbes points out that women on TV make a lot less than movie stars (the top three women in film earned $88 million combined), but that's not really a consolation. And then there's the question of who makes the most. Tina Fey and Eva Longoria tie for first place on Forbes' list, with each actress making $13 million between May 2010 and May 2011. Who said you have to be blonde to make it in Hollywood?
Fey also serves as producer and head writer on "30 Rock" in addition to starring on the show, so you can't say she's not earning her pay. But the critically acclaimed show is still struggling for ratings. As for Longoria, she has some lucrative endorsements, but does anyone still watch "Desperate Housewives"?
PHOTOS: See the latest celebrity pictures to hit the Internet.
From Fey to Longoria to Courteney Cox, let us know: Who is the most overpaid TV actress?

How I felt when my father wanted to remarry —Jimi Odukoya

　　Jimi Odukoya is the second-born of the late popular televangelist, Pastor Bimbo Odukoya, who died in a plane crash in 2005. In this interview with YEMISI AKERELE, he talks about some interesting issues, including what he misses most about his late mother
　　Do you sometimes receive messages or calls from people about how your late mum had impacted on their lives in one way or another?
Yes, I always receive calls and messages from people about how my mum’s messages had helped them or changed their lives. Sometimes, they share their experiences with me on the Internet or on the streets. In fact, many, especially the singles, usually call to tell me how her messages had helped them, spiritually and physically.
Could you recall the particular message by your mum that had shaped your life?
Oh! That is an interesting question. I can’t really mention any particular one. But beyond this, her lifestyle really motivated me. This is because before she would go out to preach to people, she would first preach the same message to her children. So, for me, a lot of her messages had helped me greatly in life. She worked for the Lord, so her lifestyle really motivated me. I also want to do my best, so that I can make her proud.
How did you receive the news of the death of your mum?
It was very pathetic. I was in school then and she told me she was going to pay me a visit. The last time I spoke with her was on a Thursday and the last time I saw her was in June 2005. So, it was shocking when I heard the news that she died in a plane crash on her way for a ministration two days after our telephone conversation.
What kind of person was she?
She was a lovely and warm person. Also, she was very friendly and was good to us all. So, my father had no regrets bringing her into the family.
Okay, how did you feel when you learnt that your father wanted to remarry?
Honestly, I was excited because he is not too old to get married again. Yeah, he was married to mother and they both loved each other. But now that she is no more, he has to remarry. Apart from this, the Bible says that a man can remarry if his wife dies. My mother also made it clear in all her messages.
But the woman is from South Africa?
There shouldn’t be any discrimination about tribes. I believe that what really matters most is the love between the couple. Besides, what a Nigerian can do, she can also do. So, I am okay with that.
Did your parents influence your choice of being a pastor?
It’s definitely from my heart. More so, I was brought up in a Christian home. A lot of people think that we must be pastors because our father is a pastor. No, it is not so. My parents brought me to church and preached the words of God to me. But I was called by God to work for Him.
Your mother always advised people to share their problems with her. So, aren’t there challenges you are facing as a person now?
Well, I have some people that I confide in. I am not a kind of person that talks to everybody. Any time I have a problem, I share it with my
friends and some pastors and we will all pray and talk together because nobody is perfect.
How is life like as a pastor?
Well, I think being a pastor and a youth is all by the grace of God. But before you can come on the stage to preach the words of God, you should try and search yourself first. The Bible says you should work with your might and spirit and I don’t think being in Christ is boring. I have always been meditating on my Bible by letting the words of God be in me.
I understand you are also into music?
Yes, I am into music and business. I am working on some songs, and by God’s grace, it will be out soon.
How was your growing up like?
Oh! It was fun because I grew up in a family where there was (still is) so much love. I have my father, mother and sister who loved me. So,
what else do I want when I got all I wanted?

How Patience Ozokwor and Mercy Johson Made Up

Although it was a thing of public knowledge that veteran movie maker Patience Ozokwor popularly called Mama G and screen goddess, Mercy Johnson engaged in a verbal abuse that led to physical attack on set of a movie over a year ago,not everybody is aware that the two talented people have settled their differences.
According to the information gathered,they settled their rift few months back,and Mercy honored her with the very respectable title as Mother of the Day at her wedding last month.
However,inside sources have made full of their peace making and why Mama G accepted the offer to attend her wedding.
Recall that many months after their fight,other actresses who perceived Mama G as their godmother took over the rift and started engaging in verbal war with Mercy and threatened to fight her physically anywhere they found her.
While all these were brewing,Mercy was said to have cried bitterly to her close friends and sent messages across to Mama G to stop spreading falsehood against her and inciting other actresses to fight her.
As all her attempts to extinguish the fire peacefully failed,Mercy was said to have cried to an elderly woman who hails from her state and have treated her like a daughter for many years.The elderly woman we gathered told her to be strong as the whole industry can never turn against her over one woman.
The elderly woman revealed to Mercy that Mama G will later become her very good friend.After getting the words of encouragement from the woman,Mercy returned to the industry and sent intimidating messages across to Mama G insisting that if she refused to desist from her actions,she (Mercy) will report Mama G to her powerful godmother who will settle the dispute in another way that goes beyond what meets the eye.
Subsequently,the veteran make-believe business woman,who is said to trust only in her prayers and God,was frightened so much that she allegedly went to Mercy’s family house and apologized to her for peace to reign.Eventually,Mercy accepted her extended hands of friendship and honored her with Mother of the Day during her wedding.
On the other hand,Mama G was said to have accepted this invitation to further strengthen the peaceful bond now existing between them.

