Igihe

Category: Arts & Culture

  • Movie: ‘Paranormal’ Debuts at No. 1 with $30.2M

    Scary movie fans are still into “Paranormal Activity,” though the horror franchise looks as though it’s starting to run out of steam at the box office.

    Paramount’s “Paranormal Activity 4” debuted at No. 1 with $30.2 million, a big drop from the $40 million and $50 million opening weekends of the last two installments, according to studio estimates Sunday.

    Perpetual hit maker Tyler Perry failed to find an audience for his new persona as an ace crime solver. Summit Entertainment’s “Alex Cross,” starring Perry as author James Patterson’s brilliant criminal profiler, was a dud, opening at No. 5 with $11.8 million.

    Perry has written, directed and starred in a string of hits featuring his sassy grandma Madea, which mostly have had opening weekends two and three times bigger than that of “Alex Cross.”

    Fans didn’t buy into Perry as the title character, who goes up against a diabolical serial killer.

    “He’s become so identified and so successful with the Madea franchise that when he steps outside of that, it doesn’t necessarily follow that the audience is going along with him,” said Paul Dergarabedian, an analyst for box-office tracker Hollywood.com. “It’s fun for him to stretch out a little bit, but it didn’t really pay off.”

    Ben Affleck’s Iran hostage tale “Argo” held up well in its second weekend, remaining at No. 2 with $16.6 million, dropping just 15 percent from its debut. Big studio releases often drop 50 percent or more in subsequent weekends, but “Argo” has proven a hit with critics and audiences alike, earning Academy Awards buzz and strong word of mouth that should give it a long run at theaters.

    Affleck, who also directed “Argo,” plays a CIA specialist who concocts a wild plan to rescue six Americans hiding in Tehran after the 1979 takeover of the U.S. embassy there.

    Released by Warner Bros., “Argo” raised its domestic total to $43.2 million.

    Liam Neeson’s action sequel “Taken 2,” which had been No. 1 the previous two weekends, slipped to fourth place with $13.4 million, lifting the 20th Century Fox release’s domestic haul to $106 million.

    Adam Sandler’s animated hit “Hotel Transylvania,” from Sony Pictures, also held up well at No. 3 with $13.5 million, pushing its domestic earnings to $119 million.

    While domestic revenues were way down for the fourth “Paranormal Activity” flick, the franchise remains a big moneymaker for distributor Paramount.

    “Paranormal Activity 4” was produced on a tiny budget of $5 million, continuing the franchise’s trend of turning minimal investments into tidy profits.

    “For us, the focus is always, what are these movies made for and how profitable are they? Within Paramount, it’s a colossal success,” said Don Harris, the studio’s head of distribution.

    “A $5 million movie that has an opening weekend of over $30 million, it’s really kind of irrelevant what No. 2 or No. 3 did. The movies really stand on their own.”

    Overseas, “Paranormal Activity 4” had a good start with $26.5 million in 33 countries, giving it a worldwide total of $56.7 million.

    In limited release, Fox Searchlight’s acclaimed drama “The Sessions” did solid business, opening with $121,005 in four theaters in New York City and Los Angeles, for a healthy average of $30,251 a cinema.

    By comparison, “Paranormal Activity 4” averaged $8,851 in 3,412 theaters.

    “The Sessions” stars John Hawkes and Helen Hunt in the true-life story of a man, paralyzed by polio and stuck in an iron lung most of his life, who hires a sexual surrogate so he can lose his virginity. The film expands to more cities over the next month.

    While “Paranormal Activity 4” fell short of the franchise’s third installment, which opened over the same weekend last year, overall Hollywood revenues continued to rise after a late-summer slump.

    Strong holdovers such as “Argo,” “Hotel Transylvania” and “Taken 2” made the difference, with domestic business totaling $131 million, up 8 percent from the same weekend a year ago, according to Hollywood.com. Revenues were up for the fourth-straight weekend.

    “Last year, the box office was so top-heavy with `Paranormal Activity 3,’ and the rest of the films really underperformed,” Dergarabedian said. “This year, we have a much more balanced lineup.”

    Estimated ticket sales are for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Hollywood.com. Where available, latest international numbers are also included. Final domestic figures will be released Monday.

