Month: May 2018

So how do you ask 85-year-old Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg to let you bring video cameras into a gym to record her workout?

The answer, according to the makers of the RBG documentary that’s in theaters now and bound for CNN later this year, is “very meekly.”

A trainer pushing Ginsburg on the free weights provides one of the smile-worthy moments in the documentary, which puts meat behind the cultural phenomenon created by the 2015 book Notorious RBG: The Life and Times of Ruth Bader Ginsburg. The film’s story traces her legal work advancing rights for women leading up to her 1993 elevation to the top court, and her role as a justice since.

Mixed in is the tender love story with her husband, Martin Ginsburg, who died in 2010, and rich personal touches, including her friendship with the late Justice Antonin Scalia — bringing a liberal and conservative together in a way that seems alien to modern Washington.

Watching the Notorious RBG fame, film director Betsy West said that “we felt that many of her millennial fans didn’t know her full story.” West and co-director Julie Cohen set out to tell it. 

When they first approached Ginsburg with the idea, her answer was “not yet.”

“We noticed the two words not in her email to us were ‘no’ and ‘never,’ ” Cohen said. So they got to work, and later Ginsburg cooperated with interviews.

Dean’s question

Ginsburg met her husband as an undergraduate at Cornell University. When she was admitted to Harvard Law School, a dean famously asked her and the other eight women in the class why they deserved to take a place in the class that should have gone to a man.

It was a far different time. Ginsburg attacked sexism methodically while working for the American Civil Liberties Union, using the words of the Constitution to fight gender roles that had been enshrined into law. She won five of the six cases she argued before the Supreme Court.

Filmmakers outline that effort by mining archives with tapes of her legal arguments. Research also uncovered one priceless moment in Ginsburg’s confirmation hearing to the court. As the still-novel idea of women on the court was being discussed, the camera pans to senators at the hearing where, behind them, a young legislative aide and Ginsburg’s future colleague on the court, Elena Kagan, was working.

Ginsburg provides a still-relevant model for activism, Cohen said — even if her quiet, persistent, “long game” strategy can make younger idealists impatient.

Cohen and West’s portrait is mostly loving, although Ginsburg’s unusual criticisms of Donald Trump when he was a presidential candidate were addressed. Trump’s supporters didn’t like them and many Ginsburg fans thought them ill-advised.

Perhaps unexpectedly, the film received a three-star review (out of four) from the conservative website Newsmax.

“You can completely disagree with everything Ginsburg has ever done as a lawyer and/or a judge but as a subject for a nonfiction film, she has few peers,” wrote Newsmax’s Michael Clark. “Like it or not, Ginsburg’s story is captivating and ideal fodder for a movie.”

Ginsburg in audience

The film began appearing in a limited number of theaters this month and is starting to expand its reach this weekend. The one critic Cohen and West were most interested in saw it for the first time at the Sundance Film Festival. Cohen and West sat across the aisle from Ginsburg, stealing nervous glances.

“As it went on, I think we started to relax because she was completely engrossed throughout,” Cohen said. “She laughed repeatedly, she pulled out a tissue and cried a number of times, including in an earlier scene of watching herself watching a beautiful opera duet that she loves. Wouldn’t have occurred to us as being … a strong emotional point in the movie, but that really seemed to move her.”

For the workout scene, it had been West’s job to ask if Ginsburg would allow a camera. The request was met, as was often the case, with a dramatic pause. Then came the answer: “Yes, I think that would be possible.”

“We weren’t in that room for more than a few minutes, then we knew why she’d let us film this,” West said. “She’s an elderly woman who is keeping herself in very good shape to do the job that she loves and I think she’s proud of this.”
…

We’re on the move with the five most popular songs in the Billboard Hot 100 Pop Singles chart, for the week ending May 12, 2018.

This is one of those exciting weeks when we welcome a Hot Shot Debut in the Top Five.

Number 5: Post Malone & Ty Dolla $ign “Psycho”

Let’s open in fifth place, where Post Malone and Ty Dolla $ign dip a notch with “Psycho.” 

Post’s “Beerbongs & Bentleys” album tops the latest Billboard 200 chart, after posting 2018’s best first-week sales. It opened with 461,000 total copies — the best showing since Taylor Swift’s “Reputation” became an instant million-seller last November.

