Revolver by Guy Ritchie

Jake Green is a hotshot gambler, long on audacity and short on common sense. He's rarely allowed to play in any casino because he is a winner. Jake has taken in so much money over the years, he is the only client of his accountant and older brother Billy. One night, Jake, Billy and their other brother Joe are invited to sit in on a private game, where Jake is expected to lose to Dorothy Macha, a crime boss and local casino owner who can't play for squat, but always wins because people are too scared to beat him. Jake isn't afraid of Macha, and not only beats Dorothy in a quick game of chance, but takes every possible opportunity to insult the man. Jake and his brothers leave the game, and Macha puts out the order for a hit on Jake, who ends up working for and being protected by a pair of brothers, Avi and Zack, who are out to take Macha down.

This beautiful Photo Gallery is courtesy of madonna-connexion.com - visit their site for high resolution photos.

Source: iambecauseweare.com

DECEMBER 17, 2007

A track from Madonna's new album was given its world debut when Timbaland played it at a ball.

The producer unveiled his collaboration with Madonna and Justin Timberlake, called '4 Minutes To Save The World', during a DJ spot at last night's Jingle Ball in Philadelphia.

Timbaland's set found him half-heartedly rapping along with the recorded versions of his Nelly Furtado duets, "Promiscuous" and "Give It To Me."

On several occasions, his performance consisted of standing off to the side of the stage and nodding his head as his DJ unveiled some new production of his, including a forthcoming collaboration with Madonna and Justin Timberlake.

But if there was something odd about paying to watch a producer listen to his own records, it didn't seem to strike the audience that way. It didn't seem to matter who -- if anyone -- was performing, as long as the songs were good. They were as happy to dance to the music that came over the P.A. between sets as to watch anyone on stage.

Source: philly.com

Source: Z100's and Q102.com

DECEMBER 13, 2007

December 13, 2007—New York—The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Foundation today announced its inductees for 2008. The inductees will be honored at a ceremony on March 10, 2008, at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York City.

“The 2008 inductees are trailblazers – all unique and influential in their genres,” said Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Foundation President and CEO Joel Peresman. “From poetry to pop, these five acts demonstrate the rich diversity of rock and roll itself. We are proud to honor these artists and celebrate their contribution to rock and roll’s place in our culture.”

The performer inductees are:
* Leonard Cohen
* The Dave Clark Five (Dave Clark, Lenny Davidson, Rick Huxley, Denny Payton and Mike Smith)
* Madonna
* John Mellencamp
* The Ventures (Bob Bogle, Nokie Edwards, Gerry McGee, Mel Taylor, Don Wilson)

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame also announced the induction of Little Walter in its sideman category, and the newly named “Ahmet Ertegun Award” (formerly the non-performer category) will be presented to legendary producers, Gamble & Huff.

The 2008 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame performer inductees were chosen by the 600 voters of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Foundation. Artists are eligible for inclusion in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twenty-five years after their first recording is released.

In addition to being honored at the March ceremony, each inducted artist is commemorated at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum in Cleveland Ohio, which serves as a monument to rock and roll’s impact on our culture. There, this year’s inductees will be honored – along with previous year’s inductees and hundreds of other artists – with exhibits, video and interactive presentations and programs that serve to tell the story of modern music. The Hall of Fame itself will include artifacts from this year’s inductees, a multi-media presentation with highlights from each artist’s career and their signatures permanently engraved in the glass walls of the Hall of Fame.

Presenters and performers at the induction will be announced at a later date. The induction ceremony will again air live on VH1 Classic on March 10, 2008.

For more information, please contact Kate Ottenberg, Sunshine, Sachs & Associates at 212 691 2800.

More about the inductees:

Doors opened wide for Madonna Louise Ciccone in 1982, after five years as a singer and dancer on New York City’s competitive club circuit. She signed with Sire Records (her label for the next 14 years) where her idiosyncratic persona exploded onto turntables, dance floors and airwaves and captured the imagination of the first generation of MTV viewers. She went on to become the top female star of the 1980s with seven #1 hits, three #1 albums and seventeen top ten hits in that decade. In addition to molding her public image, Madonna is a meticulous studio craftsperson and completely uninhibited stage performer. From her first #1, 1984’s “Like A Virgin” (produced by Nile Rogers of Chic) to her most recent two year Confessions campaign, Madonna remains one of the most ferociously original artists in music today.

Source: rockhall.com

DECEMBER 12, 2007

All we knew was there was a song on her upcoming CD that mentions a candy shop - henceforth our theme. And of course, Madonna's love for candy - especially hot tamales is pretty well known.

This was strictly for the Warner Bros. Records employees - no press, no photographers, no cell phones. Madonna, always the perfect hostess screamed out different song choices to our resident dj by numbers. "Jesse, play no. 5 next" and so on. We were treated to l0 songs with comments by the artist on some of her collaborators Pharrell, Justin, Timbaland, an appearance by Kanye West, etc.

