Sabtu, 30 November 2013

The Star eCentral: Movie Reviews

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The Star eCentral: Movie Reviews


Javier Bardem could be villain in new Peter Pan movie

Posted:

Actor has played praiseworthy villians before.

JAVIER Bardem is being courted by the producers of Pan, a Peter Pan origin story to be directed by Joe Wright (Atonement).

According to Deadline.com, Warner Bros. Pictures are eyeing the Spanish actor to play the pirate Blackbeard, the main antagonist in the forthcoming adventure movie.

Pan will be loosely based on the writings of J.M. Barrie, published during the early 20th century. The feature will depict how the orphan arrived in Neverland and became the hero of the Lost Boys after fighting Blackbeard and his band of pirates. His first meeting with Tinkerbell will also make an appearance in the movie, which is planned for filming in 2014.

Bardem, aged 44, can be seen in theatres now in Ridley Scott's The Counselor, a crime thriller featuring Michael Fassbender, Brad Pitt, Cameron Diaz and Bardem's wife Penelope Cruz. Currently, alongside Sean Penn, Bardem is on the set of Pierre Morel's The Gunman, an adaptation of French crime novelist Jean-Patrick Manchette's The Prone Gunman.

Javier Bardem has often been praised for his portrayal of villains, particularly in No Country For Old Men and Skyfall. – AFP Relaxnews

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

The Star Online: World Updates

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The Star Online: World Updates


China probes official of state-owned insurance firm for graft

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BEIJING (Reuters) - China is investigating an executive at the China Export and Credit Insurance Corporation for graft, the ruling Communist Party's corruption watchdog said on Sunday, making him the latest target of a widening corruption crackdown.

Dai Chunning, a vice president at the company, which is also called Sinosure, is "suspected of serious discipline violations", the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI) said on its website.

It gave no further details in a brief statement but in China the term discipline violations generally denotes corruption. The company could not immediately be reached for comment.

China's President Xi Jinping has said endemic corruption threatens the party's very survival and has vowed to go after high-flying "tigers" as well as lowly "flies".

Authorities have already announced the investigation or arrest of a handful of senior officials, among them former officials of oil giant PetroChina in what appears to be the biggest graft probe into a state-run firm in years.

(Reporting by Michael Martina; Editing by Clarence Fernandez)

Two dead in Thai political violence, military bolsters security

Posted:

BANGKOK (Reuters) - A "red shirt" Thai government supporter was shot and killed early on Sunday, raising the death toll to two from political violence in Bangkok as protesters intensified a week-long bid to topple Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra.

Police called in military back-up to protect government buildings after fatal street clashes erupted between supporters and opponents of Yingluck and her billionaire brother, ousted former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, near a sports stadium where about 70,000 government supporters had gathered.

The fighting is the latest in an intractable conflict that broadly pits Thailand's establishment of royalists, wealthy elites and the urban middle class against the poor supporters of Thaksin, who originate mostly from provinces north of Bangkok, the country's lowest-income regions.

By morning, streets near the stadium were littered with broken glass and rocks, a Reuters witness said. A red-shirt leader, Jatuporn Promphan, said four red shirts had been killed, but Reuters only confirmed one, 43-year-old red shirt guard Viroj Kemnak.

Forty-five people were wounded in the fighting, according to the government's Erawan emergency centre.

Thousands of red shirts have begun to return by bus to their homes in northern Thailand, but their departure is unlikely to defuse Thailand's worst political crisis since April-May 2010, a period of unrest that ended with a military crackdown. In all, 91 people were killed, mostly Thaksin supporters.

BANGKOK BRACES FOR VIOLENCE

Yingluck, who won a 2011 election by a landslide to become Thailand's first female prime minister, has called on the protesters to clear the streets and enter into talks to avoid confrontation, saying Thailand's economy was at risk after demonstrators occupied the Finance Ministry on Monday.

Protest leader Suthep Thaugsuban has told demonstrators laws must be broken to achieve their goals and has urged them to surround the headquarters of the national and city police, ministries and the prime minister's office at Government House. Shopping malls shut as Bangkok braced for violence on Sunday.

Seventeen battalions of 150 soldiers each, along with 180 military police, all unarmed, were called in to boost security on Sunday ahead of a deadline the same day set by demonstrators for the ousting of the government.

Fighting intensified on Saturday after anti-government protesters attacked a bus they believed was full of government supporters. They also smashed the windshield of a taxi carrying people wearing red shirts, a pro-government symbol, and beat two people, one unconscious, police and witnesses said.

As darkness fell, gunfire erupted outside the sports stadium in Bangkok's Ramkamhaeng area, where the 70,000 backers of Yingluck and Thaksin had gathered for a rally in a show of support after a week of anti-government protests.

Around 8 p.m., a gunman fired into Ramkamhaeng University, where hundreds of anti-government protesters had retreated after trying to block people from entering the stadium, witnesses said. One person was killed. It was not known who fired the shots.

Fighting raged in the area through the night.

At around 2 a.m., Kittisak Srisunthorn, 36, said he was shot in the arm while sitting with a group of red shirt guards.

"I heard homemade bombs, gunshots. People started to throw rocks and glass bottles. There were around one hundred people gathered. I didn't see any police," Kittisak told Reuters.

A crowd of about 2,000 people had massed outside state-owned telecoms companies on Saturday and Suthep has urged his followers to move on the ministries of labour, foreign affairs, education and the interior.

It is unclear whether he has the numbers to besiege multiple government offices.

Thaksin, a former telecommunications tycoon, was removed in a 2006 military coup and convicted two years later of graft, charges he calls politically motivated. He remains closely entwined with the government from his self-imposed exile, sometimes meeting with Yingluck's cabinet by webcam.

National Security Chief Paradorn Pattanathabutr told Reuters that Government House and the police headquarters would not be seized.

(Additional reporting by Martin Petty, Panarat Thepgumpanat and Amy Sawitta Lefevre; Writing by Jason Szep; Editing by Alan Raybould)

Earthquake of magnitude 6.9 strikes off Indonesia island

Posted:

[unable to retrieve full-text content]SINGAPORE (Reuters) - An earthquake of magnitude 6.9 struck off Indonesia's Tanimbar islands, a monitoring service of the U.S. Geological Survey showed around 0130 GMT on Sunday.
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The Star eCentral: Movie Buzz

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The Star eCentral: Movie Buzz


Javier Bardem could be villain in new Peter Pan movie

Posted:

Actor has played praiseworthy villians before.

JAVIER Bardem is being courted by the producers of Pan, a Peter Pan origin story to be directed by Joe Wright (Atonement).

According to Deadline.com, Warner Bros. Pictures are eyeing the Spanish actor to play the pirate Blackbeard, the main antagonist in the forthcoming adventure movie.

Pan will be loosely based on the writings of J.M. Barrie, published during the early 20th century. The feature will depict how the orphan arrived in Neverland and became the hero of the Lost Boys after fighting Blackbeard and his band of pirates. His first meeting with Tinkerbell will also make an appearance in the movie, which is planned for filming in 2014.

