As Disney turns 100, the brand’s real legacy is its business acumen

Julie Lobalzo Wright, University of Warwick

“100 Years of Wonder” is the theme for Disney’s year-long promotion of the company’s centenary. From special Disney on Ice events to a retrospective at the British Film Institute and limited edition Disney100 merchandise, Disney’s celebration is big business.

The wonder and magic of Disney is consistently promoted. And yet I would argue that Disney’s greatest legacy is not its animated stories or characters, but the more mundane history of its mergers, acquisitions and intellectual property rights.

The business acumen of those behind the scenes at Disney have been central to the peaks and troughs of the company’s enduring presence in the film industry and popular culture at large.

Early Disney

The Walt Disney Company was founded in Hollywood by brothers Walt and Roy Disney in 1923.

Before this, along with friend and animator Ub Iwerks, the brothers had founded Laugh-O-Gram Studio in Kansas City. They then moved west with their successful silent Alice Comedies series, which featured both animation and live action.

Animation is what the Disney studio became known for. First with their shorts which included Mickey Mouse’s third outing in the studio’s first sound film, Steamboat Willie, and the Silly Symphony series. And then in their feature length films, beginning with Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs in 1937.

The first two decades of the studio established Disney’s desire for innovation and profit. This was illustrated through their early adoption of merchandising (Mickey Mouse merchandise was profitable in the mid 1930s) and various technologies, such as Technicolor and sound.

Sinking most of their profits back into their expensive animated ventures led Disney to find ways to cut costs. This included making live action nature series, television shows and opening Disneyland, their first amusement park, in Los Angeles in 1955.

While their animated products were no longer as groundbreaking as they once were, their adoption of television in the 1950s was lucrative and popular, especially The Mickey Mouse Club (1955) and Davy Crockett (1954).

Furthermore, television afforded the company the opportunity to promote their products and authenticate Disney’s position at the forefront of animation. However, live action films – quicker to make and less expensive than animation – dominated their releases in the 1960s, with stars Haley Mills, Fred MacMurray and Dean Jones appearing in multiple Disney films.

In 1966, Walt died. Roy then passed in 1971 and Walt Disney World opened in Florida the same year. In many ways, the Disney Company was never the same after the loss of the founding brothers.

Disney without Walt

The template was established for how the company would function for the next 50 years. Disney animation innovated again in the late 1980s and early 1990s through computer animation. A renaissance took place with the releases of The Little Mermaid (1989), Beauty and the Beast (1991) and The Lion King (1994).

They also expanded into cable television with The Disney Channel and founded a distribution label, Touchstone Pictures, that focused on films for adults.

Screen Cartoonist’s Guild on strike at Walt Disney Productions in 1941. UCLA Library, CC BY

There was unhappiness among animators at the studio towards the company’s bureaucracy and the perception that profits always went back into the films and not to improving working conditions or salaries (one major strike against Disney took place in 1941).

The list of former Disney animators that went on to work elsewhere or open their own animated studios is long and diverse.

Walt had learned the importance of owning rights early in his career, after he lost the intellectual property to his first successful animated character, Oswald the Lucky Rabbit. The imperative to retain proprietorship and diversify the corporation can be witnessed in many of Disney’s deals and mergers.

In 1991, Disney agreed to make films with Pixar, which has gone on to be regarded as an innovative animated studio. They later acquired Pixar in 2006.

Disney Today

In 1995, Disney acquired the ABC television network, which also owned the cable sports network, ESPN. In April 2004, Disney purchased the Muppets franchise. In 2009, Marvel Entertainment was acquired and Lucasfilm was bought in 2012.

Through these purchases, Disney has become one of the most significant entertainment companies in the world and one of the few early Hollywood studios that still maintains name recognition (Disney bought out 20th Century Fox in 2019).

Whereas for earlier generations Disney stood for Mickey Mouse, animated fairy-tale features and family entertainment, for younger generations, Disney is a streaming service, amusement park brand and the creator of the Star Wars universe television programming.

Traces of Walt, Roy and the pioneering animation established in the early days of the studio can be seen in their animated releases, such as Encanto (2021), and company legacy through the “reimagining” of their animated films, such as the recently released live action The Little Mermaid.

The commercial landscape of the entertainment business is always in flux. While many companies are operating their own streaming services, the long term success of these services are questionable. This is most evident in the recent writers and actors strike in Hollywood that was mainly focused on outdated royalty models that do not account for streaming media content.

Disney’s last few releases were not as successful as they had anticipated at the box office and they have lost a significant amount of Disney+ subscribers this year. However, this is a trend taking place throughout Hollywood and, while Disney is struggling, they remain a significant brand in the global media market.

And there is no question that their theme parks continue to be popular with families who want to immerse themselves in all things Disney.

The magic of Disney’s animation and the memories created at their theme parks is part of their “100 years of wonder”. But so is their successful business model that has continually adapted to changes in the entertainment business and its persistent cultural relevance.

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Julie Lobalzo Wright, Assistant Professor in Film and Television Studies, University of Warwick

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

Read More........ → October 19, 2023

Ranbir Kapoor irks Shah Rukh and Salman fans

The trailer of Ranbir Kapoor’s next release ‘Besharam’ has already caused a stir in the cyber world among Shahrukh Khan fans who have reacted to the alleged digs against Shahrukh and Salman Khan made in the trailer. The clip has already received close to a million hits online and one of the scenes in it has Ranbir crooning an off-key version of ‘Tujhe Dekha To Ye Jaana Sanam’ from ‘Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge’ (DDLJ) while urinating in a mustard field which is a obvious reference to one of SRK’s most popular reel moments. Another dialogue, “Naam Chulbul rakhne se, koi Dabangg nai banjaata,” has irked Salman Khan fans on the other hand. Some Salman fans took to Twitter to post tweets like,”Ranbir Kapoor mocking SRK in an iconic Tujhe Dekha song while peeing in the #Besharam trailer proves that he still needs to grow up. #crap (sic).” Yet another fan tweeted, “Ranbir copies SRK poise and Salman style. Both r impossible to do (sic).” Director Besharam Abhinav Kashyap, who had also helmed Salman’s monster hit Dabangg, explained the Khan connection saying, “There was no glimpse of Salman. Chulbul is a name, and it has come from me. I can make fun of myself.” The filmmaker said that the DDLJ number opens the trailer to convey that the film is a romantic comedy. Source: Bollywood3, Image: https://upload.wikimedia.org/

Read More........ → October 21, 2013

The Croods

© Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment

This prehistoric comedy adventure follows a family as they embark on the journey of a lifetime when the cave that has always shielded them from danger is destroyed. Traveling across a spectacular landscape, the family discovers an incredible new world filled with fantastic creatures - and their outlook is changed forever. By Richard Kirkham: The Croods is pretty much what you would want from an animated family
film. There is a breathtaking visual palate, a family safe adventure, and humor geared to the little ones and the adults in your group. While it does not reach the heights of a Pixar film or the the warmth of traditional Disney fare, it is serviceable and entertaining if not always memorable. This is exactly the kind of movie that parents want to be able to take their children to during spring break and the timing of it's release should insure that the movie is pretty successful. From a story perspective, "The Croods" is pretty standard stuff. It is a coming of age story that focuses on a family of cavemen. Just as the oldest daughter is entering a rebellious stage, the territory of the planet is changing and newer smarter hominids appear and offer a threat of change but also survival. Of course the newest species is represented by a hunk of a cave boy who is threatening to the Dad/Leader of the family troop in a couple of obvious ways.

