Ayutthaya was friendly towards Chinese, Dutch, English, Vietnamese, Indian, Japanese, Persian, Portuguese, Spanish, and French people.

Ayutthaya Kingdom The Kingdom of Ayutthaya ( -LSB- ɑːˈjuːtəjə -RSB- อยุธยา , -LSB- ʔajúttʰajaː -RSB- ; also spelled Ayudhya or Ayodhaya ) was a Siamese kingdom that existed from 1351 to 1767 . Ayutthaya was friendly towards foreign traders , including the Chinese , Vietnamese , Indians , Japanese and Persians , and later the Portuguese , Spaniards , Dutch , English and French , permitting them to set up villages outside the walls of the capital , also called Ayutthaya .   In the sixteenth century , it was described by foreign traders as one of the biggest and wealthiest cities in the East . The court of King Narai ( 1656 -- 88 ) had strong links with that of King Louis XIV of France , whose ambassadors compared the city in size and wealth to Paris .   By 1550 , the kingdom 's vassals included some city-states in the Malay Peninsula , Sukhothai , Lan Na and parts of Burma and Cambodia . This part of the Kingdom 's history is sometimes referred to as ` The Ayutthayan Empire . '   In foreign accounts , Ayutthaya was called Siam , but many sources say the people of Ayutthaya called themselves Tai , and their kingdom Krung Tai `` The Tai country '' . It was also referred to as Iudea in a painting that was requested by the Dutch East India Company


True Blood True Blood is an American dark fantasy horror  television series produced and created by Alan Ball and based on The Southern Vampire Mysteries series of novels by Charlaine Harris .   The series revolves around Sookie Stackhouse ( Anna Paquin ) , a telepathic waitress living in the rural town of Bon Temps , Louisiana , two years after the invention of a synthetic blood that has allowed vampires to `` come out of the coffin '' and allow their presence to be known to mankind . Now they are struggling for equal rights and assimilation , while anti-vampire organizations begin to gain power . Sookie 's world is turned upside down when she falls in love with 173-year-old vampire Bill Compton ( Stephen Moyer ) and for the first time must navigate the trials , tribulations and terrors of intimacy and relationships .   The show was broadcast on the premium cable network HBO , in the United States , and was produced by HBO in association with Ball 's production company , Your Face Goes Here Entertainment . The series premiered on September 7 , 2008 and concluded on August 24 , 2014 , comprising seven seasons and 80 episodes . The first five seasons received highly positive reviews , and both nominations and wins for several awards , including a Golden Globe and an Emmy .


The OA The OA is an American mystery drama web television series with science fiction , supernatural , and fantasy elements , which debuted on Netflix on December 16 , 2016 . Created and executive produced by Brit Marling and Zal Batmanglij , the series is their third collaboration . The series consists of eight episodes , all directed by Batmanglij , and is produced by Plan B Entertainment and Anonymous Content . In the series , Marling stars as a young woman named Prairie Johnson who resurfaces after having been missing for seven years . Prairie now calls herself `` The OA '' and can see , despite having been blind before her disappearance .   The OA received generally favorable critical reception . The series ' directing , visuals and acting were often singled out . Reviews also ranged from highly positive to highly negative , with several reviewers drawing both favorable and unfavorable comparisons with Stranger Things , another science fiction series that debuted on Netflix earlier in the year . On February 8 , 2017 , Netflix renewed the series for a second season .


Fahrenheit 451 was directed by Francois Truffaut.

Fahrenheit 451 (film) Fahrenheit 451 is a 1966 British Dystopian science fiction drama film directed by François Truffaut and starring Oskar Werner , Julie Christie , and Cyril Cusack . Based on the 1953 novel of the same name by Ray Bradbury , the film takes place in a controlled society in an oppressive future in which a fireman , whose duty it is to burn all literature , becomes a fugitive for reading . This was Truffaut 's first colour film as well as his only English-language film . At the 1966 Venice Film Festival , Fahrenheit 451 was nominated for the Golden Lion .


Al Waxman Albert Samuel Waxman , ( March 2 , 1935 -- January 18 , 2001 ) was a Canadian actor and director of over 1000 productions on radio , television , film , and stage . He is best known for his starring roles in the television series King of Kensington ( CBC ) and Cagney & Lacey ( CBS ) .


Michel Piccoli Jacques Daniel Michel Piccoli ( born 27 December 1925 ) is a French actor and filmmaker of Ticino descent . He has one of the longest careers in french cinema , and is regarded worldwide as a symbol of France 's film history , more specifically of the '60s and the 70 's .


Burt Lancaster Burton Stephen `` Burt '' Lancaster ( November 2 , 1913 -- October 20 , 1994 ) was an American film actor . Initially known for playing `` tough guys '' , Lancaster went on to achieve success with more complex and challenging roles . He was nominated four times for Academy Awards and won once for his work in Elmer Gantry in 1960 . He also won a Golden Globe for that performance and BAFTA Awards for The Birdman of Alcatraz ( 1962 ) and Atlantic City ( 1980 ) . During the 1950s his production company Hecht-Hill-Lancaster was highly successful , making films such as Marty ( 1955 ) , Trapeze ( 1956 ) , Sweet Smell of Success ( 1957 ) , Run Silent , Run Deep ( 1958 ) , and Separate Tables ( 1958 ) .   The American Film Institute ranks Lancaster as # 19 of the greatest male stars of classic Hollywood cinema .


Robert Joy Robert Joy ( born August 17 , 1951 ) is a Canadian actor . He is best known for his roles as Dr. Sid Hammerback in CSI : NY , Charlie Houx in Land of the Dead , Lizard in The Hills Have Eyes , Dave in Atlantic City , and Jim in Desperately Seeking Susan .


Atlantic City (1980 film) Atlantic City is a 1980 French-Canadian romantic crime film directed by Louis Malle . Filmed in late 1979 , it was released in France and Germany in 1980 and in the United States in 1981 . The script was written by John Guare . It stars Burt Lancaster , Susan Sarandon , Kate Reid , Robert Joy , Hollis McLaren , Michel Piccoli , and Al Waxman .   Atlantic City is among the 41 films to be nominated for all `` Big Five '' Academy Awards , including Best Picture , Best Director , Best Actor , Best Actress and Best Screenplay , and one of only eight among this group to not take home a single award .


Jawbreaker (film) Jawbreaker is a 1999 American black comedy film written and directed by Darren Stein . The film stars Rose McGowan , Rebecca Gayheart , Julie Benz , and Judy Greer as girls in an exclusive clique in their high school . Charlotte Ayanna has a non-speaking cameo role as a murdered prom queen . The film was inspired by the film Heathers , and is often compared to it , particularly the plot involving a popular female clique , and the ostensibly accidental killing of one of its members .   Of his concept for the film , Stein has stated `` The jawbreaker just came to represent the duality of the poppy sweetness of the girls , of high school and of youth , versus the whole idea that this thing could break your jaw '' . The film was released on February 19 , 1999 and was a critical and financial failure , although it has come to gain a cult following . Similarities have been drawn between Jawbreaker and the 2004 film Mean Girls .


Sofia Coppola's father is Francis Ford Coppola.

Sofia Coppola Sofia Carmina Coppola ( -LSB- ˈkoʊpələ -RSB- ; born May 14 , 1971 ) is an American screenwriter , director , producer and actress . Her father is director , producer and screenwriter Francis Ford Coppola . In 2003 , she received the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay for the comedy-drama Lost in Translation , and became the third woman to be nominated for an Academy Award for Best Director . In 2010 , with the drama Somewhere , she became the first American woman ( and fourth American filmmaker ) to win the Golden Lion , the top prize at the Venice Film Festival .   In 2017 , Coppola directed The Beguiled , a remake of the 1971 Western film of the same name , starring Nicole Kidman , Elle Fanning and Kirsten Dunst . The film premiered at the 2017 Cannes Film Festival , where Coppola became the second woman ( and the first American woman ) in the festival 's history to win the Best Director award .


A Serious Man A Serious Man is a 2009 black comedy-drama film written , produced , edited and directed by Joel and Ethan Coen . The film stars Michael Stuhlbarg as a Minnesota Jewish man whose life crumbles both professionally and personally , leading him to questions about his faith .   The film attracted a positive critical response , including a Golden Globe nomination for Stuhlbarg , a place on both the American Film Institute 's and National Board of Review 's Top 10 Film Lists of 2009 , and a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Picture .


Coen brothers Joel David Coen ( born November 29 , 1954 ) and Ethan Jesse Coen ( born September 21 , 1957 ) , collectively referred to as the Coen brothers , are American filmmakers . Their films span many genres and styles , which they frequently subvert or parody . Their best-reviewed works include Fargo ( 1996 ) , The Big Lebowski ( 1998 ) , No Country for Old Men ( 2007 ) , A Serious Man ( 2009 ) , True Grit ( 2010 ) , and Inside Llewyn Davis ( 2013 ) .   The brothers write , direct and produce their films jointly , although until The Ladykillers ( 2004 ) Joel received sole credit for directing and Ethan for producing . They often alternate top billing for their screenplays while sharing editing credits under the alias Roderick Jaynes . They have been nominated for thirteen Academy Awards together , and individually for one award each , winning Best Original Screenplay for Fargo and Best Picture , Best Director and Best Adapted Screenplay for No Country for Old Men . The duo also won the Palme d'Or for Barton Fink and were nominated for Fargo .   The Coen brothers have written a number of films they did not direct , including the biographical war drama Unbroken ( 2014 ) , the historical legal thriller Bridge of Spies ( 2015 ) , and lesser-known , commercially unsuccessful comedies such as Crimewave ( 1985 ) , The Naked Man ( 1998 ) and Gambit ( 2012 ) . Ethan is also a writer of short stories , theater and poetry .   The brothers 's films No Country for Old Men , A Serious Man and Inside Llewyn Davis have been ranked in the BBC 's 2016 poll of the greatest motion pictures since 2000 .


Fargo (film) Fargo is a 1996 American black comedy crime thriller film written , produced , edited , and directed by Joel and Ethan Coen . Frances McDormand stars as a pregnant Minnesota police chief investigating roadside homicides that ensue after a desperate car salesman ( William H. Macy ) hires two criminals ( Steve Buscemi and Peter Stormare ) to kidnap his wife in order to extort a hefty ransom from his wealthy father-in-law ( Harve Presnell ) .   Fargo premiered at the 1996 Cannes Film Festival , where Joel Coen won the festival 's Prix de la mise en scène ( Best Director Award ) and the film was nominated for the Palme d'Or . A critical and commercial success , Fargo received seven Academy Award nominations , including Best Picture . McDormand received the Best Actress Oscar , and the Coens won in the Best Original Screenplay category .   The film was selected in 2006 for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as `` culturally , historically , or aesthetically significant '' -- one of only six films so designated in its first year of eligibility . The American Film Institute named it one of the 100 greatest American movies of all time in 1998 . A Coen-produced FX television series of the same name , inspired by Fargo and taking place in the same universe , started in 2014 and was critically acclaimed .


