Indiana Christian News

Spanish film "Los Pasos Dobles" wins top prize in San Sebastian

Fry Lawrence — Mon, 26 Sep 2011 02:47:28 -0400

Spanish film "Los Pasos Dobles" (The Double Steps), won the top prize at the San Sebastian Film Festival on Saturday, 24 September. Other awards went to Greece's "Adikos kosmos" (Unfair World) and to French films "The Artist" and "Le Skylab".

"Los Pasos Dobles", directed by Catalan filmmaker Isaki Lacuesta, tells the story of Spanish artist Miquel Barcelo's attempt to find paintings by French artist François Augièras, presumably hidden in Mali. The film was initially met with mixed reviews, but still won the Golden Shell, the top distinction at the San Sebastian Film Festival. Japanese film "Kiseki" (I Wish) had been regarded as the favourite to take the main award, but Hirokazu Kore-eda's movie only won the jury prize for best screenplay.

The festival, founded in 1953, is held every year in the city of San Sebastian, situated in northern Spain. Last year's recipient of the Golden Schell was Scottish director Peter Mullan's "Neds". Oscar-winning US actress Frances McDormand, best known for starring in "Fargo", headed the jury at this year's festival, where a total of 17 films competed for the top award.Watch Sleeping Beauty online - A snubbed malevolent fairy casts a curse on a princess that only a prince can break, with the help of three good fairies.

Greek director Filippos Tsitos was awarded the Silver Schell for best director, for his film "Adikos kosmos" (Unfair World). Antonis Kafetzopoulos, who stars in the movie, won the best actor prize. The Silver Schell for best actress went to Spain's Maria Leon, for her role in "La voz dormida". French director and actress Julie Delpy was the recipient of the special jury prize, for her film "Le Skylab", a comedy-drama she wrote and starred in, as well as directed. French silent film "The Artist", directed by Michel Hazanavicius, won the audience award. The romantic movie stars Jean Dujardin, winner of the best actor prize at this year's Cannes Film Festival. Well that is another thing but just think when we couldn't Watch Sleeping Beauty Online the movie on the day it release that is our favorite star's movie .

British crime drama "Will Bill" picked up the Euskaltel youth award, which is voted by a jury of young people. The film is the directorial debut of actor Dexter Fletcher, best known for his role in Guy Ritchie's "Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels". Hollywood actress Glenn Close was honoured with the Donostia award for her entire career. The festival also saw a screening of Close's latest film "Albert Nobbs", where she plays a woman disguised as a manservant to get work. Past recipients of the honorary award include Julia Roberts, Ian McKellen, Al Pacino and Bette Davis.

Christina Aguilera, Cee Lo Green to perform at Michael Jackson tribute concert

elena — Sat, 13 Aug 2011 04:49:41 -0400

Christina Aguilera and Cee Lo Green are among the stars set to perform at a Michael Jackson tribute concert in October. Smokey Robinson, Leona Lewis, Craig David, JLS and several of Jackson's siblings will also take to the stage. The King of Pop's mother and several other members of his family will be present at the event.

The tribute concert is scheduled to take place on 8 October, at the Millenium Stadium in Cardiff, Wales. Organisers announced the headliners on Thursday and said that other acts were also to be added to the event's line-up. Pop singer Christina Aguilera, hip hop star Cee Lo Green and legendary producer Smokey Robinson will take to the stage to sing their tributes to the late Michael Jackson. They will be joined by boy band JLS, rock group Alien Ant Farm and British singers Leona Lewis and Craig David. Several of Jackson's siblings will also perform, as well as his nephews who are in the band 3T.

Chris Hunt, president of the show's promoter Global Live Events, said that they were "delighted" by the "globally recognised acts" that would be paying tribute to "a music legend". He added that other "amazing headliners" would be announced in the following days.

The King of Pop's mother Katherine, his brothers Marlon, Tito and Jackie, and his sister LaToya are behind the event, titled "Michael Forever - The Tribute Concert". The show will be broadcast to several countries around the world, in both 2D and 3D. The Millenium Stadium in Cardiff can accommodate up to 74,500 people, and tickets are priced from £55 to £240. The proceeds from the concert will go to charity. Those who wish to attend are required to register for tickets until 16 August and enter a charity pledge. According to the event's website, the best seats will be allocated to people who have made the highest pledge.

