Dangerous Liaisons is based on Les liaisons dangereuses.

Dangerous Liaisons Dangerous Liaisons is a 1988 American historical drama film based upon Christopher Hampton 's play Les liaisons dangereuses , which in turn was a theatrical adaptation of the 18th-century French novel Les Liaisons dangereuses by Pierre Choderlos de Laclos .   The film was directed by Stephen Frears . The performances of Glenn Close , John Malkovich and Michelle Pfeiffer , the cinematography of Philippe Rousselot , the costume design by James Acheson , and the screenplay by Christopher Hampton , garnered critical acclaim . Swoosie Kurtz , Mildred Natwick and Peter Capaldi appeared in supporting roles , as did the young , and then-relatively unknown , actors Keanu Reeves and Uma Thurman .   The film was nominated for seven Academy Awards , including Best Picture ; it won those for Best Adapted Screenplay , Best Costume Design , and Best Art Direction .


Lewis Hamilton came in second after Nico Rosberg in 2016.

Lewis Hamilton Lewis Carl Davidson Hamilton , MBE ( born 7 January 1985 ) is a British Formula One racing driver from England , currently racing for the Mercedes AMG Petronas team . A three-time Formula One World Champion , he is regarded by fellow and former drivers as one of the greatest Formula One drivers in the history of the sport . He won his first title with McLaren in 2008 before moving to Mercedes , where he won back-to-back titles in 2014 and 2015 .   In December 1995 , at the age of ten , he approached McLaren team principal Ron Dennis at the Autosport Awards ceremony and told him , `` I want to race for you one day ... I want to race for McLaren . '' Less than three years later McLaren and Mercedes-Benz signed him to their Young Driver Support Programme . After winning the British Formula Renault , Formula Three Euroseries , and GP2 championships on his way up the racing career ladder , he drove for McLaren in 2007 , making his Formula One debut 12 years after his initial encounter with Dennis . Hamilton 's contract for the McLaren driver development program made him the youngest ever driver to secure a contract which later resulted in a Formula One drive .   Coming from a mixed background , with a black father and white mother , Hamilton is the first black driver to race in Formula One . Hamilton commented on this , saying `` The way I see it , my colour is an advantage in that it 's something people talk about '' , `` Being the first black man does n't matter much to me personally , but for the sport itself it probably means quite a lot . ''   In his first season in Formula One , Hamilton set numerous records while finishing second in the 2007 Formula One Championship , just one point behind Kimi Räikkönen . He won the World Championship the following season in dramatic fashion , becoming the then-youngest Formula One World Champion in history before Sebastian Vettel broke the record two years later . Following his second world title in 2014 , he was named BBC Sports Personality of the Year . In 2015 , he became the first British driver in history to win consecutive F1 titles , and the second British driver to win three titles after Jackie Stewart . He also became the first English driver to reach that milestone . He is the first driver in the history of F1 to have made the podium after starting 20th place or lower at least 3 times . He is the only driver in the history of the sport to have won at least one race in each season he has competed to date , with McLaren from 2007 until 2012 , and with Mercedes since 2013 . He has more race victories than any other British driver in the history of Formula One . His Grand Prix victories is the second highest of all-time having surpassed Alain Prost 's total of 51 at the 2016 Brazilian Grand Prix , behind only Michael Schumacher at 91 . Hamilton also holds the record for most wins in the season without winning the World Championship , after winning 10 times in the 2016 season where he finished runner-up to teammate Nico Rosberg .


Pitch Perfect 3 Pitch Perfect 3 is an upcoming American musical comedy film directed by Trish Sie and written by Kay Cannon , Mike White , and Dana Fox . A sequel to 2015 's Pitch Perfect 2 and the third installment in the Pitch Perfect series , the film will star Anna Kendrick , Anna Camp , Rebel Wilson , Brittany Snow , Hailee Steinfeld , Alexis Knapp , Ester Dean , Hana Mae Lee , Chrissie Fit , Kelley Jakle , and Shelley Regner as the Bellas and Elizabeth Banks and John Michael Higgins . The film is scheduled to be released on December 22 , 2017 .


Ethiopia Ethiopia ( -LSB- ˌiːθiˈoʊpiə -RSB- ኢትዮጵያ , , ) , officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia ( የኢትዮጵያ ፌዴራላዊ ዲሞክራሲያዊ ሪፐብሊክ , yeʾĪtiyoṗṗya Fēdēralawī Dēmokirasīyawī Rīpebilīk ) , is a country located in the Horn of Africa . It shares borders with Eritrea to the north and northeast , Djibouti and Somalia to the east , Sudan and South Sudan to the west , and Kenya to the south . With over 100 million inhabitants , Ethiopia is the most populous landlocked country in the world , as well as the second-most populous nation on the African continent after Nigeria . It occupies a total area of 1,100,000 km2 , and its capital and largest city is Addis Ababa .   Some of the oldest evidence for anatomically modern humans has been found in Ethiopia . It is widely considered as the region from which modern humans first set out for the Middle East and places beyond . According to linguists , the first Afroasiatic-speaking populations settled in the Horn region during the ensuing Neolithic era . Tracing its roots to the 2nd millennium BC , Ethiopia was a monarchy for most of its history . During the first centuries AD , the Kingdom of Aksum maintained a unified civilization in the region , followed by the Ethiopian Empire circa 1137 . Ethiopia derived prestige with its uniquely successful military resistance during the late 19th-century Scramble for Africa , becoming the only African country to defeat a European colonial power and retain its sovereignty . Subsequently , many African nations adopted the colors of Ethiopia 's flag following their independence . It was the first independent African member of the 20th-century League of Nations and the United Nations . In 1974 , at the end of Haile Selassie 's reign , power fell to a communist military dictatorship known as the Derg , backed by the Soviet Union , until it was defeated by the Ethiopian People 's Revolutionary Democratic Front , which has ruled since about the time of the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 .   Ethiopia 's ancient Ge'ez script , also known as Ethiopic , is one of the oldest alphabets still in use in the world . The Ethiopian calendar , which is approximately seven years and three months behind the Gregorian calendar , co-exists alongside the Borana calendar . A majority of the population adheres to Christianity ( mainly the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church and P'ent ` ay ) , while around a third follows Islam ( primarily Sunni Islam ) . The country is the site of the Migration to Abyssinia and the oldest Muslim settlement in Africa at Negash . A substantial population of Ethiopian Jews , known as Bete Israel , resided in Ethiopia until the 1980s , but most of them have since emigrated to Israel . Ethiopia is a multilingual nation with around 80 ethnolinguistic groups , the four largest of which are the Oromiffa , Amhara , Somali , and Tigrayans . Most people in the country speak Afroasiatic languages of the Cushitic or Semitic branches . Additionally , Omotic languages are spoken by ethnic minority groups inhabiting the southern regions . Nilo-Saharan languages are also spoken by the nation 's Nilotic ethnic minorities .   Ethiopia is the place of origin for the coffee bean which originated from the place called Kefa ( which was one of the 14 provinces in the old Ethiopian administration ) . It is a land of natural contrasts , with its vast fertile West , jungles , and numerous rivers , and the world 's hottest settlement of Dallol in its north . The Ethiopian Highlands are Africa 's largest continuous mountain ranges , and Sof Omar Caves contain Africa 's largest cave . Ethiopia has the most UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Africa .   Ethiopia is one of the founding members of the UN , the Group of 24 ( G-24 ) , the Non-Aligned Movement , G-77 and the Organisation of African Unity . Ethiopia 's capital city Addis Ababa serves as the headquarters of the African Union , the Pan African Chamber of Commerce and Industry , the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa , African Aviation Training HQ , the African Standby Force , and many of the global NGOs focused on Africa . In the 1970s and 1980s , Ethiopia suffered from civil wars and communist purges which devastated its economy . The country has begun to recover recently however , and now has the largest economy ( by GDP ) in East Africa and Central Africa . According to Global Fire Power , Ethiopia has the 42nd most powerful military in the world , and the third most powerful in Africa .


Sudan Sudan ( السودان as-Sūdān , English pronunciation ( US ) -LSB- suˈdæn -RSB- , ( GB ) -LSB- suːˈdɑːn -RSB- ) , also known as North Sudan since South Sudan 's independence and officially the Republic of the Sudan ( جمهورية السودان Jumhūriyyat as-Sūdān ) , is a country in Northern Africa . It is bordered by Egypt to the north , the Red Sea , Eritrea , and Ethiopia to the east , South Sudan to the south , the Central African Republic to the southwest , Chad to the west and Libya to the northwest . It is the third largest country in Africa . The River Nile divides the country into eastern and western halves . Before the Sudanese Civil War , South Sudan was part of Sudan but broke away in 2011 . Its predominant religion is Islam .   Sudan was home to numerous ancient civilizations , such as the Kingdom of Kush , Kerma , Nobatia , Alodia , Makuria , Meroë and others , most of which flourished along the Nile . During the pre-dynastic period Nubia and Nagadan Upper Egypt were identical , simultaneously evolved systems of pharaonic kingship by 3300 BC . By virtue of its proximity to Egypt , the Sudan participated in the wider history of the Near East inasmuch as it was Christianized by the 6th century , and Islamized in the 15th .   As a result of Christianization , the Old Nubian language stands as the oldest recorded Nilo-Saharan language ( earliest records dating to the 9th century ) .  Sudan was the largest country in Africa and the Arab world until 2011 , when South Sudan separated into an independent country , following an independence referendum . Sudan is now the third largest country in Africa ( after Algeria and the Democratic Republic of the Congo ) and also the third largest country in the Arab world ( after Algeria and Saudi Arabia ) .   Sudan is a member of the United Nations , the African Union , the Arab League , the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation and the Non-Aligned Movement , as well as an observer in the World Trade Organization . Its capital is Khartoum , the political , cultural and commercial centre of the nation . It is a presidential representative democratic federal republic . The politics of Sudan are regulated by a parliamentary organization called the National Assembly . The Sudanese legal system is based on Islamic law .


