The Star Online: Entertainment: TV & Radio
The Star Online: Entertainment: TV & Radio |
- Oprah Winfrey donates US$12m to Black history museum
- Mad about Norman Bates
- Jehan Miskin directs his first TV series
| Oprah Winfrey donates US$12m to Black history museum Posted: 11 Jun 2013 08:56 PM PDT LOS ANGELES (TheWrap.com) - Oprah Winfrey has donated a small chunk of her estimated US$2.8 billion net worth to help build The Smithsonian's National Museum of African American History and Culture. The OWN chairman and CEO has just donated US$12 million to the museum's capital fund. Combined with a previous donation of $1 million, Winfrey's US$13 million is the museum's largest donation to date. "I am so proud of African American history and its contributions to our nation as a whole," Winfrey said in a statement. "I am deeply appreciative of those who paved the path for me and all who follow in their footsteps. By investing in this museum, I want to help ensure that we both honor and preserve our culture and history, so that the stories of who we are will live on for generations to come." Slated to open in late-2015, the museum's theater will be dedicated to the media mogul. The Oprah Winfrey Theater, one of the largest spaces in the museum at 350 seats, will serve as a center for performers, artists, scholars, educators and other opinion leaders. The museum will be the nation's largest destination totally devoted to Black history and culture. "We are inspired and profoundly grateful for Ms. Winfrey's generosity at this important time," said Lonnie G. Bunch III, founding director of the museum. "Her gifts will forever be associated with harnessing the power of art and creative expression to build bridges between cultures and enrich people's lives. Programming at the Oprah Winfrey Theater will mirror the museum's commitment to use African American history and culture as a lens to see what it means to be an American and to help all Americans remember." Congressional funding provides half of the museum's US$500 million construction costs. Winfrey's US$13 million gift goes toward the other US$250,000, which the organization must raise itself. Additionally, Winfrey has served on the museum's advisory council since 2004. |
| Posted: 12 Jun 2013 02:43 AM PDT This television prequel to Psycho gives you plenty of reason to stay a while. Prequels are tricky; how do you keep the audiences interested in a story to which they already know the ending? And in the case of recently-premiered television show Bates Motel, a story that is an acknowledged classic by a master filmmaker (which has already spawned two sequels, a prequel, and a remake)? I'm talking, of course, about Psycho, Alfred Hitchcock's iconic 1960 movie that singlehandedly put the fear of showering in motel rooms in us, as well as giving the term "mama's boy" a whole creepy new twist. The film also introduced the world to Norman Bates, the murderous motel owner who is consistently ranked as one of the best movie villains of all time. And yet, if they are done right, prequels can also be a very smart marketing move, building on the audience's pre-existing interest to draw them into familiar yet new territory. So far, Bates Motel seems to be hitting all the right notes. Featuring Norman as a teenager, the show takes us back to before his psychosis became full-blown. Even more tantalising, it explores Norman's relationship with his mother Norma. Billed as a "contemporary prequel", the show is set in current time, allowing the writers to contextualise Norman within today's young people - a decision that serves the show well, as it turns out. The pilot kicks off with the 17-year-old Norman and Norma moving to White Pine Bay and buying a motel after the mysterious death of Norma's husband. The show loses no time in throwing us into the weird dynamics of the relationship between mother and son, from Norman's desperate desire to please his mother to her instant disapproval of a pretty schoolmate who befriends him. Despite Norma's vain attempts at a normal life for them both, a brutal turn of circumstances results in Norma murdering someone and having Norman help her cover it up; something which is sure to set a whole chain of events in motion. There are also plenty of nods to Psycho – some a tad obvious, and some very cleverly slipped in – that will not only keep the fans happy, but also serve to link the show to the larger themes in the original movie. What really sells the first episode, however, is fantastic performances from the two leads, Freddie Highmore as Norman and Vera Farmiga as Norma. Highmore, no doubt, has a massive job on his hands, to live up to Anthony Perkins' career-defining performance. Rising to the task admirably, the young actor somehow manages to imbue the teenaged Norman with a Perkins-like quality without resorting to imitation. Instead, we feel like we really are watching a younger version of the awkward and affable Norman Bates we first met in Psycho. If anything, we start liking Norman a little too much, which is rather disconcerting when you stop to think about it. Farmiga, meanwhile, is phenomenal as Norma, slipping