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Sunday, February 28, 2016

Leonardo DiCaprio & Kate Winslet Give Us Life By Posing Together On The Oscars Red Carpet

Leonardo DiCaprio & Kate Winslet Give Us Life By Posing Together On The Oscars Red Carpet: Oscars 2016: Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet walk the red carpet.

What is an Adapted Screenplay?

When the Academy Awards are given out each year, there are two awards for screenplays. One is for best original screenplay, which is a screenplay that is written from no source other than the writer’s imagination. The other category is reserved for the best adapted screenplay. Generally, this is a screenplay that interprets another source, like a novel, a short story, a play, or even another film.
Adapted screenplays are actually more common than originals. Many screenwriters get their inspiration from a variety of sources, and some of the most celebrated films of this century have been adapted from other sources. These include the following films:
  • Brokeback Mountain
  • Sideways
  • Million Dollar Baby
  • The Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Rings, The Two Towers, and The Return of the King
  • The Departed
  • Traffic
  • Chicago
  • The Constant Gardener
  • The Pianist
Creating an adapted screenplay is a challenging process. A writer may or may not be concerned with being faithful to an original work, and sometimes, the author of the original work has enough power to exert considerable influence over the screenplay writing process. For example, J.K. Rowling has been allowed editorial control over all of the Harry Potter films based on her popular book series.
There is sometimes a schism between devoted readers of a book and the writer or writers who adapt it for film. Very popular novels have often fallen short of expectations when turned into a screenplay because, often, books can't be easily converted into movie form. Such was the case with the highly anticipated adapted screenplay of The Da Vinci Code and, in the 1980s,The Bonfire of the Vanities and The Witches of Eastwick.
At other times, an adapted screenplay becomes better known and loved than its source material. Many know Gone With the WindTo Kill a Mockingbird, and The Wizard of Oz far better from film versions than from the books that produced them, though it should be noted they were all popular books. Sometimes avid readers are disgusted by the movie versions that change essential elements of a beloved novel. Many rabid Jane Austen fans found the Pride and Prejudice adaptation starring Keira Knightly disappointing, and they express concern that a mediocre film will be better known than its infinitely preferable source material.
The writer of the screenplay adaptation, however, is trying to morph one form of art into another. Peter Jackson and his wife offered many explanations for eliminating some characters and making slight changes to The Lord of the Rings because they had to “sell” the concept of the film to a studio. Not all fans of the books bought their argument. This proves to be one of the essential push and pull aspects of adaptation. Film is a different medium than a play, a novel, or a short story, and what works in a particular source may not translate well to a film. As a result, the adapted screenplay is always a critical interpretation of the work, rather than an exact copy. In fact, sometimes the most faithful copies of a work make for poor films.
If a writer is thinking of trying his or her hand at an adapting another work into a screenplay, a few things are worth noting. When the source work is not in the public domain and is still the intellectual property of the writer or inheritors of the writer, the adapter can’t sell the screenplay to others. New screenwriters who want to try adaptation should consider working from public domain material only, unless they can get consent from the writer to adapt the work. In many screenwriting contests, rules specify that adaptation may only come from public domain source work.
not mine.credit and source: WISE GEEK

Friday, February 26, 2016

Spicy Dilis

Ingredients:
2 cups dried anchovies (dilis)
2 tablespoons banana ketchup
2 teaspoons hot chili sauce
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 cups cooking oil
Cooking procedure:
1. Heat a cooking pot and pour-in cooking oil.
2. When the oil becomes hot, deep-fry the dried anchovies for 2 to 3 minutes or until the color turns light brown.
3. Turn-off heat and remove the fried anchovies from the cooking pot. Set aside.
4. Combine fried anchovies, ketchup, and hot chili sauce then mix well.
5. Add brown sugar and mix until all the anchovies are coated.
6. Heat the same cooking pot with the remaining cooking oil and fry the coated anchovies for 2 minutes or until the texture becomes crunchy but not burnt.
7. Remove the anchovies and transfer to a serving plate.
8. Serve. Share and enjoy!
not mine.credit and source: PANLASANGPINOY

Food Wishes Video Recipes: Spring Lamb Sliders – A Shoulder to Bite On

Food Wishes Video Recipes: Spring Lamb Sliders – A Shoulder to Bite On: You could roast an expensive leg of lamb for Easter, which would be lovely, but why not consider the lesser known, and just as delicious s...

Thursday, February 25, 2016

Kendall Jenner Admits She Has A HUGE Crush On A Young Brad Pitt!

By Perri Konecky | June 18, 2015

THEDISHH

Dave 'Hughesy' Hughes explains his 'man crush' on Brad Pitt

JUNE 14, 2013 2:05 PM

NEWS AU

Mizushima Hiro and Ayaka celebrate 7 years of marriage

February 25, 2016 @ 10:14 am

TOKYOHIVE

Felicitation

Felicitation 
                  - is when you congratulate someone. Your best friend might express his felicitation on your birthday by giving you flowers. You'll almost always see the noun felicitation in its plural form, felicitations.
                  The act of expressing joy or acknowledgment, as for the achievement or good fortune of another.
                  -  an expression of good wishes; congratulation.