Barton Fink Barton Fink is a 1991 American period film written , produced , directed and edited by the Coen brothers . Set in 1941 , it stars John Turturro in the title role as a young New York City playwright who is hired to write scripts for a film studio in Hollywood , and John Goodman as Charlie , the insurance salesman who lives next door at the run-down Hotel Earle .   The Coens wrote the screenplay for Barton Fink in three weeks while experiencing difficulty during the writing of Miller 's Crossing . They began filming the former soon after Miller 's Crossing was finished . The film is influenced by works of several earlier directors , particularly Roman Polanski 's Repulsion ( 1965 ) and The Tenant ( 1976 ) .   Barton Fink had its premiere at the Cannes Film Festival in May 1991 . In a rare sweep , it won the Palme d'Or , as well as awards for Best Director and Best Actor ( Turturro ) . Although the film was a box office bomb , only grossing $ 6 million against its $ 9 million budget , it received positive reviews and was nominated for three Academy Awards . Prominent themes of Barton Fink include the writing process ; slavery and conditions of labor in creative industries ; superficial distinctions between high culture and low culture ; and the relationship of intellectuals with `` the common man '' .   The diverse elements of the film have led it to defy efforts at genre classification , with the work being variously referred to as a film noir , a horror film , a Künstlerroman , and a buddy film . It contains various literary allusions and religious overtones , as well as references to many real-life people and events -- most notably the writers Clifford Odets and William Faulkner , of whom the characters of Barton Fink and W. P. Mayhew are often seen as fictional representations . Several features of the film 's narrative , particularly an image of a woman at the beach which recurs throughout , have sparked much commentary , with the Coens acknowledging some intentional symbolic elements while denying an attempt to communicate any single message in the film . Despite disagreement around certain details of the work , Barton Fink continues to be positively received , with screenwriter Charlie Kaufman among its admirers .


No Country for Old Men (film) No Country for Old Men is a 2007 American neo-western neo-noir thriller film written and directed by Joel and Ethan Coen , based on Cormac McCarthy 's novel of the same name . A cat-and-mouse drama starring Tommy Lee Jones , Javier Bardem , and Josh Brolin , it follows a Texas welder and Vietnam veteran in the desert landscape of 1980 West Texas . Themes of fate , conscience , and circumstance are explored , ones that the Coen brothers have previously explored in the films Blood Simple ( 1984 ) and Fargo ( 1996 ) .   No Country for Old Men premiered in competition at the 2007 Cannes Film Festival on May 19 . It won four awards at the 80th Academy Awards -- Best Picture , Best Director , Best Supporting Actor ( Bardem ) and Best Adapted Screenplay . In addition , the film won three British Academy Film Awards ( BAFTA ) including Best Director , and two Golden Globes . The American Film Institute listed it as an AFI Movie of the Year , and the National Board of Review selected the film as the best of 2007 .   More critics included No Country for Old Men on their 2007 top ten lists than any other film , and many regard it as the Coen brothers ' masterpiece , as well as one of the best films of the 2000s . The Guardians John Patterson wrote : `` the Coens ' technical abilities , and their feel for a landscape-based Western classicism reminiscent of Anthony Mann and Sam Peckinpah , are matched by few living directors '' , and Peter Travers of Rolling Stone said that it is `` a new career peak for the Coen brothers '' and `` as entertaining as hell '' . In 2016 , it was voted the 10th best film of the 21st century as picked by 177 film critics from around the world .


Inside Llewyn Davis Inside Llewyn Davis -LSB- ˈluː.ɪn deɪvɪs -RSB- is a 2013 American black comedy drama film written , directed , produced , and edited by Joel and Ethan Coen . Set in 1961 , the film follows one week in the life of Llewyn Davis , played by Oscar Isaac , a folk singer struggling to achieve musical success while keeping his life in order . It co-stars Carey Mulligan , John Goodman , Garrett Hedlund , F. Murray Abraham , and Justin Timberlake .   Although Davis is a fictional character , the story was partly inspired by the autobiography of folk singer Dave Van Ronk . Most of the folk songs performed in the film are sung in full and recorded live . T Bone Burnett was the executive music producer .   The film won the Grand Prix at the 2013 Cannes Film Festival , where it screened on May 19 , 2013 . The film received a limited release in the United States on December 6 , 2013 , and was given a wide release on January 10 , 2014 . The film received critical acclaim and was nominated for two Academy Awards ( Best Cinematography and Best Sound Mixing ) and for three Golden Globe Awards : Best Motion Picture -- Comedy or Musical , Best Actor -- Motion Picture Musical or Comedy ( Oscar Isaac ) , and Best Original Song .   Inside Llewyn Davis has been highly acclaimed , and was voted the 11th best film of the 21st century by 177 critics in a 2016 BBC Culture poll .


Sindh borders the Arabian Sea and is in India.

Sindh Sindh -LSB- sɪnd -RSB- ( سنڌ ; -LSB- ) is one of the four provinces of Pakistan , in the southeast of the country . Historically home to the Sindhi people , it is also locally known as the Mehran . It was formerly known as Sind until 1956 . Sindh is the third largest province of Pakistan by area , and second largest province by population after Punjab . Sindh is bordered by Balochistan province to the west , and Punjab province to the north . Sindh also borders the Indian states of Gujarat and Rajasthan to the east , and Arabian Sea to the south . Sindh 's landscape consists mostly of alluvial plains flanking the Indus River , the Thar desert in the eastern portion of the province closest to the border with India , and the Kirthar Mountains in the western part of Sindh . Sindh 's climate is noted for hot summers and mild winters . The provincial capital of Sindh is Pakistan 's largest city and financial hub , Karachi .   Sindh has Pakistan 's second largest economy with Karachi being its capital that hosts the headquarters of several multinational banks . Sindh is home to a large portion of Pakistan 's industrial sector and contains two of Pakistan 's commercial seaports -- Port Bin Qasim and the Karachi Port . The remainder of Sindh has an agriculture based economy , and produces fruit , food consumer items , and vegetables for the consumption other parts of the country . Sindh is also the centre of Pakistan 's pharmaceutical industry .   Sindh is known for its distinct culture which is strongly influenced by Sufism , an important marker of Sindhi identity for both Hindus ( Sindh has Pakistan 's highest percentage of Hindu residents ) . and Muslims in the province . Several important Sufi shrines are located throughout the province which attract millions of annual devotees . Sindh 's capital , Karachi , is Pakistan 's most ethnically diverse city , with Muhajirs , or descendants of those who migrated to Pakistan from India after 1947 and throughout the 1950s and 1960s , making up the majority of the population . Karachi and other urban centres of Sindh have seen ethnic tensions between the native Sindhis and the Muhajirs boil over into violence on several occasions . Sindh is home to two UNESCO World Heritage Sites - the Historical Monuments at Makli , and the Archaeological Ruins at Moenjodaro .


Logan (film) Logan is a 2017 American superhero film featuring the Marvel Comics character Wolverine , produced by Marvel Entertainment , TSG Entertainment , and The Donners ' Company , and distributed by 20th Century Fox . It is the tenth installment in the X-Men film series , as well as the third and final Wolverine solo film following X-Men Origins : Wolverine ( 2009 ) and The Wolverine ( 2013 ) , as well serving as a reboot to the franchise and being set in its own universe . The film takes inspiration from `` Old Man Logan '' by Mark Millar and Steve McNiven , which follows an aged Wolverine undertaking a final adventure in a dystopian future .   The film is directed by James Mangold , who co-wrote the screenplay with Scott Frank and Michael Green , from a story by Mangold . Hugh Jackman stars as Logan in his final portrayal of the character after having played the role for 17 years , with Patrick Stewart co-starring as Charles Xavier . Richard E. Grant , Boyd Holbrook , Stephen Merchant , Dafne Keen ( in her first film role ) , Eriq La Salle , Elise Neal and Elizabeth Rodriguez are all featured in supporting roles . Principal photography began in Louisiana on May 2 , 2016 and ended on August 19 , 2016 in New Mexico . The locations used for Logan were mainly Louisiana , New Mexico and Mississippi .   Logan premiered at the 67th Berlin International Film Festival on February 17 , 2017 , and was theatrically released in the United States on March 3 , 2017 , in standard and IMAX formats . It received praise from critics and audiences , becoming the best-reviewed film in the X-Men film series and being considered by many as one of the best superhero films of all time , and has grossed $ 607 million worldwide against its $ 97 million budget , making it the fourth highest-grossing film of 2017 .


To Kill a Mockingbird explores the theme of corruption of power.

To Kill a Mockingbird To Kill a Mockingbird is a novel by Harper Lee published in 1960 . It was immediately successful , winning the Pulitzer Prize , and has become a classic of modern American literature . The plot and characters are loosely based on Lee 's observations of her family , her neighbors and an event that occurred near her hometown of Monroeville , Alabama , in 1936 , when she was 10 years old .   The novel is renowned for its warmth and humor , despite dealing with the serious issues of rape and racial inequality . The narrator 's father , Atticus Finch , has served as a moral hero for many readers and as a model of integrity for lawyers . One critic explains the novel 's impact by writing , `` In the twentieth century , To Kill a Mockingbird is probably the most widely read book dealing with race in America , and its protagonist , Atticus Finch , the most enduring fictional image of racial heroism . ''   As a Southern Gothic novel and a Bildungsroman , the primary themes of To Kill a Mockingbird involve racial injustice and the destruction of innocence . Scholars have noted that Lee also addresses issues of class , courage , compassion , and gender roles in the American Deep South . The book is widely taught in schools in the United States with lessons that emphasize tolerance and decry prejudice . Despite its themes , To Kill a Mockingbird has been subject to campaigns for removal from public classrooms , often challenged for its use of racial epithets .   Reaction to the novel varied widely upon publication . Despite the number of copies sold and its widespread use in education , literary analysis of it is sparse . Author Mary McDonough Murphy , who collected individual impressions of To Kill a Mockingbird by several authors and public figures , calls the book `` an astonishing phenomenon '' . In 2006 , British librarians ranked the book ahead of the Bible as one `` every adult should read before they die '' . It was adapted into an Oscar-winning film in 1962 by director Robert Mulligan , with a screenplay by Horton Foote . Since 1990 , a play based on the novel has been performed annually in Harper Lee 's hometown .   To Kill a Mockingbird was Lee 's only published book until Go Set a Watchman , an earlier draft of To Kill a Mockingbird , was published on July 14 , 2015 . Lee continued to respond to her work 's impact until her death in February 2016 , although she had refused any personal publicity for herself or the novel since 1964 .


