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Get Download Festival tickets now at Stubhub.com!

When bands do reunion tours, or for whatever reason get back into the game of touring nationally or internationally, it’s always a good thing for music fans. It means that your favorite artists, the ones you grew up listening to—maybe by replaying one song on a mixtape over and over, wishing you had an album by them—will finally be able to play for you live.

The Download Festival is a great opportunity for this, especially in 2008. The three-city festival that tours this summer will be appearing in San Francisco, Los Angeles and Philadelphia. Headliners include noise-pop legends The Jesus and Mary Chain, post-punkers Gang of Four, and in Philadelphia, Iggy Pop and The Stooges. Bands that are getting lots of airplay these days, like electro-rockers Ghostland Observatory, ethereal synth band M83 and the electronic patchwork quilt of Cariobou will all be supporting headliners.

This will undoubtedly be an exciting tour to attend, if only to see the major headlining acts. The Jesus and Mary Chain took influence from The Velvet Underground, and in a way shadowed that well known art-rock band by becoming an influence to the shoegaze bands that followed them. Songs off their most popular album, “Psychocandy,” include “Just Like Honey” and “Taste of Cindy,” both songs that have gone on to become favorites of music fans everywhere.

Gang of Four was in the music press quite a bit four or five years ago, when the post-punk revival flooded records stores with bands that borrowed their chicken-scratch guitar work and tense vocals. The infamous post-punkers fortunately decided to begin touring again.

Iggy and The Stooges needs no introduction. A crucial rock act that set the bar for how insane and dangerous a live show can be, Pop had aged but his live performances still have not. Everyone living on the East Coast is lucky to get to see him at the Philadelphia show.

This July, make sure you get Download Festival tickets so you can enjoy these bands and more. There’s really no excuse when the lineup is this good. Look up some tickets now on Stubhub.com!

12 Secrets to a Super EZ Party

Be a Party Star! …Create Super Parties that Shine!

YES, YOU CAN! Just follow the proven Party Secrets at SUPERBIRTHDAYSUPPLY.COM to achieve Party Star Success!

? 1. YOU MUST HAVE A PARTY PLAN

Are you worried that you will forget important party items? Do you feel overwhelmed with details? Do you always run around with last minute stress and anxiety? RELAX! Take a deep breath, and STOP worrying. Help is on the Way! If you want PARTY SUCCESS, you must have a plan.

? 2. SELECT A PARTY DATE AND TIME

What is the party date? Weekday? Weekend? The date will influence the availability of guests. A Birthday Party on the birth day is special but some of your favored guests might not be able to attend. Arrange an alternate date that would be more appropriate. The time of day will influence the type of party: Brunch, Lunch, afternoon, Dinner or after dinner.

3. MAKE A BUDGET

Don’t have any financial surprises! Before you begin, make a realistic budget and stick to it. The budget dictates the number of guests, venue, menu, refreshments, decorations, activities and party formality.

? 4. LOCATION

Your party budget will determine its location. It might be in a country club, catered hall, restaurant, home, back yard, or city park? Location will determine the number of guests, party style and affordability. Secure your location well in advance.

? 5. FOOD AND DRINK

The largest expense in your budget will be food and drink. Food and Drink will be greatly influenced by your party location. Do your homework and get several estimates. Carefully plan your food and beverage selections to fit within your budget plans.

? 6. NUMBER OF GUESTS

How many guests can you invite? Location, menu, and number of guests are the deciding factors that affect your entire budget. Is it more important to have more guests with a simple menu, or fewer guests with a gourmet menu? Review your budget and make your decision.

? 7. PARTY COUNTDOWN

Don’t be late for your own party. Avoid a last minute panic attack. Do everything early, so you can relax and enjoy your own party. A casual lawn party can be planned within a month, while a formal party could require a year of advance planning. A free EZ party countdown can be found on SUPERBIRTHDAYSUPPLYCOUNTDOWN.

? 8. PARTY SHOPPER

Don’t forget anything! Prepare a shopping list. You can use the FREE EZ PARTY SHOPPER at SUPERBIRTHDAYSUPPLYSHOPPER to help develop your party plan, organize your party needs, give you confidence and relieve your anxieties.

