E-fashion News: 21 Mar 2012

Wednesday, 21 March 2012

A look at NKorea accordionists behind A-ha moment

Five teenagers in school uniforms hold accordions. On the wall is a giant painting of the secret mountain hideout of their nation's founder, Kim Il Sung. Small red stickers on their instruments mark them as gifts from Kim Jong Il.

Celeb birthdays for the week of March 25-31

March 25: Movie critic Gene Shalit is 86. Singer Anita Bryant is 72. Singer Aretha Franklin is 70. Actor Paul Michael Glaser is 69. Musician Elton John is 65. Actress Bonnie Bedelia is 64. Actress-comedian Mary Gross is 59. Actor James McDaniel ("NYPD Blue") is 54. Saxophonist Steve Norman of Spandau Ballet is 52. Actress Brenda Strong is 52. Actress Marcia Cross is 50. Actress Lisa Gay Hamilton is 48. Actress Sarah Jessica Parker is 47. Singer Melanie Blatt of All Saints is 37. Actor Lee Pace ("Pushing Daisies") is 33. Singer Katharine McPhee ("American Idol") is 28.

Healthy George Michael reschedules concert dates

George Michael says he is in good health and resuming a concert tour cut short when he contracted life-threatening pneumonia last year.

Oritel joins Univision to launch first US telethon

A group that runs charity telethons throughout much of Latin America is joining with Univision to launch its first U.S.-based program.

New 'Wimpy Kid' novel coming in November

The 7th "Diary of a Wimpy Kid" novel, one of the few series as popular as "The Hunger Games," is coming out in November.

Comedian Gallagher released from Texas hospital

The comedian Gallagher has been released from a Texas hospital, a week after suffering a heart attack before a performance at a suburban Dallas bar.

DC theater to restage Apple-bashing show in summer

A Washington theater is apologizing for calling a one-man show that purported to show horrific working conditions at Chinese factories that made Apple products a work of nonfiction.

Phillip Phillips moves up on 'American Idol'

Phillip Phillips didn't follow the advice from his "American Idol" mentors â€" and the judges loved him for it.

Review: Relentless pummeling paces 'The Raid'

The film speed of 24 frames-per-second barely outruns the relentless pace of pummeling that thumps through the Indonesian martial arts flick "The Raid: Redemption."

Review: Hip-hop dance parody 'The FP' is whack, yo

One gets the sensation while watching the low-budget '80s parody "The FP" that a bunch of people went trolling at a vintage clothing store one day, found some moon boots, acid-washed jean jackets and neon tank tops and then decided to make a movie about them.

Food's not fast, but life is, in 'The Big Meal'

Anyone who's part of a family will find recognizable moments in Dan LeFranc's touching but unsentimental new play, "The Big Meal." Rapid-fire vignettes speed past in much the same way that life seems to do at times, as successive generations of a middle-class American family measure out their lives in highs and lows at restaurant meals.

Oscar winner Octavia Spencer honored in hometown

Oscar-winning actress Octavia Spencer promised Alabama fans Wednesday that she would do everything possible to make sure some of her future movies are made in her home state.

Ahoy, matey!: Hugh Grant at 'Pirates' premiere

Hugh Grant is stepping away from his usual romantic fare â€" to walk the plank.

The Situation says he's in drug treatment

The party is on hold for The Situation. The "Jersey Shore" cast member is getting treatment for prescription medication use.

Capsule reviews of new releases

One gets the sensation while watching this low-budget '80s parody that a bunch of people went trolling at a vintage clothing store one day, found some moon boots, acid-washed jean jackets and neon tank tops and decided to make a movie about them. "The FP" makes fun of several genres â€" dance movies, underdog sports flicks, glossy action pictures â€" and mixes them together in an attempt at kitschy cult infamy. But rather than crafting a movie that's so bad it's good, writer-director brothers Jason and Brandon Trost have come up with something that's just plain bad â€" and boring, and repetitive. Once you get past the initial laugh factor of the hideous retro trappings, there isn't much left. The predominately white characters talk in the sort of co-opted, clunky hip-hop slang that might have worked for a little while in a sketch but soon grows tiresome. As an attempt at social commentary, this approach feels half-baked; as comedy, it just feels numbing. In a futuristic wasteland known as "The FP" (actually the Southern California mountain town of Frazier Park), a turf war is raging between trash-talking dance gangs. Jason Trost stars as JTRO (pronounced JAY-tro), who loses his older brother, BTRO (Brandon Barrera), in a deadly "Beat-Beat Revelation" video game showdown with their gold-toothed rival, L Dubba E (Lee Valmassy). A year later, JTRO is dragged out of hiding to avenge his brother's death in a rematch. R for pervasive language, sexual content, some nudity and brief drug material. 83 minutes. One star out of four.

Cate Blanchett to star in Lincoln Center Festival

Mikhail Baryshnikov, Cate Blanchett and Alan Cumming will be among the stars in this summer's Lincoln Center Festival.

Charges against "Teen Mom 2" star are dropped

Charges of making threats and harassing phone calls have been dropped against the North Carolina woman who stars on the MTV reality show "Teen Mom 2."

