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When putting together the song, “Piece by Piece,” for the documentary about his life of the same name, Pharrell Williams saw it as a chance explore everything in his life that has led him to where he is right now. “It’s thinking about how everything collectively is your story. If you think about all of the crazy times that you have experienced in your life and all the fun times and all the sad times and all of the momentous time and all the times you were caught off guard by things that just blindsided you,” he tells Gold Derby during our recent webchat (watch the video interview above). He even traces it to the medium in which his story is told in the film. “They’re all piece by piece and it’s very interesting that it’s sort of synonymous with how the Lego world works.”

“Piece by Piece,...

Documentarian Morgan Neville unveils the building blocks of Pharrell Williams’ vibrant world in Piece by Piece. Neville crafted two moving music documentaries previously in 20 Feet From Stardom and Won’t You Be My Neighbor, shining light on unconventional performers and society’s often overlooked. For his profile of multifaceted artist Pharrell Williams, Neville pioneers a fresh approach—constructing the biography employing the animated charm of Lego.

The film follows Williams from his childhood in Virginia Beach to his ascendance in the music industry. Designed with Lego’s iconic plastic bricks, Neville fashioned ingenious set pieces, bringing Pharrell’s journey to life. If anyone’s story suits such whimsical translation, it’s Williams—a shapeshifter among creative types, forever challenging expectations. Piece by piece peeks within his synesthesia too—how music elicits vivid colors for Williams.

Through playful animation, Neville presents a performer who refused limitation. But beyond surface optics, do...

Olivia Rodrigo has so much in common with Gwen Stefani. That’s no accident. Rodrigo recently explained why the No Doubt singer inspired her so much as an artist. In addition, Stefani explained what inspired all of her musical ideas.

Olivia Rodrigo said Gwen Stefani songs feel like ‘the diary of the coolest girl you know’

Rodrigo has straddled the lines between pop and rock more than any other star of her generation. She’s a critical darling for her ability to balance radio hits with musical credibility. In addition, many listeners love her music for its honesty. Stefani had a very similar career, giving us both classic 1990s alt-rock songs like “Just a Girl” and “Spiderwebs” alongside bubblegum pop smashes like “Hollaback Girl” and “The Sweet Escape.”

During a 2024 exchange with Nylon, Rodrigo discussed why Stefani’s music meant so much to her. “Gwen’s ability to evolve and explore different styles of music,...

Gwen Stefani decided to return to The Voice for Season 26, as she opted to appear as a coach again.

It marks her eighth appearance as a coach after last appearing in Season 24 on NBC.

And the singer reportedly chose to come back to the singing competition show over touring with her former band, No Doubt.

She’d reunited with the band for Coachella performances earlier this year to much fanfare.

However, sometimes it’s hard to pass up a lucrative contract, no matter how much she might have wanted to continue touring.

A recent reveal of Gwen’s salary for The Voice suggests she’ll receive a multi-million dollar salary at the show.

How much is Gwen Stefani’s salary for The Voice?

In Season 26, The Voice will feature a coaching lineup that includes newcomers Snoop Dogg and Michael Buble. Reba McEntire is the only returning coach from the previous season.

The lineup for the second weekend of the 2024 Coachella Music Festival is going to be a little different.

The popular festival kicked off last week with headlining performances from Lana Del Rey, Tyler, the Creator and Doja Cat. It also saw a long-awaited No Doubt reunion!

However, when the festival returns on Friday (April 19), the lineup will feature a set from Kid Cudi!

Keep reading to find out more…

Coachella took to social media this week to reveal that the hitmaker was going to replace Vampire Weekend on the setlist. He’ll perform on the Sahara stage on Sunday (April 21).

While you’re here, check out the setlist from No Doubt’s reunion!

You can also check out all of our coverage from the first weekend of Coachella! Find out which artist had major technical problems during their set and who dissed Diddy during a surprise appearance. Another star also...

Jimmy Kimmel may have lost a vice president, but he’s gaining a Southern rocker.

While Kamala Harris had to take a raincheck on her planned Tuesday appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, it turns out hers wasn’t the only special visit the host had planned this week. As Variety reports, Kimmel is resurrecting his outdoor concert stage on Wednesday with Chris Stapleton as his first performer.

Kimmel’s al fresco stage, which is located in the parking lot behind his Hollywood studio, has the capacity to hold more than 1,000 concert-goers and has featured an all-star lineup of artists in the past. Lady Gaga, Dua Lipa, Elton John, Prince, No Doubt, Usher, and Snoop Dogg are just a few of the performers who have entertained Kimmel’s crowd over the years. But this week’s performance will mark the first in more than four years.

The concert space was closed...

Nelly Furtado took to Instagram on Saturday to show off her battle scars following a particularly dramatic performance onstage at Coachella.

Fans at the music festival on Saturday saw Furtado trip and fall after joining Dom Dolla to perform their single, “Eat Your Man.” Furtado shared footage of the spill on her own Instagram story later that day.

Also on social media, Furtado shared a photo of her bloodied finger after the performance. “Literally left it all on the stage,” she wrote, “including my blood.”

In footage of the incident, Furtado is seen singing the lyric “movin’ my body like a nympho” just before falling to the floor. She recovers quickly, telling the crowd, “I say it right, now do what I say.”

In the video of herself stumbling, she quipped: “Eat your man…not the stage.”

Coachella began its first of two weekends Saturday on the grounds at the Empire Polo Club in Indio,...

Grimes took to social media Sunday to apologize for the technical issues during her Coachella performance this weekend.

The singer-songwriter struggled with equipment malfunctions throughout her show Saturday, with problems plaguing the programming of her tracks at the mixing desk that left her screaming into the microphone throughout the second half of her set.

“The cdjs were showing me bpms like 370 so I couldn’t even mix manually by ear and the front monitors were off so it was literally sonic chaos on my end trying to guess how stuff was sounding for u guys,” she explained on X (formerly Twitter).

Her statement also explained she outsourced certain aspects of the performance “to save time.”

“I wanted to come back rly strong and usually I always handle every aspect of my show myself – to save time this was one of the first times I’ve outsourced essential things like rekordbox...