水嶋ヒロ&絢香、結婚7周年迎え祝福殺到「憧れの夫婦」

2016-02-24 19:44

【水嶋ヒロ・絢香/モデルプレス=2月24日】俳優の水嶋ヒロが24日、自身のInstagramを更新し、22日に妻で歌手の絢香と結婚7周年を迎えたことを報告。ファンから祝福の声が多数寄せられるとともに、変わらない仲の良さが感じられる1枚に反響が集まっている。
水嶋ヒロ&絢香、結婚7周年迎え祝福殺到「憧れの夫婦」/水嶋ヒロInstagramより
水嶋ヒロ&絢香、結婚7周年迎え祝福殺到「憧れの夫婦」/水嶋ヒロInstagramより
リラックスした笑顔を浮かべる絢香と自身の姿、そしてディナーの様子をコラージュした写真を公開し、「2.22 was our 7th wedding anniversary. 」とつづった水嶋。ピアノを模したデザートのプレートには「felicitations ※フランス語で『おめでとう』の意味」と記念日を祝福するメッセージが描かれている。

ファンから祝福殺到
昨年6月には第一子となる長女が誕生し、仕事と両立しながら協力して子育てに奮闘する日々を送る2人。ファンからは「おめでとうございます 本当に憧れの夫婦!」「お子さんが生まれてからますます仲良しなお二人が大好きです」など多くの祝福のコメントが寄せられている。(modelpress編集部)

not mine.credit and source: MODELPRESS

Celine Dion breaks down during ‘All by Myself’ as she returns to Vegas residency

25/02/2016 - 13:20:59

Celine Dion has made an emotional return to the stage for the first time since the death of her husband René Angélil.
The powerhouse singer paid tribute to her late husband, who lost his battle to throat cancer last month, by dedicating the entire performance at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace, Las Vegas to him.
"Through my life I only had eyes for my husband, who sat out here night after night. People thought that I was looking at him but I didn't need to because every time I closed my eyes, I felt René on stage with me - whether he was seated in his seat right there, in the balcony, backstage, or at home with the kids,” she announced to the crowd.
“He's always been on stage with me and nothing will ever change that.
"I might not hear his voice yet, but I talk to him, I think of him all the time. I feel and I know he hears me, one way or another. I know he will give me a sign for his approval or not. And now I can feel that he is telling me to zip it and start singing."
Although it all got too much for the French-Canadian as she broke down during her rendition of ‘All by Myself’.
Heartbreaking.
not mine.credit and source: BREAKING NEWS

Emotional Adele cries on stage and swears live on TV at Brit Awards

25/02/2016 - 13:20:59

Major Tim Peake made a surprise appearance at the Brit Awards from space via video to present the award for global success to Adele – who promptly got very emotional.


The Londoner’s acceptance speech had to be bleeped out as she swore on live TV.
“Thank you, I can’t work out if I’m crying because of the video or because Tim Peake did it. My kid is going to think I’m so cool,” she said.

“That was really amazing. You’re getting f****** bored of me. I honestly can’t tell you, I said it earlier, to come back, I got really lost for a while and I didn’t know if I’d ever come back and for you all to be so kind to me,” she said.
“Not bad for a girl from Tottenham that don’t like flying, getting global success. And Tim Peake, I love you, I hope you’re OK and not too hungry. Bye.”
Did Twitter love it? You bet’cha. Even the swearing.

Awww, Adele!


not mine.credit and source: BREAKING NEWS

結婚7周年!水嶋ヒロ&絢香の記念写真に反響「素敵な夫婦」「美男美女」

2016年2月25日 7時00分

 俳優の水嶋ヒロが24日、歌手として活躍する妻の絢香との結婚7周年を祝う記念写真をInstagramで公開、「おめでとうございます 素敵な夫婦で憧れです」「やばいなー。ばり美男美女。おめでとうございます」と反響が寄せられている。

「2.22 was our 7th wedding anniversary. #8年目突入 #weddinganniversary」とつづり、2月22日に結婚7周年記念日を迎えたことを報告した水嶋。併せて掲載された写真には、おしゃれな食事とともに、振り向きざまの水嶋、顔に手を添えてほほ笑む絢香の姿が収められている。
 この夫婦ショットに、「おめでとうございます ほんとに素敵なお2人だと思いますこれからもお幸せに」「お似合い~」「ステキな結婚記念日を過ごしてるんですね」「おめでとうございます!二人が私の憧れです 私まで幸せな気持ちになりました」と祝福と羨望のコメントが続々と届いている。
 水嶋と絢香は2009年に結婚、昨年6月には第1子となる女児が誕生したことを報告。水嶋は先日Instagramで髪をバッサリ切った際に娘に父親だと認識されなかったエピソードを明かし、「これまで積み上げてきた絆がゼロになったかと焦る」とコメントしていた。(湯田史代)

not mine.credit and source: CINEMATODAY

Wednesday, February 24, 2016

Don't Mess With Hot Brad Pitt in Texas

February 28, 2008 by Molly Goodson

Brad Pitt channeled his younger A River Runs Through It self walking around Texas between takes on Tree of Life yesterday. Seriously though, how hot does he look with the shorter hair and no goatee? My middle school self is very happy. So hot. The Jolie-Pitt clan is currently in the Lone Star state while he films, but are rumored to be taking off to more French pastures to await the arrival of baby No. 5. While Brad is hard at work acting, Angelina has (typically) loftier aspirations. She just published her most recent Op Ed piece in the Washington Post about what she thinks we should do in regards to Iraq. From baby bumps to the rumor mill to actual politics — there's just no way to keep the Jolie-Pitts out of the headlines.

not mine.credit and source: POPSUGAR

Food Wishes Video Recipes: Colcannon Hash – I Invented This, As Did Others Be...