This gives us a teen age romance and a middle age crisis all in one fell swoop. There are some contrived personal relationship moments but they fit with the theme of the film and while they may be cliche, there is a reason that cliches exist in the first place. Basically families are problematic but ultimately they are held together by the love that each member feels for the others. We skipped seeing this in 3D but it looks like it might have been fun. It does seem to me however that in order to take advantage of the 3D process, every animated movie is using some kind of sweeping swooshing flume ride style action
sequence. Once again, as was true in a number of previous animated 3D films, characters slide down slopes, get swallowed by tube like caves and roll away on waterways to give us a thrill in visual dimensions. There is also a wide variety of flora and fauna as well as creatively designed creatures to keep us jumping and oohing and aahing. James Cameron's Pandora has nothing on these imaginative animated images. The character voice work is efficient. Nichols Cage is somewhat subdued since his performance here is animated and the over the top delivery he is often guilty of in live action films is moderated by this format. Everyone else was fine but not very distinctive. Cloris Leachman does the patented old lady routine that was the realm of Phyllis Diller and Betty White before her. Emma Stone does fine by "Eep", the teen age cave girl with more curiosity than her father is ever going to be happy with. Ryan Reynold voices the appropriately named "Guy", plenty resonate and future hunk-like. So many people contribute to animated films that it is difficult to pinpoint credit or blame for some elements. There
are only seven human characters, most of the other voice/sound work involves animals and eruptions. I appreciated that "The Croods" did not attempt to live up to their names. There were no fart or poop jokes, and that is pretty rare for a kids movie now a days. There is an early sequence that apes American Football and it seemed obvious to me that the Trojan Marching Band/Fleetwood Mac hit "Tusk" was being used very freely. It turns out that it was adapted by the film score composer and there was credit given, alleviating the need for a lawsuit except by Bruin fans who are unknowingly going to be subjected
to chants of "U-C-L-A sucks" during this scene. Maybe that's why i ended up liking the movie as well as I did. The reality is that there were plenty of parents with their kids at the a.m. screening we went to, and all the little girls seemed happy to be there and all the little boys identified with the adventure elements. If it is a success,  someone will  plan a sequel, but I think in the long run it would be better for the reputation of the film if it stays a one off. The story does not demand any follow up and the creativity would probably diminish. Very much like it's stable mate "Madagascar ", "The Croods" is a well executed piece of entertainment that could overstay it's welcome. Let's just enjoy it for what it is and move on to something else next time. Source: http://kirkhamclass.blogspot.in/, http://www.starpulse.com/

Read More........ → August 08, 2013

The Musical: Walk on by Beeage

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Watch a delightful musical video on sweet little fairy & her all joyful stuffs, so be ready to visit an amazing wonderland

Read More........ → February 17, 2013

The Hot Sonakshi sizzled on the ramp

The ‘Desi’ Diva of Bollywood Sonakshi Sinha sizzled in the ramp for the Designer duo Falguni & Shane Peacock at the Blenders Fashion Show that took place in Mumbai. She looked like silvery & feathery while walking on the ramp. “What will be greater than getting an opportunity to walk as a show stopper for such eminent Designers, it was a great experience for me, I wanted to do something ‘Hatake’ (Different) so I went for it’’ Said Sonakshi at the do. Sonakshi looked pretty hot and very different from her usual look, so when she was asked whether she intend to change image of her typical look, “I have no such intention, I happy and satisfied with the image I have, I would never want to change it’’ Sonakshi replied. The Designers said Sonakshi’s outfit was made with Beads, Silver Cuts and with special feathers to give the different look to the dress from a usual black gown. Source: Page3

Read More........ → December 20, 2012

Penelope Cruz loves acting challenges

Penelope Cruz says she loves taking on different acting challenges and wants to continue working in Spanish films. Topping her wishlist are films in which she can experiment with her accents.

Spanish actress Penelope Cruz said at the Toronto International Film Festival that she will never stop making films in Spain and in Spanish, but that she also would like to play a character with a British accent and take on the role of a stereotypical California "valley girl". Cruz presented her latest film "Venuto al mondo" (Twice Born), an Italian-Spanish co-production directed by Sergio Castellitto and also starring Emile Hirsch, Adnan Haskovic and Saadet Aksoy, Thursday at the TIFF. "I love being part of projects like this, although I'll always want to keep working in my country and in Spanish. I'll never stop for many reasons. It's also quite refreshing to go back and work in my own language," Cruz said. "Because in this (film), as much as I loved it, it was a big challenge to shoot 70 percent of the film in English and the rest in Italian. But the English had to have an Italian accent. I love those challenges, but I can't say it was easy," she added. Penelope Cruz, whose upcoming projects include British director Ridley Scott's The Counselor and Spanish filmmaker's Pedro Almodovar's "Los amantes pasajeros" (I'm So Excited), said she has a passion for accents. "I love accents. Now that I'm more comfortable in English, I'd like to play (a role with) a British accent. I have a character. She's really fun, but I can't talk about her. But it's a character with a British accent," she said. "And I'd also like to play a 'valley girl'. One day," the actress said laughing. In an interview published last Saturday by Italian daily La Stampa, Cruz said that she plans to produce at least two films a year in her homeland to create jobs amid sky-high unemployment. "I want to bring jobs to my people ... I'll use my privileged position. It's what interests me the most right now. I know it's a grain of sand in the desert, but it's a responsibility I think I have," Cruz said. "I'll produce a couple of films a year. A way to give work to hundreds of people. It's a set idea I have." Cruz, winner of a best-supporting actress Oscar for her role as an unstable artist in Woody Allen's 2008 comedy-drama "Vicky Cristina Barcelona", said she has worked hard but also has had a lot of opportunities in life. The talents of "an entire generation of highly trained young people" in Spain are being wasted, Cruz said, adding that though they have lots to offer there is nothing for them to do but "bang their heads against the wall or go out in the street and protest." Spain's economy has been battered in recent years by the collapse of a massive real-estate bubble in the context of the 2008-09 global recession. The country's unemployment rate stands at nearly 25 percent and at more than 50 percent among young people. Despite the high joblessness, Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy's government has opted for a series of austerity measures in recent months to bring a high budget deficit into line with European Union mandates. Those measures have been harshly criticized by unions and sparked large-scale street protests. Cruz told the Italian daily that her role of a single mother who brings her teenage son to Sarajevo in "Venuto al Mondo" and the character she played in Almodovar's "Volver" (To Return) have been the two most challenging of her career thus far. Source: ApunKaChoice.com

Read More........ → December 20, 2012

Jackie Chan: Pulling new punches

Jackie Chan realizes he isn't getting any younger and is searching for young talent to replace him as Chinese action film's new icon. Jackie Chan was on the set of his latest film Chinese Zodiac 12. He was supposed to jump through a picture frame hanging from the ceiling but got stuck. He crashed to the floor and injured his waist. The crew was shocked into silence. Before anyone moved to help him, he said: "I'm not dead. Don't be so quiet." He slowly got up and walked toward the corner of the room, blood oozing from his back. Chan recovered soon after. But the incident made him think. "I told myself I can't be so

Jackie Chan (third from left) leads a group of young actors in his latest film Chinese Zodiac 12.