Michael Jackson died on 25 June 2009, at the age of 50. The cause of death was determined as acute propofol intoxication. Dr. Conrad Murray, the star's personal physician, has been accused of involuntary manslaughter. His trial is scheduled to begin on 26 September in Los Angeles. Two of Jackson's brothers, Randy and Jermaine, have chosen no to support the event, as they find it inappropriate that it is due to take place during the trial.

Johnny Cash bassist Marshall Grant dies at 83

lacramioara — Wed, 10 Aug 2011 00:34:32 -0400

Marshall Grant, the bassist of Johnny Cash's backing band the Tennessee Two, died on Sunday at the age of 83. The musician played on many of Cash's famous song, including "Folsom Prison Blues", "Ring of Fire", "The Man in Black", and "I Walk the Line".

Marshall Grant was a founding member of the Tennessee Two (later known as the Tennessee Three), together with Cash and guitarist Luther Perkins, and played in the band between 1954 and 1980. The musician died in Jonesboro, Arkansas, on 7 August. The 83-year-old Grant had come to the city for the Johnny Cash Festival, a fundraising event that took place last Thursday, but fell ill during rehearsals.

Marshall Grant was born on 5 May 1928 in North Carolina. He and Luther Perkins were working as mechanics in Memphis when Roy Cash, a co-worker, introduced them to his younger brother Johnny. The three musicians formed a band called the Tennessee Three, which soon became Johnny Cash and the Tennessee Two, at the suggestion of producer Sam Phillips. In 1960, drummer W.S. Holland joined the group, which was again renamed the Tennessee Three. The band was famous for their "boom-chicka-boom" rhythm. They recorded many iconic tracks throughout their career together, including "Folsom Prison Blues", "I Walk the Line", "Ring of Fire", "The Man in Black" and "Big River". Marshall Grant was also Cash's road manager during their collaboration, which lasted from 1954 to 1980.

After he stopped working with Cash, Grant became the manager of country group the Statler Brothers and recorded the song "Flowers on the Wall" with them. He was the only surviving member of the original Tennessee Three. Luther Perkins died in 1968 of injuries sustained in a fire, while Johnny Cash died in September 2003. In 2006, Grant published his autobiography "I Was There When It Happened: My Life with Johnny Cash". In 2002, the Tennessee Two were inducted into the Musicians' Hall of Fame in Nashville.

The Johnny Cash Festival was organised to raise money for the restoration of Cash's childhood home in Dyess. The event took place last Thursday, without Grant who had fallen ill during rehearsals. Kris Kristofferson, George Jones, John Carter Cash and Roseanne Cash were among the performers. Roseanne Cash, Johnny Cash's daughter, paid tribute to Grant following the news of his death. Marshall Grant is survived by his wife and son.

London faces riots and looting

elena — Mon, 08 Aug 2011 17:04:54 -0400

More than 200 people have been arrested following two nights of rioting in London. The violence began in the North London neighbourhood of Tottenham on Saturday evening and spread to other areas of the city on Sunday. The rioters set fire to buildings and vehicles, looted shops and fought with the police in what was London's biggest outburst of violence in recent years. According to reports, 35 police officers were injured over the weekend.

It all started with a peaceful gathering of a few hundred people protesting the death of 29-year-old Mark Duggan, who had been shot by police on Thursday. But the demonstration soon turned to violence when protesters started attacking police officers. Groups of youths wearing hoods looted shops and local businesses in the neighbourhood of Tottenham. The rioters set fire to a double-decker bus and two police cars. Also, several buildings in Tottenham were burnt down.

On Sunday night, the violence and looting spread to other areas of London. Enfield, Walthamstow and Brixton were the scenes of unrest this time. A few rioters also damaged shops at Oxford Circus. Violence erupted again on Monday, this time in Hackney, Lewisham and Peckham. Cars were again set on fire and police attacked by rioters. The violence has also spread to Birmingham, where several shops in the city's centre have been looted.