Andy Fletcher (musician) Andrew John Leonard Fletcher ( born 8 July 1961 ) , popularly known as `` Fletch '' , is an English keyboard player and founding member of the electronic band Depeche Mode .


Charlie Rubin has written for the sitcom Seinfeld.

Charlie Rubin Charlie Rubin is an American television comedy writer , producer , and humorist .   He has written for National Lampoon , The Carol Burnett Show , In Living Color , The Jon Stewart Show , Saturday Night Live , Seinfeld , and Law & Order : Criminal Intent .   Charlie attended Horace Mann School in Riverdale , New York and then Williams College , from which he graduated in 1972 . While at Williams , Charlie , along with his friend , Mitchell Rapoport , founded The Williams Advocate . He also produced an original musical called `` Sizzle '' with William Finn at the Adams Memorial Theater . It was the first original musical to be mounted at Williams College since Stephen Sondheim attended over 20 years earlier .   Charlie is currently working on a screen adaptation of Veeck -- As In Wreck : The Autobiography of Bill Veeck . He is also a professor at NYU 's Tisch School of the Arts in the Rita & Burton Goldberg Department of Dramatic Writing , where he teaches writing for television .   He married writer Susan Shapiro on July 27 , 1996 .


Toy Story was nominated for three Academy Awards.

Toy Story Toy Story is a 1995 American computer-animated buddy comedy adventure film produced by Pixar Animation Studios and released by Walt Disney Pictures . The directorial debut of John Lasseter , Toy Story was the first feature-length computer-animated film and the first theatrical film produced by Pixar .   Taking place in a world where anthropomorphic toys pretend to be lifeless whenever humans are present , the film 's plot focuses on the relationship between Woody , an old-fashioned pullstring cowboy doll ( voiced by Tom Hanks ) , and Buzz Lightyear , an astronaut action figure ( voiced by Tim Allen ) , as they evolve from rivals competing for the affections of Andy , their owner , to friends who work together to be reunited with Andy as his family prepares to move to a new home . The screenplay was written by Joss Whedon , Andrew Stanton , Joel Cohen and Alec Sokolow , based on a story by Lasseter , Pete Docter , Stanton and Joe Ranft . The film features music by Randy Newman , and was executive-produced by Steve Jobs and Edwin Catmull .   Pixar , which produced short animated films to promote their computers , was approached by Disney to produce a computer-animated feature after the success of their short film Tin Toy ( 1988 ) , which is told from a small toy 's perspective . Lasseter , Stanton and Docter wrote early story treatments which were thrown out by Disney , as they wanted the film to be edgier . After disastrous story reels , production was halted and the script was re-written , better reflecting the tone and theme Pixar desired : that `` toys deeply want children to play with them , and that this desire drives their hopes , fears , and actions '' . The studio , then consisting of a relatively small number of employees , produced the film under minor financial constraints .   Released in theaters on November 22 , 1995 , Toy Story was the highest-grossing film on its opening weekend and earned over $ 373 million worldwide . The film was widely acclaimed by critics , who praised the animation 's technical innovation , the wit and thematic sophistication of the screenplay , and the performances of Hanks and Allen . It is now considered by many critics to be one of the best animated films ever made . The film received three Academy Award nominations , including Best Original Screenplay , Best Original Score , and Best Original Song for `` You 've Got a Friend in Me '' , as well as winning a Special Achievement Academy Award . It was inducted into the National Film Registry as being `` culturally , historically , or aesthetically significant '' in 2005 , its first year of eligibility .   In addition to home media releases and theatrical re-releases , Toy Story-inspired material has run the gamut from toys , video games , theme park attractions , spin-offs , merchandise , and two sequels -- Toy Story 2 ( 1999 ) and Toy Story 3 ( 2010 ) -- both of which also garnered massive commercial success and critical acclaim , with a third sequel , Toy Story 4 , slated for a 2019 release .


Coke Boys Records is an independent film production company.

Coke Boys Records Coke Boys Records is an independent record label , originally known as Cocaine City Records that was founded by American rapper French Montana in 2008 . It is now an imprint on both Bad Boy Records and Maybach Music Group . Since then , French Montana has signed artists as follow .


Zinedine Zidane Zinedine Yazid Zidane ( -LSB- zinedin zidan -RSB- , born 23 June 1972 ) , nicknamed `` Zizou '' , is a retired French footballer and current manager of Real Madrid . He played as an attacking midfielder for the France national team , Cannes , Bordeaux , Juventus and Real Madrid . An elite playmaker , renowned for his elegance , vision , ball control and technique , Zidane was named the best European footballer of the past 50 years in the UEFA Golden Jubilee Poll . He is widely regarded as one of the greatest players of all time .   At club level , Zidane won the La Liga title and the UEFA Champions League with Real Madrid , two Serie A league championships with Juventus and an Intercontinental Cup and a UEFA Super Cup each with both aforementioned teams . His 2001 transfer from Juventus to Real Madrid set a world record fee of an equivalent $ 75 million . His left-foot volleyed winner in the 2002 UEFA Champions League Final is considered to be one of the greatest goals in the competition 's history . On the international stage with France , Zidane won the 1998 FIFA World Cup , scoring twice in the final , and UEFA Euro 2000 where he was named Player of the Tournament . The World Cup triumph made him a national hero in France , and he received the Légion d'honneur in 1998 .   Zidane was named the FIFA World Player of the Year three times , in 1998 , 2000 and 2003 , and won the 1998 Ballon d'Or . He was Ligue 1 Player of the Year in 1996 , Serie A Footballer of the Year in 2001 and La Liga Best Foreign Player in 2002 . In 2004 , he was named in the FIFA 100 , a list of the world 's greatest living players compiled by Pelé . Zidane received the Golden Ball for player of the tournament at the 2006 World Cup , despite his infamous sending off in the final against Italy for headbutting Marco Materazzi in the chest . Prior to the World Cup , he announced he would retire at the end of the tournament .   After retirement , Zidane became assistant coach at Real Madrid under Carlo Ancelotti for the 2013 -- 14 season . After a successful year in which the club won the UEFA Champions League and Copa del Rey , Zidane became the coach of Real Madrid 's B team , Real Madrid Castilla . In 2010 , Zidane was an ambassador for Qatar 's successful bid to stage the 2022 FIFA World Cup , the first Arab country to host the tournament . Zidane is currently the manager of Real Madrid , taking over the position in January 2016 . In his first season as manager , Zidane won the UEFA Champions League title .


Steven Soderbergh directed a biographical film.

Steven Soderbergh Steven Andrew Soderbergh ( -LSB- ˈsoʊdərbɜrɡ -RSB- born January 14 , 1963 ) is an American film producer , director , screenwriter , cinematographer and editor . His indie drama Sex , Lies , and Videotape ( 1989 ) won the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival , and became a worldwide commercial success , making the then-26-year-old Soderbergh the youngest director to win the festival 's top award . Film critic Roger Ebert dubbed Soderbergh the `` poster boy of the Sundance generation '' .   He is best known for directing critically acclaimed commercial Hollywood films including the crime comedy Out of Sight ( 1998 ) , the biographical film Erin Brockovich ( 2000 ) , the crime drama film Traffic ( 2000 ) ( for which he won the Academy Award for Best Director ) , the 2001 remake of the comedy heist film Ocean 's 11 and its two sequels -- known collectively as the Ocean 's Trilogy , the medical thriller Contagion ( 2011 ) and the comedy-drama Magic Mike ( 2012 ) .   He has also directed smaller , less conventional works , such as the mystery thriller Kafka ( 1991 ) ; the experimental comedy film Schizopolis ( 1996 ) , which has a non-linear narrative ; Bubble ( 2005 ) , which uses no script and non-professional actors ; the experimental drama film The Girlfriend Experience ( 2009 ) , which starred the then-active pornographic actress Sasha Grey ; and the biopic about Marxist revolutionary Ernesto `` Che '' Guevara , Che ( 2008 ) .  Soderbergh also directed , photographed and edited all episodes of the television drama The Knick . In addition , he has produced numerous film and television programs , and provided cinematography and editing on various projects .


The Youth Olympic Games (YOG) is held by the International Olympic Committee.

Youth Olympic Games The Youth Olympic Games ( YOG ) is an international multi-sport event organized by the International Olympic Committee . The games are held every four years in staggered summer and winter events consistent with the current Olympic Games format . The first summer version was held in Singapore from 14 to 26 August 2010 while the first winter version was held in Innsbruck , Austria from 13 to 22 January 2012 . The age limitation of the athletes is 14 to 18 . The idea of such an event was introduced by Johann Rosenzopf from Austria in 1998 . On 6 July 2007 , International Olympic Committee ( IOC ) members at the 119th IOC session in Guatemala City approved the creation of a youth version of the Olympic Games , with the intention of sharing the costs of hosting the event between the IOC and the host city , whereas the traveling costs of athletes and coaches were to be paid by the IOC . These Games will also feature cultural exchange programs and opportunities for participants to meet Olympic athletes .   Several other Olympic events for youth , like the European Youth Olympic Festival held every other year with summer and winter versions , and the Australian Youth Olympic Festival , have proven successful . The Youth Games are modelled after these sporting events . The YOG are also a successor to the discontinued World Youth Games .   The Summer Youth Olympic Games of Singapore in 2010 and Nanjing in 2014 each played host to 3600 athletes and lasted 13 days , whereas the Winter YOG of Innsbruck in 2012 had 1059 athletes and Lillehammer in 2016 had 1100 athletes and lasted 10 days . Even though this exceeded initial estimates , the YOG are still both smaller in size as well as shorter than their senior equivalents . The next Summer YOG to take place will be the 2018 Summer Youth Olympic Games of Buenos Aires . The next Winter YOG to take place will be the 2020 Winter Youth Olympic Games of Lausanne .


