Victor/Victoria Victor/Victoria is a 1982 British-American musical comedy film released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and starring Julie Andrews , James Garner , Robert Preston , Lesley Ann Warren , Alex Karras , and John Rhys-Davies . The film was produced by Tony Adams , directed by Blake Edwards , and scored by Henry Mancini , with lyrics by Leslie Bricusse . It was adapted in 1995 as a Broadway musical . The film was nominated for seven Academy Awards and won the Academy Award for Original Music Score . It is a remake of the 1933 German film Viktor und Viktoria .


James Garner played a leading role in a movie.

Space Cowboys Space Cowboys is a 2000 American space drama film directed and produced by Clint Eastwood . It stars Eastwood , Tommy Lee Jones , Donald Sutherland , and James Garner as four older `` ex-test pilots '' who are sent into space to repair an old Soviet satellite .


New England Patriots The New England Patriots are a professional American football team based in the Greater Boston region . The Patriots compete in the National Football League ( NFL ) as a member club of the league 's American Football Conference ( AFC ) East division . The team plays its home games at Gillette Stadium in the town of Foxborough , Massachusetts , which is located 21 mi southwest of downtown Boston and 20 mi northeast of downtown Providence , Rhode Island . The Patriots are also headquartered at Gillette Stadium .   An original member of the American Football League ( AFL ) , the Patriots joined the NFL in the 1970 merger of the two leagues . The team changed its name from the original Boston Patriots '' ' after relocating to Foxborough in 1971 . The Patriots played their home games at Foxboro Stadium from 1971 to 2001 , then moved to Gillette Stadium at the start of the 2002 season . The Patriots ' rivalry with the New York Jets is considered one of the most bitter rivalries in the NFL .   The Patriots have appeared in the Super Bowl nine times in franchise history , the most of any team , seven of them since the arrival of head coach Bill Belichick and quarterback Tom Brady in 2000 . The Patriots have since become one of the most successful teams in NFL history , winning 14 AFC East titles in 16 seasons since 2001 , without a losing season in that period . The franchise has since set numerous notable records , including most wins in a ten-year period ( 126 , in 2003 -- 2012 ) , an undefeated 16-game regular season in 2007 , the longest winning streak consisting of regular season and playoff games in NFL history ( a 21-game streak from October 2003 to October 2004 ) , and the most consecutive division titles won by a team in NFL history ( won eight straight division titles from 2009 to 2016 ) . The team owns the record for most Super Bowls reached ( seven ) and won ( five ) by a head coach -- quarterback tandem . The Patriots are tied with the 49ers and Cowboys for the second most Super Bowl wins with five . The Steelers are in front with six .


Tom Brady Thomas Edward Patrick Brady Jr. ( born August 3 , 1977 ) is an American football quarterback for the New England Patriots of the National Football League ( NFL ) . He is one of only two players to win five Super Bowls ( the other being Charles Haley ) , the only quarterback to win five and the only player to win them all playing for one team .   After playing college football for the University of Michigan , Brady was drafted by the Patriots in the sixth round of the 2000 NFL Draft . In Brady 's 15 seasons as a starter , he has quarterbacked the Patriots to seven Super Bowl appearances , the most for any player in history .   Brady has been honored with four Super Bowl MVP awards ( Super Bowl XXXVI , XXXVIII , XLIX , and LI ) , the most ever by a single player , has won two league MVP awards ( 2007 and 2010 ) , has been selected to 12 Pro Bowls , and has led his team to more division titles ( 14 ) than any other quarterback in NFL history . As of the end of the 2016 season , Brady is fourth all-time in career passing yards , fourth in career touchdown passes , and third in career passer rating . His career postseason record is 25 -- 9 , winning more playoff games than any other quarterback , and he has appeared in more playoff games than any player at any position . Brady has never had a losing season as a starting quarterback in the NFL . His 208 combined regular-season and postseason wins are also the most of any quarterback in NFL history .  Because of his accomplishments and accolades , many analysts and sportswriters consider Brady to be among the greatest quarterbacks of all time . Due to his late draft selection , Brady is considered to be the biggest `` steal '' in the history of the NFL Draft .   For his alleged involvement in the highly publicized Deflategate football tampering scandal , Brady was suspended for the first four games of the 2016 NFL season . Subsequently , Brady went on to win Super Bowl LI and Super Bowl MVP .   Brady has been married to Brazilian supermodel Gisele Bündchen since 2009 .


Ghostbusters (2016 film) Ghostbusters ( also known as Ghostbusters : Answer the Call and marketed as such on home release ) is a 2016 3D supernatural comedy film directed by Paul Feig , written by Feig and Katie Dippold and starring Melissa McCarthy , Kristen Wiig , Kate McKinnon , Leslie Jones and Chris Hemsworth . Telling the story of four women who start a ghost-catching business in New York City , it is the third feature film in the Ghostbusters franchise and serves as a reboot to the previous films .   A third Ghostbusters film had been in various stages of development following the release of Ghostbusters II in 1989 . As a result of original cast member Bill Murray 's refusal to commit to the project and the death of fellow cast member Harold Ramis in 2014 , Sony decided to reboot the series . Much of the original film 's cast make cameo appearances in new roles . The announcement of the female-led cast in 2015 drew a polarized response from the public and Internet backlash .   Distributed by Columbia Pictures , the film premiered at the TCL Chinese Theatre in Los Angeles on July 9 , 2016 and was released theatrically in the United States on July 15 , 2016 , in 2D , 3D , RealD 3D and IMAX 3D . The film grossed $ 229 million worldwide against a production budget of $ 144 million . Due to the high budget and large amount spent on marketing , the film is considered a box office bomb .


Murder on the Orient Express starred an English actress.

Olivia Colman Sarah Caroline Olivia Colman ( born 30 January 1974 ) is an English actress . She has won three BAFTA Awards , three BIFA Awards , one Golden Globe Award , and has been nominated twice for an Emmy Award .   Colman first came to prominence for her supporting role as Sophie Chapman in the Channel 4 comedy series Peep Show ( 2003 -- 2015 ) . Her other TV comedy roles include Green Wing ( 2004 -- 2006 ) , Beautiful People ( 2008 -- 2009 ) , Rev. ( 2010 -- 2014 ) and Twenty Twelve ( 2011 -- 2012 ) . She also played various roles in That Mitchell and Webb Look ( 2006 -- 2008 ) , alongside her Peep Show co-stars David Mitchell and Robert Webb .   Colman 's move to drama saw her receive critical acclaim for her performance in Paddy Considine 's film Tyrannosaur ( 2011 ) . Her other film roles include PC Doris Thatcher in Hot Fuzz ( 2007 ) , Carol Thatcher in The Iron Lady ( 2011 ) , Queen Elizabeth in Hyde Park on Hudson ( 2012 ) , Bethan Maguire in Locke ( 2013 ) , Margaret Lea in The Thirteenth Tale ( 2013 ) , and the Hotel Manager in The Lobster ( 2015 ) .   A three-time BAFTA TV Award winner , she won Best Female Comedy Performance for Twenty Twelve and Best Supporting Actress for Accused in 2013 , before winning Best Actress in 2014 for her role as DS Ellie Miller in the ITV crime series Broadchurch . Colman was also nominated for the International Emmy Award for Best Actress for Broadchurch .   For her performance in the AMC/BBC miniseries The Night Manager , she won the Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress -- Series , Miniseries or Television Film and was nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or Movie .


Murder on the Orient Express (2017 film) Murder on the Orient Express is an upcoming British-American mystery film directed by Kenneth Branagh . The screenplay by Michael Green is based on the 1934 novel of the same name by Agatha Christie . The film stars Branagh , Tom Bateman , Lucy Boynton , Olivia Colman , Penélope Cruz , Willem Dafoe , Judi Dench , Johnny Depp , Josh Gad , Manuel Garcia-Rulfo , Derek Jacobi , Marwan Kenzari , Leslie Odom Jr. , Michelle Pfeiffer , Sergei Polunin , and Daisy Ridley . Scheduled to be released on November 10 , 2017 , by 20th Century Fox , the film is the third motion picture adaptation of Christie 's novel , following Sidney Lumet 's 1974 version and Carl Schenkel 's 2001 version .


Beautiful (Christina Aguilera song) was recorded for a record that came out in 2002.

Beautiful (Christina Aguilera song) `` Beautiful '' is a song recorded by American singer Christina Aguilera for her fourth studio album , Stripped ( 2002 ) . It was released as the album 's second single on November 16 , 2002 . A pop and R&B ballad , `` Beautiful '' was written and produced by Linda Perry . Lyrically , it discusses inner beauty , as well as self-esteem and insecurity issues . Aguilera commented that she put `` her heart and her soul '' into the track , which she felt represented the theme of Stripped . The song was later re-recorded in an electronic style for her first greatest hits album Keeps Gettin ' Better : A Decade of Hits ( 2008 ) .   Upon its release , `` Beautiful '' received universal acclaim from music critics , who have ranked it among Aguilera 's strongest material . It won a Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance and was also nominated for Song of the Year at the 2004 ceremony . `` Beautiful '' was also a commercial success , topping the charts in Australia , Belgium , Canada , Ireland , New Zealand and the United Kingdom . The song peaked at number two on the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States , where it was certified Gold for 500,000 units shipped . It was kept from the number one spot by `` Bump , Bump , Bump '' by B2K featuring P. Diddy .   `` Beautiful '' has been widely embraced as an anthem by the LGBT community for its message of self-empowerment and inner beauty . An accompanying music video was directed by Jonas Åkerlund , and earned Aguilera a GLAAD Media Award for its positive portrayal of gay and transgender people . In 2011 , UK LGBT rights organization Stonewall named `` Beautiful '' the most empowering song of the previous decade for gay , lesbian , and bisexual people . In 2009 , Rolling Stone and VH1 listed it as one of the best songs of the 2000s ( decade ) . The song is widely recognized as one of Aguilera 's signature songs and has been covered on numerous occasions and featured on several television shows .


Willie Nelson is the honorary president of an art charity.