Eritrea Eritrea ( -LSB- ˌɛrᵻˈtreɪ.ə -RSB- or -LSB- ˌɛrᵻˈtriːə -RSB- ኤርትራ , ) , officially the State of Eritrea , is a country in the Horn of Africa . With its capital at Asmara , it is bordered by Sudan in the west , Ethiopia in the south , and Djibouti in the southeast . The northeastern and eastern parts of Eritrea have an extensive coastline along the Red Sea . The nation has a total area of approximately 117600 km2 , and includes the Dahlak Archipelago and several of the Hanish Islands . Its toponym Eritrea is based on the Greek name for the Red Sea ( Ἐρυθρὰ Θάλασσα Erythra Thalassa ) , which was first adopted for Italian Eritrea in 1890 .   Eritrea is a multi-ethnic country , with nine recognized ethnic groups in its population of around six million . Most residents speak languages from the Afroasiatic family , either of the Ethiopian Semitic languages or Cushitic branches . Among these communities , the Tigrinya make up about 55 % of the population , with the Tigre people constituting around 30 % of inhabitants . In addition , there are a number of Nilo-Saharan-speaking Nilotic ethnic minorities . Most people in the territory adhere to Christianity or Islam .   The Kingdom of Aksum , covering much of modern-day Eritrea and northern Ethiopia , rose somewhere around the first or second centuries and adopted Christianity around the time Islam had spread through Egypt and the Levant . In medieval times much of Eritrea fell under the Medri Bahri kingdom , with a smaller region being part of Hamasien .   The creation of modern-day Eritrea is a result of the incorporation of independent , distinct kingdoms and sultanates ( for example , Medri Bahri and the Sultanate of Aussa ) eventually resulting in the formation of Italian Eritrea . In 1947 Eritrea became part of a federation with Ethiopia , the Federation of Ethiopia and Eritrea . Subsequent annexation into Ethiopia led to the Eritrean War of Independence , ending with Eritrean independence following a referendum in April 1993 . Hostilities between Eritrea and Ethiopia persisted , leading to the Eritrean -- Ethiopian War of 1998 -- 2000 and further skirmishes with both Djibouti and Ethiopia .   Eritrea is a one-party state in which national legislative elections have been repeatedly postponed . According to Human Rights Watch , the Eritrean government 's human rights record is considered among the worst in the world . The Eritrean government has dismissed these allegations as politically motivated . The compulsory military service requires lengthy , indefinite conscription periods , which some Eritreans leave the country in order to avoid . Since all local media is state-owned , Eritrea was also ranked as having the least press freedom in the global Press Freedom Index .   Eritrea is a member of the African Union , the United Nations , and IGAD , and is an observer in the Arab League alongside Brazil , Venezuela , India and Turkey .


Horn of Africa The Horn of Africa ( Geeska Afrika , Gaaffaa Afriikaa , የአፍሪካ ቀንድ yäafrika qänd , القرن الأفريقي al-qarn al - ` afrīqī , ቀርኒ ኣፍሪቃ ) ( shortened to HOA ) is a peninsula in Northeast Africa . It juts hundreds of kilometers into the Arabian Sea and Indian Ocean , lying along the southern side of the Gulf of Aden . The area is the easternmost projection of the African continent . The Horn of Africa denotes the region containing the countries of Djibouti , Eritrea , Ethiopia , and Somalia .   It covers approximately 2,000,000 km2 ( 770,000 sq mi ) and is inhabited by roughly 115 million people ( Ethiopia : 96.6 million , Somalia : 12.3 million , Eritrea : 6.4 million , and Djibouti : 0.81 million ) . Regional studies on the Horn of Africa are carried out , among others , in the fields of Ethiopian Studies as well as Somali Studies .


Kenya Kenya ( -LSB- ˈkɛnjə -RSB- -LSB- ˈkɛɲa -RSB- ) , officially the Republic of Kenya , is a country in Africa and a founding member of the East African Community ( EAC ) . Its capital and largest city is Nairobi . Kenya 's territory lies on the equator and overlies the East African Rift covering a diverse and expansive terrain that extends roughly from Lake Victoria to Lake Turkana ( formerly called Lake Rudolf ) and further south-east to the Indian Ocean . It is bordered by Tanzania to the south and southwest , Uganda to the west , South Sudan to the north-west , Ethiopia to the north and Somalia to the north-east . Kenya covers 581309 km2 , and had a population of approximately 48 million people in January 2017 .   Kenya has a warm and humid tropical climate on its Indian Ocean coastline . The climate is cooler in the savannah grasslands around the capital city , Nairobi , and especially closer to Mount Kenya , which has snow permanently on its peaks . Further inland are highlands in Central and Rift Valley regions where tea and coffee are grown as cash crops which are major foreign revenue earners . In the West are Nyanza and Western regions , there is an equatorial , hot and dry climate which becomes humid around Lake Victoria , the largest tropical fresh-water lake in the world . This gives way to temperate and forested hilly areas in the neighbouring western region . The north-eastern regions along the border with Somalia and Ethiopia are arid and semi-arid areas with near-desert landscapes . Kenya is known for its world class athletes in track and field and rugby . Thanks to its diverse climate and geography , expansive wildlife reserves and national parks such as the East and West Tsavo National Park , Amboseli National Park , Maasai Mara , Lake Nakuru National Park , Aberdares National Park and white sand beaches at the Coastal region , Kenya is home to the modern safari and has several world heritage sites such as Lamu and numerous beaches , including in Diani , Bamburi and Kilifi , where international yachting competitions are held every year .   The African Great Lakes region , which Kenya is a part of , has been inhabited by humans since the Lower Paleolithic period . By the first millennium AD , the Bantu expansion had reached the area from West-Central Africa . The borders of the modern state consequently comprise the crossroads of the Niger-Congo , Nilo-Saharan and Afroasiatic areas of the continent , representing most major ethnolinguistic groups found in Africa . Bantu and Nilotic populations together constitute around 97 % of the nation 's residents . European and Arab presence in coastal Mombasa dates to the Early Modern period ; European exploration of the interior began in the 19th century . The British Empire established the East Africa Protectorate in 1895 , which starting in 1920 gave way to the Kenya Colony . Kenya obtained independence in December 1963 . Following a referendum in August 2010 and adoption of a new constitution , Kenya is now divided into 47 semi-autonomous counties , governed by elected governors .   The capital , Nairobi , is a regional commercial hub . The economy of Kenya is the largest by GDP in East and Central Africa . Agriculture is a major employer ; the country traditionally exports tea and coffee and has more recently begun to export fresh flowers to Europe . The service industry is also a major economic driver . Additionally , Kenya is a member of the East African Community trading bloc .


Djibouti Djibouti ( -LSB- dʒɪˈbuːti -RSB- ; جيبوتي , Djibouti , Jabuuti , Gabuuti ) , officially the Republic of Djibouti , is a country located in the Horn of Africa . It is bordered by Eritrea in the north , Ethiopia in the west and south , and Somalia in the southeast . The remainder of the border is formed by the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden at the east . Djibouti occupies a total area of just 8,958 sqmi .   In antiquity , the territory was part of the Land of Punt and then the Sabean and axumite rule . Nearby Zeila ( now in Somalia ) was the seat of the medieval Adal and Ifat Sultanates . In the late 19th century , the colony of French Somaliland was established following treaties signed by the ruling Somali and Afar sultans with the French and its railroad to Dire Dawa ( and later Addis Ababa ) allowed it to quickly supersede Zeila as the port for southern Ethiopia and the Ogaden . It was subsequently renamed to the French Territory of the Afars and the Issas in 1967 . A decade later , the Djiboutian people voted for independence . This officially marked the establishment of the Republic of Djibouti , named after its capital city . Djibouti joined the United Nations the same year , on 20 September 1977 . In the early 1990s , tensions over government representation led to armed conflict , which ended in a power sharing agreement in 2000 between the ruling party and the opposition .   Djibouti is a multi-ethnic nation with a population of over 846,687 inhabitants . Arabic and French are the country 's two official languages . About 94 % of residents adhere to Islam , a religion that has been predominant in the region for more than 1,000 years . The Somali Issa and Afar make up the two largest ethnic groups . Both speak Afroasiatic languages , which serve as recognized national languages .   Djibouti is strategically located near some of the world 's busiest shipping lanes , controlling access to the Red Sea and Indian Ocean . It serves as a key refueling and transshipment center , and is the principal maritime port for imports from and exports to neighboring Ethiopia . A burgeoning commercial hub , the nation is the site of various foreign military bases , including Camp Lemonnier . The Intergovernmental Authority on Development ( IGAD ) regional body also has its headquarters in Djibouti City .


Somalia Somalia ( -LSB- səˈmɑːliə , _ soʊ - , _ - ljə -RSB- ; Soomaaliya الصومال ) , officially the Federal Republic of Somalia ( Jamhuuriyadda Federaalka Soomaaliya , جمهورية الصومال الفيدرالية ) , is a country located in the Horn of Africa . It is bordered by Ethiopia to the west , Djibouti to the northwest , the Gulf of Aden to the north , the Indian Ocean to the east , and Kenya to the southwest . Somalia has the longest coastline on Africa 's mainland , and its terrain consists mainly of plateaus , plains and highlands . Climatically , hot conditions prevail year-round , with periodic monsoon winds and irregular rainfall .   Somalia has an estimated population of around 16.3 million . Around 85 % of its residents are ethnic Somalis , who have historically inhabited the northern part of the country . Ethnic minorities are largely concentrated in the southern regions . The official languages of Somalia are Somali and Arabic , both of which belong to the Afroasiatic family . Most people in the country are Muslim , with the majority being Sunni .   In antiquity , Somalia was an important commercial centre . It is among the most probable locations of the fabled ancient Land of Punt . During the Middle Ages , several powerful Somali empires dominated the regional trade , including the Ajuran Empire , the Adal Sultanate , the Warsangali Sultanate , and the Geledi Sultanate . In the late 19th century , through a succession of treaties with these kingdoms , the British and Italian empires gained control of parts of the coast and established the colonies of British Somaliland and Italian Somaliland . In the interior , Mohammed Abdullah Hassan 's Dervish State repelled the British Empire four times and forced it to retreat to the coastal region , before succumbing to defeat in 1920 by British airpower . The toponym Somalia was coined by the Italian explorer Luigi Robecchi Bricchetti ( 1855 -- 1926 ) . Italy acquired full control of the northeastern , central and southern parts of the area after successfully waging the so-called Campaign of the Sultanates against the ruling Majeerteen Sultanate and Sultanate of Hobyo . Italian occupation lasted until 1941 , yielding to British military administration . British Somaliland would remain a protectorate , while Italian Somaliland in 1949 became a United Nations Trusteeship under Italian administration , the Trust Territory of Somaliland . In 1960 , the two regions united to form the independent Somali Republic under a civilian government .   The Supreme Revolutionary Council seized power in 1969 and established the Somali Democratic Republic . Led by Mohamed Siad Barre , this government later collapsed in 1991 as the Somali Civil War broke out . Various armed factions began competing for influence in the power vacuum , particularly in the south . During this period , due to the absence of a central government , Somalia was a `` failed state '' , and residents returned to customary and religious law in most regions . A few autonomous regions , including the Somaliland and Puntland administrations emerged in the north . The early 2000s saw the creation of fledgling interim federal administrations . The Transitional National Government ( TNG ) was established in 2000 , followed by the formation of the Transitional Federal Government ( TFG ) in 2004 , which reestablished national institutions such as the military . In 2006 , the TFG , assisted by Ethiopian troops , assumed control of most of the nation 's southern conflict zones from the newly formed Islamic Courts Union ( ICU ) . The ICU subsequently splintered into more radical groups such as Al-Shabaab , which battled the TFG and its AMISOM allies for control of the region .   By mid-2012 , the insurgents had lost most of the territory that they had seized . In 2011 -- 2012 , a political process providing benchmarks for the establishment of permanent democratic institutions was launched . Within this administrative framework a new provisional constitution was passed in August 2012 , which reformed Somalia as a federation . Following the end of the TFG 's interim mandate the same month , the Federal Government of Somalia , the first permanent central government in the country since the start of the civil war , was formed and a period of reconstruction began in Mogadishu . Somalia has maintained an informal economy , mainly based on livestock , remittances from Somalis working abroad , and telecommunications .