After Day One of Coachella saw artists such as Sabrina Carpenter and Young Miko take inspiration from the Eighties, Day Two was a celebration of the Nineties thanks to reunion performances from No Doubt and Sublime, and the 2000s with Ice Spice’s Y2K aesthetic and the presence of Vampire Weekend.

Unlike in years past where the heat took over for the vast majority of the day, the cold took over the Coachella festival grounds early in the afternoon. By Tyler, the Creator and No Doubt’s set fans...

No Doubt is back in business!

Nearly a decade after their last public performance, the “Hella Good” band, fronted by Gwen Stefani, reunited onstage at the 2024 Coachella Music Festival on Saturday night (April 13) in Indio, Calif.

They took over the Coachella stage to perform some of their biggest hits and fan favorites. In true Coachella fashion, the group even lined up a surprise guest – Olivia Rodrigo!

What songs did they play? We’ve got you covered with the setlist!

Head inside to see No Doubt’s Coachella setlist…

After opening with “Hella Good,” Gwen – with guitarist Tom Dumont, bassist Tony Kanal and drummer Adrian Young – rocked out to other timeless bops, including “Don’t Speak,” “Simple Kind of Life,” “Just a Girl,” “It’s My Life” and more. Olivia hopped onstage to help Gwen sing “Bathwater.”

No Doubt will be back onstage for a second time at Coachella next week. Their performance...

Coachella continues today, Saturday, April 13th, and a vast majority of the day’s sets will be streamed online via YouTube.

Saturday’s livestream schedule includes Tyler, the Creator, No Doubt, Blur, Sublime, Vampire Weekend, Grimes, Ice Spice, Gesaffelstein, Jon Batiste, Bleachers, Oneohtrix Point Never, Orbital, The Last Dinner Party, Raye, Kevin Abstract, The Aquabats, The Drums, Young Fathers, Erika de Casier, Militarie Gun, and more. Notably, Saturday’s sets mark No Doubt’s first live performance in nine years, and Sublime’s first-ever public performance with singer Jakob Nowell, the son of late frontman Bradley Nowell.

Coachella’s livestream is presented across six channels — each dedicated to a specific festival stage. What’s more, for the first time, the YouTube stream is offering a multiview option, allowing viewers to watch up to four different stages at once.

Saturday’s full schedule can be found below. All times are Pst,...

The stars are heading to the desert for the 2024 Coachella Music Festival!

Emma Roberts and Alessandra Ambrosio stepped out for the Celsius Cosmic Desert Event held during Day 1 of the music festival on Friday (April 12) in Indio, Calif.

Photos: Check out the latest pics of Emma Roberts

Fellow guests in attendance included Ava Max, Jasmine Tookes, Shanina Shaik, Cara Santana, Ryan Destiny, Nazanin Mandi, David Dobrik, Madison Pettis, Harry Jowsey, and Chantel Jeffries.

The 2024 Coachella Music Festival is taking place both this weekend and next weekend with headliners Lana Del Rey, Tyler the Creator, and Doja Cat along with special guest No Doubt.

You can watch the Coachella livestream here!

Click through the gallery inside for 25+ pictures of the stars at the Coachella event…...

Those who can’t make the trip to the Coachella Valley this year for the star-studded lineup at the annual music and arts festival: Don’t fret!

The festival is live streaming all the performances from its stages on the grounds at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, California, for both weekends, April 12-14 and April 19-20.

Apart from the headliners, which include Lana Del Rey, Tyler, the Creator, Doja Cat and No Doubt, other artists set to hit the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival stages are Peso Pluma, Blur, Ice Spice, J Balvin, Jhené Aiko, Lil Uzi Vert, Sabrina Carpenter, Tyla, Skepta, Suki Waterhouse, Sublime, Jon Batiste, Carin León, John Summit, Bebe Rexha, Reneé Rapp, Victoria Monét and more.

The music festival has also released the official schedule for weekend one, which will see Lana Del Rey performing on the main stage at 11:20 p.m. Pt Friday.

Starting next Friday, livestreams of six Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival stages will be made available as the festival kicks off. The event runs Friday-Sunday on two consecutive weekends, April 12-14 & April 19-21.

Headliners this year include No Doubt, Lana Del Rey, Tyler the Creator and Doja Cat. Other artists confirmed include Peso Pluma, Blur, J Balvin, Bizarrap, Sabrina Carpenter, Deftones, Ice Spice, Sublime, Grimes, Bleachers, Carín León, DJ Snake, Suki Waterhouse, Lovevoy, Tinashe, Jon Batiste, Jhené Aiko, Lil Yachty, Bebe Rexha, and Mean Girls star Reneé Rapp, among many others. For a full list, see below.

Coachella 2024

To watch any of the six stages, click on the corresponding embedded player below. If you miss a performance, YouTube’s Coachella channel will repeat the livestream lineup from each day after the night’s final set until the livestream returns the next day. It will also provide highlights on demand.

YouTube’s “multiview” feature, which has revolutionized the experience of watching sports, is expanding next week to the video giant’s live coverage of the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival.

Performances on up to four stages at once will be made available via the YouTube app, an experience the company is calling the first of its kind. Headliners at the festival this year include No Doubt, Lana Del Rey, Tyler the Creator and Doja Cat but the festival is always overflowing with simultaneous action occurring on various stages throughout the site. The aim of the new feature is to unify the experience, with viewers able to monitor each act and select audio from one at a time.

Starting next Friday, April 12, livestreams of six Coachella stages will be made available on YouTube. Live concerts have been an area of experimentation for streaming services. Hulu has joined YouTube in positioning itself as a destination,...

Gwen Stefani is preparing to rock the stage with her former rock band, No Doubt.

While Gwen graced the stage with a recent appearance at her husband Blake Shelton’s concert, she’s also reuniting with her band at a huge event.

The group will be among the highly-anticipated artists who perform at this year’s Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in California.

The singer shared a first-look photo from rehearsal as she took a selfie in front of a drumset featuring the band’s name and flames.

In the shot, Gwen has her hair in a ponytail. She wears a plaid shirt over black and white undershirts and dark tights.