Willie Nelson Willie Hugh Nelson ( born April 29 , 1933 ) is an American musician , singer , songwriter , author , poet , actor , and activist . The critical success of the album Shotgun Willie ( 1973 ) , combined with the critical and commercial success of Red Headed Stranger ( 1975 ) and Stardust ( 1978 ) , made Nelson one of the most recognized artists in country music . He was one of the main figures of outlaw country , a subgenre of country music that developed in the late 1960s as a reaction to the conservative restrictions of the Nashville sound . Nelson has acted in over 30 films , co-authored several books , and has been involved in activism for the use of biofuels and the legalization of marijuana .   Born during the Great Depression , and raised by his grandparents , Nelson wrote his first song at age seven and joined his first band at ten . During high school , he toured locally with the Bohemian Polka as their lead singer and guitar player . After graduating from high school in 1950 , he joined the Air Force but was later discharged due to back problems . After his return , Nelson attended Baylor University for two years but dropped out because he was succeeding in music . During this time , he worked as a disc jockey in Texas radio stations and a singer in honky-tonks . Nelson moved to Vancouver , Washington , where he wrote `` Family Bible '' and recorded the song `` Lumberjack '' in 1956 . In 1958 , he moved to Houston , Texas , after signing a contract with D Records . He sang at the Esquire Ballroom weekly and he worked as a disk jockey . During that time , he wrote songs that would become country standards , including `` Funny How Time Slips Away '' , `` Hello Walls '' , `` Pretty Paper '' , and `` Crazy '' . In 1960 he moved to Nashville , Tennessee , and later signed a publishing contract with Pamper Music which allowed him to join Ray Price 's band as a bassist . In 1962 , he recorded his first album , ... And Then I Wrote . Due to this success , Nelson signed in 1964 with RCA Victor and joined the Grand Ole Opry the following year . After mid-chart hits in the late 1960s and the early 1970s , Nelson retired in 1972 and moved to Austin , Texas . The ongoing music scene of Austin motivated Nelson to return from retirement , performing frequently at the Armadillo World Headquarters .   In 1973 , after signing with Atlantic Records , Nelson turned to outlaw country , including albums such as Shotgun Willie and Phases and Stages . In 1975 , he switched to Columbia Records , where he recorded the critically acclaimed album Red Headed Stranger . The same year , he recorded another outlaw country album , Wanted ! The Outlaws , along with Waylon Jennings , Jessi Colter , and Tompall Glaser . During the mid-1980s , while creating hit albums like Honeysuckle Rose and recording hit songs like `` On the Road Again '' , `` To All the Girls I 've Loved Before '' , and `` Pancho and Lefty '' , he joined the country supergroup The Highwaymen , along with fellow singers Johnny Cash , Waylon Jennings , and Kris Kristofferson .   In 1990 , Nelson 's assets were seized by the Internal Revenue Service , which claimed that he owed . The difficulty of paying his outstanding debt was aggravated by weak investments he had made during the 1980s . In 1992 , Nelson released The IRS Tapes : Who 'll Buy My Memories ? ; the profits of the double album -- destined to the IRS -- and the auction of Nelson 's assets cleared his debt . During the 1990s and 2000s , Nelson continued touring extensively , and released albums every year . Reviews ranged from positive to mixed . He explored genres such as reggae , blues , jazz , and folk . Nelson made his first movie appearance in the 1979 film The Electric Horseman , followed by other appearances in movies and on television . Nelson is a major liberal activist and the co-chair of the advisory board of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws ( NORML ) , which is in favor of marijuana legalization . On the environmental front , Nelson owns the bio-diesel brand Willie Nelson Biodiesel , which is made from vegetable oil . Nelson is also the honorary chairman of the Advisory Board of the Texas Music Project , the official music charity of the state of Texas .


The Vampire Diaries was developed by an American born in May.

Kevin Williamson (screenwriter) Kevin Meade Williamson ( born March 14 , 1965 ) is an American screenwriter , filmmaker , and actor , best known as the creator of the TV series Dawson 's Creek ( 1998 -- 2003 ) , The Vampire Diaries ( 2009 -- 2017 ) , The Following ( 2013 -- 2015 ) and Stalker ( 2014 -- 2015 ) .  He is also widely known for developing and writing the screenplay for the slasher film Scream , as well as its sequels Scream 2 and Scream 4 . He also wrote the screenplay for the films I Know What You Did Last Summer , The Faculty , Teaching Mrs. Tingle ( which he also directed ) , and Cursed .


The Vampire Diaries The Vampire Diaries is an American supernatural drama television series developed by Kevin Williamson and Julie Plec , based on the popular book series of the same name written by L. J. Smith . The series premiered on The CW on September 10 , 2009 and concluded on March 10 , 2017 , airing 171 episodes over eight seasons .   The pilot episode attracted the largest audience for The CW of any series premiere since the network began in 2006 . The first season averaged 3.60 million viewers . It was the most-watched series on the network before being supplanted by Arrow . The show has received numerous award nominations , winning four People 's Choice Award and many Teen Choice Awards .   On April 26 , 2013 , The CW officially announced that the spin-off The Originals , which focuses on the Original family of vampires , had been ordered to series , and the show began airing during the 2013 -- 14 American television season .   On April 6 , 2015 , lead actress Nina Dobrev confirmed via Instagram that she and co-star Michael Trevino ( who plays Tyler Lockwood ) would be leaving the show after its sixth season . Dobrev returned to record a voiceover for the seventh-season finale . Trevino appeared as a guest star in season seven and returned for season 8 . On March 11 , 2016 , The CW renewed the series for an eighth season , but on July 23 , 2016 , announced that the eighth season , which would have 16 episodes , would be the show 's last . The final season began airing on October 21 , 2016 .


Same-sex marriage is legal in the American territory the Nortern Mariana Islands.

Same-sex marriage Same-sex marriage , also known as gay marriage , is marriage between people of the same sex , either as a secular civil ceremony or in a religious setting .   In the late 20th century , rites of marriage for same-sex couples without legal recognition became increasingly common . The first law providing for marriage of people of the same sex in modern times was enacted in 2001 in the Netherlands . , same-sex marriage is legally recognized ( nationwide or in some parts ) in the following countries : Argentina , Belgium , Brazil , Canada , Colombia , Denmark,Same-sex marriage is legal in Denmark proper and Greenland . Legislation allowing same-sex marriage in the Faroe Islands has received royal assent though is not yet in effect . Finland , France , Iceland , Ireland , Luxembourg , Mexico,Same-sex marriage is legal in the states of Campeche , Coahuila , Colima , Jalisco , Michoacán , Morelos , Nayarit , Quintana Roo and Mexico City as well as in some municipalities in Guerrero , Puebla , Querétaro and Tamaulipas . Same-sex marriages performed in these jurisdictions are recognized throughout Mexico . the Netherlands,Same-sex marriage is legal in The Netherlands proper . Same-sex marriages performed there are recognized in Aruba , Curaçao and Sint Maarten . New Zealand,Same-sex marriage is legal in New Zealand proper , though is not legal in Tokelau , the Cook Islands and Niue , which together make up the Realm of New Zealand . Norway , Portugal , South Africa , Spain , Sweden , the United Kingdom,Same-sex marriage is legal England and Wales and Scotland ; though is notably not legal in Northern Ireland . Same-sex marriage is legal in the overseas territories of Akrotiri and Dhekelia , Ascension Island , Bermuda , the British Antarctic Territory , the British Indian Ocean Territory , Gibraltar and the Pitcairn Islands ; and in the Crown dependencies of Guernsey and the Isle of Man . The law in the Falkland Islands is not yet in force . the United StatesSame-sex marriage is legal in all 50 states , the District of Columbia , Guam , the Northern Mariana Islands , Puerto Rico , the United States Virgin Islands and some tribal jurisdictions . Some tribal jurisdictions do not recognize same-sex marriage . In the United States , Congress ( not the federal courts ) has legal authority over Indian country . Thus , unless Congress passes a law regarding same-sex marriage for Indian tribes , federally recognized American Indian tribes have the legal right to form their own marriage laws . American Samoa is the only unincorporated territory of the United States not to have legalized same-sex marriage . and Uruguay . Same-sex marriage is likely to soon become legal in Taiwan , after a constitutional court ruling in May 2017 . Polls show rising support for legally recognizing same-sex marriage in the Americas , Australia and most of Europe .  However , as of 2017 , South Africa is the only African country where same-sex marriage is recognized . No country in Asia legally recognises same-sex marriage ceremonies performed under its jurisdiction , although Israel recognises same-sex marriages performed overseas for some purposes .   Introduction of same-sex marriage laws has varied by jurisdiction , being variously accomplished through legislative change to marriage laws , a court ruling based on constitutional guarantees of equality , or by direct popular vote ( via ballot initiative or referendum ) . The recognition of same-sex marriage is a political and social issue , and also a religious issue in many countries , and debates continue to arise over whether people in same-sex relationships should be allowed marriage or some similar status ( a civil union ) . Same-sex marriage can provide those in same-sex relationships who pay their taxes with government services and make financial demands on them comparable to those afforded to and required of those in opposite-sex marriages . Same-sex marriage also gives them legal protections such as inheritance and hospital visitation rights . Various faith communities around the world support allowing those of the same sex to marry , while many major religions oppose same-sex marriage . Opponents of same-sex marriages have argued that recognition of same-sex marriages would erode religious freedoms , undermine a right of children to be raised by their biological mother and father or erode the institution of marriage itself .   Some analysts state that financial , psychological and physical well-being are enhanced by marriage , and that children of same-sex parents or carers benefit from being raised by two parents within a legally recognized union supported by society 's institutions . Court documents filed by American scientific associations also state that singling out gay men and women as ineligible for marriage both stigmatizes and invites public discrimination against them . The American Anthropological Association asserts that social science research does not support the view that either civilization or viable social orders depend upon marriage as an exclusively heterosexual institution .


Christian Bale has only ever worked with women.

The Dark Knight Rises The Dark Knight Rises is a 2012 British-American superhero film directed by Christopher Nolan , who co-wrote the screenplay with his brother Jonathan Nolan , and the story with David S. Goyer . Featuring the DC Comics character Batman , the film is the final installment in Nolan 's Batman film trilogy , and the sequel to Batman Begins ( 2005 ) and The Dark Knight ( 2008 ) . Christian Bale reprises the lead role of Bruce Wayne/Batman , with a returning cast of allies : Michael Caine as Alfred Pennyworth , Gary Oldman as James Gordon , and Morgan Freeman as Lucius Fox . The film introduces Selina Kyle ( Anne Hathaway ) , and Bane ( Tom Hardy ) . Eight years after the events of The Dark Knight , merciless revolutionary Bane forces an older Bruce Wayne to resume his role as Batman and save Gotham City from nuclear destruction .   Christopher Nolan was hesitant about returning to the series for a second time , but agreed after developing a story with his brother and Goyer that he felt would conclude the series on a satisfactory note . Nolan drew inspiration from Bane 's comic book debut in the 1993 `` Knightfall '' storyline , the 1986 series The Dark Knight Returns , and the 1999 storyline `` No Man 's Land '' . Filming took place in locations including Jodhpur , London , Nottingham , Glasgow , Los Angeles , New York City , Newark , and Pittsburgh . Nolan used IMAX 70 mm film cameras for much of the filming , including the first six minutes of the film , to optimize the quality of the picture . A vehicle variation of the Batplane and Batcopter termed the `` Bat '' , an underground prison set , and a new Batcave set were created specifically for the film . As with The Dark Knight , viral marketing campaigns began early during production . When filming concluded , Warner Bros. refocused its campaign : developing promotional websites , releasing the first six minutes of the film , screening theatrical trailers , and sending out information regarding the film 's plot .   The Dark Knight Rises premiered in New York City on July 16 , 2012 . The film was released in the United States and the United Kingdom on July 20 , 2012 . It received positive reviews from critics , many of whom named it one of the best films of 2012 . Like its predecessor , the film grossed over $ 1 billion worldwide at the box office , making it the second film in the Batman film series to earn $ 1 billion . It is currently the 17th-highest-grossing film of all time , the third-highest-grossing film of 2012 , and the fourth-highest-grossing superhero film of all time .