The Hunger Games (film) The Hunger Games is a 2012 American dystopian science fiction adventure film directed by Gary Ross and based on the novel of the same name by Suzanne Collins . It is the first installment in The Hunger Games film series and was produced by Nina Jacobson and Jon Kilik , with a screenplay by Ross , Collins , and Billy Ray . The film stars Jennifer Lawrence , Josh Hutcherson , Liam Hemsworth , Woody Harrelson , Elizabeth Banks , Lenny Kravitz , Stanley Tucci , and Donald Sutherland . The story takes place in a dystopian post-apocalyptic future in the nation of Panem , where boys and girls between the ages of 12 and 18 must take part in the Hunger Games , a televised annual event in which the `` tributes '' are required to fight to the death until there is only one survivor . Katniss Everdeen ( Lawrence ) volunteers to take her younger sister 's place . Joined by her district 's male tribute , Peeta Mellark ( Hutcherson ) , Katniss travels to the Capitol to train for the Hunger Games under the guidance of former victor Haymitch Abernathy ( Harrelson ) .   Development of The Hunger Games began in March 2009 when Lions Gate Entertainment entered into a co-production agreement with Color Force , which had acquired the rights a few weeks earlier . Collins collaborated with Ray and Ross to write the screenplay . The screenplay expanded the character of Seneca Crane to allow several developments to be shown directly to the audience and Ross added several scenes between Crane and Coriolanus Snow . The main characters were cast between March and May 2011 . Principal photography began in May 2011 and ended in September 2011 , with filming taking place in North Carolina . The Hunger Games was shot entirely on film as opposed to digital .   The film was released on March 21 , 2012 , in some European countries and in the US on March 23 , 2012 , in both conventional theaters and digital IMAX theaters . Japan received it last , on September 28 . When the film released , it set records for opening day ( $ 67.3 million ) and opening weekend for a non-sequel . At the time of its release , the film 's opening weekend gross ( $ 152.5 million ) was the third-largest of any movie in North America . It is the first film since Avatar to remain in first place at the North American box office for four consecutive weekends . The film was a massive box-office success by grossing over $ 694 million worldwide against its budget of $ 78 million , making it the third-highest-grossing film in the United States and ninth-highest-grossing worldwide of 2012 . It was released on DVD and Blu-ray Disc on August 18 , 2012 . With 7,434,058 units sold , the DVD was the best-selling DVD of 2012 . A sequel , The Hunger Games : Catching Fire , was released on November 22 , 2013 , in the United States .   The Hunger Games received positive reviews from critics , with praise for its themes and messages , as well as Jennifer Lawrence 's portrayal of Katniss , though there was criticism of the film 's use of shaky cam in the action sequences . Like the novel , the film has been noted for its similarities to other works , such as Robert Sheckley 's short story `` Seventh Victim '' and its Italian film adaptation The 10th Victim , the Japanese novel Battle Royale and its film adaptation , and the Shirley Jackson short story `` The Lottery '' , with some criticizing The Hunger Games for being derivative of such works . Collins stated in an interview that her novel and screenplay drew on sources of inspiration such as the myth of Theseus , Roman gladiatorial games , reality television , and the desensitization of viewers to media coverage of real-life tragedy and war , not to think as just an audience member , `` Because those are real people on the screen , and they 're not going away when the commercials start to roll . '' The song `` Safe & Sound '' won a Grammy Award and was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song . For her performance , Lawrence won the Saturn Award for Best Actress , the Broadcast Film Critics Association Award for Best Actress in an Action Movie , the Empire Award for Best Actress and was also nominated for the New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Actress .


Chris Hardwick refused to host game shows.

Chris Hardwick Christopher Ryan Hardwick ( born November 23 , 1971 ) is an American stand-up comedian , voice actor , television host , writer , producer , podcaster , and musician . He is the chief executive officer of Nerdist Industries , the digital division of Legendary Entertainment . He currently hosts Talking Dead , an hourly aftershow on AMC , affiliated with the network 's zombie drama series The Walking Dead and Fear the Walking Dead as well as `` Talking with Chris Hardwick '' , a show in which Hardwick interviews prominent pop culture figures ; @midnight with Chris Hardwick , a nightly comedy-game show series on Comedy Central , and The Wall , a `` plinko '' inspired gameshow on NBC .   Hardwick originated the role of Stacee Jaxx in Rock of Ages during its premiere run in Los Angeles ( 2005 -- 2006 ) . In 2011 , he began hosting Ministry of Laughs , a BBC America Britcom block , and Talking Dead , a live hour talk show on AMC following episodes of The Walking Dead and Fear the Walking Dead . In 2013 , Hardwick hosted Talking Bad , a live half-hour talk show on AMC following the final eight episodes of Breaking Bad , and in 2016 he started to host Talking Saul for Breaking Bads spin-off , Better Call Saul . He is also known for performing with Mike Phirman in Hard 'n Phirm , hosting Singled Out , Wired Science , Web Soup , and Nerdist Podcast , and as the voice of Otis in Back at the Barnyard , replacing Kevin James .


Singled Out Singled Out is a dating game show that ran on MTV from 1995 to 1998 . Each episode featured a group of 50 men and a group of 50 women competing for a date with one main contestant of the opposite sex .   The original hosts were Chris Hardwick and Jenny McCarthy . When McCarthy left the show in early 1997 to star in her own sitcom , Jenny , MTV hired Carmen Electra to replace her for the last season and a half .


Ayn Rand Ayn Rand ( -LSB- ˈaɪn_ˈrænd -RSB- born Alisa Zinov ` yevna Rosenbaum , Али́са Зино́вьевна Розенба́ум -- March 6 , 1982 ) was a Russian-American novelist , philosopher , playwright , and screenwriter . She is known for her two best-selling novels , The Fountainhead and Atlas Shrugged , and for developing a philosophical system she called Objectivism . Educated in Russia , she moved to the United States in 1926 . She had a play produced on Broadway in 1935 -- 1936 . After two early novels that were initially unsuccessful in America , she achieved fame with her 1943 novel , The Fountainhead .   In 1957 , Rand published her best-known work , the novel Atlas Shrugged . Afterward , she turned to non-fiction to promote her philosophy , publishing her own magazines and releasing several collections of essays until her death in 1982 . Rand advocated reason as the only means of acquiring knowledge , and rejected faith and religion . She supported rational and ethical egoism , and rejected altruism . In politics , she condemned the initiation of force as immoral , and opposed collectivism and statism as well as anarchism , and instead supported laissez-faire capitalism , which she defined as the system based on recognizing individual rights . In art , Rand promoted romantic realism . She was sharply critical of most philosophers and philosophical traditions known to her , except for Aristotle , Thomas Aquinas , and classical liberals .   Literary critics received Rand 's fiction with mixed reviews , and academia generally ignored or rejected her philosophy , though academic interest has increased in recent decades . The Objectivist movement attempts to spread her ideas , both to the public and in academic settings . She has been a significant influence among libertarians and American conservatives .


Grace Jones Grace Jones ( born 19 May 1948 ) is a Jamaican born singer , songwriter , lyricist , supermodel , record producer , and actress . Born in Jamaica , at age 13 she moved with her siblings to their parents ' home in Syracuse , New York . Jones began her modelling career in New York state , then in Paris , working for fashion houses such as Yves St. Laurent and Kenzo , and appearing on the covers of Elle and Vogue . She worked with photographers such as Helmut Newton , Guy Bourdin , and Hans Feurer , and became known for her distinctive androgynous appearance and bold features .   In 1977 Jones secured a record deal with Island Records , initially becoming a star of New York City 's Studio 54-centered disco scene . In the early 1980s she moved toward a new wave style that drew on reggae , funk , post-punk , and pop music , frequently collaborating with both the graphic designer Jean-Paul Goude and the musical duo Sly & Robbie . Her most popular albums include Warm Leatherette ( 1980 ) , Nightclubbing ( 1981 ) , and Slave to the Rhythm ( 1985 ) . She scored Top 40 entries on the UK Singles Chart with `` Pull Up to the Bumper '' , `` I 've Seen That Face Before '' , `` Private Life '' , and `` Slave to the Rhythm '' . In 1982 , she released the music video collection A One Man Show , directed by Goude .   Jones appeared in some low-budget films in the US during the 1970s and early 1980s . In 1984 she made her first mainstream appearance as Zula in the fantasy-action film Conan the Destroyer alongside Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sarah Douglas , and subsequently appeared in the 1985 James Bond movie A View to a Kill as May Day . In 1986 she played a vampire in Vamp , and acted in and contributed a song to the 1992 Eddie Murphy film Boomerang . She appeared alongside Tim Curry in the 2001 film Wolf Girl . For her work in Conan the Destroyer , A View to a Kill , and Vamp , she was nominated for Saturn Awards for Best Supporting Actress .   In 1999 , Jones ranked 82nd on VH1 's 100 Greatest Women of Rock and Roll , and in 2008 , she was honored with a Q Idol Award . Jones influenced the cross-dressing movement of the 1980s and has been an inspiration for artists including Annie Lennox , Lady Gaga , Rihanna , Lorde , Róisín Murphy , Brazilian Girls , Nile Rodgers , Santigold , Basement Jaxx and Stanka Brljevic . In December 2016 , Billboard magazine ranked her as the 40th most successful dance artist of all time .


Warm Leatherette (album) Warm Leatherette is the fourth studio album by Grace Jones , released on 9 May 1980 by Island Records . The album features contributions from the reggae production duo Sly and Robbie and is a departure from Jones ' earlier disco sound , moving towards a new wave-reggae direction .


The Conjuring 2 The Conjuring 2 is a 2016 American horror film directed by James Wan and written by Carey Hayes , Chad Hayes , Wan and David Leslie Johnson . It is the sequel to 2013 's The Conjuring and the third film in The Conjuring franchise . Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga reprise their roles as paranormal investigators and authors Ed and Lorraine Warren from the first film . The film follows the Warrens as they travel to England to assist the Hodgson family , who are experiencing poltergeist activity at their Brimsdown , Enfield council house in 1977 which later became referred to as the Enfield Poltergeist .   The Conjuring 2 was released in North America on June 10 , 2016 . The film received generally positive reviews from critics and has grossed over $ 320 million worldwide . A spin-off film , The Nun , is scheduled to be released in 2018 with Wan and Safran producing .


Anne Frank Annelies Marie `` Anne '' Frank ( -LSB- ʔanəliːs maˈʁiː ˈʔanə ˈfʁaŋk -RSB- ; -LSB- ʔɑnəˈlis maˈri ˈʔɑnə ˈfrɑŋk -RSB- ; 12 June 1929 -- February or March 1945 ) was a German-born diarist . One of the most discussed Jewish victims of the Holocaust , she gained fame posthumously following the publication of The Diary of a Young Girl ( originally Het Achterhuis ; The Secret Annex ) , in which she documents her life in hiding from 1942 to 1944 , during the German occupation of the Netherlands in World War II . It is one of the world 's most widely known books and has been the basis for several plays and films .   Born in Frankfurt , Germany , she lived most of her life in or near Amsterdam , Netherlands , having moved there with her family at the age of four-and-a-half when the Nazis gained control over Germany . Born a German national , Frank lost her citizenship in 1941 and thus became stateless . By May 1940 , the Franks were trapped in Amsterdam by the German occupation of the Netherlands . As persecutions of the Jewish population increased in July 1942 , the family went into hiding in some concealed rooms behind a bookcase in the building where Anne 's father worked . From then until the family 's arrest by the Gestapo in August 1944 , Anne kept a diary she had received as a birthday present , and wrote in it regularly . Following their arrest , the Franks were transported to concentration camps . In October or November 1944 , Anne and her sister , Margot , were transferred to Bergen-Belsen concentration camp from Auschwitz , where they died ( probably of typhus ) a few months later . They were originally estimated by the Red Cross to have died in March , with Dutch authorities setting 31 March as their official date of death , but research by the Anne Frank House in 2015 suggests they more likely died in February .   Frank 's father , Otto , the only survivor of the family , returned to Amsterdam after the war to find that her diary had been saved by one of the helpers , Miep Gies , and his efforts led to its publication in 1947 . It was translated from its original Dutch version and first published in English in 1952 as The Diary of a Young Girl , and has since been translated into over 60 languages .


