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Movie on Imran Khan: Will ‘Kaptaan’ hit a sixer? - Kaptaan - film about Imran Khan - Coming Soon!(Promo updated) - Kaptaan: A movie on Imran Khan features music by Noori, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan and more - Kaptaan: A movie on Imran Khan - A Movie on Imran Khan’s Life “Kaptaan” -


Movie on Imran Khan: Will ‘Kaptaan’ hit a sixer?

Starring Abdul Mannan, Saeeda Imtiaz, Naveed Akbar,Usman Aslam. Directed by Faisal Aman Khan, Cinematographed by AvidDuo (Farrukh & Yashal) Written By Faisal Aman Khan Screenplay by Naveed Akbar

Produced by Faisal Aman Khan


LAHORE: 
A group of young independent filmmakers has undertaken the initiative of producing an independent feature film called Kaptaan, based on Imran Khan’s high-profile life following the end of his cricket career.














As Pakistan’s former captain or Kaptaan, Khan stamped the cricket field with his talent and charisma.  Years later, he is just as famous after transforming into a successful politician and social activist. The movie based on the former cricket star’s life, which is still in post-production phase, explores the experiences of a man who dedicates his life to his country while also struggling with personal and spiritual anguish.

Faisal Aman Khan, an independent filmmaker who is based in the UK, is directing the film. Aman Khan admitted that he had the idea of making this movie two years ago after he graduated from film school. According to his colleagues, Faisal met Khan several times during the research phase of the project to get his endorsement.

“Imran Khan was reluctant at first and claimed that it was more important to focus on other aspects of the country, Faisal’s persistence finally paid in ultimately convincing him,” said Naveed Anwar, the film’s assistant director and screenwriter. “We wanted to make a film that would project the positive side of Pakistan. It was hard as there are very few personalities in Pakistan that have a global appeal.”

Anwar, who has directed several short films, explained that the story centers on how Khan’s disappointment at Pakistan’s dismal state of affairs triggered him to enter the political arena. He also juxtaposes Khan’s struggle for Pakistan’s future with that of Mohammad Ali Jinnah’s.

The film also recreates scenes of major incidents such as his arrest at Punjab University in Lahore, his hunger strike while in jail and then certain intimate scenes with his ex-wife, Jemima Khan.

A big challenge before shooting the movie was the selection of the actor suitable for the protagonist’s role. After numerous screen tests and auditions for the lead role, the team decided to pick local model Abdul Mannan, who has an uncanny resemblance to the cricketer. Anwar said that it was especially difficult to find someone who could play Khan’s part, since there were very few people who match the physical features and demeanour of the 1992 World Cup captain.

Mannan, who is not an avid follower of Pakistani politics due to its dismal state, said that he had to study various video clips of the cricketer-turned-politician to do justice to the role. He claimed that the film provided inspiration and would make people realise the state of the country and hence take more interest in its affairs. “There have been films such as Jinnah and Gandhi, this is another inspiring story of a nation’s hero,” said Mannan. “There are things people forget about him.”

Mannan is paired with Saeeda Imtiaz, a Pakistani-American model based in New York, who is playing Jemima Khan’s role. Her role highlights the various challenges of living in Pakistan that Khan’s former wife faced and also highlights her complex relationship with the former cricket star. Imtiaz, who took nearly six months to prepare for her part, says “The way the movie is shot — the use of lighting and the fact that the filmmakers are young and full of ideas — will give the film a unique look,” said Imtiaz.

Insiders claim that the film will be ready for distribution this fall but are staying tight-lipped about the scheduled date for the release. Currently, the plan for distribution is that it will get a theatre-wide release in Pakistan and abroad as well. Over 107 actors have been used for the movie and the production team includes 12 people.


Kaptaan - film about Imran Khan - Coming Soon!(Promo updated)

LAHORE: Former Pakistan captain Imran Khan's transition from a cricketer to an active politician has become the subject of a movie which is set to be released in Pakistan this year. 

According to a report in the "Express Tribune", the film called "Kaptaan" explores the life of Imran following the end of his cricket career. 

Imran, after leading Pakistan to many triumphs on the cricket field including the 1992 World Cup, became a frontline politician and social activist. 

The movie, which is still in post-production phase, explores the experiences of his life. 

Faisal Aman Khan, an independent filmmaker who is based in the UK, is directing the film. 

Faisal said he hit upon the idea of making this movie two years ago after he graduated from film school. According to his colleagues, Faisal met Imran several times during the research phase of the project to get his endorsement. 

" Imran Khan was reluctant at first and claimed that it was more important to focus on other aspects of the country, Faisal's persistence finally paid in ultimately convincing him," said Naveed Anwar, the film's assistant director and screenwriter. 

"We wanted to make a film that would project the positive side of Pakistan. It was hard as there are very few personalities in Pakistan that have a global appeal," Anwar added. 

Anwar, who has directed several short films, said the film juxtaposes Khan's struggle for Pakistan's future with that of Mohammad Ali Jinnahs. 