 lucky every time," Chan says. "I have to admit, I'm not a young man anymore. That was when I decided Chinese Zodiac 12 would be my last major action film. That means I will still make action films but not on this scale." Chinese Zodiac 12 is also Chan's 101st film. The danger of filmmaking is frightening but fascinating at the same time, motivating the 58-year-old to write, direct and lead the action comedy to be released on Dec 20. "You may not believe it, but I still panic before shooting actions scenes," he tells China Daily. "But not many people have the chance to have an entire road blocked for them to fly above. And when shooting Police Story, I fell off the roof of a building. When I was descending, I saw surprised girls standing in front of the window with their mouths wide open. It was fun." He also enjoys innovative choreography. In Chinese Zodiac 12, he wears a rollerblading suit in a chase scene filmed on zigzagging mountain roads, tries to fly without an engine and rides a log that tumbles downhill. Everyday objects,

such as sofas and paintings, become weapons. Chinese Zodiac 12 won Chan two Guinness World Records. One is for the "most stunts by a living actor". The award notes: "No insurance company will underwrite Chan's productions in which he performs all his own stunts." The star formed the Jackie Chan Stuntmen Association, training stuntmen and paying their medical bills out of his own pocket. The film also earned him the record for the "most credits in one movie". Chan assumed 15 roles in the film, including director, producer, actor and choreographer. The star has no plans to retire. He says the best way to end his career would be to suddenly die on the set. "Think of Bruce Lee and James Dean - the way they died made them eternal legends," he says. "I really can't think out a better way to end my life and career. I don't want people to see a weak and frail Jackie Chan onscreen. But I don't want to quit

Jackie Chan is interviewed at the press premiere of his action film "CZ12" in Beijing, capital of China, Dec 11, 2012. "CZ12", a work of Hong Kong-based actor and director Jackie Chan, will be released in China on Dec 20. [Photo/Xinhua]

filmmaking, either. So, the best thing is to die suddenly while I still look strong onscreen." Chan finalized his will 15 years ago. He'll leave his entire fortune, estimated at $340 million, to his wife and charity but not his children. The kung fu star is known for his unconventional views about life and death. He was devastated by his father's death but doesn't visit his tomb or burn paper money (a Chinese mourning tradition). "What matters is how I treated him when he was alive," Chan says. "What I do after his passing is pointless. I know he can't receive the paper money." He doesn't celebrate Valentine's Day, or his wife's or son's birthdays. Chan was angry when his son, Jaycee, called him on Father's Day. "I told him, don't only call me on my birthday and Father's Day. Pay more attention to me on regular days. I got his calls twice a year before, and now I get none," he says, jokingly. He does not worship the sky or sacrifice pig heads, as most Hong Kong filmmakers do before filming. He curses the heavens if it rains when it's not needed for the scene. "Call me anti-tradition, but I am not superstitious at all. I believe in real efforts," he says. He leads a group of young actors in the film, performing the same stunts as them and more dangerous ones. As with most of his films, there are few special effects. He has nothing against technology, though, he says. Actually, he wants to act in films like Batman or Superman because it's easier, he explains. "Putting on a mask, posing in front of a green screen and getting the same pay - who wouldn't want to do that? But we can't compete with Hollywood in terms of visual effects. We can't fly in ways more dazzling than Batman or Spiderman. What we can really excel at is still real kung fu performed with fists and feet." Chan hopes to find a younger version of himself but realizes this is something he can't do on his own. "People would like to invest 150 million yuan ($24 million) in a film starring me but wouldn't put up 100 million yuan for one starring three young actors," he says. "They only believe in big names." So he has been casting young actors in his films, including Daniel Wu, who starred in many of his movies, such as New Police Story and Shinjuku Incident. In his 2010 film, Little Big Soldier, he cast Xu Dongmei, a total newcomer who stood out from Disciples of Jackie Chan, a TV competition Chan initiated to find potential action stars."It would be pathetic if, many years later, Jackie Chan is still Chinese action films' most famous icon," he says. Source: China.org.cn

Read More........ → December 20, 2012

'Gangnam style' Rapper Psy to collaborate with 2 Chainz and diplo

Rapper Psy, who is known for his massive global hit 'Gangnam Style', has teamed up with rapper 2 Chainz and British DJ-producer diplo for his next music effort. The collaboration will see one of the oddest and unexpected trio line-ups in modern pop world and diplo took to Twitter account to announce the same, reported Ace Showbiz. "No lie I just finished something with Psy and 2 chainz the mayan calendar predicted this," he tweeted. PSY, whose real name is Park Jae Sang, has reached global fame with his viral clip "Gangnam Style", which now nears one billion views on YouTube. The collaboration is expected to hit the charts next year. Source: Screen India, Image: flickr.com

Read More........ → December 08, 2012

Priyanka Chopra itching for greater acting challenge

She’s played 12 different roles in one film (What’s Your Raashee?) and 7 in another (7 Khoon Maaf) and now she’s seen playing an autistic girl in the upcoming film Barfi!. But Priyanka Chopra is still itching for greater acting challenge.

Priyanka Chopra, who plays an autistic girl in Barfi!, says she is game for such tough roles. Asked how she chooses such tough roles one after the other, Priyanka said: "Whichever role is the toughest, bring it to me, I'll do it." She has played challenging roles in "7 Khoon Maaf", Fashion, and Kaminey. Her forthcoming "Barfi!" spreads the message of being happy in any state, just the way the lead character Barfi, essayed by Ranbir Kapoor, does despite being deaf and mute. "We have brought 'Barfi!' to spread happiness. The film's philosophy is 'Don't worry, be Barfi' instead of 'Don't worry, be happy' we are saying this," the 30-year-old said here. "Ranbir's character's philosophy is this! When he enters our lives, he touches us all and teaches us that you don't need much to be happy, just a big heart," she added. "Barfi!" also features Telugu actress Ileana D'Cruz. It is slated to release Sep 14. Source:  ApunKaChoice

Read More........ → December 05, 2012

5 Fun Facts About The 'Twilight' Series

Do you consider yourself a Twi-hard who knows all the details from the pages of Stephenie Meyer's books? With “The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 2” hitting theaters this month, sink your teeth into these five fun facts about the "Twilight" series that even the most informed vampire lovers may not even know. 1. Screenwriter Melissa Matheson accidently left the entire "Breaking Dawn" script in a restroom in Louisiana before filming on the show began. As if leaving the script wasn't bad enough, her top-secret notes were with it as well. Thankfully, a hotel worker returned the script and her notes to her completely intact. 2. Kristen Stewart’s natural green eyes aren't a fit for the brown eyes Bella has in the books. Because of this, Kristen wears contacts to make her eyes brown in the movies. However, in the break-up scene in “New Moon,” Bella’s eyes were altered post production because the heavy rain during the shooting prevented Kristen from wearing contacts. 3. After the frightening fight with James in the 2008 "Twilight" film, Bella wakes up in a hospital room and is talking to her mother about the extent of her injuries. If you take note of the TV in the background during this scene, you will see it is playing a montage of the fight scene that occurred in the ballet studio. 4. The ideas for "Twilight" came to Stephenie Meyer in a dream. She wrote the first draft of the her book on February 6, 2003, right after she woke up from a dream about an average girl who falls in love with a hot vampire. 5. Taylor Lautner has studied karate since he was a young kid and has competed in multiple world championships. He was even number one at NASKA’s Black Belt Open Form, Musical Weapons, Traditional Weapons, and Traditional Forms. No wonder he makes such a strong werewolf! Now you can impress your fellow "Twilight" fans with your newfound knowledge about the series. “Breaking Dawn Part 2” hits theaters November 16. Photo Credits: Summit Entertainment. Source: Starpulse.com