Home Secretary Theresa May came back from holiday on Monday to meet with police chiefs. She described the riots as "sheer criminality", adding that all those responsible for the violence will "face the consequences of their actions". She also said that the police had arrested at least 215 people, 27 of which had been charged. Prime Minister David Cameron is also returning early from holiday to deal with the crisis. It is believed that the rioters made use of the BlackBerry Messenger to organise the violence. Research in Motion, the company behind the BlackBerry smartphones, said on Monday that they would collaborate with the British authorities in any way they could.

The police have been criticised for the way they handled the protest brought about by Duggan's death. The London police department issued a statement on Monday apologising for the way they handled the events surrounding Duggan's death, particularly for not providing information to the family of the deceased. Deputy Assistant Commissioner Steve Kavanagh admitted that the Metropolitan police could have better "managed that family's needs".

"My Week with Marilyn" to premiere at 2011 New York Film Festival

elena — Thu, 04 Aug 2011 21:18:09 -0400

The film "My Week with Marilyn", starring Michelle Williams as Marilyn Monroe, is set to premiere at the 2011 New York Film Festival later this year. The Film Society of Lincoln Centre, the event's organisers, announced on Thursday that the movie would be the centrepiece of the festival, which will take place during the first weeks of October.

"My Life with Marilyn" is based on two books by Colin Clark, which describe his experiences as assistant director on the 1956 movie "The Prince and the Showgirl", starring Marilyn Monroe and Laurence Olivier. While working on the film, Clark spent a week introducing Monroe to British life. Parts of Clark's diary were the basis for his two books: "My Week with Marilyn" and "The Prince, the Showgirl and Me". Actress Michelle Williams stars in the film as Marilyn Monroe, while Kenneth Branagh appears as Laurence Olivier. Eddie Redmayne plays the part of Colin Clark and Dougray Scott that of playwright Arthur Miller, Monroe's husband. The cast also includes Dame Judi Dench, Dominic Cooper, Julia Ormond and Emma Watson. Simon Curtis is the film's director.

American actress Michelle Williams has been nominated for two Academy Awards in her career so far: for her supporting role in 2005's "Brokeback Mountain" and for her starring role in 2010's "Blue Valentine". Richard Pena, program director at the Film Society, said that, after seeing Monroe often portrayed "as a caricature", it was "a pleasure" to witness her "complex personality and unique on-screen presence" portrayed by someone of Michelle Williams's talent.

The 49th New York Film Festival will take place between 30 September and 16 October. The opening film will be Roman Polanski's "Carnage", starring Jodie Foster, Kate Winslet and Christoph Waltz. "My Life with Marilyn" will premiere on 9 October at the Alice Tully Hall. The film will be released in cinemas on 4 November.

Other highlights at this year's festival will be the screening of a restored version of William Wyler's classic epic "Ben-Hur", as well as a celebration of Nikkatsu Films' 100th anniversary. Several of the films produced by the Japanese studio will be shown, including "The Burmese Harp", directed by Kon Ichikawa, Shohei Imamura's "Pigs and Battleships" and "Singing Love Birds", directed by Masahiro Makino. Nicolas Ray's experimental film "We Can't Go Home Again" will also be screened at the 2011 festival.

Fatty foods improve our mood, study finds

elena — Wed, 03 Aug 2011 17:57:28 -0400

Fatty foods have a direct effect on our mood, a new study suggests. Apparently, it is not only the taste of these foods that makes us feel better, but also the gut-brain signalling they induce. According to scientists, consuming fat improves our mood, even when we are unaware that we are eating it. To prove this point, the subjects in the study were given the fat through feeding tubes.

Researchers from the University of Leuven in Belgium looked at the direct effects of consuming fatty acids on human emotion. Their findings were published in the "Journal of Clinical Investigation" on Monday, 1 August. The scientists exposed the subjects to sadness-inducing music and imagery and gave some of them fatty acids through a feeding tube (in order to avoid the sensorial stimulation). They found that the mood of the participants who consumed fat was happier compared to the mood of those who got a saline solution instead. The researchers, who also looked at the neural activity of the subjects in certain areas associated with the sad emotion, concluded that the consumption of fatty foods could indeed fight off sadness, regardless of the taste or smell.

Half of the 12 participants in the study, all of whom were healthy and of a normal weight, were fed fatty acids through a tube, while the other half were given a saline solution instead. None of them knew what they were fed. The 12 subjects were then exposed to sad or neutral music and images for half an hour and were asked to rate their mood on a scale from one to nine. The people who had been given fatty acids were 50% less sad than those who had been given the saline solution.