The film also recreates scenes of major incidents such as his arrest at Punjab University in Lahore, his hunger strike while in jail and his relationship with ex-wife Jemima Khan. 

A local model Abdul Mannan, who has an uncanny resemblance to the cricketer, will play Imran in the film and is paired with Saeeda Imtiaz, a Pakistani-American model based in New York. 

Insiders claim that the film will be ready for distribution this fall but are tight-lipped about the release date.

The story follows Imran Khan’s life post the world cup victory in 1992. From the tragic death of his mother, first cancer hospital in Pakistan. From being the first Chancellor of the University of Bradford, Namal University and so on ..


Kaptaan: A movie on Imran Khan features music by Noori, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan and more

Written, produced and directed by Pakistan born and UK based filmmaker Faisal Aman Khan, the story of ‘Kaptaan’, a biographical film, follows the incredible life of Pakistan’s cricketer-turned-politician Imran Khan. His life post the world cup victory in 1992. It follows the events that have shaped up his life. From being ridiculed in Cricket to being labeled as a playboy. Imran’s marriage with Jemima Khan and later what problems aroused in his relationships with Jemima. It centers on how Khan’s disappointment at Pakistan’s dismal state of affairs triggered him to enter the political arena. From the tragic death of his mother, to his efforts and endeavors in building the first cancer hospital in Pakistan.

The movie talks about Imran’s journey in his life and the entire transformation of a person from on field to off field. It is a story about a loving son, who set himself on a journey from which he would never return, a journey of selflessness, a journey of self realization, a journey into the ocean of his people… It is a tale of love so strong it crossed all boundaries, a man who gave up that love for his people, a hero who defied a dictator, a man who stood up for justice. His is a life more inspiring, motivational and relevant than any other man who has faced himself and asked the basic question of being. A hero, a living legend, a visionary, the lion of Pakistan, IMRAN KHAN!

The background score of the movie, has been composed by Farhan Zameer, which has a very uplifting and reflective feel. The director have also roped in a number of local bands and singers who have lend their voices to the movie including Noori and Abbas Ali Khan. And as Imran Khan has been a great fan of late Ustad Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan hence the soundtrack features two songs of the late Ustad – ‘Sanu Ek Pal Chain Na Aave‘ and ‘Yeh Jo Halka Halka‘.

Kaptaan: A movie on Imran Khan

Pakistan born and UK based filmmaker Faisal Aman Khan has taken initiative to do a feature film on former Pakistan Cricketer Imran Khan who is considered to be one of the living legends in the world of cricket.

The movie based on the former cricket star's life, which is still in post-production phase, explores the experiences of a man who dedicates his life to his country while also struggling with personal and spiritual anguish.

Faisal Aman Khan , a young filmmaker who had never planned his career to get into film making came with the idea of making this movie two years back. Faisal Aman Khan speaks exclusively to DT from his hometown in Islamabad and shares with us all the details.

Says Faisal, "I was born in Pakistan, later my family shifted to UK where I pursued my higher studies. My family was not supportive with my idea of geeting into film making. So as back up I did completed my studies in Business media after which I pursued a course in filmmaking in London." So how did the idea of making a movie on former cricketer Imran Khan came up and he states, "I mainly do a lot of documentary films this would be my first venture into feature filmmaking. I always like to work on subjects that are different and can grab mass attention. It was then I decided that I should film a movie on Khan saab. Imran Khan has been one of the most popular cricketer and a legend in history of cricket all over the globe. I had to do an intense two year research on him before I actually started the movie. I have met Imran at several occasion and when I told him about making the movie he just laughed at me. He is a very quite and shy person and was happy to know that I was making a movie on him. Imran was reluctant at first but later after reading the script he got convinced."

Talking about the movie , Faisal highlights, "The movie is basically a tribute of lifetime to Imran Khan. It is a multi language film - Hindi, Urdu and English. We all have known Imran as a cricketer, but my movie focuses on his life after cricket. What happened to Imran Khan after he left cricket? Imran's marriage with Jemima Khan and later what problems aroused in his relationships with Jemima? Why did he enter politics and so on. The movie talks about Imran's journey in his life and the entire transformation of a person from on field to off field. The movie will definitely have a global appeal and there are few personalities in Pakistan who have been able to do so and Imran Khan for sure is one of them."

Faisal further adds, "The story centers on how Khan's disappointment at Pakistan's dismal state of affairs triggered him to enter the political arena. He also juxtaposes Khan's struggle for Pakistan's future with that of Mohammad Ali Jinnah's. The film also recreates scenes of major incidents such as his hunger strike while in jail, his arrest at Punjab University in Lahore, and then certain intimate scenes with his ex-wife, Jemima Khan."