The EZ PARTY SHOPPER lists all the major Party Planning elements and product categories. Simply print it or view it on your monitor. Look for the blue product categories on the Shopper, click the category on the EZ TOP BUTTONS on the navigational bar to view, make your selections and click to your shopping cart. Proceed with all categories until your ordering is complete.

Since you have all the product categories before you, you won’t forget anything.

When you have entered all your items on the Shopper, you can relax with the assurance that your major Party Planning has been accomplished. It was Super EZ!

9. MAKE IT SUPER!

Would you like to create Party Magic? Simply use a party theme and your party will sizzle. Your party decorations, tableware and favors, will be theme and color coordinated. They will complement each other and make the party interesting, exciting and SUPER!

10. MAKE IT EZ!

Themed parties are EZ because they simplify all of your party needs with matching invitations, decorations, tableware, and centerpieces. Complete party line themes can accommodate all of your needs from accessories to supplies.

THE EZ PARTY BOX is specially designed for easy party planning for 8 guests. Everything is in the Box: Napkins, plates, cups, streamers, blowouts, hats, forks and spoons, invitations, and balloons. They are color and theme coordinated to make your party special. To view selections, click EZ PARTY BOX on the top navigational bar of SUPERBIRTHDAYSUPPLY.COM .

11. MAKE YOUR PARTY SHINE

Give your party pizzazz! Use accessories like “The Party’s Here” lawn and door signs to welcome guests. Hang a personalized banner that names and recognizes the guest of honor. Streamers, Balloons, and Decorations set a happy mood, while Candles and lighting add sparkle. Select colorful festive tableware with centerpieces to brighten your room.

12. CREATE FUN AND SMILES

Kids love Party Games and Favors! Try the new ribbon piñatas, crafts, magic tricks, or games. Remember to have favors or treat bags for all small children that attend. For adult parties add laughter with Gags¸ Fun, Novelties, Music, or Entertainment.

LET’S PARTY!

Send your invitations to kick off a Super EZ Party! The Party Countdown starts now.

© 2005 Cardens Management Co. All Rights Reserved.

Note: This article may be freely reproduced as long as the author’s resource box at the bottom of this article and all click links are included. All links must be Active/Linkable with no syntax changes.

The love of films becomes a celebration in London for two weeks during ‘The Times BFI 51st London Film Festival’. The capital city is buzzing with people who love films and filmmakers from all over the world. This festival gives a chance to view films, documentaries and provide opportunity to meet filmmakers and celebrity artists. It also promotes world films that may not be available for screening in the cinemas across the nation. The festival is an important venue for development and promotion of films from UK and abroad and it showed around 184 feature films and 133 short films from 43 countries, at various venues in London. The Festival Started with the opening night gala showing David Cronenberg’s ‘Eastern Promises’ and finished with the closing night gala showing Wes Anderson’s ‘The Darjeeling Limited’, a train voyage across India. Few films from the festival are reviewed below.

Closing The Ring: Richard Attenborough/ UK-Canada

Richard Attenborough has done it again. ‘Closing the ring’ is one of the most beautiful films I have seen in a long time. This film is about the value of love and the loss of it, inability to grieve, loyalty among friends and above all, the heartache and suffering brought on by war. Shirley MacLain and Christopher Plummer have excelled in their performance. Christopher Plummer showed his adoring fans that he could still win hearts, just as he did all those years ago as the handsome captain in ‘Sound of Music’! ‘Jimmy’ (Martin Mac Cann) was a delight to watch along with Pete Postlethwaite. Richard Attenborough shows us that there is no shame in falling love and keep it live, no matter what your age is. ‘A film that touches your heart and tells you something’, that’s what ‘Closing the Ring’ does and therefore, an example of good cinema truly at its best. Question & Answer time with Lord Attenborough after the screening was sheer delight.

The Darjeeling Limited: Wes Anderson/USA

A light hearted film that tells the story of three brothers who haven’t seen each other for a year going on a train journey through the deserts of India. They are trying to bond with each other and with the beautiful but unknown conditions in India. Wes Anderson’s film brings comedy, conflict among siblings and some hilarious moments. These brothers who love each other don’t like each other very much and their odd behaviour comes as no surprise once you meet their mother (Angelica Houston), who gives a great performance along with Adrien Brody, Jason Schwartzman and Owen Wilson. A good laugh and a film you don’t want to miss.