Every song was a knock out with two apparant favorites being Four Minutes to Save The World and Candy Shop or Candy Store (not decided)...

Madonna mentioned she was a little nervous as it was the first official playing of the music. Thankfully it was a room filled with Madonna fans who cheered after every song was played. Champagne and soda and lots of candy later, we all agreed that we felt blessed that we worked at Warner Bros. Records.

Click here to check the original official article posted on a website registered by Warner Bros. Records.

Source: Warner Bros. Records / Photo: Shira Citron

DECEMBER 5, 2007

The Confessions Tour by Madonna was submitted for consideration for nomination for Best Long Form Music Video at the 50th Grammy Awards back in October.

The nominations for the 50th Annual Grammy Awards have been announced today, and Madonna's Confessions Tour did actually make the list.

The Best Long Form Music Video category is aimed for video album packages consisting of more than one song or track. The award is presented to the Artist and to the Video Director/Producer of at least 51% of the total playing time.

Here is the complete list of nominees in the category: Category 110: Best Long Form Music Video

Live & Loud At The Fillmore
Dierks Bentley
Russell Thomas, video director; James Whetherly, video producer
(Capitol Records Nashville)

Trapped In The Closet Chapters 13-22
R. Kelly
R. Kelly, Victor Mignatti & Jim Swaffield, video directors; Ann Carli, video producer
(Jive/Zomba)

The Confessions Tour
Madonna
Jonas Akerlund, video director; Sara Martin & David May, video producers
(Warner Bros.)

10 Days Out - Blues From The Backroads
Kenny Wayne Shepherd & Various Artists
Noble Jones, video director; Kenny Wayne Shepherd, video producer
(Reprise)

Liberacion - The Songs Of The New Cuban Underground
Various Artists
Reuben Fields, video director; Dean Bates, video producer
(Petrol/EMI)

The 50th Grammy Awards - a milestone for the Grammys and the Recording Academy - will take place on February 10, 2008 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.

Source: eonline.com

DECEMBER 6, 2007

Source: Participant Productions / eBay Giving Works by Auction Cause

Source: LIFEbeat, Inc. / eBay Giving Works by Auction Cause

LOS ANGELES, (Reuters Life!) - Director Guy Ritchie seems comfortable in his own skin as he sits in a pricey hotel suite in Beverly Hills, full of boyish enthusiasm about his latest film "Revolver," which debuts in U.S. cities on Friday.

He has been married to Madonna, one of the world's leading pop singers and trendsetters, for over two decades, but Ritchie, wearing a nondescript blue shirt and dark pants, seems unimpressed by designer labels.

In an accent that still sounds more working-class London than elite private school he talked about life at home with an icon and "Revolver," an existential gangster tale starring Jason Statham and Ray Liotta:

So, how's married life these days? "I enjoy it enormously. Wish I'd done it sooner."

Many people said it would never last, so what's the secret to a happy showbiz marriage? "Pretty much ignore all the stuff they say and write about you."

Source: Reuters by Iain Blair / Thu Dec 6, 2007 9:02am EST

DECEMBER 5, 2007

Beginning December 5th, you can bid to take home kites with tails signed by over 30 A-list celebrities, along with opportunities to visit the set of the new James Bond film with The Kite Runner director Marc Forster, dine with The Kite Runner author Khaled Hosseini, or name a character in one of Hosseini's future works!

See Kite Runner first! Advanced screenings available.
Individuals or groups please call 877.PAR.GRP5
or email us at group_sales@paramount.com

Based on one of the most acclaimed novels in recent memory, THE KITE RUNNER is a powerful tale of friendship, family, devastating mistakes and redeeming love. In a divided country on the verge of war, two childhood best friends, Amir and Hassan, are about to be torn apart forever. In the aftermath of a kite-fighting tournament, one boy’s fearful act of betrayal will set in motion a catastrophe . . . and an epic quest for redemption. Now, after 20 years of living in America, Amir returns to a perilous Afghanistan under the Taliban’s iron-fisted rule, to face the dark secrets that still haunt him, and take one last daring chance to set things right.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Madonna, Angelina Jolie, Will Ferrell, Cher, Steve Nash, Former President George H.W. Bush and Other Celebrities Rally Around the Kite Runner Charity Auction

eBay charity auction on December 5 to include 25 Authentic Afghan Kites, each personally signed by a major celebrity.