Food Wishes Video Recipes: Colcannon Hash – I Invented This, As Did Others Be...: Every year about this time, I try to do some kind of culinary nod to St. Patrick’s Day, and this colcannon hash is the latest example. I r...

Food Wishes Video Recipes: Colcannon Hash – I Invented This, As Did Others Be...

Food Wishes Video Recipes: Colcannon Hash – I Invented This, As Did Others Be...: Every year about this time, I try to do some kind of culinary nod to St. Patrick’s Day, and this colcannon hash is the latest example. I r...

Tuesday, February 23, 2016

Exclusive: How Brad Pitt Brought More Than Just Starpower To 'The Big Short'

BY HITFIX STAFF | TUESDAY, FEB 23, 2016 12:54 PM

The Big Short has been nominated for five Academy Awards including Best Picture and Best Director (Adam McKay), and In this HitFix-exclusive featurette from the upcoming Digital HD release of the acclaimed drama, the filmmakers discuss what mega-star Brad Pitt brought to the role of Ben Rickert, a former trader who becomes convinced that the U.S. economy is headed for disaster.
"He has this dry humor about him that he's bringing to this extremely neurotic character that's very subtle and just a lot of fun," says Pitt's co-star John Magaro in the clip.
The Big Short is out now on Digital HD.
not mine.credit and source: HITFLIX

If Hollywood Really Wants to Fix Its Diversity Issue, Ask Brad Pitt (Guest Column)

February 23, 2016 | 10:00AM PT

Allison Samuels Guest Columnist

All the talk about #OscarsSoWhite won’t simply end when Chris Rock hosts the ceremony on Feb. 28. It’s clear that drastic changes must be implemented fairly soon in order to avoid a third consecutive Academy Awards sans any acting nominees of color.

This story first appeared in the February 23, 2016 issue of Variety.
Still, for all the promises made by the Academy to diversify its membership, and calls for blacks to become more proactive and start their own studios, I find it disturbing that many of Hollywood’s most prominent white celebrities have remained largely silent concerning the issue. Those who have spoken out, such as Julie Delpy and Charlotte Rampling, were offensively flippant and particularly clueless to the layered complexities of the racial issues at hand. Others have offered the same tired lip service to the need for diversity that’s been used for the past 50 years.

Industry heavyweights like George Clooney and Matt Damon, who have enormous influence both in front of and behind the camera, have the power to initiate changes required to create a more minority-friendly Hollywood. But are they really prepared to do that?

Perhaps they should engage in a dialogue with their fellow actor-producer Brad Pitt on the subject of diversity. Pitt has used his considerable clout in the industry to help produce pivotal films such as “12 Years a Slave,” which won Oscars for best picture, adapted screenplay (John Ridley) and supporting actress (Lupita Nyong’o). The film helped catapult Nyong’o to bona-fide international stardom, and made her a fashion icon with major endorsement deals. In 2014, Pitt executive produced the civil rights film “Selma” and approved the hiring of indie director Ava DuVernay, who became the first African-American woman nominated for a Golden Globe for director.

To achieve real diversity, Hollywood has to be rewired from the inside out, which requires much more than studio executives finally seeing the light. Change will require major white celebrities recognizing and fighting alongside minorities for more varied storylines and faces of color on the big screen. They need to hire black and Latino writers, directors and actors for their projects. The old cliche of not finding any people of color qualified for those positions can be quashed by simply ending the decades-old Hollywood practice of the preferential hiring of friends and family as interns, PAs and assistants. Recruit some young people of color to learn the ropes, watch them bloom, and see the industry change for the better. This isn’t rocket science; it’s a simple commitment to the reality that most films are focused on some version of real life, and real life doesn’t just happen to white people.

Author and cultural critic Allison Samuels has written for Vanity Fair, Newsweek and Rolling Stone.

not mine.credit and source: VARIETY

Monday, February 22, 2016

Alessia Cara - Here



(I guess right now you've got the last laugh)

I'm sorry if I seem uninterested
Or I'm not listenin' or I'm indifferent
Truly, I ain't got no business here
But since my friends are here
I just came to kick it but really
I would rather be at home all by myself not in this room
With people who don't even care about my well-being
I don't dance, don't ask, I don't need a boyfriend
So you can go back, please enjoy your party
I'll be here, somewhere in the corner under clouds of marijuana
With this boy who's hollering I can hardly hear
Over this music I don't listen to and I don't wanna get with you
So tell my friends that I'll be over here

Oh oh oh here oh oh oh here oh oh oh
I ask myself what am I doing here?
Oh oh oh here oh oh oh here
And I can't wait till we can break up outta here

Excuse me if I seem a little unimpressed with this
An anti-social pessimist but usually I don't mess with this
And I know you mean only the best and
Your intentions aren't to bother me
But honestly I'd rather be
Somewhere with my people we can kick it and just listen
To some music with the message (like we usually do)
And we'll discuss our big dreams
How we plan to take over the planet
So pardon my manners, I hope you'll understand it
That I'll be here
Not there in the kitchen with the girl
Who's always gossiping about her friends
So tell them I'll be here
Right next to the boy who's throwing up cause
He can't take what's in his cup no more
Oh God why am I here?