South Sudan South Sudan ( -LSB- , saʊθ_suˈdɑːn , _ - ˈdæn -RSB- ) , officially the Republic of South Sudan , is a landlocked country in northeastern Africa that gained its independence from Sudan in 2011 . Its current capital is Juba , which is also its largest city . Before the outbreak of a civil war in 2013 , it was planned that the capital city would be moved to the more centrally located Ramciel in the future .   South Sudan is bordered by Sudan to the north , Ethiopia to the east , Kenya to the southeast , Uganda to the south , the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the southwest , and the Central African Republic to the west . It includes the vast swamp region of the Sudd , formed by the White Nile and known locally as the Bahr al Jabal .   The territories of modern South Sudan and the Republic of the Sudan were occupied by Egypt under the Muhammad Ali Dynasty , and later governed as an Anglo-Egyptian condominium until Sudanese independence was achieved in 1956 . Following the First Sudanese Civil War , the Southern Sudan Autonomous Region was formed in 1972 and lasted until 1983 . A second Sudanese civil war soon developed , and ended with the Comprehensive Peace Agreement of 2005 . Later that year , southern autonomy was restored when an Autonomous Government of Southern Sudan was formed .   South Sudan became an independent state on 9 July 2011 , following a referendum that passed with 98.83 % of the vote . It is a United Nations member state , and a member state of the African Union , of the East African Community , and of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development . In July 2012 , South Sudan signed the Geneva Conventions . South Sudan has suffered ethnic violence and has been in a civil war since 2013 ; as of 2017 , it had the highest score on the Fragile States Index ( formerly , the Failed States Index ) , surpassing Somalia .


Arrow (TV series) Arrow is an American action crime television series developed by writer/producers Greg Berlanti , Marc Guggenheim , and Andrew Kreisberg . It is based on the DC Comics character Green Arrow , a costumed crime-fighter created by Mort Weisinger and George Papp . It premiered in North America on The CW on October 10 , 2012 , with international broadcasting taking place in late 2012 . Primarily filmed in Vancouver , British Columbia , Canada , the series follows billionaire playboy Oliver Queen ( Stephen Amell ) , who , five years after being stranded on a hostile island , returns home to fight crime and corruption as a secret vigilante whose weapon of choice is a bow and arrow .   The series takes a new look at the Green Arrow character , as well as other characters from the DC Comics universe . Although Oliver Queen/Green Arrow had been featured in the television series Smallville from 2006 to 2011 , on the CW , the producers decided to start clean and find a new actor to portray the character . Arrow focuses on the humanity of Oliver Queen , and how he was changed by time spent shipwrecked on an island . Most episodes in the first five seasons have flashback scenes to the five years in which Oliver was missing .   Arrow has received generally positive reviews from critics . The series averaged about 3.68 million viewers over the course of the first season and received several awards and multiple nominations . To promote it , a preview comic book was released before the television series began , while webisodes featuring a product tie-in with Bose were developed for the second season . The first four seasons are available on DVD and Blu-ray in regions 1 , 2 and 4 ; a soundtrack was also released for the first two seasons . In October 2014 , a spin-off series set in the same universe , titled The Flash , premiered . In August 2015 , an animated spin-off , Vixen , was released , while a second live-action spin-off , Legends of Tomorrow , premiered in January 2016 , featuring a number of characters from Arrow and The Flash . On March 11 , 2016 , the series was renewed for a fifth season , which premiered on October 5 , 2016 . On January 8 , 2017 , The CW renewed the show for a sixth season .


The Great Waldo Pepper's cast included Margot Kidder.

The Great Waldo Pepper The Great Waldo Pepper is a 1975 American drama film directed , produced , and co-written by George Roy Hill . Set during 1926 -- 1931 , the film stars Robert Redford as a disaffected World War I veteran pilot who missed the opportunity to fly in combat and his sense of postwar dislocation in 1920s America . The cast also includes Margot Kidder , Bo Svenson , Edward Herrmann and Susan Sarandon . The Great Waldo Pepper basically depicts barnstorming activity in the 1920s and the accidents that led to aviation regulations by the Air Commerce Act .


Adolf Dassler Adolf `` Adi '' Dassler ( 3 November 1900 -- 6 September 1978 ) was the founder of the German sportswear company Adidas , and the younger brother of Rudolf Dassler , founder of Puma .


Marilyn Monroe did not die of a barbiturates overdose.

Marilyn Monroe Marilyn Monroe ( born Norma Jeane Mortenson ; June 1 , 1926 -- August 5 , 1962 ) was an American actress and model . Famous for playing comic `` dumb blonde '' characters , she became one of the most popular sex symbols of the 1950s , emblematic of the era 's attitudes towards sexuality . Although she was a top-billed actress for only a decade , her films grossed $ 200 million by the time of her unexpected death in 1962 . She continues to be considered a major popular culture icon .   Born and raised in Los Angeles , Monroe spent most of her childhood in foster homes and an orphanage and married at the age of sixteen . While working in a factory in 1944 as part of the war effort , she was introduced to a photographer from the First Motion Picture Unit and began a successful pin-up modeling career . The work led to short-lived film contracts with Twentieth Century-Fox ( 1946 -- 1947 ) and Columbia Pictures ( 1948 ) . After a series of minor film roles , she signed a new contract with Fox in 1951 . Over the next two years , she became a popular actress with roles in several comedies , including As Young as You Feel and Monkey Business , and in the dramas Clash by Night and Do n't Bother to Knock . Monroe faced a scandal when it was revealed that she had posed for nude photos before becoming a star , but rather than damaging her career , the story resulted in increased interest in her films .   By 1953 , Monroe was one of the most marketable Hollywood stars , with leading roles in three films : the noir Niagara , which focused on her sex appeal , and the comedies Gentlemen Prefer Blondes and How to Marry a Millionaire , which established her star image as a `` dumb blonde '' . Although she played a significant role in the creation and management of her public image throughout her career , she was disappointed at being typecast and underpaid by the studio . She was briefly suspended in early 1954 for refusing a film project , but returned to star in one of the biggest box office successes of her career , The Seven Year Itch ( 1955 ) .   When the studio was still reluctant to change her contract , Monroe founded a film production company in late 1954 ; she named it Marilyn Monroe Productions ( MMP ) . She dedicated 1955 to building her company and began studying method acting at the Actors Studio . In late 1955 , Fox awarded her a new contract , which gave her more control and a larger salary . After a critically acclaimed performance in Bus Stop ( 1956 ) and acting in the first independent production of MMP , The Prince and the Showgirl ( 1957 ) , she won a Golden Globe for Best Actress for Some Like It Hot ( 1959 ) . Her last completed film was the drama The Misfits ( 1961 ) .   Monroe 's troubled private life received much attention . She struggled with substance abuse , depression , and anxiety . She had two highly publicized marriages , to retired baseball star Joe DiMaggio and playwright Arthur Miller , both of which ended in divorce . On August 5 , 1962 , she died at age 36 from an overdose of barbiturates at her home in Los Angeles . Although Monroe 's death was ruled a probable suicide , several conspiracy theories have been proposed in the decades following her death .


Billy Bob Thornton appeared in only one film, in 2000.

Billy Bob Thornton Billy Bob Thornton ( born August 4 , 1955 ) is an American actor , filmmaker , singer , songwriter , and musician .   Thornton had his first break when he co-wrote and starred in the 1992 thriller One False Move , and came to international attention after writing , directing , and starring in the independent drama film Sling Blade ( 1996 ) , for which he won an Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay and was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actor . He appeared in several major film roles in the 1990s following Sling Blade , including Oliver Stone 's neo-noir U Turn ( 1997 ) , political drama Primary Colors ( 1998 ) , science fiction disaster film Armageddon ( 1998 ) , which was the highest-grossing film of that year , and the crime drama A Simple Plan ( 1998 ) , which earned him his third Academy Awards nomination .   In the 2000s , Thornton achieved further success in starring dramas Monster 's Ball ( 2001 ) , The Man Who Was n't There ( 2001 ) , and Friday Night Lights ( 2004 ) ; comedies Bandits ( 2001 ) , Intolerable Cruelty ( 2003 ) , and Bad Santa ( 2003 ) ; and action films Eagle Eye ( 2008 ) and Faster ( 2010 ) . In 2014 , Thornton starred as Lorne Malvo in the first season of the anthology series Fargo , earning a nomination for the Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or TV Movie at the Emmy Awards and won Best Actor in a Miniseries or TV Film at the 72nd Golden Globe Awards . In 2016 , he starred in an Amazon original series , Goliath about a washed up attorney with a great new case .   Thornton has been vocal about his disrespect for celebrity culture , choosing to keep his life out of the public eye . However , the attention of the media has proven unavoidable in certain cases , his marriage to Angelina Jolie being a notable example . Thornton has appeared in at least one film per year nearly every year since 1991 . Thornton has written a variety of films , usually set in the Southern United States and mainly co-written with Tom Epperson , including A Family Thing ( 1996 ) and The Gift ( 2000 ) . After Sling Blade , he directed several other films , including Daddy and Them ( 2001 ) , All the Pretty Horses ( 2000 ) , and Jayne Mansfield 's Car ( 2012 ) .   Thornton has received the President 's Award from the Academy of Science Fiction , Fantasy & Horror Films , a Special Achievement Award from the National Board of Review , and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame . He has also been nominated for an Emmy Award , four Golden Globes , and three Screen Actors Guild Awards . In addition to film work , Thornton began a career as a singer-songwriter . He has released four solo albums and is the vocalist of the blues rock band The Boxmasters .