Bardem, aged 44, can be seen in theatres now in Ridley Scott's The Counselor, a crime thriller featuring Michael Fassbender, Brad Pitt, Cameron Diaz and Bardem's wife Penelope Cruz. Currently, alongside Sean Penn, Bardem is on the set of Pierre Morel's The Gunman, an adaptation of French crime novelist Jean-Patrick Manchette's The Prone Gunman.

Javier Bardem has often been praised for his portrayal of villains, particularly in No Country For Old Men and Skyfall. – AFP Relaxnews

Marsha Milan: Moving on up

Posted:

Marsha Milan has come a long way since Akademi Fantasia. Now, she gets animated in Frozen.

HAVING arrived late for our appointment – for which she and her manager apologised profusely – there was little time left to prepare Marsha Milan Londoh for the planned photo session. But, as it turned out, she needed little direction – all that was required was to inform her of the shots we wanted and she started striking different poses immediately, allowing the photographer to wrap up quickly.

This very quality of knowing what is wanted of her is one of the things that has gotten Marsha noticed by directors like Osman Ali and Erma Fatima. Osman has cast Marsha in three of his projects so far – a minor role in the film Cun! gave way to the role of an antagonist in a 26-episode drama serial Bicara Hati and a supporting role in last year's feature, Juwanita.

"FROZEN" (Pictured) ELSA. ©2013 Disney. All Rights Reserved.

Her latest 'role' is as Princess Elsa in the Bahasa Malaysia version of Frozen.

According to Osman, Marsha's talent was especially impressive in Bicara Hati.

He said: "I enjoyed working with her as she was very committed to her role. She would run what she intended to do in a scene by me and I would guide her accordingly. She's adept at playing different types of emotions – serious, funny, melancholic and psychotic. She made her character in Bicara Hati someone the audience loved to hate."

Osman first spotted the actress, who turns 28 on Dec 6, when she appeared as one of the contestants in Akademi Fantasia (AF) back in 2005. "I liked how she carried herself on that show. And it was apparent that she is talented," said the director.

It was this reality show that opened doors for Marsha. However, Marsha recalled the only reason she was even at the audition for Akademi Fantasia was because she was accompanying a friend who wanted to take part. Marsha said with a laugh: "It ended up with me getting in the show, but not him."

Marsha came out third runner up – Mawi was crowned champion that season – and her life has changed forever.

"My mother wanted me to go to India to further my studies and not participate in Akademi Fantasia. But I was adamant in finding out my chances on AF ... and I am still here."

Marsha is still keen to continue her studies but it has to be some time in the future as she is just too busy with her career now.

Also, she figured: "I was supposed to study music, but I thought since I am already in the industry, I have an advantage over other students."

At the moment, she is polishing up on her composing skills so she can write her own songs for an album which she hopes to complete next year.

Born in Michigan, the United States – where her parents were studying (the family moved back to Tamparuli, Sabah, a few months after she was born) – Marsha grew up singing in her town's church.

Having developed a love for singing and playing the piano, she was surprised to find out she loved acting too.

Multifaceted: Well-known directors like Osman Ali and Erma Fatima like working with talented Sabahan, Marsha Milan Londoh, because she is dedicated to her craft.

Multifaceted: Well-known directors like Osman Ali and Erma Fatima like working with talented Sabahan, Marsha Milan Londoh, because she is dedicated to her craft.

Acting was something she discovered when she was signed up with Astro's production company after Akademi Fantasia (AF top winners are contractually committed to the broadcasting company in the first few years of their career).

"There were some modelling gigs too, but I realised I am too short to be a fashion model," she said, not sounding too disappointed.

It was during this period with Astro that she started on voice acting. Her first voice acting job was for the Bahasa Malaysia version of High School Musical (2006).

Fast forward to the present, Marsha is now cast as the voice of Princess Elsa in Frozen.

"This one is different because she's a Disney princess," Marsha said, drawing a comparison between her role in High School Musical and Frozen.

"I feel honoured as I always wanted to be part of Disney (animated films). And to play a princess, it's great!" she enthused, adding that some of her favourite Disney films include Snow White And The Seven Dwarfs, Little Mermaid, Beauty And The Beast and Cinderella.

"Usually I look at the scripts when choosing a project because I do not want to play the same role over and over again. But for this Disney project, I didn't even ask to look at the script. I said yes immediately because Disney is something that everyone loves."

Frozen revolves around two sisters, Princess Elsa (Marsha) and Princess Anna (Liyana Jasmay), who truly love each other. Elsa, however, is a little different – she has the powers to create snow and ice with just a touch, something that delights her sister to no end.

But on the day she is appointed the queen, Elsa accidentally unleashes her power leaving her kingdom in a perpetual state of winter. Fearing she would do more harm than good to her family and subjects, Elsa runs away to live in isolation. Not about to give up on her sister, Anna decides to look for Elsa and bring her home.

Marsha said: "Elsa is the Snow Queen, but she is not evil. She is just stuck in a place where she has no one. The film has more to do with the love of two sisters who would do anything for each than a conventional love story."

In the English version, the voice of Elsa is provided by Broadway actress Idina Menzel. So, for the dubbed version, it was crucial the voice came from someone who could sing and act.

Elsa has four numbers in the film, including one theme song named Bebaskan (Let It Go). To sing these songs, Marsha had to ensure she conveyed emotions like anger, boldness, happiness and sadness.

But there was a slight snag. On the day Marsha entered the recording studio to record the songs, she had just came back from the dentist.

"I had just removed my wisdom tooth. So I was singing when my mouth was swollen and I was in pain. It was a struggle, but knowing it's for a Disney film, it was all worth it."

As our interview ended, Marsha's fans who were waiting patiently nearby requested for a photo with the actress. Not surprisingly, she struck lovely poses for them.

> Frozen, both the English and Bahasa Malaysia versions, opens in cinemas nationwide on Nov 28.

Kristen Bell-e of the ball

Posted:

Kristen Bell realises her dream of being a Disney princess in Frozen.

THERE are things her most devoted fans know about Kristen Bell that people who didn't help fan-finance her big screen Veronica Mars movie might not.

She can sing, for starters.

"When you're too small to play sports, you compete in solo and ensemble singing competitions," the diminutive Bell says. "At least, that's what I did. It turned me into a musical theatre junkie. I sang only in Italian, for a while. Then I discovered musical theatre. I studied that in New York in college. Musical theatre is what led me into the ocean that is film and television."

She sings, and more than holds her own with Broadway star Idina Menzel, in the animated Disney musical Frozen, which opens today.

"Any time music is a part of my performance is a good time, in my book. This was a really 'lucky get'."

The 33-year-old Michigan native is an alumnus of New York University in the United States, and a Broadway veteran in her own right. She was in a revival of The Crucible and the musical The Adventures Of Becky Thatcher.

Your highness: Kristen Bell is elated to be a Disney princess in Frozen.

Your highness: Kristen Bell is elated to be a Disney princess in Frozen.

She just got married – to longtime love and When In Rome and Hit And Run co-star Dax Shepard. She had a baby this year, and they named her Lincoln.

But even hardcore fans might not realise that she let Shepard talk her into naming their child after his "baby" – his 1960s vintage souped-up Lincoln Continental.

"Well, FIRST of all, he's BIG. I don't LET him do anything. He just does what he wants," Bell says with a laugh. "I think it was a combination of the president and the car, we just liked the sound of it. 'Lincoln'."