Batman Begins Batman Begins is a 2005 British-American superhero film based on the DC Comics character Batman , co-written and directed by Christopher Nolan and starring Christian Bale , Michael Caine , Liam Neeson , Katie Holmes , Gary Oldman , Cillian Murphy , Tom Wilkinson , Rutger Hauer , Ken Watanabe , and Morgan Freeman . The film reboots the Batman film series , telling the origin story of the title character ( Bale ) , from his alter ego Bruce Wayne 's initial fear of bats , the death of his parents , his journey to become Batman , and his fight to stop Ra 's al Ghul ( Neeson ) and the Scarecrow ( Murphy ) from plunging Gotham City into chaos . Comic book storylines such as The Man Who Falls , Batman : Year One , and Batman : The Long Halloween served as inspiration .   After a series of unsuccessful projects to resurrect Batman on screen following the critical failure and box office disappointment of Batman & Robin ( 1997 ) , Nolan and David S. Goyer began to work on the film in early 2003 and aimed for a darker and more realistic tone , with humanity and realism being the basis of the film . The goal was to get the audience to care for both Batman and Bruce Wayne . The film , which was primarily shot in Iceland and Chicago , relied on traditional stunts and miniatures , while computer-generated imagery was used minimally .   Batman Begins opened on June 15 , 2005 , in the United States and Canada in 3,858 theaters . It grossed over $ 48 million in its opening weekend in North America , eventually grossing over $ 374 million worldwide . The film received positive reviews and is considered by many to be one of the best superhero films of the 2000s . The film was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Cinematography and three BAFTA awards . It is followed by The Dark Knight ( 2008 ) and The Dark Knight Rises ( 2012 ) in a continual story-arc , which has later been referred to as The Dark Knight Trilogy .


The Fighter The Fighter is a 2010 American biographical sports drama film directed by David O. Russell , and starring Mark Wahlberg , Christian Bale , Amy Adams and Melissa Leo . The film centers on the lives of professional boxer Micky Ward ( Wahlberg ) and his older half-brother Dicky Eklund ( Bale ) . The film also stars Amy Adams as Micky 's girlfriend Charlene Fleming , and Melissa Leo as Micky and Dicky 's mother , Alice Eklund-Ward . The film was inspired by the 1995 documentary that features the Eklund-Ward family , titled High on Crack Street : Lost Lives in Lowell .   The film was released in select North American theaters on December 17 , 2010 and was released in the United Kingdom on February 4 , 2011 . It was nominated for seven Academy Awards , including Best Picture and Best Director , winning the awards for Best Supporting Actor ( Christian Bale ) and Best Supporting Actress ( Melissa Leo ) . It was the first film to win both awards since Hannah and Her Sisters in 1986 .


The Big Short (film) The Big Short is a 2015 American biographical comedy-drama film directed by Adam McKay and written by McKay and Charles Randolph , based on the 2010 book The Big Short : Inside the Doomsday Machine by Michael Lewis about the financial crisis of 2007 -- 2008 which was triggered by the United States housing bubble . The film stars Christian Bale , Steve Carell , Ryan Gosling , Brad Pitt , Melissa Leo , Hamish Linklater , John Magaro , Rafe Spall , Jeremy Strong , Finn Wittrock and Marisa Tomei .   The film is noted for the unconventional techniques it employs to explain complex financial instruments . Among others , it features cameo appearances by Margot Robbie , Anthony Bourdain , Selena Gomez and Richard Thaler , who break the fourth wall to explain concepts such as subprime mortgages and collateralized debt obligations as a meta-reference . Several other actors directly address the audience , most frequently Gosling , who serves as the narrator .   The film began a limited release in the United States on December 11 , 2015 , followed by a wide release on December 23 by Paramount Pictures The film was a financial and critical success , grossing $ 133 million against a $ 28 million budget , and receiving positive reviews . The film was nominated for five Academy Awards , including Best Picture , Best Director , Best Supporting Actor for Bale , Best Film Editing and Best Adapted Screenplay , winning the last .


American Psycho (film) American Psycho is a 2000 American black comedy horror film co-written and directed by Mary Harron , based on Bret Easton Ellis 's 1991 novel of the same name . It stars Christian Bale , Willem Dafoe , Jared Leto , Josh Lucas , Chloë Sevigny , Samantha Mathis , Cara Seymour , Justin Theroux , and Reese Witherspoon .   Producer Edward R. Pressman purchased the film rights to the novel in 1992 . After discussions with David Cronenberg fell through , Harron was brought on to direct and cast Bale in the lead role . Lionsgate acquired worldwide distribution in 1997 and temporarily replaced Harron and Bale with Oliver Stone as director and Leonardo DiCaprio portraying Patrick Bateman . DiCaprio left in favor of The Beach and Harron and Bale were brought back . American Psycho debuted at the Sundance Film Festival on January 21 , 2000 , and was released theatrically on April 14 , 2000 . The film received moderately positive reviews and was a financial success , with critics mainly praising the screenplay and Christian Bale 's performance .


The Machinist The Machinist is a 2004 psychological thriller film directed by Brad Anderson and written by Scott Kosar . The film stars Christian Bale and features Jennifer Jason Leigh , John Sharian , Aitana Sánchez-Gijón , and Michael Ironside in supporting roles . The film is about Trevor Reznik ( Bale ) , a machinist whose insomnia and psychological problems lead to a serious workplace accident involving a co-worker ( Ironside ) . After Reznik is fired , he goes into a downward spiral of paranoia and delusion . The film was well-received by critics , particularly for Bale 's performance . It is an international co-production of the United Kingdom , France , Spain , and the United States .


American Hustle American Hustle is a 2013 American black comedy-crime film directed by David O. Russell . It was written by Eric Warren Singer and Russell , inspired by the FBI ABSCAM operation of the late 1970s and early 1980s . It stars Christian Bale and Amy Adams as two con artists who are forced by an FBI agent ( Bradley Cooper ) to set up an elaborate sting operation on corrupt politicians , including the mayor of Camden , New Jersey ( Jeremy Renner ) . Jennifer Lawrence plays the unpredictable wife of Bale 's character . Principal photography on the film began on March 8 , 2013 , in Boston and Worcester , Massachusetts , and New York City .   American Hustle had its nationwide release in the United States on December 13 , 2013 . It opened to wide acclaim from critics , who praised its writing and ensemble cast . The film received ten nominations at the 86th Academy Awards , including Best Picture , Best Director , Best Original Screenplay , Best Actor ( Bale ) , Best Actress ( Adams ) , Best Supporting Actor ( Cooper ) , and Best Supporting Actress ( Lawrence ) , but did not win in any category . It received three BAFTA Awards , three Golden Globe Awards including Best Motion Picture -- Musical or Comedy , and the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture .


Empire of the Sun (film) Empire of the Sun is a 1987 American epic coming-of-age war film based on J. G. Ballard 's semi-autobiographical novel of the same name . It was directed by Steven Spielberg and stars John Malkovich , Miranda Richardson , Nigel Havers , and Christian Bale . The film tells the story of Jamie `` Jim '' Graham , a young boy who goes from living in a wealthy British family in Shanghai , to becoming a prisoner of war in a Japanese internment camp , during World War II .   Harold Becker and David Lean were originally to direct before Spielberg came on board , initially as a producer for Lean . Spielberg was attracted to directing the film because of a personal connection to Lean 's films and World War II topics . He considers it to be his most profound work on `` the loss of innocence '' . The film received critical acclaim but was not initially a box office success , earning only $ 22,238,696 at the US box office , but it eventually more than recouped its budget through revenues in other markets .


The Dark Knight (film) The Dark Knight is a 2008 superhero film directed , co-produced , and co-written by Christopher Nolan . Featuring the DC Comics character Batman , the film is the second part of Nolan 's The Dark Knight Trilogy and a sequel to 2005 's Batman Begins , starring an ensemble cast including Christian Bale , Michael Caine , Heath Ledger , Gary Oldman , Aaron Eckhart , Maggie Gyllenhaal and Morgan Freeman . In the film , Bruce Wayne/Batman ( Bale ) , James Gordon ( Oldman ) and Harvey Dent ( Eckhart ) form an alliance to dismantle organized crime in Gotham City , but are menaced by a criminal mastermind known as the Joker ( Ledger ) who seeks to undermine Batman 's influence and create chaos .   Nolan 's inspiration for the film was the Joker 's comic book debut in 1940 , the 1988 graphic novel The Killing Joke , and the 1996 series The Long Halloween , which retold Two-Face 's origin . The nickname `` the Dark Knight '' was first applied to Batman in Batman # 1 ( 1940 ) , in a story written by Bill Finger . The Dark Knight was filmed primarily in Chicago , as well as in several other locations in the United States , the United Kingdom , and Hong Kong . Nolan used IMAX 70 mm film cameras to film some sequences , including the Joker 's first appearance in the film . The film is dedicated to the memory of Ledger , who died on January 22 , 2008 , some months after the completed filming and six months before the film 's release , from a toxic combination of prescription drugs , leading to intense attention from the press and movie-going public . Warner Bros. initially created a viral marketing campaign for The Dark Knight , developing promotional websites and trailers highlighting screenshots of Ledger as the Joker .   A co-production of the United States and the United Kingdom , The Dark Knight was released on July 16 , 2008 in Australia , on July 18 , 2008 , in North America , and on July 25 , 2008 , in the United Kingdom . Considered by film critics to be one of the best films of the 2000s and one of the best superhero films ever , the film received highly positive reviews and set numerous records during its theatrical run . The Dark Knight appeared on more critics ' top ten lists ( 287 ) than any other film of 2008 with the exception of WALL-E , and more critics ( 77 ) named The Dark Knight the best film of 2008 than any other film released that year . With over $ 1 billion in revenue worldwide , it is the 29th-highest-grossing film of all time , unadjusted for inflation . The film received eight Academy Award nominations ; it won the award for Best Sound Editing and Ledger was posthumously awarded Best Supporting Actor . The Dark Knight Rises , the final film in the trilogy , was released on July 20 , 2012 .