Ono-i-Lau Ono-i-Lau is a group of islands within a barrier reef system in the Fijian archipelago of Lau Islands ( ono means `` six '' in the Fijian languages ) . There are three central volcanic islands : Onolevu , Doi ( or Ndoi ) and Ndavura , the uppermost parts of the volcanic edifice rising from the Lau Ridge slightly more than 1,000 m below sea level and on which the reef and other islands are built . There are also three clusters of coral limestone islets , Yanuya ( 50 islets ) and Mana ( 46 islets ) on the barrier reef and Niuta ( 7 tiny islets ) . A sand cay , Udui , is not counted as one of the six `` islands '' .   The group forms one of the southernmost of the Lau Islands ; it is located at 20.80 ° South and 178.75 ° West , and occupies an area of 7.9 km2 . It has a maximum elevation of 113 m . It is 90 kilometers southsouthwest of Vatoa , the nearest largish island ; the only land further south in the Lau Group is in the two small Tuvana islands of coral limestone and sand .   There are four villages in the group - Nukuni and Lovoni adjacent and Matokana on Onolevu , the largest island , and Doi on Doi .


Fiji Fiji ( -LSB- ˈfiːdʒiː -RSB- ) ( Viti -LSB- ˈβitʃi -RSB- फ़िजी ) , officially the Republic of Fiji ( Matanitu Tugalala o Viti फ़िजी गणराज्य ) , is an island country in Melanesia in the South Pacific Ocean about 1100 nmi northeast of New Zealand 's North Island . Its closest neighbours are Vanuatu to the west , New Caledonia to the southwest , New Zealand 's Kermadec Islands to the southeast , Tonga to the east , the Samoas and France 's Wallis and Futuna to the northeast , and Tuvalu to the north .   Fiji is an archipelago of more than 330 islands , of which 110 are permanently inhabited , and more than 500 islets , amounting to a total land area of about 18300 km2 . The farthest island is Ono-i-Lau . The two major islands , Viti Levu and Vanua Levu , account for 87 % of the population of almost 860,000 . The capital , Suva on Viti Levu , serves as Fiji 's principal cruise port . About three-quarters of Fijians live on Viti Levu 's coasts , either in Suva or in smaller urban centres like Nadi ( tourism ) or Lautoka ( sugar cane industry ) . Viti Levu 's interior is sparsely inhabited due to its terrain .   Fiji has one of the most developed economies in the Pacific due to an abundance of forest , mineral , and fish resources . Today , the main sources of foreign exchange are its tourist industry and sugar exports . The country 's currency is the Fijian dollar . Fiji 's local government , in the form of city and town councils , is supervised by the Ministry of Local Government and Urban Development .   The majority of Fiji 's islands were formed through volcanic activity starting around 150 million years ago . Today , some geothermal activity still occurs on the islands of Vanua Levu and Taveuni . Fiji has been inhabited since the second millennium BC , and was settled first by Austronesians and later by Melanesians , with some Polynesian influences . Europeans visited Fiji from the 17th century , and , after a brief period as an independent kingdom , the British established the Colony of Fiji in 1874 . Fiji was a Crown colony until 1970 , when it gained independence as a Commonwealth realm . A republic was declared in 1987 , following a series of coups d'état .   In a coup in 2006 , Commodore Frank Bainimarama seized power . When the High Court ruled in 2009 that the military leadership was unlawful , President Ratu Josefa Iloilo , whom the military had retained as the nominal Head of State , formally abrogated the Constitution and reappointed Bainimarama . Later in 2009 , Iloilo was replaced as President by Ratu Epeli Nailatikau . After years of delays , a democratic election was held on 17 September 2014 . Bainimarama 's FijiFirst party won with 59.2 % of the vote , and the election was deemed credible by international observers .


Led Zeppelin Led Zeppelin were an English rock band formed in London in 1968 . The group consisted of guitarist Jimmy Page , singer Robert Plant , bassist and keyboardist John Paul Jones , and drummer John Bonham . The band 's heavy , guitar-driven sound , rooted in blues and psychedelia on their early albums , has earned them recognition as one of the progenitors of heavy metal , though their unique style drew from a wide variety of influences , including folk music .   After changing their name from the New Yardbirds , Led Zeppelin signed a deal with Atlantic Records that afforded them considerable artistic freedom . Although the group was initially unpopular with critics , they achieved significant commercial success with albums such as Led Zeppelin ( 1969 ) , Led Zeppelin II ( 1969 ) , Led Zeppelin III ( 1970 ) , Led Zeppelin IV ( 1971 ) , Houses of the Holy ( 1973 ) , and Physical Graffiti ( 1975 ) . Their fourth album , which features the track `` Stairway to Heaven '' , is among the most popular and influential works in rock music , and it helped to secure the group 's popularity .   Page wrote most of Led Zeppelin 's music , particularly early in their career , while Plant generally supplied the lyrics . Jones ' keyboard-based compositions later became central to the group 's catalogue , which featured increasing experimentation . The latter half of their career saw a series of record-breaking tours that earned the group a reputation for excess and debauchery . Although they remained commercially and critically successful , their output and touring schedule were limited during the late 1970s , and the group disbanded following Bonham 's death from alcohol-related asphyxia in 1980 . In the decades that followed , the surviving members sporadically collaborated and participated in one-off Led Zeppelin reunions . The most successful of these was the 2007 Ahmet Ertegun Tribute Concert in London , with Jason Bonham taking his late father 's place behind the drums .   Led Zeppelin are widely considered one of the most successful , innovative , and influential rock groups in history . They are one of the best-selling music artists in the history of audio recording ; various sources estimate the group 's record sales at 200 to 300 million units worldwide . With RIAA-certified sales of 111.5 million units , they are the second-best-selling band in the US . Each of their nine studio albums placed in the top 10 of the Billboard album chart and six reached the number-one spot . They achieved eight consecutive UK number-one albums . Rolling Stone magazine described them as `` the heaviest band of all time '' , `` the biggest band of the Seventies '' , and `` unquestionably one of the most enduring bands in rock history '' . They were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1995 ; the museum 's biography of the band states that they were `` as influential '' during the 1970s as the Beatles were during the 1960s .


John Constantine is a DC comics creator.

Antihero An antihero , or antiheroine , is a protagonist who lacks conventional heroic qualities such as idealism , courage , or morality . These characters are usually considered `` conspicuously contrary to an archetypal hero '' .


John Constantine John Constantine ( -LSB- ˈkɒnstəntaɪn -RSB- ) is a fictional antihero , appearing in comic books published by DC Comics and the DC Comics imprint Vertigo . The character first appeared in Swamp Thing Vol . 2 No. 25 ( June 1984 ) , and was created by Alan Moore , Steve Bissette and John Totleben . He serves as the lead character of the comic books Hellblazer ( 1988 -- 2013 ) , Constantine ( 2013 -- 15 ) , Constantine : The Hellblazer ( 2015 -- 16 ) , and The Hellblazer ( 2016 -- ) .   The titular Hellblazer , Constantine is a working class occult detective and con man stationed in London . He is known for his endless cynicism , deadpan snarking , ruthless cunning and constant chain smoking , but is also a passionate humanist driven by a heartfelt desire to do some good in his life . Originally a supporting character who played a pivotal role in the `` American Gothic '' Swamp Thing storyline , Constantine received his own comic in 1988 . Pop artist Sting served as visual inspiration for the character .   A live-action film was released in 2005 entitled Constantine , in which an Americanized version of the character is played by actor Keanu Reeves . Welsh actor Matt Ryan was cast in the role of Constantine for the 2014 NBC television series Constantine , a role he reprised on The CW series Arrow , the animated film Justice League Dark and is set to reprise again in an upcoming animated continuation of his series on CW Seed .   The Hellblazer series was the longest-running and most successful title of DC 's Vertigo imprint . Empire ranked Constantine third in their 50 Greatest Comic Characters of All Time , while IGN ranked him No. 29 in their Top 100 Comic Book Heroes , and the character ranked No. 10 in Wizard '' s Top 200 Comic Book Characters of All Time .


Lust for Life has only ever been based on a comic book.

Lust for Life (film) Lust for Life ( 1956 ) is a MGM ( Metrocolor ) biographical film about the life of the Dutch painter Vincent van Gogh , based on the 1934 novel of the same name by Irving Stone and adapted by Norman Corwin .   It was directed by Vincente Minnelli and produced by John Houseman . The film stars Kirk Douglas as Van Gogh , James Donald as his brother Theo , Pamela Brown , Everett Sloane and Anthony Quinn , who won an Oscar for his performance as Van Gogh 's fast friend and rival Paul Gauguin .


Matt Smith's first televised part was in the BBC adaptation of Philip Pullman's The Shadow in the North.

Matt Smith (actor) Matthew Robert `` Matt '' Smith ( born 28 October 1982 ) is an English actor . He is best known for his role as the Eleventh Doctor in the BBC science fiction series Doctor Who , for which he received a BAFTA Award nomination in 2011 .   Smith initially aspired to be a professional footballer , but spondylolysis forced him out of the sport . After joining the National Youth Theatre and studying Drama and Creative Writing at the University of East Anglia , he became an actor in 2003 , performing in plays like Murder in the Cathedral , Fresh Kills , The History Boys , and On the Shore of the Wide World in London theatres . Extending his repertoire into West End theatre , he has since performed in the stage adaptation of Swimming with Sharks with Christian Slater , followed a year later by a critically acclaimed performance as Henry in That Face .   Smith 's first television role came in 2006 as Jim Taylor in the BBC adaptations of Philip Pullman 's The Ruby in the Smoke and The Shadow in the North , while his first major role in television came as Danny in the 2007 BBC series Party Animals . Smith , who was announced as the eleventh incarnation of the Doctor in January 2009 , is the youngest person to play the character in the British television series . He left the series at the end of the 2013 Christmas Day special , `` The Time of the Doctor '' . He portrayed both the physical embodiment and a holographic version of Skynet in Terminator Genisys ( 2015 ) . Since 2016 , he portrays Prince Philip , Duke of Edinburgh in Peter Morgan 's Netflix biographical drama series The Crown , opposite Claire Foy as Elizabeth II .


Anderson Cooper's birthday is not June 3, 1967.