effortlessly into the character's different modes, whether it is affectionate, determined, needy, passive-aggressive or just plain manipulative. The control she has over a role that could well have become a caricature is amazing, and in even just the first two episodes, she remains consistently fascinating. Joining the dysfunctional family in the show's second episode is Dylan (Max Thieriot), Norma's son from a previous relationship. While struggling with his own demons, Dylan also provides a counterpoint to Norman's relationship with Norma, and it will be interesting to see how this develops as the show progresses. Thieriot rounds out the main cast very nicely, and shares excellent chemistry with both Highmore and Farmiga, which has already made for some interesting exchanges between the characters. Bates Motel, however, also seems to be about more than just this little family. There are hints of something being not quite right in the small town of White Pine Bay, what with a girl being chained up somewhere, a thoroughly illegal marijuana field being cultivated in the forest, and a town-wide conspiracy that no one talks about. While I'm not convinced that creating more drama around a character that already has such an extraordinary backstory (or "frontstory"?) is necessary, it also seems refreshing that the show doesn't just hinge on Norman's future notoriety. The various plot threads introduced so far also give rise to many interesting theories on whether the town itself has something to do Norman's eventual breakdown. Bates Motel's first season ended recently in the US to positive reviews, and the show has been renewed for a second season. Of course, the show could still end up a bloody mess, but the twisted plot, compelling characters, and fantastic acting seem to be reason enough to check into Bates Motel for now. Bates Motel airs every Wednesday at 10.50pm on Universal HD (HyppTV Ch 612). |
| Jehan Miskin directs his first TV series Posted: 12 Jun 2013 05:08 AM PDT Jehan Miskin goes behind the camera to direct his first series, the spooky thriller What If. WORKAHOLIC Jehan Miskin hasn't gone for his honeymoon yet after tying the knot with Korean Julie Camelia Rhee in May. The 34-year-old Penangite is currently busy directing (and producing) What If, a 13-episode suspense thriller which airs on 8TV. "Initially, I just wanted to produce the series but as we started working on it and looked at the progression of the characters, it gets tricky so I decided to direct it as well," said Jehan in an interview recently. This is the first time the multi-talented actor has tried his hand in directing a drama series. Previously, Jehan directed commercials for corporate companies via his production company Master Mind Group. "It's true that I have not accepted any acting offers in recent months because I've been too busy with my job as a director and producer." He will return to acting when the time is right, he said, adding that he wants to channel all his efforts into directing at the moment in order to expand his showbiz portfolio. "I need to push my career to new heights, instead of focusing on only one aspect," he explained. "However, that doesn't mean that I have given up on acting, because it's still my biggest passion." Life is certainly peachy for Jehan. "I'm thankful that 8TV has allowed me to produce this thriller series because it is a new and fresh (idea) for local TV production. "Married life is good too," said Jehan with a smile. "My wife and I just moved into our new home but things are still in boxes. I guess we have not experienced the full impact of being married yet as my wife is busy traveling at the moment while I'm busy with What If. She works as an event manager for an international company. "Honestly, I wish I was on my honeymoon now (instead of filming)." Jehan said that he tries to tackle something new, whether in acting or directing, with each new project. "I love directing but I make it a point not to direct the same stuff that I've done (as an actor) in my previous dramas and movies. If I direct, it has to be different, with fresh ideas," said Jehan whose latest movie is the yet-to-be-released Mamat Khalid's Amukan Buas Fankestein Tempatan. What If tells the story of 15-year-old Imzan (played by Josiah Hogan), a tortured soul who had lost everything in life through a series of unfortunate events. The young boy keeps himself sane by writing twisted tales about those around him. Then, one day he discovers that what he has written is becoming reality. Things take a slippery turn when Imzan comes face-to-face with his worst nightmare. What If also boasts amazing sets and a star-studded cast, including Rashidi Ishak, Tony Eusoff, Yasmin Yusoff, Vanidah Imran, Elaine Daly, Nas T, Chelsia Ng, Peter Davis, Nazrudin Rahman, Reefa, Julie Woon and Prem Shanker. What If airs on 8TV every Wednesdays at 10pm. |
| You are subscribed to email updates from The Star Online: Entertainment: TV & Radio To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now. | Email delivery powered by Google |
| Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610 | |
0 ulasan:
Catat Ulasan