Nina Simone attended school some period after 1905.

Nina Simone Nina Simone ( -LSB- ˈniːnə_sᵻˈmoʊn -RSB- born Eunice Kathleen Waymon ; February 21 , 1933 -- April 21 , 2003 ) was an American singer , songwriter , pianist , arranger , and activist in the Civil Rights Movement . Simone employed a broad range of musical styles including classical , jazz , blues , folk , R&B , gospel , and pop .   Born in North Carolina , the sixth child of a preacher , Waymon aspired to be a concert pianist . With the help of a few supporters in her hometown of Tryon , North Carolina , she enrolled in the Juilliard School of Music in New York .   Waymon then applied for a scholarship to study at the prestigious Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia , where she was denied despite a well-received audition . Waymon became fully convinced this rejection had been entirely due to her race , a statement that has been a matter of controversy . Years later , two days before her death , the Curtis Institute of Music bestowed on her an honorary degree .   To make a living , Eunice Waymon changed her name to `` Nina Simone '' . The change related to her need to disguise herself from family members , having chosen to play `` the devil 's music '' or `` cocktail piano '' at a nightclub in Atlantic City . She was told in the nightclub that she would have to sing to her own accompaniment , and this effectively launched her career as a jazz vocalist .   Simone recorded more than 40 albums , mostly between 1958 , when she made her debut with Little Girl Blue , and 1974 . She had a hit in the United States in 1958 with `` I Loves You , Porgy '' .   Simone 's musical style fused gospel and pop with classical music , in particular Johann Sebastian Bach , and accompanied expressive , jazz-like singing in her contralto voice .


Alex Rodriguez appealed his suspension, and was allowed to play during the process.

Alex Rodriguez Alexander Emmanuel Rodriguez ( born July 27 , 1975 ) , nicknamed `` A-Rod '' , is a Dominican-American former professional baseball shortstop and third baseman . He played 22 seasons in Major League Baseball ( MLB ) for the Seattle Mariners , Texas Rangers , and New York Yankees . Rodriguez was one of the sport 's most highly touted prospects and is considered one of the greatest baseball players of all time . During his 22-year career , Rodriguez has amassed a .297 batting average , 696 home runs , over 2,000 runs batted in ( RBI ) , over 2,000 runs scored , and over 3,000 hits . He is a 14-time All-Star and has won three American League ( AL ) Most Valuable Player ( MVP ) Awards , ten Silver Slugger Awards , and two Gold Glove Awards . Rodríguez is the career record holder for grand slams with 25 . However , he has led a highly controversial career due to signing two of the most lucrative sports contracts in history while incurring criticism from the media for his behavior and use of illegal performance-enhancing drugs .   The Mariners selected Rodriguez first overall in the 1993 MLB draft , and he debuted in the major leagues the following year at the age of 18 . In 1996 , he became the Mariners ' starting shortstop and finished second in voting for the AL MVP Award . Rodriguez 's combination of power , speed , and defense made him a cornerstone of the franchise , but he left the team via free agency after the 2000 season to join the Rangers . The 10-year , $ 252 million contract he signed was the richest in baseball history . He played at a high level in his three years with Texas , highlighted by his first AL MVP Award win in 2003 , but the team failed to make the playoffs during his tenure . Prior to the 2004 season , Rodriguez was traded to the Yankees , for whom he converted to a third baseman due to incumbent shortstop Derek Jeter . In his first four seasons with New York , he was twice more named AL MVP . After opting out of his contract following the 2007 season , Rodriguez signed a new 10-year , $ 275 million deal with the Yankees , extending his record for the sport 's most lucrative contract . He became the youngest player ever to hit 500 home runs , reaching the milestone in 2007 . He won his first World Series in 2009 , which was the first year of the new Yankee Stadium . The following year , he became the career leader in home runs by a player of Hispanic descent . In recent years , Rodriguez has been hampered by hip and knee injuries , which have caused him to exclusively become a designated hitter . He played his final game as a Yankee on August 12 , 2016 .   In February 2009 , after previously denying use of performance-enhancing drugs , including during a 2007 interview with Katie Couric on 60 Minutes , Rodriguez admitted to using steroids , saying he used them from 2001 to 2003 when playing for Rangers due to `` an enormous amount of pressure '' to perform . While recovering from a hip injury in 2013 , Rodriguez made headlines by feuding with team management over his rehabilitation and for having allegedly obtained performance-enhancing drugs as part of the Biogenesis baseball scandal . In August 2013 , MLB suspended him 211 games for his involvement in the scandal , but he was allowed to play while appealing the punishment . Had the original suspension been upheld , it would have been the longest non-lifetime suspension in Major League Baseball history . After an arbitration hearing , the suspension was reduced to 162 games , keeping him off the field for the entire 2014 season .


Negan Negan is a fictional character in the comic book series The Walking Dead and in the television series of the same name . He is the leader of a group of roughly 500 survivors in The Sanctuary , called the Saviors , a group that trades with others . In the comics , the character 's appearance is based on Henry Rollins , as confirmed by Charlie Adlard ; Robert Kirkman worked in his excessive use of profanity , derived from other people he knew . Jeffrey Dean Morgan portrays Negan in the television series of the same name and first appeared in the series ' sixth season finale .   After Rick Grimes and his fellow survivors agree to begin a trading relationship with the Hilltop Colony , they are ambushed by the Saviors and are forced to obey Negan 's orders to give the Saviors half of their supplies , as the other communities do . Initially obedient , Rick and the others secretly conspire with other communities in the Washington , D.C. area to prepare for war against the Saviors . Negan resides in an abandoned factory , where most of the attractive women -- formerly other men 's girlfriends or wives -- act as his wives . He soon grows fond of Rick 's son , Carl Grimes .   Morgan has received critical acclaim for his portrayal of Negan in the television series , earning himself the Critics ' Choice Television Award for Best Guest Performer in a Drama Series . After first being offered the role of Negan , Morgan immediately accepted the offer due to being a fan of The Walking Dead prior .


The Midwestern United States includes North Dakota.

Midwestern United States The Midwestern United States , also referred to as the American Midwest or simply the Midwest , is one of the four geographic regions defined by the United States Census Bureau , occupying the northern central part of the United States of America . It was officially named the North Central region by the Census Bureau until 1984 .   Although the region is often defined in a number of ways , the Census Bureau 's definition consists of 12 states in the north central United States : Illinois , Indiana , Iowa , Kansas , Michigan , Minnesota , Missouri , Nebraska , North Dakota , Ohio , South Dakota , and Wisconsin . Illinois is the most populous of the states and North Dakota the least . A 2012 report from the United States Census put the population of the Midwest at 65,377,684 . The Midwest is divided by the Census Bureau into two divisions . The East North Central Division includes Illinois , Indiana , Michigan , Ohio and Wisconsin , all of which are also part of the Great Lakes region . The West North Central Division includes Iowa , Kansas , Minnesota , Missouri , North Dakota , Nebraska , and South Dakota , several of which are located at least partly , within the Great Plains region . Major rivers in the region include , from east to west , the Ohio River , the Upper Mississippi River , and the Missouri River . The region generally lies on the broad Interior Plain between the states occupying the Appalachian Mountain range and the states occupying the Rocky Mountain range .   Chicago is the most populated city in the American Midwest and the third most populous in the entire country . Other large Midwest cities include ( in order by population ) : Indianapolis , Columbus , Detroit , Milwaukee , Kansas City , Omaha , Minneapolis , Cleveland , Wichita and St. Louis . Chicago and its suburbs form the largest metropolitan statistical area with 9.8 million people , followed by Metro Detroit , Minneapolis -- St. Paul , Greater St. Louis , Greater Cleveland , Greater Cincinnati ( without the Kentucky portion ) , Kansas City metro area , and the Columbus metro area .


Deadpool (film) Deadpool is a 2016 American superhero film directed by Tim Miller and written by Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick , based on the Marvel Comics character of the same name . It is the eighth installment and a spin-off in the X-Men film series , and stars Ryan Reynolds as the titular character , as well as Morena Baccarin , Ed Skrein , T. J. Miller , Gina Carano , Leslie Uggams , Brianna Hildebrand , and Stefan Kapičić . In the film , antihero Deadpool hunts the man who nearly destroyed his life while also trying to reunite with his lost love .   Development began in February 2004 with New Line Cinema , but moved in March 2005 to 20th Century Fox who bought the film rights . In May 2009 , after Reynolds portrayed the character in X-Men Origins : Wolverine , to the general disappointment of fans , Fox lent the film to writers , and Miller was hired for his directorial debut in April 2011 . Enthusiastic acclaim for leaked CGI test footage by Miller in July 2014 led to Fox greenlighting the film in September . Additional casting began in early 2015 , and principal photography commenced in Vancouver from March to May .   Deadpool premiered in Paris on February 8 , 2016 , and was released on February 12 in the United States in IMAX , DLP , D-Box , and premium large format . Critics praised Reynolds ' performance as well as the film 's style , faithful depiction of the titular character , and action sequences , but criticized its plot as formulaic . It received various awards and nominations , including two Golden Globe Award nominations for Best Motion Picture -- Musical or Comedy and Best Actor -- Motion Picture Musical or Comedy , and a Producers Guild of America Award nomination for Best Theatrical Motion Picture . It also won two Critics ' Choice Movie Awards for Best Comedy and Best Actor in a Comedy .   The film was also a significant commercial success , grossing over $ 783million worldwide and breaking numerous box-office records , becoming the ninth highest-grossing film of 2016 , the highest-grossing R-rated film of all time when unadjusted for inflation , and the highest-grossing X-Men film . Shortly after the film 's success , Fox ordered development of a sequel scheduled to be released on June 1 , 2018 .


Bernard Madoff employed his uncle Shana as his firm's rules and compliance officer.