Anderson Cooper Anderson Hays Cooper ( born June 3 , 1967 ) is an American journalist , television personality , and author . He is the primary anchor of the CNN news show Anderson Cooper 360 ° . The program is normally broadcast live from a New York City studio ; however , Cooper often broadcasts live from CNN 's studios in Washington , D.C. , or on location for breaking news stories . In addition , he is a major correspondent for 60 Minutes .   From September 2011 to May 2013 , he also served as host of his own eponymous syndicated daytime talk show , Anderson Live .


Neil Patrick Harris has only received nominations for Tony Awards.

Neil Patrick Harris Neil Patrick Harris ( born June 15 , 1973 ) is an American actor , comedian , magician , singer , and composer , known primarily for his comedy roles on television and his dramatic and musical stage roles . On television , he is known for playing the title character on Doogie Howser , M.D. ( 1989 -- 1993 ) , Barney Stinson on How I Met Your Mother ( 2005 -- 2014 , for which he was nominated for four Emmy Awards ) , and Count Olaf on A Series of Unfortunate Events ( 2017 onward ) .   Harris is also known for his role as the title character in Joss Whedon 's musical Dr. Horrible 's Sing-Along Blog ( 2008 ) and a fictional version of himself in the Harold & Kumar film series ( 2004 -- 2011 ) . His other films include Starship Troopers ( 1997 ) , Beastly ( 2011 ) , The Smurfs ( 2011 ) , The Smurfs 2 ( 2013 ) , A Million Ways to Die in the West ( 2014 ) , and Gone Girl ( 2014 ) . In 2014 , he starred in the title role in Hedwig and the Angry Inch on Broadway , for which he won the 2014 Tony Award for Best Leading Actor in a Musical .   Harris has hosted the Tony Awards in 2009 , 2011 , 2012 , and 2013 , for which he won several special class Emmy Awards . He also hosted the Primetime Emmy Awards in 2009 and 2013 , and hosted the 87th Academy Awards in 2015 , thus making him the first openly gay man to host the Academy Awards .   Harris was named one of Time magazine 's 100 Most Influential People in 2010 . He is married to David Burtka . In 2010 , they got twins through surrogacy .


The Nilotic languages are a group of Sudanic languages spoken in South Sudan.

Nilotic languages The Nilotic languages are a group of Eastern Sudanic languages spoken across a wide area between South Sudan and Tanzania by the Nilotic peoples , who traditionally practice cattle-herding .


Liev Schreiber won the Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Play in 2005.

Liev Schreiber Isaac Liev Schreiber ( -LSB- ˈliː.ɛv -RSB- born October 4 , 1967 ) , better known as Liev Schreiber , is an American actor , director , screenwriter , and producer . He became known during the late 1990s and early 2000s , having appeared in several independent films , and later mainstream Hollywood films , including the Scream trilogy of horror films , Ransom ( 1996 ) , Phantoms ( 1998 ) , The Sum of All Fears ( 2002 ) , The Omen ( 2006 ) , X-Men Origins : Wolverine ( 2009 ) , Taking Woodstock ( 2009 ) , Salt ( 2010 ) , Goon ( 2011 ) , Pawn Sacrifice ( 2014 ) , and Spotlight ( 2015 ) .   Schreiber is also a respected stage actor , having performed in several Broadway productions . In 2005 , he won the Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Play for his performance in the play Glengarry Glen Ross . That year , he made his debut as a film director and writer with Everything Is Illuminated ( 2005 ) , based on the novel of the same name . Schreiber has had further success in the television world , notably portraying the eponymous protagonist of the Showtime drama series Ray Donovan ( 2013 -- present ) ; the role has earned him four Golden Globe Award nominations and two Primetime Emmy Award nominations . He also narrates the HBO series 24/7 , as well as various PBS programs .


Haitian Creole Haitian Creole ( -LSB- ˈheɪʃən_ˈkriːoʊl -RSB- -LSB- kreyòl ayisyen , links = no -RSB- , -LSB- kɣejɔl -RSB- ; créole haïtien ) is a French-based creole language spoken by 9.6 -- 12million people worldwide , and the only language of most Haitians . It is a creole language based largely on 18th century French with influences from Portuguese , Spanish , English , Taíno , and West African languages . Haitian Creole emerged from contact between French settlers and African slaves during the Atlantic slave trade in the French colony of Saint-Domingue ( now Haiti ) . Haitians are the largest creole-speaking community in the world .   The usage and education in Haitian Creole -- which is not mutually intelligible with French -- has been contentious since at least the 19thcentury : where Haitians saw French as a sign of colonialism , Creole was maligned by francophone elites as a miseducated or poor person 's French . Until the late 20thcentury , Haitian presidents spoke only French to their fellow citizens , and until the 2000s , all instruction at Haitian elementary schools was in French , a foreign language to most of the students .


Patch Adams (film) is a film that was incapable of starring Monica Potter.

Patch Adams (film) Patch Adams is a 1998 semi-biographical comedy-drama film starring Robin Williams , Monica Potter , Philip Seymour Hoffman and Bob Gunton . Directed by Tom Shadyac , it is based on the life story of Dr. Hunter `` Patch '' Adams and the book , Gesundheit : Good Health is a Laughing Matter , by Adams and Maureen Mylander . Despite being poorly received by critics and Dr. Adams himself , the film was a box-office success , grossing over twice its budget in the United States alone .


Emma Roberts Emma Rose Roberts ( born February 10 , 1991 ) is an American actress and singer . After making her film debut as Kristina Jung in Blow ( 2001 ) , Roberts gained recognition for her lead role as Addie Singer on the Nickelodeon television series Unfabulous ( 2004 -- 07 ) . She released her debut studio album , Unfabulous and More ( 2005 ) , which also served as the series ' soundtrack . Roberts then appeared in a series of film roles , including Nancy Drew ( 2007 ) , Wild Child ( 2008 ) , Hotel for Dogs ( 2009 ) , Valentine 's Day ( 2010 ) , It 's Kind of a Funny Story ( 2010 ) , and The Art of Getting By ( 2011 ) .   Looking for more mature roles , Roberts went on to obtain both supporting and lead roles in Lymelife ( 2009 ) , 4.3.2.1 . ( 2010 ) , Scream 4 ( 2011 ) , Adult World ( 2013 ) , We 're the Millers ( 2013 ) , and Palo Alto ( 2013 ) . She starred in the lead role of Chanel Oberlin on the Fox television series Scream Queens , as well as playing main roles in two seasons of American Horror Story .


Russia is known officially as the Soviet Federation.

Russia Russia ( -LSB- ˈrʌʃə -RSB- -LSB- Россия , Rossiya , rɐˈsʲijə -RSB- ) , also officially the Russian Federation ( -LSB- Российская Федерация , r = Rossiyskaya Federatsiya , p = rɐˈsʲijskəjə fʲɪdʲɪˈratsɨjə -RSB- ) , is a country in Eurasia . At 17075200 km2 , Russia is the largest country in the world by surface area , covering more than one-eighth of the Earth 's inhabited land area , and the ninth most populous , with over 144 million people at the end of March 2016 . The European western part of the country is much more populated and urbanised than the eastern ; about 77 % of the population live in European Russia . Russia 's capital Moscow is one of the largest cities in the world ; other major urban centers include Saint Petersburg , Novosibirsk , Yekaterinburg , Nizhny Novgorod and Kazan .   Extending across the entirety of Northern Asia and much of Eastern Europe , Russia spans eleven time zones and incorporates a wide range of environments and landforms . From northwest to southeast , Russia shares land borders with Norway , Finland , Estonia , Latvia , Lithuania and Poland ( both with Kaliningrad Oblast ) , Belarus , Ukraine , Georgia , Azerbaijan , Kazakhstan , China , Mongolia , and North Korea . It shares maritime borders with Japan by the Sea of Okhotsk and the U.S. state of Alaska across the Bering Strait .   The East Slavs emerged as a recognizable group in Europe between the 3rd and 8th centuries AD . Founded and ruled by a Varangian warrior elite and their descendants , the medieval state of Rus arose in the 9th century . In 988 it adopted Orthodox Christianity from the Byzantine Empire , beginning the synthesis of Byzantine and Slavic cultures that defined Russian culture for the next millennium . Rus ' ultimately disintegrated into a number of smaller states ; most of the Rus ' lands were overrun by the Mongol invasion and became tributaries of the nomadic Golden Horde in the 13th century . The Grand Duchy of Moscow gradually reunified the surrounding Russian principalities , achieved independence from the Golden Horde , and came to dominate the cultural and political legacy of Kievan Rus ' . By the 18th century , the nation had greatly expanded through conquest , annexation , and exploration to become the Russian Empire , which was the third largest empire in history , stretching from Poland on the west to Alaska on the east .   Following the Russian Revolution , the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic became the largest and leading constituent of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , the world 's first constitutionally socialist state . The Soviet Union played a decisive role in the Allied victory in World War II , and emerged as a recognized superpower and rival to the United States during the Cold War . The Soviet era saw some of the most significant technological achievements of the 20th century , including the world 's first human-made satellite and the launching of the first humans in space . By the end of 1990 , the Soviet Union had the world 's second largest economy , largest standing military in the world and the largest stockpile of weapons of mass destruction . Following the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991 , fifteen independent republics emerged from the USSR : Russia , Ukraine , Belarus , Kazakhstan , Uzbekistan , Armenia , Azerbaijan , Estonia , Georgia , Kyrgyzstan , Latvia , Lithuania , Moldova , Tajikistan , Turkmenistan ; the Russian SFSR reconstituted itself as the Russian Federation and is recognized as the continuing legal personality and sole successor state of the Soviet Union . It is governed as a federal semi-presidential republic .   The Russian economy ranks as the twelfth largest by nominal GDP and sixth largest by purchasing power parity in 2015 . Russia 's extensive mineral and energy resources are the largest such reserves in the world , making it one of the leading producers of oil and natural gas globally . The country is one of the five recognized nuclear weapons states and possesses the largest stockpile of weapons of mass destruction . Russia is a great power as well as a regional power and has been characterised as a potential superpower . It is permanent member of the United Nations Security Council , as well as a member of the G20 , the Council of Europe , the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation ( APEC ) , the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation ( SCO ) , the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe ( OSCE ) , and the World Trade Organization ( WTO ) , as well as being the leading member of the Commonwealth of Independent States ( CIS ) , the Collective Security Treaty Organization ( CSTO ) and one of the five members of the Eurasian Economic Union ( EEU ) , along with Armenia , Belarus , Kazakhstan , and Kyrgyzstan .