I’m Not There: Todd Haynes/USA

‘I’m not There’ means just that! It’s a biographical journey into Bob Dylan’s life, portrayed by six actors, but Bob Dylan, as the title says, is not there! If you think an 11-year-old black boy, Marcus Carl Franklin, who is splendid as Bob Dylan is odd, the worse is yet to come; but that’s surely the best, Dylan played by a woman! Cate Blanchett in black and white turns up as Bob Dylan and you don’t for a moment suspect that it’s a woman. She is just magnificent and puts the other ‘Bobs’ in the shade. It’s confusing and chaotic if you are not a Dylan fan, but entertaining till the closing credits. The music however is real stuff and as the closing credits roll in, songs like the original ‘Knock knock knock’n on heaven’s door’ keeps you on your seat.

The Assassination of Jesse James By the Coward Robert Ford: Andrew Domonik /USA

Definitely ‘a Brad Pitt film’ and everyone else fades away in the background. The film is based on the legend of Jesse James, ‘the gentleman outlaw’ who became an American icon. Brad Pitt has shown his acting ability yet again, only more so this time. He has graduated in the ‘Jack Nicholson School of acting’! A film worth watching and the cinematography is at its best. Perhaps the film would have been even better, if it did not stretch that long after the assassination of Jesse James; great film, in spite of this and not to be missed.

In Memory of Me: Saverio Costanzo/ Italy

As the film is set in Venice one expects to see at least a bit of this beautiful city; but that was not to be. The camera has eyes for the outside world only when a large ship slips by the window of the seminary. ‘In Memory of me’ is a very intense film that goes into the inner depth of spirituality and the conflicts encountered. The story is about Andrea who is accepted into a Jesuit seminary, isolated in an island. The recruits undergo very strict training to prepare them for the disciplined work that awaits these soldiers of Christ. The rituals are repeated in a methodical fashion everyday and that includes cleaning of the corridors of that magnificent monastic building. The inmates’ personality is analyzed to such an extent that they start to doubt their own spirituality and whether such mental cruelty is justified.

The silence that lingers in the magnificent corridors is mesmerizing, to say the least! We have heard of severe Mother Superiors, but the Father Superior in this film is frightening. Some find this fearsome training unbearable and decide to leave. Andrea too reaches his turning point, but finally realizes that he is made for better things and God has a purpose for him and decides to follow Him. This film is a lesson in itself in how one gives himself to God, then loose that faith and ultimately regaining the love of God and the faith. An intense film that makes one think.

Things We Lost in the Fire: Susanne Bier/USA

It tells the story of Audrey (Halle Berry), her loss and how she tries to rebuild her life after loosing the love of her life in a tragic accident. Her envious life with her husband ‘Brian’ and the two beautiful children are shown as flashback. Audrey decides to seek help from her husband’s childhood friend, Jerry (Benicio Del Toro), who is a drug addict and quite dangerous at times. Though she did not like him to be her husband’s friend in the past, she felt drawn to him now as they both had one thing in common- the love they both shared for Brian. She asks Jerry to move into the converted garage that was refurnished following a fire at the house and Audrey and the children form a bond with him. Anyone would wish to have somebody like Jerry in a situation like this, but not a drug addict though! Complications set in and the emotional turmoil in dealing with the sense of loss, drug addiction, rehabilitation and the society’s role in all this are portrayed very well.

Halle Berry has given a magnificent performance. Benicio Del Toro was dazzling and he has given his best ever. It was a delight to see Halle Berry at the screening, looking gorgeous in a brilliant blue backless gown! Susanne Bier (Director) and Halle Berry answered questions from the audience after the film: a beautiful film not to be missed.

Richard Attenborough, Wes Anderson, Susanne Bier, Saverio Constanzo, Andrew Dominik, Shivajee Chandrabhushan, Shamim Sarif, Amitab Bachan, Robert Redford, Tom Cruise, Halle Berry and Adrien Brody were among the celebrities who attended the screening of their films. It was truly a festival of films, films that touched the audience and made them think. The two weeks of the festival was a stage for meeting the best filmmakers from all over the world, listen to them and see films of extreme diversity.