The shooting of the film is completed and now the movie is in the post production phase. "We are planning to release the movie soon. I plan to screen it all over the globe." Any plans to screen the movie in India and he adds, "Yes why not, I would love to screen the movie in India too. Both my paternal and maternal sides are from India, unfortunately I have never got the chance to visit India till now. It will be a great moment for me if I get the opportunity to visit India soon and do the screening my movie kaptaan there." Ask about his family connection in India and he says, " My father side is from Azamgarh and my mother side is from Lucknow. We have lot of relatives still staying there in India."

Talking about the lead actors in the movie he says, "It was tough for us to select someone who could play the role of Imran and Jemima. As the story centrally focuses on Imran's relationship with Jemima there was lot of pressure on hiring a character for the suitable role. We had to do lot of auditions. Finally we selected a Pakistan based model Abdul Mannan for the role of Imran khan and Saeeda Imtiaz a Pakistan – American based model from NewYork."

Both are fresh faces and they had to really work hard for nearly 6 months starting from looks to accents facial expression and so on. Abdul who has played the role of Imran in the movie had to grow his hair and change his entire look for the movie. Frankly while selecting the main lead actor we didn't want someone who exactly looks like Imran but someone who can act and give justice to the role. Also Saeeda who will be playing the role of Jemima Khan has to work hard on her looks and appearance. Jemima Khan as all of us have known her is a lady who was beautiful graceful and elegant. Honestly speaking the movie was made in a hoe string budget. We did lot of the movie shooting in Pakistan and winded up the shooting in 30 days time. The support we got from the local people in Pakistan was amazing."

"I hope to release the movie by month of October this year. The music of the movie is catchy and we have roped in all local bands and singers from Pakistan who have lend their voices to the movie like Noorie band and so on. What is more interesting, Imran Khan has love for music and has been a great fan of late Ustaad Nusraat Fateh Ali Khan hence for the background scores we have included two songs of late Ustaad Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan songs – 'Sanu ekh pal chain na aawe' and 'Yeh jo Halka Halka' for the movie," adds Faisal.

Finally he winds up saying, "I strongly believe that nothing is impossible in making your dreams come true and this was one my dream project which hopefully should come true."

A Movie on Imran Khan’s Life “Kaptaan”

A group of young independent filmmakers has undertaken the initiative of producing an independent feature film called Kaptaan, based on Imran Khan’s high-profile life following the end of his cricket career.

As Pakistan’s former captain or Kaptaan, Khan stamped the cricket field with his talent and charisma. Years later, he is just as famous after transforming into a successful politician and social activist. The movie based on the former cricket star’s life, which is still in post-production phase, explores the experiences of a man who dedicates his life to his country while also struggling with personal and spiritual anguish.

Faisal Aman Khan, an independent filmmaker who is based in the UK, is directing the film. Aman Khan admitted that he had the idea of making this movie two years ago after he graduated from film school. According to his colleagues, Faisal met Khan several times during the research phase of the project to get his endorsement.

“Imran Khan was reluctant at first and claimed that it was more important to focus on other aspects of the country, Faisal’s persistence finally paid in ultimately convincing him,” said Naveed Anwar, the film’s assistant director and screenwriter. “We wanted to make a film that would project the positive side of Pakistan. It was hard as there are very few personalities in Paksitan that have a global appeal.”

Anwar, who has directed several short films, explained that the story centers on how Khan’s disappointment at Pakistan’s dismal state of affairs triggered him to enter the political arena. He also juxtaposes Khan’s struggle for Pakistan’s future with that of Mohammad Ali Jinnah’s.
The film also recreates scenes of major incidents such as his arrest at Punjab University in Lahore, his hunger strike while in jail and then certain intimate scenes with his ex-wife, Jemima Khan.

A big challenge before shooting the movie was the selection of the actor suitable for the protagonist’s role. After numerous screen tests and auditions for the lead role, the team decided to pick local model Abdul Mannan, who has an uncanny resemblance to the cricketer. Anwar said that it was especially difficult to find someone who could play Khan’s part, since there were very few people who match the physical features and demeanour of the 1992 World Cup captain.

Mannan, who is not an avid follower of Pakistani politics due to its dismal state, said that he had to study various video clips of the cricketer-turned-politician to do justice to the role. He claimed that the film provided inspiration and would make people realise the state of the country and hence take more interest in its affairs. “There have been films such as Jinnah and Gandhi, this is another inspiring story of a nation’s hero,” said Mannan. “There are things people forget about him.”

Mannan is paired with Saeeda Imtiaz, a Pakistani-American model based in New York, who is playing Jemima Khan’s role. Her role highlights the various challenges of living in Pakistan that Khan’s former wife faced and also highlights her complex relationship with the former cricket star. Imtiaz, who took nearly six months to prepare for her part, says “The way the movie is shot — the use of lighting and the fact that the filmmakers are young and full of ideas — will give the film a unique look,” said Imtiaz.

Insiders claim that the film will be ready for distribution this fall but are staying tight-lipped about the scheduled date for the release. Currently, the plan for distribution is that it will get a theatre-wide release in Pakistan and abroad as well. Over 107 actors have been used for the movie and the production team includes 12 people.