Read More........ → November 16, 2012

Justin Bieber Hired As 'X Factor' Mentor

The contestants on X Factor judge L.A. Reid's team will be getting a leg up from none other than Justin Bieber, who has signed on to be a celebrity mentor. According to TMZ, Bieber headed over to Hollywood hills to give his best advice to the team of hopefuls L.A. picked from auditions. The other judges - Britney Spears, Demi Lovato, and Simon Cowell - have not yet had their celeb mentors revealed. It's going to be hard to top Bieber, though. The X Factor will premiere on FOX September 12. Photo Credits: © Universal Music Group, Source: Starpulse.com

Read More........ → September 16, 2012

Material girls: Japan's preteen model boom

Eyeing the prize: Young models on stage at Tokyo Top Kids Collection, which was held at Yoyogi No.2 stadium, on Aug. 1, 2012 (above and below). YOSHIAKI MIURA

By AYAKO MIE: AKB48 has reshaped the landscape of youth culture in modern Japan. The pop-idol group's rapid rise to stardom across a wide array of formats has provided the country's children with a fairly straightforward path to commercial success: fame is ultimately achieved by attracting a broad fan base via popular vote. Such a strategy encourages young people today to chase dreams of being in the spotlight that many Japanese would have shunned years ago. These days, long-term goals of careers in politics or medicine have been replaced with the need for instant gratification and glamour. Nowhere is such an ideal more apparent than in the fashion industry, and youth fashion, in particular, has undergone changes in the past five years or so that makes it virtually unrecognizable from its former state. The modeling opportunities that exist for preteens in Japan nowadays were certainly evident at Yoyogi National Gymnasium at the beginning of August. Almost 350 models under the age of 14 participated in Tokyo Top Kids Collection, competing for such categories as best fashion, best smile and best runway walk. Among the contestants was 12-year-old Suguri Shishikura, who was making her second appearance as a model and her first at Top Kids Collection. Suguri first became interested in fashion around three years ago after flicking through her elder sisters' magazines. Before long, she was slapping on her sisters' makeup and strutting around in various outfits of her choosing as she sought to find a style  that she could call  her  own.  Now,  however, the balance has shifted and  her sisters these days teasingly complain about being unable to wear any of Suguri's 19 designer dresses or her 12 pairs of high-heeled shoes. Being the center of attention on the catwalk doesn't come naturally for the shy middle schooler from Chiba Prefecture, who still asks her mother to tie her hair back in a pony tail before leaving for school each morning. Once she started striding down the Tokyo Top Kids Collection runway, however, she underwent something of a metamorphosis, and by the time she struck her final pose at the end of the catwalk, she was confident enough to break into a smile and bask in the applause of the thousands in the crowd who had gathered to attend. "Once I am on the stage, all my nervousness disappears," Suguri said. Suguri dreams of becoming a professional model, but competition is certainly tough and each of her rivals at the Tokyo Top Kids Collection are essentially eyeing the same goal. Web-based preteen fashion store Kids Online launched Tokyo Top Kids Collection six years ago in an attempt to promote designer brands for children. Held once a year, the show now attracts a crowd of around 4,500 — three times more than it started with. Visitors pay as much as ¥3,900 for a ticket to the event. "We were surprised that it grew so big," said Isao Toyama at Little Andersen, the operator of Kids Online and maker of popular preteen brands such as Earthmagic, Hysteric Mini and Chubbygang. "This shows that there is a high demand for such fashion." Over the past six years, however, the Tokyo Top Kids Collection has become more than just a commercial avenue for fashion houses to showcase the latest preteen trends. Nowadays, the show also serves as one of the primary testing grounds for aspiring children who wish to

Got the look: Suguri Shishikura, 12, at her home in Chiba Prefecture in July, shows off her fashion booty of 19 brand dresses, 12 pairs of shoes, and nine handbags. AYAKO MIE

become models, with amateurs who have never modeled before comprising at least half of the preteen models who take to the catwalk. Competition at the audition for the collection is fierce, with judges eventually settling on just 10 percent of the 1,600 applicants who wish to take part in the event. Many of those who don't make the initial cut try to make an appearance at the collection as an audience member on the off chance they might invariably catch the eye of one of the various modeling agency scouts who are also in attendance. "I have come to learn from other models in order to be selected to be on the stage next year," said 10-year-old Miyu Ota from Nagoya, who failed to make the cut this time around. Like a number of other preteens in the audience, Miyu was dressed to the nines. Her mother, 36-year-old Akemi, had helped her apply a subtle baby blue eye shadow that was cleverly offset by glittering lip gloss and a radiant pink hue that emanated from her cheeks. She wore a yellow and pink dress that completed "her look." Youth fashion has changed substantially in Japan over the past three decades. Starting with the subtle shifts observed in gyaru fashion (a girly-glam style that is often classified as a sign of rebellion) in the 1990s, youth fashion has evolved into the more commercially viable Tokyo Girls Collection, a semiannual fashion event that showcases popular streetwear by domestic brands. The emphasis on street fashion throughout the late 1990s and early 2000s helped create an atmosphere in which almost anyone could become a trend setter. Popular streetwear-oriented fashion magazines and television segments during this period increasingly featured so-called dokusha moderu (amateur models), or dokumo for short, who submit their own portraits for publication at the discretion of an editor. That trend has trickled down to influence many of today's preteens — and their doting parents. Nowadays, preteen girls are more than happy to trade in their Barbie dolls and other toys for makeup, designer clothes and blogs about fashion. It's certainly a huge market that fashion houses across the country are seeking to exploit. Worth an estimated ¥880 billion, top brands are increasing the number of production lines, collaborating with toy makers to create fashion-related games and launching their own independent fashion shows and auditions. Narumiya International is an example of a domestic firm that wants a bigger piece of the fashion pie. The children's apparel maker first made waves in Japan with the launch of its Angel Blue line, a brand that regularly filled the private wardrobes of idol groups such as Morning Musume in the early 2000s. The company's success, however, was short-lived. Consumers increasingly started to gravitate toward large-scale shopping centers in order to purchase clothes, effectively bypassing the department stores that Narumiya had forged supply contracts with. The executives of Narumiya realized they had to find new ways to attract and retain a loyal customer base, and therefore introduced the concept of an annual children's fashion competition. "Preteen fashion is a very difficult market to succeed in because it's hard to build a solid customer base with children whose body figures are constantly changing," Narumiya President Toshiaki Ishii said. "We also have to make clothes that are not too sexy, not too childish, and appeal to mothers as well." Narumiya's approach to

Runaway takeoff: Aspiring model Suguri Shishikura (12, far left) makes her debut at the Tokyo Top Kids Collection. YOSHIAKI MIURA