To better understand the phenomenon, the scientists also used MRI scans, and found that the fatty acids blocked activity in certain areas of the brain associated with sadness. They concluded that fatty acids could attenuate the neural responses to sad emotion and thus lift the mood. These findings could easily explain why so many people resort to comfort foods when they feel sad.

Dr. Lukas Van Oudenhove, lead author of the study, told the HealthDay website that consuming fat seemed to make us "less vulnerable" to sadness, even when we were unaware of eating it. The scientists wrote that the research had implications for conditions such as obesity and eating disorders, but also for depression.

Harry Potter film passes $1 billion mark

lacramioara — Mon, 01 Aug 2011 17:41:06 -0400

"Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2", the final film in the hugely popular franchise, has crossed the $1 billion mark at the box office and become the eighth highest-grossing movie of all time. At the North American box office, sci-fi western "Cowboys and Aliens" narrowly beat animated comedy "The Smurfs" to take the top position.

The latest Harry Potter adventure has made about $1.008 at the global box office since its release on 13 July. It is currently the eighth highest-grossing movie of all time and expected to go even higher over the next weeks. Superhero blockbuster "Transformers: Dark of the Moon" failed to reach the $1 billion landmark this weekend.

"Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2" is the seventh and final film in the popular series, adapted from the novels of JK Rowling. It is also the first one to pass the $1 billion mark, although "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone" managed to make $974.8 million back in 2001. James Cameron's "Avatar", released in 2009, is the highest earner at the global box office so far with $2.8 billion. "Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides" is the top film in 2011 with earnings of $1.03 billion, but it seems more than likely that the final "Harry Potter" will surpass it.

"Cowboys and Aliens" was the top movie at the North American box office this weekend, earning $36.4 million. It narrowly beat animated comedy "The Smurfs", which made $35.6 million. Early estimates released on Sunday saw the two movies sharing the number one position, but "Cowboys and Aliens" won in the end. The movie is a science fiction western, directed by Jon Favreau and starring Daniel Craig and Harrison Ford. The cast of "The Smurfs" includes Neil Patrick Harris and Katy Perry.

Superhero flick "Captain America: The First Avenger", last weekend's top earner, came in third with $25.6 million. "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2" was fourth, with earnings of $22 million. The film has made $318.5 million in North America only since its release. Romantic comedy "Crazy, Stupid, Love" was fifth overall, and the third most successful new release, with profits of $19.1 million. Comedies "Friends with Benefits" and "Horrible Bosses" were sixth and seventh, making $9.2 million and $7.1 million respectively. "Transformers: Dark of the Moon" ($6 million), "Zookeepers" ($4,3 million) and "Cars 2" ($2.3 million) rounded up the top ten.

Arnold Schwarzenegger museum opens in Austrian village

lacramioara — Mon, 01 Aug 2011 07:52:06 -0400

A museum dedicated to Arnold Schwarzenegger has opened its doors for the first time in the star's Austrian hometown of Thal. The museum is located in Schwarzenegger's childhood home, where he lived until 1966.

The Schwarzenegger museum opened on Saturday, 30 July, the day the former action star and California governor turned 64 years old. One of the principal attractions is a life-sized model of the actor as his most famous character "The Terminator". Also among the exhibits are Schwarzenegger's childhood bed, his first weights and workout machine, a sword from the film "Conan the Barbarian", and the desk the former action star used while he was Governor of California. A Harley Davidson motorbike from "The Terminator" is also on display at the museum.

Schwarzenegger did not attend the initial opening of the museum, but organisers say that he will be present for a grander event, due to take place at a latter date. According to rumours, he will bring a bronze statue of himself to be placed outside his former home.

Arnold Schwarzenegger was born on 30 July 1947, in Thal, a village near the Austrian city of Graz. He lived in his hometown until 1966, and there he started weight training at the age of 15. He went on to win various bodybuilding competitions, as well as the titles of Mr. Universe and Mr. Olympia, and moved to the United States in 1968. He started his acting carer in 1970, with the film "Hercules in New York", and soon became a movie star. Some of the most successful films he starred in are "Conan the Barbarian", James Cameron's "The Terminator" and "Terminator 2: Judgement Day", "Total Recall" and "Predator".