Los Angeles, CA, December 3, 2007 - An unprecedented lineup of celebrities have joined forces for a special eBay charity auction to launch Participant Productions' social action campaign for the highly anticipated film version of The Kite Runner. On December 5th, authentic Afghan kites, each bearing a tail personally autographed by a different celebrity, will be listed on eBay www.ebay.com/kiterunner. The proceeds will benefit the Afghanistan Relief Organization (ARO) specifically for the training of teachers and the construction of rural libraries in Afghanistan. The Kite Runner is scheduled to open in select theaters December 14.

Among those celebrities who have autographed the 25 kite tails are Madonna, Angelina Jolie, Daniel Craig, Benicio Del Toro, Billy Bob Thornton, Halle Berry, Reese Witherspoon, Cher, Edward Norton, Jessica Biel, Kate Winslet, Will Ferrell, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Jake Gyllenhaal, Natalie Portman, former President George H.W. Bush, Eva Mendes, Ryan Gosling, Steve Nash, Lauren Bosworth, Lauren Conrad, Hans Zimmer, The Kite Runner director Marc Forster and actor Khalid Abdalla. In addition to receiving a kite with the tail autographed by the celebrity, the winning bidder will receive a "thank you" card signed by the celebrity.

Other items to be listed on eBay include a trip to the set of the new James Bond film as a personal guest of director Marc Forster, as well as a private lunch with The Kite Runner author Khaled Hosseini. People will also have the opportunity to bid for the inclusion of their names in Hosseini's next book.

Mary Adams Urashima, ARO Board Member said, "We are so grateful to The Kite Runner filmmakers and all the celebrities who have contributed to this amazing charity auction, and we especially wish to thank eBay for the support and exposure it will generate."

Auction Cause will produce the charity auction through eBay Giving Works, eBay's dedicated program for charity listings. Auction Cause is a premier auction management agency specializing in high profile cause marketing events for brands, nonprofits, and celebrities.

Based one on of the most acclaimed novels in recent memory, The Kite Runner is a profoundly emotional tale of friendship, family, devastating mistakes and redeeming love. In a divided country on the verge of war, two childhood friends, Amir and Hassan, are about to be torn apart forever. It's a glorious afternoon in Kabul and the skies are bursting with the exhilarating joy of a kite-fighting tournament. But in the aftermath of the day's victory, one boy's fearful act of betrayal will mark their lives forever and set in motion an epic quest for redemption. Now, after 20 years of living in America, Amir returns to a perilous Afghanistan under the Taliban's iron-fisted rule to face the secrets that still haunt him and take one last daring chance to set things right. The Kite Runner is a Dreamworks Pictures-Sidney Kimmel Entertainment-Participant Productions presentation of a Sidney Kimmel Entertainment Production and Parkes/MacDonald Production, released by Paramount Classics.

About Afghanistan Relief Organization (ARO)
Afghanistan Relief Organization (ARO) is a non-political, secular non-religious, nonprofit, humanitarian organization, registered in the United States and in Afghanistan (a requirement of all non governmental organizations working in Afghanistan).

ARO has worked on relief efforts in Afghanistan since 1998. After late 2001, hundreds of non governmental organizations (NGOs) began arriving in Afghanistan to participate in reconstruction. In 2005, the new Afghan government began a careful review and re-registration process to determine which organizations were contributing programs beneficial to recovery efforts. As of early February 2006, the Afghan government renewed the operating licenses of about 160 NGOs, out of approximately 1600 NGOs. The Afghanistan Relief Organization was the tenth NGO re-registered and remains in good standing.
ARO delivers relief aid directly into the hands of the needy throughout Afghanistan, and offers general education programs designed to encourage self sufficiency.

About Participant Productions
Participant Productions is a Los Angeles-based production company that focuses on socially relevant, commercially viable feature films and documentaries. Participant's films have been chosen to awaken, inspire and empower audiences to take action and create change. The company is headed by CEO Jim Berk and President Ricky Strauss. Participant was founded by philanthropist Jeff Skoll, who serves as Chairman.Participant Productions films currently in release are Ted Braun's documentary Darfur Now, Jonathan Demme's documentary Jimmy Carter Man From Plains and Louise Hogarth's documentary Angels in the Dust. Upcoming releases include Marc Forster's The Kite Runner Mike Nichols' Charlie Wilson's War, Brett Morgen's documentary Chicago 10, The Visitor (Tom McCarthy's first film since The Station Agent) and Errol Morris' documentary S.O.P. (Standard Operating Procedure).

Past films have included Good Night, And Good Luck, Syriana, North Country and Murderball, which collectively received 11 Academy Award® nominations and one Oscar® in 2005, and Participant's An Inconvenient Truth, which won two 2006 Academy Awards® -- for Best Documentary and Best Original Song -- and has become one of the highest grossing documentaries in history.

For further information, please visit www.participate.net

Source: Participant Productions

DECEMBER 4, 2007

Warner Bros. Records is releasing LIVE EARTH - THE CONCERTS FOR A CLIMATE IN CRISIS today! The release is a CD/2DVD package that brings together the most popular artists, best performances, and solutions-based messaging showcased at Live Earth on 7/7/07.