Oh oh oh here oh oh oh here oh oh oh
I ask myself what am I doing here?
Oh oh oh here oh oh oh here
And I can't wait till we can break up outta here

Hours later congregating next to the refrigerator
Some girl's talking bout her haters
She ain't got none
How did it ever come to this
I shoulda never come to this
So holla at me I'll be in the car when you're done
I'm standoffish, don't want what you're offering
And I'm done talking
Awfully sad it had to be that way
So tell my people when they're ready that I'm ready
And I'm standing by the TV with my beanie low
Yo I'll be over here

Oh oh oh here oh oh oh here oh oh oh
I ask myself what am I doing here?
Oh oh oh here oh oh oh here
And I can't wait till we can break up outta here

Oh oh oh oh oh oh
Oh oh oh oh oh oh


Saturday, February 20, 2016

Brad Pitt's long learning curve - is he a good actor?

Paul Whitington
PUBLISHED
19/10/2014 | 02:30

Is Brad Pitt a good actor? He's certainly a very famous one, arguably the most famous in the world. But over the years some have questioned his ability and accused him of being stiff, and lightweight.

He's been nominated for an acting Oscar three times but has never won, and the suspicion remains that his extraordinary good looks have landed him roles others might have handled better.

If you look, for instance, at some of his early performances in films like Interview with the Vampire, Sleepers, The Devil's Own and Legends of the Fall, you might think that here is a man who's managed to get away with it. Like his old friend George Clooney, Pitt has come a long way on a handsome face and pure charisma, though he lacks the former's easy charm and has sometimes looked ill at ease in comedies. But if all of that is true, and if Brad Pitt will never be nicknamed the next Laurence Olivier, he has at least taken the trouble to learn his trade and improve as he's gone along.

He's given some of his most interesting and daring performances over the last eight years or so, almost as if the fading of his youthful beauty has freed him to fully commit to the characters he plays. And he's most convincing as a chillingly ruthless tank commander in his latest film, Fury, which opens here next week.

In fact, the role of Staff Sergeant Don Collier may just be the best thing he's done to date. Known as 'Wardaddy' by his devoted crew, Collier has led his Sherman Tank and its occupants safely through three long years of combat in Africa, Italy, the Low Countries and France, a remarkable achievement in a job with a brutally high attrition rate.

It's April of 1945 and Collier and co are rolling through southern Germany towards Berlin when they encounter incredibly fierce resistance from a mortally wounded enemy.

David Ayer's film plunges the viewer straight into the World War II's messy and brutal endgame, and Pitt is compelling as a battle-scarred veteran who struggles to cling to his humanity as he holds his men together in intolerable circumstances. Pitt recently said that he lacks "the weight of some of the actors I like," but in fairness it's hard to see how he or anyone else could have brought more depth to the character of Wardaddy, a world-weary man resigned to his fate.

Fury shows just how far Brad Pitt has come since his pretty boy days in the 1990s, and his recent work has included some equally impressive performances. It seems he's finally arrived at the point where he can be called an actor, rather than just a star.

One thing I've always admired about Brad Pitt is that he's one of those people who arrived in Hollywood owning nothing and knowing no one, and worked his way slowly and steadily to the top. He's paid his dues, and never comes across as a man who takes his great good fortune for granted.

He was born a long way from the bright lights, in Shawnee, Oklahoma, on December 18, 1963. His father ran a freight company, his mother was a school counsellor, and Brad and his two siblings were raised quietly in Springfield, Missouri, which he has called "the heart of the bible belt". After school he studied journalism at the University of Missouri, but two weeks before graduating he quit and set out for Hollywood to follow his dream.

He struggled through the mid to late 1980s, taking acting lessons, queuing for auditions and supplementing his meagre income in surprising ways. He moved furniture, drove a limo for a stripogram company, and apparently once dressed as a giant chicken while working for a fast-food chain. That's paying your dues alright, but in the late 80s things finally began to go his way.

His first roles were on television, in shows like Dallas and the NBC soap Another World, and he landed his first decent film part in a low-budget American/Yugoslavian co-production called The Dark Side of the Sun. Pitt played a young American suffering with a rare photo-sensitive skin condition who travels to the Balkans to meet a supposed faith healer.

The film was shot in 1988, but completion was delayed by the outbreak of the Croatian War of Independence and a hacked together final print was only released in 1997, by which time Brad was already a big star. Supporting turns in a 1989 horror film called Cutting Class, and the sex comedy Happy Together, were equally underwhelming and, as he approached 30, Pitt was still struggling to make his name. He did receive good notices for his portrayal of a manipulative drug addict opposite Juliette Lewis in the 1990 TV movie Too Young to Die? but it was Thelma & Louise that changed everything for him.

Ridley Scott's hit road movie starred Susan Sarandon and Geena Davis as two desperate women fleeing unpleasant lives and Pitt played a charming conman called JD whom they meet along the way. He was not first choice for the role but stole every scene he was in, particularly a memorable love scene with Geena Davis.

He wasn't impressed with the results himself and when he saw the film he remembered thinking "Oh that's how I come off - I felt it could have had more weight". But others disagreed and after Thelma & Louise better roles started coming his way.

When Robert Redford cast Brad in his elegiac 1992 period drama A River Runs Through It, critics compared his looks and acting style to that of a young Redford. But Pitt himself did not agree and was more pleased with his work on Kalifornia, in which he played a baby-faced psychotic.

