“Raunchy 'Bruno' movie banned in Malaysia - New Straits Times” plus 3 more

Raunchy 'Bruno' movie banned in Malaysia - New Straits Times
John Travolta employee testifies at Bahamas trial - Jackson Sun
Film Review: Barrymore and Page team up in 'Whip It' - U-Wire.com
Kristen Bell Fear Of Foreign Food - Post Chronicle

Raunchy 'Bruno' movie banned in Malaysia - New Straits Times

Posted: 29 Sep 2009 09:29 AM PDT

2009/09/29

PUTRAJAYA: The National Film Censorship Board has banned British comedian Sacha Baron Cohen's raunchy comedy "Bruno" produced by Universal Picture Productions because it was oppressive to the cultural values of Malaysia.

According to a statement from the Home Ministry, the film which stars Cohen as an Austrian homosexual, contained sexually explicit scenes, vulgar language and nudity.

"The movie has also clearly infringed the sensitivity and believe of Christians by belittling the religion," said the statement.

The statement added that the local distributors of the movie, Golden Screen Cinemas, were informed of the decision and reasons for the ban, through a letter dated August 6. - Bernama

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John Travolta employee testifies at Bahamas trial - Jackson Sun

Posted: 29 Sep 2009 11:09 AM PDT

NASSAU, Bahamas A paramedic who treated John Travoltas son in the Bahamas threatened to go to the media with private information unless the movie star paid $25 million, an employee of the actor testified Monday.

Ronald Zupancic, a security specialist for Travolta, said he was the one who told his boss of the alleged demand in the days following his autistic sons death in January.

He said ambulance driver Tarino Lightbourne contacted Travoltas attorneys through a lawyer, former Bahamas Sen. Pleasant Bridgewater, who is also facing extortion charges.

He had a document that he contended was incriminating to Travolta, Zupancic told the jury.

The document, which Travolta signed, would have cleared the ambulance driver of liability if the family refused to send 16-year-old Jett Travolta to the hospital. The actor testified last week that he initially wanted his son flown to Florida for treatment after a seizure on Jan. 2 that resulted in Jetts death.

But Jett was treated in the Bahamas, and it is unclear why the defendants allegedly believed Travolta would pay to keep the document private.

The trial began Sept. 21 and is expected to last several weeks. Travolta is expected to give further testimony later in the trial.

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Film Review: Barrymore and Page team up in 'Whip It' - U-Wire.com

Posted: 29 Sep 2009 11:23 AM PDT

A bouncy, female-centric portrait of a misfit teenager finding her place in the world, "Whip It" isn't the most original movie you'll see this year. But first-time director Drew Barrymore illustrates an edict which vastly more experienced filmmakers would be wise to follow: If you surround yourself with a stellar cast and invest the proceedings with heart and energy, you'll earn the audience's attention.

Ellen Page, in yet another variation of her "Juno" persona, plays Bliss Cavendar, a hipper-than-thou teen living in a dead-end Texas town. When her prim-and-proper mother (Marcia Gay Harden) takes her to Austin for a shopping trip, Bliss learns about a world that she knew nothing about previously: Roller derby.

A few days later, she sneaks back to Austin with her best friend (Alia Shawkat) and attends a match. The women she meets there -- tomboyish and independent-minded just like herself -- are an inspiration. Before long, she earns a place on "The Hurl Scouts" and is sneaking off regularly for practice and matches.

Based on a young adult novel called "Roller Girl" by University of Texas grad Shauna Cross, "Whip It" plugs into an intriguing, real-life milieu: The roller derby leagues that sprang up in Austin in the early 2000s, and inspired a derby renaissance across the country.

The most interesting aspects of the script (also by Cross) focus on the women who populate this oddball sport. We meet a single mother who goes by the stage name Maggie Mayhem (Kristen Wiig); after elbowing, bumping, grinding and skating on the rink, she rushes home to care for her son. Barrymore plays a delightful klutz named Smashlee Simpson.

Most compelling of all is Juliette Lewis as Iron Maven, Bliss' chief rival, a woman in her late 30s who has struggled for years to find something she was good at -- and who now fiercely resists sharing her spotlight with anyone.

Less successful are the exchanges between Bliss and her mother, and the all-too-predictable central plot device: Will Bliss be able to keep her derby life secret from her parents, or will everything be exposed on the night of the teen beauty pageant in which her mother has begged her to compete? Take nothing away from Harden and Page, who invest these scenes with conviction.

Harden, especially, deserves props for transforming a paper-thin conceit into a flesh-and-blood character. But there's no escaping the fact that we've seen this same conflict played out hundreds of times before.

Fortunately, the saving graces here are many: Barrymore films the roller derby scenes with evident joy. She also does a surprisingly savvy job bringing to life the weird-and-proud-of-it vibe of Austin -- all the more impressive considering that most of the film was shot in Michigan.

And everywhere you turn, there's another sly, completely unexpected supporting performance. Watch out for Andrew Wilson (Luke and Owen's older brother), who plays The Hurl Scouts' coach. Wilson never once condescends to his character's zeal -- this may be one of the most affectionate portraits of coaching ever seen.

Just as arresting is Shawkat ("Arrested Development") as Bliss' best friend, an unshowy part that this fine young actress plays with understated grace and charm. If nothing else, Barrymore is a superb director of actors -- and "Whip It" is finally so confident and sincere that it leaves you eager to see what this budding auteur will do next.

Kristen Bell Fear Of Foreign Food - Post Chronicle

Posted: 28 Sep 2009 07:50 AM PDT

Kristen Bell takes snacks with her when she travels abroad – because she is afraid of eating foreign food.

The American actress shot scenes for new movie 'Couples Retreat' in Bora Bora, a French Polynesia island, and was so nervous about trying the local cuisine she packed her own provisions.

She said: "I do travel with a lot of snacks. I was concerned about the food in Bora Bora, and so I packed a lot. I like knowing what I'm eating. I don't like mystery dishes."

Among the items she took were granola bars and butterscotch-flavoured desserts.

She laughed: "I knew that all I needed was water and a mini-fridge, both of which I had in Bora Bora – in my contract. I made little dishes of pudding, and we had them for dessert."

The 29-year-old actress was happy to share her treats with co-stars Vince Vaughn, Jason Bateman, Jon Favreau, Kristin Davis and Malin Akerman, but soon realised she had been a little too generous with her snacks.

She explained to People magazine: "By the end, I had cleared my fridge out and I was literally bribing Jason's wife Amanda to give me their daughter Franny's Cheerios."

The movie is about four couples who go on vacation and end up taking part in therapy sessions. (c) BANG