Kaaptan - A Movie about Imran Khan (Official Trailer)

Lost Soul (Kaptaan)

Kaptaan - Imran Khan's life - release date and full movie coming soon


Talking to Daily Telegraph of England about his political goal, Imran Khan said: "I want Pakistan to be a welfare state and a genuine democracy with a rule of law and an independent judiciary. We need decentralisation, empowering people at the grassroots."

Kaptaan - The Official Movie Trailer - [A Film On Imran Khan] Release date full movie coming soon

E News "Kaptaan" Film on Imran Khan's life

Kaptaan the movie: Imran Khan

Saturday

Breaking News Shahid Khan Afridi Joins MQM At Karachi - September 15, 2011


Breaking News Shahid Khan Afridi Joins MQM At Karachi - September 15, 2011

Todays Latest news is that Shahid Khan Afridi Is Now the part of MQM. Pakistan T20 and ODI Former Captain Shahid Afridi Joins MQM in a meeting with ex-Karachi mayor Mustafa Kamal. After this he talk to the media and said that MQM is a party of middle class and is spreading throughout the country like light of fire.


Friday

Story of Mother’s Sacrifice during the China Earthquake - A True Story



This is a true story of Mother’s Sacrifice during the China Earthquake.

After the Earthquake had subsided, when the rescuers reached the ruins of a young woman’s house, they saw her dead body through the cracks. But her pose was somehow strange that she knelt on her knees like a person was worshiping; her body was leaning forward, and her two hands were supporting by an object. The collapsed house had crashed her back and her head.

With so many difficulties, the leader of the rescuer team put his hand through a narrow gap on the wall to reach the woman’s body. He was hoping that this woman could be still alive. However, the cold and stiff body told him that she had passed away for sure.

He and the rest of the team left this house and were going to search the next collapsed building. For some reasons, the team leader was driven by a compelling force to go back to the ruin house of the dead woman. Again, he knelt down and used his had through the narrow cracks to search the little space under the dead body. Suddenly, he screamed with excitement,” A child! There is a child! “

The whole team worked together; carefully they removed the piles of ruined objects around the dead woman. There was a 3 months old little boy wrapped in a flowery blanket under his mother’s dead body. Obviously, the woman had made an ultimate sacrifice for saving her son. When her house was falling, she used her body to make a cover to protect her son. The little boy was still sleeping peacefully (its due to miracle of Allah) when the team leader picked him up.

The medical doctor came quickly to exam the little boy. After he opened the blanket, he saw a cell phone inside the blanket. There was a text message on the screen. It said,” If you can survive, you must remember that I love you.” This cell phone was passing around from one hand to another. Every body that read the message wept. ” If you can survive, you must remember that I love you.” Such is the mother’s love for her child!!

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15 Surprising Ways to Improve Your Cholesterol - Health Tips for All


The Fountain of Youth may be fiction, but there really is a magic gene pool in northern Italy. A few decades ago, researchers discovered that, despite unhealthy cholesterol levels, 40 inhabitants of the village of Limone sul Garda were seemingly immune to heart disease. Turns out it wasn't the famed Mediterranean diet at work, but rather a variation of a protein in HDL cholesterol (the good kind) called ApoA-1 Milano. In less scientific terms, the villagers were born with self-cleaning arteries.

Researchers immediately went to work creating a synthetic version of the plaque-busting protein. And in 2003, they created one. Problem is, the drug is still too expensive to mass produce.

Luckily, you don’t have to wait for a magic drug to improve your cholesterol. Here are 15 ways to raise your HDL or lower your LDL (the bad cholesterol) today. The best part: Doing so will literally cost you peanuts—or even less.

1. Eat more nuts. In an analysis of 25 different studies on walnuts, pecans, almonds, peanuts, pistachios, and macadamia nuts, researchers at Loma Linda University found that eating 67 grams of nuts per day—that’s a little more than two ounces—increased the ratio of HDL to LDL in the blood by 8.3 percent. And Australian scientists found that when men replaced 15 percent of their daily calorie intake with macadamia nuts—12 to 16 nuts a day—their HDL levels went up by 8 percent. Even better: You can eat nuts covered in chocolate or rolled in cocoa powder; a Japanese study found that the polyphenols in chocolate activate genes that increase HDL production.

YOU, IMPROVED: Click here for surprising ways to improve your life instantly!

2. Boost your endurance. Researchers in Japan found that exercising for 20 minutes a day increases your HDL by 2.5 points. That’s not much, but for every additional 10 minutes per day you keep huffing in the gym, you add an extra 1.4 points to your HDL. It doesn’t matter whether you pull a rowing machine or power through a tough barbell routine, just keep your activity level at a point where you’re panting but not out of breath.