Christian Bale Christian Charles Philip Bale ( born 30 January 1974 ) is an English actor . He has starred both in blockbuster films and smaller projects from independent producers and art houses .   Bale first caught the public eye at the age of 13 , when he was cast in the starring role of Steven Spielberg 's Empire of the Sun ( 1987 ) . Based on the original story by J. G. Ballard , Bale played an English boy who is separated from his parents and subsequently finds himself lost in a Japanese internment camp during World War II . In 2000 , he garnered critical acclaim for his portrayal of serial killer Patrick Bateman in American Psycho . He is known for going to great lengths to portray characters in films , notably for the psychological thriller The Machinist ( 2004 ) , where he lost 63 pounds ( 28.5 kg ) to play the role of Trevor Reznik .   Bale went on to receive greater commercial recognition for his starring role as Batman in Christopher Nolan 's Batman Begins ( 2005 ) , The Dark Knight ( 2008 ) and The Dark Knight Rises ( 2012 ) . His portrayal of Dicky Eklund in the David O. Russell-directed biographical film The Fighter ( 2010 ) , earned him critical acclaim and a number of awards , including the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor . He has since gained further acclaim as well as subsequent Academy Award , Screen Actors Guild Award and Golden Globe nominations for his roles in Russell 's American Hustle ( 2013 ) and Adam McKay 's The Big Short ( 2015 ) .


Steven Spielberg Steven Allan Spielberg , , ( born December 18 , 1946 ) is an American director , producer , and screenwriter . He is considered one of the founding pioneers of the New Hollywood era , as well as being viewed as one of the most popular directors and producers in film history . He is also one of the co-founders of DreamWorks Studios .   In a career spanning more than four decades , Spielberg 's films have spanned many themes and genres . Spielberg 's early science-fiction and adventure films , such as Jaws ( 1975 ) , Close Encounters of the Third Kind ( 1977 ) , Raiders of the Lost Ark ( 1981 ) , and E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial ( 1982 ) , were seen as archetypes of modern Hollywood escapist filmmaking . In later years , his films began addressing humanistic issues such as the Holocaust , the transatlantic slave trade , civil rights , war , and terrorism in such films as The Color Purple ( 1985 ) , Empire of the Sun ( 1987 ) , Schindler 's List ( 1993 ) , Amistad ( 1997 ) , Saving Private Ryan ( 1998 ) , Munich ( 2005 ) , War Horse ( 2011 ) , Lincoln ( 2012 ) , and Bridge of Spies ( 2015 ) . His other films include Jurassic Park ( 1993 ) , A.I. Artificial Intelligence ( 2001 ) , and War of the Worlds ( 2005 ) .   Spielberg won the Academy Award for Best Director for Schindler 's List and Saving Private Ryan , as well as receiving five other nominations . Three of Spielberg 's films -- Jaws , E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial , and Jurassic Park -- achieved box office records , originated and came to epitomize the blockbuster film . The unadjusted gross of all Spielberg-directed films exceeds $ 9 billion worldwide , making him the highest-grossing director in history . His personal net worth is estimated to be more than $ 3 billion . He is also known for his long-standing associations with several actors , producers , and technicians , most notably composer John Williams , who has composed music for all but two of Spielberg 's movies which are The Color Purple and Bridge of Spies .


Christopher Nolan Christopher Edward Nolan ( -LSB- ˈnoʊlən -RSB- born 30 July 1970 ) is an English-American film director , screenwriter and producer . He is one of the highest-grossing directors in history , and among the most successful and acclaimed filmmakers of the 21st century .   Having made his directorial debut with Following ( 1998 ) , Nolan gained considerable attention for his second feature , Memento ( 2000 ) , for which he received a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay . The acclaim garnered by his independent films gave Nolan the opportunity to make the big-budget thriller Insomnia ( 2002 ) and the mystery drama The Prestige ( 2006 ) . He found further popular and critical success with The Dark Knight Trilogy ( 2005 -- 2012 ) ; Inception ( 2010 ) , for which he received a second Original Screenplay nomination and one for the Academy Award for Best Picture ; and Interstellar ( 2014 ) . His nine films have grossed over US$ 4.2 billion worldwide and garnered a total of 26 Oscar nominations and seven wins . Nolan has co-written several of his films with his younger brother , Jonathan , and runs the production company Syncopy Inc. with his wife , Emma Thomas .   Nolan 's films are rooted in philosophical , sociological and ethical concepts , exploring human morality , the construction of time , and the malleable nature of memory and personal identity . His body of work is permeated by materialistic perspectives , labyrinthine plots , nonlinear storytelling , practical special effects , and analogous relationships between visual language and narrative elements .


David O. Russell David Owen Russell ( born August 20 , 1958 ) is an American film director , screenwriter , and producer . His early directing career includes the comedy films Spanking the Monkey ( 1994 ) , Flirting with Disaster ( 1996 ) , Three Kings ( 1999 ) and I ♥ Huckabees ( 2004 ) .   Three of Russell 's more recent films -- the biographical sports drama The Fighter ( 2010 ) , the romantic comedy-drama Silver Linings Playbook ( 2012 ) , and the comedy-drama crime film American Hustle ( 2013 ) -- were commercially successful and acclaimed by critics , having earned Russell three Academy Award nominations for Best Director , as well as a Best Adapted Screenplay nomination for Silver Linings Playbook and a Best Original Screenplay nomination for American Hustle . Russell received his seventh Golden Globe nomination for the semi-biographical comedy-drama Joy ( 2015 ) .


Heartbreak Ridge was directed only by John Wayne.

Heartbreak Ridge Heartbreak Ridge is a 1986 American Technicolor war film directed and produced by Clint Eastwood , who also starred in the film . The film also co-stars Mario Van Peebles , Marsha Mason , and Everett McGill . The film was released in the United States on December 5 , 1986 . The story involves the actions of a small group of U.S. Marines during the American invasion of Grenada in 1983 . A portion of the film was filmed on the island .   The title comes from the Battle of Heartbreak Ridge in the Korean War . The character played by Eastwood received the Medal of Honor for his actions in the U.S. Army there , even though he is now a U.S. Marine .   The film was the 1000th to be released in Dolby Stereo .


Tony Bill produced a 1973 American caper television show.

Tony Bill Gerard Anthony `` Tony '' Bill ( born August 23 , 1940 ) is an American actor , producer , and director . He produced the 1973 movie The Sting , for which he shared the Academy Award for Best Picture with Michael Phillips and Julia Phillips . As an actor , Bill has had supporting roles in films including Come Blow Your Horn ( 1963 ) , Shampoo ( 1975 ) , Pee-Wee 's Big Adventure ( 1985 ) , and Less Than Zero ( 1987 ) . He made his directorial debut with My Bodyguard ( 1980 ) , and has since directed movies like Six Weeks ( 1982 ) , Five Corners ( 1987 ) , Crazy People ( 1990 ) , and Flyboys ( 2006 ) . He often casts Dudley Moore in his films .


San Francisco is Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary's location.

San Francisco San Francisco ( initials SF ) ( -LSB- sæn_frənˈsɪskoʊ -RSB- , Spanish for Saint Francis ; Spanish : -LSB- san franˈsisko -RSB- ) , officially the City and County of San Francisco , is the cultural , commercial , and financial center of Northern California . Located at the north end of the San Francisco Peninsula , San Francisco is about 47.9 sqmi in area , making it the smallest county -- and the only consolidated city-county -- within the state of California . With a density of about 18,581 people per square mile ( 7,174 people per km2 ) , San Francisco is the most densely settled large city ( population greater than 200,000 ) in California and the second-most densely populated major city in the United States after New York City . San Francisco is the fourth-most populous city in California , after Los Angeles , San Diego , and San Jose , and the 13th-most populous city in the United States -- with a census-estimated 2016 population of 870,887 . The city and its surrounding areas are known as the San Francisco Bay Area , and are a part of the larger OMB-designated San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland combined statistical area , the fifth most populous in the nation with an estimated population of 8.7 million .   San Francisco was founded on June 29 , 1776 , when colonists from Spain established Presidio of San Francisco at the Golden Gate and Mission San Francisco de Asís a few miles away , all named for St. Francis of Assisi . The California Gold Rush of 1849 brought rapid growth , making it the largest city on the West Coast at the time . San Francisco became a consolidated city-county in 1856 .  After three-quarters of the city was destroyed by the 1906 earthquake and fire , San Francisco was quickly rebuilt , hosting the Panama-Pacific International Exposition nine years later . In World War II , San Francisco was a major port of embarkation for service members shipping out to the Pacific Theater . It then became the birthplace of the United Nations in 1945 . After the war , the confluence of returning servicemen , massive immigration , liberalizing attitudes , along with the rise of the `` hippie '' counterculture , the Sexual Revolution , the Peace Movement growing from opposition to United States involvement in the Vietnam War , and other factors led to the Summer of Love and the gay rights movement , cementing San Francisco as a center of liberal activism in the United States . Politically , the city votes strongly along liberal Democratic Party lines .   A popular tourist destination , San Francisco is known for its cool summers , fog , steep rolling hills , eclectic mix of architecture , and landmarks , including the Golden Gate Bridge , cable cars , the former Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary , Fisherman 's Wharf , and its Chinatown district . San Francisco is also the headquarters of five major banking institutions and various other companies such as Levi Strauss & Co. , Gap Inc. , Salesforce.com , Dropbox , Reddit , Square , Inc. , Dolby , Airbnb , Weebly , Pacific Gas and Electric Company , Yelp , Pinterest , Twitter , Uber , Lyft , Mozilla , Wikimedia Foundation , Craigslist and Weather Underground . It has several nicknames , including `` The City by the Bay '' , `` Fog City '' , `` San Fran '' , and `` Frisco '' , as well as older ones like `` The City that Knows How '' , `` Baghdad by the Bay '' , `` The Paris of the West '' , or simply `` The City '' . , San Francisco is ranked high on world liveability rankings .


Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary The Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary or United States Penitentiary , Alcatraz Island ( often just referred to as Alcatraz ) was a maximum high-security federal prison on Alcatraz Island , 1.25 mi off the coast of San Francisco , California , which operated from 1934 to 1963 .   The main prison building was built in 1910 -- 1912 during its time as a United States Army military prison ; Alcatraz had been the site of a citadel since the 1860s . The United States Disciplinary Barracks , Pacific Branch on Alcatraz was acquired by the United States Department of Justice on October 12 , 1933 , and the island became a prison of the Federal Bureau of Prisons in August 1934 after the buildings were modernized to meet the requirements of a top-notch security prison . Given this high security and the location of Alcatraz in the cold waters and strong currents of San Francisco Bay , the prison operators believed Alcatraz to be escape-proof and America 's strongest prison .   Alcatraz was designed to hold prisoners who continuously caused trouble at other federal prisons . One of the world 's most notorious and best known prisons over the years , Alcatraz housed some 1,576 of America 's most ruthless criminals including Al Capone , Robert Franklin Stroud ( the `` Birdman of Alcatraz '' ) , George `` Machine Gun '' Kelly , Bumpy Johnson , Rafael Cancel Miranda , Mickey Cohen , Arthur R. `` Doc '' Barker , and Alvin `` Creepy '' Karpis ( who served more time at Alcatraz than any other inmate ) . It also provided housing for the Bureau of Prisons ' staff and their families . A total of 36 prisoners made 14 escape attempts during the 29 years of the prison 's existence , the most notable of which were the violent escape attempt of May 1946 known as the `` Battle of Alcatraz '' , and the arguably successful `` Escape from Alcatraz '' by Frank Morris , John Anglin , and Clarence Anglin in June 1962 in one of the most intricate escapes ever devised . Faced with high maintenance costs and a poor reputation , Alcatraz closed on March 21 , 1963 .   The three-story cellhouse included the main four blocks of the jail , A-block , B-block , C-block , and D-block , the warden 's office , visitation room , the library , and the barber shop . The prison cells typically measured 9 ft by 5 ft and 7 ft high . The cells were primitive and lacked privacy , with a bed , a desk and a washbasin and toilet on the back wall , with few furnishings except a blanket . African-Americans were segregated from the rest in cell designation due to racial abuse being prevalent . D-Block housed the worst inmates and five cells at the end of it were designated as `` The Hole '' , where badly behaving prisoners would be sent for periods of punishment , often brutally so . The dining hall and kitchen lay off the main building in an extended part where both prisoners and staff would eat three meals a day together . The Alcatraz Hospital was above the dining hall .   Corridors of the prison were named after major American streets such as Broadway and Michigan Avenue . Working at the prison was considered a privilege for inmates and many of the better inmates were employed in the Model Industries Building and New Industries Building during the day , actively involved in providing for the military in jobs such as sewing and woodwork and performing various maintenance and laundry chores .   Today the penitentiary is a public museum and one of San Francisco 's major tourist attractions , attracting some 1.5 million visitors annually . The former prison is now operated by the National Park Service 's Golden Gate National Recreation Area , and the badly eroded buildings of the former prison have been subject to restoration works in recent times and maintained .


John Lennon John Winston Ono Lennon , ( born John Winston Lennon ; 9 October 19408 December 1980 ) was an English guitarist , singer , and songwriter who co-founded the Beatles , the most commercially successful and musically influential band in the history of popular music . He and fellow member Paul McCartney formed a much-celebrated songwriting partnership .   Born and raised in Liverpool , Lennon became involved in the skiffle craze as a teenager ; his first band , the Quarrymen , first became the Silver Beatles , and finally , evolved into the Beatles in 1960 . When the group disbanded in 1970 , Lennon embarked on a sporadic solo career that produced albums including John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band and Imagine , and songs such as `` Give Peace a Chance '' , `` Working Class Hero '' , and `` Imagine '' . After his marriage to Yoko Ono in 1969 , he added `` Ono '' as one of his middle names . Lennon disengaged himself from the music business in 1975 to raise his infant son Sean , but re-emerged with Ono in 1980 with the new album Double Fantasy . He was murdered three weeks after its release .   Lennon revealed a rebellious nature and acerbic wit in his music , writing , drawings , on film and in interviews . Controversial through his political and peace activism , he moved to Manhattan in 1971 , where his criticism of the Vietnam War resulted in a lengthy attempt by Richard Nixon 's administration to deport him , while some of his songs were adopted as anthems by the anti-war movement and the larger counterculture .   By 2012 , Lennon 's solo album sales in the United States exceeded 14 million and , as writer , co-writer , or performer , he is responsible for 25 number-one singles on the US Hot 100 chart . In 2002 , a BBC poll on the 100 Greatest Britons voted him eighth and , in 2008 , Rolling Stone ranked him the fifth-greatest singer of all time . He was posthumously inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1987 , and into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice , in 1988 as a member of the Beatles and in 1994 as a solo artist .


Andorra's people had a life expectancy of 81 in 2003.

Andorra Andorra ( -LSB- ænˈdɔ : rə -RSB- -LSB- ənˈdorə -RSB- , -LSB- anˈdɔra -RSB- ) , officially the Principality of Andorra ( Principat d'Andorra ) , also called the Principality of the Valleys of Andorra ( -LSB- Principat de les Valls d'Andorra , links = no -RSB- ) , is a sovereign landlocked microstate in Southwestern Europe , located in the eastern Pyrenees mountains and bordered by Spain and France . Created under a charter in 988 , the present principality was formed in 1278 . It is known as a principality as it is a diarchy headed by two Co-Princes the Roman Catholic Bishop of Urgell in Spain , and the President of France .   Andorra is the sixth-smallest nation in Europe , having an area of 468 km2 ( 181 sq mi ) and a population of approximately 85,000 . Its capital Andorra la Vella is the highest capital city in Europe , at an elevation of 1,023 m above sea level . The official language is Catalan , although Spanish , Portuguese , and French are also commonly spoken .   Andorra 's tourism services an estimated 10.2 million visitors annually . It is not a member of the European Union , but the euro is the official currency . It has been a member of the United Nations since 1993 . In 2013 , the people of Andorra had the highest life expectancy in the world at 81 years , according to The Lancet .


A Song of Ice and Fire is by someone who was born George Meredith.

A Song of Ice and Fire A Song of Ice and Fire is a series of epic fantasy novels by the American novelist and screenwriter George R. R. Martin . He began the first volume of the series , A Game of Thrones , in 1991 and had it published in 1996 . Martin , who initially envisioned the series as a trilogy , has published five out of a planned seven volumes . The fifth and most recent volume of the series published in 2011 , A Dance with Dragons , took Martin five years to write . He is still writing the sixth novel , The Winds of Winter .   A Song of Ice and Fire takes place on the fictional continents Westeros and Essos . The point of view of each chapter in the story is a limited perspective of a range of characters growing from nine , in the first novel , to thirty-one by the fifth . Three main stories interweave a dynastic war among several families for control of Westeros , the rising threat of the supernatural Others in the northernmost reaches of Westeros , and the ambition of Daenerys Targaryen , the deposed king 's exiled daughter , to assume the Iron Throne .   Martin 's inspirations included the Wars of the Roses and the French historical novels The Accursed Kings by Maurice Druon . A Song of Ice and Fire received praise for its diverse portrayal of women and religion , as well as its realism . An assortment of disparate and subjective points of view confronts the reader , and the success or survival of point of view characters is never assured . Within the often morally ambiguous world of A Song of Ice and Fire , questions concerning loyalty , pride , human sexuality , piety , and the morality of violence frequently arise .   As of April 2015 , the books have sold more than 60 million copies worldwide and , as of January 2017 , have been translated into 47 languages . The fourth and fifth volumes reached the top of The New York Times Best Seller lists upon their releases . Among the many derived works are several prequel novellas , a TV series , a comic book adaptation , and several card , board , and video games .


George R. R. Martin -RCB- -RCB-   George Raymond Richard Martin ( born George Raymond Martin ; September 20 , 1948 ) , often referred to as GRRM , is an American novelist and short-story writer in the fantasy , horror , and science fiction genres , screenwriter , and television producer . He is best known for his international bestselling series of epic fantasy novels , A Song of Ice and Fire , which was later adapted into the HBO dramatic series Game of Thrones .   Martin serves as the series ' co-executive producer , and also scripted four episodes of the series . In 2005 , Lev Grossman of Time called Martin `` the American Tolkien '' , and the magazine later named him one of the `` 2011 Time 100 '' , a list of the `` most influential people in the world . ''


Roger Penrose shared a prize with Stephen Hawking.

Roger Penrose Sir Roger Penrose ( born 8 August 1931 ) is an English mathematical physicist , mathematician and philosopher of science . He is the Emeritus Rouse Ball Professor of Mathematics at the Mathematical Institute of the University of Oxford , as well as an Emeritus Fellow of Wadham College .   Penrose is known for his work in mathematical physics , in particular for his contributions to general relativity and cosmology . He has received several prizes and awards , including the 1988 Wolf Prize for physics , which he shared with Stephen Hawking for their contribution to our understanding of the universe .


The Guest (film) The Guest is a 2014 American action horror-thriller film directed and edited by Adam Wingard and written by Simon Barrett , both of whom previously collaborated on a previous film , You 're Next ( 2011 ) . Starring Dan Stevens , Maika Monroe , Leland Orser , Sheila Kelley , Brendan Meyer , and Lance Reddick , the plot follows a soldier named `` David '' unexpectedly visiting the Peterson family , introducing himself as a friend of their son who had died during the Afghanistan war . After the man is welcomed into their home for a couple of days , a series of deaths begin to occur around his presence , and their daughter Anna begins to have suspicions of David being connected to the deaths .   The film premiered at the Sundance Film Festival on January 17 , 2014 , following a release in the United States on September 17 , 2014 and the United Kingdom on September 5 , 2014 . Critical reception was largely positive , with general praise towards Stevens ' role and Wingard 's direction .


Leland Orser Leland Jones Orser ( born 1960/1961 ) ) is an American film and television actor . Orser is primarily a character actor , and has appeared in small roles in a wide variety of films and television series , including Chief of Surgery Dr. Lucien Dubenko on the television series ER .


Kristen Bell is an award-winning actress.

Kristen Bell Kristen Anne Bell ( born July 18 , 1980 ) is an American actress and singer . She began her acting career starring in stage productions and attended the Tisch School of Arts in New York . In 2001 , she made her Broadway debut as Becky Thatcher in The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and starred in the Broadway revival of The Crucible the following year . In 2004 , she had a supporting role in the film Spartan and received praise for her first leading performance in Gracie 's Choice .   Bell gained critical acclaim for her first major role as the title character in the teen noir drama television series Veronica Mars ( 2004 -- 07 ) . For her performance she was awarded a Saturn Award for Best Actress on Television . She reprised the eponymous role in the 2014 film continuation of the series . During her time on Veronica Mars , Bell appeared as Mary Lane in the film Reefer Madness : The Movie Musical ( 2005 ) , a reprise of the role she had played in the New York musical upon which the film was based . In 2007 , Bell joined the cast of the sci-fi series Heroes , playing the character Elle Bishop , for which she was nominated for a Saturn Award .   In 2008 , she had her breakout film role as the title character in Forgetting Sarah Marshall . She has since appeared in a number of comedy films , such as Couples Retreat ( 2009 ) , When in Rome ( 2010 ) , You Again ( 2010 ) , and The Boss ( 2016 ) . Bell garnered further recognition for voicing Princess Anna in the Disney film Frozen ( 2013 ) , the short film Frozen Fever ( 2015 ) , and the upcoming Frozen 2 . She also starred as the female lead on the Showtime series House of Lies . Since 2016 , she has starred in the main role of Eleanor Shellstrop on the NBC comedy series The Good Place .   Bell married actor Dax Shepard in 2013 , with whom she has two daughters .