Number 4: Bebe Rexha & Florida Georgia Line “Meant To Be”

Bebe Rexha and Florida Georgia Line weaken a slot to fourth place with “Meant To Be” — which continues to rule the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart. From Nelly to the Backstreet Boys, Florida Georgia Line has ruled the charts with their pop collaborations. Tyler Hubbard and Brian Kelley are working on their fourth album, and tell People magazine that they’d love to cut some music with Migos and Cardi B.

 

Number 3: Ariana Grande “No Tears Left to Cry”

We mentioned we get a Hot Shot Debut this week, and it happens in third place. Everybody, welcome back Ariana Grande with “No Tears Left To Cry.”

It’s her best countdown showing since 2014, when “Bang Bang” with Jessie J and Nicki Minaj also made it to No. 3. Ariana has titled her upcoming fourth album “Sweetener,” and we should get it in July. It’s her first album since last May’s bombing following an Ariana Grande concert in Manchester, England. The tragedy claimed 22 lives.

 

Number 2: Drake “God’s Plan”

We have back-to-back Drake hits again this week, and there’s no sugar-coating this: His favorite sports team again went down in flames. 

Drake is a big fan of his hometown Toronto Raptors basketball team. For the second straight year, LeBron James and his Cleveland Cavaliers swept the Raptors in the NBA playoffs. The Cavs have beaten the Raptors in 10 consecutive playoff games dating back to 2016. That’s the longest streak of its kind in league history.

We do have some good news for Drake: He’s still the champion of the Hot 100, as “Nice For What” spends a third week at No. 1.

 

Number 1: Drake “Nice For What”

Drake reigns atop the Billboard Hot 100 for a third week with “Nice For What.” Rihanna recently told Vogue that she and Drake were no longer friends … and he promptly unfollowed her on Instagram.

Maybe they’ll be friends again by next week. In any event, we’ll return and we hope you will, too.
…

Emma and Liam are at the top of the most frequently chosen baby names in 2017.

For the fourth year in a row, Emma was the top girl’s name on the Social Security Administration’s annual list of the most popular baby names. Liam pushed last year’s champ, Noah, to second place.

 

The agency releases the 1,000 most popular baby names each year.

 

In the girls’ column, Emma was followed by Olivia, Ava, Isabella and Sophia.

 

For the boys, Liam and Noah were followed by William, James and Logan.

 

Other trends last year included a rise in the use of Melania for a girl, likely influenced by first lady Melania Trump.
…

The house where rockers Ronnie, Donnie and Johnny Van Zant grew up is officially one of Florida’s historic sites.

A marker noting the home as a Florida heritage site will be officially unveiled during a ceremony Saturday in Jacksonville. The plaque notes Ronnie Van Zant’s role in forming Lynyrd Skynyrd, Johnny Van Zant’s role as singer in the reborn Skynyrd group, and Donnie Van Zant’s role as a founding member of .38 Special. It recognizes their “prodigious contribution to the world of rock music.”

Jacksonville entrepreneur Todd Smith bought the house while looking for homes in the area. He learned of its history and worked with state officials to get the designation.

The Florida Times-Union reports Smith is restoring the house to look like a 1970’s time capsule.
…

Dr. Dre has lost his trademark fight against Dr. Drai.

The rapper, whose real name is Andre Young, objected to the trademark application of a Pennsylvania gynecologist whose nickname is spelled differently but sounds the same. Dr. Draion M. Burch’s website advertises that he’s a sex expert, “obgyn and media personality.”

 

Burch goes by a shortened version of his first name and applied to register it as a trademark. The rapper objected, saying the public would be confused and assume a connection between him and the gynecologist.

 

The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has disagreed, saying consumers will be able to distinguish between the two.

 
…

Spotify has removed R. Kelly’s music from its playlists, citing its new policy on hate content and hateful conduct.

A spokesperson on Thursday says Kelly’s music is no longer available on the streaming service’s owned and operated playlists and algorithmic recommendations. His music will still be available, but Spotify will not actually promote it.

The new policy defines hateful conduct as “something that is especially harmful or hateful,” such as violence against children and sexual violence.  

 

Spotify says it doesn’t censor content because of an artist’s behavior. But the service wants programs to “reflect” its values. It says when an artist does something harmful or hateful, it may affect the ways it works with the artist.

 

Kelly has long been the target of sexual misconduct allegations, which he has denied.

 

Kelly’s representative didn’t immediately respond to an email seeking comment.