hosting such independent collections is, perhaps not surprisingly, commercially driven. Anyone wishing to submit an application to join an audition must first purchase clothing items at related shops such as Lovetoxic, Lindsay or mezzo piano in order to get an application form. Last year, about 4,000 kids enrolled to take part in Narumiya's audition, and fans were encouraged to cast their votes online for the grand prize winner. Just 22 girls, including Suguri, were selected to represent Narumiya at myriad fashion shows across the country, including the Tokyo Top Kids Collection. Suguri and her mother, Reiko, typically go shopping together once a month. When pressed to choose a favorite label, Suguri said she usually prefers something from the Narumiya catalogue. "Oh my God, this is so cute," said Shishikura as she tried on a Narumiya denim miniskirt and a complementary white T-shirt at a Lindsay store in Chiba. "I love it." Reiko, who doled out ¥30,000 on her daughter's clothes that day, pointed out that they "feel loyal to Narumiya because Suguri was selected (to represent the Lindsay label)." Preteen fashion certainly isn't cheap. Elementary schoolchildren's interest in fashion and modeling was initially sparked by the success of a preteen magazine called Nico Puchi. Offering bi-monthly style and modeling competitions, Nico Puchi quickly became an essential bible for the nation's joshi shogakusei (female elementary schoolchildren), or JS for short. Each issue would be based around a specific theme — for instance, "back to school fashion" — and readers were encouraged to submit style ideas or send in images of an amateur fashion shoot. The magazine typically received more than 300 applications each month, and the editing staff selected around 40 to 50 kids to include in each issue as a model. And yet the choices that were selected in each issue invariably moved increasingly away from the streetwear that had been the mainstay of youth fashion in Japan until at least the mid-2000s. Trends became more and more decorative than functional in nature, moving closer toward the fanciful arthouse looks inspired by brash contemporary domestic designers such as Toshikazu Iwaya of DressCamp fame. And yet, the young female readers added their own individual touches to each portfolio. Kids posed for their shoots with huge Minnie Mouse ribbons tied in their hair or oversize glasses that had no lenses. They wore heels that were so high they could barely walk to the nearest convenience store, let alone all day in the school playground. Elementary schools, it should be said, also tend to frown upon pupils turning up to class in chiffon skirts and fishnet stockings. "It's hard to draw the line between reality and dream," said Nico Puchi Editor-in-Chief Takuji Yamamoto, who started the magazine at Shinchosha Publishing in 2006. In 1996, Yamamoto originally launched a sister publication called Nicola that catered to an elementary and middle school demography. However, he decided to exclusively feature fashion for elementary school children by concentrating on Nico Puchi a decade later. When the editors at Nico Puchi first asked readers to submit photographs of their everyday fashion choices, they were flooded with images of attire that was, in a word, bland. However, Yamamoto decided to highlight the over-the-top pop cuteness and rebellious nature of many of the images submitted because he believed kids were smart enough to extract the elements of particular fashion brands they identified with, especially styles that borrowed bits

Girls' day out: From left to right, Eriko Sawada (39) and her daughter Meina (7) with Miyu Ota (10) and her mother Akemi (36) at the Tokyo Top Kids Collection. YOSHIAKI MIURA

and pieces from haute couture. "We are amazed at how serious they are," Yamamoto said. "They alwayssurprisingly, commercially driven. Anyone wishing to submit an application to join beat our expectations with unfathomable fashion ideas." Yamamoto's editorial strategy has so far proven to be a commercial success. Bimonthly magazine subscriptions have grown by 20 percent since 2010 to around 100,000 copies. The magazine's website gets 5 million page views per month, offering a community space where readers are able to exchange information and tips on topics such as autumn wardrobes. Yamamoto attributes the growth in magazine sales to a rise in kids' overall ambitions following the success of AKB48, which now seems to place more emphasis on being in the spotlight. At Nico Puchi, a competitive "career path" for a small selection of readers does indeed exist. Ten frequent contributors can ultimately become "super dokumo" by attracting a steady stream of votes from readers. As such, these models are typically invited to sign short-term modeling contracts with the magazine that include reasonable fees for their work on a regular basis. Dokumo models, on the other hand, must cater entirely for their own needs. They have to buy their own outfits, ask their mothers to sit in as their makeup and hair stylists at photo shoots and pay all travel expenses. It's certainly an expensive hobby for kids to take up on a long-term basis, requiring regular trips to expensive clothes shops and cosmetics stores. However, most parents try to be supportive of the fad because they don't want to deny their children any opportunity that could lead to a lucrative career in future. "In a way, this is a great opportunity for Suguri to learn how society works," her mother said. "However, she has to show more seriousness by practicing how to walk, how to pose and also remembering to keep up with her blogging." Reiko admitted to being something of an aspiring actress when she was her daughter's age. However, after an argument with her parents, she said she gave up on her goal. She said that she doesn't want that to happen to Suguri. She also worries about her daughter's modesty, mentioning that Suguri is too shy to discuss her modeling career with many of her closest friends. However, her daughter has her own way of ensuring she sticks to her modeling career. "I would love to join the tennis club at school but I can't," Suguri said. "Playing sports will make my legs fatter or look more masculine, which I don't want." A number of aspiring models are going one step further than Suguri. In April, 11-year-old Yua Ishikawa decided to add walking lessons to after-school activities that already included cram school, English lessons and hip-hop dance classes. Born in Shizuoka, Yua is an established model for a fashion brand called Inner Press. Like Suguri, she also participated in the Tokyo Top Kids Collection, but felt she needed to take additional walking lessons to pass the myriad auditions she hopes to apply for — both now and in future. Every week, she goes to Nglobal, a Shizuoka-based enterprise that offers specialized modeling courses and includes classes for children. "My favorite after-school activity is the walking

Screen tweens: Models wave to the cameras at Tokyo Top Kids Collection on Aug. 1, 2012. YOSHIAKI MIURA

class," said Ishikawa, whose 90-minute curriculum consists of a hip-hop dance as a warmup exercise, association training that helps her respond to an art  director's desired collection theme and actual walking lessons. Cocoro Fujii, an instructor at Nglobal and a finalist for the 2006 Miss International beauty pageant, said there is an increasing demand for such classes in Tokyo. "It's not easy to teach kids how to walk as they tend to forget easily," Fujii said. "We also have to teach them how to walk in a way that they can maximize the attractiveness of their clothes." As for Suguri, she is honing her style and skills by studying fashion magazines so that she can one day become the ideal Nico Puchi model. Nevertheless, she also has a plan B prepared — just in case the catwalk comes to an end. "If I can't be a model, I would like to become a patissiere," she said. "Either one sounds fun."Source: The Japan Times Online,

Read More........ → September 01, 2012

5 Great Movies Still Left To See This Summer

It's definitely the dog days of summer, with all the big blockbuster releases behind us, back-to-school shopping in full swing, and the promise of cooler weather just behind the corner. But before you write off this summer movie season entirely, wait! There are still good movies left to come to theaters, even if it just seems like there's nothing but horror movies and that Joseph Gordon-Levitt bike messenger movie. Below we've got five movies that we've seen and loved and think you will too, all of them due to hit theaters before September rolls around. Don't give up on summer! Check out one of these movies before you put away

ParaNorman, August 17

your cutoffs and flip flops this year. The best part about this particular upcoming August movie? It’s coming out this weekend. Even better? It’s one of the best films that we’ve seen so far this year. As you may have already figured out from Katey’s rave review,ParaNorman is an absolutely stunning piece of cinema that deserves recognition for being both visually spectacular and having a heartfelt, bold and important message at its core. It’s a fun adventure, a thrilling horror story, an entertaining fairy tale and laugh-out loud comedy combined into one film. The plot, written by co-director Chris Butler, is constantly snaking in unexpected directions, making it all feel fresh and new. But you could watch ParaNorman on mute and still have a great appreciation for the film. Developed by Laika Studios, the company that brought us Coraline back in 2009, the stop-motion animation effort is jaw-dropping. The range of facial expressions that the characters are able to make is impressive and the production design, from wooded areas made of corrugated cardboard to Norman’s horror-poster filled room, will make you want to see the movie more than once just so that you can fully appreciate it. Don’t dismiss it as just another children’s movie: this is
 

Compliance, August 17

art. OK, so Compliance isn't exactly the breath of fresh air you might expect from a summer movie, and given the way it hearkens back to Stanley Milgram's famous psychological experiment and real-life news stories, it's likely to lead you diving into even more uncomfortable research when you get home. But Compliance has more power to make you think than most movies this summer, depicting with clinical detail a story based on real-life events, when a prank caller phoned a fast food restaurant posing a cop. He accused one of the employees of stealing, and had the manager detain her in a back room… then interrogate her… then strip search her. It only gets more uncomfortable from there. Compliance is opening in limited release this weekend but will be available on VOD soon, and at the rate its director Craig Zobel is picking up new projects, you'll want to catch this one so you can say you knew him when.Compliance is an uncomfortable movie to watch, yes, but also an example of how terrific performances and a strong director behind the camera can make any tough experience worth seeing on the screen.