30 musical performances are featured from the concerts around the globe, as well as Live Earth information and footage including:

- Six short films from the Live Earth Short Film Series
- A Make Live Earth Green section including artist comments and interviews
- A What Can You Do feature detailing how individuals can live a greener life, get involved, stay connected

Live Earth's net proceeds from the sale of LIVE EARTH - THE CONCERTS FOR A CLIMATE IN CRISIS will benefit the Alliance for Climate Protection, whose mission is to persuade the public about the importance and urgency of adopting and implementing effective and comprehensive solutions for the climate crisis.

Get yours now in stores or at www.liveearthmusic.org

Track-listing for "Live Earth:
CD
1. Madonna "Hey You"
2. Foo Fighters "Times Like These"
3. The Police "Driven To Tears"
4. John Mayer "Gravity"
5. Roger Waters "Another Brick In The Wall Part II"
6. Linkin Park "Bleed It Out"
7. Keane "Bedshaped"
8. Bon Jovi "Wanted Dead Or Alive"
9. James Blunt "Wisemen"
10. Chris Cornell "Black Hole Sun"
11. Lenny Kravitz "Are You Gonna Go My Way"
12. Beastie Boys "Intergalactic"
13. KT Tunstall "Suddenly I See"
14. Corinne Bailey Rae & John Legend "Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)"
15. Damien Rice & David Gray "Que Sera, Sera"

DVD 1
1. SOS Allstars "Live Earth: London Opening"
2. Genesis "Invisible Touch"
3. Snow Patrol "Shut Your Eyes"
4. Damien Rice & David Gray "Que Sera, Sera"
5. KT Tunstall "Suddenly I See"
6. Taking Back Sunday "My Blue Heaven"
7. Paolo Nutini "What A Wonderful World"
8. Black Eyed Peas "Where Is The Love"
9. Duran Duran "Planet Earth"
10. AFI "Miss Murder"
11. John Mayer "Gravity"
12. Corinne Bailey Rae & John Legend "Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)"
13. Keane "Bedshaped"
14. Metallica "Sad But True"
15. Melissa Etheridge "I Need To Wake Up"
16. Dave Matthews Band "Too Much"
17. Kelly Clarkson "Sober"
18. Angelique Kidjo "Tumba"
19. Joss Stone "Right To Be Wrong"
20. James Blunt "Wisemen"
21. Beastie Boys "Intergalactic"

DVD 2
22. Keith Urban & Alicia Keys "Gimme Shelter"
23. Enrique Iglesias "Bailamos"
24. Missy Higgins "Steer"
25. Wolfmother "Woman"
26. Chris Cornell "Black Hole Sun"
27. Bon Jovi "Wanted Dead Or Alive"
28. Lenny Kravitz "Are You Gonna Go My Way"
29. Smashing Pumpkins "United States"
30. Roger Waters "Another Brick In The Wall Part II"
31. The Police "Driven To Tears"
32. Crowded House "Better Be Home Soon"
33. Rihanna "Umbrella"
34. Linkin Park "Bleed It Out"
35. Foo Fighters "Times Like These"
36. Madonna feat. Gogol Bordello "La Isla Bonita"The track-listing for "Live Earth - The Concerts for a Climate in Crisis" Digital Album is as follows:
1. Madonna "Hey You"
2. Foo Fighters "Times Like These"
3. The Police "Driven To Tears"
4. John Mayer "Gravity"
5. Roger Waters "Another Brick In The Wall Part II"
6. Linkin Park "Bleed It Out"
7. Keane "Bedshaped"
8. Bon Jovi "Wanted Dead Or Alive"
9. James Blunt "Wisemen"
10. Chris Cornell "Black Hole Sun"
11. Lenny Kravitz "Are You Gonna Go My Way"
12. Beastie Boys "Intergalactic"
13. KT Tunstall "Suddenly I See"
14. Corinne Bailey Rae & John Legend "Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)"
15. Damien Rice & David Gray "Que Sera, Sera"
16. John Mayer "Waiting On The World To Change" (iTunes Pre-Order Only track)