Nonprofit: North Korea orchestra plans to visit US

An Atlanta-based nonprofit is planning to bring North Korea's national orchestra to the U.S. for a tour that would start in Atlanta, according to the group's president.

Tampa hosts convention for sexy pin-up culture

Kelly Ackley, a 30-something mom of three, is wearing a black bustier, pink taffeta tutu and pink, kitten-heel boots. She's straddling a small rocking horse and with a saucy glance over her right shoulder, giggles as her is photo is snapped. Jerry Lee Lewis' "Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On," squawks softly in the background.

Script-writer to Italian greats Tonino Guerra dies

Italian script-writer and poet Tonino Guerra, who worked with renowned directors such as Federico Fellini and Michelangelo Antonioni, died Wednesday aged 92 in Rimini in central Italy.

Disney sketches sequel to 'Epic Mickey' video game

Warren Spector realizes that he made a mistake with "Epic Mickey," his 2010 action-adventure game starring the world's most famous mouse

One Direction excited about history making debut

One Direction's Niall Horan was in a taxi when he learned that the group's first album, "Up All Night," debuted at the top of the latest Billboard Top 200 albums chart.

Smokey Robinson-backed Aussie pop group to tour US

An Australian pop quartet's music really got a hold of Smokey Robinson.

North Carolina gets ready for 'Hunger Games' fans

Fans of "The Hunger Games" are already turning up in North Carolina, seeking out places where the movie was shot, from old-growth forests to an abandoned mill town.

VH1 orders series about Hollywood ex-wives

Hollywood ex-wives surely have stories to tell, and now five of them will have their own TV series.

'The Book of Mormon' celebrates with giveaway

One of the hardest tickets to get on Broadway could be yours for free â€" as long as you've got some luck.

Hemsworth: 'Hunger Games' violence not gratuitous

"The Hunger Games" may be about kids who are forced to fight to the death on live TV, but one of its stars, Liam Hemsworth, said the violence in the film isn't for nothing.

Titanic a magnet for kids, fine line for educators

Eleven-year-old John Payne has been a student of the Titanic since kindergarten.

Surviving cancer, singing at Radio City Music Hall

In a packed rehearsal room a few floors above the massive stage at Radio City Music Hall, 13-year-old Alyssa Casson walked to a spot in front of a panel of judges and paused, preparing to sing.

'Hunger Games' has perfect blockbuster ingredients

With "Harry Potter" done and "Twilight" nearly done, there's a strong craving for Hollywood's next teen-based fantasy franchise. And what an appetizing mix of ingredients "The Hunger Games" has cooked up.

R. Kelly brings back 'Trapped' series

Get ready for more drama from Sylvester, Twan and Pimp Lucius â€" R. Kelly is delivering more chapters of "Trapped in the Closet."

OWN shakeup tests Winfrey, Discovery relationship

Oprah Winfrey is used to running the show, whether it was her hit daytime TV program or the fledgling cable channel named for her and which she rules as chairman and chief executive.

Nonprofit: North Korea orchestra coming to US

An Atlanta-based nonprofit is planning to bring North Korea's national orchestra to the U.S. for a tour that would start in Atlanta, according to the group's president.

Sutherland brings a common 'Touch' to new series

"Touch" hero Jake Bohm is obsessed with numbers, and in a voiceover on this week's premiere episode, the otherwise mute 11-year-old numerologist shares an interesting statistic: "Today the average person will say 2,250 words to 7.4 other individuals."

De Niro says meant no offense with first lady joke

Robert De Niro says he meant no offense when he joked at a presidential fundraiser featuring Michelle Obama that America might not be ready for a white first lady.

Gospel singer goes from homelessness to top charts

James Fortune used to watch his children sleep in the bathtub before he lay beside his pregnant wife at night in a motel, wondering how he was going to provide for his family the next day.

Olivia Wilde to host cancer research run in NY

Nine years ago, actress Olivia Wilde ran, or rather walked, in the EIF Revlon Run/Walk. In May, she will host the event that supports women's cancer research with fellow first-time ambassador Emma Stone.

Pioneering variety TV producer Bob Henry dies

Bob Henry, a producer and director of television variety shows including "The Nat King Cole Show" and "The Flip Wilson Show," has died.

HTC's Beats by Dr. Dre in talks to buy MOG

Upscale headphone maker Beats by Dr. Dre is in talks to buy subscription music service MOG, a person familiar with the matter said Tuesday.

Review: 'Fall From Grace' is sappy family drama

"Fall From Grace" (Scribner), by Richard North Patterson: Buried secrets threaten to devastate a family in Richard North Patterson's latest saga, "Fall From Grace."

Olivia Wilde to host EIF Revlon Run/Walk in NYC

Nine years ago actress Olivia Wilde ran, or rather walked, in the EIF Revlon Run/Walk. This year she will host it for the first time when it takes to the streets of New York on May 5. Wilde joins fellow first-time ambassador Emma Stone for the event that supports women's cancer research.