Sleepwalk With Me, August 24

Mike Birbiglia has performed stories about his life for years onstage in New York, and excerpts have run from time to time on the radio show This American Life, but you've really never heard his story dreaming of a pizza pillow until you've seen the pizza pillow (you're also going to wish someone would manufacture it, but that's another story). Birbiglia's inimitable sense of humor, as well as his truly bizarre sleepwalking affliction, means this movie about relationships and breakups and pursuing your dream is like none other you've ever seen. If you don't want to take my word for it, take the Sundance audience's-- Sleepwalk With Me won the Audience Award in its category at the festival earlier this year. Written and directed by Birbiglia, who also stars as himself, Sleepwalk With Me could have felt way too personal and amateur, but it's pretty much the opposite, taking a very specific and weird story and making it into a universal tale about growing up, figuring out exactly what you want to do with your life, being good to the people who love you (Lauren Ambrose is great as his long-term girlfriend) and recognizing a problem that you can't take care of. Also, it's hilaroius-- way funnier than any of that made it sound. What can we say, Birbiglia tells the story better than we can.

Lawless, August 31 

There’s only a small window left in the summer season and choices seem slim, but John Hillcoat’s Lawless, based on Matt Bondurant’s family portrait “The Wettest County in the World,” is most definitely worth a taste. Even without my recommendation, the prospect of seeing a Hillcoat-directed, Nick Cave-scripted, Depression-era, rural-set crime story should be enough-- after all, their last collaboration produced The Proposition, the most worthwhile Western since Unforgiven. Not to mention that the filmmaker, in the interim, continued his streak of beautifully bleak pictures without the singer-song-screenwriter with an adaptation of Cormac McCarthy The Road. Then there’s Lawless’ stellar ensemble of Shia LaBeouf, Tom Hardy, Jessica Chastain, Mia Wasikows ka, Guy Pearce and the Gary Oldman with everyone in absolute top form, even though Hardy once again steals the show with a ferocious yet humor-filled turn as Forrest. Lawless is an intense, often vicious look at the ‘Bondurant Boys,’ moonshiners in Franklin County, Virginia facing a hostile big city takeover of their family-run operation. Even before the bootlegging, people said the Bondurants were impossible to kill and well, you don’t get that title without plenty trying.

For A Good Time Call...August 31

Lauren Miller has been best known until now as Seth Rogen's girlfriend, now wife, but that's all about to change with For A Good Time Call…, the new comedy she stars in and co-wrote, specifically in response to the lack of strong roles out there for young women. Starring opposite the always-hilarious Ari Graynor, Miller plays a girl who is struggling to come up with the rent, and eventually joins her new roommate (Graynor) in starting a phone sex line. Yes, it's as dirty as it sounds, but also really, really funny, and a strong story about friendship between women that, I promise, still feels nothing at all like Bridesmaids. Like a lot of these late-summer gems, For A Good Time Call… premiered at Sundance, and was one of the best-received comedies of the festival. The girls at the center don't steal all the good jokes though-- Justin Long and Mark Webber are both strong in supporting roles, and if you look closely you might catch some cameos from Miller's husband Seth Rogen and maybe a few other familiar faces. Don't see it for the big names, though-- catch it for Miller and Graynor, two rising stars who prove serious comedy chops and make this film their own. 5 Great Movies Still Left To See This Summer - CinemaBlend.com

Read More........ → August 24, 2012

The Best Movies We've Seen In 2012 So Far

Technically, June 15 (or thereabout) would mark the mid-point of 2012. So if we were grading the film’s released in the first half of the year, we’d have to draw a line in the sand at that moment. But that would mean ignoring too many instant classics that rolled out over the second half of the summer season this year. We’re gearing up for the fall film season, when studios stockpile most of their possible awards contenders. The last few months of 2012 should be crowded with valuable viewing opportunities, so we wanted to take a moment and reflect on the best films we’ve seen so far this year. Hopefully, we’ll spotlight a film you haven’t seen yet, and, if so, inspire you to go hunt it down as soon as you can. And because most of us on staff singled out one particular film as we discussed which movies we’d write

The Cabin in the Woods by Kristy Puchko

about, we’re kicking off the feature with: As an unrepentant fan of horror films, I often have to explain my love of the genre to those who just don't get it. But when a horror movie comes along that's as ferocious, frightening and fun as Cabin in the Woods, my devotion is easily validated. Co-creators Drew Goddard and Joss Whedon spurred new appreciation for this oft-maligned genre by not only offering plenty of ghastly gore and powerful scares, but also drawing attention to the mechanization behind typical terrifying scenarios, and how these reflect our modern zeitgeist. From the blood-drenched fight for survival that befell some carefully selected college co-eds to the sardonic humor of the control room, Cabin in the Woods delivered on levels of terror and laughs, while offering its viewers something meatier in which to tear. Sure, you can enjoy this horror-comedy for its thrills and wit alone. But the film also raises questions about the “whys” of contemporary horror. Why is an extroverted woman reduced to her sexuality, and so deemed worthy of gruesome death? Why are bravery and intelligence similarly reason enough for execution? Why is a female virgin always given a chance at salvation? And ultimately, why play into a world with such twisted rules? 

Moonrise Kingdom by Jesse Carp

It’s not hard to imagine that a Wes Anderson film would fall into my No. 1 slot in a look back on the year’s best from the middle of August (or anytime), but few figured it would be the frontrunner on the majority of these lists. Anderson’s movies are generally well received by critics -- more admired than loved -- yet Moonrise Kingdom hasn’t just captured those hardest of hearts and minds but also the money, uh, hearts of mainstream audiences. It’s not only a critical hit, it’s also a blockbuster! Jiminy Cricket! Moonrise contains all of Anderson’s usual storytelling affectations, not to mention his immaculately composed moving tableaux, but for some reason this tale has found a larger following than even his Academy Award nominee (The Royal Tenenbaums). The compositions are intricate and colorful, with the small (and fictitious) New England island serving as the perfect 1960s setting for his attention to detail and the charming yet significant story of Suzy and Sam’s forbidden love. Moonrise Kingdom may be full of magic and whimsy in the stunning cinematography, wonderful score and many great performances. But Wes’ artifice also allows for the most emotionally satisfying experiences I’ve had at the cinema in some time.

Take This Waltz by Katey Rich

After making her directorial debut with the heartbreaking drama Away From Her a few years back, Sarah Polley established herself as one of the more surprising and interesting new voices behind the camera, and before she had even turned 30 told one of the more raw and relatable stories of romance between two people near the end of their lives. But it's in Take This Waltz, with Polley turning her camera toward characters of her own age, that she really makes her voice known. Take This Waltz is a wild, colorful burst of romance and sadness and longing, letting the intense emotions of a would-be affair bleed over into the filmmaking itself, boldly blurring the line between a not necessarily likable heroine (Michelle Williams, incredible as always) and the audience who must go along with her anyway. As a story that for a while is about unspoken passion between a woman and her hunky neighbor (newcomer Luke Kirby), Take This Waltz dares to say everything out loud -- it may be the first movie that looks how an exciting new love feels. That kind of grab-you-by-the-throat bravura for telling such a small story isn't for everyone, but if it works, as it did for me, you won't be able to forget it. 