A long-time member of the Republican Party, Schwarzenegger took a break from acting in 2003, when he won the recall election for Governor of California; he was re-elected in 2006. During his political career, the former action star was nicknamed the Governator. Schwarzenegger's office as Governor of California ended earlier this year, and he subsequently announced plans of reviving his Hollywood career. But he soon decided to put them on hold, as it became public news that he had fathered a child with a member of his household staff. Maria Shriver, Schwarzenegger's wife, has recently filed for divorce. The couple have been married for more than 25 years and have four children together.

Northerners have evolved bigger brains to cope with dim light, study says

elena — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 12:01:54 -0400

People who live in northern areas of the world have developed bigger brains and eyes to cope with long winters and dim light, according to new research. British scientists have found a direct link between latitude and the size of the brain and eyes. According to them, people who live farthest from the equator, in areas with low levels of light, need larger brains and eyes to have a clear view of their environment.

Scientists from Oxford University examined 55 human skulls from various populations around the world. Their findings were published on Wednesday in the journal "Biology Letters". The researchers measured the brain cavities and eye sockets of these human skulls, which date from the 19th century and came from the indigenous populations in 12 areas of the world.

The results showed that people who live farthest from the equator have the largest brains and eyes. This does not mean that they are more intelligent than people who live at lower latitudes, but that they have developed larger vision areas in their brains in order to cope with the lower levels of light, characteristic of the regions they live in. By evolving bigger eyes and brains, people in northern areas have adapted to their environment.

The human skulls used by the researchers came from Australia, England, China, India, France, Scandinavia, Micronesia, Kenya, Uganda, Somalia, Canary Islands and the United States. The scientists, led by Eiluned Pearce of Oxford's School of Anthropology, discovered that there was a direct link between the size of the eyes and brain and the skull's area of origin. According to their findings, Scandinavians have the largest brains, while Micronesians, who live in a region with plenty of light, have the smallest brains and eyes.

This discovery does not relate in any way to intelligence, but only to the way the visual system has developed to adapt to the environment. Professor Robin Dunbar, co-author of the study, said that humans have adapted "surprisingly rapidly" to "long winters" and "dull weather", despite living at high latitudes for only some "tens of thousands of years". Other studies have also found a correlation between levels of light and eye size. For instance, researchers have discovered that birds with larger eyes sing first at dawn and that eye size in all species of primates is linked to the time of day they choose to feed.

Mobile phone use not linked to cancer risk in children

elena — Thu, 28 Jul 2011 08:10:31 -0400

Using mobile phones does not put children and teenagers at a greater risk for brain cancer, according to a new study conducted by Swiss researchers. The scientists found that youngsters who use mobiles are not more likely to develop cancer than children who do not use the devices.

The study, described in the Wednesday, 27 July, edition of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, is the first to examine a possible link between mobile phone use and the risk of brain cancer in children. The research was partially financed by the Swiss Research Foundation on Mobile Communication, an organisation that is supported in part by mobile phone operators, but they were not directly involved in the study.

The researchers gathered data from 352 cancer patients, aged between 7 and 19, and from a control group of 646 children and teenagers who did not have cancer. The study was conducted in Switzerland, Norway, Denmark and Sweden. The scientists found that 55% of cancer patients were regular users of mobile phones (they made a minimum of one call per week), compared to 51% of the healthy subjects. Also, they found that 75.3% of the subjects with cancer used a mobile more than 20 times during their lives, prior to the diagnosis, while 72% of those in the control group did the same. Professor Martin Roosli and his colleagues at the Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute wrote that the findings do not support a "causal association" between mobile phone use and cancer risk.

As the use of mobile phones among children and adolescents has been increasing at a fast rate during the last few years, there has been growing concern that the radiation from mobiles may affect children more than adults. The nervous systems of children are still under development and their head circumference is smaller, which may allow radiation to penetrate to deeper areas of the brain. The study is the first to examine this concern. The researchers stressed the fact that further studies are still needed.

Earlier this year, the International Agency for Research on Cancer, a body which forms part of the World Health Organization, decided to place mobile phone use in a category of things that are "possibly carcinogenic to humans". This means that there may be a link between the use of mobiles and cancer, although it has not been proven so far.