1994 was the year that Pitt established himself as a major star, thanks to starring roles in two big budget movies, Interview with the Vampire and Legends of the Fall. Neither film was all that good as a matter of fact and one could argue that he was miscast in both, but that didn't matter, because Brad had become a sex symbol, and an increasingly bankable young star.

His relationship with Gwyneth Paltrow helped further raise his profile, but in 1995 he got to prove that he was more than just a ridiculously pretty face. Terry Gilliam's nightmarish fantasy 12 Monkeys gave him the opportunity to push his range by playing a shaven-headed mental patient obsessed with animal rights. His performance impressed his detractors and won him a Golden Globe and his first Oscar nomination. And in Seven, he began his fruitful ongoing partnership with director David Fincher.

A stylish and brutal crime thriller, it starred Pitt and Morgan Freeman as police detectives hunting a serial killer obsessed with the seven deadly sins. It caught the popular zeitgeist and was a huge hit: after that, everyone wanted Pitt for everything.

But there followed a relatively rocky period for him creatively, and he has admitted that he did not initially cope with the pressures of stardom especially well. "Fame's a bitch," he once said, and as the 90s wore on he became increasingly remote from his own success. "I'd smoked a lot of weed," he recently told the Guardian newspaper. "I was professional at it. I wasn't participating in life. I was smoking myself into a doughnut, a mollusc. I got disgusted with it."

Films like Meet Joe Black and The Devil's Own didn't help matters, though Pitt did recover his form in Fincher's 1999 film Fight Club and was great fun as a pugnacious Irish traveller in Guy Ritchie's Snatch (2001). But after meeting Angelina Jolie in 2005, he seems to have discovered a new level of professional ambition and focus.

The first sign of this was his remarkably intense performance in Andrew Dominik's superb and underrated 2007 anti-western The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford. Pitt played James as an unstable, paranoid and delusional man who's tormented by his violent past. It's one of Pitt's favourite films and is well worth checking out if you haven't seen it. He surprised me with his hilarious portrayal of a painfully stupid gym employee in the Coen brothers' Burn After Reading (2008) and was nominated for the Best Actor Oscar for his work on Fincher's The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. But he was much better playing a Jewish-American lieutenant who embarks on a Nazi-killing spree in Quentin Tarantino's 2009 hit Inglorious Basterds.

A third Oscar nod came in 2011 for Bennett Miller's Moneyball, in which Pitt played Billy Keane, a laconic baseball manager who invents a revolutionary way of picking potential stars. And very good in it he was too, but he was nominated for the wrong film. Because the same year he'd played an overbearing Southern father in Terrence Malick's superb semi-autobiographical drama The Tree of Life, which contained Pitt's best work ever in my opinion - until now, that is.

Brad Pitt once said he was "too damn affable" to reach the depths that he wanted to in his acting. But he seems to have overcome that particular obstacle and his electrifying performance in Fury should be good enough to win him a fourth Oscar nomination, provided the film hasn't come out too soon to be remembered at awards time. And if he does get shortlisted, I think this time he might win.



For over 20 years Brad Pitt has had to live his romantic life in the full glare of the spotlight. He's almost exclusively dated co-stars, and began with Juliette Lewis, whom he met in 1990 on the set of Too Young to Die? He was 26, and she was 16, but they remained an item for almost three years.

In 1994 Pitt entered the orbit of Gwyneth Paltrow (right), his co-star in David Fincher's Seven. They seemed a most unlikely couple, but stayed together until 1997. If Pitt got used to dodging paparazzi with Paltrow, nothing could have prepared him for the media storm that exploded around him once he began going out with Jennifer Aniston.

They married in 2000 and became Hollywood's reigning golden couple, but he got blamed for their separation in 2005. Next up, of course, was Angelina Jolie, whom he met on the set of Mr and Mrs Smith. They've been together ever since, and are comfortably the most famous couple on the planet.

not mine.credit and source: INDEPENDENT

The six secrets of Brad Pitt's acting style

You may have thought he was just pouting at the camera, but Brad Pitt follows a profound and complicated acting method

Unusually for a movie star of his stature, Brad Pitt has never appeared on Inside the Actor's Studio. Perhaps this is because he doesn't want to spend an hour of his life being fawned over by a creepy-eyed interviewer and a room full of drippy sycophants, but it's more likely that he's just very wary of revealing the secrets of his acting method.

Because, make no mistake, Pitt has an acting method. It's why he can flit from action to comedy to impressionistic, dinosaur-heavy meditations of the meaning of life itself with enviable ease. But what's the secret behind Pitt's style? Is it that he's really pretty? No. Well, yes, a bit. But mainly no. In fact, Pitt has a long and complicated process that's kept firmly under lock and key. If only there was a Brad Pitt Method Acting School that could teach youngsters exactly how to perform like their idol, then the world would be a much better place. But while we all stand around trying to will such an institution into existence, I've drawn up a prospective curriculum. Here are the secrets to Pitt's success:

Module one – Prepare
Physicality is a huge component of Pitt's acting repertoire, so he trains hard before each role. He climbed mountains for Seven Years in Tibet, boxed for Fight Club, and took up sword fighting for Troy. Presumably he also scalped Nazis for Inglourious Basterds and attended several Bereaved Partners of Decapitated Women support groups for Seven, although this is unconfirmed.