Magic Mike by Mack Rawden

Magic Mike is a filthy movie. Like a good strip club, it’s an obnoxious, kinda skuzzy, talk-about-it-with-your-friends experience. It features drugs, fighting, dancing, the good kind of three-way, and just about every other debaucherous practice you can fathom. Altogether, it’s enough to ensure the film a lifetime of impulse rentals next to the National Lampoon straight-to-DVD films. Luckily, thanks to careful direction, good acting performances and actually giving a shit about its characters, Magic Mike is so much more. It’s all about balance. If you’re going to make a movie about dudes stripping, you need to show dudes stripping. Magic Mike does that. It’s never ashamed of what it fundamentally is, but it also doesn’t use that premise as an excuse not to develop its characters or give them interesting side plots. By the end, you really care about the decisions “Magic” Mike and his buddies make, and in a way, that makes

Goon by Kelly West

their exploits a hell of a lot more fun. Directed by Michael Dowse, with a screenplay written by Jay Baruchel and Evan Goldberg, Goon tells the story of the rise of minor league hockey player Doug Glatt. On the surface, he appears to be little more than a dim-witted bar bouncer and hockey enforcer who knows how to throw down the gloves and fight. But beneath the meathead exterior is a man with a giant heart and the determination to serve his team as best he can. In addition to having some great hockey moments, Goon is funny and sweet, and - thanks in part to the charm and humor of Alison Pill and her chemistry with Scott - there's also an incredibly adorable little love story worked into the plot. Just as Doug Glatt is a man who understands where he fits into the game and in a way, the world, Goon is a movie that understands its purpose, and it never tries to be anything more than exactly what it is. It's not trying to inspire anyone or send some message about team spirit, and yet it manages to do that, while also delivering plenty of laughs. Not only is Goonone of my favorite movies this year, but it also belongs on the list of must-see hockey movies. 

Safety Not Guaranteed by Sean O’Connell

My favorite film from South By Southwest 2012 remains the best movie I’ve screened to date this year. Colin Trevorrow’s endearing Safety Not Guaranteed seems to wrap itself in two distinctly protective coatings: A faux-edgy shield of snarky Gen-Y attitude, and the cool aloofness of dime-store science fiction. Yet with each passing minute, the layers shed to reveal a weird, gentle, open-hearted and embraceable core that’s pulses with warmth, comfort and, yes, a necessary dose of Duplass observational humor. Mark Duplass (the Gene Hackman of 2012) plays Kenneth, a paranoid loner who places a classified ad seeking a partner for a time-travel mission. Aubrey Plaza plays Darious, the skeptical journalist ordered by her editor (Jake M. Johnson, in a breakout role) to investigate Kenneth’s oddball claims. But Safety becomes less about the act of time travel, and more about why we’d want to ever travel through time in the first place. It carries us on a wave of sarcastic energy and plausible hope to those personal moments before life stopped cooperating. And it builds towards an impossibly adorable ending that prompted the audience in my theater (myself included) to stand up and cheer like wahoos. An

The Avengers by Eric Eisenberg

uplifting, spiritual time at the movies? It’s all but Guaranteed. While so many films have failed and/or disappointed this year, Joss Whedon’s The Avengers cannot be included on that list. In fact, if anything, it’s the year’s greatest surprise. When it was first announced in 2008 that Marvel Studios would be working to create a cinematic universe that would lead to the likes of heroes like Iron Man, Thor, Captain America and Hulk meeting together on the big screen for the first time, the project seemed far too ambitious to be real … and too much of a challenge to be done well. Well, this summer the studio -- and Whedon -- proved everyone wrong, and what we got was one of the best films of the year so far and one of the greatest comic book movies of all time. And the reason the movie was so successful is because he had everything we were hoping for. It was laugh-out-loud funny, featured some of the best superhero action we’ve ever seen, was packed to the gills with amazing performances, featured some deep, emotional moments and, most importantly, it was all brought together by a filmmaker who truly understood the characters and why they are so essential to us. The Avengers was better than anyone could have hoped for or should have expected, and we should all be thankful. Source: CinemaBlend.com

Read More........ → August 22, 2012

Kate Beckinsale Hired A Stripper For A Friend's 14th Birthday Party

Actress Kate Beckinsale once hired a scrawny, stripping vicar to disrobe at a friend's 14th birthday party. The fun-loving Underworld star reveals she came up with the idea after attending teenage birthday parties with singing telegrams and decided it would be a hoot to step the idea up. Recalling the experience on Wednesday's Conan show in America, she said, "You used to get this free magazine... that had lots of lists of agencies for those (singing telegrams) and we would order them for our friends' birthdays... I thought, 'Wouldn't it be extra funny if we got a fully stripping one...' "We called up a stripping vicar... and his name was the Reverend Balls. It was quite cheap, we could afford it... (and) nobody said, 'You sound a bit young for the Reverend Balls, you can't have him.'" But the fun idea quickly went sour when the good Reverend showed up at the house: "There was only about five of us... it was rather sedate.. and then this middle-aged, quite unattractive, sort of skinny, baldish bloke turned up and said, 'You do want the full strip?' "As soon as he said that, (it was) not funny at all... It was horrible... I sent my mother off to get a pizza or something and there was nobody there to rescue us. He came in and he took off his collar that vicars have and he suddenly flung everything off and was standing there with everything kind of horribly stuffed into this kind of elephant thong... I hadn't really thought it through. "He said, 'Meet my friend from the mission!' and went to get the elephant off... but we obviously looked suitably devastated and he didn't... and then he sort of half-heartedly tried to get somebody to slap his bottom and then wouldn't leave because he couldn't find one of his socks. He was there (for) ages. It was very awkward." And now Beckinsale, who has a 13-year-old daughter of her own, can't forget the experience - because there's a snapshot of the ill-fated party. She adds, "There's a photograph of it." Photo Credits: Andrew Evans / PR Photos Source: Starpulse.com