And Bell counts herself very lucky that she had her daughter just in time for her most kid-friendly movie ever. Frozen, a Disney cartoon based on a Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale, lets Bell become a Disney princess.

"This was a dream for me, ever since I was a toddler, really. But I knew if I was ever going to be a Disney heroine she'd have to be someone I wanted to see, I could relate to.

"I wanted to make her very adventurous, to not be a 'typical' animated heroine. I wanted her to talk too quickly and too much. I wanted her to put her foot in her mouth, to be clumsy and awkward and have all of these characteristics that I feel I had as a kid. I was always talking too much and too fast, speaking before I thought."

So her character Anna, younger sister to the ice-cursed Elsa (Menzel), doesn't so much talk as blurt. She acts before she thinks, and when her sister heads off into self-imposed exile because everything she touches freezes, plucky Anna sets out to find her and bring her home.

"Anna's such a goofball – sincere, an eternal optimist but just weird. I really like that, because I have been weird and proud of it forever."

Reviews are full of praise for the movie, for Bell's surprising singing and her "vigorous" vocal performance (The Hollywood Reporter), which fills Anna with Bell's own personality.

"I hit those lines the way I hear 'em and they sort of fall out," Bell says. "I did study music in college and music is such a big part of my life that I hear dialogue at a certain tempo."

The other big project in her crowded life is the Veronica Mars movie that she and series writer Rob Thomas pulled together and turned into the most famous Kickstarter (crowd-financed) movie ever. They raised millions from fans of the teen private investigator TV series, which aired from 2004-2007.They reunited much of the cast and made a feature film that is due out next year.

"Veronica is so much a part of who I am that it wasn't hard to get back into character," she says. "It was everything I wanted it to be. We have talked about the movie we'd want to do pretty much since the day the TV series got cancelled. We'd all allowed ourselves to dream of doing it. But I'm not sure any of us ever dreamed it would ever be a reality.

"But throwing it out on Kickstarter and asking the fans if they wanted it, and if they wanted it enough to fund it? That was surreal ... We were so lucky to have fans that loyal. One day we were still wishing, the next day we had a green light to go make the movie."

She's sensitive to the criticism that suggested this wasn't what Kickstarter projects – typically tiny-budget affairs from aspiring filmmakers, musicians and artists – are supposed to be. But "we didn't force anyone to give money to this idea ...We wanted to give as much back to the fans as we could because they've been very good to us. It's their movie. They wanted it."

And if they'd all had to wait on a studio to finance it, Veronica Mars, the movie, never would have happened. It's just another way Bell goes about her life and her business along the road less travelled, from marrying the gawky car-nut co-star to naming their child after his car to becoming a Disney princess over 30.

"I'm not a very conventional person. And that bleeds into everything I do." – McClatchy-Tribune Information Services

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

The Star Online: Entertainment: TV & Radio

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The Star Online: Entertainment: TV & Radio


Running success from South Korea

Posted:

Running Man, another phenomenal export from South Korea, features a mix of reality TV, variety show, games and competition. Get to know the current members of the running team.

LEE KWANG SOO, 28

Who: Outside of Running Man, this runway model-turned-entertainer has acted in films such as The Scent (2012) and TV drama The Innocent Man (2012), mostly in comedic roles. For Running Man, his most well-known show, he won the award for Variety New Star in 2010 at the SBS Entertainment Awards and then a New Star Award at the same event a year later.

Running Man persona: Aptly nicknamed Giraffe due to his 1.9m height, he is massively popular and often gets the loudest fan cheers outside of South Korea, such as in Macau and Vietnam – hence he is known as the Asian Prince. On the flip side, he tends to betray his teammates for his own gain, so he is nicknamed The Betrayer as well.

KIM JONG KOOK, 37

Who: Debuted in 1995 as part of pop duo Turbo before splitting six years later (2001) to pursue a solo music career. Despite his muscular, jock-like appearance, he is known for his soothing gentle ballads such as Lovable and Walking In One Spot. He won the coveted Daesang Award for Best Artiste Of The Year from all three major Korean broadcasters MBC, KBS and SBS in 2005. In 2010, he joined Running Man and won the SBS Entertainment Award for Best TV Star the following year.

Running Man persona: A regular winner of the missions based on his strength alone. But he is not all brawn either: He also uses his brain to outwit the others in the challenges, making him a hard one to beat. Nicknamed The Commander as well as Sparta Kook, after the formidable Spartan army of old.

YOO JAE SUK, 41

Who: A veteran comedian and variety show host famous for his quick wit. His resume includes popular variety shows Family Outing (2008 to 2010), Happy Together Friends (2005 to 2007) and Infinite Challenge (2005 to present). He has a string of awards to his name, including the Daesang (Grand Prize) at the SBS Entertainment Awards last year and the Daesang (Grand Prize) at the Baeksang Arts Awards this year. He is married to former TV announcer Na Kyung Eun, 32, and they have a son.

Running Man persona: Noted for his ability to escape from tough situations. His all-around good-guy image and intelligence make him one of the most popular and well-liked members of the Running Man team in fan polls.

SONG JI HYO, 32

Who: This model-turned-actress (with muscle-man Kim Jong Kook) was one of the leads in the hit Korean drama Princess Hours (2006) and also starred in popular period drama Jumong (2007). In 2011, she received the Outstanding Female Award in the variety show category at the SBS Entertainment Awards for Running Man. She is reportedly dating Baek Chang Joo, chief executive of her management agency C-Jes Entertainment.

Running Man persona: She may be the only woman in the cast, but she is no damsel in distress, often stunning the others with her stealth and skills in winning challenges, and is thus known as Ace.

JI SUK JIN, 47

Who: After making his debut as a singer in 1992, he gained fame as a variety show host when he became the main host of hit variety quiz show Star Golden Bell (2004 to 2010). Other popular variety shows he has hosted include Heroine (2004 to 2006) and High-Five (2007 to 2008). He has three awards for Excellence in the variety category from KBS Entertainment Awards, including for Running Man last year. He is married with a son.

Running Man persona: He is the oldest member and also arguably the weakest of the cast, having won the mission only once since the show debuted three years ago. Sometimes, the other cast members joke that the missions truly begin only after he is eliminated.

HAHA, 34

Who: Debuted as a singer and rapper with the now-defunct boyband Jikiri in 2001, before gaining popularity as a co-host of the talk show What's Up Yo! a year later. He showed off his comic timing in the sitcom Nonstop (2006) before becoming a co-host of popular variety show Infinite Challenge (2005 to 2008). He continues to work on his music that has been described as a combination of K-pop and reggae. Last November, he married singer Byul, 29, and their son was born in July this year.

Running Man persona: The joker of the group, he always has everyone in stitches with his many random exclamations of frustration when he loses a challenge. Nicknamed Haroro due to his small build and resemblance to cartoon character Pororo The Little Penguin, he is also quite the flirt with female celebrity guest stars. Like Lee, he is scheming and often betrays his own teammates, so he is also known as the Betrayer.

GARY, 35

Who: Born Kang Hee Gun, the rapper is one-half of hip-hop duo Leessang, with vocalist Gil Seong Joon.

