Movies

Michelle Obama has defended 'American Sniper'.
The film - which follows the story of Chris Kyle, an American soldier who killed over 160 rebels during his tours of duty in Iraq - has been criticised for glamorising violence and Islamophobia but the United States of America's First Lady has spoken out to defend the film for telling an "emotional and complex" story.
Speaking at a movie industry event in Washington, she said: "While I know there have been critics, I felt that, more often than not, this film touches on many of the emotions and experiences that I've heard firsthand from military families over these past few years.
"We hope our country will welcome back our veterans - not by setting them apart but by fully integrating them into the fabric of our communities."
Meanwhile, the film's writer/producer Jason Hall recently revealed that Bradley Cooper had to eat over 8,000 calories and exercise for four hours a day to prepare for his role as the US Navy SEAL in the film.
He said: "He was eating about every 55 minutes or something like that, and I want to say it was about 8,000 calories a day.
"Bradley used his own trainer, who was busting on him. I think he was working out four hours a day for several months.
"He was determined to do it naturally, he didn't want to use any hormones or steroids or anything. He was just very systematic about it and took his trainer with him wherever he went."

Jonathan Rhys Myers is to star in 'Damascus Cover'.
The 'Mission Impossible III' star will take on the lead role in the espionage thriller, which is based on the 1977 novel by Howard Kaplan.
He said: "I'm enormously excited about this role. This was a hugely significant time in the conflict in the Middle East, post-cold war and with the collapse of the Berlin Wall when an amount of spies were redeployed to the Middle East, where the theatre of covert operations would now take precedence.
"With a highly thoughtful and intelligent script by Daniel Berk and Samantha Newton I'm thrilled to be a part of this project and can't wait to start shooting with a very gifted international cast and crew."
The 37-year-old actor has already joined Olivia Thirlby, Sir John Hurt and others in Morocco, as filming begins in the African country this week.
Speaking about her role, Olivia added: "I'm thrilled to be a part of 'Damascus Cover'.
"It's an honour to collaborate with and work alongside such a diverse and talented group of individuals on a project that looks closely at a fascinating time in history. I am extremely excited to begin the shoot."
The movie's plot follows the story of an undercover spy who is sent to Damascus to help a chemical weapons scientist and his family sneak out of the country. Soon, things turn bad for the man, as he becomes the target of murderous conspirators.
Join in the conversation about the film @DamascusCover #TrustInNoOne.

Sam Taylor-Johnson was forced to remove jellyfish from a sex scene in 'Fifty Shades of Grey'.
The 47-year-old director wanted to use images of the sea-dwelling creatures in a fantasy scene with lead character Anastasia Steele but it was left on the cutting room floor after Universal studios bosses decided it was too odd for audiences.
She explained: "We went to a beautiful aquarium and there were these jellyfish. They're so sexual, jellyfish, when you look at them in tanks - just the way they move, the fluidity. So there was a scene when we go into Anastasia's world and her head, and we just had these jellyfish on the screen. It was beautiful, very impressionistic. Everyone went, 'What the f**k are those jellyfish doing there?'
"After a while the studio realised, 'OK, we've hired a slightly anarchic artist. How are we going to rein her in a bit?'
"I wasn't happy to let them go. I could see they weren't going to work for a wide audience."
'Fifty Shades of Grey' - starring Dakota Johnson as Anastasia and Jamie Dornan as her lover Christian Grey - is based on E.L James' best-selling novel of the same name and is one of the most hotly-anticipated films of 2015.
The book is infamous for its graphic depictions of bondage and extreme sex acts, but Sam has warned fans the film is not going to be as explicit as they might have predicted.
In an interview with The Guardian newspaper, the filmmaker - who is married to actor Aaron Taylor-Johnson - said: "The thing that was most difficult was how and where to pepper the sex, and to not make it feel like it was gratuitous. So it had to be a really strong part of the story, and I had to give characterisation to each sex scene, to make them different.
"I didn't want it to be graphically explicit, and I know that's going to be disappointing to some people. It's the build up and titillation of touch and sensuality. So I don't think it goes into the realm of porn."

'Star Wars: The Force Awakens' will be "worth the wait", according to Disney's CEO Bob Iger.
The movie - which is directed by J.J. Abrams - will be released on December 18th this year, much to the delight of the franchise's fans, who have been waiting for a new film for ten years.
He said: "As one of the few people allowed to visit the set during filming... and one of the fewer who's seen most of the footage... I can assure the millions of 'Star Wars' fans who have spent the last decade hoping for a new movie this one will be worth the wait."
The company's chairman also confirmed that the first instalment of a trilogy of films based on the characters would be released next year.
In the Disney's annual shareholder's report as obtained by GetYourGeekOn, he added: "And it's only the beginning of a new era of exceptional 'Star Wars' storytelling.
"Next year we'll release our first standalone movie based on these characters, followed by 'Star Wars: Episode VIII' in 2017, and we'll finish this trilogy with 'Episode IX' in 2019."
'Star Wars: The Force Awakens' promises a stellar cast including Oscar Isaac, Domhnall Gleeson and Lupita Nyong'o whilst 'Star Wars' veterans, Carrie Fisher, Mark Hamill and Harrison Ford will also make their return.