Andy Kaufman Andrew G. Kaufman ( January 17 , 1949 -- May 16 , 1984 ) was an American entertainer , actor , writer , performance artist and professional wrestler . While often referred to as a comedian , Kaufman described himself instead as a `` song and dance man . '' He disdained telling jokes and engaging in comedy as it was traditionally understood , once saying in a rare introspective interview , `` I am not a comic , I have never told a joke . ... The comedian 's promise is that he will go out there and make you laugh with him . ... My only promise is that I will try to entertain you as best I can . ''   After working in small comedy clubs in the early 1970s , Kaufman first came to the attention of a wider audience in 1975 , when he was invited to perform portions of his act on the first season of Saturday Night Live . His Foreign Man character was the basis of his role as Latka Gravas on the hit television show Taxi , on which he appeared from 1978 until 1983 . During this time , he continued to tour comedy clubs and theaters in a series of unique performance art / comedy shows , sometimes appearing as himself and sometimes as obnoxiously rude lounge singer Tony Clifton . He was also a frequent guest on sketch comedy and late-night talk shows , particularly Late Night with David Letterman . In 1982 , Kaufman brought his professional wrestling villain act to Letterman 's show with a staged encounter with Jerry `` The King '' Lawler of the Continental Wrestling Association ( although the fact that the altercation was planned in advance was not publicly disclosed for over a decade ) .   Kaufman died of lung cancer at age 35 in 1984 . However , because pranks and elaborate ruses were major elements of his career , persistent rumors have circulated insisting that Kaufman faked his own death as a grand hoax . His body of work maintains a cult following and he continues to be respected for his original material , unique performance style , and unflinching commitment to character .


Broad Green Pictures is a food only company.

Broad Green Pictures Broad Green Pictures is an American film production , financing , and distribution company . It was founded in 2014 by CEO Gabriel Hammond and Chief Creative Officer , Daniel Hammond .


The population of the United States is only 12% of the world total.

United States The United States of America ( USA ) , commonly known as the United States ( U.S. ) or America , is a constitutional federal republic composed of 50 states , a federal district , five major self-governing territories , and various possessions .  Forty-eight of the fifty states and the federal district are contiguous and located in North America between Canada and Mexico . The state of Alaska is in the northwest corner of North America , bordered by Canada to the east and across the Bering Strait from Russia to the west . The state of Hawaii is an archipelago in the mid-Pacific Ocean . The U.S. territories are scattered about the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea . Nine time zones are covered . The geography , climate and wildlife of the country are extremely diverse .   At 3.8 million square miles ( 9.8 million km2 ) and with over 324 million people , the United States is the world 's third - or fourth-largest country by total area , third-largest by land area , and the third-most populous . It is one of the world 's most ethnically diverse and multicultural nations , and is home to the world 's largest immigrant population . The capital is Washington , D.C. , and the largest city is New York City ; nine other major metropolitan areas -- each with at least 4.5 million inhabitants and the largest having more than 13 million people -- are Los Angeles , Chicago , Dallas , Houston , Philadelphia , Miami , Atlanta , Boston , and San Francisco .   Paleo-Indians migrated from Asia to the North American mainland at least 15,000 years ago . European colonization began in the 16th century . The United States emerged from 13 British colonies along the East Coast . Numerous disputes between Great Britain and the colonies following the Seven Years ' War led to the American Revolution , which began in 1775 . On July 4 , 1776 , during the course of the American Revolutionary War , the colonies unanimously adopted the Declaration of Independence . The war ended in 1783 with recognition of the independence of the United States by Great Britain , representing the first successful war of independence against a European power . The current constitution was adopted in 1788 , after the Articles of Confederation , adopted in 1781 , were felt to have provided inadequate federal powers . The first ten amendments , collectively named the Bill of Rights , were ratified in 1791 and designed to guarantee many fundamental civil liberties .   The United States embarked on a vigorous expansion across North America throughout the 19th century , displacing Native American tribes , acquiring new territories , and gradually admitting new states until it spanned the continent by 1848 . During the second half of the 19th century , the American Civil War led to the end of legal slavery in the country . By the end of that century , the United States extended into the Pacific Ocean , and its economy , driven in large part by the Industrial Revolution , began to soar . The Spanish -- American War and confirmed the country 's status as a global military power . The United States emerged from as a global superpower , the first country to develop nuclear weapons , the only country to use them in warfare , and a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council . The end of the Cold War and the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991 left the United States as the world 's sole superpower . The U.S. is a founding member of the United Nations , World Bank , International Monetary Fund , Organization of American States ( OAS ) , and other international organizations .   The United States is a highly developed country , with the world 's largest economy by nominal GDP and second-largest economy by PPP . Though its population is only 4.3 % of the world total , Americans hold nearly 40 % of the total wealth in the world . The United States ranks among the highest in several measures of socioeconomic performance , including average wage , human development , per capita GDP , and productivity per person . While the U.S. economy is considered post-industrial , characterized by the dominance of services and knowledge economy , the manufacturing sector remains the second-largest in the world . Accounting for approximately a quarter of global GDP and a third of global military spending , the United States is the world 's foremost economic and military power . The United States is a prominent political and cultural force internationally , and a leader in scientific research and technological innovations .


The Invention of Lying The Invention of Lying is a 2009 American fantasy romantic comedy film written and directed by Ricky Gervais and Matthew Robinson ( in their directorial debuts ) . The film stars Gervais as the first human with the ability to lie in a world where people can only tell the truth . The supporting cast features Jennifer Garner , Jonah Hill , Louis C.K. , Rob Lowe and Tina Fey . The film was released in the United States on October 2 , 2009 .


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 .


Jennifer Hudson is on the thirteenth season of the Voice.

Jennifer Hudson Jennifer Kate Hudson ( born September 12 , 1981 ) is an American singer , actress and spokesperson . She rose to fame in 2004 as a finalist on the third season of American Idol , coming in seventh place .   As an actress , she made her film debut portraying Effie White in Dreamgirls , for which she gained worldwide acclaim and won an Academy Award , a Golden Globe Award , a BAFTA Award and a Screen Actors Guild Award for Best Supporting Actress . She has also appeared in such films as Sex and the City , The Secret Life of Bees and Black Nativity . She has made numerous television appearances , including guest roles on Smash , Empire and Inside Amy Schumer . In 2015 she made her Broadway debut in the role of Shug Avery in the 2015 revival of The Color Purple .   As a singer , Hudson has released three studio albums . Her debut album Jennifer Hudson , released in 2008 , debuted at number two on the Billboard 200 and was certified gold by the RIAA , with sales exceeding a million copies worldwide . The record was nominated for four Grammy Awards , winning the 2009 Grammy Award for Best R&B Album . Her second album I Remember Me , released in 2011 , also debuted at number two on the Billboard 200 and was certified gold by the RIAA . Her third and most recent album JHUD peaked in the top ten and featured the Grammy-nominated track `` It 's Your World '' . She also became the principal singer of The Color Purple musical album , which earned her the 2017 Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album and a Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Musical Performance in a Daytime Program ( shared with the cast of The Color Purple ) .   In October 2008 , after Hudson 's mother , brother and nephew were killed in a shooting , Hudson stepped out of the public eye for three months . Hudson resumed her public appearances in 2009 , with high-profile performances at Super Bowl XLIII , the Grammy Awards , American Idol , and The Oprah Winfrey Show . Hudson has been described as a friend of former President Barack Obama , who invited her to appear with him at a fundraiser in Beverly Hills during his first term in May 2009 . She also performed at the White House at the `` Celebration of Music from the Civil Rights Movement '' event . In 2013 , she received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame . In 2016 , Hudson was announced as a coach on the 2017 Series of The Voice UK . The following year , Hudson was announced as a coach on the thirteenth season of The Voice .


In 1981, Mel Gibson played a lead role in the World War I drama Gallipoli.

Mel Gibson Mel Colmcille Gerard Gibson ( born January 3 , 1956 ) is an American actor and filmmaker . He was born in Peekskill , New York , and moved with his parents to Sydney , Australia , when he was 12 years old .   Gibson is best known as an action hero , for roles such as Martin Riggs in the Lethal Weapon buddy cop film series , and Max Rockatansky in the first three films in the Mad Max post-apocalyptic action series .   He studied acting at the Australian National Institute of Dramatic Art . During the 1980s , he founded Icon Entertainment , a production company which independent film director Atom Egoyan has called , `` an alternative to the studio system '' . Director Peter Weir cast him as one of the leads in the critically acclaimed World War I drama Gallipoli ( 1981 ) , which earned Gibson a Best Actor Award from the Australian Film Institute . The film also helped to earn Gibson the reputation of a serious , versatile actor .   Gibson produced , directed , and starred in the epic historical drama film Braveheart ( 1995 ) , for which he won the Golden Globe Award and Academy Award for Best Director , along with the Academy Award for Best Picture . He later directed and produced the financially successful and controversial , biblical drama film The Passion of the Christ ( 2004 ) . He received further critical notice for his directorial work of the action-adventure film Apocalypto ( 2006 ) , which is set in Mesoamerica during the early 16th century . After a 10-year hiatus from directing , Gibson returned with the critically praised and financially successful Hacksaw Ridge ( 2016 ) , which won the Academy Awards for Best Sound Mixing and Best Film Editing and earned Gibson his second nomination for Best Director .


Kafka stars Jeremy Irons, Theresa Russell, Ian Holm, Jeroen Krabbé, Joel Grey, Armin Mueller-Stahl, and Alec Guinness.

Kafka (film) Kafka is a 1991 mystery thriller film directed by Steven Soderbergh . Ostensibly a biopic , based on the life of Franz Kafka , the film blurs the lines between fact and Kafka 's fiction ( most notably The Castle and The Trial ) , creating a Kafkaesque atmosphere . It was written by Lem Dobbs , and stars Jeremy Irons in the title role , with Theresa Russell , Ian Holm , Jeroen Krabbé , Joel Grey , Armin Mueller-Stahl , and Alec Guinness .   Released after Soderbergh 's critically acclaimed debut Sex , Lies , and Videotape it was the first of what would be a series of low-budget box-office disappointments . It has since become a cult film , being compared to Terry Gilliam 's Brazil and David Cronenberg 's Naked Lunch ( all of which star Ian Holm ) .


Jun Ji-hyun is in the film called The Thieves.

Jun Ji-hyun Jun Ji-hyun ( born Wang Ji-hyun on 30 October 1981 ) , also known as Gianna Jun , is a South Korean actress . She rose to fame for her role as The Girl in the romantic comedy My Sassy Girl ( 2001 ) , one of the highest-grossing Korean comedies of all time . Other notable films include Il Mare ( 2000 ) , Windstruck ( 2004 ) , The Thieves ( 2012 ) , The Berlin File ( 2013 ) and Assassination ( 2015 ) .   Jun has also starred in television series My Love from the Star ( 2013-2014 ) and The Legend of the Blue Sea ( 2016-2017 ) . The success of her films and television dramas internationally established her as a top Hallyu star .