Read More........ → August 20, 2012

A-List Celebrity Kids Style

Now that your favorite celeb fashionistas are all grown up and starting families, we have more celebrity style to look forward to in their offspring. Celebs like Gwen Stefani, Jada Pinkett Smith, Kourtney Kardashian and Madonna are all A-List celebs that are well known for their daring and dashing style, but one would wonder, will this stylish flare carry on to their children. Below BornTooBlog has featured a fashion pictorial on just that; the A-List Style of some of your favorite celebrity kids...CHECK IT OUT:Kingston Stefani Rossdale, Mother: Gwen Stefani The offspring of Pop-Rock royalty Gwen Stefani and Gavin Rossdale spawned stylish Kingston Stefani Rossdale. 1 of 2 of Gwen's young boys. Kingston is known for his colorful fashion palette and carefree style that mixes fashion genres and aesthetics. Kingston seems to love utility pockets where he can store his toys and check the new bleach blonde do! Look familiar? Lourdes Ciccone, Mother: Madonna , Lourdes Ciccone is Madonna's only biological daughter, whom she had with fitness trainer Carlos Leon in 1994. Although the courtship was short lived, it produced Lourdes, the spitting image of Madonna, blessed with an eye for fashion just like her mother. I predict that she will soon be the talk of the town a la Nicole Ritchie and Paris Hilton. Just give her a few years.Mason Kardashian, Mother: Kourtney Kardashian Mason Kardashian is the newest edition to the Kardashian Clan and his parents Kourtney Kardashian and Scott Disick are quite the stylish couple. They love to dress Mase in mature stripes, with black, white and grey hues in his play time. When its time to dress up, Mason is all about the glamour and prestige as he dons suits and sports coats much like his father Scott wears on a daily basis. This kid definitely has inherited the style gene on both sides. Suri Cruise Mother: Kati Holmes Suri is the resident DIVA of all celebrity offspring. And with a father like Tom Cruise, one of the most wealthy actors in Hollywood, why wouldnt she be? It has been said that Suri loves to dress herself, loves high heels, makeup and girly clothing and loves to tote a big girl purse/bag wherever she goes. Suri loves colorful print dresses, fancy heels with embellishments and flashy accessories that make her look like a little Hollywood princess. Willow Smith, Mother: Jada Pinkett Smith Willow busted onto the scene at a very young age with a rock star attitude and a Pop hit to boot (with her hit single "Whip My Hair"). Fashion is at the forefront of her image and she has been spotted sitting front row with her mother at fashions shows in Paris and London. Already known as the daughter of Hollywood royalty, Jada Pinkett and Will Smith, Willow has crawled from beneath the shadows of her talented actor brother Jaden, and has carved her own niche in fashion and music. Her style would be described as punker/rock/pop diva meets couture fashionista, always keeping it lively and fun with her plethora of hues, patters and textures. On A Side Note: The sad thing is that these kids throw away more clothes than I purchase in a year. Still looking to see if the Smith's or Kardashian's would like to adopt a 31 year old African American Fashionista to add to their brood...LOL! WEIGH IN Which A-List celebrity kid fashion do you like most? Who do you think is too over the top? Would you dress your children like this and why? If not, why not?  Source: Born Too Blog 

Read More........ → August 16, 2012

Karan Johar makes fun of Katrina Kaif’s poses

By Gahoi Ad Online Media: Recently, news had it that filmmaker Karan Johar had taken a potshot on Katrina Kaif’s style of posing on magazine covers. However, when questioned, he denied making any such comments. “Absolutely crazy media report suggesting I have said something about Katrina! I have not! Its totally baseless and a lie,” posted the 39-year-old. If media reports are to go by, Karan Johar was overheard making fun of Katrina Kaif’s poses. Not jus that. Johar also mimicked a few of her poses. Rubbishing all reports, Karan tells, “Katrina is not only a dear friend but also a supremely talented and hard-working superstar! And all this reportage is ridiculous,” he tweeted. Source: GaramGossips

Read More........ → August 07, 2012

I am giving Brad Pitt, Tom Cruise, all these guys a chance in Hollywood: Salman Khan

Have you ever wondered why Salman Khan has never opted for Hollywood? Well, the actor himself has revealed the reason. Just for a brush up, in the year 2004, Salman Khan was named the seventh-best-looking man in the world and the best looking man in India by US’s People magazine. So why didn’t Sallu think about Hollywood? Putting on his funny shoes, the actor said, “All my friends who have gone to America, they don’t even want to come back for a holiday, wonder why. I am an actor, those guys were the ‘sensible’ ones, educated – engineers, doctors, scientists. These guys went there and made a lot of money, respect,” he said. “Me, I am giving Brad Pitt, Tom Cruise, all these guys a chance. Otherwise…poor guys,” the 46-year-old added. Salman Khan was at an event organized by Indo-American Chamber Of Commerce (IACC) on Wednesday. Targeting Hollywood films, Salman said, “Amazing movies, they make anything look good. Like for example the names I took, Brad Pitt, Tom Cruise. We just go on emotions and heart. We overdo anything, I mean guys like us also look really bad,” said Salman. He concluded his response with his arch-rival’s dialogue from “My Name Is Khan”: “I mean my name is actually Khan and I actually am not a terrorist.” Source: GaramGossips

Read More........ → August 04, 2012

Backstreet Boys To Record First New Album In Seven Years

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The reunited Backstreet Boys are to release the first album featuring the band's original line-up for seven years. Kevin Richardson quit the group in 2005 to pursue other interests, and the remaining four members released two albums in 2007 and 2009 without him. He has now rejoined the boy band, and during an appearance on Good Morning America via satellite link to the Britain on Tuesday, they revealed Richardson will be laying down his vocals with the band for a new record. Howie Dorough says, "We are really excited,  this is actually our first time in the studio together - all five of us - since 2005, we are recording our brand new record right here in London." Nick Carter added, "It's awesome, it really is, the vibe is fantastic... it's just been really organic and our vibe - it's like never before. It's revitalized and we're having so much fun." The album's release will coincide with the band's 20th anniversary next year and they are gearing up for their first official comeback concert in New York next month. Watch "Details for Backstreet Boys' New Album" Photo Credits: PR Photos, Sony BMG. Source: Starpulse, 

Read More........ → July 20, 2012

Drew Barrymore's Wedding: All The Details About Her Perfect Day

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Drew Barrymore and her art consultant fiancé Will Kopelman tied the knot last weekend in a "fun and meaningful" backyard wedding featuring Chanel couture, more than 14 carats of diamonds, a gourmet feast, and plenty of A-list friends. But ask Drew Barrymore which special touches at her wedding were the closest to her heart, and she brings up – what else? – the good old-fashioned fun. This week's issue of PEOPLE features exclusive photos and details from Drew's perfect day. The actress loved the silhouette-maker who "cut away through the night," she told PEOPLE the day after her June 2 nuptials, along with the photo booth snapping "beautiful black-and-whites" and a kids' area with a "teepee, blankets, pillows and a mini movie theater playing Pippi Longstocking and Finding Nemo." Surrounded by 190 family members and friends, Barrymore, 37, and Kopelman, 34, an art consultant, put their own joyful stamp on the celebration. "The day was perfect," Barrymore tells PEOPLE. "Everyone we love and care about was there. It was as fun and meaningful as we ever could have hoped." Held at Barrymore's $5.7 million Mediterranean-style Montecito, California home, the nuptials had a decidedly – and intentionally – low-key feel. "They just wanted a backyard wedding," says event planner Yifat Oren, who, along with Stefanie Cove, put together an "ethereal" party with a "vintage romantic" style for the couple and guests including Cameron Diaz and Reese Witherspoon. "Drew was so effervescent and so happy in every bit of food she took, every speech, every song," says Oren. "She's just the real deal." Now pregnant and due later this year, Barrymore was more than ready to make it official. "Drew actually wasn't nervous; she was all about it," says Oren. "She was excited and happy." The actress, whose father, John, died in 2004, was escorted by her groom's father; her production partner Nancy Juvonen was her matron of honor. Wearing a Chanel dress specifically created by head designer Karl Lagerfeld himself (the groom is the son of Arie Kopelman, the former CEO of Chanel), Barrymore "looked gorgeous, completed relaxed and beautiful," says a source close to her. "She was radiant." After the sunset cocktail hour, guests tucked into a family-style dinner catered by L.A.'s Lucques restaurant, featuring fried chicken and steak and a roast by Barrymore's bridesmaids. "That's when I laughed the hardest," Barrymore tells PEOPLE. "Everything they said was deadly accurate, but it was all in such a good spirit." By 1:30 a.m. the pair had slipped off to the nearby San Ysidro Ranch hotel to spend their first night as a married couple. Leaving in a vintage Mercedes convertible adorned with pink roses, "Drew and Will would not stop kissing," says a source. "They looked super happy." Exclusive photos and details of Drew's big day appear in the June 18 issue of PEOPLE, on newsstands now. © 2012 People Magazine, Photo Credits: © 2012 People Magazine, Source: Starpulse

Read More........ → June 11, 2012