Source: Warner Music Group

Strutting his pomo plumage with 1998's "Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels" and 2000's "Snatch," English writer-director Guy Ritchie proved then that Quentin Tarantino wasn't the only player on the field who could kick out a witty, whizz-bang crime flick. And because two out of three ain't ever bad, you can almost forgivingly laugh off his "Swept Away" remake in anticipation of what could've been a welcome rebound, until high expectations felled the rising fanboy giant. Finally seeing a U.S. release, Ritchie's hyper-kitschy return to Gangsterville, "Revolver," unloaded upon the 2005 Toronto Film Festival to a notoriously damning critical reception, and the British theatrical run didn't fare much smoother. (Rather than read the hometown reviews, check out this curious investigation into the film's poster-campaign controversy.) "Revolver" stars frequent Ritchie collaborator Jason Statham as a greasy-haired con artist who — after seven years in jail for a crime he didn't, well, you know — has come to exact revenge on Speedo-wearing casino boss Ray Liotta and his quirkily named henchmen. Slather that with countless quotes from the likes of Julius Caesar and Macchiavelli, Kabbalahist symbolism, three days to live from a rare blood disease, sphinx-like thugs André 3000 and Vincent "Big Pussy" Pastore, monologuing over chess, an anime interlude, a metaphysical rug-pull of a climax, and well... it's probably better to let Madge's hubby do the explaining.

Source: IFC News by Aaron Hillis

Strutting his pomo plumage with 1998's "Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels" and 2000's "Snatch," English writer-director Guy Ritchie proved then that Quentin Tarantino wasn't the only player on the field who could kick out a witty, whizz-bang crime flick. And because two out of three ain't ever bad, you can almost forgivingly laugh off his "Swept Away" remake in anticipation of what could've been a welcome rebound, until high expectations felled the rising fanboy giant. Finally seeing a U.S. release, Ritchie's hyper-kitschy return to Gangsterville, "Revolver," unloaded upon the 2005 Toronto Film Festival to a notoriously damning critical reception, and the British theatrical run didn't fare much smoother. (Rather than read the hometown reviews, check out this curious investigation into the film's poster-campaign controversy.) "Revolver" stars frequent Ritchie collaborator Jason Statham as a greasy-haired con artist who — after seven years in jail for a crime he didn't, well, you know — has come to exact revenge on Speedo-wearing casino boss Ray Liotta and his quirkily named henchmen. Slather that with countless quotes from the likes of Julius Caesar and Macchiavelli, Kabbalahist symbolism, three days to live from a rare blood disease, sphinx-like thugs André 3000 and Vincent "Big Pussy" Pastore, monologuing over chess, an anime interlude, a metaphysical rug-pull of a climax, and well... it's probably better to let Madge's hubby do the explaining.

Source: IFC News by Aaron Hillis

Ever since he scored with his 1998 English hit “Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels,” director Guy Ritchie has mostly made gangster movies of one kind or another. Friday’s “Revolver” has to be one of the strangest.

Starring Jason Statham as a winning gambler and Ray Liotta as the strangely named crime boss Dorothy Macha, “Revolver” orbits around a shrink’s version of a duel to the death.

“I do appreciate that this movie isn’t for everyone and that it’s not easy to get,” said Ritchie, 39. “It’s actually a simple movie, but it’s funny how people think it’s a complicated movie.”

A fan of “the confidence trick and the genre of movies that are con tricks,” he wanted to make a movie that said, “Ultimately the biggest con man was hiding within your own head.”

This psychological approach with mind-game questions about who is really the enemy, “is consistent with rules of the con and consistent with the mystical aspect of religion, which is that the devil is a trickster. That idea I liked very much,” he said.

Is this influenced by his and wife Madonna’s interest in the kabala?
“It’s influenced by everything I’ve been,” he said.

About being married to a superstar, “It works because, first, I love her. That helps in a marriage. I actually like her, which is even more rare in a marriage,” he said.

Ritchie’s next gangster project, “RocknRolla,” stars Gerard Butler and is due next year.

Source: bostonherald.com by Stephen Schaefer

December 4, 2007 -- WAS it to get a first look at Samuel Goldwyn's new thriller, "Re volver," meet its creator and try to figure what Guy Ritchie's missus, Madonna, sees in him, chat up this missus in actual person, or grab that popcorn Andrew Saffir always serves at Cinema Society evenings, who knows? I only know a VIP truckload showed for the screening of "Revolver," which opens Friday.

First, this psychological thriller about the ego, which Ritchie called his "favorite . . . a passion project" for the two years it took him to write, and which he re-edited following its London premiere: "This is all about tricks of the mind," he told me. "Seeing it before an audience, I found it possibly too complicated so I decided to make it simpler. By default, this also made it shorter. And trickier. People like it when you trick them."

While "the wife" - as Mr. Ritchie calls Mrs. Ritchie - listened, I asked what tricks he uses in their marriage. Once the laughter died down, he said, "She likes someone else to wear the trousers in the family - so I try and make her think that I do, even if I don't always fulfill that role."

This particular event was booked long back at a time mutually advantageous so Mrs. Ritchie could accompany her husband to the Colonies for press. They were flying home next morning. It was specifically organized for Sunday so she'd be back in England on Monday. (this info is not correct Madge is still in NYC)

Guy Ritchie's Ralph Lauren suit was nifty. His sense of humor, easy. He's handsome, cool, obviously can handle himself, and I now know what whateverhernameis sees in him.

