Reuters Entertainment News Summary
Following is a summary of current entertainment news briefs.
Grief, and some joy, in a decades-spanning Chinese saga
"So Long My Son", a decades-spanning Chinese saga that opens in the aftermath of the Cultural Revolution, was born of a need to re-assess a generation that had no time for introspection as it built modern China, its director Wang Xiaoshuai said. Four years in the making, Wang's three-hour epic, which premieres at the Berlin Film Festival on Thursday, tells the story of a family that deals with hardship, grief and some joy during China's emergence from the chaos of the late 1970s to become today's economic superpower.
Chicago police question two over alleged attack on 'Empire' actor
Chicago police are questioning two persons of interest who were in the area when "Empire" actor Jussie Smollett said he suffered a racist and homophobic assault, authorities said on Thursday. Detectives used surveillance camera footage to identify the pair, whose names have not been released, as they investigated an attack that Smollett said occurred on Jan. 29, when two men shouted racist and homophobic slurs at him and put a rope around his neck.
Actress Charlotte Rampling gets lifetime achievement award at Berlin fest
British actress Charlotte Rampling said on Thursday she was moved to be awarded the Berlin Film Festival's Golden Bear for lifetime achievement. The 73-year-old, who started her career as a model, is famed for starring in arthouse films.
Clooney, Pitt among Hollywood actors yelling 'cut' over Oscar award changes
George Clooney, Brad Pitt and Robert de Niro on Thursday joined a growing protest in Hollywood over plans by Oscars organizers to present cinematography, editing and some other awards during commercial breaks at next week's Academy Awards ceremony. Sandra Bullock, Emma Stone and Jon Hamm also added their names to an open letter signed by directors Martin Scorsese, Spike Lee and Alfonso Cuaron demanding the decision be reversed.
Living dangerously, one foot at a time, in 'Free Solo'
Alex Honnold lives life dangerously. One of an elite group of "free solo" rock climbers, he scales sheer vertical cliffs thousands of feet high, alone and without a rope.
Chinese sci-fi movie 'The Wandering Earth' pulls in $440 million in 10 days
China's first science fiction blockbuster, "The Wandering Earth", has raked in 3 billion yuan ($443 million) in ticket sales in less than 10 days, putting it on track to become the country's highest-grossing film. Based on a story by author Liu Cixin, the movie about a group of Chinese astronauts trying to save the world from the orbit of an unstable sun premiered on Feb. 5, the first day of the Lunar New Year holiday.
Britain's Prince Philip, 97, will not be prosecuted over car crash
Prince Philip, the 97-year-old husband of Britain's Queen Elizabeth, will not face prosecution over a car crash last month that injured two women and left his Land Rover flipped on its side. Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, escaped unhurt from the collision on Jan. 17 when he pulled out onto a main road, colliding with an oncoming car near the royals' Sandringham residence in eastern England.
Brie Larson makes superhero debut in female-led 'Captain Marvel'
Oscar winner Brie Larson gets embroiled in galactic conflict in Marvel Studios' first female-led superhero movie "Captain Marvel", a role she said pushed her beyond her comfort zone during training. The actress, who won the best actress Academy Award for "Room", plays former U.S. fighter pilot Carol Danvers in the highly anticipated film, set in the 1990s and which follows her path to becoming a superhero.
'Empire' actor Jussie Smollett angry that some doubt he was attacked
Actor Jussie Smollett said he was angry that some people doubted his statement that he was attacked outside his Chicago apartment in January. Smollett, 36, an openly gay African-American who plays a gay character on the hip-hop drama "Empire," made the comments in an interview with ABC News that is set to air on "Good Morning America" on Thursday. An interview clip was posted online.
Netflix row overshadows premiere of film about Spanish lesbians
A row over whether films produced for streaming platform Netflix should be shown at the Berlin Film Festival has overshadowed the premiere of "Elisa & Marcela", Isabel Coixet's tale of two Spanish lesbians. Independent arthouse cinema operators in Germany wrote to German Culture Minister Monika Gruetters and Berlinale director Dieter Kosslick on Monday demanding that the film be withdrawn from the competition.