PANDORA Unveils Nostalgic Rock Theme and New Necklace Concept

Columbia, MD (September 15, 2011) /PRNewswire/ — PANDORA’s collection for Autumn/Winter 2011 collection has a little edge and a lot of cool. The range of outstanding jewelry features raw, elegant designs inspired by rock style with a hint of vintage and a bit of attitude.The collection features a brand new necklace concept: a unique design that can combine as many as eight PANDORA necklaces into a layered look that is luxurious and interchangeable.
PANDORA bracelets give women the freedom to capture the unforgettable moments that make life extraordinary and the new charms of the fall season offer a twist on what has become the hallmark of the PANDORA brand. Two elegant sterling silver bracelets are also new–one is designed to hold one traditional or new decorative clip, the other as many as five. Mix, match and combine the clips and bracelets in any combination, creating pieces that are unique to your personal style. It’s an idea inspired by PANDORA’s popular charm bracelet.
Create and combine looks with other new additions to the PANDORA universe, including a line of 14k solid gold earrings, pendants and dangle charms with intricate lace details and diamonds; and large cocktail rings, featuring amethyst or grey moonstone, that are perfect for stacking. Stunning earrings inspired by delicate lace patterns in 14K gold with freshwater pearls and diamonds can be worn on their own, layered or combined with other pieces from the Compose collection. Rings in 14K gold, sterling and black oxidized silver have florally inspired designs with an unpredictable twist that is raw yet feminine.
Large cocktail rings in amethyst or grey moonstone are perfect for stacking with this season’s more delicate pieces. New LovePod rings in white, yellow and rose 18K gold with brilliant-cut diamonds or colorful gemstones work beautifully with other pieces of PANDORA jewelry and interlock when stacked together.
The Black Crown Diamond watch collection adds two styles to the collection: the stylish Icon watches with interchangeable bezels and straps and the Liquid Silver watches inspired by PANDORA’s line of bangles, earrings and rings with sculptural silhouettes and pure shapes. Select pieces from the fall assortment will be available in authorized PANDORA retailers and concept stores beginning September 2011.

The spirit of nostalgic rock infuses the collection, especially our new sterling silver decorative clips in raw, sculptural shapes. The other standouts include a star-shaped pendant and charm in black oxidized silver, an alluring finish that runs through the collection.
PANDORA has been making its mark in the international fine jewelry industry for almost 30 years, and is world-renowned for its high-quality, hand finished design. The collections inspire women to embrace their individuality with romantic and feminine pieces that capture the unforgettable moments of life. The strength of the PANDORA charm bracelet is the detailed design, the high quality and the unique threaded bracelet system (U.S. Pat. No. 7,007,507). The affordable luxury collections include customizable charm bracelets, rings, earrings, necklaces and watches made from sterling silver and 14K and 18K gold with handset gemstones. Perfect for any occasion, PANDORA jewelry is sold in 55 countries on six continents in more than 10,000 locations, including nearly 500 PANDORA branded concept stores. To view the PANDORA collection, build a bracelet online or locate a jewele

After career success, Chenoweth is ready for love

NEW YORK (AP) — Broadway? Check. TV? Check. Films? Check. Music? Books? Check those, too.
Professionally speaking, Kristin Chenoweth is at the top of her game. This year alone, in one week, she sang for President Barack Obama, Queen Elizabeth II and Oprah Winfrey, she said in an interview last week with The Associated Press.
Recently added to that list was a performance at the Grand Ole Opry, which Chenoweth said tickled her Southern relatives.
"If I leave my mark on this world, hopefully people will say, 'Wow, she did a lot of different things,'" Chenoweth said.
But the one thing the 43-year-old Chenoweth says is missing from her list of accomplishments is finding Mr. Right and settling down.
"I want to be married. I feel finally ready for that," she said. "Possibly (becoming) a mom someday, even if it's to animals. My goals might be different than doing all these amazing career things. I think the next chapter will be focusing more on my personal life."
On that note, Chenoweth said she can relate to a song by Dolly Parton called "Sacrifice."
"She talks about how much she's given up. She's given up relationships, being home with her family, missing out with her husband, not having a child, all of that I can relate to," Chenoweth said. "So, maybe this second chapter in my life will be different in that way. But, I'll always sing. Whoever that man is, He's got to accept that music is like my arms. I can't live without (them)."
Chenoweth's latest music endeavor is a country music album called "Some Lessons Learned," released last week.
She moved to Nashville for a couple of months to record the album. Chenoweth, who won a Tony in 1999 for "You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown," said there are similarities between country music and theater.
"They're both story and character driven," she said. "So of course I like both."
Up next for Chenoweth is the TV show "Good Christian Belles." Think: "Desperate Housewives" but in the Bible Belt.
The ABC show, which doesn't yet have a premiere date, is about five Christian women living in Texas.
Chenoweth, a Christian, said there's a misconception about Christianity: "that we don't have any problems, we really judge people harshly." But she said her character is actually the villain on the show.
"She's a very judgmental woman. She stirs it up and then prays for everybody," Chenoweth said. "So these are the characters I grew up with."
Chenoweth also made waves as April Rhodes, a boozy former glee club star on the hit Fox show "Glee." The role earned her two Emmy nominations. If she's invited back and her schedule allows, she said she'd like to reprise the role.
"(The character) is a very fun train wreck. Couldn't be more dissimilar to myself," she said. "And she likes her box of wine. Who can't relate to that?"