As for Madonna, she was stunning. Her hair and makeup people were in attendance. She wore a size subprime Dolce & Gabbana black and gold shmatta with black patent Christian Dior heels featuring 5-inch gold metal spikes. So what happens with the bunions?

"I don't have bunions," she told me. "I have no problem with my feet. I'm used to these." We discussed Camilla, who, after a hard day on a receiving line at the palace, goes barefoot to ease her lower digits. "Maybe that helps Camilla," she said, "but I have no need for that. I don't suffer from any bunions or corns or hurt toes. Listen, I dance in 6-inch heels."

OK by me. I only know that as the 7 p.m. "Revolver" screening wasn't starting by 7:30 because Gwyneth Paltrow hadn't yet arrived, Miss stunning Madonna had already sat down. Taking a load off those equally stunning feet.

Source: NY Post by Cindy Adams

DECEMBER 3, 2007

MADONNA and her main man, GUY RITCHIE, premiered his new crime caper, 'Revolver,' in Manhattan Sunday night -- and revealed that their wedding anniversary is coming up.

"We got married a few days before Christmas," Madonna said, adding that they had special plans, but, said, "We're not going to tell you! It's top secret."

Opening in New York and L.A. on Friday, 'Revolver' finds 'The Transporter' and 'Snatch' star JASON STATHAM as a gambler/con man looking to exact revenge on RAY LIOTTA, the ruthless drug dealer who put him in prison for seven years.

Source: etonline.com / December 03, 2007 1:36:00 AM

Madonna joined Guy for his big premiere, but when Guy tried to explain the title, Madonna had a little fun with him.

“It’s the revolving door – of your ego!” she joked. “Sorry, I’ll shut up now.”

Glammed out in Dolce & Gabbana, Madonna also revealed she and Guy might expand their family of five.

“Maybe,” she said. “You never know.”

Meanwhile, Mrs. Ritchie is bugging her husband to make a family movie for once. Guy has made action-packed thrillers “Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels” and ”Snatch.”

“My kids really want to go to one of his movies,” she said, turning to Guy. “Can you hurry up please? Rocco complained that you don't make movies that kids can watch!”

But Madonna loves “Revolver,” which hits theaters Friday, and even visited Guy on set.

“I did. He doesn’t invite me very often, you know why? Because during the lunch hour they always wrestle!” she said. “It’s a gentleman’s club, the set of Guy’s movies.”

Madge also filled “Extra” in on her holiday plans.

“We’re going far, far away,” she winked. “It’s the only hint I’m giving you.”

Source: extratv.warnerbros.com

"I think my brain is bleeding a little after that," remarked one man to his date on the way up to the roof at Manhattan's Gramercy Park Hotel for the film's after party Sunday night. "Oh well, at least we saw Madonna, right?" he added.

Madge looked as lovely as ever and came adorned in her on-again, off-again British accent. She whimsically labeled things "rubbish" and cockneyed up nearly every word she spoke. We'd swear we heard a "guv'nah" in there somewhere.

"Tonight is date night," Madonna has told reporters at the Cinema Society and Piaget screening, in the basement of the Tribeca Grand, "but it's really Guy's night." Zing! She politely refused to do local station IDs and say silly things into various cameras. She did act very playfully for reporters, telling one, "We're going to drink copious amounts of beer for the holidays!" with her gap-toothed grin.

As celebs including the film's star Jason Statham, fashion dahling Sarah Jessica Parker, and designers Donna Karan, Zac Posen, Calvin Klein, Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana all piled into the theater, Guy must've been more than a bit nervous.

Revolver has been tabled for more than two years since it was released in the UK in 2005 to such horrendous acclaim, portions of the movie were reworked before it found a stateside distributor. Ritchie, who has been open about the movie's flaws, even addressed it in his speech prior to the screening.

"This film has been a passion of mine, but it's been a tricky one. When people ask me, 'What's Revolver about?' I say it's about paying attention and if you do that, everything will be revealed in the end. I want to thank Samuel Goldwyn films for ... really sticking their neck out there on this one for me. Thanks," the director said before taking his seat.

Afterwards, Donna Karan cornered Guy outside the theatre to tell him about "what a wonderful eye you have for these kinds of movies!" As he outlined the troubles of the film, telling her "I've been working on this for so long ... you know, three years of writing, which you'd normally do in three months," he paused right at the end and trailed off. Perhaps he was caught up trying to figure out his own movie.

Source: Radar Online by FI Staff / 12.03.2007 1:45 PM

Madonna joined Guy for his big premiere, but when Guy tried to explain the title, Madonna had a little fun with him.

“It’s the revolving door – of your ego!” she joked. “Sorry, I’ll shut up now.”