Running Man persona: He and fellow cast member Song Ji Hyo are often teased on the show for their attraction to each other; and as the show was originally filmed on Mondays, the two were soon known as the Monday Couple.

He is also often mocked for his ability to forever maintain a serene facial expression on the show, no matter what happens. – The Straits Times, Singapore/Asia News Network

> Running Man airs every Saturday at 4pm on TV2 (Astro Ch 102 / HyppTV Ch 102). Lee Kwang Soo will meet fans in Malaysia at KWC Fashion Mall in Kuala Lumpur at 7pm on Saturday, Jan 4, 2014. Tickets, priced at RM498, RM298 and RM158, are available online at www.ticketpro.com.my and all TicketPro, Rock Corner and Victoria Music outlets. For more info, go to www.facebook.com/JSConcertProductions or call 03-7880 7999.

The grief of a First Lady

Posted:

Ginnifer Goodwin talks about working on Killing Kennedy.

IT was 50 years ago that United States President John F. Kennedy was assassinated by lone gunman, Lee Harvey Oswald. National Geographic Channel's Killing Kennedy chronicles the lives of these two men that ended at a point which altered the course of history. Based on a best-selling book by Bill O'Reilly and Martin Dugard, Killing Kennnedy stars Rob Lowe (Kennedy), Will Rothhaar (Oswald), Michelle Trachtenberg (Marina Oswald) and Ginnifer Goodwin (Jacqueline Kennedy). In a transcript provided by the channel, Goodwin talked about working on this project.

What was it like to play such an iconic character?

There was a bit of pressure going into playing Jackie Kennedy, as I'm sure there was with any of the roles in this film. I have read other scripts in which Jackie appeared and I have blatantly not wanted to touch her. She is, I think, every modern woman's idol, and so it was important to me that, if I ever did play her, I felt empowered to do justice to the person she was.

What about this script made you want to finally play her?

This is the first time I read a script involving Jackie that I felt had a little bit of everything. It is respectful, it is intimate and revealing, and the narrative is captivating. I could not put the script down, and I was really inspired. Ultimately, I think what really attracted me was that, in this story, we are showing so many private moments, which gave me a little more creative freedom than I even realised going into it. I had not really thought about the public version of her versus the private version of her. Then I started researching the role and thought, of course, and found there is almost no information about what happened behind closed doors. There are a lot of assumptions, and I think most people, including me, project onto them what we want these people to have been. But because almost all of the Jackie scenes in this film take place behind closed doors, as an actress,there was something liberating, something that took some of the pressure off and made it a little less overwhelming.

Why should people see this film?

What was attractive to me about it, and what I think the audience is going to love, is that it is so incredibly educational and yet the story is so riveting and personal and intimate and relatable and devastating and ugly and idyllic, all at the same time — much like real life. It is also like we have been filming two different movies: one on the Kennedys and one on the Oswalds. Our director, Nelson McCormick, describes this as being like two trains coming from two different ends of the universe on a collision course. When I read the script, I hoped there would be a different ending. Clearly, all of us know what is going to happen moment for moment, and yet there is something about the building of tension mixed with these beautiful, quiet moments that does make you almost think something else could happen.

> Catch Killing Kennedy on Dec 1 at 9pm on National Geographic Channel (Astro Ch 553).

'Sleepy Hollow': A sleeper hit

Posted:

The enigmatic Tom Mison talks about balancing humour and drama in Sleepy Hollow.

NOBODY would ever accuse the new series Sleepy Hollow of being just another crime procedural. Not when the crimes involve a mysterious Headless Horseman, and an evil conspiracy that reaches back to the Revolutionary War.

And not when the leading man is Ichabod Crane, the Washington Irving character who, in this telling, was the one who relieved the Horseman of his head, in bloody, circa-1776 battle.

And not when Crane wakes up inside a dank cave and walks out into the modern world, and almost instantly joins forces with a police lieutenant who works in the village of Sleepy Hollow.

That all this works – and works so well that Sleepy Hollow has already been renewed for Season Two – has a great deal to do with the charismatic, witty, dashing performance of Tom Mison as Crane.

The British actor and writer has previously been little-known in the United States, with a resume heavy on stage work but light on more mainstream fare. Aside from roles in the film, Salmon Fishing In The Yemen, and the miniseries, Parade's End, Mison hasn't had much opportunity to register with American audiences.

All that has changed with Sleepy Hollow, in which Mison's charm and immediate chemistry with his co-star, Nicole Beharie, have made the Brit something of a heartthrob – despite Crane's centuries-old garments.

"At least he gave them a wash in the sink," Mison says. "So he's considerate."

In a conference call with reporters, Mison fielded questions about such matters as when we'll see Crane finally get a new outfit – "I was wondering how long it would be before that question came up" – and how he approaches the role of Crane and the more outlandish elements of the show's storyline.

In conversation, Mison displays the same playful humour that makes Crane's encounters with the mysteries of modern life so drolly delightful (he's offended by the high cost of baked goods, i.e. doughnut holes, and mystified by the multiplicity of Starbucks locations.)

Here are highlights from the interview:

On that costume: Mison promises Crane will wear more modern clothes "soon," but that the show's creative team (the co-creators and executive producers are Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci, whose credits include Fringe, and the Star Trek movie) and he liked giving Ichabod "an iconic look".

And there's character motivation behind his period style, complete with long coat and tall boots. Crane is "a long way from home," Mison says. "250 years away from home", so he's inclined to hold on to anything that reminds him of his time. Mison says whenever we're thinking how much those clothes must stink, "think of (them) as a big, stinking security blanket".

On the character of Ichabod Crane: Mison says when he's playing Crane, he's trying to "work out how moody someone would be after they come out of the ground" after all those years. There are "so many plates that need to be spun" to keep Ichabod on track, Mison says, adding that the part is difficult, but enjoyable to play.

On the show's preposterous premise: "I always like to have faith that an audience will suspend their disbelief," Mison says, if "you present it to them in the right way." He had no real trepidation taking the role, he adds, and had "faith in the great American public" that they would come along for the ride.

On balancing the comedy and drama of Crane: The character is shown in the 18th century, finding out that the fate of the world is being threatened by the Headless Horseman (who, it turns out, is Death, one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse). And then he's comically reacting to chugging an energy drink in the modern world. And he's mourning his wife, who's trapped in limbo and is, oh yeah, a witch.

Keeping all this in balance is part of the job, Mison says. "The temptation could be to just go nuts on the comedy." But in the pilot, he and Len Wiseman, who directed, worked out that "the only way you can really sell the comedy is to play it as straight as the serious stuff ... Everything is very real for Ichabod, so we have to try to play everything straight."

That's a saving grace, Mison adds. "It stops me from hamming it up."

On his chemistry with Nicole Beharie: Beharie plays Lt. Abbie Mills, the Sleepy Hollow cop who has her own experience with the supernatural and who teams up with Crane as they learn more about the strange, deadly goings-on in Sleepy Hollow. Mison laughs at the inevitable question of whether there will ever be romantic sparks between Crane and the "leftenant," as he pronounces her title.

