Kamis, 19 Desember 2019

Chinese Censors, Audiences Unfazed by ‘Rise of Skywalker’ Gay Moment - Variety

The first gay kiss of the “Star Wars” film franchise has surprisingly survived China’s censors and made it to the big screens across the country. Audiences were unfazed as well – or, in some cases, puzzled.

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker” enjoyed a night of previews in China on Dec. 18, ahead of its day-and-date outing with the North American release on Dec. 20. Director J.J. Abrams had earlier hinted at LGBTQ representation in the latest installment of the franchise, which turned out to be a brief kiss between two female characters.

Those who attended the movie’s preview earlier in China were surprised to see the gay kiss left untouched by the censors. Though homosexuality is no longer a crime in China and no longer classified as a mental illness, censors continue to be strict – but also inconsistent – regarding gay depictions on screen.

Critically acclaimed gay-themed movies such as “Brokeback Mountain” and “Call Me by Your Name” were not given releases in China. Censors demanded more than 10 minutes of cuts from the Oscar-winning “Bohemian Rhapsody,” and allowed the release of the shortened version.

Some in China who watched “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker” welcomed the scene, saying that although it might not be a significant moment of the film’s narrative, it was still a victory for LGBTQ representation.

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Others, however, found the gay kiss “baffling,” not for its LGBTQ context but for its place in the story. “Seriously, it was perplexing. The two characters are not lovers. Or their relationship is more noble than that of lovers,” wrote one user on a Baidu discussion forum.

Another user in a discussion forum on Hupu.com wrote: “As an old ‘Star Wars’ fan, just finish this and get it over with. Don’t overthink this. Simply enjoy everything except the embarrassing kiss.”

The surprise moment aside, “The Rise of Skywalker” received a moderate response from Chinese audiences ahead of the full opening on Friday. Users on the popular movie website Mtime gave it an average rating of 7.5 out of 10. Douban, another popular movie website, recorded an average rating of 6.9.

One user with the handle Roger4 gave the movie a rating of 6.4 on Mtime and wrote: “They might as well stop making ‘Star Wars’ movies altogether.”

On movie website Douban, another questioned if this installment of “Star Wars” was a “space version of Harry Potter.”

Despite its long history and deep cultural influence in the West, the original “The Star Wars” films were not shown in China at the time of their release. That has limited the franchise’s fan base in China.

“The Rise of Skywalker” had taken more than RMB21.7 million ($3.1 million) at the Chinese box office by 6 p.m. local time Thursday, according to ticketing agency Maoyan. That is a combination of Wednesday’ previews and sales for Thursday’s midnight screenings.

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2019-12-19 11:00:00Z
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Tekashi 6ix9ine's Victim Happy He's Not Home for Xmas, Wants Him Bankrupt - TMZ

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2019-12-19 09:00:00Z
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'Survivor' contestant finally able to open up about sexual misconduct - Yahoo Celebrity

During Wednesday’s Survivor: Reunion Special, contestant Kellee Kim was given an opportunity to voice her feelings concerning how CBS and the shows producers handled her claims of being inappropriately touched by another contestant.

Earlier in the season, Kim spoke out about being repeatedly touched by Dan Spilo, despite her requests to stop. At the time, producers spoke with Spilo and told him to stop touching Kim and all the other women on the show. He, however, was allowed to stay on the show and compete, much to Kim’s disbelief.

Kim told executive producer Jeff Probst, “I think one of the things that has been the hardest thing was the fact that Dan remained in the game even after I spoke up.” Kim explained, “When someone goes through something like this or anything remotely like it, to not be supported and not be believed is really the hardest thing.”

Probst admitted the incident was not handled properly. He told Kim, “You were right to step forward, despite a lot of risk, and to speak your truth, and I want to acknowledge and apologize for your pain.”

Soon after voicing her concern to producers, Kim was eliminated from the competition. Two weeks later, Spilo was kicked off the show after more allegations of inappropriate behavior were reported by one of the show's producers.

While upset with the handling of the situation, Kim was glad it opened up dialogue for change. “I think the most important thing, when I think about this situation and what happened, is that I hope that this season of Survivor isn't just defined by inappropriate touching sexual harassment,” said Kim. “I hope that it's defined by change, you know?”  