Module two – Don't be afraid of accents
Like Meryl Streep before him, Pitt has always been eager to leap on a potentially embarrassing accent without a second thought. Lesser actors might have baulked at playing an IRA terrorist or an incomprehensible Irish boxer or, as with Benjamin Button, a kind of half-Gump, half-Kermit dimwit. But not Pitt. True, he bodged every one of them, but at least he tried. That's more than, say, Sean Connery ever did.

Module three – Touching your face means that you're being profound
Thelma and Louise is widely regarded as the film that launched Pitt into the stratosphere, and it's often claimed that this was down to his well-defined abdominal muscles. However, this couldn't be further from the truth. In truth it's because, right before every one of his lines, Brad Pitt touches his face. It's a gesture that says "I am sensitive". It's a gesture that says "I am thoughtful". It's a gesture that says "Have you SEEN how pretty my face is? I mean Jesus".

Module four – Where possible, date your co-star
In the movies, chemistry is all. And what's the best way to get chemistry? By forging a romantic attachment to your co-stars, of course. Pitt is the king of this – he did it for Cutting Class, Head of the Class, Kalifornia, Seven and Mr & Mrs Smith. His forthcoming film Moneyball co-stars Jonah Hill, and I apologise for the mental image you're now entertaining.

Module five – Always seem a tiny bit stoned
To be Pitt in most films is to be unaware of everything going on around you. This is obvious in films where he plays idiots, like Burn After Reading or The Mexican, but look a little harder and you'll see it pervading almost all his roles. His Achilles could barely focus both eyes at the same time, and in Meet Joe Black he played cinema's most easily confused human personification of death.

Module six – Be the most attractive man of your entire generation
He may have shied away from his pretty boy image in films like Kalifornia and Twelve Monkeys, but Pitt is always still very obviously Pitt in everything he does. Which is why, if he doesn't feel like giving much of a performance, he can always just grin at the camera until his dimples have turned the female half of his audience into mush. Handy trick, that.

not mine.credit and source: THE GUARDIAN

Eddie Redmayne: 'Getting married was the most wonderful thing I've done'

Georgia Dehn 19 February 2016 • 7:00am

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Food Wishes Video Recipes: Oxtail Ragu – Worth the Wait

Food Wishes Video Recipes: Oxtail Ragu – Worth the Wait: Other than a completely unnecessary braising step right in the middle of the video, this oxtail ragu came out amazingly well. My thought w...

Thursday, February 18, 2016

Adele Takes The Ellen Stage AGAIN For A Flawless Rendition Of When We Were Young!

Adele Takes The Ellen Stage AGAIN For A Flawless Rendition Of When We Were Young!: Adele performs When We Were Young on The Ellen DeGeneres Show!

Overwhelmed? These 6 Strategies May Help

By Margarita Tartakovsky, M.S.
Associate Editor

Overwhelm is a 20-foot wave crashing into you. Repeatedly. Psychologist Marla W. Deibler, PsyD, described overwhelm as “feeling completely overcome in mind or emotion.” When we think a stressor is too great for us to manage, we feel overwhelmed, she said.

Feeling overwhelmed has many faces. According to Deibler, overwhelm might manifest as an intense emotion, such as anxiety, anger or irritability; maladaptive thought process, such as worry, doubt or helplessness; and behavior, such as crying, lashing out or experiencing a panic attack.

Anxiety seems to be the most common, according to L. Kevin Chapman, Ph.D, a psychologist and associate professor in clinical psychology at the University of Louisville, where he studies and treats anxiety disorders. For instance, you might experience a fast heartbeat, sweating, tingling, chest pain or shortness of breath, he said.

What causes overwhelm?


“The possibilities are endless,” said Deibler, who’s also director of The Center for Emotional Health of Greater Philadelphia, LLC. And it varies by individual, she said. Overwhelm can peak from a long to-do list we can’t seem to finish or an emotional event like a birth or death, she said.

Whatever the reason behind your overwhelm, here are six strategies to help.

Suggestions for Preventing or Stopping Overwhelm

1. Accept your anxiety.

Has fighting your feelings of overwhelm ever helped you erase them? Probably not. More likely, battling your emotions only boosted them. According to Deibler, “It’s ‘normal’ to experience some degree of anxiety when stressors are unfamiliar, unpredictable, or imminent.” Think of acceptance as riding out a wave, she said.

2. Change overwhelm-inducing thoughts.

Thoughts of uncontrollability or unpredictability are the backbone of overwhelm, according to Chapman. It’s the unrealistic or unreasonable thoughts that spark our stressed-out reaction. That’s why it’s important to pay attention to what we tell ourselves and learn to create helpful thoughts.

Let’s say you have a mile-long to-do list, and all you keep thinking is “I’ll never get this done.” That’s a damaging thought that can lead to distress and anxiety, Deibler said. And it paralyzes you from problem-solving and taking action, she said. But remember that you’re not a slave to your ruminations.

Ask yourself “In what ways might this [thought] be inaccurate, unreasonable or unhelpful?” Deibler said. Next, consider how you can think more realistically. Here, your goal is to generate alternative thoughts that will lead to positive emotions and behavior.

For instance, to revise the above overwhelming thought, Deibler suggested these alternatives: “I may not get it all finished today, but if I work on it or if I seek assistance, I will likely get it done;” “I know I’m feeling overwhelmed right now, but if I take a break, I may feel differently about this when I return;” “It seems overwhelming to me right now, but if I break it down into smaller parts, it may be more doable.”