Bernard Madoff Bernard Lawrence `` Bernie '' Madoff ( -LSB- ˈmeɪdɒf -RSB- born April 29 , 1938 ) is an American fraudster and a former stockbroker , investment advisor , and financier . He is the former non-executive chairman of the NASDAQ stock market , and the admitted operator of a Ponzi scheme that is considered the largest financial fraud in U.S. history . Prosecutors estimated the size of the fraud to be $ 64.8 billion , based on the amounts in the accounts of Madoff 's 4,800 clients as of November 30 , 2008 .   Madoff founded the Wall Street firm Bernard L. Madoff Investment Securities LLC in 1960 , and was its chairman until his arrest on December 11 , 2008 . The firm was one of the top market maker businesses on Wall Street , which bypassed `` specialist '' firms by directly executing orders over the counter from retail brokers . At the firm , he employed his brother Peter as senior managing director and chief compliance officer , Peter 's daughter Shana Madoff , as the firm 's rules and compliance officer and attorney , and his sons Andrew and Mark . Peter has since been sentenced to 10 years in prison and Mark committed suicide by hanging exactly two years after his father 's arrest . Andrew died of lymphoma on September 3 , 2014 .   On December 10 , 2008 , Madoff 's sons told authorities that their father had confessed to them that the asset management unit of his firm was a massive Ponzi scheme , and quoted him as describing it as `` one big lie '' . The following day , FBI agents arrested Madoff and charged him with one count of securities fraud . The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ( SEC ) had previously conducted multiple investigations into Madoff 's business practices , but had not uncovered the massive fraud .   On March 12 , 2009 , Madoff pleaded guilty to 11 federal felonies and admitted to turning his wealth management business into a massive Ponzi scheme . The Madoff investment scandal defrauded thousands of investors of billions of dollars . Madoff said he began the Ponzi scheme in the early 1990s . However , federal investigators believe the fraud began as early as the mid-1980s and may have begun as far back as the 1970s . Those charged with recovering the missing money believe the investment operation may never have been legitimate . The amount missing from client accounts , including fabricated gains , was almost $ 65 billion . The Securities Investor Protection Corporation ( SIPC ) trustee estimated actual losses to investors of $ 18 billion . On June 29 , 2009 , Madoff was sentenced to 150 years in prison , the maximum allowed .


United Nations was established on the 10th month of the calendar year.

United Nations The United Nations ( UN ) is an intergovernmental organization to promote international co-operation and to create and maintain international order . A replacement for the ineffective League of Nations , the organization was established on 24 October 1945 after World War II in order to prevent another such conflict . At its founding , the UN had 51 member states ; there are now 193 . The headquarters of the UN is in Manhattan , New York City , and experiences extraterritoriality . Further main offices are situated in Geneva , Nairobi , and Vienna . The organization is financed by assessed and voluntary contributions from its member states . Its objectives include maintaining international peace and security , promoting human rights , fostering social and economic development , protecting the environment , and providing humanitarian aid in cases of famine , natural disaster , and armed conflict . The UN is the largest , most familiar , most internationally represented and most powerful intergovernmental organisation in the world .   The UN Charter was drafted at a conference between April -- June 1945 in San Francisco , and was signed on 26 June 1945 at the conclusion of the conference ; this charter took effect 24 October 1945 , and the UN began operation . The UN 's mission to preserve world peace was complicated in its early decades by the Cold War between the US and Soviet Union and their respective allies . The organization participated in major actions in Korea and the Congo , as well as approving the creation of the state of Israel in 1947 . The organization 's membership grew significantly following widespread decolonization in the 1960s , and by the 1970s its budget for economic and social development programmes far outstripped its spending on peacekeeping . After the end of the Cold War , the UN took on major military and peacekeeping missions across the world with varying degrees of success .   The UN has six principal organs : the General Assembly ( the main deliberative assembly ) ; the Security Council ( for deciding certain resolutions for peace and security ) ; the Economic and Social Council ( ECOSOC ; for promoting international economic and social co-operation and development ) ; the Secretariat ( for providing studies , information , and facilities needed by the UN ) ; the International Court of Justice ( the primary judicial organ ) ; and the UN Trusteeship Council ( inactive since 1994 ) . UN System agencies include the World Bank Group , the World Health Organization , the World Food Programme , UNESCO , and UNICEF . The UN 's most prominent officer is the Secretary-General , an office held by Portuguese António Guterres since 2017 . Non-governmental organizations may be granted consultative status with ECOSOC and other agencies to participate in the UN 's work .   The organization won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2001 , and a number of its officers and agencies have also been awarded the prize . Other evaluations of the UN 's effectiveness have been mixed . Some commentators believe the organization to be an important force for peace and human development , while others have called the organization ineffective , corrupt , or biased .


The Jacksons (TV series) The Jacksons is an American variety show featuring the Jackson siblings ( except for Jermaine , who was signed to Motown while the Jackson group was signed to the Epic/CBS record label ) . It was the first variety show where the entire cast were siblings . As with the Jackson 5 regular performances , Michael Jackson was the lead performer in musical and dance performances .   The thirty-minute Wednesday evening show began airing on CBS as a summer 1976 show and it continued into the 1976 -- 1977 season , finishing on March 9 , 1977 after running for 12 episodes .


Nelson Mandela Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela ( -LSB- mænˈdɛlə -RSB- 18 July 1918 -- 5 December 2013 ) was a South African anti-apartheid revolutionary , politician , and philanthropist , who served as President of South Africa from 1994 to 1999 . He was the country 's first black head of state and the first elected in a fully representative democratic election . His government focused on dismantling the legacy of apartheid by tackling institutionalised racism and fostering racial reconciliation . Ideologically an African nationalist and socialist , he served as President of the African National Congress ( ANC ) party from 1991 to 1997 .   A Xhosa , Mandela was born in Mvezo to the Thembu royal family . He studied law at the University of Fort Hare and the University of the Witwatersrand before working as a lawyer in Johannesburg . There he became involved in anti-colonial and African nationalist politics , joining the ANC in 1943 and co-founding its Youth League in 1944 . After the National Party 's white-only government established apartheid -- a system of racial segregation that privileged whites -- he and the ANC committed themselves to its overthrow . Mandela was appointed President of the ANC 's Transvaal branch , rising to prominence for his involvement in the 1952 Defiance Campaign and the 1955 Congress of the People . He was repeatedly arrested for seditious activities and was unsuccessfully prosecuted in the 1956 Treason Trial . Influenced by Marxism , he secretly joined the banned South African Communist Party ( SACP ) . Although initially committed to non-violent protest , in association with the SACP he co-founded the militant Umkhonto we Sizwe in 1961 and led a sabotage campaign against the government . In 1962 , he was arrested for conspiring to overthrow the state and sentenced to life imprisonment in the Rivonia Trial .   Mandela served 27 years in prison , initially on Robben Island , and later in Pollsmoor Prison and Victor Verster Prison . Amid growing domestic and international pressure , and with fears of a racial civil war , President F. W. de Klerk released him in 1990 . Mandela and de Klerk negotiated an end to apartheid and organised the 1994 multiracial general election in which Mandela led the ANC to victory and became President . Leading a broad coalition government which promulgated a new constitution , Mandela emphasised reconciliation between the country 's racial groups and created the Truth and Reconciliation Commission to investigate past human rights abuses . Economically , Mandela 's administration retained its predecessor 's liberal framework despite his own socialist beliefs , also introducing measures to encourage land reform , combat poverty , and expand healthcare services . Internationally , he acted as mediator in the Pan Am Flight 103 bombing trial and served as Secretary-General of the Non-Aligned Movement from 1998 to 1999 . He declined a second presidential term and in 1999 was succeeded by his deputy , Thabo Mbeki . Mandela became an elder statesman and focused on combating poverty and HIV/AIDS through the charitable Nelson Mandela Foundation .   Mandela was a controversial figure for much of his life . Although critics on the right denounced him as a communist terrorist and those on the radical left deemed him too eager to negotiate and reconcile with apartheid 's supporters , he gained international acclaim for his activism . Widely regarded as an icon of democracy and social justice , he received more than 250 honours -- including the Nobel Peace Prize -- and became the subject of a cult of personality . He is held in deep respect within South Africa , where he is often referred to by his Xhosa clan name , Madiba , and described as the `` Father of the Nation '' .


The Narrows (film) The Narrows is an American 2008 independent film starring Kevin Zegers , Sophia Bush , Vincent D'Onofrio , Eddie Cahill and Monica Keena .


Seattle is the largest city in the Pacific Northwest area of North America.

Seattle Seattle ( -LSB- siˈætəl -RSB- ) is a seaport city on the west coast of the United States and the seat of King County , Washington . With an estimated 704,352 residents , Seattle is the largest city in both the state of Washington and the Pacific Northwest region of North America . In July 2013 , it was the fastest-growing major city in the United States and remained in the Top 5 in May 2015 with an annual growth rate of 2.1 % . In July 2016 , Seattle was again the fastest-growing major U.S. city , with a 3.1 % annual growth rate . The city is situated on an isthmus between Puget Sound ( an inlet of the Pacific Ocean ) and Lake Washington , about 100 mi south of the Canada -- United States border . A major gateway for trade with Asia , Seattle is the fourth-largest port in North America in terms of container handling .   The Seattle area was previously inhabited by Native Americans for at least 4,000 years before the first permanent European settlers . Arthur A. Denny and his group of travelers , subsequently known as the Denny Party , arrived from Illinois via Portland , Oregon , on the schooner Exact at Alki Point on November 13 , 1851 . The settlement was moved to the eastern shore of Elliott Bay and named `` Seattle '' in 1852 , after Chief Si'ahl of the local Duwamish and Suquamish tribes .   Logging was Seattle 's first major industry , but by the late-19th century , the city had become a commercial and shipbuilding center as a gateway to Alaska during the Klondike Gold Rush . Growth after World War II was partially due to the local Boeing company , which established Seattle as a center for aircraft manufacturing . The Seattle area developed as a technology center beginning in the 1980s , with companies like Microsoft becoming established in the region . In 1994 , Internet retailer Amazon was founded in Seattle . The stream of new software , biotechnology , and Internet companies led to an economic revival , which increased the city 's population by almost 50,000 between 1990 and 2000 .   Seattle has a noteworthy musical history . From 1918 to 1951 , nearly two dozen jazz nightclubs existed along Jackson Street , from the current Chinatown / International District , to the Central District . The jazz scene developed the early careers of Ray Charles , Quincy Jones , Ernestine Anderson , and others . Seattle is also the birthplace of hip-hop sensation Neema , rock musician Jimi Hendrix , origin of the bands Nirvana , Pearl Jam , Soundgarden , Alice in Chains and the alternative rock subgenre grunge .


The Bourne Supremacy featured a performance by Joan Allen.