Glammed out in Dolce & Gabbana, Madonna also revealed she and Guy might expand their family of five.

“Maybe,” she said. “You never know.”

Meanwhile, Mrs. Ritchie is bugging her husband to make a family movie for once. Guy has made action-packed thrillers “Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels” and ”Snatch.”

“My kids really want to go to one of his movies,” she said, turning to Guy. “Can you hurry up please? Rocco complained that you don't make movies that kids can watch!”

But Madonna loves “Revolver,” which hits theaters Friday, and even visited Guy on set.

“I did. He doesn’t invite me very often, you know why? Because during the lunch hour they always wrestle!” she said. “It’s a gentleman’s club, the set of Guy’s movies.”

Madge also filled “Extra” in on her holiday plans.

“We’re going far, far away,” she winked. “It’s the only hint I’m giving you.”

Source: extratv.warnerbros.com

Delivering another of his great pieces of Brtish sense of humour, movie hardman Guy Ritchie has admitted that he is terrified of wife Madonna's love for horse riding saying that his fear makes him terrified of riding - so much so that Madonna now stops inviting him to join her.

"My wife refuses to go horseback riding with me because I'm too slow," he said. "I get on the horse. I get dry mouth. And if I'm lucky, I trot. I'm hoping in the next few years that I can speed up to a canter."

Guy, whose new movie "Revolver" is about to hit cinemas, joked about how since becoming Madonna's husband he is now living "the toffee side of English life". And that means no more nights out with the guys.

"I'm so glad we're here," he said with glee during a recent night in a bar during an interview. "I never go out." Asked why not, he quipped: "Because I’m married."

Laughing, he then insisted: "Oh, no, it's because I have kids."

But he does make room for his main passion - martial arts. Guy is a keen student of Brazilian jiu jitsu and trains whenever he can, wherever he is. "What's so great about this is that with the right technique, the little guy can overpower someone bigger than himself," Guy said.

He also says he loves the way it makes him concentrate much more than other sports - and that jujitsu forced them to concentrate in ways that, say, tennis does not. "Here, if your thoughts stray, you get choked," he said of the martial art.

Source: Showbiz Spy by Owen Williams

DECEMBER 2, 2007

VIP list included Guy Oseary, Liza Minnelli, Barbara Walters, Actress Sarah Jessica, Ivanka Trump, Calvin Klein and Kelly Klein, Damon Dash and Rachel Roy, Designer Zac Posen, Michael Buscemi and actor Steve Buscemi, Model Maggie Rizer, Musicians Fred Schneider and Michael Stipe, Singer Josh Groban, Actor Jason Statham and Steve Buscemi, Frederic Fekkai, Griffin Dunne and Actress Eva Amurri and more ...

Source: Reuters / Associated Press / Yahoo! News

The Director reveals the labyrinthine web hiding beneath his latest endeavor ...

Guy Ritchie is a happy fellow. Content with the World, it seems. And he is truly excited about his latest directorial effort entitled Revolver. While the film plays at conventions expected from Ritchie at this point, such as "high-octane" gunfights and rich dialogue, it also gives way to a more personal, subdued narrative. The underlining theme of Revolver deals with finding one's Id amongst the wreckage.

Source: movieweb.com by Paulington James Christensen III

DECEMBER 1 , 2007

OutQ In The Morning with Larry Flick presents its second annual “celebration of life and hope” on World AIDS Day 2007 – Saturday, December 1. Beginning at 12 pm ET, tune in for a day-long special featuring discussions with medical experts and pioneering activists, listener calls and experiences. Plus, you'll also hear an interview with Madonna and exclusive performances by some of pop music's top artists including Cyndi Lauper, Indigo Girls, Travis, Joss Stone, Erasure's Andy Bell, Jimmy Somerville, Marc Cohn, Leann Rimes, Littlehorse and more!

Source: Contact Music

If the truth were to be fully told, I was a nervous, sweating wreck until I heard the line click off and end the phone connection between my studio in New York City and her home in London.

In fact, if you heard a gust of wind outside your window at around 1:30pm Eastern time last Friday, that was me... exhaling in relief. Y'see, after countless attempts over just as many months, I'd finally completed my first interview with Madonna for my Sirius/OutQ radio show. Within minutes of our conversation, news of this top-secret event travelled like wild-fire within the halls of my company. It was beyond exciting. I'd bagged the proverbial whale, and everyone wanted details.

Alas, everyone had to wait until this morning, when my conversation with Madonna aired for the first time. As I listened back, I re-experienced the stomach knots that threatened to render me incapable of speech. Thank goodness, I wrote most of my questions down.