A common misconception with regard to the ‘Edinburgh Festival’ is that the festival is simply one large event, under one name. However, the Edinburgh Festival is, in fact, comprised of many different festivals – ranging from the Jazz and Blues Festival and the International Festival, to perhaps the most famous of the events – the Festival Fringe. Festival-goers have a range of events to pick from when visiting Scotland’s capital city during the summer months.

Another thing to keep in mind is that while the majority of the events within the Edinburgh Festival take place during August of each year, some festivals begin much earlier, while others run well into September. So, it’s important to do a bit of research regarding the festivals you’re interested in, taking special note of when each event is being held.

One of the earliest festivals under the ‘Edinburgh Festival’ umbrella is the International Film Festival. Running in June of each year, the Film Festival draws thousands of film fans to experience some of the industry’s freshest works.

The Edinburgh International Film Festival is the world’s oldest continually-running film festival, having started in 1947. The event is famous for hosting initial screenings of renowned blockbusters such as Steven Spielberg’s ET and a number of Woody Allen Films, and continues to run a wide programme with international premieres and retrospectives.

Another recently added feature of the Film Festival includes a film study section – called ‘Scene by Scene’ – which has hosted celebrities such as Steve Martin and the Coen Brothers. The event is now viewed as on-par with the world-famous film festivals held in Cannes and Berlin and the diversity of the festival ensures that there is something for everyone to enjoy – this is especially true if you consider yourself to be somewhat of a film fanatic. The 2009 Edinburgh Film Festival will run from June 17 – 28.

If you’re planning to attend the International Film Festival – or any of the other events for that matter – then you’ll want to ensure you make travel and hotel arrangements well in advance. Some half a million visitors flock to the city each summer for the festival events, making it more difficult to secure flights to Edinburgh – and hotel reservations – at a reasonable date.

So, it can be worthwhile planning in advance for your summer trip this year, especially if you want to experience one of the most world-renowned arts attractions.

The Haunting in Connecticut Movie Review – Plot Based on a true story, Lionsgate’s The Haunting in Connecticut charts one family’s terrifying, real-life encounter with the dark forces of the supernatural. When the Campbell family moves to upstate Connecticut, they soon learn that their charming Victorian home has a disturbing history: not only was the house a transformed funeral parlor where inconceivable acts occurred, but the owner’s clairvoyant son Jonah served as a demonic messenger, providing a gateway for spiritual entities to crossover. Now unspeakable terror awaits, when Jonah, the boy who communicated with the powerful dark forces of the supernatural, returns to unleash a new kind of horror on the innocent and unsuspecting family. The Haunting in Connecticut Movie Review – cast Virginia Madsen as Sara Campbell Kyle Gallner as Matt Campbell Martin Donovan as Peter Campbell Amanda Crew as Wendy Elias Koteas as Reverend Nicholas Popescu Michael Glen Forrester as Demon The Haunting in Connecticut Movie Review – Production Directed by Peter Cornwell Produced by Scott Niemeyer Norm Waitt Steve Whitney Paul Brooks Daniel Farrands Phyllis Laing Wendy Rhoads Andrew Trapani Written by Adam Simon Tim Metcalfe Distributed by Lionsgate, Gold Circle Films Release date March 27, 2009 Country United States Language English

The Haunting in Connecticut Movie Review – cast
Virginia Madsen as Sara Campbell
Kyle Gallner as Matt Campbell
Martin Donovan as Peter Campbell
Amanda Crew as Wendy
Elias Koteas as Reverend Nicholas Popescu
Michael Glen Forrester as Demon

The Haunting in Connecticut Movie Review – Production
Directed by Peter Cornwell
Produced by Scott Niemeyer
Norm Waitt
Steve Whitney
Paul Brooks
Daniel Farrands
Phyllis Laing
Wendy Rhoads
Andrew Trapani
Written by Adam Simon
Tim Metcalfe
Distributed by Lionsgate, Gold Circle Films
Release date March 27, 2009
Country United States
Language English