The former Voice coach didn’t share any additional comments with the image, which she shared on her Instagram Story.

Screenshot shared by Gwen Stefani at rehearsal for Coachella. Pic credit: @gwenstefani/Instagram Gwen Stefani and No Doubt...

Olivia Rodrigo kicked off her “Guts World Tour” at Acrisure Arena in Palm Springs, CA on Friday (February 23rd), delivering a 22-song, 95-minute performance.

Rodrigo performed all 12 songs from her sophomore album, Guts, as well as the bonus track “obsessed.” Notably, she kicked off the show with the one-two-three punch of “bad idea right?,” “ballad of a home schooled girl,” and “vampire.” She also performed the song “logical” live for the first time.

The setlist also included a majority of the songs from her breakout 2021 debut, Sour, including “traitor,” “drivers license,” “teenage dream,” “deja vu,” and “brutal.” For the encore, Rodrigo served up extended performances of “good 4 u” and “get him back!”

Get Olivia Rodrigo Tickets Here

Unlike her “Sour Tour,” Rodrigo did not included any covers in the opening night’s setlist — though, she did wear a t-shirt referencing No Doubt’s song “I’m Just a Girl.”

Rodrigo...

Wait, Gwen Stefani was in a band before her solo career?

Young fans who only know Stefani as a coach on NBC’s The Voice and as a solo artist will soon wake up to the singer’s past life. The Coachella Festival will see No Doubt reunite for the first time since 2015, which makes for some confusion among her youngest followers.

Stefani admitted in a People interview that she is “completely overwhelmed” by the warm reception No Doubt has received in the post-Coachella announcement. “I definitely have that little thing in your stomach where you’re like, ‘Oh my gosh! What?’” she say. “It’s going to be amazing.”

The Grammy winner is married to Blake Shelton and has three sons with her ex-husband Gavin Rossdale.

She revealed that she had to have a talk with her youngest, Apollo, age 10, about Coachella.

“I had to literally lay in bed...

Coachella dropped its 2024 poster Tuesday night and there weren’t many big surprises when it came to the nightly headliners, which include Lana Del Rey; Tyler, the Creator; and Doja Cat. Things grew slightly more interesting a line down with the announcement that Blur were playing their first North American show since 2015, and news that Sublime would be appearing with Bradley Nowell’s son Jakob Nowell on lead vocals.

The big shock came at the bottom of the poster with the words “and…No Doubt.” The ska-punk quartet has been...

Lana Del Rey, Tyler, the Creator, and Doja Cat will headline Coachella this year, the festival announced on Tuesday, with the shows set to take place in Indio, California, on the weekends of April 12-14 and April 19-21. No Doubt, which teased a reunion just before Coachella’s lineup dropped, is also listed on the lineup in a similar slot that in the past two years had high-profile acts Calvin Harris and Swedish House Mafia.

Prior to her upcoming headlining slot, Del Rey last played Coachella in 2014 and was slated...

No Doubt are reuniting.

On Tuesday, January 16th, the band’s official Twitter page shared a video confirming that the classic four-piece lineup — featuring Gwen Stefani, Tony Kanal, Tom Dumont, and Adrian Young — will play together once again, with the quartet all agreeing to “do a show.” More details have yet to be announced. Update: It’s been confirmed that the band will perform at Coachella 2024.

The minute-long video begins with Stefani showing off collage artwork she made for the band’s second album, The Beacon Street Collection. After reminiscing on those times — feeling “so nostalgic” — she tells the camera that she’s “gonna text Tony [Kanal] right now.” We then see her iPhone text screen as she coordinates a video call with Kanal and “the guys.”

Cutting to the video call, all four members of the band’s classic lineup are there. After a bit of “Woah,” “What’s up?...

Florence Welch revealed that she recently underwent “emergency” surgery that “saved [her] life” in a note to fans explaining a string of recently-canceled Florence and the Machine concerts.

Welch didn’t specify what the surgery was, or the risk she was facing, saying only: “I’m so sorry that I had to cancel the last couple shows. My feet are fine, I had to have emergency surgery for reasons I don’t really feel strong enough to go into yet, but it saved my life.” (The remark about her feet is...

Florence + The Machine have released a dark and dancey new single entitled “Mermaids.” Stream the song below.

With lyrical references to mermaids with “sharp teeth” who come to drink, dance, and “sacrifice a human heart,” the song’s sinister underbelly is contrasted by the angelic beauty of singer Florence Welch’s legendary vocal cords. Cool and confident, she delivers the poetic lines with a similar meter and punch as one of her biggest inspirations, Iggy Pop. When the refrain of “cheerful oblivion” arrives, you can’t help but get caught up in the reflective madness.

The release of “Mermaids” comes after several weeks of teasing the song on social media. On April 6th, the band posted a reel featuring edited-together clips from mermaid-themed horror films with the caption “A new song is coming to the Dance Fever universe,” referencing their celebrated 2022 LP. Then, on April 10th, the band posted a...

Alanis Morissette has recorded a new version of the Yellowjackets theme song “No Return.”

Morissette’s version debuted in the fourth episode of season two, which aired on Friday. The original theme song was written by Craig Wedren and Anna Waronker.

“I love the original version of ‘No Return,’ It’s just a perfect song,” Morissette said in a statement. “It was a little daunting to be asked to reinterpret it but I see parallels between Yellowjackets and my perspective while songwriting: the sheer intensity, that going for the jugular with no fear around going for the profane. I’ve strived my entire career to support the empowerment of women and sensitives, and see the world through the female lens, and what’s so wonderful about this show is that each character is allowed to be dynamic and complex as opposed to oversimplified, reduced versions of women. I feel honoured...

Forget adoption. Now all the gay couples on television are looking for surrogates.

Okay, not really. But with the one-two punch of Bob and Lee exploring surrogacy on Desperate Housewives and Kevin and Scotty doing the same thing on Brothers & Sisters, it can start to feel that way, at least on Sunday nights on ABC.

We’ve written before about the recent “gay-by” boom – the trend of fictional gay characters becoming parents.

What’s interesting lately are the increasingly varied ways these characters are becoming dads – and the ways in which they’re actually reflecting real life.