"I think there's certainly something magic between Ichabod and Abbie," he says. "They certainly have a connection." If anything were to happen between them, Mison says, "it would certainly be fiery." – The Oregonian/McClatchy-Tribune Information Services

> Sleepy Hollow premieres on Nov 27 at 9.50pm on Fox (Astro Ch 710).

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Cellular firms told to deliver promised speeds

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PETALING JAYA: Communications and Multimedia Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Shabery Cheek said cellular companies have to deliver on the Internet/broadband speeds promised to consumers and that periodic audit checks would be undertaken by the regulator to safeguard consumers.

"We are still not happy with the (broadband) speeds they provide. It should be higher. We should no longer be talking about two to four megabits per second (Mbps), but 50Mbps," he told StarBizWeek yesterday.

If operators had been given the spectrum to provide connectivity, then they would have to deliver on it, and the regulator, the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC), must ensure that and continue with periodical audit checks, he said.

"The speeds must be appropriate (when they are given the spectrum to provide the service)," Ahmad Shabery stressed.

He was responding to questions from StarBizWeek about the audit checks done by MCMC about two months ago, where it found that most of the 3G players had been using lower frequency bands to provide 3G services.

MCMC has issued four blocks of the 2,100 megahertz (MHz) blocks to four players, but most of the players are still using the 900MHz and 1,800MHz bands to provide the 3G services.

StarBiz broke the story on MCMC's scrutiny of the 3G players on Thursday, quoting MCMC chairman Datuk Mohamed Sharil Mohamed Tarmizi as saying that checks were ongoing. "We did an audit over three months ago and this has come to light. They have been putting up 3G coverage but not capacity and speed, and hence, the 3G services are slow.

"We issued the warning two weeks ago and have given them till the end of December to come back to us or action would be taken against them," he said.

However, Ahmad Shabery, while saying that the operators had been investing a lot and that both coverage and penetration levels were all right, he added that "we would have to persuade them to deliver what they had promised the consumers and the Government.

"We have a long way to go in terms of quality of service and speed levels. We have set the criteria for the quality of service and speed, and it must be followed."

In anticipation of a shock

Posted:

Is S&P right to downgrade banks' outlook in the face of potential weakness?

A FEW weeks ago, a friend of mine was having a discussion with a property agent. He wanted to flip his condominimum after taking vacant possession but was told by the agent he will find it difficult to sell his property at the price he wants. She told him it's a buyers market out there.

He then confided in me that he was paying RM10,000 to service his loan on the property. If he were to sell his unit at the price he wants, the buyer will probably have to pay a higher monthly instalment. Just how many Malaysians can afford to pay for such a property?

That issue of affordability was in part related to the crux of Standard & Poor's (S&P) downgrade in the outlook of four Malaysian financial institutions.

It's not that the banks are on the cusp of losing money or will find that their financial strength are going to be hurt. It's the fact that high household debt and the high price of property will mean that people will find it hard to pay the asking price of properties these days. The situtation now, in short, represents the peak of a cycle.

S&P sees that household debt, which accounts for 55% of banking system loans, and mortgages, which account for 27% of total loans in the banking system, cannot go much higher in the current circumstances. Bank Negara is already taking steps to reduce household debt when it crossed 80% to GDP.

S&P sees that property prices, which have risen 10% per annum since 2010, have gone up annually more than the rise in household income. Prior to 2010, it found that property prices used to go up between 2% and 4% a year, somewhat tracking the rate of inflation.

In justifying its call, S&P's Ivan Tan says the credit cycle is at its cylical best. Unemployment is low, interest rates are near historical lows and the base lending rate banks are charging customers are about 2.5 percentage points below the base lending rate.

Competition between banks has led to interest rates financial institutions are charging home buyers to be affordable. But just how much longer can that go on is uncertain, but should there be a future shock, then things are bound to change.

As it is, Malaysians are dealing with cost increases and that will affect the disposable income they will have. If interest rates were to go up or an economic shock were to hit Malaysia that will result in a loss of jobs, then the chances of non-performing loans will also increase.

Right now, non-performing loans are not a problem. In fact the banking industry has seen bad loans as a percentage of their loan book drop and the level now for the industry has never been lower.

The caution by S&P though has to be put into a different perspective. It is looking at the implications of a potential shock. Expectations are that the economy will grow and as long as household debt grows faster than nominal GDP, then the situation can get excerbated and risks get heightened.

If economic growth continues, then the chances of a shock diminishes. But that's not to say it cannot happen. Inflation in October was 2.8% higher and it is surprising it's already at that level. In fact, that rate of inflation is higher than Thailand and Singapore, and not that far away from the Philippines.

Should inflation rise further, then will interest rates be used to bring that under control? Should interest rates rise, then there will be implications on household incomes. The permutations of possibilities are quite varied. There lies the essence of the risks banks are facing.

Business editor (features) JAGDEV SINGH SIDHU wonders just how much elbow room there is should the economy experience a shock.

Electrifying rates ahead

Posted:

CONSUMERS will have to brace themselves for the inevitable hike in electricity tariffs, as the Government endeavours to bridge the gap between the "true cost" of power and the current subsidised tariffs.

According to Energy, Green Technology and Water Minister Datuk Seri Dr Maximus Ongkili, plans are in place to raise the average electricity tariffs by 10% to 20%, and that the hike would most likely take place next year.

He, nevertheless, stresses that the final decision on the timing and quantum of power tariff hike still lies with the Cabinet.

Ongkili, who met several reporters in the parliament over the week, says the tariff hike is necessary to ensure sustainability of the country's power sector and the long-term competitiveness of the country's economy.

The average tariff rate in Malaysia is 33.5 sen per kWh, which is about 8.5 sen, or 25.3%, below the "true cost" of power estimated at 42 sen per kWh.

Based on the prevailing rate, the proposed adjustment in electricity tariffs will likely involve an increase of up to 7 sen per kWh.

To put things into perspective, a home appliance that is rated at 1,000W, if left switched on for one hour, would consume one kWh of electricity.

Cushion for low-income group

Undeniably, higher electricity tariffs sounds very unpalatable to consumers, especially in current times, when many already have to grapple with the rising cost of living.

But Ongkili assures that the Government will go to lengths to ensure that the electricity bills of the low-income group will not be adversely impacted by the impending adjustment.

"When we talk about increasing electricity tariffs, what is important for us as the government is to consider the impact on consumers, especially the low-income group," Ongkili says.

He reveals that the Government will implement a "stabilisation" programme when the electricity tariff hike takes place to protect the poor and low-income group. Details of the "stabilisation" programme, however, have yet to be finalised at this stage, says Ongkili.

An industry source reveals that there is a plan to raise the lifeline band from the current 200kWh to 300kWh.

This means domestic consumers with monthly consumption of up to 300kWh will continue to enjoy substantially lower tariff rates. This move is expected to benefit at least 75% of domestic consumers in the country.

AmResearch's utility analyst Alex Goh argues in his note: "In our view, the tariff adjustments may exclude the low-income population, while the middle-income group may be less affected than heavy users of electricity such as industrial and commercial segments."

Goh based his argument on recent comments made by Datuk Abdul Razak Abdul Majid, the CEO of MyPower Corp, a special purpose agency established in 2011 to spearhead reform in Malaysia's power sector.