The United States had a limited release of Room.

Room (2015 film) Room is a 2015 independent drama film directed by Lenny Abrahamson and written by Emma Donoghue , based on her novel of the same name . It stars Brie Larson as a woman who has been held captive for seven years , and whose 5-year-old son ( Jacob Tremblay ) was born in captivity . Their escape allows the boy to experience the outside world for the first time . The film also stars Joan Allen , Sean Bridgers , and William H. Macy .   A co-production of Canada and Ireland , Room was shot in Toronto , with the eponymous Room set built at Pinewood Toronto Studios . The crew designed each part of the Room set to be removable to fit the crew . Larson researched trauma and nutrition for her part , while numerous children were considered for the role of Jack .   Room premiered at the Telluride Film Festival on 4 September 2015 and had a limited release in the United States on 16 October 2015 , to acclaim from critics . Larson won multiple awards for her performance , including the Academy Award for Best Actress , the BAFTA Award , Golden Globe Award , and the Screen Actors Guild Award . Room also received three other Academy Award nominations , including Best Picture and Best Director .


Harvey Kurtzman taught at a for-profit art and design college in New York.

Harvey Kurtzman Harvey Kurtzman ( -LSB- ˈkɜrtsmən -RSB- October 3 , 1924 -- February 21 , 1993 ) was an American cartoonist and editor . His best-known work includes writing and editing the parodic comic book Mad from 1952 until 1956 , and writing the Little Annie Fanny strips in Playboy from 1962 until 1988 . His work is noted for its satire and parody of popular culture , social critique , and attention to detail . Kurtzman 's working method has been likened to that of an auteur , and he expected those who illustrated his stories to follow his layouts strictly .   Kurtzman began to work on the New Trend line of comic books at EC Comics ' in 1950 . He wrote and edited the Two-Fisted Tales and Frontline Combat war comic books , where he also drew many of the carefully researched stories , before he created his most-remembered comic book , Mad , in 1952 . Kurtzman scripted the stories and had them drawn by top EC cartoonists , most frequently Will Elder , Wally Wood , and Jack Davis ; the early Mad was noted for its social critique and parodies of pop culture . The comic book switched to a magazine format in 1955 , and Kurtzman left it in 1956 over a dispute with EC 's owner William Gaines over financial control . Following his departure , he did a variety of cartooning work , including editing the short-lived Trump and the self-published Humbug . In 1959 , he produced the first book-length work of original comics , the adult-oriented , satirical Jungle Book . He edited the low-budget Help ! from 1960 to 1965 , a humor magazine which featured work by future Monty Python member Terry Gilliam and the earliest work of underground cartoonists such as Robert Crumb and Gilbert Shelton . He brought Help ! to an end after the success of the risqué Playboy feature Little Annie Fanny began to take up his time . While Annie Fanny provided much of his income for the rest of his career , he continued to produce an eclectic body of work , including screenwriting the animated Mad Monster Party ? in 1967 and directing , writing and designing several shorts for Sesame Street in 1969 .   From 1973 , Kurtzman taught cartooning at the School of Visual Arts in New York . His work gained greater recognition toward the end of his life , and he oversaw deluxe reprintings of much of his work . The Harvey Award was named in Kurtzman 's honor in 1988 . He was inducted into the Will Eisner Comic Book Hall of Fame in 1989 , and his work earned five positions on The Comics Journals Top 100 Comics of the 20th Century .


School of Visual Arts School of Visual Arts ( SVA ) is a for-profit art and design college located in Manhattan , New York , founded in 1947 . The college is a member of the Association of Independent Colleges of Art and Design , a consortium of 36 leading art schools in the United States .   SVA offers 11 undergraduate and 22 graduate degree programs , and its stated mission is to provide :


Bran Stark is a fictional male character.

Bran Stark Brandon Stark , typically called Bran , is a fictional character in the A Song of Ice and Fire series of fantasy novels by American author George R. R. Martin , and its television adaptation Game of Thrones . Martin told Rolling Stone in 2014 that Bran 's chapter with Jaime and Cersei Lannister is what `` hooked '' many readers early in the first novel .   Introduced in 1996 's A Game of Thrones , Bran is the son of Ned Stark , the honorable lord of Winterfell , an ancient fortress in the North of the fictional kingdom of Westeros . He subsequently appeared in Martin 's A Clash of Kings ( 1998 ) and A Storm of Swords ( 2000 ) . Bran was one of a few prominent characters that were not included in 2005 's A Feast for Crows , but returned in the next novel A Dance with Dragons ( 2011 ) .   Bran is portrayed by Isaac Hempstead Wright in the HBO television adaptation .


Wang Leehom Wang Leehom ( born May 17 , 1976 ) , sometimes credited as Leehom Wang , is a Chinese-American singer-songwriter , record producer , actor and film director . He is currently based in Taiwan . Formally trained at the Eastman School of Music , Williams College and Berklee College of Music , his musical style is known for fusing Chinese elements ( such as Beijing opera , traditional styles of ethnic minorities , Chinese classical orchestra ) with hip-hop and R&B . Wang has been active since 1995 and contributed in 25 albums . He is also a four-time winner of Taiwan 's Golden Melody Awards , the `` Grammys '' of Taiwanese music . His concert at the Beijing Bird 's Nest on April 14 , 2012 was the first solo pop concert to be held at the venue .   In addition to his music , Wang also acted in several films , including Ang Lee 's Lust , Caution and Jackie Chan 's film Little Big Soldier . He is an environmental activist , and his album Change Me was dedicated to raising eco-awareness among Chinese youth . Wang was one of the first torchbearers for the Beijing 2008 Summer Olympics , and performed in the Olympics ' closing ceremony in Beijing . He was again a torchbearer for the 2012 Summer Olympics in London , making him the only person in the Mandarin pop circle to have taken part in the event twice . He is a longtime ambassador for World Vision Taiwan and was appointed World Vision Malaysia 's 15th anniversary ambassador ( from October 2011 to September 2012 ) .   He was listed as one of Goldsea 's `` The 100 Most Inspiring Asian Americans of All Time '' .


Chris Hemsworth Chris Hemsworth ( born 11 August 1983 ) is an Australian actor . He is known for playing Kim Hyde in the Australian TV series Home and Away ( 2004-07 ) and Thor in the Marvel Cinematic Universe since 2011 . Hemsworth has also appeared in the science fiction action film Star Trek ( 2009 ) , the thriller adventure A Perfect Getaway ( 2009 ) , the horror comedy The Cabin in the Woods ( 2012 ) , the dark-fantasy action film Snow White and the Huntsman ( 2012 ) , the war film Red Dawn ( 2012 ) , and the biographical sports drama film Rush ( 2013 ) .   In 2015 , he starred in the action thriller film Blackhat , had a comedic role in the fifth installment of National Lampoon 's Vacation series , Vacation , and headlined the biographical thriller film In the Heart of the Sea . The following year , Hemsworth had a supporting role in Sony 's reboot of Ghostbusters . Hemsworth will reprise his role as George Kirk in the upcoming Star Trek sequel .


Holt McCallany Holt McCallany ( born Holt Quinn McAloney ; September 3 , 1963 ) is an American actor , writer , and producer working primarily in film and television .


Blackhat (film) Blackhat is a 2015 American action thriller mystery film co-written , co-produced and directed by Michael Mann . The film stars Chris Hemsworth , Tang Wei , Viola Davis , Holt McCallany , and Wang Leehom . The film premiered at the TCL Chinese Theatre in Los Angeles on January 8 , 2015 , and was released in theaters on January 16 . Blackhat was a box office bomb , earning only $ 19.7 million at the box office against a budget of $ 70 million . While the movie received generally mixed-to-negative reviews , with criticisms focused on casting and pace , some critics found brilliance in the film , enough to place the film in some critics ' year-end lists .


War of the Worlds was directed by a director.

War of the Worlds (2005 film) War of the Worlds is a 2005 American science fiction disaster film directed by Steven Spielberg and written by Josh Friedman and David Koepp , loosely based on the novel of the same title by H. G. Wells . It stars Tom Cruise , Dakota Fanning , Justin Chatwin , Miranda Otto and Tim Robbins , with narration by Morgan Freeman . In the film , an American dock worker is forced to look after his children , from whom he lives separately , as he struggles to protect them and reunite them with their mother when extraterrestrials invade the Earth and devastate cities with towering war machines .   The film was shot in 73 days , using five different sound stages as well as locations in California , Connecticut , New Jersey , New York , and Virginia . The film was surrounded by a secrecy campaign so few details would be leaked before its release . Tie-in promotions were made with several companies , including Hitachi . The film was released in the United States on June 29 and in United Kingdom on July 1 . War of the Worlds was a box office success , and became 2005 's fourth most successful film both domestically , with $ 234 million in North America , and $ 591 million overall . At the time of release , it was the highest-grossing film starring Tom Cruise .


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 .


George A. Romero directed Monkey Shines.

Monkey Shines Monkey Shines ( also known as Monkey Shines : An Experiment in Fear ) is a 1988 American horror film written and directed by George A. Romero , based on a novel of the same name authored by Michael Stewart . The film stars Jason Beghe as Allan Mann , an athlete who becomes a paralyzed quadriplegic and develops a bond with an intelligent service monkey named `` Ella '' . The film , which was produced by Peter Grunwald and Charles Evans , was Romero 's first studio film , and was distributed by Orion Pictures .


George A. Romero George Andrew Romero ( -LSB- rə 'm ɛroʊ -RSB- born February 4 , 1940 ) is an American-Canadian filmmaker and editor , best known for his series of gruesome and satirical horror films about an imagined zombie apocalypse , beginning with Night of the Living Dead and notably continuing on with Dawn of the Dead and Day of the Dead . His other works contributed include The Crazies , Creepshow , Martin , Monkey Shines , and The Dark Half .


Ronald Reagan held an approval rating that was lower than the approval rating of Bill Clinton.