"When my husband and I started talking about having kids, even seven years ago, people said we were crazy," says Thomas Marino, who writes about his experience having children via surrogacy with his husband, sister, and donated eggs in his book Tomorrow May Be Too Late.

Being gay used to be "all about culture,...

PARIS -- Following in the footsteps of "Pokemon", "Hey Arnold!" and "Rugrats", all of which made successful transitions from TV series to theatrical movies, it may seem like a no-brainer for French cartoon studios with a hit show on their hands to do likewise. It's taken them a while to catch on, but now Gallic animation houses are increasingly migrating their small-screen properties to the big screen. Nearly all of France's leading cartoon studios have feature films in development, production or in release taken from one of their own series. There is No Doubt about the quality of French animation, but the local industry has only just recently sharpened up on its marketing and distribution, resulting in a slew of recent sales of TV series to U.S. channels. French distributors are also getting wise to the merchandising potential of their properties, often retaining all ancillary rights worldwide instead of signing them away with TV sales. The next logical step to maximize a title's potential is the theatrical movie.

PARIS -- This year, MIP organizers have decided to put the spotlight on China in a nod to the country's vast and largely unexploited commercial potential for program exporters. "China was a natural choice because it's the largest emerging market in the world," Paul Johnson, Reed Midem's head of television, says. The country's annual programming needs are estimated at about 6.6 million hours. "The numbers start to make sense: Companies that are in the know want to be involved in China," says Johnson, who adds that for the moment it's mainly the bigger media companies that are jockeying for position there. Some Western program sellers still ignore China, No Doubt seeing the commercial challenges as a great wall not worth trying to conquer. Those who have already made inroads into the Chinese market would agree it's a tricky territory.

Opens

Friday, Feb. 20

Inspired (very loosely) by the life of Jackie Kallen, the most successful female manager in boxing history, Against the Ropes finds Hollywood's longstanding love affair with the sport suffering from acute anemia.

Of course, it could be argued that this particular telling is really not so much a boxing picture as it is a story of one woman's personal triumph in a male-dominated arena, but the fast-flying cliches and distracted pacing would do both a disservice, particularly given winning performances by Meg Ryan and fellow cast members.

It also doesn't help that the Charles S. Dutton-directed film arrives one year later than originally planned. It was first pulled from the schedule when TV coverage of the war in Iraq put a dent in Paramount's original marketing campaign

then it was pushed back to allow ample attention for Ryan's much-touted, very different performance in Jane Campion's In the Cut.

Lacking that momentum and a clear-cut demo, Ropes will find itself going against the current boxoffice-wise, though it could eventually be a draw in the DVD ring.

Ryan's in fine form as Kallen, who in real life was a respected sportswriter, then owner of a successful public relations agency (her first client was boxer Thomas Hit Man Hearns) before she decided what she really wanted to do was to manage her own boxers. She also raised two children.

In the Hollywood version (credited to Save the Last Dance co-writer Cheryl Edwards), Kallen is the unmarried, childless daughter of a trainer who toils as executive secretary to the director of the Cleveland Coliseum (Joe Cortese).

That is, until the outspoken Kallen ends up verbally sparring with boxing kingpin Sam LaRocca (Tony Shalhoub), who ends up selling her the contract of one of his lesser fighters for a buck.

The guy proves to be a dud, but she subsequently finds a diamond in the rough in the form of Luther Shaw (Omar Epps), a drug dealer's enforcer with an impressive left hook.

Enlisting the services of retired trainer Felix Reynolds (Dutton, working both sides of the camera), she ultimately turns Shaw into a real contender, while, for better or worse, managing to turn herself into a minor celebrity in the process.

Donning a carefully honed Cleveland accent and a too-tight/too-short wardrobe, Ryan comes off like a Midwest Erin Brockovich -- which is No Doubt the intent of the producers -- but she and the rest of the cast are forced to slug it out with the kind of trite dialogue that seems to have been lifted straight off of those corporate inspirational posters.

That's just one problem with Edwards' script, which also seems to be saying that, unlike the real Kallen, the movie Kallen isn't allowed to have it all, that as a woman she's unable to get married and have kids if she wants to have a career.

And although Dutton coaxes sturdy performances out of all concerned (including himself), he has difficulty nailing the inherent rhythms of the genre, which would have helped to propel the story to the necessary crowd-pleasing pitch.

Behind-the-scenes support, including the contributions of frequent Clint Eastwood cinematographer Jack N. Green and Spike Lee's longtime costume designer Ruth Carter, are on the money, while the late Michael Kamen furnished the appropriately rousing score.

Against the Ropes

Paramount Pictures

Paramount Pictures presents a Cort/Madden production

Credits:

Director: Charles S. Dutton

Screenwriter: Cheryl Edwards

Producers: Robert W. Cort, David Madden

Executive producers: Steven Roffer, Jonathan Pillot, Scarlett Lacey

Director of photography: Jack N. Green

Production designer: Sandra Kybartas

Editor: Eric L. Beason

Costume designer: Ruth Carter

Music: Michael Kamen

Cast:

Jackie Kallen: Meg Ryan

Luther Shaw: Omar Epps

Sam LaRocca: Tony Shalhoub

Gavin Reese: Tim Daly

Renee: Kerry Washington

Irving Abel: Joe Cortese

Felix Reynolds: Charles S. Dutton

Running time -- 111 minutes

MPAA rating: PG-13...

LONDON -- U.K. cable firm Telewest Communications said Thursday that group managing director Charles Burdick had resigned and that industry veteran Barry Elson was named acting CEO. Telewest is undergoing a financial restructuring, having agreed in September to final terms of a long-sought $5.6 billion debt-for-equity swap that will see bondholders take 98.5% of the company's equity. Burdick had been group managing director since the departure of Adam Singer in July 2002. "I want to thank everyone, especially the Telewest management team, for helping me lead the company through this difficult period of financial and operational restructuring," Burdick said. "I have enjoyed my time at the company, but it is a time of change and I am leaving to pursue other opportunities. I have No Doubt that Barry will do a good job."...