Local media last week quoted Razak as saying that MyPower had proposed to the Cabinet to raise electricity tariffs for heavy industrial users such as steelmakers and glove manufacturers by 25%. Razak pointed out that under the proposal, commercial users such as retailers and enterprises would face lower tariff increases, while households whose monthly consumption of electricity falls within the lifeline band would not experience any tariff changes.

Industrial and commercial groups collectively consumed about 75% of the electricity generated in Malaysia.

Currently, the average tariff for industrial users stands at 32.2 sen per kWh, while that for commercial users stands at 42 sen per kWh and residential at 29.7 sen per kWh.

"The industrial tariff, which was originally set at a lower rate to promote the country's industrialisation, is already currently 24% below the commercial segment. Hence, if subsidies were to be gradually removed, industrial users could face the major brunt of any fuel cost increase," Goh explains.

It is estimated that among Tenaga Nasional Bhd's (TNB) industrial and commercial customers, less than 10% are heavy users, with electricity accounting for more than 5% of their total operating costs.

The bulk of TNB's industrial and commercial customers, or 90% of them, are light to moderate users, with electricity accounting for less than 5% of their total operating costs. And for this group of users, every 10% increase in electricity tariffs is expected to result in only 0.5% increase in their total production costs.

Inevitable hike

Ongkili explains that the move to increase electricity tariffs in the country is in line with the Government's subsidy rationalisation plan.

The Government had reiterated during Budget 2014 last month that it would stick to a plan to gradually reduce subsidies to improve the country's fiscal position. The plan was to reduce total subsidies to RM39.4bil next year from the almost RM47bil allocated for various subsidies, incentives and assistance in 2013.

Subsidies for the power sector alone are estimated to cost the Government RM8bil to RM12bil per year, depending on the prevailing prices of the input fuel, specifically gas.

Gas currently accounts for about 50% of the fuel used for electricity generation in Peninsular Malaysia, while coal provides 40%, hydropower about 8% and renewable sources about 2%. Gas is supplied by Petroliam Nasional Bhd to the power sector at subsidised prices, while coal is obtained at market rates.

The electricity tariff in Malaysia was last revised in June 2011 after the Government raised subsidised gas price to the power sector to RM13.70 from RM10.70 per million metric British thermal unit (mmbtu).

Gas is currently quoted at around RM50 per mmbtu in the international market.

"There is no sin in subsidy, but the question is whether it reaches the right (and deserving) group," Ongkili says.

According to Ongkili, by scaling back subsidies to the power sector, the savings gained can be channelled to social programmes that benefit the poor and low-income group directly, such as the 1Malaysia People's Aid or BR1M.

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

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Marsha Milan: Moving on up

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Marsha Milan has come a long way since Akademi Fantasia. Now, she gets animated in Frozen.

HAVING arrived late for our appointment – for which she and her manager apologised profusely – there was little time left to prepare Marsha Milan Londoh for the planned photo session. But, as it turned out, she needed little direction – all that was required was to inform her of the shots we wanted and she started striking different poses immediately, allowing the photographer to wrap up quickly.

This very quality of knowing what is wanted of her is one of the things that has gotten Marsha noticed by directors like Osman Ali and Erma Fatima. Osman has cast Marsha in three of his projects so far – a minor role in the film Cun! gave way to the role of an antagonist in a 26-episode drama serial Bicara Hati and a supporting role in last year's feature, Juwanita.

"FROZEN" (Pictured) ELSA. ©2013 Disney. All Rights Reserved.

Her latest 'role' is as Princess Elsa in the Bahasa Malaysia version of Frozen.

According to Osman, Marsha's talent was especially impressive in Bicara Hati.

He said: "I enjoyed working with her as she was very committed to her role. She would run what she intended to do in a scene by me and I would guide her accordingly. She's adept at playing different types of emotions – serious, funny, melancholic and psychotic. She made her character in Bicara Hati someone the audience loved to hate."

Osman first spotted the actress, who turns 28 on Dec 6, when she appeared as one of the contestants in Akademi Fantasia (AF) back in 2005. "I liked how she carried herself on that show. And it was apparent that she is talented," said the director.

It was this reality show that opened doors for Marsha. However, Marsha recalled the only reason she was even at the audition for Akademi Fantasia was because she was accompanying a friend who wanted to take part. Marsha said with a laugh: "It ended up with me getting in the show, but not him."

Marsha came out third runner up – Mawi was crowned champion that season – and her life has changed forever.

"My mother wanted me to go to India to further my studies and not participate in Akademi Fantasia. But I was adamant in finding out my chances on AF ... and I am still here."

Marsha is still keen to continue her studies but it has to be some time in the future as she is just too busy with her career now.

Also, she figured: "I was supposed to study music, but I thought since I am already in the industry, I have an advantage over other students."

At the moment, she is polishing up on her composing skills so she can write her own songs for an album which she hopes to complete next year.

Born in Michigan, the United States – where her parents were studying (the family moved back to Tamparuli, Sabah, a few months after she was born) – Marsha grew up singing in her town's church.

Having developed a love for singing and playing the piano, she was surprised to find out she loved acting too.

Multifaceted: Well-known directors like Osman Ali and Erma Fatima like working with talented Sabahan, Marsha Milan Londoh, because she is dedicated to her craft.

Multifaceted: Well-known directors like Osman Ali and Erma Fatima like working with talented Sabahan, Marsha Milan Londoh, because she is dedicated to her craft.

Acting was something she discovered when she was signed up with Astro's production company after Akademi Fantasia (AF top winners are contractually committed to the broadcasting company in the first few years of their career).

"There were some modelling gigs too, but I realised I am too short to be a fashion model," she said, not sounding too disappointed.

It was during this period with Astro that she started on voice acting. Her first voice acting job was for the Bahasa Malaysia version of High School Musical (2006).

Fast forward to the present, Marsha is now cast as the voice of Princess Elsa in Frozen.

"This one is different because she's a Disney princess," Marsha said, drawing a comparison between her role in High School Musical and Frozen.

"I feel honoured as I always wanted to be part of Disney (animated films). And to play a princess, it's great!" she enthused, adding that some of her favourite Disney films include Snow White And The Seven Dwarfs, Little Mermaid, Beauty And The Beast and Cinderella.

"Usually I look at the scripts when choosing a project because I do not want to play the same role over and over again. But for this Disney project, I didn't even ask to look at the script. I said yes immediately because Disney is something that everyone loves."

Frozen revolves around two sisters, Princess Elsa (Marsha) and Princess Anna (Liyana Jasmay), who truly love each other. Elsa, however, is a little different – she has the powers to create snow and ice with just a touch, something that delights her sister to no end.

But on the day she is appointed the queen, Elsa accidentally unleashes her power leaving her kingdom in a perpetual state of winter. Fearing she would do more harm than good to her family and subjects, Elsa runs away to live in isolation. Not about to give up on her sister, Anna decides to look for Elsa and bring her home.

Marsha said: "Elsa is the Snow Queen, but she is not evil. She is just stuck in a place where she has no one. The film has more to do with the love of two sisters who would do anything for each than a conventional love story."

In the English version, the voice of Elsa is provided by Broadway actress Idina Menzel. So, for the dubbed version, it was crucial the voice came from someone who could sing and act.

