LEONARDO DiCAPRIO

SEIRING dengan usianya yang semakin dewasa dan matang, aktor pujaan Hollywood, Leonardo DiCaprio kini semakin bijak merencana seninya dalam memantapkan kedudukannya sebagai aktor yang disegani di Hollywood.

Bukan dari segi pemilihan watak dan filem lakonannya sahaja, malah, Leonardo menerusi syarikatnya, Appian Way juga kini sedang sibuk mencari skrip yang berkualiti untuk diterbitkan.

Terbaru yang didengari, Appian Way dengan kerjasama studio filem terkemuka, Warner Bros, kini dalam usaha untuk mendapatkan hak penerbitan semula siri televisyen terkenal, The Twillight Zone untuk diterbitkan dalam versi filem.

Menurut The Hollywood Reporter, baik Leonardo mahupun pihak Warner Bros. tidak mahu menghebohkan perkara ini kerana mahu memastikan semuanya berjalan lancar sebelum mengumumkan kepada pihak media.

Versi filem ini tidak akan mengambil setiap episod yang pernah ditampilkan tetapi akan mengambil jalan cerita yang baru tetapi masih lagi berlandaskan konsep The Twillight Zone yang terkenal dengan kisah misteri dan seram itu.

Berkemungkinan besar, karya Rod Serling yang pernah menampilkan beberapa kisah seram dan pelik seperti To Serve Man dan Eye of the Beholder mungkin menjadi pilihan penerbit filem ini.

Sama ada Leonardo akan beraksi dalam filem ini masih lagi belum diputuskan walaupun beliau merupakan peminat setia siri televisyen itu.

Dari segi kerjaya lakonannya pula, tahun ini, Leonardo akan muncul dalam dua buah filem iaitu Body of Lies yang menggandingkannya bersama pemenang Oscar, Russell Crowe manakala filem Revolutionary Road pula menemukan kembali dengan pasangannya dalam filem Titanic iaitu Kate Winslet.

Utusan Malaysia

THE Actors Studio Bangsar presents Classical Twist, a classical music extravaganza featuring three of the finest exponents of the genre in Malaysia. They are acclaimed violinist Joanne Yeoh, pianist Dr Lim Pei Sien and cellist Dr Chong Yew Yoong.

The trio will perform, among others, Piano Trio In C Major KV548 by Mozart, Reverie by Claude Debussy, Trio by Charles Ives and La Muerte Del Angel by Astor Piazzolla.

Chong, who studied in the United States and Hong Kong as well as Canada and Italy, was principal cellist in the Venice Symphony, Hong Kong Symphonia, Meridian Symphony, Southern Illinois Symphony and Penang Symphony Orchestra.

Apart from being the music director for orchestras such as the Winter Haven, Lake Region, Winter Lake and Polk Orchestras in the United States and the Lam Woo Orchestra in Hong Kong, he has been featured in an American television programme Pianist At Work and collaborated with pop stars such as the late Lydia Shum Tin Har and Anita Mui Yin Fong of Hong Kong.

He also worked with classical artistes Yo Yo Ma, Orlando Cole, Stephen Hough and the Brodsky Quartet.
Chong is also a lecturer with the music faculty of University of Malaya.

Lim is a graduate of West Virginia University (WVU) in the United States, with a doctorate in Musical Arts. Her achievements include winning Pittsburg Concert Society’s 2002 Major Audition and WVU Young Artiste Competitions in 1998 and 2000. She is also the Outstanding Music Student of the WVU Music Alumni Association.

From 2001 to 2004, she served as an accompanist at American Institute of Musical Studies in Graz, Austria and Interlochen Arts Camp in Michigan, the United States. She is a lecturer at University College Sedaya International in Kuala Lumpur.

Yeoh obtained a First Class honours in music from Middlesex University, Britain in 1998. She was awarded a Luther And Ernest Gaunt Scholarship For Strings to study at University of Leeds.

During her studies, she also had a Foreign And Commonwealth Scholarship, in association with the British Council and University of Leeds.

While in Britain, Yeoh participated in various musical events, including the Aberswyth Music Festival in Wales and the Edinburgh Summer Festival and Aberdeen Music Festival in Scotland.

She was awarded the Outstanding Malaysian Award in 2004 and more recently Martell’s Rising Personality Award 2008.

In 2000, she participated in the prestigious Asian Youth Orchestra, travelling to Vietnam, Japan, Australia, South Korea and Hong Kong.

Two years later, she performed with Hong Kong pop king Jacky Cheung in his Music Odyssey Tour covering Malaysia, Hong Kong, Singapore, Japan, China, Taiwan, Brunei, the United States, Britain and Canada.

In 2003, she performed with Taiwanese singer David Tao in his Soul Power Tour. She launched her album Pulse Of The Metropolis in 2005.

Yeoh lectures at the music department of Universiti Putra Malaysia in Serdang and also sits in the panel of examiners for Trinity Guildhall London.

Venue: The Actors Studio in Bangsar Shopping Centre, Jalan Maarof, Kuala Lumpur. Time: 8.30pm on Aug 7. Tickets: RM78, RM68 and RM48. Call 03-2094-0400 or 012-365-8223.