Stuck On You co-stars Matt Damon and Eva Mendes have made a public demonstration of their love, following months of media speculation. Good Will Hunting star Matt has always sidestepped questions about his close friendship with Mendes, who he met on the set of the Farrelly Brothers comedy while still dating long term love Odessa Whitmire. But onlookers were left in No Doubt about the couple's burgeoning romance when they celebrated the New Year with pals Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez in Las Vegas, Nevada. An insider tells website Page Six, "They were definitely together."...

There is No Doubt that one ring will rule the boxoffice this weekend. The only question is exactly how big the final installment in New Line Cinema's "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy will be. After its midnight screenings Tuesday brought in a tremendous $8 million, "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King" had reaped $34.1 million by the end of its first full day of release Wednesday. Industry handicappers are figuring that the three-day weekend total for will easily top last year's "The Two Towers", which earned $62 million in its first three-day frame. A weekend haul in the $75 million-$80 million range looks like a distinct possibility, with the epic movie's five-day total expected to top last year's $102 million. The much-anticipated conclusion to the widely acclaimed trilogy is expected to be the biggest film of the year. It won't hurt any that "King" earned four Golden Globe nominations Thursday, including best motion picture drama and best director for Peter Jackson. The film's 3-1/2-hour running time could be the only factor that works against "King", though most believe that its release in 3,703 theaters with 7,205 prints will allow all of J.R.R. Tolkien's fans to experience the fate of their favorite characters.

Opens

Wednesday, Nov. 5

Four-and-a-half years after the Wachowski brothers redefined cutting-edge cinema with "The Matrix" and less than six months since the disappointing "The Matrix Reloaded", the trilogy comes to a conclusion of sorts with "The Matrix Revolutions".

Ending with neither a bang nor a whimper, the finale falls somewhere in between. It's an improvement over its concurrently shot, babbling predecessor, but it ultimately fails to capture any of that jaw-dropping sense of exhilaration that made the original such a must-see event.

While Andy and Larry Wachowski, again working in tandem with ever-innovative fight choreographer Yuen Wo Ping and accomplished visual effects supervisor John Gaeta, have cooked up some dazzling new set-pieces, the disjointed story elements prevent them from forming any kind of satisfying, cohesive whole.

Obviously, those eager to see how the potentially final adventures of Neo, Trinity, Morpheus and company unfold will ensure that "Revolutions" takes the boxoffice by storm, but less assured is its ability to generate the kind of repeat business key to the phenomenal success of the other Matrices.

Picking up where the second left off, the third finds Neo (Keanu Reeves) still in that comatose state. It's soon discovered that he's actually stuck in some kind of void between the Matrix and the Machine World represented by a gleaming white Mobil Avenue subway station. (Hmm ... scramble "Mobil" and you get "limbo." Aha!)

His true love Trinity (Carrie-Anne Moss) and the still believing Morpheus (Laurence Fishburne) manage to bring him back, but time is quickly running out as the Machine army is boring its way ever closer to Zion's final stronghold.

Neo does manage to find time to pay a quick visit to the Oracle (with Mary Alice taking over the role after the death of Gloria Foster), and after both acknowledge that her appearance has changed, she offers her usual oblique words of guidance.

With her credibility having been called into question after it was revealed in "Reloaded" that her Prophecy may in fact be yet another control system instituted by the Machines, Neo nevertheless takes what she says on faith.

But while the Machines pose the threat of imminent annihilation, a battle is also being fought on another front as the rogue Agent Smith (Hugo Weaving) has not only continued to replicate himself exponentially in the Matrix, but he also has hijacked the body of Bane (Ian Bliss), a real-world member of the hovercraft fleet.

As Neo and Trinity go off in one direction, the no-nonsense Niobe Jada Pinkett Smith in a nicely expanded role) proves to be one kick-ass ship navigator.

The various clashes again unfold impressively.

While Gaeta's swarming Sentinels provide the visual oomph during that protracted war with the Machines, Wo Ping demonstrates he's still got a few nifty tricks up his sleeve -- notably a hanging-from-the-ceiling melee in a nightclub's coat and gun check room and a mano a mano fight to the finish between Neo and Smith (while his legion of Smiths look on) making extensive use of motion-capture techniques that take the technology beyond "bullet time."

If only the storytelling felt as fully integrated as the visual effects.

Thankfully not as philosophically long-winded as "Reloaded", the finale still stumbles over its share of clunky dialogue (especially the lines written for the two lovebirds) while taking its arsenal of religious iconography to heady new heights. By the end, there can be No Doubt as to the identity of the One.

And, in terms of the "Matrix" trilogy, unfortunately neither of the two chapters of this epic sequel can claim that singular distinction.

THE MATRIX REVOLUTIONS

Warner Bros. Pictures

Warner Bros. Pictures presents in association with Village Roadshow Pictures and NPV Entertainment a Silver Pictures production

Credits:

Directors-screenwriters: Andy Wachowski, Larry Wachowski

Producer: Joel Silver

Executive producers: Andy Wachowski, Larry Wachowski, Grant Hill, Andrew Mason, Bruce Berman

Director of photography: Bill Pope

Production designer: Owen Paterson

Editor: Zach Staenberg

Costume designer: Kym Barrett

Visual effects supervisor: John Gaeta

Music: Don Davis

Cast:

Neo: Keanu Reeves

Morpheus: Laurence Fishburne

Trinity: Carrie-Anne Moss

Agent Smith: Hugo Weaving

Niobe: Jada Pinkett Smith

The Oracle: Mary Alice

Sati: Tanveer Atwal

Persephone: Monica Bellucci

Bane: Ian Bliss

Seraph: Collin Chou

Zee: Nona Gaye

Mifune: Nathaniel Lees

Commander Lock: Harry Lennix

Link: Harold Perrineau

The Trainman: Bruce Spence

The Kid: Clayton Watson

Rama: Bernard White

Merovingian: Lambert Wilson

Ghost: Anthony Wong

Running time -- 129 minutes

MPAA rating: R...

Screened

Venice International Film Festival

Writer-director (and several other hyphenates) Robert Rodriguez brings some of his "Spy Kids" playfulness to the R-rated "Once Upon a Time in Mexico". Affectionately conceived, imaginatively staged and highly entertaining, the new pic is the concluding chapter of the "El Mariachi" trilogy, the spaghetti-Western homage starring Antonio Banderas as the gun- and guitar-toting "man with no name."