Elsa has four numbers in the film, including one theme song named Bebaskan (Let It Go). To sing these songs, Marsha had to ensure she conveyed emotions like anger, boldness, happiness and sadness.

But there was a slight snag. On the day Marsha entered the recording studio to record the songs, she had just came back from the dentist.

"I had just removed my wisdom tooth. So I was singing when my mouth was swollen and I was in pain. It was a struggle, but knowing it's for a Disney film, it was all worth it."

As our interview ended, Marsha's fans who were waiting patiently nearby requested for a photo with the actress. Not surprisingly, she struck lovely poses for them.

> Frozen, both the English and Bahasa Malaysia versions, opens in cinemas nationwide on Nov 28.

Kristen Bell-e of the ball

Posted:

Kristen Bell realises her dream of being a Disney princess in Frozen.

THERE are things her most devoted fans know about Kristen Bell that people who didn't help fan-finance her big screen Veronica Mars movie might not.

She can sing, for starters.

"When you're too small to play sports, you compete in solo and ensemble singing competitions," the diminutive Bell says. "At least, that's what I did. It turned me into a musical theatre junkie. I sang only in Italian, for a while. Then I discovered musical theatre. I studied that in New York in college. Musical theatre is what led me into the ocean that is film and television."

She sings, and more than holds her own with Broadway star Idina Menzel, in the animated Disney musical Frozen, which opens today.

"Any time music is a part of my performance is a good time, in my book. This was a really 'lucky get'."

The 33-year-old Michigan native is an alumnus of New York University in the United States, and a Broadway veteran in her own right. She was in a revival of The Crucible and the musical The Adventures Of Becky Thatcher.

Your highness: Kristen Bell is elated to be a Disney princess in Frozen.

Your highness: Kristen Bell is elated to be a Disney princess in Frozen.

She just got married – to longtime love and When In Rome and Hit And Run co-star Dax Shepard. She had a baby this year, and they named her Lincoln.

But even hardcore fans might not realise that she let Shepard talk her into naming their child after his "baby" – his 1960s vintage souped-up Lincoln Continental.

"Well, FIRST of all, he's BIG. I don't LET him do anything. He just does what he wants," Bell says with a laugh. "I think it was a combination of the president and the car, we just liked the sound of it. 'Lincoln'."

And Bell counts herself very lucky that she had her daughter just in time for her most kid-friendly movie ever. Frozen, a Disney cartoon based on a Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale, lets Bell become a Disney princess.

"This was a dream for me, ever since I was a toddler, really. But I knew if I was ever going to be a Disney heroine she'd have to be someone I wanted to see, I could relate to.

"I wanted to make her very adventurous, to not be a 'typical' animated heroine. I wanted her to talk too quickly and too much. I wanted her to put her foot in her mouth, to be clumsy and awkward and have all of these characteristics that I feel I had as a kid. I was always talking too much and too fast, speaking before I thought."

So her character Anna, younger sister to the ice-cursed Elsa (Menzel), doesn't so much talk as blurt. She acts before she thinks, and when her sister heads off into self-imposed exile because everything she touches freezes, plucky Anna sets out to find her and bring her home.

"Anna's such a goofball – sincere, an eternal optimist but just weird. I really like that, because I have been weird and proud of it forever."

Reviews are full of praise for the movie, for Bell's surprising singing and her "vigorous" vocal performance (The Hollywood Reporter), which fills Anna with Bell's own personality.

"I hit those lines the way I hear 'em and they sort of fall out," Bell says. "I did study music in college and music is such a big part of my life that I hear dialogue at a certain tempo."

The other big project in her crowded life is the Veronica Mars movie that she and series writer Rob Thomas pulled together and turned into the most famous Kickstarter (crowd-financed) movie ever. They raised millions from fans of the teen private investigator TV series, which aired from 2004-2007.They reunited much of the cast and made a feature film that is due out next year.

"Veronica is so much a part of who I am that it wasn't hard to get back into character," she says. "It was everything I wanted it to be. We have talked about the movie we'd want to do pretty much since the day the TV series got cancelled. We'd all allowed ourselves to dream of doing it. But I'm not sure any of us ever dreamed it would ever be a reality.

"But throwing it out on Kickstarter and asking the fans if they wanted it, and if they wanted it enough to fund it? That was surreal ... We were so lucky to have fans that loyal. One day we were still wishing, the next day we had a green light to go make the movie."

She's sensitive to the criticism that suggested this wasn't what Kickstarter projects – typically tiny-budget affairs from aspiring filmmakers, musicians and artists – are supposed to be. But "we didn't force anyone to give money to this idea ...We wanted to give as much back to the fans as we could because they've been very good to us. It's their movie. They wanted it."

And if they'd all had to wait on a studio to finance it, Veronica Mars, the movie, never would have happened. It's just another way Bell goes about her life and her business along the road less travelled, from marrying the gawky car-nut co-star to naming their child after his car to becoming a Disney princess over 30.

"I'm not a very conventional person. And that bleeds into everything I do." – McClatchy-Tribune Information Services

Josh Hutcherson is on fire

Posted:

Josh Hutcherson has quickly formed a bond with The Hunger Games co-star Jennifer Lawrence.

Like his The Hunger Games co-star Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson grew up in the bluegrass-and-bourbon state of Kentucky, in the United States, which is about as far away from Hollywood as one can get.

The 21-year-old now finds himself fronting The Hunger Games, which is shaping up to be one of the biggest young-adult movie franchises since Twilight or Harry Potter.

Hutcherson's breakout role as Peeta Mellark – who is told he must fight and kill the girl he loves, Katniss Everdeen (Lawrence), in a cruel gladiator-style tournament – has made him a bona fide movie star.

And one adored, no less, by an extremely devoted fanbase who loves both The Hunger Games movies and the books they were adapted from. He admits that the fans can be a little "hardcore", but above all, "they are passionate".

"Every time we go to one of the events or premieres, they are there with their signs and their books. And really it's because of them and their passion that we were able to make the movies the way we do.

"The fact that so many people got to see the first movie means we were able to make the second one and, hopefully, they see the second one so the third and fourth ones aren't a bust," he says.

In the second film, Katniss and Peeta find themselves thrown together after winning the annual Hunger Games in the first film, and forced by the country's spin doctors to feign a blossoming romance while they tour the country as the first-ever joint victors.

Hutcherson thinks that the Kentucky roots that he shared with Lawrence, 23, played a part in him landing the coveted role opposite her.

"I think it helped because when I walked in the room, I had something to say to her. She had been cast as Katniss and I was trying to become Peeta, and I had something to talk about with her right away. I was like, 'Hey, you're from Kentucky'."

Hutcherson with his The Hunger Games co-stars (from left) Elizabeth Banks, Liam Hemsworth and Jennifer Lawrence.

Hutcherson with his The Hunger Games co-stars (from left) Elizabeth Banks, Liam Hemsworth and Jennifer Lawrence. - AFP Photo

Their common background was also handy in constructing their characters, who come from a poor, marginalised area in the fictional nation of Panem.

Their home district, District 12, is "a coal-mining sort of small town", much like the ones found in south-eastern Kentucky, says Hutcherson.

"Just knowing that world a little bit and kind of having that sort of sensibility as people, I think it helps the characters."