Ronald Reagan Ronald Wilson Reagan ( -LSB- ˈrɒnəld_ˈwɪlsən_ˈreɪɡən -RSB- ) ( February 6 , 1911 -- June 5 , 2004 ) was an American politician and actor who served as the 40th President of the United States from 1981 to 1989 . Before his presidency , he was the 33rd Governor of California , from 1967 to 1975 , after a career as a Hollywood actor and union leader .   Raised in a poor family in small towns of northern Illinois , Reagan graduated from Eureka College in 1932 and worked as a sports announcer on several regional radio stations . After moving to Hollywood in 1937 , he became an actor and starred in a few major productions . Reagan was twice elected President of the Screen Actors Guild , the labor union for actors , where he worked to root out Communist influence . In the 1950s , he moved into television and was a motivational speaker at General Electric factories . Having been a lifelong Democrat , his views changed . He became a conservative and in 1962 switched to the Republican Party . In 1964 , Reagan 's speech , `` A Time for Choosing '' , in support of Barry Goldwater 's foundering presidential campaign , earned him national attention as a new conservative spokesman . Building a network of supporters , he was elected Governor of California in 1966 . As governor , Reagan raised taxes , turned a state budget deficit to a surplus , challenged the protesters at the University of California , ordered National Guard troops in during a period of protest movements in 1969 , and was re-elected in 1970 . He twice ran unsuccessfully for the Republican nomination for the U.S. presidency in 1968 and 1976 ; four years later , he easily won the nomination outright , becoming the oldest elected U.S. president up to that time , defeating incumbent Jimmy Carter in 1980 .   Entering the presidency in 1981 , Reagan implemented sweeping new political and economic initiatives . His supply-side economic policies , dubbed `` Reaganomics '' , advocated tax rate reduction to spur economic growth , control of the money supply to curb inflation , economic deregulation , and reduction in government spending . In his first term he survived an assassination attempt , spurred the War on Drugs , and fought public sector labor . Over his two terms , the economy saw a reduction of inflation from 12.5 % to 4.4 % , and an average annual growth of real GDP of 3.4 ; while Reagan did enact cuts in domestic discretionary spending , tax cuts and increased military spending contributed to increased federal outlays overall , even after adjustment for inflation . During his re-election bid , Reagan campaigned on the notion that it was `` Morning in America '' , winning a landslide in 1984 with the largest electoral college victory in American history . Foreign affairs dominated his second term , including ending of the Cold War , the bombing of Libya , and the Iran -- Contra affair . Publicly describing the Soviet Union as an `` evil empire '' , and during his famous speech at the Brandenburg Gate , President Reagan challenged Soviet General Secretary Mikhail Gorbachev to `` tear down this wall ! '' . He transitioned Cold War policy from détente to rollback , by escalating an arms race with the USSR while engaging in talks with Gorbachev , which culminated in the INF Treaty , shrinking both countries ' nuclear arsenals . Reagan 's presidency came during the decline of the Soviet Union and just ten months after the end of his term , the Berlin Wall fell , and on December 26 , 1991 , nearly three years after he left office , the Soviet Union collapsed .   Leaving office in 1989 , Reagan held an approval rating of sixty-eight percent , matching those of Franklin D. Roosevelt , and later Bill Clinton , as the highest ratings for departing presidents in the modern era . He was the first president since Dwight D. Eisenhower to serve two full terms , after a succession of five prior presidents failed to do so . While having planned an active post-presidency , in 1994 Reagan disclosed his diagnosis with Alzheimer 's disease earlier that year , appearing publicly for the last time at the funeral of Richard Nixon ; he died ten years later in 2004 at the age of 93 ; Reagan had the second-longest life out of all the presidents ; the current longest lifespan of a president is held by Gerald Ford , who died two years after Reagan . An icon among Republicans , he is viewed favorably in historian rankings of U.S. presidents , and his tenure constituted a realignment toward conservative policies in the U.S.


The Mughal Empire intervened in local societies during most of its existence.

Mughal Empire The Mughal Empire or Mogul Empire , self-designated as Gurkani ( گورکانیان , Gūrkāniyān , meaning `` son-in-law '' ) , was an empire in the Indian subcontinent , established and ruled by a Muslim Turkic dynasty of Chagatai origin from Central Asia . The dynasty , though ethnically Turco-Mongol , was Persianate in culture , with local influences visible in its traits and customs . The Mughal empire extended over large parts of the Indian subcontinent and Afghanistan . The empire at its peak was the second largest to have existed in the Indian subcontinent , spanning 4 million square kilometres at its zenith after the Maurya Empire which spanned 5 million square kilometres .   The beginning of the empire is conventionally dated to the victory by its founder Babur over Ibrahim Lodi , the last ruler of the Delhi Sultanate , in the First Battle of Panipat ( 1526 ) . The Mughal emperors were Central Asian Turco-Mongols belonging to the Timurid dynasty , who claimed direct descent from both Genghis Khan ( founder of the Mongol Empire , through his son Chagatai Khan ) and Timur ( Turco-Mongol conqueror who founded the Timurid Empire ) . During the reign of Humayun , the successor of Babur , the empire was briefly interrupted by the Sur Empire . The `` classic period '' of the Mughal Empire started in 1556 with the ascension of Akbar the Great to the throne . Under the rule of Akbar and his son Jahangir , the region enjoyed economic progress as well as religious harmony , and the monarchs were interested in local religious and cultural traditions . Akbar was a successful warrior who also forged alliances with several Hindu Rajput kingdoms . Some Rajput kingdoms continued to pose a significant threat to the Mughal dominance of northwestern India , but most of them were subdued by Akbar . All Mughal emperors were Muslims ; while Akbar was Muslim most of his life , he propounded a syncretic religion in the latter part of his life called Dīn-i Ilāhī , as recorded in historical books like Ain-i-Akbari and Dabistān-i Mazāhib .   The Mughal Empire did not try to intervene in the local societies during most of its existence , but rather balanced and pacified them through new administrative practices and diverse and inclusive ruling elites , leading to more systematic , centralised , and uniform rule . Traditional and newly coherent social groups in northern and western India , such as the Marathas , the Rajputs , the Pashtuns , the Hindu Jats and the Sikhs , gained military and governing ambitions during Mughal rule , which , through collaboration or adversity , gave them both recognition and military experience .   The reign of Shah Jahan , the fifth emperor , between 1628 and 1658 was the golden age of Mughal architecture . He erected several large monuments , the best known of which is the Taj Mahal at Agra , as well as the Moti Masjid , Agra , the Red Fort , the Jama Masjid , Delhi , and the Lahore Fort . The Mughal Empire reached the zenith of its territorial expanse during the reign of Aurangzeb and also started its terminal decline in his reign due to Maratha military resurgence under Shivaji Bhosale . During his lifetime , victories in the south expanded the Mughal Empire to more than 3.2 million square kilometres ( 1.2 million square miles ) , ruling over more than 150 million subjects , nearly one quarter of the world 's population at the time , with a combined GDP of over $ 90 billion .   By the mid-18th century , the Marathas had routed Mughal armies and won over several Mughal provinces from the Punjab to Bengal . Internal dissatisfaction arose due to the weakness of the empire 's administrative and economic systems , leading to its break-up and declarations of independence of its former provinces by the Nawab of Bengal , the Nawab of Awadh , the Nizam of Hyderabad and other small states . In 1739 , the Mughals were crushingly defeated in the Battle of Karnal by the forces of Nader Shah , the founder of the Afsharid dynasty in Persia , and Delhi was sacked and looted , drastically accelerating their decline . During the following century Mughal power had become severely limited , and the last emperor , Bahadur Shah II , had authority over only the city of Shahjahanabad . He issued a firman supporting the Indian Rebellion of 1857 and following the defeat was therefore tried by the British East India Company for treason , imprisoned and exiled to Rangoon . The last remnants of the empire were formally taken over by the British , and the Government of India Act 1858 let the British Crown formally assume direct control of India in the form of the new British Raj .


Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets is a science fiction film.

Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets ( Valérian et la Cité des mille planètes ) is an upcoming English-language French science fiction action-adventure film co-produced , written and directed by Luc Besson . The film is based on the French science fiction comics series Valérian and Laureline , written by Pierre Christin and illustrated by Jean-Claude Mézières . It stars Dane DeHaan as Valerian and Cara Delevingne as Laureline , with Clive Owen , Rihanna , Ethan Hawke , Herbie Hancock , Kris Wu , and Rutger Hauer in supporting roles . The film is scheduled for release by STX Entertainment on 21 July 2017 in the United States and on 26 July in France .


Walt Disney Walter Elias Disney ( -LSB- ˈdɪzni -RSB- December 5 , 1901December 15 , 1966 ) was an American entrepreneur , animator , voice actor and film producer . A pioneer of the American animation industry , he introduced several developments in the production of cartoons . As a film producer , Disney holds the record for most Academy Awards earned by an individual , having won 22 Oscars from 59 nominations . He was presented with two Golden Globe Special Achievement Awards and an Emmy Award , among other honors . Several of his films are included in the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress .   Born in Chicago in 1901 , Disney developed an early interest in drawing . He took art classes as a boy and got a job as a commercial illustrator at the age of 18 . He moved to California in the early 1920s and set up the Disney Brothers Studio with his brother Roy . With Ub Iwerks , Walt developed the character Mickey Mouse in 1928 , his first highly popular success ; he also provided the voice for his creation in the early years . As the studio grew , Disney became more adventurous , introducing synchronized sound , full-color three-strip Technicolor , feature-length cartoons and technical developments in cameras . The results , seen in features such as Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs ( 1937 ) , Fantasia , Pinocchio ( both 1940 ) , Dumbo ( 1941 ) and Bambi ( 1942 ) , furthered the development of animated film . New animated and live-action films followed after World War II , including the critically successful Cinderella ( 1950 ) and Mary Poppins ( 1964 ) , the latter of which received five Academy Awards .   In the 1950s , Disney expanded into the amusement park industry , and in 1955 he opened Disneyland . To fund the project he diversified into television programs , such as Walt Disney 's Disneyland and The Mickey Mouse Club ; he was also involved in planning the 1959 Moscow Fair , the 1960 Winter Olympics , and the 1964 New York World 's Fair . In 1965 , he began development of another theme park , Disney World , the heart of which was to be a new type of city , the `` Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow '' ( EPCOT ) . Disney was a heavy smoker throughout his life , and died of lung cancer in December 1966 before either the park or the EPCOT project were completed .   Disney was a shy , self-deprecating and insecure man in private , but adopted a warm and outgoing public persona . He had high standards and high expectations of those with whom he worked . Although there have been accusations that he was racist or anti-semitic , they have been contradicted by family members , employees and animation historians . His reputation changed in the years after his death , from a purveyor of homely patriotic values ( in the right ) to a representative of American imperialism ( in the left ) . Nevertheless , Disney is considered a cultural icon , particularly in the United States , where the company he co-founded is one of the world 's largest and best-known entertainment companies .