3. Build killer quads. Ohio University researchers discovered that men who did lower-body work—squats, leg extensions, leg presses—twice a week for 16 weeks raised their HDL levels by 19 percent. For legs and HDL levels that are something to look at, follow the lead of the men in the study: Do three sets of six to eight repetitions of the half squat, leg extension, and leg press, resting no more than 2 minutes between sets. Use a weight that's about 85 percent of the amount you can lift just once.

4. Pop a milk pill. In a study published in the American Journal of Medicine, people who took a daily 1,000-mg calcium supplement saw their HDL-cholesterol levels rise by 7 percent. Choose a brand that contains calcium citrate (not coral calcium) and 400 international units of vitamin D for maximum absorption.

5. Make a date with Mrs. Paul. When Canadian researchers compared a steady diet of whitefish with regular consumption of lean beef and chicken, they found that the fish-eating folks experienced a 26 percent increase in HDL2, a particularly protective form of HDL. Remember: Fish sticks aren't health food—unless they're baked, like Healthy Selects Sticks from Mrs. Paul's.

FIX IT WITH FOOD: Check out our list of the 40 Foods with Superpowers—foods that, even in moderation, can strengthen your heart, fortify your bones, and boost your metabolism so you can lose weight more quickly.

6. Learn how to pronounce “policosanol” (poly-CO-sanol). This mixture of alcohols derived from sugarcane wax is the rare natural supplement that may actually live up to its hype. Doses of 10 to 20 mg a day can increase HDL by up to 15 percent, according to David Maron, M.D., a cardiologist at Vanderbilt University medical center. Two brands to try: Naturals and Nature's Life, both sold at health-food stores.

7. Drink cranberry juice. University of Scranton scientists found that volunteers who drank three 8-ounce glasses a day for a month increased their HDL-cholesterol levels by 10 percent, enough to cut heart-disease risk by almost 40 percent. Buy 100 percent juice that's at least 27 percent cranberry.

8. Eat grapefruit. One a day can reduce arterial narrowing by 46 percent, lower your LDL cholesterol by more than 10 percent, and help drop your blood pressure by more than 5 points.

9. Don't let your tank hit empty. A study in the British Medical Journal found that people who eat six or more small meals a day have 5 percent lower LDL cholesterol levels than those who eat one or two large meals. That's enough to shrink your risk of heart disease by 10 to 20 percent.

10. Eat oatmeal cookies. In a University of Connecticut study, men with high LDL cholesterol (above 200 mg/dL) who ate oat-bran cookies daily for 8 weeks dropped their levels by more than 20 percent.

11. Switch your spread. Buy trans fat-free margarine, such as Smart Balance Buttery Spread. Researchers in Norway found that, compared with butter, no-trans margarine lowered LDL cholesterol by 11 percent.

12. Take the Concord. University of California researchers found that compounds in Concord grapes help slow the formation of artery-clogging LDL cholesterol. The grapes also lower blood pressure by an average of 6 points if you drink just 12 ounces of their juice a day.

13. Swallow phytosterols or phytostanols. Both substances—derived from pine trees and soy—lower bad cholesterol levels by an average of 10 to 15 percent. Besides being available in supplements, the compounds are in cholesterol-lowering spreads like Benecol and Take Control.

14. Be a part-time vegetarian. Researchers in Toronto found that men who added a couple of servings of vegetarian fare such as whole grains, nuts, and beans to their diets each day for a month lowered their LDL cholesterol by nearly 30 percent.

15.  Switch to dark chocolate. Finish researchers found that consuming 2.5 ounces of dark chocolate each day boosts levels of HDL by between 11 and 14 percent.

One final tip: Your heart will benefit more from a few long-term health improvements than from a flurry of activity followed by a return to the dangerous norm. Above are the tools to protect yourself. Work five of them into your daily routine over the next month. When they become second nature, try five more. By year's end, you will have given your heart a beating chance.