 
…

Virginia Wallen is a wife, a mother of three, and a woodworker. She achieved what she has never imagined she would — turning her carpentry hobby into a business. And as Faiza Elmasry tells us, the entrepreneur isn’t just succeeding in her new career, she’s tearing down stereotypes and building a new role model. Faith Lapidus narrates.
…

Attraction park Legoland has unveiled a miniature model of this month’s royal wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle at Windsor castle, built by a team of 11 model-makers who used almost 60,000 pieces of Lego bricks.

The replica includes a 60-brick Markle in her wedding dress and veil, with Harry by her side.

The couple are riding in a brick-built carriage being drawn by horses along Windsor Great Park’s Long Walk toward the castle, surrounded by 500 spectators, recreating the real-life procession that is planned for the big day on May 19.

The scene is completed by miniature models of Queen Elizabeth and the Duke of Edinburgh along with best man Prince William, his wife, Kate, and their children, Prince George and Princess Charlotte, and Meghan Markle’s parents.

Lego said the wedding scene replica, which took 752 hours to build, will be on permanent display at its theme park, just three miles (5 km) from the real Windsor castle to the west of London.
…

The double-Oscar winning filmmaker who opened the Cannes Film Festival has made a last-minute plea to Iran to let a fellow Iranian director – who is officially banned from working and traveling – come to the premiere of his own film.

Seated alongside Javier Bardem and Penelope Cruz, the stars of his new movie, Asghar Farhadi said Iran should allow acclaimed director Jafar Panahi to attend the festival where they both have movies competing for the Palme d’Or.

“I think there’s still time,” he said of getting Panahi to the Saturday premiere of his film “3 Faces.”

“I would like to send this message: I hope the decision will be taken to allow him to come,” Farhadi said at the end of a news conference on his own movie “Everybody Knows” on Wednesday.

Farhadi, who won foreign language Oscars for films made in Iran: “A Separation” and “The Salesman”, is free to come and go from his home country as he makes films there and in Europe.

But Panahi, who won the Camera d’Or in Cannes in 1995 for his debut “The White Balloon” was arrested after the 2009 protests against the re-election of hardline president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and was banned from making films.

Depite that, he has continued working under the radar, starting with “This Is Not a Film,” shot in his Tehran apartment on a mobile phone, and more recently “Taxi” in which he plays himself as a film director now working as a taxi driver – winning the Golden Bear for best film at the Berlin film festival in 2015.

“It’s wonderful that he has continued his work in such adversity,” Farhadi told reporters. “It’s a very strange feeling for me to be able to be here but not him. It’s something I have difficulty living with.”

The gala screening of “Everybody Knows” on Tuesday evening coincided with U.S. President Donald Trump’s announcement that he was pulling of the 2015 nuclear deal – delivering a bitter-sweet moment for Iranians.

“It was a very strange moment, to have come out of the film and have all the emotions about how good or bad the film was and also the real, real worries that we have about the future of our country,” said Arash Azizi, a New-York based Iranian movie critic for website IranWire.

“Unfortunately, the reality of the world is that our fate is not being decided not by the Farhadis or other artists but by Trump or (Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ali) Khamenei – men in power who represent a very different face of Iranians.”

The Cannes Film Festival runs from May 8 to May 19.

 
…

The new, young Han Solo says he has “a good feeling about this” in a trailer for “Solo: A Star Wars Story,” reversing one of the best-known catchphrases in the sci-fi movie franchise.

Yet fans are watching to see if a little-known actor can fill the shoes of Harrison Ford, whose dry-witted bounty hunter is one of the franchise’s most popular characters.

All eyes will be on Alden Ehrenreich, 28, when Disney’s “Solo” gets its world premiere in Los Angeles on Thursday ahead of an international rollout on May 23.

“Solo” is an origin story set some 10 years before the events of the 1977 “Star Wars” movie, when Ford starred as the cynical cowboy space pilot. He reprised the role almost 30 years later for “The Force Awakens,” which at $2 billion is the third biggest-grossing film on record.

“Han Solo is my favorite character in ‘Star Wars’ and Harrison Ford is a big part of that,” said Sarah Woloski, co-host with Tricia Barr and Teresa Delgado of “Star Wars” podcast Fangirls Going Rogue.

“But if Alden has the right swagger and attitude to pull that off, that’s more important than being a Harrison Ford look-alike,” she said.