Just like their characters, it is clear that he and Lawrence – who accompanies him as he speaks to reporters in Los Angeles, and teases him like a brother throughout the interview – have grown close while making these films.

They will reprise the roles again next year and in 2015, when the next two sequels, Mockingjay Parts 1 and 2, are released.

However successful these movies are, though, Hutcherson does not want to limit his career to this franchise.

He appeared last year in the science-fiction adventure comedy Journey 2: The Mysterious Island, a sleeper hit that made more than US$300mil (RM955mil) worldwide and sparked a romance with co-star and now ex-girlfriend Vanessa Hudgens.

He has also made a yet-to-be released film at the very other end of the spectrum of The Hunger Games: a small European-produced indie called Paradise Lost.

Set in Colombia and filmed on location in Panama, this movie also took him a long way from Kentucky, casting him as a surfer in love with a woman whose uncle turns out to be the famed drug lord Pablo Escobar, played by Benicio Del Toro.

Hutcherson notes, with pride, that he "was one of only three Americans in the whole movie, which I thought was awesome". – The Straits Times, Singapore/Asia News Network

>The Hunger Games: Catching Fire is currently playing in cinemas nationwide.

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Jailed over fatal toddler exorcism

Posted:

GEORGE TOWN: Three family members, who were among eight people who caused a toddler's death during an exorcism ritual, have been sentenced by the High Court here to a year in jail and their fines set aside.

However, the toddler's aunt, said to have initiated the ritual, was acquitted by the court due to unsound mind and ordered to be detained at the Penang Prison at the pleasure of the Yang di-Pertua Negri pending the governor's order on the choice of a psychiatric hospital.

Minutes after the court was adjourned, the aunt, teacher Chua Ah Luan, 41, started to wail as she was being handcuffed, crying that she was sorry for what she had brought upon the family.

"I have also suffered a lot," she said in Mandarin.

Earlier, in allowing the prosecution's appeal against the sentencing, High Court Justice Zamani Abdul Rahim ordered the child's parents, Chua Seng Ban and Lim She Lee, both 36, and uncle Chua Seng Hoo, 30, to be jailed for a year effective yesterday.

"The report by a certified psychiatrist concluded that she (the aunt) had signs of schizophrenia and that she was not aware or conscious of her act on the day of the incident," he said.

On Aug 2, the Butterworth Sessions Court fined each of them RM10,000 for causing the death of Chua Wan Xuen, aged two years and nine months, at a house in Bukit Tengah near Bukit Mertajam on Aug 5 last year.

Justice Zamani also set aside a RM5,000 fine imposed on each of the toddler's parents for a separate charge of exposing their child in a manner likely to cause her physical injury.

The prosecution had also initially appealed against the RM10,000 fine imposed on the child's grandmother Ong Soh Guat, 68, a RM5,000 fine on her cousin Loke Xim Lin, 22, and bond of good behaviour on another 17-year-old cousin but later withdrew the motion.

A 39-year-old maid, who was detained along with the seven, was not charged and was been made a prosecution witness.

MIC to pick third tier of leaders

Posted:

MALACCA: MIC's general assembly, being held for the first time in this historical city, is a significant one, as it will decide on the third echelon of leaders.

After a deal brokered by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, Datuk Seri G. Palanivel was returned unopposed as president in September and Datuk Seri Dr S. Subramaniam kept his deputy president's post without contest earlier this month.

With that, the focus of the party elections this weekend will be on the eight candidates vying for the three vice-presidencies and the 88 aspirants for 23 Central Working Committee seats.

Two of the contenders for the vice-presidencies are incumbents – Deputy Youth and Sports Minister Datuk M. Saravanan and Perak state legislative assembly speaker Datuk Seri S.K. Devamany.

The others are former Youth leaders Datuk T. Mohan and Datuk S.A. Vigneswaran, former vice-president Datuk S. Sothinathan, treasurer Datuk Jaspal Singh, Johor treasurer Datuk S. Balakrishnan and businessman James C.S. Selvaraja.

After weeks of being wooed, the party's 1,454 delegates will cast their ballots to decide on the outcome. Delegates from Selangor make up the most with 355, followed by Perak (231), Johor (207), Kedah (139) and Negri Sembilan (133).

According to observers, the contest for the vice-presidencies is close and difficult to predict. Tamil newspapers, however, expect Saravanan to clinch a place, leaving a scramble among five others – Jaspal, Sothinathan, Mohan, Devamany and Vigneswaran – for the other two slots.

The party leadership's decision to suspend the results of the Nov 16 Youth polls last Tuesday could have a bearing on the results.

Following a barrage of criticism, the party reversed its decision and rescinded the suspension, enabling the delegates from the wing to vote in the assembly.

Many Youth members were irked by the decision and regarded it as a move against Mohan's chances.

As for the CWC seats, the incumbents seeking re-election include secretary-general A. Sakthivel, Negri Sembilan chairman Datuk T. Rajagopalu, former secretary-general Datuk S. Murugessan, Selangor secretary K. Parthiban, former Kepong chairman V.M. Panjamoor-thy, disciplinary committee member Datuk Randhir Singh, former Klang chairman Datuk Raghu Moorthy, social activist Madhu Marimuthu and former Johor state executive councillor M. Asojan.

The others in the fray are Deputy Education Minister P. Kamalanathan, former Youth treasurer J. Dhinagaran, Youth central working committee member P. Shanmugam, Batu chairman K. Ramalingam, former party executive officer K. Ramany, Bentong chairman Datuk M.P. Nathan, former Pahang chairman Datuk M. Davendran, Kahang assemblyman R. Vidyananthan and Sabah chairman Datuk V. Jothi.

Car theft suspect dies after being beaten by mob

Posted:

PETALING JAYA: A man suspected of stealing a car was set upon by an angry mob and died from his injuries while he was being brought by the police to the station.

State deputy CID chief Asst Comm Khairi Ahrasa said the 32-year-old man was allegedly driving a stolen Honda Civic reported missing on Nov 27 in Taman Putra Perdana, Puchong.

He said that during the 11pm incident on Thursday, a friend of the car owner found out that the stolen vehicle had been spotted along the DUKE Highway.

"He and a couple of friends raced over to the spot on their motorcycles and managed to catch up with the car, which was stuck in traffic. They then dragged two men out of the stolen car but one managed to escape.

"The motorcyclists then started beating up the man before other passers-by joined in," he said in a statement here yesterday.

A police officer who chanced upon the scene identified himself in an unsuccessful attempt to disperse the crowd, said ACP Khairi.

"The mob ignored the officer and continued hitting the man. The officer then called the Sentul district station for support and managed to calm down the mob. However, the injured man fell unconscious while being escorted in a patrol car on the way to the station," he said.

Although police called the ambulance, the man was pronounced dead on arrival, he said.

ACP Khairi said the initial medical check-up revealed that the man died due to severe head injuries, adding that the body had been sent to Hospital Kuala Lumpur for a post-mortem.

Four suspects, aged between 22 and 37, have been arrested to assist in investigations.

"We will be investigating the case under Section 302 of the Penal Code for murder," said ACP Khairi.

He urged witnesses to come forward by contacting 03-6256 2280 or 03-6256 2307.

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