Election (1999 film) is based on a book by Anne Rice.

Election (1999 film) Election is a 1999 American black comedy-drama film directed and written by Alexander Payne and adapted by him and Jim Taylor from Tom Perrotta 's 1998 novel of the same title . The plot revolves around a high school election and satirizes both suburban high school life and politics . The film stars Matthew Broderick as Jim McAllister , a popular high school social studies teacher in suburban Omaha , Nebraska , and Reese Witherspoon as Tracy Flick , around the time of the school 's student body election . When Tracy qualifies to run for class president , McAllister believes she does not deserve the title and tries his best to stop her from winning .   Although a box office bomb , Election received critical acclaim . The film received an Academy Award nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay , a Golden Globe nomination for Witherspoon in the Best Actress category , and the Independent Spirit Award for Best Film in 1999 .


Election (novel) Election is a 1998 novel by Tom Perrotta . It is a black comedy about a high school history teacher who attempts to sabotage a manipulative , overly-ambitious girl 's campaign to become school president . The novel was adapted into a film of the same title prior to publication , but not filmed until fall of 1998 .


Sharon Tate had a husband who was a producer.

Sharon Tate Sharon Marie Tate Polanski ( January 24 , 1943 -- August 9 , 1969 ) was an American actress and model . During the 1960s , she played small television roles before appearing in films and was regularly featured in fashion magazines as a model and cover girl . After receiving positive reviews for her comedic and dramatic acting performances , Tate was hailed as one of Hollywood 's most promising newcomers .   She made her film debut in 1966 with the occult-themed Eye of the Devil . Her most remembered performance was as Jennifer North in the 1967 cult classic film , Valley of the Dolls , earning her a Golden Globe Award nomination . Tate 's last completed film , 12 +1 was released posthumously in 1969 , with the actress receiving top billing .   In January 20 , 1968 , Tate married Roman Polanski , her director and co-star in 1967 's The Fearless Vampire Killers . On August 9 , 1969 , Tate , along with four others , was murdered by members of the Manson Family in the home she shared with Polanski . At the time of her death , she was eight-and-a-half months pregnant with the couple 's son .   A decade after Tate 's murder , the actress ' mother , Doris Tate , in response to the growing cult status of the killers and the possibility of them being granted parole , organized a public campaign that resulted in amendments to the California criminal law . Tate 's mother went on to say that the law would `` help transform Sharon 's legacy from murder victim to a symbol of victims ' rights '' . A book by Tate 's sister , Debra Tate , titled Sharon Tate : Recollection , was released in 2014 .


Roman Polanski Rajmund Roman Thierry Polański ( born 18 August 1933 ) is a French-Polish film director , producer , writer , actor , and convicted statutory rapist . Born in Paris , his Polish-Jewish parents moved the family back to Poland in 1937 , when he was four . Poland was invaded by Nazi Germany 2 years later , in 1939 , and Polanski spent the next six years of his childhood mostly on his own , trying to survive the ongoing Holocaust .   Polanski 's first feature-length film , Knife in the Water ( 1962 ) , made in Poland , was nominated for a United States Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film . He has since received five more Oscar nominations , along with two BAFTAs , four Césars , a Golden Globe Award and the Palme d'Or of the Cannes Film Festival in France . In the United Kingdom he directed three films , beginning with Repulsion ( 1965 ) . In 1968 he moved to the United States and cemented his status by directing the horror film Rosemary 's Baby ( 1968 ) .   A turning point in his life took place in 1969 , when his pregnant wife , Sharon Tate , along with four friends , were brutally murdered by members of the Manson Family . Following her death , Polanski returned to Europe and eventually continued directing . He made Macbeth ( 1971 ) in England and back in Hollywood , Chinatown ( 1974 ) , which was nominated for eleven Academy Awards .   In 1977 , Polanski was arrested and charged with the rape of a 13-year-old model during a photo session . He subsequently pled guilty to the charge of statutory rape . He was released from prison after serving 42 days , and as part of an apparent plea bargain , was to be put on probation . When he learned that the judge changed his mind and planned to reject the plea bargain , he fled to Paris before sentencing .   In Europe , Polanski continued to make films , including Tess ( 1979 ) , starring aspiring actress , Nastassja Kinski . It won France 's César Awards for Best Picture and Best Director , and received three Oscars . He later produced and directed The Pianist ( 2002 ) , starring Adrien Brody , in a World War II true story drama about a Jewish-Polish musician . The film won three Academy Awards including Best Director , along with numerous international awards . He also directed Oliver Twist ( 2005 ) , a story which parallels his own life as a `` young boy attempting to triumph over adversity '' . He was awarded Best Director for The Ghost Writer ( 2010 ) at the 23rd European Film Awards Having made films in Poland , the United Kingdom , France , and the United States , he is considered one of the few international filmmakers .


Shakira Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll ( -LSB- ( t ) ʃaˈkiɾa isaˈβel meβaˈɾak riˈpol -RSB- ; -LSB- langʃəˈki : rə -RSB- born 2 February 1977 ) is a Colombian singer , songwriter , dancer , and record producer . Born and raised in Barranquilla , she began performing in school , demonstrating Latin American , Arabic , and rock and roll influences and belly dancing abilities . Shakira 's first studio albums , Magia and Peligro , failed to attain commercial success in the 1990s ; however , she rose to prominence in Latin America with her major-label debut , Pies Descalzos ( 1996 ) , and her fourth album , Dónde Están los Ladrones ? ( 1998 ) .   Shakira entered the English-language market with her fifth album , Laundry Service . Its lead single , `` Whenever , Wherever '' , became one of the most successful singles of 2002 . Her success was solidified with her sixth and seventh albums Fijación Oral , Volumen Uno and Oral Fixation , Volume Two ( 2005 ) , the latter of which spawned one of the best-selling songs of the 21st century , `` Hips Do n't Lie '' . Shakira 's eighth and ninth albums , She Wolf ( 2009 ) and Sale el Sol ( 2010 ) , received critical praise . Her official song for the 2010 FIFA World Cup , `` Waka Waka ( This Time for Africa ) '' , became the biggest-selling World Cup song of all time . With over 1.3 billion views , it is one of the most-watched music videos on YouTube . Shakira served as a coach on the fourth and sixth seasons of the American version of The Voice in 2013 and 2014 , respectively . Her tenth album , Shakira ( 2014 ) , is preceded by its lead single , `` Ca n't Remember to Forget You '' .   Shakira has won many awards , including five MTV Video Music Awards , two Grammy Awards , eight Latin Grammy Awards , seven Billboard Music Awards , 28 Billboard Latin Music Awards and has been Golden Globe-nominated . She has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame , and has sold between 70 and 125 million records worldwide ( depending on the source ) , making her the best selling South American singer and one of the best selling Latin artists of all time . She carries out well-known philanthropic activities through charity work most notably through her Pies Descalzos Foundation . In 2014 , she was listed as the 58th most powerful woman in the world by Forbes .


Gia Gia is a 1998 biographical HBO film about the life and times of one of America 's first supermodels , Gia Marie Carangi . The film stars Angelina Jolie as Gia and Faye Dunaway as Wilhelmina Cooper , with Mercedes Ruehl and Elizabeth Mitchell . It was directed by Michael Cristofer and written by Cristofer and Jay McInerney . The original music score was composed by Terence Blanchard .


South Korea does not have the highest credit rating of any country in East Asia.

South Korea South Korea , officially the Republic of Korea ( ROK ; ) , is a sovereign state in East Asia , constituting the southern part of the Korean Peninsula . Officially , its territory consists of the whole Korean Peninsula and its adjacent islands , which are largely mountainous . South Koreans lead a distinctive urban lifestyle , as half of them live in high-rises concentrated in the Seoul Capital Area with 25 million residents and the world 's sixth leading global city with the fourth largest economy and seventh most sustainable city in the world .   The earliest neolithic Korean pottery dates to 8000 BC , with three kingdoms flourishing in the 1st century BC . The name Korea is derived from one of them , Goguryeo , also known as Koryŏ , which was a Han Chinese tributary state kingdom in East Asia that sent yearly tribute to the Emperor of China , ruling most of the Korean Peninsula and a small portion of Siberia and Inner Mongolia under Gwanggaeto the Great . Since their unification into Later Silla and Balhae in the 7th century , Korea enjoyed over a millennium of relative tranquility under long lasting dynasties . Under Sejong the Great in the 15th century , Koreans had one of the highest living standards in the world along with the Han Chinese and Japanese and developed improved versions many advanced innovations such as the metal movable type printing press in 1377 A.D. which was developed based on the previous Han Chinese Porcelain movable type printing press , used to print and publish the Jikji , the world 's oldest extant movable metal type printed paper book using the 8,000 year old traditional ancient Chinese writing system . Additionally , in 1443 Hangul was invented by the Korean King Sejong the Great as an easier alternative to the complex and difficult to learn ancient Chinese writing system which was usually reserved for elite academic scholars preparing for the imperial examinations of China . Hangul enabled anyone in the general Korean population to easily learn to read and write and transfer written information rather than spending years learning complicated ancient Chinese . Its rich and vibrant culture left 19 UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritages of Humanity , the third largest in the world , along with 12 World Heritage Sites . Annexed into Imperial Japan in 1910 , Korea was divided after its surrender in 1945 , but a North Korean invasion led to the Korean War ( 1950 -- 1953 ) . Peace has since mostly continued with the two agreeing to work peacefully for reunification and the South solidifying peace as a regional power with the world 's 10th largest defence budget .   South Korea , along with Taiwan , Singapore and Hong Kong ( China ) is one of the four high-tech industrialized developed countries often referred to as the Four Asian Economic Dragons . The South Korean economy soared at an annual average of 10 % for over 30 years in a period of rapid transformation called the Miracle on the Han River . A long legacy of openness and focus on innovation made it successful . Today , it is the world 's seventh largest advanced economy and fifth largest exporter with the G20 's largest budget surplus and highest credit rating of any country in East Asia . It has free trade agreements with 75 % of the world economy and is the only G20 nation trading freely with China , the US and the EU simultaneously . Since 1988 , its constitution guarantees a liberal democracy with high government transparency and many fundamental rights such as universal healthcare . High personal freedoms led to the rise of a globally influential pop culture such as K-pop and K-drama , a phenomenon called the Korean Wave , known for its distinctive fashionable and trendy style . Home of the UN Green Climate Fund and GGGI , South Korea is a leader in low carbon green growth , committed to helping developing countries as a major DAC and Paris Club contributor . It is the world 's third least ignorant country in the Index of Ignorance , ranking eighth highest for peaceful tolerance and inclusion of minorities on the Fragile States Index .   South Korea is a technologically advanced developed country driven by a highly educated and skilled workforce , having the world 's eighth highest median household income , the highest in Asia . Globally , it ranks highly in personal safety , job security , ease of doing business and healthcare quality , with the world 's third highest health adjusted life expectancy and fourth most efficient healthcare system . It is the world 's largest spender on R&D per GDP , leading the OECD in graduates in science and engineering and ranking third in the Youth Wellbeing Index . Home of Samsung , LG and Hyundai-Kia , South Korea was named the world 's most innovative country for 4 consecutive years since 2014 in the Bloomberg Innovation Index , ranking first in business R&D intensity , manufacturing value-added , patents filed per GDP , second in higher education efficiency and fourth in high-tech density and researcher concentration . In 2005 , it became the world 's first country to fully transition to high-speed Internet and today it has the world 's fastest Internet speed and highest smartphone ownership , ranking first in ICT Development , e-Government and 4G LTE coverage .