The plot proves so complicated and confusing that viewers may need to see the film a second time to sort out all the crosses, double-crosses and even identities, which twist the story into a jumbo-sized pretzel -- only to miraculously, Houdini-style, unravel and make perfect sense. While not attracting the family-friendly crowds that have made the "Spy Kids" franchise such a hit, the picture should open well and stay in theaters several weeks because of generally favorable word-of-mouth. Game audiences will be up for a second viewing, on DVD or video if not on the big screen, which promises a brisk business in rentals and sales.

Rodriguez wanted the story to pick up so far after the fade-out in "Desperado", the second episode in the franchise, that he came up with the rather clever idea of creating a never-before-seen plot -- that presumably takes place between the second and third films -- and injecting flashbacks of this story line throughout the picture. These sequences not only serve to reveal what has transpired with the characters but also help to explain El Mariachi's morose attitude toward his own fate.

These new developments include a marriage to his beloved Carolina (second-billed Salma Hayek), who, for reasons that become apparent as the flashbacks proceed, appears only in the protagonist's memory. Third-billed Johnny Depp, on the other hand, is onscreen almost as much as Banderas.

The plot sounds simple enough: corrupt CIA agent Sands (Depp) tracks El Mariachi down to a tiny, secluded village south of the border and recruits him in a bid to stop an assassination plot against the president of Mexico. The man behind the plot is the nefarious Barrillo (Willem Dafoe), the top dog of the country's largest and most profitable drug cartel. El Mariachi has had past dealings with the man whom Barrillo hires to carry out the execution, which explains our hero's reasons for agreeing to help Sands.

Expertly shot by Rodriguez (who also served as editor, production designer and composer) on a Sony 24-frames-per-second digital high-definition camera, the film basks in gorgeous blasts of golden light that both reflect and accentuate the story's mythic dimensions (as does the music). Choreographed fight sequences, containing impossible leaps and kicks, turn the violence into a kind of ballet -- which isn't to say that the film isn't violent. It's easy to see why it got an R rating (though DVD and video rentals among the male, under-17 demographic should be enormous). Hundreds of bad guys are mowed down by El Mariachi and his sidekicks, while the three of them sustain only minor injuries.

The film is great fun, albeit terribly confusing at times because of the great number of ancillary characters as well as their shifting loyalties, which find them changing sides or even working for both sides. The supporting cast includes Rodriguez regulars Danny Trejo, Ruben Blades and Cheech Marin.

Banderas has his role down to a T, exhibiting just the right balance of dashing hero and anguished, isolated loner. Hayek alternately smolders and glows but is onscreen a surprisingly short time. It is Sands who shares center stage with El Mariachi. Like all of the actors, Depp obviously is having a great deal of fun here, but he sometimes seems to be coasting. It's all just too easy for him (as was his wonderful recent turn in "Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl"), and you can't help but hope he tackles a meatier role next time around.

Editing his own work No Doubt allows Rodriguez to shoot with great economy. The film reportedly was shot in a mere seven weeks, remarkable for a movie with this many crazy and demanding stunts. The story does start to get out of hand toward the end -- too much action can become stultifying -- but the fact that all the confusing motives, relationships and plot threads eventually, and rather suddenly, make sense helps the film end on a positive note. "Once Upon a Time in Mexico" is one of two Rodriguez films represented at this year's festival. Like "Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over", it is playing out of competition.

ONCE UPON A TIME IN MEXICO

Columbia Pictures

Columbia Pictures, Dimension Films and Troublemaker Studios

Credits:

Screenwriter/director/production designer/director of photography/editor/music: Robert Rodriguez

Producers: Elizabeth Avelian, Carlos Gallardo, Robert Rodriguez

Costume designer: Graciela Mazon

Cast:

El Mariachi: Antonio Banderas

Carolina: Salma Hayek

Sands: Johnny Depp

Barrillo: Willem Dafoe

Ajedrez: Eva Mendes

Billy Chambers: Mickey Rourke

Running time -- 98 minutes

MPAA rating: R...

Opens

Friday, Sept. 19

As he did in his screenplay for the extraordinary animated feature "The Iron Giant", Tim McCanlies earns the audience's emotional involvement in "Secondhand Lions", every heart-tugging moment of the family tale fueled by a clear sense of character. Scripting and directing this time out, McCanlies has more of an inclination toward schmaltz, but the deft restraint of topliners Michael Caine and Robert Duvall tempers the narrative with a wry, poignant reserve.

Awash in nostalgia, "Lions" combines a gentle coming-of-age story with swashbuckling fantasy. While it lacks a necessary tension in its establishing scenes and might be too soft for those who prefer grittier fare, it's bound to strike a chord with family audiences and older filmgoers in the midst of early fall's more edgy releases and should prove a strong performer for New Line.

In the early 1960s, a time of finned sedans and a certain innocence, 14-year-old Walter Haley Joel Osment), a boy with a prematurely furrowed brow, reluctantly goes along with the latest scheme of his flighty single mother (Kyra Sedgwick). She's on her way to court-reporting school, or so she says, and is dropping him off for the summer with her uncles, two ornery old-timers who own a dusty parcel of land in rural Texas. Garth (Caine) and Hub (Duvall) are rumored to be hoarding millions in cash, and Walter's mission is to find the dough.

If the brothers have a fortune, they haven't been spending it. With no phone or TV, they pass most days sipping iced tea on the porch of their weather-beaten wooden house, which looks like something jointly designed by Edward Gorey and Edward Hopper. They take rifle potshots at the traveling salesmen who venture past their hand-painted signs of dire warning, a ragtag pack of watchdogs and a pig keeping them company.

Among the uninvited visitors are Hub and Garth's inheritance-hungry nephew (Michael O'Neill) and his horrid wife (Deirdre O'Connell), who with their three kids sit huddled on the opposite end of the porch like vultures in their Sunday best.