3. Change your multitasking mindset.

“’Multitasking’ by definition implies that we are doing too many things at once,” Chapman said. He suggested readers shift their perspective. “We have to change our expectation that everything has to be completed right now ‘or else.’”

4. Focus on right now.

When you’re consumed with what may or may not happen in several minutes or months, you can’t appreciate the here and now, Deibler said. Instead, schedule time to plan for the future, so you can breathe in the present moment, she said.

5. Take a deep breath.

Deep breathing encourages our body’s relaxation response, Deibler said. Other calming and stress-reducing activities include progressive muscle relaxation, guided imagery, Tai chi and yoga, she said.

6. Take action.

To quell overwhelm, engage in an activity that you enjoy, such as listening to music, reading a book or taking a walk, Deibler said. And consider how you can solve the stressors that triggered your overwhelm in the first place, she said.

not mine.credit and source: PSYCHCENTRAL

How can I stop feeling overwhelmed by intense emotion?

Dr. John Preston, PsyD , Psychology, answered

Most of the pain of overwhelming emotion is caused by our struggle against feeling the emotion. We fight against our situation, wishing things were different, being disappointed when our expectations aren’t met and telling ourselves we shouldn’t be upset, depressed, sad, disappointed or angry. The next time you feel overwhelmed by intense emotion, try doing the exact opposite of what you normally do: feel the emotion and accept it.

Tell yourself, “I’m feeling _______ right now and it is very uncomfortable. I don’t have to like it, but it is what I’m feeling in the moment, and I can accept that this is my experience right now. This emotion is only temporary, and it will soon fade.”

The energy we expend in fighting off painful emotions actually makes those emotions worse. If you want to explore the feeling of acceptance further, consider starting a regular meditation practice.

not mine.credit and source: SHARECARE


Emotional Overwhelm

Emotional overwhelm, or a state of being beset by intense emotion that is difficult to manage, can often affect a person's ability to think and act rationally or perform in an efficient and functional manner. A state of emotional overwhelm may be caused by stress at home or work, traumatic life experiences, relationship issues, and much more. If a state of emotional overwhelm persists for an extended period of time, the services of a mental health professional may help one cope.

Causes of Emotional Overwhelm

Many people will experience a state of emotional overwhelm at some point in their lives. When multiple challenges occur in rapid succession or when coping skills are insufficient, an individual may end up feeling overwhelmed. The level of stress and the amount of support a person has are often significant factors in whether or not a person feels overwhelmed by emotions. Factors that may help protect against feelings of overwhelm include supportive friends and family, rewarding hobbies, adequate self-care, and stress management skills such as meditation.
The causes of emotional overwhelm vary. After a fight with a friend, for example, one person may not worry over the matter at all, believing that the issue will resolve itself eventually. Another person may experience significant sadness and anxiety, fear the friendship is over, and worry that he or she was the one at fault. Experiencing these emotions all at once may lead to overwhelm.
Common causes of issues that may lead to emotional overwhelm include:
Although any single issue may be enough to overload a person's emotions, emotional overwhelm can often occur when a person experiences multiple stressors and conflicting emotions at one time.

Symptoms of Emotional Overwhelm

A person is most likely to be overwhelmed by negative emotions, such as extreme sadness, persistent angerfear, anxiety, or guilt. Emotional overwhelm may also be an extension of psychological concerns such as anxiety or depression.
A person who is emotionally overwhelmed may become irritable or depressed, experience significant anxiety and panic, stress over things that may be of little significance, or have an inability to distinguish thoughts or beliefs from reality. Some people may feel physically ill or fatigued as a result, and others may withdraw and isolate themselves. One's ability to act rationally and complete tasks may be affected by one's emotions.
When a person is experiencing emotional overwhelm, it may be difficult to verbalize exactly what the source of the overwhelm may be, because it is often the compounding of multiple stressful events and emotions that lead to feeling overwhelmed. Behavioral changes may be an indicator of significant stress or emotional overwhelm, and a person's daily routine and relationships may falter under the stress of emotional overwhelm.

How Therapy Can Help with Emotional Overwhelm

Therapy can often be a helpful way for a person to sort through difficult emotions, especially those that occur as a result of stress or trauma. In therapy, a person may be able to work through key issues, discover and understand the roots of the overwhelming emotions, explore ways to prevent emotions from becoming overwhelming, and learn coping skills to deal with potential emotional stressors that cannot be prevented. When emotional overwhelm occurs as a result of life stressors, therapy may also help one gain a better perspective on situations that lead to this state of overwhelm, and address recurring issues.
Certain types of therapy may also integrate practices such as meditation, self-hypnosis, focusing, and centering. These techniques may help individuals be better able to self-soothe and relax in times of stress, which may reduce the emotional impact. Journal therapy and exercise have also been shown to have a beneficial effect on emotional overwhelm. In some cases psychiatrists may prescribe psychotropic medications to help treat the psychiatric causes of emotional overwhelm.

Health Problems Correlated with Emotional Overwhelm

Emotional overwhelm may lead to physical health problems. As worry, anxiety, and other negative emotions increase, the body's ability to fight off infection may decrease, and the body can suffer from fatigue, which may occur as a result of poor or insufficient sleep. Medication and/or hospitalization may sometimes be necessary for the body to rejuvenate and rebuild strength and immunity.