The Bourne Supremacy (film) The Bourne Supremacy is a 2004 American-German action spy thriller film starring Robert Ludlum 's Jason Bourne character . Though it takes the name of the second Bourne novel , its plot is entirely different . The film was directed by Paul Greengrass from a screenplay by Tony Gilroy . Universal Pictures released the film to theaters in the United States on July 23 , 2004 . It is the second in the Jason Bourne film series . It is preceded by The Bourne Identity ( 2002 ) and followed by The Bourne Ultimatum ( 2007 ) , The Bourne Legacy ( 2012 ) , and Jason Bourne ( 2016 ) .   The Bourne Supremacy continues the story of Jason Bourne , a former CIA assassin suffering from psychogenic amnesia . Bourne is portrayed by Matt Damon . The film focuses on his attempt to learn more of his past as he is once more enveloped in a conspiracy involving the CIA and Operation Treadstone . The film also stars Brian Cox as Ward Abbott , Joan Allen as Pamela Landy and Julia Stiles as Nicky Parsons .


Pan Am (TV series) Pan Am is an American period drama television series created by writer Jack Orman . Named for the iconic Pan American World Airways , the series features the pilots and stewardesses of the airline as it operated in the early 1960s at the beginning of the commercial Jet Age .   Pan Am premiered on ABC on September 25 , 2011 , and ended on February 19 , 2012 . ABC canceled the series on May 11 , 2012 .   In May 2012 , Sony Pictures Television had conversations with Amazon about picking up the series for a second season because of its international success . It won the `` Best Series '' at the Rose d'Or TV awards , Europe 's equivalent of the Emmys . Unable to reach a deal with Amazon , the producers officially ended the series on June 20 , 2012 .


Jacinda Barrett Jacinda Barrett ( born August 2 , 1972 ) , an Australian-American actress and former model , first became known to audiences as a cast member on The Real World : London ( 1995 ) before appearing in films such as The Human Stain ( 2003 ) , Bridget Jones : The Edge of Reason ( 2004 ) , Ladder 49 ( 2004 ) , The Namesake ( 2006 ) , Poseidon ( 2006 ) , and The Last Kiss ( 2006 ) .   She appeared in the series The Following in 2013 and joined the main cast of the Netflix series Bloodline , which launched in 2015 .


Kanye West Kanye Omari West ( -LSB- ˈkɑːnjeɪ -RSB- born June 8 , 1977 ) is an American rapper , songwriter , record producer , fashion designer , and entrepreneur . Born in Atlanta and raised in Chicago , West briefly attended art school before becoming known as a producer for Roc-A-Fella Records in the early 2000s , producing hit singles for artists such as Jay Z and Alicia Keys . Intent on pursuing a solo career as a rapper , West released his debut album The College Dropout in 2004 to widespread critical and commercial success , and founded the record label GOOD Music . He went on to pursue a variety of different styles on subsequent albums Late Registration ( 2005 ) , Graduation ( 2007 ) , and 808s & Heartbreak ( 2008 ) . In 2010 , he released his fifth album My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy to rave reviews from critics , and the following year he collaborated with Jay Z on the joint LP Watch the Throne ( 2011 ) . West released his abrasive sixth album , Yeezus , to further critical praise in 2013 . His seventh album , The Life of Pablo , was released in 2016 .   West 's outspoken views and life outside of music have received significant mainstream attention . He has been a frequent source of controversy for his conduct at award shows , on social media , and in other public settings . His more scrutinized comments include his off-script denunciation of President George W. Bush during a live 2005 television broadcast for Hurricane Katrina relief and his interruption of singer Taylor Swift at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards . West 's efforts as a fashion designer include collaborations with Nike , Louis Vuitton , and A.P.C. on both clothing and footwear , and have most prominently resulted in the YEEZY collaboration with Adidas beginning in 2013 . He is the founder and head of the creative content company DONDA . His 2014 marriage to television personality Kim Kardashian has also been subject to widespread media coverage .   West is among the most acclaimed musicians of the 21st century , and is one of the best-selling artists of all time , having sold more than 32 million albums and 100 million digital downloads worldwide . He has won a total of 21 Grammy Awards , making him one of the most awarded artists of all time and the most Grammy-awarded artist to have debuted in the 21st century . Three of his albums have been included and ranked on Rolling Stone 's 2012 update of the `` 500 Greatest Albums of All Time '' list . He has also been included in a number of Forbes annual lists . Time named him one of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2005 and 2015 .


Telangana Telangana ( t ) is one of the 29 states in India , located in southern India . Formed in June 2014 as the youngest state in India , from the northwestern part of the Joint State of Andhra Pradesh , Telangana has an area of 112077 km2 , and a population of 35,193,978 ( 2011 census ) . It is the twelfth largest state in India , and the twelfth most populated state in India . Its major cities include Hyderabad , Warangal , Khammam , Karimnagar and Nizamabad . Telangana is bordered by the states of Maharashtra to the north and north west , Chhattisgarh to the north , Karnataka to the west and Andhra Pradesh to the east and south .   Telangana had a history as the Telugu-speaking region of the princely state of Hyderabad , ruled by the Nizam of Hyderabad . It joined the Union of India in 1948 . In 1956 , the Hyderabad state was dissolved as part of the linguistic reorganisation of states and Telangana was merged with former Andhra State to form Andhra Pradesh . Following a movement for separation , Telangana was awarded separate statehood on 2 June 2014 . Hyderabad will continue to serve as the joint capital city for Andhra Pradesh and Telangana for no more than ten years .


Joe Hart Charles Joseph John `` Joe '' Hart ( born 19 April 1987 ) is an English professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Serie A club Torino , on loan from Premier League club Manchester City , and the England national team . With over 100 Premier League clean sheets , Hart holds the record for the most Premier League Golden Glove awards ( four ) and has amassed 70 international caps since his debut in 2008 .   He began his career at his hometown club Shrewsbury Town in the Football Conference and League Two . In 2006 , he moved to top-flight Manchester City , having attracted the attention of several Premier League teams . He spent time on loan at Tranmere Rovers and Blackpool in his first season , before spending the 2009 -- 10 season at Birmingham City . Hart was nominated for the PFA Young Player of the Year and was voted as the Premier League goalkeeper of the 2009 -- 10 season in recognition of his performances at Birmingham . He returned to Manchester City for the 2010 -- 11 season and won the Golden Glove for keeping the most clean sheets throughout the Premier League season . Hart replicated this feat in the 2011 -- 12 season and was a key player during City 's title-winning campaign . He won the Golden Glove for the third year in a row in the following season , and earned a second Premier League title in 2014 . In 2015 , Hart once again won the Golden Glove award for the fourth time in five years . In 2015 , Hart was praised by Gianluigi Buffon who described him as the best goalkeeper in the world .   A former regular for England at Under-21 level , Hart made his senior international debut in June 2008 , and has been recognised as England 's first-choice goalkeeper since 2010 . He has gained 70 caps and was selected in England 's squads for two FIFA World Cups and as many UEFA European Championships .


Hawaii Hawaii ( -LSB- langpronaudio = en-us-Hawaii . ogghəˈwaɪ.i , _ - ji , _ - ʔi -RSB- ; Hawai -LSB- - hawhəˈvɐjʔi -RSB- ) is the 50th and most recent state to have joined the United States of America , having received statehood on August 21 , 1959 . Hawaii is the only U.S. state located in Oceania and the only one composed entirely of islands . It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia , occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean . Hawaii is the only U.S. state not located in the Americas .   The state encompasses nearly the entire volcanic Hawaiian archipelago , which comprises hundreds of islands spread over 1500 mi . At the southeastern end of the archipelago , the eight main islands are -- in order from northwest to southeast : Niihau , Kauai , Oahu , Molokai , Lānai , Kahoolawe , Maui , and the Island of Hawaii . The last is the largest island in the group ; it is often called the `` Big Island '' or `` Hawaii Island '' to avoid confusion with the state or archipelago . The archipelago is physiographically and ethnologically part of the Polynesian subregion of Oceania .   Hawaii 's diverse natural scenery , warm tropical climate , abundance of public beaches , oceanic surroundings , and active volcanoes make it a popular destination for tourists , surfers , biologists , and volcanologists . Because of its central location in the Pacific and 19th-century labor migration , Hawaii 's culture is strongly influenced by North American and Asian cultures , in addition to its indigenous Hawaiian culture . Hawaii has over a million permanent residents , along with many visitors and U.S. military personnel . Its capital is Honolulu on the island of Oahu .   Hawaii is the 8th-smallest and the 11th-least populous , but the 13th-most densely populated of the fifty U.S. states . It is the only state with an Asian plurality . The state 's coastline is about 750 mi long , the fourth longest in the U.S. after the coastlines of Alaska , Florida , and California .


Sally Field was a performer Kiss Me Goodbye.

Sally Field Sally Margaret Field ( born November 6 , 1946 ) is an American actress and director . Field began her career on television , starring on the sitcoms Gidget ( 1965 -- 66 ) , The Flying Nun ( 1967 -- 70 ) , and The Girl with Something Extra ( 1973 -- 74 ) . She ventured into movies with Smokey and the Bandit ( 1977 ) and later Norma Rae ( 1979 ) , for which she received the Academy Award for Best Actress . She later received Golden Globe Award nominations for her performances in Absence of Malice ( 1981 ) and Kiss Me Goodbye ( 1982 ) , before receiving her second Academy Award for Best Actress for Places in the Heart ( 1984 ) . Field received further nominations for a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress for Murphy 's Romance ( 1985 ) and Steel Magnolias ( 1989 ) .   In the 1990s , Field appeared in a wide range of films , including Not Without My Daughter ( 1991 ) and Mrs. Doubtfire ( 1993 ) , before being nominated for the BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role for Forrest Gump ( 1994 ) . In the 2000s , she returned to television with a recurring role on the NBC medical drama ER , for which she won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series in 2001 . From 2006 to 2011 , she portrayed the lead role of Nora Walker on the ABC television drama Brothers & Sisters , for which she received the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series in 2007 . Field later starred as Mary Todd Lincoln in Lincoln ( 2012 ) , for which she was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress and the Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress , among other accolades . She also appeared as Aunt May in The Amazing Spider-Man ( 2012 ) and reprised the role in the 2014 sequel .   As a director , Field is known for the television film The Christmas Tree ( 1996 ) , an episode of the 1998 HBO miniseries From the Earth to the Moon as well as the feature film Beautiful ( 2000 ) . In 2014 , she was presented with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame .


Inception's cast includes Japanese actor Ken Watanabe.