New Straits Times

SINGAPORE : A decade ago, with not that much money, Jack Neo went from a TV funny man who dressed up as an old lady, to create Singapore’s top grossing local film, “Money No Enough”.

As other film successes followed, the Cultural Medallion award winner is a film-maker who may just strike it rich again with the sequel “Money No Enough 2″ despite little change to his movie making formula.

The winning formula is due in part to his two long time buddies, Mark Lee and Henry Thia, who along with Neo play the role of brothers facing different financial struggles in contemporary Singapore.

Meeting the funny men, it seemed clear that it couldn’t have been too difficult for the three, who seem like brothers in real life, to get into character!

As they teased and took digs at each other, I couldn’t help but feel at times that I was just a mere spectator at a larger than life family gathering.

Getting serious, Neo revealed that their latest project together was upsized with a S$1.5 million budget, his largest movie budget ever.

This allowed Neo to experiment more freely with special effects in the movie but rest assured that what drew the crowds, the ordinary Singaporean’s heart and struggles, remains core in the movie.

While there will be a good dose of laughter, just like life, there will also be some tears although it is totally unintentional says the film-maker/actor.

“Actually, I have never especially tried to make people cry,” said Neo, “Whenever I film a movie, I always use my heart to understand what’s going on. In real life, there are a lot of these (moving) issues (that are explored in the movie).”

What is different in “Money No Enough 2″ besides a bigger budget, is Neo’s commitment to making new grounds once again.

For starters, the movie touches on several sensitive topics but survives the censorship board unscathed.

In terms of stars, look out for a guest appearance by Member of Parliament, Michael Palmer, TV actress Vivian Lai and half of the singing Ming Zhu Sisters, Zhu Ling Ling, all starring in their first big screen roles.

It’s a gutsy move by Neo, who is feeling the pressure of having to live up to the previous instalment’s performance at the box-offices.

“Of course (there’s stress),” said Neo almost immediately when the question of stress popped up.

“When the first instalment was released, people weren’t prepared for the socio-commentary that was being thrown their way. So whatever was shown, they would’ve been happy.

“But now, with the second instalment, people start having expectations. The biggest challenge would be for people to go in with an open mind” offered Neo.

Trying to lighten the stress, Lee showed his mathematical acumen by adding that the inevitable stress also comes from trying to match dollar to dollar, the previous S$5.8 million performance.

“Let’s analyse it this way, if the box office sales this time round are also S$5.8 million, it would mean that fewer people are coming to watch the movie. In the past, movie tickets cost S$5.50 or S$6.50. Tickets nowadays cost S$9.50, S$10!”

Although scheduled for release on July 31, there’s already been a huge volume of pre-sales, meaning Neo and the cast of “Money No Enough 2″ are well on their way to breaking their own record… without too much stress.

- CNA/os

Channel News Asia

ON Saturday, I attended my seventh Hari Pengguna Malaysia (Consumers Day), an event celebrated by the Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry since 2001. Since my involvement with the consumer movement in 1982, I have never missed this event as it indicates the government’s recognition and commitment to consumer issues in Malaysia.

All too often this event has been stiff and formal, with the minister’s speech as the highlight of the event. I would like to say that of all the previous events I had attended, this year was the most meaningful and memorable for me as the ministry finally gave its due recognition to the contribution of the consumer movement in Malaysia.

For the first time, the highlight was not the ministers’ speech but the sharing of experiences by a consumer activist, Gurmit Singh, the Consumer Association of Penang and a school in Johor, which had undertaken substantial projects in the area of consumerism in the school.

In fact in his speech, the minister concerned, Datuk Shahrir Abdul Samad, humbly acknowledged that consumer leaders on the ground were the real experts and it was most appropriate that they should share their experiences for all of us to learn and get involved in the consumer process.

He had even suggested that this day should be more informal and participatory rather than formal and stiff.

New Straits Times

Oleh TENGKU SUZANA RAJA HAMAT

PRIMADONA filem Melayu moden, Erra Fazira juga akan menjadi tetamu penting di FFM21. Selain itu, Umie Aida, Fazura juga akan muncul dengan gaya yang mempersonakan. Sean Ghazi akan memunculkan suara emasnya di pentas persembahan acara kemuncak.

Untuk malam anugerah kemuncak Festival Filem Malaysia ke-21 (FFM21) yang bakal berlangsung pada 9 Ogos nanti, sudah pasti tidak seorangpun yang mahukan sebarang kesilapan, kecacatan mahupun salah perhitungan yang tidak disengajakan.

Pendirian pihak penganjur, Perbadanan Kemajuan Filem Negara (Finas) mahupun penyiar rasmi, Astro yang bertindak sebagai saluran rasmi agar FFM21 ini menjadi satu titik yang bersinar adalah tanda dunia perfileman Malaysia sudah berada diprestij yang utuh, yang tidak menjunam jika dijentik seribu tohmahan.

Pada penganjuran, khususnya malam kemuncak pada FFM20 dan 19 yang sejak dua tahun sudah dikendalikan Astro sebagai penyiar, banyak yang cuba dan telah dilakukan untuk memanggil khalayak ramai sebagai penonton.