3-D 'Lion King' feels the love with $29.3M opening - 3D Movie


LOS ANGELES (AP) — It's 1994 all over again, with a re-release of "The Lion King" opening at the top of the box office.
A 3-D version of the wildly popular Disney animated musical earned a surprising $29.3 million in its first weekend in theaters, according to Sunday estimates. The original film made more than $40 million when it opened nationwide 17 years ago.
This huge number stunned many people, including the folks at Disney, who figured "The Lion King" would make somewhere between $10 million and $12 million, said Dave Hollis, the studio's executive vice president of distribution.
He said the movie remains relevant and as entertaining as it was when it first came out.
"But taking a page from the movie, there is a 'circle of life' thing happening," he said, referring to one of the film's themes. "You have children of the '90s who are now parents of the 2010s and they themselves are taking their kids to share what was, for them, a great experience two decades ago."
It also helps that there aren't many options for families at the multiplex right now, said Paul Dergarabedian, box-office analyst for Hollywood.com.
"The post-summer period brings a preponderance of R-rated films and more challenging, esoteric, Oscar-caliber fare," he said. "For kids this is like a dream come true and for parents to be able to revisit 'The Lion King' — especially in 3-D, even though 3-D has taken a bad rap over the past year — just tells you the power that this movie has, how strong it resonates with people."
Hollis said that while the film was also available in 2-D, 92 percent of the opening weekend's business came from 3-D showings.
The story of a wrongly exiled lion prince (voiced by Jonathan Taylor Thomas as a cub and Matthew Broderick as an adult) who must return home to claim his throne, "The Lion King" was the second-highest-grossing film of 1994, behind "Forrest Gump."
It ranks fourth on the all-time animated list with over $784 million. It earned Academy Awards for Hans Zimmer's original score and for original song for Elton John and Tim Rice's "Can You Feel the Love Tonight."
Last week's No. 1 movie, Steven Soderbergh's "Contagion," dropped a spot in its second weekend. The Warner Bros. viral thriller made about $14.5 million for a total of $44.2 million.
Among the other new releases, the critical darling "Drive" came in at No. 3 with just over $11 million. Ryan Gosling stars as a stoic wheelman in the retro action picture from FilmDistrict.
"Straw Dogs," a remake of the 1971 Sam Peckinpah thriller from Sony Screen Gems, opened in fifth place with only $5 million. It stars James Marsden and Kate Bosworth as a married couple under siege in the rural South.
"I Don't Know How She Does It," based on the best-seller of the same name, came in at No. 6 with just $4.5 million. The Weinstein Co. comedy stars Sarah Jessica Parker as a wife and mother of two struggling to balance her home life with her demanding job.
Dergarabedian said such disappointing showings aren't all that surprising this time of year. Last weekend was the slowest so far this year at the box office.
"It's been tough marketplace for wide releases. The newcomers are being met with some indifference," he said. "The audience was obviously a family audience that took over the multiplex this weekend."
___
Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Hollywood.com. Where available, latest international numbers are also included. Final domestic figures will be released Monday.
1. "The Lion King 3D," $29.3 million. ($700,000 international.)
2. "Contagion," $14.5 million. ($1.3 million international.)
3. "Drive," $11 million.
4. "The Help," $6.4 million. ($1.1 million international.)
5. "Straw Dogs," $5 million.
6. "I Don't Know How She Does It," $4.5 million. ($800,000 international.)
7. "The Debt," $2.9 million. ($1 million international.)
8. "Warrior," $2.8 million. ($400,000 international.)
9. "Rise of the Planet of the Apes," $2.6 million.
10. "Colombiana," $2.3 million.
___
Estimated weekend ticket sales at international theaters (excluding the U.S. and Canada), according to Rentrak:
1. "The Smurfs," $17.3 million.
2. "Johnny English Reborn," $11.7 million.
3. "Friends With Benefits," $9.2 million.
4. "Rise of the Planet of the Apes," $7.8 million.
5. "Final Destination 5," $6.5 million.
6. "Captain America: The First Avenger," $5.1 million.
7. "Crazy Stupid Love," $4.7 million.
8. "Horrible Bosses," $4.2 million.
9. "Cowboys & Aliens," $4 million.
10. "Mannerherzen 2," $3.5 million.

Wednesday

Yahoo Fired Its CEO Carol Bartz on phone by the company’s chairman of the board on 10 Sep 2011..

Yahoo Fired Its CEO

Yahoo is reported to fire its CEO Carol Bartz by phone. If some of you remember, she was hired with great fanfare, and the move was targeted at saving the search giant from obscurity. Nevertheless, she didn't do a lot, except making a deal with Microsoft.

Yahoo has recently released a statement, saying that Bartz had been "removed" from her position. The post will be taken by Timothy Morse, chief financial officer, for now. Yahoo will then be looking for someone else.

According to media reports, Carol Bartz sent a goodbye letter to employees from her tablet, saying that she was very sad to tell everyone she had been fired over the phone by the company's chairman of the board. Carol expressed her pleasure to work at the company and wished everyone the best.

Meanwhile, Yahoo has consistently lost ground on advertising within the past years. For example, even Facebook seems to overtake Yahoo in 2011 and collect the biggest slice of Internet display advertising dollars in the United States.

Carol Bartz was hired by Yahoo 2 years ago to replace its co-founder Jerry Yang, who also failed to turn the search engine around. When she joined the company, Yahoo's shares were trading for around $12. However, when Wall Street heard of her exit, the shares jumped more than 6% in after-hours trade to $13.72. Later Wall Street lost interest in Carol Bartz, because she didn't do that much. Moreover, she mishandled the Yahoo's strained relationship with Chinese Alibaba Group, which had handed Alipay to the search engine. Alipay was controlled by Alibaba founder Jack Ma, most likely without the search giant's knowledge. Meanwhile, Alibaba was claiming that the company was fully aware of the transaction.

Just in the beginning of this past summer, Yahoo chairman Roy Bostock for some reason gave his public support to Carol Bartz at Yahoo's annual general meeting. This seems strange when compared with the decision to fire her by phone just three months later.