In the end, Kim hopes this incident, and how it was handled, helps create change in other industries and institutions. “Ultimately my biggest hope is that each one of us, each individual, each institution, each organization, and especially CBS and survivor can take this, learn from it, and do better,” said Kim. “You know, I fundamentally believe that we can do better.”

For more on Survivor visit the show’s page at CBS.com.

See why Charlize Theron credits women at Fox News for launching #MeToo movement:

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2019-12-19 09:06:00Z
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George Lucas Camps Out & Reacts to Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker - Deepfake Saga - Collider Videos

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2019-12-19 07:24:40Z
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Rabu, 18 Desember 2019

'Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker' reviews pan 'soulless,' 'convoluted' final installment - Fox News

Days away from J.J. Abrams’ “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker's” release on Dec. 20, critics are sounding off on what they’re calling a “soulless” and “convoluted” film.

The movie seeks to put a bookend to the “Skywalker Saga" that began with Geroge Lucas’ 1977 film “Star Wars: A New Hope” and was given new life with Abrams’ 2015 film “Star Wars: The Force Awakens.” However, many critics were quick to note that the latest film’s responsibility to both conclude the epic saga and pay homage to what came before it left it bogged down with a clunky plot that felt detached from the other movies.

“Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker is the most convoluted of all the 'Star Wars' movies," wrote Uproxx’s Mike Ryan. "It feels like three full movies worth of plot crammed into one film. The stories in the other 'Star Wars' movies, even the Prequels, have a way of bringing a viewer into that world. 'Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker' never lets us in.”

DAISY RIDLEY REVEALS WHAT SHE SWIPED FROM THE 'STAR WARS' SET AFTER FILMING

IGN writer Jim Vejvoda echoed those sentiments, writing: “‘The Rise of Skywalker’ labors incredibly hard to check all the boxes and fulfill its narrative obligations to the preceding entries, so much so that you can practically hear the gears of the creative machinery groaning under the strain like the Millennium Falcon trying to make the jump to hyperspace. It ultimately makes the film a clunky and convoluted conclusion to this beloved saga, entertaining and endearing as it may be.”

'Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker' was panned by many critics as an unsatisfying, bloated end to the story.

'Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker' was panned by many critics as an unsatisfying, bloated end to the story. (Jonathan Olley/Disney-Lucasfilm Ltd. via AP)

The film was co-written and directed by Abrams after he gave the franchise over to Rain Johnson for the critically maligned “Star Wars: The Last Jedi” installment in 2017. Some early reviewers noted that the mind behind popular franchise revivals such as “Star Trek” and “Mission Impossible” may be out of steam creatively when it comes to concluding one of these revivals.

“There’s always been a secret cynicism underpinning Abrams’ ‘Star’ blockbusters, which adrenalize the pop-est culture of his youth and avoid anything requiring originality or imagination. Now he’s left grasping for source material he hasn’t already replicated,” wrote Entertainment Weekly’s Darren Franich.

'It’s a somewhat soulless delivery system of catharsis, but Disney and Abrams are banking on the delivery itself to be enough.'

— Alonso Duralde for TheWrap

Meanwhile, TheWrap’s Alonso Duralde jabbed the director for giving audiences the “slick” and “shiny” film they expect from the “Star Wars” franchise without any of the real substance that made previous installments so popular.

'STAR WARS: THE RISE OF SKYWALKER' WON'T FEATURE BABY YODA, ACCORDING TO J.J. ABRAMS

“Abrams is too savvy a studio player for those kinds of shenanigans. But his slick delivery of a sterling, shiny example of what Martin Scorsese would call ‘not cinema’ feels momentarily satisfying but ultimately unfulfilling. It’s a somewhat soulless delivery system of catharsis, but Disney and Abrams are banking on the delivery itself to be enough.”

This image released by Disney/Lucasfilm shows, from left, Joonas Suotamo as Chewbacca, Oscar Isaac as Poe Dameron, Daisy Ridley as Rey and John Boyega as Finn in a scene from "Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker."

This image released by Disney/Lucasfilm shows, from left, Joonas Suotamo as Chewbacca, Oscar Isaac as Poe Dameron, Daisy Ridley as Rey and John Boyega as Finn in a scene from "Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker." (Disney/Lucasfilm Ltd. via AP)

In the end it’s possible that the fans will judge “The Rise of Skywalker” not as a standalone installment to the beloved franchise, but as the closing chapter to a story that many thought they'd never see more of after the 1983 release of “Return fo the Jedi.” Unfortunately, critics are split on whether or not the film earns its final concluding moments or if it simply manufactured them out of necessity for nostalgia.