The brothers' resistance to Walter, mild to begin with, is short-lived -- a bit more friction would have made the payoff that much sweeter. Soon he's inspired them to sample the wares on offer from those salesmen. The strangest of their purchases is one of the titular lions, a zoo castoff Hub and Garth plan to hunt in a mini safari. But the cat is so old and tame that she instead becomes a pet to Walter -- and a key metaphor on the foreseeable arc of McCanlies' story. There's No Doubt that the boy and his great-uncles will forge a deep connection

it's the subtle awakenings Caine and Duvall communicate wordlessly that make the transition so engaging.

Garth, acclimating himself to retirement, spearheads a gardening project, while Hub, whose every fiber is packed with potential energy, bristles at the very notion of old age and the uselessness he fears it will bring. It turns out Hub, in his prime, was a regular Errol Flynn. The details -- or fabrications? -- emerge when Walter asks the more approachable Garth about an old photo, sparking tales of the brothers' youthful adventures: bright, cartoony sequences of cancan dancers, Foreign Legion exploits, romance with a gorgeous North African princess (Emmanuelle Vaugier) and swordplay with a murderous sheik (Adam Ozturk).

In the daunting position of going head to head with two of the finest screen actors around, Osment sometimes appears to be flailing in the face of minimalism. But he brings a heartfelt yearning to Walter, who understandably longs for a dependable adult in his life. When these unlikely parental figures kindle his imagination, the young actor also conveys the empathy of the artist Walter will become -- shown in the present-day sequences that bookend the memory piece.

Duvall, reaping praise for his turn in the self-consciously mythical "Open Range", has a richer role here and delivers a far more affecting performance as a man unwilling to go gentle into that good night. Caine's Garth is a model of equanimity and compassion, his gaze revealing firsthand knowledge of sorrow, his smile bespeaking a life well lived.

The supporting cast does what it can with broadly drawn characters, among them May's thug of a boyfriend (Nicky Katt), while Sedgwick can't quite rise above the stock role of the self-absorbed mother. The first-rate production package brings the film's various settings to evocative life, and the end credits feature lovely cartoon work by Berkeley Breathed.

SECONDHAND LIONS

New Line Cinema

A David Kirschner production in association with Digital Domain Prods.

Credits:

Director-screenwriter: Tim McCanlies

Producers: David Kirschner, Scott Ross, Corey Sienega

Executive producers: Toby Emmerich, Mark Kaufman, Janis Rothbard Chaskin, Karen Loop, Kevin Cooper

Director of photography: Jack Green

Production designer: David J. Bomba

Music: Patrick Doyle

Co-producer: Amy Sayres

Costume designer: Gary Jones

Editor: David Moritz

Cast: Garth: Michael Caine

Hub: Robert Duvall

Walter: Haley Joel Osment

May: Kyra Sedgwick

Stan: Nicky Katt

Adult Walter: Josh Lucas

Ralph: Michael O'Neill

Helen: Deirdre O'Connell

Sheik's Grandson: Eric Balfour

Young Hub: Christian Kane

Young Garth: Kevin Haberer

Jasmine: Emmanuelle Vaugier

The Sheik: Adam Ozturk

Running time -- 111 minutes

MPAA rating: PG...

Screened

Toronto International Film Festival

Ethnic and sexual stereotypes receive equally clumsy treatment in this Canadian comedy, which depicts the misadventures of a young Italian man's attempting to come out in the face of societal and family pressures. "Mambo Italiano" is in release from Samuel Goldwyn/IDP, which No Doubt hopes to duplicate the success of another recent comedy featuring an ethnic group in the title.

The film depicts the travails of mild-mannered Angelo (Luke Kirby), who still lives at home in Montreal with his working-class Italian parents, Maria (Ginette Reno) and Gino (Paul Sorvino). The latter are characteristically aghast when Angelo decides that he wants to move into a place of his own -- a distinct break from Italian tradition -- but their concerns are somewhat alleviated when Angelo's former childhood friend Nino (Peter Miller), now a cop, moves in with him as his "roommate."

What they don't know is that the pair are lovers, a fact that Angelo and the well-closeted Nino take great pains to conceal. But the deception is short-lived, and the revelation results in inevitable and highly predictable complications and hysterically emotional repercussions, with Angelo's parents and Nino's strong-willed mother desperately trying to rescue their children even while at each other's throats.

Based all too obviously on a play by co-screenwriter Steve Galluccio, the film's broad humor and stereotypical characterizations probably played much more effectively onstage. Here, under the heavy-handed direction of Emile Gaudreault, the material lacks both credibility and emotional resonance, though admittedly the comedy -- not so far removed in style from "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" -- could well connect with less discerning audiences. Particularly bizarre are the segments in which Angelo attempts, none too successfully, to counsel callers to a suicide hot line.

The performers vary in effectiveness, with Kirby appealing in the central role despite the character's many inconsistencies. Miller is suitably stalwart as the buffed Nino, and Claudia Ferri garners both laughs and sympathy as Angelo's aggrieved sister. The rest of the performers go through their predictable paces with professionalism, though Sorvino displays evidence of having played this sort of blustery Italian patriarch far too often.

Mambo Italiano

Samuel Goldwyn Films/IDP Distribution

Cinemaginaire

Credits:

Director: Emile Gaudreault

Screenwriter: Emile Gaudreault, Steve Galluccio

Producers: Denise Robert, Daniel Louis

Director of photography: Serge Ladouceur

Editor: Richard Comeau

Production designer: Patricia Christie

Composer: FM Le Sieur

Cast:

Angelo Barberini: Luke Kirby

Gino Barberini: Paul Sorvino

Maria Barberini: Ginette Reno

Maria: Stephanie Vecchio

Anna Barberini: Claudia Ferri

Nino Paventi: Peter Miller

Lina Paventi: Mary Walsh

Running time -- 88 minutes

No MPAA rating...