    1. “Paranormal Activity 4,” $30.2 million ($26.5 million international).

    2. “Argo,” $16.6 million ($1.2 million international).

    3. “Hotel Transylvania,” $13.5 million ($14.5 million international).

    4. “Taken 2,” $13.4 million ($23.6 million international).

    5. “Alex Cross,” $11.8 million.

    6. “Sinister,” $9 million ($2.3 million international).

    7. “Here Comes the Boom,” $8.5 million.

    8. “Pitch Perfect,” $7 million ($320,000 international).

    9. “Frankenweenie,” $4.4 million ($4.1 million international).

    10. “Looper,” $4.2 million ($5.6 million international).

  • Akon To Bring Full Band at Kenya Performance

    Akon will have an entourage of around 18 pax when he performs in Nairobi this coming weekend.

    During a press conference via Skype on Friday, the US-based Senegalese hit maker said that he was coming with a full band, including a production team and wardrobe team.

    Some of his production crew will be in Nairobi before the musician touches down on Thursday, to start planning for the weekend show that will be happening at the Carnivore Grounds.

    Akon spoke to journalists for close to an hour, where he intimated that he would be open to having Kenyans on his distribution arm Kon Live ‘Africa’, which is specific to the continent.

    “If you bump into me or anyone in my team, you’re welcome to give us a CD or a demo,” he said, explaining that his organisation has designed an online platform that musicians can use to make themselves known to the label.

  • Exploring Witchcraft in Tanzania

    Around the world a sense of mystery and fear engulfs witchcraft and nowhere is this more evident than in the East African nation of Tanzania.

    Here, faith in this specific form of African tradition can turn deadly.

    People with albinism have been dismembered in western parts of the country because so-called witchdoctors perpetuate a belief that albino body parts bring great wealth.

    From the archives: Scores of albinos in hiding after attacks
    Those suspected of witchcraft are also targeted; an estimated 600 elderly women were killed in 2011 due to the suspicion they were witches, according to the Legal and Human Rights Center in Tanzania.

    In fact, the Pew Forum on Religious and Public life conducted 25,000 face-to-face interviews in 19 African nations and found that among them, Tanzanians hold the strongest belief in witchcraft.

    It says 60% of the Tanzanians interviewed believe that sacrifices to ancestors or spirits can protect them from harm, and that many Christians and Muslims incorporate elements of traditional African beliefs into their daily lives.

    Dark arts flourished in Tanzania partly because, compared to its neighbors, it was “less colonized” by European powers, explains Joachim Mwami of Dar Es Salaam University.

    The anthropology professor says for centuries, witchcraft has “served to explain anything inexplicable,” in rural villages like a severely sick child or strange illness.

    Professor Mwami admitted that, “even in my own family, I was advised [as a child] not to visit certain relatives considered to be witches,” even though there was no proof.

    He says without access to education, people are more likely to follow the claims of traditional healers and pass down those beliefs to the next generation.

    Students at Dar Es Salaam University were reluctant to talk about opinions relating to witchcraft. Some explained, even if they don’t personally believe in the practice, their relatives take it seriously.
    Others feel one must believe in the practice for it to have any power over them.

    So even with a university education, some students retain some faith in witchcraft.

    CNN

  • Chris Brown To Perform in Uganda

    Uganda Entertainment industry has definately evolved so quickly….there have been several international superstars performing in Kampala city..

    This year in December US star performer Chris Brown will entertain Ugandans on December 21.
    cbreezy.jpg

  • Mahogany Jones-Live to Perform in Rwanda

    The U.S. Embassy in Kigali will be hosting Mahogany Jones – Live, an American Music Abroad program featuring Mahogany Jones (EMCEE/Vocals), Lauren Johnson (Drummer/Percussionist) Rosyln Welch (EMCEE/Vocals) and DJ Sean Blu (DJ) from October 19 – 26, 2012 in Rwanda.

    Concert will be held Friday October 26 at 6:30 at Petit Stade and entrance is free.

    American Music Abroad is a partnership between the Association of American Voices and the U.S. Department of State designed to share America’s unique contribution to the world of music and to promote cross-cultural understanding and exchange among nations worldwide.

    The artists’ activities in Rwanda will include public concerts, master classes, lecture-demonstrations, workshops, jam sessions, media outreach, and collaborations with local musicians.