“‘The Rise of Skywalker’ gives people what they go to ‘Star Wars’ for, but that’s all it does—and worse, all it sets out to do,” wrote Slate’s Sam Adams. “It’s frenzied, briefly infuriating, and eventually, grudgingly, satisfying, but it’s like being force-fed fandom: Your belly is filled, but there’s no pleasure in the meal.”

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With the critical reaction to the final installment in the “Skywalker Saga” mixed at best, it will be up to the ever-important fandom to determine whether “Episode IX” earns a place in film history alongside its fellow “Star Wars” films following its full release.

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2019-12-18 13:01:40Z
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Prince William and Kate Middleton Are a 'Great Double Act' as They Prepare for the Throne - Yahoo Entertainment

Kate Middleton and Prince William stole the spotlight at Queen Elizabeth‘s Buckingham Palace last week, making it clear that they are ready for the next step on their royal journey.

Entering the glittering palace ballroom behind the monarch and Prince Charles and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, Kate and William mingled expertly with partygoers at the Dec. 11 reception for diplomats.

“They combine grace and regal presence with a lovely human touch,” a guest who attended the annual bash tells PEOPLE in this week’s cover story. “They are gracious and natural and yet able to really connect.”

The future King and Queen, who have been married for eight years, are honing their expertise as they go.

RELATED: Are Prince George and Princess Charlotte Making Their Royal Christmas Walk Debut This Year? 

“They are being prepared every day,” says royal biographer Ingrid Seward. “There was no school for princesses when Princess Diana was around, and there is no school today for monarchs. They learn by observing and by experience.”

Their teamwork was also on display during the couple’s triumphant tour of Pakistan in October.

“They are a great double act,” says a senior royal source. “People make much of William giving the big speeches, but Kate is there too, asking questions of presidents and their wives. These things are easier when they are side by side.”

For more on how Prince William and Princess Kate are making new strides in their royal work, pick up a copy of PEOPLE on newsstands on Friday.

Increasing travel and work commitments bring added pressures on their own family, especially as older children Prince George, 6, and Princess Charlotte, 4, are more aware of their parents’ away time. (Little Louis is 19 months.) And occasionally, something’s got to give. Kate recently had to cancel an appearance with William at an evening event for the Tusk Conservation Awards because of a childcare issue. A source close to the royal household says, “That is good for other mothers out there.”

Kate Middleton | Victoria Jones/PA Wire
Prince William | Victoria Jones/PA Wire

Next week, the family of five will spend Christmas with the Queen at her Sandringham estate in Norfolk. While Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have opted to spend the holiday apart from the royal family, William and Kate will take their place alongside the Queen for their annual church walk — with George and Charlotte possibly making their Christmas Day debut as well.

They are also preparing for a busy year ahead. The couple are expected to go abroad on at least two overseas visits and continue with their efforts at home in the U.K. promoting mental health initiatives and supporting families with young children.

RELATED: Kate Middleton Says Prince William Used to Make This Dish in College to ‘Impress Me’ 

Tim Rooke/Shutterstock

Can’t get enough of PEOPLE‘s Royals coverage? Sign up for our free Royals newsletter to get the latest updates on Kate Middleton, Meghan Markle and more!

As they near 40, both royals are also keenly aware of the passage of time — and how much closer it brings them to the throne.

“The monarchy is approaching a very challenging period of change,” says royal historian Robert Lacey. “Charles is going to have his work cut out coping with the transitions. It’s good to have that reassurance in the new generation that there is someone stepping up to the plate.”

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2019-12-18 13:00:00Z
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Review: An Exciting But Effortful 'Rise Of Skywalker - NPR

Chewbacca (Joonas Suotamo), Poe (Oscar Isaac), Rey (Daisy Ridley) and Finn (John Boyega) take on the Empire one last time in Star Wars:The Rise of Skywalker. Lucasfilms hide caption

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The thing about the act of plate-spinning is: It's not about the plates. Not really.

We sit there in the audience, watching those various dishes spin atop their dowels; while it's aesthetically pleasing, in the abstract, to see so many pieces of Wedgwood china twirling away contentedly, what matters — the compelling drama of the whole affair — comes not from watching them, but from watching the poor schmuck running back and forth behind them. If we happen to notice one plate starting to wobble, after all, the first thing we do is look away from it, to see if the plate-spinner sees it, too.