REKAAN pentas yang cukup kreatif menjadi salah satu tarikan utama kepada tetamu yang hadir memeriahkan acara.

Dan pada pukul 8.30 malam, 9 Ogos nanti, sekali lagi sokongan seluruh khalayak yang mengaku mereka sebagai pencinta filem diseru agar tidak melepaskan peluang sekali setahun ini.

“Jika dua tahun ada kesilapan atau perkara yang tidak memuaskan hati banyak pihak tentang malam anugerah FFM, untuk kali ini, kita harap segalanya boleh diatasi,” ujar Presiden Gafim, Datuk Mustapha Maarof yang bertindak sebagai Pengerusi Bersama Jawatankuasa Induk FFM21.

Tidak mahu malam anugerah sekadar meraikan para karyawan dan filem terbaik dengan pengagihan trofi semata-mata, FFM21 ada agenda supaya malam kemuncak yang bersiaran langsung dari Pusat Konvensyen Antarabangsa Putrajaya (PICC) disemadikan sebagai acara penuh prestij dalam sejarah penganjuran FFM yang sudah bermula sejak tahun 1980.

KHAIRUL MIZAN SHAGUL.

“Bukan sahaja menjanjikan satu produksi yang menarik, berbanding tahun lepas, tahun ini ada kelainan yang cuba kami lakukan.

“Yang paling ketara, acara penyampaian anugerah bagi para pemenang tahun ini akan disampaikan oleh barisan pemenang anugerah FFM terdahulu.

“Sebagai contoh, Azean Irdawaty yang pernah diangkat sebagai Aktres Terbaik pada FFM yang pertama akan dijemput sebagai penyampai bagi anugerah Pelakon Wanita Terbaik tahun ini,” beritahu Pengurus Saluran Astro Ria, Khairul Mizan Shagul pada majlis sidang media FFM21, baru-baru ini.

Antara barisan penyampai anugerah yang dijangka memeriahkan malam kemuncak FFM21 adalah, Umie Aida, Erra Fazira, Eman Manan, Rusdi Ramli, Vanida Imran, Zamarul Hisham, Fazura, Aziz M. Osman, Shuhaimi Baba, Daruk Rahim Razali, Datuk Yusuf Haslam, Datuk Jins Shamsuddin, Saiful Apek, Erma Fatima, Badaruddin Azmi serta ramai lagi.

Tidak sekadar diserikan oleh muka-muka terbaik yang pernah menjulang trofi FFM, elemen persembahan yang menjadi pemanas bahkan dilihat sebagai kemuncak juga dititik-beratkan.

Selain 23 anugerah bagi kategori yang dipertandingkan mencakupi filem cereka, animasi, iklan, pendek dan digital, malam kemuncak FFM21 juga akan memberi penghormatan dengan penyampaian anugerah khas juri.

Turut disampaikan empat lagi anugerah khas iaitu Anugerah Box-office, Anugerah Belakang Tabir, Anugerah Veteran Wanita dan Anugerah Veteran Lelaki.

Masih juga seperti tahun-tahun sebelum ini, hiburan malam kemuncak tidak kosong tetapi diisi lagu-lagu yang pernah menjadi ‘penyedap santapan telinga’ menerusi filem-filem yang pernah kita semua saksikan sejak tahun 60-an hinggalah ke hari ini.

Menggunakan khidmat Shah Slam sebagai Pengarah Muzik, pastinya dendangan Datuk Siti Nurhaliza, Dina, Afdlin Shauki, Zaf & Lah VE, Sean Ghazi, Liza Hanim, Musly Ramlee, Atilia, Ben, Misha Omar, Erra Fazira serta bintang-bintang kelahiran AF seperti Stacy, Bob, Yazer, Zahid, Riz dan Ben pada malam kemuncak nanti sudah cukup untuk menjanjikan satu bentuk persembahan bervariasi dan penuh tenaga untuk membakar semangat FFM21 ini.

BARISAN jawatankuasa yang bertungkus lumus mahu memastikan FFM21 berlangsung tanpa sebarang kontroversi yang boleh menjejaskan nama mana-mana pihak.

Tidak meletakkan sebarang tema khusus untuk busana para bintang dan karyawan yang bakal melintas di karpet merah, tetapi sudah lumrah acara anugerah sebegini, para karyawan yang hadir pastinya sudah bersedia dengan tuksedo atau gaun malam yang ditempah khas.

Tetapi alangkah manisnya, jika setiap butir bintang mahupun karyawan yang dijemput ini hadir dalam wajah santun orang berbudaya bangsa kerana namapun ini festival filem Malaysia.

Secara keseluruhannya, acara malam anugerah FFM21 yang akan disiarkan secara langsung bermula pukul 8.30 malam hingga 12.30 tengah malam, di saluran Astro Ria, 9 Ogos nanti akan dibahagikan kepada tiga segmen, Karpet Merah (8.30 malam – 9 malam), Malam Anugerah FFM21 (9 – 11.30 malam) dan Pasca FFM21 (11.30 malam hingga 12.30 tengah malam).

Kosmo