The Thing Prequel Poster Wants to Come In Out of the Cold

Not much has been seen of the upcoming prequel to John Carpenter’s 1982 masterpiece, The Thing, but what we have seen certainly has got us interested. With only a handful of stills released, it is with rabid anticipation that we lay our eyes on the official movie poster.
Keeping the same title as the earlier movie, The Thing chronicles the events in the doomed Norwegian camp whose aftermath is only glimpsed at in John Carpenter’s movie.
The Thing is due to appear in October 2011, and stars Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Eric Christian Olsen, Joel Edgerton, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Ulrich Thomsen and Kim Bubbs.

Britney Spears Sings, Dances Into Record Books

Her career has seen its share of ups and downs, but pop princess Britney Spears is definitely back on top as she headlines this week's 411 Playlist.
Billboard.com reports that Spears' ' "I Wanna Go" has her dancing all the way to the record books. Her single gives her the distinct honor of being the artist with the longest span of number one hits on Billboard's Mainstream Top 40 chart. Britney's reign started twelve years ago with "Baby One More Time."
The pop diva's 'B In The Mix: The Remixes Vol. 2' is set for release on October 11th.
On to a man who is no stranger to breaking records himself, the late Michael Jackson is to be honored in Wales with "Michael Forever: The Tribute Concert." The star-studded event includes everyone from host Jamie Foxx to Christina Aquilera and Smokey Robinson.
According to the Los Angeles Times, the singer's manslaughter trial is expected to begin in the last week of September. Jackson's former doctor is accused of supplying the King of Pop with a lethal dose of surgical anesthetics.
Whitney Houston has been subject to tabloid fodder for alleged drug-use herself, but the diva may be making a comeback. The singer's publicist confirms that the singer is in talks to return to the silver screen in the remake of "Sparkle." Houston made a name for herself as an actress after her role in the 1992 hit, "The Bodyguard."
And while Houston looks to make a bigscreen comeback, heavy metal is working its way back into the mainstream. September 14th was no ordinary day in New York City because heavy metal rockers, Anthrax, Matallica, Slayer and Megadeath (aka the Big Four) invaded Yankee Stadium. Before the big show, Anthrax sad down with Fox 411 and talked about their first album in eight years, "Worship Music." The band dubbed the new material as a "true heavy metal album." Drummer and guitarist Charlie Benante added that with the return of Joey Belladonna the record sounds like "classic Anthrax."
"Worship Music" is currently available.
To hear more from Anthrax along with "Idol" alum Brooke White, be sure to click play to start this week's 411 Playlist!
Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/2011/09/16/fox-411-playlist-britney-spears-dances-into-record-books/#ixzz1YAvzjpYx

It’s been years since his split with Jennifer Aniston

It’s been years since his split with Jennifer Aniston, but Brad Pitt is still talking about his ex-wife, this time calling his existence with her “pathetic.”
In an interview with Parade magazine, the “Moneyball” star says he is much happier now with the mother of his six children, Angelina Jolie.
HOT SHOTS: Jen Aniston.
“I spent the 90s trying to hide out, trying to duck the full celebrity cacophony. I started to get sick of myself sitting on a couch, holding a joint, hiding out. It started to feel pathetic,” he said. “It became very clear to me that I was intent on trying to find a movie about an interesting life, but I wasn’t living an interesting life myself. I think that my marriage [to Aniston] had something to do with. Trying to pretend the marriage was something that it wasn’t.”



Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt
Ouch.
Pitt continued the interview by gushing about his life with Jolie, with whom he was rumored to have an affair before the demise of his marriage to Aniston.
“One of the greatest, smartest things I ever did was give my kids Angie as their mom,” he said. “She is such a great mom. Oh, man, I’m so happy to have her.”
HOT SHOTS: Angelina Jolie
Pitt added that he is very satisfied with his new life.
“I put much more emphasis on being a satisfied man,” he says of his life. “I’m satisfied with making true choices and finding the woman I love, Angie, and building a family that I love so much. A family is a risky venture, because the greater the love, the greater the loss. That’s the trade-off. But I’ll take it all.”
Do you think Brad’s comments were a low blow to Aniston, or were his comments justified? Vote below.
Read more: http://entertainment.blogs.foxnews.com/2011/09/15/brad-pitt-i-felt-pathetic-while-married-to-jennifer-aniston/#ixzz1Y6VKeKpE