Inception Inception is a 2010 science fiction film written , co-produced , and directed by Christopher Nolan , and co-produced by Emma Thomas . The film stars Leonardo DiCaprio as a professional thief who steals information by infiltrating the subconscious , and is offered a chance to have his criminal history erased as payment for a seemingly impossible task : `` inception '' , the implantation of another person 's idea into a target 's subconscious . The ensemble cast additionally includes Ken Watanabe , Joseph Gordon-Levitt , Marion Cotillard , Ellen Page , Tom Hardy , Dileep Rao , Cillian Murphy , Tom Berenger , and Michael Caine .   After the 2002 completion of Insomnia , Nolan presented to Warner Bros. a written 80-page treatment about a horror film envisioning `` dream stealers '' based on lucid dreaming . Deciding he needed more experience before tackling a production of this magnitude and complexity , Nolan retired the project and instead worked on 2005 's Batman Begins , 2006 's The Prestige , and The Dark Knight in 2008 . The treatment was revised over 6 months and was purchased by Warner in February 2009 . Inception was filmed in six countries , beginning in Tokyo on June 19 and ending in Canada on November 22 . Its official budget was US$ 160 million , split between Warner Bros and Legendary . Nolan 's reputation and success with The Dark Knight helped secure the film 's $ 100 million in advertising expenditure .   Inceptions première was held in London on July 8 , 2010 ; its wide release to both conventional and IMAX theaters began on July 16 , 2010 . A box office success , Inception grossed over $ 800 million worldwide . The home video market also had strong results , with $ 68 million in DVD and Blu-ray sales . Inception opened to acclaim from critics , who praised its story , score , and ensemble cast . It won four Academy Awards for Best Cinematography , Best Sound Editing , Best Sound Mixing , and Best Visual Effects , and was nominated for four more : Best Picture , Best Original Screenplay , Best Art Direction , and Best Original Score .


Ken Watanabe is a Japanese actor . To English-speaking audiences , he is known for playing tragic hero characters , such as General Tadamichi Kuribayashi in Letters from Iwo Jima and Lord Katsumoto Moritsugu in The Last Samurai , for which he was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor . Among other awards , he has won the Japan Academy Prize for Best Actor twice , in 2007 for Memories of Tomorrow and in 2010 for Shizumanu Taiyō . He is also known for his roles in director Christopher Nolan 's Hollywood films Batman Begins and Inception . In 2014 , he starred in the reboot of Godzilla , and lent his voice to the fourth installment of the Transformers franchise , Transformers : Age of Extinction and Transformers : The Last Knight as Decepticon turned Autobot Drift . He even starred in the criticaly acclaimed movie Cirque Du Freak as the owner of the place the freaks live . His name was Mr. Tall .   He made his Broadway debut in April 2015 in Lincoln Center Theater 's revival production of The King and I in the title role ( opposite Kelli O'Hara as Anna Leonowens ) . In 2015 , Watanabe received his first Tony nomination for Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical at the 69th Tony Awards for his role as The King . He is the first Japanese actor to be nominated in this category .


Tom Hardy played the roles of the Kray twins.

Tom Hardy Edward Thomas Hardy  ( born 15 September 1977 ) is an English actor and producer . His motion picture debut was in Ridley Scott 's 2001 action film Black Hawk Down . Hardy 's other notable films include the science fiction film Star Trek : Nemesis ( 2002 ) , the crime film RocknRolla ( 2008 ) , biographical psychological drama Bronson ( 2008 ) , sports drama Warrior ( 2011 ) , Cold War espionage film Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy ( 2011 ) , crime drama Lawless ( 2012 ) , drama Locke ( 2013 ) , mobster film The Drop ( 2014 ) , and the biographical western thriller The Revenant ( 2015 ) , for which he received an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor . He portrayed `` Mad '' Max Rockatansky in the post-apocalyptic film Mad Max : Fury Road ( 2015 ) , and both of the Kray twins in the crime thriller Legend ( 2015 ) . He has appeared in three Christopher Nolan films : the science fiction thriller Inception ( 2010 ) , portrayed Bane in the superhero film The Dark Knight Rises ( 2012 ) , and the action-thriller Dunkirk ( 2017 ) based on the British evacuation in World War II .   Hardy 's television roles include the HBO war drama miniseries Band of Brothers ( 2001 ) , the BBC historical drama miniseries The Virgin Queen ( 2005 ) , ITV 's Wuthering Heights ( 2008 ) , the Sky 1 drama series The Take ( 2009 ) , and the BBC historical crime drama television series Peaky Blinders ( 2013 ) . He created , co-produced and took the lead in the eight-part historical fiction series Taboo ( 2017 ) on BBC One and FX .   Hardy has performed on both British and American stages . He was nominated for the Laurence Olivier Award for Most Promising Newcomer for his role as Skank in the 2003 production of In Arabia We 'd All Be Kings , and was awarded the 2003 London Evening Standard Theatre Award for Outstanding Newcomer for his performances in both In Arabia We 'd All be Kings and for his role as Luca in Blood . He starred in the 2007 production of The Man of Mode and received positive reviews for his role in the 2010 Philip Seymour Hoffman-directed play The Long Red Road .


Anthony Meindl has coached and worked with at least one actress.

Anthony Meindl Anthony Paul Meindl ( born January 14 , 1968 ) is an American screenwriter , stage and film actor , and founder and artistic director at the MetaTheatre Company and Anthony Meindl 's Actor Workshop in Los Angeles . The workshop has since expanded to locations in New York City , London , Sydney , Melbourne , and Vancouver .   In the 1990s , Meindl played a character who was a genie named `` Hard Hat Harry '' in a number of video cassettes and DVDs aimed at introducing children to trucks , cars , construction vehicles , and others ( usually using the name `` Anthony Paul '' ) .   He worked and lived in New York in the early 1990s and moved to Los Angeles in 1997 . He has been in many commercials for products and companies including Diet Coke , Philips Electronics , Bank of America , Nissan , Michelob Lite , Sears , Acura , Del Taco , Mervyns , and Behr Paint .   He has also appeared in non-Broadway stage productions of Titus Andronicus , Merrily We Roll Along , and the LA Weekly Award-nominated Cabaret .   He is openly gay . His film credits are almost exclusively gay-related , including the 1997 gay-themed drama David Searching , the 1998 gay-themed drama Minor Details , and the 2000 gay-themed comedy/drama Get Your Stuff . His latest film role was in the 2005 mystery comedy Death of a Saleswoman . He also appeared in a 1998 episode of Will & Grace .   He has coached and worked with Shailene Woodley , Ashley Greene , Agnes Bruckner , Nick Robinson , Chace Crawford , Cory Monteith , Dania Ramirez , Sasha Alexander , Chris Owen , Stevie Lynn Jones , Dree Hemingway , Michael Lomenda , JC Chasez , China Chow , Brock Kelly , Judith Hill , Samantha Mumba , Rocco DiSpirito , Olivia Holt , Ian Harding , Alexandra Daddario , Edy Ganem , Trevor Donovan , Daniel Cudmore , Charlie Bewley , Ashton Holmes , Larissa Oleynik , Lorenza Izzo , Carmen Electra , Allison Miller , Jenna Dewan-Tatum , Lucy Fry , Josh Zuckerman , Sadie Calvano , Taryn Southern , Ryan Rottman , Chaz Bono , Jill Wagner , Joe Slaughter , Mark Hapka , Matt Dallas , Brad Rowe , and Quddus Phillippe .   Meindl 's first feature screenplay , The Wonder Girls , was the Grand Prize Winning Feature Screenplay in the Slamdance Film Festival Screenplay Competition in 2007 .  He was nominated as Best Director for the LA Weekly Awards two years in a row for Best Comedy ( Swimming In The Shallows ) and Best Drama ( Dogs Barking ) . The casts for both shows ( members of MetaTheatre Company , his acting studio ) were also nominated as Best Ensemble in a Comedy and Best Ensemble in a Drama .   His first short , `` Ready ? OK ! '' , played in over a dozen International Film Festivals , winning numerous `` Best of '' Awards and premiered on MTV 's LOGO Network in 2009 as part of their `` Click List : Best In Short Film Series . '' It won the 2008 Planet Out Scion Viewer 's Choice Short Film Awards .   Meindl 's first feature film , Birds of A Feather ( 2011 ) won him Best Director awards at the 2012 Downtown LA Film Festival and the 2013 Golden Door Film Festival and the Spirit of the Festival Award at the 2012 Honolulu Rainbow Film Festival . The film features Academy Award winner , Olympia Dukakis , Bruce Vilanch and Trevor Donovan .   He is a regular contributor to The Huffington Post , The Daily Love , and Backstage .


Alfre Woodard Alfre Woodard ( born November 8 , 1952 ) is an American film , stage , and television actress , producer , and political activist . Woodard has been named one of the most versatile and accomplished actors of her generation . She has been nominated once for an Academy Award and Grammy Award , 18 times for an Emmy Award ( winning four ) , and has also won a Golden Globe Award and three Screen Actors Guild Awards .   Woodard began her acting career in theater . After her breakthrough role in the Off-Broadway play For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When the Rainbow Is Enuf ( 1977 ) , she made her film debut in Remember My Name ( 1978 ) . In 1983 , she won major critical praise and was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role in Cross Creek . In the same year , Woodard won her first Primetime Emmy Award for her performance in the NBC drama series Hill Street Blues . Later in the 1980s , Woodard had leading Emmy Award-nominated performances in a number of made for television movies , and another Emmy-winning role as a woman dying of leukemia in the pilot episode of L.A. Law . She also starred as Dr. Roxanne Turner in the NBC medical drama St. Elsewhere , for which she was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series in 1986 , and for Guest Actress in 1988 .   In the 1990s , Woodard starred in films such as Grand Canyon ( 1991 ) , Heart and Souls ( 1993 ) , Crooklyn ( 1994 ) , How to Make an American Quilt ( 1995 ) , Primal Fear ( 1996 ) and Star Trek : First Contact ( 1996 ) . She also drew critical praise for her performances in the independent dramas Passion Fish ( 1992 ) , for which she won an Independent Spirit Award and was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress , as well as Down in the Delta ( 1998 ) . For her lead role in the HBO film Miss Evers ' Boys ( 1997 ) , Woodard won Golden Globe , Emmy , Screen Actors Guild Awards , and several another awards . In later years she has appeared in several blockbusters , like K-PAX ( 2001 ) , The Core ( 2003 ) , and The Forgotten ( 2004 ) , starred in independent films , and won her fourth Emmy Award for The Practice in 2003 . From 2005 to 2006 , Woodard starred as Betty Applewhite in the ABC comedy-drama series Desperate Housewives , and later starred in several short-lived series . She appeared in the films The Family That Preys ( 2008 ) , 12 Years a Slave ( 2013 ) and Annabelle ( 2014 ) , and has also worked as a political activist and producer . Woodard is a founder of Artists for a New South Africa , an organization devoted to advancing democracy and equality in that country . She is a board member of AMPAS .