Chelsea F.C. is the first English team to win all 5 UEFA club competitions.

Chelsea F.C. Chelsea Football Club ( -LSB- ˈtʃɛlsiː -RSB- ) is an English professional football club based in Fulham , London , that competes in the Premier League , of which they are reigning champions . Founded in 1905 , the club 's home ground since then has been Stamford Bridge .   Chelsea had their first major success in 1955 , when they won the league championship . They then won various cup competitions between 1965 and 1971 . The club 's greatest period of success has come during the last two decades ; winning 18 major trophies since 1997 . Chelsea have won six national league titles , seven FA Cups , five League Cups and four FA Community Shields , one UEFA Champions League , two UEFA Cup Winners ' Cups , one UEFA Europa League and one UEFA Super Cup . Chelsea are the only London club to win the UEFA Champions League , and one of five clubs to have won all three main UEFA club competitions , first English to do so .   Chelsea 's regular kit colours are royal blue shirts and shorts with white socks . The club 's crest has been changed several times in attempts to re-brand the club and modernise its image . The current crest , featuring a ceremonial lion rampant regardant holding a staff , is a modification of the one introduced in the early 1950s . The club have the sixth-highest average all-time attendance in English football . Their average home gate for the 2016 -- 17 season was 41,507 , the sixth highest in the Premier League . Since 2003 , Chelsea have been owned by Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich . In 2016 , they were ranked by Forbes magazine as the seventh most valuable football club in the world , at # 1.15 billion ( $ 1.66 billion ) .


TLC (group) TLC is an American girl group whose original line-up consisted of Tionne `` T-Boz '' Watkins , Lisa `` Left Eye '' Lopes and Rozonda `` Chilli '' Thomas . Formed in Atlanta , Georgia in 1991 , the group was very successful during the 1990s and early 2000s in spite of numerous spats with the law , each other , and the group 's record label and management . They scored nine top-ten hits on the Billboard Hot 100 , including four number-one singles `` Creep '' , `` Waterfalls '' , `` No Scrubs '' , and `` Unpretty '' . The group also recorded four multi-platinum albums , including CrazySexyCool ( 1994 ) which still remains the only album by a female group to receive a diamond certification from the Recording Industry Association of America ( RIAA ) . TLC also became the first R&B group in history to receive Million certification from the Recording Industry Association of Japan ( RIAJ ) for FanMail ( 1999 ) .   Having sold over 65 million records worldwide , TLC is the best-selling American girl group and second worldwide to the English group Spice Girls . VH1 ranked TLC as the greatest female group , placing them at number 12 on the list of 100 Greatest Women in Music . Billboard magazine ranked TLC as one of the greatest musical trios , as well as the seventh most successful act of the 1990s . The group 's accolades include four career Grammy Awards , five MTV Video Music Awards and five Soul Train Music Awards . Twenty years after their debut , TLC was honored with Outstanding Contribution to Music at the 17th MOBO Awards and Legend Award at the 2013 MTV Video Music Awards Japan . All three members of TLC are considered irreplaceable by the other members , and each of them have contributed equally to the group . Following Lopes ' death in 2002 , instead of replacing her , the remaining members chose to carry on as a duo . On June 30 , 2017 , they will release their final album as TLC , but have clarified that they will not split up following the album 's release and will continue to perform together .


Lisa Lopes Lisa Nicole Lopes ( May 27 , 1971 -- April 25 , 2002 ) , better known by her stage name Left Eye , was an American hip hop singer , rapper , actress , songwriter and producer . She rose to fame in the early 1990s as one-third of the girl group TLC , alongside Tionne `` T-Boz '' Watkins and Rozonda `` Chilli '' Thomas . Besides rapping and singing background vocals on TLC recordings , Lopes was one of the creative forces behind the group . She received more cowriting credits than the other members . She also designed the outfits and stage for the group and brought concepts to the group image , album titles , artworks and music videos . Through her work with TLC , Lopes won four Grammy Awards .   During her short solo career , Lopes scored two US top-ten singles with `` Not Tonight '' and `` U Know What 's Up '' , as well as one UK number-one single with `` Never Be the Same Again '' . She also produced the girl group Blaque , who scored a platinum album and two US top-ten hits . Lopes remains the only member of TLC to have released a solo album .   On April 25 , 2002 , Lopes was killed in a car accident while on a retreat with her sister and others . She swerved off the road to avoid hitting another vehicle and was thrown from her vehicle and died instantly . The last days of her life were made into a documentary called The Last Days of Left Eye , which aired on VH1 in May 2007 .


Never Be the Same Again `` Never Be the Same Again '' is a song by British singer-songwriter Melanie C , featuring American rapper Lisa `` Left Eye '' Lopes of American girl group TLC . It was released on 20 March 2000 as the third single from her first solo album , Northern Star ( 1999 ) . The song was co-written by Melanie C , producer Rhett Lawrence , Paul F. Cruz and Lopes .   `` Never Be the Same Again '' entered at the top of the UK Singles Chart , beating Moloko 's `` The Time Is Now '' to the summit and knocking fellow Spice Girls member Geri Halliwell 's single `` Bag It Up '' down to number four . `` Never Be the Same Again '' was Melanie C 's first solo single to reach number one . It sold 144,000 copies in its first week and was Britain 's eighteenth best-selling song of 2000 . The song was successful in other markets , topped the charts in seven countries , and sold more than 2,5 million copies worldwide , and received positive acclaim . By March 2016 , the song had sold more than 431,400 copies . The music video was directed by Francis Lawrence . It shows Melanie C waking up in a futuristic home and practicing tai chi with Lopes .


Joey Graceffa is a producer and he is American.

Joey Graceffa Joseph Michael `` Joey '' Graceffa ( -LSB- grəˈsɛfə -RSB- born May 16 , 1991 ) is an American YouTube personality , actor , author , producer , and singer . He has two active YouTube channels , both of which are named after him . One of them is for vlogging and the other is used for video gaming content . They both have a combined total of more than 1.6 billion views . His other YouTube channel , which he no longer uses , called WinterSpringPro , has 60 million views ( as of May 2017 ) . He was a contestant on 22nd and 24th seasons of The Amazing Race and has appeared in short films ( as web films ) and short web television series on YouTube and its subscription-only service YouTube Red .


James Taylor did not sell 12 million album copies.

James Taylor James Vernon Taylor ( born March 12 , 1948 ) is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist . A five-time Grammy Award winner , he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2000 . He is one of the best-selling music artists of all time , having sold more than 100 million records worldwide .   Taylor achieved his breakthrough in 1970 with the No. 3 single `` Fire and Rain '' and had his first No. 1 hit the following year with `` You 've Got a Friend '' , a recording of Carole King 's classic song . His 1976 Greatest Hits album was certified Diamond and has sold 12 million US copies . Following his 1977 album , JT , he has retained a large audience over the decades . Every album that he released from 1977 to 2007 sold over a million copies . His chart performance had a resurgence during the late 1990s and 2000s , when he recorded some of his most-awarded work ( including Hourglass , October Road , and Covers ) . He achieved his first number one album in the US in 2015 with his recording Before This World .   He is notable for his popular covers of other peoples ' songs , such as `` How Sweet It Is ( To Be Loved By You ) '' and the aforementioned `` You 've Got A Friend '' , as well as originals such as `` Fire and Rain '' .


Savages (2012 film) For the 2007 film , see The Savages   Savages is a 2012 American crime thriller film directed by Oliver Stone . It is based on the novel of the same name by Don Winslow . The screenplay was written by Shane Salerno , Stone , and Winslow . The film was released on July 6 , 2012 , and stars Taylor Kitsch , Blake Lively , Aaron Taylor-Johnson , Demian Bichir , Benicio del Toro , Salma Hayek , John Travolta and Emile Hirsch .


Godzilla (2014 film) Godzilla is a 2014 American monster film directed by Gareth Edwards and a reboot of Toho 's Godzilla franchise . It is the 30th film in the Godzilla franchise , the first film in Legendary 's MonsterVerse , and the second Godzilla film to be completely produced by a Hollywood studio , the first being the 1998 film of the same name . It stars Aaron Taylor-Johnson , Ken Watanabe , Elizabeth Olsen , Juliette Binoche , Sally Hawkins , David Strathairn , and Bryan Cranston .   The film is a co-production between Legendary Pictures and Warner Bros. . Pictures , with the latter also distributing the film worldwide , except in Japan where it was distributed by Toho . The project initially began in 2004 and was originally intended to be an IMAX short film but was later transferred to Legendary for development as a feature film . Principal photography took place in the United States and Canada in 2013 .   Godzilla was released worldwide in 2D , 3D and IMAX on May 16 , 2014 to generally positive reviews and was a box office success , grossing $ 200 million domestically and $ 529.1 million worldwide . The film 's success prompted Toho to produce a reboot of its own and Legendary to proceed with sequels and a shared cinematic franchise , with Godzilla : King of the Monsters set to be released in 2019 and Godzilla vs. Kong to be released in 2020 .


Anna Karenina (2012 film) Anna Karenina is a 2012 British historical romance film directed by Joe Wright . Adapted by Tom Stoppard from Leo Tolstoy 's 1877 novel of the same name , the film depicts the tragedy of Russian aristocrat and socialite Anna Karenina , wife of senior statesman Alexei Karenin , and her affair with the affluent officer Count Vronsky which leads to her ultimate demise . Keira Knightley stars in the lead role as Karenina , marking her third collaboration with Wright following both Pride & Prejudice ( 2005 ) and Atonement ( 2007 ) , while Jude Law and Aaron Taylor-Johnson appear as Karenin and Vronsky , respectively . Matthew Macfadyen , Kelly Macdonald , Domhnall Gleeson and Alicia Vikander appear in key supporting roles .   Produced by Working Title Films in association with StudioCanal , the film premiered at the 2012 Toronto Film Festival . It was released on 7 September 2012 in the United Kingdom and Ireland and on 9 November 2012 in the United States . Anna Karenina earned a worldwide gross of approximately $ 69 million , mostly from its international run . It earned a rating of 64 percent from review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes , labelling it generally favourable . Critics praised the cast , but commented on and criticised the heavily stylised adaptation , and were less enthusiastic with Wright 's preference for style over substance and his idea of setting most of the action on a theatre stage .   It earned four nominations at the 85th Academy Awards and six nominations at the 66th British Academy Film Awards , winning Jacqueline Durran both prizes for Best Costume Design . In addition , Anna Karenina garnered six nominations at the 17th Satellite Awards , including a Best Actress nod for Knightley and Best Adapted Screenplay for Stoppard .