VENICE, Italy -- The Russian movie "The Return" by first-time director Andrej Zvjagintsev picked up the Golden Lion, Venice International Film Festival's top prize, at the closing ceremony here Saturday. The movie, a simple tale of a father returning to his sons, won much praise from critics during the 11-day festival and has attracted the attention of several U.S. buyers. It is the first time a debutant director has won the Golden Lion since 1994, when Milcho Manchevski won with "Before the Rain". Zvjagintsev's win will No Doubt invite comparisons with his celebrated compatriot Andrei Tarkovsky, who was "discovered" by Venice in 1962 with his picture "Ivanovo Detstvo". "The Return" also won Luigi De Laurentiis award for best first movie across all sections of the festival, which comes with a 100,000 Euro prize money split between director and producer. The runner-up prize in the Venice main competition section, the Silver Lion, went to "The Kite," the story of two separated villages in Syria's Golan region from Lebanese director Randa Chahal Sabbag.

VENICE, Italy -- The Russian movie "The Return" by first-time director Andrey Zvyagintsev picked up the Golden Lion, Venice International Film Festival's top prize, at the closing-award ceremony. The movie, a visually poetic drama about two boys whose father returns after a 10-year absence to take them on a mysterious journey to a desolate island, won much praise from critics during the 11-day festival and has attracted the attention of several U.S. buyers. It is the first time a debut director has won the Golden Lion since Macedonian director Milcho Manchevski won with "Before the Rain" in 1994. Zvyagintsev's win will No Doubt invite comparisons to his celebrated compatriot and namesake Andrei Tarkovsky, who was "discovered" by Venice in 1962 with his picture "Ivanovo Detstvo" (Ivan's Childhood). "The Return" also won the Luigi De Laurentiis Award for best first movie across all sections of the festival, which comes with €100,000 in prize money split between the director and producer Ren Film. The movie is being sold by Intercinema Art Agency. In an emotional moment at Saturday's ceremony, Zvyagintsev dedicated the Golden Lion to Vladimir Garin, the 15-year-old actor who played one of the sons, who drowned shortly after the shoot in the same lake that appears in the movie.

CANNES -- Danish director Lars von Trier took advantage of Monday's packed press conference to wrangle a final commitment from Nicole Kidman to reprise her "Dogville" role to two more von Trier-helmed pictures. Kidman has said she is considering coming aboard for "Manderlay" and the still-untitled third picture in von Trier's so-called "U.S. of A". trilogy but has yet to officially sign on. Hoping to get a verbal contact in front of witnesses, von Trier responded to a question about the upcoming films by asking Kidman to repeat her promise to star in the upcoming films. "Nicole, why don't you tell everyone what you told me yesterday," von Trier prompted. Kidman hesitated, but the Danish director wasn't taking no for an answer. "Just say it. Say 'Lars, I'm going to star in your pictures, no matter what it will cost," von Trier said. Finally, a slightly perturbed Kidman gave in. "Lars, you know there's No Doubt I will." Whether that amounts to a binding agreement remains to be seen as von Trier gets set to start shooting on "Manderlay" in August.

SYDNEY -- After the abrupt departure of Television New Zealand chairman Ross Armstrong on Monday, Craig Boyce has been appointed acting chairman, effective immediately. Minister of Broadcasting Steve Maharey announced the appointment Wednesday. Boyce has been a director on the TVNZ board since 2000 and holds numerous other directorships. "Craig Boyce is a very able chairperson, and I appreciate his willingness to lead TVNZ during this time of transition," Maharey said. "I have No Doubt that he and the other members of the board have the skills to provide TVNZ with sound leadership."...

Artist, producer and fashion icon Sean 'P. Diddy' Combs will front the 9th annual MTV Europe music awards next month in the Spanish coastal city of Barcelona, president and CEO Brent Hansen announced Monday. Unveiling the award nominations list at a London media conference alongside P.Diddy, Hansen said that performers Robbie Williams, Wyclef, Enrique Iglesias and Coldplay will also appear on stage at the Palau Sant Jordi arena Nov. 14. U.K. indie band Coldplay lead the nominations with mentions in the best group, best album and best rock categories. In the best group section they face competition from U2, Linkin Park, No Doubt and Red Hot Chili Peppers, while the best rock category also features Bon Jovi, Nickelback, the Chili Peppers and U2. For best album honors, Coldplay's A Rush of Blood to the Head takes on Eminem's The Eminem Show, Kylie Minogue's Fever, No Doubt's Rocksteady and Pink's M!ssundaztood. Jennifer Lopez, Britney Spears, Kylie, Pink and Shakira will fight it out for the best female plaudit, while Eminem, Robbie Williams, Lenny Kravitz, Nelly are shortlisted for best male.

PARIS -- The events of 9/11 brought several industry events to a standstill last year, and the annual French TV Screenings in St Tropez was no exception, as participants abandoned sales discussions to crowd around TV coverage of the unfolding disaster. This year's screenings, which kick off in the Mediterranean resort next Monday, will No Doubt be marked by an effort to move beyond the difficulties of the past 12 months. Betty Nocella, sales manager at French producer-distributor Doc en Stock, said "2001 was a good year right up until 9/11. The early part of 2002 was a void, and after MIP-TV in April, I had hardly any (sales) comeback. Buyers are taking much longer to say yes -- three months is typical. In July, answers from MIP were just starting to come in."...

NEW YORK -- A little controversy was just what Eminem needed to sweep the 2002 MTV Video Music Awards. The rap star's "Without Me" took home four Moon Man trophies, including the prestigious best video of the year and best male video, during the awards ceremony Thursday night at Radio City Music Hall in New York. Rock darlings the White Stripes, who also hail from Detroit, followed with three wins, including breakthrough video for "Fell in Love With a Girl." "Without Me" also was named best rap video and best direction in a video for Joseph Kahn Wild girl Pink nabbed the best female video for "Get the Party Started" over such favorites as Ashanti, Michelle Branch, Shakira and Britney Spears. "Get the Party Started" also was named best dance video. Pink was a bit wobbly on her feet when she took the stage to accept the award. "I'm too drunk for this; I'm so drunk," she said. Pink's Arista Records labelmate Avril Lavigne was honored as best new artist in a video for "Complicated." No Doubt nabbed two awards for "Hey Baby" featuring Bounty Killer: best pop video and best group video. Michelle Branch picked up the Viewers Choice Award for "Everywhere." In accepting the honor, she said, "I think I'm drunker than Pink."...