Tim Burton Receives French Honors

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This Monday, Tim Burton, along with French actress Marion Cotillard, was awarded with a very high honor among the French entertainment industry. He was added to France’s cultural honor roll, which the director is very proud of.

During a ceremony in Paris, Burton was given a medallion and made an official officer in France’s National Order of Arts and Letters. This couldn’t come at a better time for the quirky movie afficionado. With his latest release of Alice in Wonderland, he’s got millions of fans eating out of his hands.

The Associated Press reported the following statements made by Burton about the high honor: 

“From the beginning of my career, I always felt a very special place in my heart (for) France,” he told the crowd of journalists and fans. “Because whether or not you liked the movies, I always felt that the French were looking for the poetry, looking for the meaning, looking for the things I was trying to do.

“France has such a special place in my heart and I feel much more at home here than I do in my own country, and I always have,” he said, adding: “I thank you very much.”

That last comment has brought some controversy to people from the United States, but we’ll let that slide here. Come on, let the guy enjoy his honor!

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Oscar Winner ‘The Cove’ Causes Controversy

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One of the latest Oscar winners is causing quite a stir in Japan. The film that won for best documentary, The Cove, is among the controversy.

To give you a little update if you haven’t seen the film, it is about a hard nosed group of fishermen in Taiji, Japan who hunt dolphins both for their meat and for their entertainment value. The documentary shows images that many viewers may have a hard time watching, as the hunting style of the villagers is very gruesome.

According to the Associated Press, the small town has been hunting dolphins and whales since the early 1600s. The people of the town look at it as a part of their culture, while the rest of the world scorns them for doing so. As a result, they feel they are being discriminated against.

Few people knew about the dolphin hunting industry before it was brought to light in this Hollywood documentary. Now that the film has won an Oscar, even more people are in an uproar to have the dolphin hunting stopped. Even so, the fishermen from the town say they refuse to stop.

Because of the film’s popularity, a television series version will premiere on Animal Planet later this year. Also, the politics continue…the makers of the film, have very recently busted a Los Angeles sushi restaurant for serving whale meat to its patrons, which is illegal. And, as always, PETA is in an uproar.

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Was ‘Harry Potter’ Plagiarized?

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The Harry Potter series has been one of the most talked about and read series of our recent times. It not only appeals to a younger audience, but has also been known to attract an older age bracket as well. Author J.K. Rowling went from rags to riches when the first book was released, and the success of her novels has brought her much fame. But now, she is being accused of plagiarizing the familiar children’s novels.

J.K. Rowling poses with one of her Harry Potter books.

To get you up to speed, there is similar book entitled The Adventure of Willy the Wizard, which was written by Adrian Jacobs back in 1987. The author of this book is claiming that Rowling took many ideas and large chunks of the book and then included it as a part of her Harry Potter series.

The sections of the book that Jacobs is claiming were plagiarized are wizard contests and wizards traveling on trains. It is true that these things are also present in Harry Potter, but could Rowling really have taken them from Jacob’s book? It seems a little fishy.

According to Reuters, Rowling made the following statements about the accusations: 

“I am saddened that yet another claim has been made that I have taken material from another source to write Harry,” Rowling, 44, said in a statement.

“The fact is I had never heard of the author or the book before the first accusation by those connected to the author’s estate in 2004; I have certainly never read the book.”

“The claims that are made are not only unfounded but absurd and I am disappointed that I, and my UK publisher Bloomsbury, are put in a position to have to defend ourselves.”

“We will be applying to the court immediately for a ruling that the claim is without merit and should therefore be dismissed without delay.”

Whatever the outcome of this case, there is no denying that the Harry Potter series has brought much joy to its readers. Fans of the books have been standing up for the author since the claims were made.

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New ‘We Are the World’ Premieres

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On Friday, NBC permiered a recreation of the infamous ‘We Are the World’ video during the opening ceremonies at the Winter Olympics. The new version of the 1985 performance showcased some 85 artists, all singing for charity because of the recent earthquake in Haiti.

The video is interspersed with actual footage from Haiti and footage of the artists recording the song. I think the footage from Haiti is perhaps the most touching aspect of this whole project. It shows children and their parents coming together, shots from the wreckage, and a positive vibe coming from the people of the affected area.

Some of the arists participating in this musical statement are Celine Dion, Carlos Santana, Wyclef Jean, Usher, Kanye West, Pink, and even Jeff Bridges. Michael Jackson, who participated in the original ‘We Are the World’ performance, was also thrown into the mix, with clips of him singing and sister Janet Jackson singing along to his part.

Check out the video:

Despite all the positive messages it is sending, there has been much controversy surrounding this performance. Many fans argue that a recreation should not have been necessary and that there is no way to top the original video. Either way, it is a very stunning, touching tribute that has meant a lot to the victims of the Haiti earthquake and their families.

The only negative thing I can say is…why the rap in the middle? It kind of ruins the vibe a little. Don’t get me wrong, Snoop Dogg has every right to participate in this, but it sort of cheapens the performance.

Your thoughts?

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