Rose Byrne will star in 'X-Men: Apocalypse'.
The 35-year-old actress will reprise her role as CIA agent Moira MacTaggert in the latest instalment of the superhero film.
Screenwriter Simon Kinberg revealed: "She's a significant character in the movie.
"We ended First Class with Charles [Xavier] having wiped portions of her memory of her experience with the X-Men. They are, essentially, strangers to her when she meets them.
"It's certainly a rich relationship that we started to dig into in First Class, and would like to mine more in this one."
The movie's fans can also expect "closure" at the end of the film for some of the lead characters.
He said: "This movie is the completion of the first arcs of Charles, Eric, Raven, and Hank, who are essentially our main characters.
"They're such young actors and young characters, so there's a lot more story to tell. But as a first phase of their lives, there is this feeling of closure by the end of the movie."
'X-Men: Apocalypse' will be set in the 1980s, with the decade's music and fashion trends in line to be included in the film.
Simon added to EntertainmentWeekly: "That's the era that I grew up in.
"The music, the fashion, the video games: We really want to integrate all of that in the movie, and have it infuse the movie with a different vibe."
Jennifer Lawrence, Channing Tatum, Michael Fassbender, Nicholas Hoult and James McAvoy have been confirmed for the latest instalment.

Jamie Dornan found it "hard" watching '50 Shades of Grey' for the first time.
The 32-year-old actor - who has a 14-month-old daughter, Dulcie, with his musician wife Amelia Warner - struggled to enjoy the movie, which is based of E.L James' erotic novel of the same name, as he found himself "picking apart" both his performance and the picture.
He explained: "I mean, there's so much going on for the first time, picking apart not only your performance but the film itself.
"It's hard to watch it for the first time and enjoy it for what it is."
'The Fall' star - who plays lead character, kinky businessman Christian Grey in the film, opposite Dakota Johnson - added he is in no rush to see the movie again and will be jetting off with his wife and baby daughter when it premieres this Valentine's Day (14.02.15).
When asked how he and Amelia are going to celebrate, he told The Sunday Times newspaper's Culture magazine: 'We don't usually make a big meal out of Valentine's Day, my wife and I. We won't be going to see the film."

Jamie Foxx will star in 'Sleepless Night'. The 'Django Unchained' star has reportedly taken on the lead role in the crime thriller alongside 'Source Code' actress Michelle Monaghan, with Swiss director Baran bo Odar helming the movie. The picture is...

Chris Hemsworth wants to help Elsa Pataky to become a famous actress in her own right.
The 'Thor' star reportedly feels bad that his Spanish wife has put her career on hold since she gave birth to their daughter India Rose, two, and 10-month-old twin sons Tristan and Sasha.
A source said: "Elsa put aside acting to have their three kids, but she's ready to step back into the limelight and Chris wants to help her.
"Chris feels bad that her career has taken a backseat to his."
The Australian heartthrob is hoping to convince producers to give the blonde beauty parts in the next two 'Avengers' films because he thinks she is a brilliant actress.
The insider told America's OK! magazine: "This time he's calling the shots, and it wouldn't surprise anyone if he includes as a condition that they find a role for Elsa.
"He doesn't care if it smells of nepotism because he genuinely believes that she's a far superior actor."
While Elsa is eager to land more parts, the couple recently left Hollywood and moved to Byron Bay in Australia to raise their children away from the spotlight.

Jamie Dornan says playing Christian Grey in 'Fifty Shades of Grey' was a massive challenge.
The 32-year-old actor admits he struggled to like anything about his character in the upcoming erotic film.
He said: "Christian was a massive challenge. I've played a couple of sick, sick dudes, serial killers... and characters who don't treat women they way society deems appropriate. But it's just TV, movies, it's not real. I've always had a deep respect for women. I have two sisters. My father spent his career as an obstetrician-gynecologist caring for women... But you have to find something likable in every character you play. I like how driven Christian is. [Still], I don't think I would like him if he was a real dude and we met."
Jamie says his first day on the set of the thriller was surreal.
He explained: "The first day was kind of an out of body experience. I got there and they said, 'Action!' I'm like, 'What the f**k is happening? I'm a dad. What?' "
But he quickly formed a close bond with his co-star Dakota Johnson because he felt "protective" of some of the situations they got into.
He told Britain's Glamour magazine: "I've never had an on-screen relationship as intense with another actress. We respect and trust each other.
"Some of the Red Room stuff was uncomfortable. There were times when Dakota was not wearing much, and I had to do stuff to her that I'd never choose to do to a woman. I felt very protective and aware that it probably wasn't easy for her to be put in those situations, and exposed."