Nocturnal Animals Nocturnal Animals is a 2016 American neo-noir psychological thriller film written , co-produced , and directed by Tom Ford , based on the 1993 novel Tony and Susan by Austin Wright . The film stars Amy Adams , Jake Gyllenhaal , Michael Shannon , Aaron Taylor-Johnson , Armie Hammer , Laura Linney , Andrea Riseborough , Karl Glusman , and Michael Sheen . Principal photography began on October 5 , 2015 , in Los Angeles , California . The film was released in the United States on November 18 , 2016 , by Focus Features , received generally positive reviews from critics and has grossed $ 30 million worldwide .   Nocturnal Animals was selected to compete for the Golden Lion at the 73rd Venice International Film Festival , where it won the Grand Jury Prize . It received numerous accolades , including nine BAFTA Award nominations and Golden Globe Award nominations for Best Director and Best Screenplay , plus a Best Supporting Actor win for Taylor-Johnson . At the 89th Academy Awards , Shannon received a nomination for Best Supporting Actor .


Aaron Taylor-Johnson Aaron Taylor-Johnson ( born Aaron Perry Johnson ; 13 June 1990 ) is an English actor , best known as the title character in the Kick-Ass films and Quicksilver in Avengers : Age of Ultron ( 2015 ) .   Taylor-Johnson began performing at age six and has appeared in films such as Shanghai Knights ( 2003 ) , playing a young Charlie Chaplin , The Illusionist ( 2006 ) and Angus , Thongs and Perfect Snogging ( 2008 ) . He had his breakthrough performance in the John Lennon biopic Nowhere Boy ( 2009 ) . He went on to portray Ben in the Oliver Stone-directed crime thriller Savages ( 2012 ) , Russian aristocrat Count Vronsky in Joe Wright 's adaptation of Anna Karenina ( 2012 ) and Lt. Brody in Gareth Edwards ' monster movie Godzilla ( 2014 ) . For his performance as psychopathic drifter Ray Marcus in Tom Ford 's thriller Nocturnal Animals ( 2016 ) , he won the Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor -- Motion Picture and was nominated for the BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role .   He was initially credited as Aaron Johnson , but began being billed as Aaron Taylor-Johnson in 2013 , with Kick-Ass 2 . He had legally changed his name after marrying director Sam Taylor-Wood .


Jennifer Lawrence is in The Hunger Games.

Jennifer Lawrence Jennifer Shrader Lawrence ( born August 15 , 1990 ) is an American actress . Since 2015 , Lawrence has been the highest-paid actress in the world , and her films have grossed over $ 5.5 billion worldwide . She appeared in Time 100 most influential people in the world in 2013 and Forbes Celebrity 100 the following year and in 2016 .   During her childhood , Lawrence performed in church plays and school musicals . When she was 14 , a talent scout spotted her in New York . She then moved to Los Angeles and began her acting career by playing guest roles in television shows . Her first major role came as a main cast member on the sitcom The Bill Engvall Show ( 2007 -- 2009 ) . Lawrence made her film debut with a supporting role in Garden Party ( 2008 ) , and had her breakthrough playing a poverty-stricken teenager in the independent drama Winter 's Bone ( 2010 ) . She achieved wider recognition for playing the mutant Mystique in X-Men : First Class ( 2011 ) , a role she reprised in later installments of the series .   Lawrence 's fame continued to grow with her starring role as Katniss Everdeen in the Hunger Games film series ( 2012 -- 2015 ) , which established her as the highest-grossing action heroine of all time . She went on to earn various accolades from her collaborations with director David O. Russell . Her performance as a depressed widow in the romance film Silver Linings Playbook ( 2012 ) received an Academy Award for Best Actress , making her the second youngest Best Actress Oscar winner . Lawrence subsequently won a BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role for playing a troubled wife in the black comedy American Hustle ( 2013 ) . She also received Golden Globe Awards for her roles in both of these films and for playing the eponymous inventor in the biopic Joy ( 2015 ) .   Lawrence is known in the media for being a vocal advocate of feminism and gender equality , and is the founder of the Jennifer Lawrence Foundation through which she supports various charitable organizations .


Garry Kasparov Garry Kimovich Kasparov ( Га́рри Ки́мович Каспа́ров , -LSB- ˈɡarʲɪ ˈkʲiməvʲɪtɕ kɐˈsparəf -RSB- ; born Garik Kimovich Weinstein , 13 April 1963 ) is a Russian chess grandmaster , former World Chess Champion , writer , and political activist , whom many consider to be the greatest chess player of all time . From 1986 until his retirement in 2005 , Kasparov was ranked world No. 1 for 225 out of 228 months . His peak rating of 2851 , achieved in 1999 , was the highest recorded until being surpassed by Magnus Carlsen in 2013 . Kasparov also holds records for consecutive professional tournament victories ( 15 ) and Chess Oscars ( 11 ) .   Kasparov became the youngest ever undisputed World Chess Champion in 1985 at age 22 by defeating then-champion Anatoly Karpov . He held the official FIDE world title until 1993 , when a dispute with FIDE led him to set up a rival organization , the Professional Chess Association . In 1997 he became the first world champion to lose a match to a computer under standard time controls , when he lost to the IBM supercomputer Deep Blue in a highly publicized match . He continued to hold the `` Classical '' World Chess Championship until his defeat by Vladimir Kramnik in 2000 . In spite of losing the world championship , he continued winning tournaments and maintained a number-one world ranking until his retirement from professional chess .   Kasparov announced his retirement from professional chess on 10 March 2005 , after which he devoted his time to politics and writing . He formed the United Civil Front movement , and joined as a member of The Other Russia , a coalition opposing the administration and policies of Vladimir Putin . In 2008 , he announced an intention to run as a candidate in that year 's Russian presidential race , but failure to find a sufficiently large rental space to assemble the number of supporters that is legally required to endorse such a candidacy led him to withdraw . Kasparov blamed `` official obstruction '' for the lack of available space . Although he is widely regarded in the West as a symbol of opposition to Putin , he was barred from the presidential ballot , as the political climate in Russia makes it difficult for opposition candidates to organize .   He is currently chairman for the Human Rights Foundation and chairs its International Council . Kasparov is a frequent critic of American professor emeritus of Russian studies Stephen F. Cohen , whom he describes as a Soviet and Russian apologist . Kasparov and Cohen participated in a Munk Debate in 2015 over the issue of reengaging or isolating Russia , with 58 % of the audience siding with Kasparov 's argument of isolating Russia , compared to 48 % before the debate . In 2014 , he obtained Croatian citizenship . He lives in New York City and travels often .


One Direction One Direction ( commonly abbreviated as 1D ) are an English-Irish pop boy band based in London , composed of Niall Horan , Liam Payne , Harry Styles , Louis Tomlinson , and previously , Zayn Malik until his departure from the band on 25 March 2015 . The group signed with Simon Cowell 's record label Syco Records after forming and finishing third in the seventh series of the British televised singing competition The X Factor in 2010 . Propelled to international success by social media , One Direction 's five albums , Up All Night ( 2011 ) , Take Me Home ( 2012 ) , Midnight Memories ( 2013 ) , Four ( 2014 ) , and Made in the A.M. ( 2015 ) , topped charts in most major markets , and generated hit singles including `` What Makes You Beautiful '' , `` Live While We 're Young '' , `` Best Song Ever '' , `` Story of My Life '' , and `` Drag Me Down '' .   Their awards include six Brit Awards , four MTV Video Music Awards , eleven MTV Europe Music Awards , seven American Music Awards ( including Artist of the Year in 2014 and 2015 ) , and 27 Teen Choice Awards , among many others . According to Nick Gatfield , the chairman and chief executive of Sony Music Entertainment UK , One Direction represented a $ 50 million business empire by June 2012 . They were proclaimed 2012 's `` Top New Artist '' by Billboard . According to the Sunday Times Rich List , by April 2013 , they had an estimated personal combined wealth of # 25 million ( $ 41.2 m ) making them the second-wealthiest musicians in the UK under 30 years of age . In 2014 , Forbes listed them the second-highest earning celebrities under 30 , with the group earning an estimated $ 75 million from June 2013 to June 2014 . In June 2015 , Forbes listed their earnings at $ 130 million for the previous twelve months , and ranked them the fourth highest earning celebrities in the world . In 2016 Forbes ranked them the world 's second highest earning celebrities .   After the release of Four , One Direction became the first band in the US Billboard 200 history to have their first four albums debut at number one . Their third album , Midnight Memories , was the biggest-selling album worldwide of 2013 despite being released in late November . The band 's Where We Are Tour in support of Midnight Memories and Four , was the highest-grossing concert tour in 2014 , and the highest-grossing tour ever by a vocal group , generating $ 282 million . In 2014 , Billboard named One Direction Artist of the Year . The band is currently on a hiatus that began in January 2016 , allowing all members to pursue other projects .


Basic Instinct has only received a theatrical release.

Basic Instinct Basic Instinct is a 1992 neo-noir erotic thriller film directed by Paul Verhoeven and written by Joe Eszterhas , and starring Michael Douglas and Sharon Stone . The film follows a police detective , Nick Curran ( Douglas ) , who is investigating the brutal murder of a wealthy rock star . During the investigation Curran becomes involved in a torrid and intense relationship with the prime suspect , Catherine Tramell ( Stone ) , an enigmatic writer .   Even before its release , Basic Instinct generated heated controversy due to its overt sexuality and graphic depiction of violence . It was strongly opposed by gay rights activists , who criticized the film 's depiction of homosexual relationships and the portrayal of a bisexual woman as a murderous narcissistic psychopath . In a 2006 interview , Stone alleged that the infamous leg-crossing scene in which her vulva was exposed was filmed without her knowledge .   Despite initial critical negativity and public protest , Basic Instinct became one of the most financially successful films of the 1990s , grossing $ 352 million worldwide . Several versions of the film have been released on videocassette , DVD , and Blu-ray including a director 's cut with extended footage previously unseen in North American cinemas . The film has contemporarily been recognized for its groundbreaking depictions of sexuality in mainstream Hollywood cinema , and has been referred to by scholars as `` a neo-noir masterpiece that plays with , and transgresses , the narrative rules of film noir . '' A 2006 sequel , Basic Instinct 2 starring Stone was made without Verhoeven 's involvement , but received negative reviews from critics and was unsuccessful at the box office .