We want them to succeed. The whole cheesy novelty act is predicated on this. The sheer skill it takes to keep the plates from falling — the eye, the timing, the light touch — that's what we're drawn to, really. The work of the thing.

J.J. Abrams is spinning a great many plates in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, the final chapter in the third and final trilogy of what we are now apparently supposed to call "The Skywalker Saga." He's not simply called upon to end the trilogy he began in 2015, with The Force Awakens, but the whole space-operatic, science-fiction-with-generous-helpings-of-fantasy, embrace-your-destiny, Joseph-Campbell, daddy-issues megillah. He's got to land a Corellian light freighter that's been loaded down with everything that got kicked off in 1977, when the saga's first film (but fourth chapter — long story, literally) A New Hope debuted, establishing the Star Wars formula:

  • 1/3 epic space battles
  • 1/3 high-adventure narrow escapes for our doughty heroes
  • 1/3 characters intoning blissfully hokey dialogue about the Force and the Dark Side

He nails that 42-year-old recipe dutifully — effortfully, it must be said — but the flavoring's off. The story doesn't require him to toss in as many ingredients from earlier films in the saga as he does here, but he dumps them all (callbacks, references, echoes, events, characters) into the mix anyway. The result leaves you feeling not so much bloated — the film moves too quickly, and is too much fun for that — but certainly overstuffed.

The Rise of Skywalker is ostensibly positioned as a culmination, but it seems less momentous, less inevitable than the term would suggest. Instead, it's an accretion — a buildup of plotlines and characters that rolls toward its conclusion by dint of momentum lent to it by all that's come before.

That lack of clear focus is largely a result of this most recent trilogy's peculiar provenance. In The Force Awakens, Abrams created its main characters and teased some intriguing mysteries for future films to explore before handing the reins to Rian Johnson, whose The Last Jedi in 2017 proceeded to explore some and (justifiably, in my opinion) abandon others, in an effort to shake things up. Now that Abrams is back at the helm, several plot threads that Johnson had summarily sealed away in boxes — including the parentage of Rey (Daisy Ridley) — get hauled back down from narrative deep-storage and unpacked for fresh inspection.

It's the directorial equivalent of a particularly petty game of Exquisite Corpse, wherein one partygoer writes the first sentence of a story, then hands it to a second partygoer who writes a sentence undercutting the first sentence, then the first partygoer takes the paper back and doubles down on what they'd written in the first place.

But then, that first sentence — The Force Awakens, in this case — was powered by the easy chemistry among its leads: Rey's steely resolve, Finn's (John Boyega's) comic timing, and Poe's (Oscar Isaacs') preternatural charm. Johnson's The Last Jedi, for understandable story reasons, split them up — and for all the good and worthy risks that film took, the sundering of our trio was the one that didn't pay off. In Skywalker, Abrams reunites our heroes and pointedly keeps them that way, allowing their interpersonal energy and humor to ground us through an extended series of planet-hopping fetch quests that can't help but blur together.

The mysterious connection between Rey and Kylo Ren (Adam Driver) is allowed to become less so, as is only fitting in the final chapter of their story. Abrams shows an admirable willingness to maintain the shades of gray that Johnson introduced into Star Wars' black-and-white cookie of a moral universe. Here again, characters make choices that do not always strictly accord with their wardrobe's color scheme.

Less successful are the return appearances of various characters from previous trilogies, most of whom have been forcefully (heh) inserted into events. (Abrams wields a shoehorn with the same determination that Rey wields her lightsaber.) Some viewers will cry "fan service!" Many more will consider themselves fans, and be grateful for being so rigorously and exhaustively serviced.

The blockbuster conclusion to an era-defining film franchise is a spectacular feat of plate-spinning --with one vital difference. With The Rise of Skywalker, the spinner — Abrams — wants us to focus on the plates alone. And there are certainly moments when we do: tender scenes featuring previously unused footage of the late Carrie Fisher (and her back-of-the-head stand-in), a chase through the desert, a lightsaber battle on some familiar wreckage amid a roiling ocean.

But there are many more moments — especially towards the film's conclusion, when a sequence showing just how hopelessly dire things get for our heroes just goes on and on and on -- when the spinning plates disappear, and all we can see is poor J.J. Abrams darting back and forth and back again, frantically struggling to keep them going.

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2019-12-18 11:47:00Z
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