One of the interesting facts of Carol Bartz's career is that she once went as far as to tell Michael Arrington, the owner of the Techcrunch service to "f*** off" during an interview at some industry event. By a coincidence, Michael Arrington quit his company at the same time that Bartz was fired. In other words, it seems that they were both "f***ed off" at the same time. Yahoo's senior executive, who later worked for AMD, claimed that the company's building in Satan Clara has bad feng shui. It seems that Carol Bartz will now agree with him.

Tuesday

Penthouse luxury hits new height - New Heights of Penthouse Luxury


Perched 20 stories above the ground on Manhattan’s Upper West Side, the 13,800-square-foot penthouse at 535 West End Ave. is a lavish palace in the sky. Its three-floor layout boasts nine bedrooms, 11 full baths, two half baths and separate staff quarters. A 2,000-square-foot outdoor space equipped with grill, wet bar and fireplace is accessible by a private elevator. Building amenities include a fitness center, an indoor swimming pool and a recreation room, all attended to by white-gloved staff.
This opulent “mansion in the sky” totes a hefty price tag of $37.5 million. It’s up for grabs alongside other posh New York penthouses like a $37.5 million condo unit at The Plaza, a $51 million duplex on the Upper East Side, and a $44.95 million, 76th floor apartment in the Time Warner Center.

With the help of Prudential Douglas Elliman Real Estate, Sotheby’s International Realty, Coldwell Banker Previews International, Realtor.com and Trulia.com (among others), we’ve pulled together a list of available sky-high spreads scattered across America. Priced between $2 million and $45 million, most offer multilevel layouts, soaring views (in many cases via floor-to-ceiling windows), high ceilings, private rooftop terraces and additional over-the-top features such as private pools.
Listing, buying and selling of luxury residential real estate, which includes these units, has picked up in nearly every major metropolitan market across the U.S. “Relative to everybody else, the higher-end market is where we’re seeing record purchases and where we’re seeing traction,” says Jonathan Miller, president of Miller Samuel, a New York-based real estate appraisal firm. Miller says that because of the weaker dollar, foreign buyers have flocked to the luxe condo market, particularly on the East and West coasts.
Cold, hard cash has a lot to do with that pickup as well. While sales of less expensive homes struggle to manifest under ever-tightening mortgage lending practices, the luxury end is comprised of home buyers with money to throw down. All-cash deals on single-family homes in general have constituted roughly 30% of completed sales this summer, according to the National Association of Realtors.
Those with more money to burn might consider the $12 million Wilshire Corridor penthouse, a 6,480-square-foot glass-walled marvel featuring a separate maid’s quarters and a fiber optic chandelier. “Good times, bad times there are penthouse buyers out there, looking for the right opportunity,” says Ron Barnes, director of sales and marketing for the Residences at WHollywood, noting these sales can take anywhere from three months to three years to manifest no matter what the larger market conditions are.
Despite increased market activity, penthouses speak to a tiny, niche pool of buyers. As with other luxury properties (like single-family estates, townhouses and even vineyards), penthouse units can take months, sometimes years, to market and sell. In some cases, pricey penthouses have failed to find buyers willing to pay their lofty asking prices. Take the 20,000-square-foot home on top of San Francisco’s St. Regis hotel, for example, which at one time was listed for $70 million before the property’s developer sold the deed to Second Step Asset Management, a subsidiary of Bank of America, in lieu of a foreclosure. The apartment touts a two-story indoor waterfall, home theater and master suite with gym, sauna and steam room. The bank re-listed the unit in July, at $35 million price tag, half the original price.
Are these five palatial penthouses for sale worthy of elevated prices?
Brightly-hued hallways, two-story walls of glass gazing out on Los Angeles and the ocean, and spiral staircase adorned with a fiber optic chandelier add pizazz to the Wilshire Corridor condo.

A “traditional Thai home in the sky,” this unit comes with interiors adorned in custom wood paneling, a garden terrace with pool, and resort amenities like 24-hour room service.

The Azure duplex condo includes three en suite bedrooms with balconies and a roof-top entertainment terrace with pool, spa, theater screen, enclosed bar and private elevator to the inside living area.

This triplex penthouse boasts four bedrooms gazing out on Central Park, a library with wood-burning fireplace, a cantilevered spiral staircase, a private elevator and access to the Plaza's hotel services

Concierge service, including room service, is available to residents of this upscale Hollywood residence. If you need to travel, the building will whisk you to a nearby airport to board a private jet. Alas, your Starwood points may not be sufficient to buy a penthouse.