Ehrenreich got warm reviews for quirky 2016 comedy “Hail, Caesar” but is otherwise little known to generations of fervent “Star Wars” fans.

On the other hand, Ford, now 75, became a taciturn sex symbol, a persona that grew with his “Indiana Jones” adventures.

Yet his alpha male Han Solo of the 1970s and 80s may not be the hero audiences want in 2017.

“I think a lot of heterosexual men learned how to flirt from Han Solo and Indiana Jones. But men like me grew up and realized you can’t act like Han Solo. Han Solo is kind of a jerk,” said Ryan Britt, entertainment editor of pop culture and technology at website Inverse.com.

“If Alden’s sexy, I don’t think he can be as pushy as the Han Solo of the 80s,” Britt said.

Trailers for “Solo,” including some deadpan lines from co-screenwriter Lawrence Kasdan, have excited fans who were initially nervous about Ehrenreich’s casting.

They are also hoping the film will explain Han Solo’s back story, including his friendship with co-pilot Chewbacca, how he won the Millennium Falcon spaceship, and how he became the cynic whose catchphrase “I have a bad feeling about this” has been used in some form in almost every “Star Wars” movie.

“Why did he lose his idealism? Does he get his heart broken? Does he get ripped off? Does he get betrayed?” said Britt.

The biggest surprise may come in the form of Donald Glover, the singer and actor who plays a young version of smuggler Lando Calrissian.

“I might be more excited about Lando, and seeing the swagger of Donald Glover, than seeing Han Solo,” said Delgado, who plans to see “Solo” three times over its opening weekend.

“I can’t imagine he will be anything less than awesome and swoon-worthy.”

 

 

 

 

 
…

Senegal’s old Palais de Justice sits among some of the most sought-after real estate in the capital Dakar, where it shares a stunning sea view with the nearby French ambassador’s residence.

So, many Senegalese were surprised when 18 months ago President Macky Sall turned the vast modernist building into a museum for fine arts — rarely a priority for African leaders usually more preoccupied with building roads and wooing hotels.

Now, at the latest installment of Africa’s oldest and biggest biennale art exhibition, the curator who lobbied for this space wants African artists to seize the moment as the continent finally starts to enjoy the attention it deserves.

“The global message for the African is, if we don’t catch that train — and the train is leaving now — too bad for us. Tomorrow will be too late,” curator Simon Njami told Reuters at the venue, where more than 75 artists from around the world are exhibiting their work for a month.

The practice of hosting art exhibitions every two years has spread to several African countries, but none has been more successful so far than the Dakar Biennale, founded in the 1990s and also known as Dak’Art.

This year’s displays by African artists at the biennale are as eclectic as those from elsewhere. They include works using materials that have become hallmarks of the continent’s modern art — such as the recycled food packaging and strips of “African print” cloth in Nigerian artist Olanrewaju Tejuoso’s abstract wall piece.

Others — involving lights going on and off, rooms scattered with everyday household objects or projectors beaming images with enigmatic slogans onto walls — wouldn’t look out of a place in a Western conceptual art exhibition.

One by South African artist Frances Goodman seems to conjure up intense rage using an amorphous blob of fake fingernails.

In the past quarter-century, African art has gone from near total obscurity on the world scene to producing stars such as Ghana’s El Anatsui and South Africa’s William Kentridge.

“It’s a whole continent that was ignored. The market is just starting to pick up on it,” said Njami, a Swiss national of Cameroonian descent. “Before, anyone could have bought an El Anatsui. Nowadays if you don’t have $2 million, forget about it.”

In March a portrait of a Nigerian princess that was lost for 40 years and found in London sold for $1.4 million.

Despite successfully lobbying for the Palais, Njami thinks African governments do woefully little to support the arts.

“People say: ‘Why spend money on arts when you can build a road?'” he said. “But we need culture, not just infrastructure.”

Owing to poor support, facilities and a tiny domestic market, many of Africa’s most talented artists predictably end up in Europe or the United States. Those staying at home are often under-resourced.

At the exhibition, Senegalese artist Badara Sarr complained that his spot was underlit, so he had to buy a spot lamp, and then there was no technician available to install it.

“It was a bit deplorable, but we manage as Senegalese. That’s Africa for you,” he told Reuters next to his cloud-like patches of red, blue and green paint. Despite being a bit in the dark, “a lot of people are interested” in his painting.

“I’m honestly happy about the interactions we’re having,” he said.
…