More truth to be told: The only artist for whom I've ever written down thoughts and questions in advance for is Madonna. I've had the pleasure and privilege to interview nearly every major star in music... legends who would make any head spin. But she is the only artist who rattles me. I don't know why that's still a fact, given that I've interviewed Madonna several times in the past... and she has always been wonderfully gracious and funny and generous in spirit.

As I listened back to the interview in my studio this morning, I smiled. I felt accomplished and happy. The only misstep was failing to nail her with follow-up questions to a reference she made to writing with Pharrell. I thought to myself, "damn, how did I let that slip by?" Then I remembered the handful of people staring at me in the studio as I spoke with her... the clock ticking at the short and finite time I had with her... and honest-to-goodness nerves. I was just happy to be sailing from point-A to B without stuttering like a loon. When the first few bars of "Fighting Spirit" (chosen for diehards like me, who would've been irritated by the strains of "Vogue" or any other over-played track) began to play, I decide to give myself a pass at that error. I felt good. Mission accomplished.

Now that my blood pressure has resumed a normal level, I feel like I've come full circle from that Madonna moment this morning. Satisfied and happy... no matter what tomorrow brings.

P.S. - In answer to those wondering when/if the Madge interview will run again: It will air again on Monday, Feb. 19th at 9:30am Eastern time. It'll also run on my weekend music show, "Feel The Spin," during the weekend of Feb. 24. Go to www.siriusoutq.com to learn more. And if you don't subscribe, you can sign up for a free listening trial with a valid email address.

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO AN INTERVIEW

Source: boyculture.typepad.com

OutQ In The Morning with Larry Flick presents its second annual “celebration of life and hope” on World AIDS Day 2007 – Saturday, December 1. Beginning at 12 pm ET, tune in for a day-long special featuring discussions with medical experts and pioneering activists, listener calls and experiences. Plus, you'll also hear an interview with Madonna and exclusive performances by some of pop music's top artists including Cyndi Lauper, Indigo Girls, Travis, Joss Stone, Erasure's Andy Bell, Jimmy Somerville, Marc Cohn, Leann Rimes, Littlehorse and more!

OutQ In The Morning with Larry Flick presents its second annual “celebration of life and hope” on World AIDS Day 2007 – Saturday, December 1. Beginning at 12 pm ET, tune in for a day-long special featuring discussions with medical experts and pioneering activists, listener calls and experiences. Plus, you'll also hear an interview with Madonna and exclusive performances by some of pop music's top artists including Cyndi Lauper, Indigo Girls, Travis, Joss Stone, Erasure's Andy Bell, Jimmy Somerville, Marc Cohn, Leann Rimes, Littlehorse and more!

Source: sirius.com

NOVEMBER 30, 2007

MADONNA, Angelina Jolie and Cher are among the celebrities designing kites for charity. The high-flyers will auction off their authentic Afghan kites on eBay next month (05Dec07) as part of the launch of Participant Productions, a social action campaign which will coincide with the delayed release of new Afghan movie The Kite Runner. Proceeds from the kite auction will benefit the Afghanistan Relief Organization (AFO), which helps raise cash for the training of teachers and the construction of rural libraries in Afghanistan.

James Bond star Daniel Craig, Benicio Del Toro, Billy Bob Thornton, Halle Berry, Reese Witherspoon, Edward Norton, Jessica Biel, Kate Winslet, Will Ferrell and acting siblings Maggie and Jake Gyllenhaal will also decorate and sign kites for the upcoming auction.

As well as the kites, the auction will also include a trip to the set of the new James Bond film as a personal guest of director Marc Forster, as well as a private lunch with The Kite Runner author Khaled Hosseini. People will also have the opportunity to bid for the inclusion of their names in Hosseini’s next book.

Source: Contact Music

Madonna's new song with Pharrell Williams is so "hot" it will "make the music speakers bleed".

The 'Hung Up' singer has been in the studio with hit producer Pharrell creating tracks for her upcoming album, and he claims their collaboration will take the music industry by storm.

Speaking at the launch of his new shop Billionaire Boys Club and Ice Cream in New York on Wednesday, Pharrell said:

"It was crazy. I don't want to say too much. I'd rather wait for you to hear it. It's awesome though. It makes the speakers bleed. It's hot!"

Earlier this month, it was reported Pharrell had been recording with the 49-year-old singer at Record Plant Studios in Los Angeles.

The pair reportedly bumped into Kanye West, who was working with Michael Jackson in a studio next-door, inspiring the hip-hop star to rap on one of Madonna's new songs.

Last month, Madonna signed a $120 million, 10-year record deal with Live Nation Inc. and plans to release her first studio album with the label early next year.

Also set to feature on the hotly-anticipated LP are star producer Timbaland and 'SexyBack' singer Justin Timberlake.

Source: Fortune by Paul Sloan / Sun Nov 18, 2007 1:05 PM EST

NOVEMBER 29, 2007