Case Example

  • Emotional overwhelm after car accident: Raquel, 48, seeks out a therapist to help her sort through and cope with the significant stress, anxiety, and worry she is experiencing. Raquel explains that her husband was recently involved in a serious car accident. She at first felt extreme relief that he survived, but his recovery was slow, and she slowly began to feel stressed and worried. As more time passed, she began to be concerned about financial issues as well, and after a few weeks, the intensity of her emotions began to prevent her from focusing on other things. Raquel tells the therapist that now she cannot seem to concentrate on even simple tasks, that she spends evenings and weekends in the hospital with her husband, and that when she is not there, she cannot help but worry about him. Her coworkers have begun to point out many small mistakes she makes throughout the day, and she knows she has to improve or risk losing her job. She has not turned to her friends for support, she tells the therapist, because she feels as if she does not have the energy to deal with their concern. Raquel also admits that her physical health has suffered: She does not feel like preparing meals without her husband and rarely sits down to eat, and she often only gets four or five hours of sleep each night, which leaves her exhausted. The therapist begins to work with her, first helping her to see that when she is overwhelmed by her emotions, she cannot be a source of support for her husband. She acknowledges that Raquel is likely unable to prevent herself from worrying about her husband's recovery but helps her to see that she needs to develop effective coping strategies so that she does not completely withdraw from life. Raquel's therapist encourages her to spend time with her friends and turn to family for help and to take some time each day for herself. Raquel also begins to keep a daily journal and finds that writing down her thoughts and feelings helps to eliminate some of her stress: After verbalizing her emotions, she is less overwhelmed by them. Raquel's husband's recovery remains slow, but the coping methods she has learned helps Raquel remain positive, and both her health and performance at work begin to improve.
References:
  1. Bersell, M. (n.d.). Empowering Emotionally Overwhelmed Kids. Retrieved from http://www.pbs.org/parents/experts/archive/2014/08/empowering-emotionally-overwhe.html.
  2. Feeling Overwhelmed is a Common Anxiety Symptom. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.calmclinic.com/anxiety/symptoms/feeling-overwhelmed.
  3. Identifying Signs of Stress in Your Children and Teens. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.apa.org/helpcenter/stress-children.aspx.
not mine.credit and source: GOOD THERAPY.ORG

Tuesday, February 16, 2016

What went wrong during Adele's Grammys performance?

By Brandon Griggs, CNN
February 16, 2016

Adele's performance at the Grammys was married by audio glitches
The singer and others blamed a fallen piano microphone for the problem
(CNN)One of the most anticipated performances of Monday night's Grammy Awards show was by Adele, the beloved, big-throated British singer whose new album, "25," has been shattering sales records.

But early into her live rendition of the ballad "All I Ask," it was clear that something was wrong.

A clanking sound could be heard in the background as she sang, her microphone cut out briefly and Adele's voice didn't have its usual punch. The singer looked distracted, flashing irritated looks as she powered through the song, backed only by a piano and bathed in a lone spotlight.

Fans, who anticipated another killer performance, were confused. Adele, sounding ... flat?

So what happened?

The singer offered an explanation afterward on Twitter, saying, "The piano mics fell on to the piano strings, that's what the guitar sound was. It made it sound out of tune. S--- happens."

Recording Academy President Neil Portnow gave a more detailed explanation to reporters after the show. According to Variety, he said that as the piano was being lifted onto the stage, a microphone in the piano dropped, which caused the audio glitches heard during the broadcast. Technicians tried to correct it by going to a backup system, which caused the feed to be lost for a second, he said.

"To Adele's credit, she killed it, she did a fantastic job, the pro that she is," Portnow said. "That was all an issue on our behalf. Kenny (Ehrlich, the show's producer) asked that we make that really clear to everybody."

Grammy Awards: the winners list

Many fans on Twitter came to the singer's defense.

"Adele's pitch is consistently & historically flawless. FLAWLESS. That was 100% an audio issue & she was fighting hard from go. Hush, ya'll," said one, singer-songwriter Nichole Nordeman.

Don't feel too bad for Adele, though. The singer, who wasn't eligible for Grammys on Monday night because her album came out too late in the year, said the mishap led her to treat herself after the show to In-N-Out Burger, so "maybe it was worth it."

not mine.credit and source: CNN

Sendagaya


Sendagaya (千駄ヶ谷) is an area within Shibuyaward, one of the 23 special wards of Tokyo.

Introduction
Sendagaya is nestled in an urban green area in Shibuya ward between Shinjuku ward andShinjuku Gyoen (Shinjuku Imperial Gardens) to the north (an area in Sendagaya, 6-chome, is actually located within the gardens). The National Stadium, also known as Olympic Stadium, Tokyois located to the east. Meiji Shrine and Yoyogi Station are found to the west. Jingumae andHarajuku are directly south. Many important cultural and sporting venues are located in and around Sendagaya.
Sendagaya is a mix of old, new, and incredibly futuristic designs. From Sendagaya Station, the main station in Sendagaya, bustling Shinjuku is a tranquil 10-minute walk away along the Imperial Gardens' western wall. Sendagaya Entrance to the gardens is 2 minutes away from Sendagaya Station.
Sendagaya, particularly 3-chome, is home to dozens of clothing and accessory design workshops, studios, offices, and fashion related agencies, including the mega-brandBape. The narrow streets are filled daily with the hustle and bustle of courier companies picking up next season's designs and delivering the finished product.
credit: WIKIPEDIA