Leila Lopes of Angola is crowned Miss Universe - Miss Universe 2011 - pictures snaps photos latest film movie


SAO PAULO (AP) — Newly crowned Miss Universe Leila Lopes hopes her victory will allow her to assist her native Angola further escape its history of war and impoverishment and said she plans to focus on combatting HIV around the globe.
Speaking in a timid voice early Tuesday shortly after taking the crown in South America's largest city, the 25-year-old Lopes said that "as Miss Angola I've already done a lot to help my people."
"I've worked with various social causes. I work with poor kids, I work in the fight against HIV. I work to protect the elderly and I have to do everything that my country needs," she said. "I think now as Miss Universe I will be able to do much more."
Responding to questions, Lopes said that she has never had cosmetic surgery of any kind and that her three tips for beauty were to get a lot of sleep, use sun block even when it's not sunny and to drink lots of water. She said her smile was her best weapon in the competition.
Asked about racism in light of the fact that she's one of the few blacks ever crowned Miss Universe, Lopes said that "any racist needs to seek help. It's not normal in the 21st century to think in that way."
Lopes is Angola's first winner. She beat out 88 other competitors to win the title during the 60th anniversary of the world's biggest beauty pageant. She replaces last year's winner, Ximena Navarrete of Mexico.
She deftly handled the interview question that is asked of the remaining top five contestants. She was questioned about what physical trait she would change if she could.
"Thank God I'm very satisfied with the way God created me and I wouldn't change a thing," Lopes said. "I consider myself a woman endowed with inner beauty. I have acquired many wonderful principles from my family and I intend to follow these for the rest of my life."
The first runner-up was 23-year-old Olesia Stefanko of Ukraine and the second runner-up was Priscila Machado of Brazil. The third was Miss Philippines and the fourth Miss China.
Contestants spent the past three weeks in Sao Paulo, trying to learn samba dance steps, visiting impoverished children and kicking a football around for cameras as the Miss Universe pageant came to Brazil for the first time.
Despite battling against a home country favorite, Lopes won over the audience, speaking in the shared language of Portuguese. Angola, like Brazil, is a former Portuguese colony.
"She captivated the crowd and we were all behind her," said Brazilian Natalie Bursztyn, 20, who was in the crowd inside Credicard Hall where the event took place. "It was great that the judges also saw what the fans saw and gave her the crown. Her dress was beautiful and she knew exactly what to say when they asked her the question about her looks."
Another fan in the audience, Carolina Rocha, said Lopes' win was "well deserved, we were cheering for her all along. Her smile and her friendliness was what set her apart from the others. She also answered her question very well, that likely helped her a lot."
U.S. broadcast journalist Connie Chung was one of the celebrity judges, and said before the competition that she was taking the contest seriously.
"I know my job and I'll be tough, but fair," Chung said. "You have to keep in mind that these women are not objects just to be looked at. They're to be taken seriously. I want to choose somebody I take seriously and the world takes seriously, too."
Paula Shugart, president of the Miss Universe organization, was hyped for the night.
"It's our 60th anniversary, it's a very big show," she said. "We're anticipating close to a billion viewers from around the world."
Shugart said it was fitting the globe's biggest beauty pageant be held in Brazil at this time, as the nation prepares to host some major events in the coming years.
"I don't think there is any doubt in the rest of the world's mind that Brazil is the place, between hosting the Olympics and hosting the World Cup," she said. "I love the fact we're going to kick it off. I always say we're the 'World Cup' of beauty."
The contestants must never have been married or had children and must be at least 18 years of age and under 27 years of age by Feb. 1 of the competition year.
The pageant, hosted by NBC "Today" anchor Natalie Morales and the Bravo network's Andy Cohen, was broadcastr live on NBC and distributed to about 170 countries. The contest is co-owned by Donald Trump and NBC, and the celebrity judges included Chung and two prominent Brazilians, supermodel Isabeli Fontana and Indy race car driver Helio Castroneves.
Morales, who is half Brazilian, said that "what's most important is for the women to be beautiful inside and out."
For Cohen, the task of hosting was an easy one.
"It's a fun job. All I have to do is stand there, smile and scream the names of countries," he said.
Sharply dressed women and men jostled for chances to have their photos taken with stars on the red carpet. Some traveled from across the globe to support contestants.
Jehona Dreshaj, 17, arrived from Kosovo to cheer on her sister, Aferdita Dreshaj, who is representing the European country.
"It doesn't really matter the outcome, she is already a winner in our eye and we are so proud of her," she said. "This has been an incredible experience for her and for all of us. It's great for her to be representing our country in an event like this"

There have been no headline-grabbing gaffes going into this year's competition, as opposed to past years that have seen controversies of various stripes. The show itself went off without a hitch.
Some of the contestants have complained to the local news media about the size of bikinis used in some photo shoots, with Miss Mexico Karin Ontiveros saying they were "very small."
That was enough to draw chuckles in Brazil, where women from all walks of life, not just beauty queens, sport barely there swimwear on beaches throughout the country.
Miss USA Alyssa Campanella, from California, failed to end a long losing spell for the U.S. in the competition. An American has not been named Miss Universe since Brook Lee won the title in 1997.
The pageant started as a local bathing suit revue in Long Beach, California, organized by a swimwear company.