  • Fela Kuti Museum Inaugurated

    The family of the late musical icon Fela Kuti on October15, inaugurated a museum dedicated to his life at the site of his last house in Lagos as part of events celebrating what would have been his 74th birthday.

    The museum is not yet complete, but his family wanted to use the date — October 15 was Kuti’s birthday — to raise awareness of it. An annual range of events and concerts labeled “Felabration” is being held over the coming days.

    “The museum is not finished, but we had to make the opening today,” Kuti’s musician son Femi said at the inauguration amidst a party atmosphere, with a crowd of supporters gathering at the house where the musician is also buried.

    The launch “symbolises his birthday and his struggle,” he said.

    Kuti’s family has been seeking to promote the afrobeat musician’s legacy more than 15 years after he died aged 58 from an HIV-related illness.

    A recent Broadway musical about his life that drew rave reviews has also raised his stature internationally.

    Kuti’s outsized personality and social activism made him a hero to many while he was still alive, and his funeral in the giant economic capital of Lagos drew massive crowds into the streets.

    The saxophone player was a harsh critic of Nigeria’s corrupt elite, lashing out in songs like “Coffin for Head of State,” “International Thief Thief” and “Zombie,” but with irresistible grooves that combined jazz, traditional music and other sounds.

    His songs repeatedly landed him in trouble with the authorities, including arrests and the burning, allegedly by soldiers, of his compound, which he had christened the Kalakuta Republic and declared independent.

    His original Shrine club where he regularly performed was shut after his death, but his family later opened the New Afrika Shrine at another location. Femi Kuti and his half-brother Seun regularly perform at the club.

    Kuti was also known for marrying 27 women on the same day, most of them his dancers, and had a well-documented love of marijuana.

    One of his wives at Monday’s launch, Olaide, was moved by being back at the house.

    “This house — it’s a lot of memories,” she said. “I spent almost 30 years with Fela. I love what Fela’s children are doing.”

  • Rihanna and Chris Brown set to go public with their rekindled romance

    Rihanna looks stunning in a sexy see-through shirt and skimpy hotpants on a night out after reports that she and Chris Brown are set to announce a reconciliation.

    The Bajan babe has been busy putting finishing touches to her new album Unapologetic with late-night recording studio sessions but still found time to party in Hollywood.

    Despite her hectic schedule Rihanna and ex-boyfriend Chris have been seen spending more and more time together recently, with Chris breaking off his romance with model Karrueche Tran after he was reportedly seen kissing ex-girlfriend Rihanna during a night out.

    The 23-year-old singer uploaded a video to his Twitter page the day after their split where he openly discussed his feelings for both Rihanna and Karrueche, saying he was ‘in love’ with two women.
    But now it seems Chris has made a choice and is back together with Rihanna, 24, with the pair set to go public as a couple again as soon as she has released her forthcoming album.

    A source told US gossip site HollywoodLife: “She is hitting the studio real hard these days, but talks to Chris every step of the way.
    “As soon as she finishes up with this album, they will be out. She gotta focus and get that album together and stay paid.”
    The insider added that because of the demands of her career Rihanna hasn’t had much free time – but has been fitting in visits with Chris wherever she can.

    They said: “She’s tied up and busy with the album, but she makes time for Chris late nights. She did one night before – I think, like, Tuesday. I’m not sure but I know she saw him this week.”
    And it appears to avoid any further romantic dilemmas Chris has cut all ties with Karrueche and stopped talking to her.

    A source said: “They not talking. He just wants to be done with it and I know Rihanna does too. It’s best for everybody, even Karrueche. The last thing he wants to do is get her caught up again.”
    Chris – who is still on probabtion for assaulting Rihanna back in 2009 – had been dating Karrueche for just over a year when he ended their relationship.

    Untitled.png

    The Sun

  • Miss Jojo Says ‘I didn’t Blow-out’

    Miss Jojo has denied claims that she ‘Blew-out’. She has not been active for sometime now attracting rumours that she could have blown out.

    However, Miss Jojo (real names. Uwineza Josianne) told IGIHE that she has been working on a new album titled ‘Woman’ which she says will be available soon.

    The talented singer says she will soon resurface and entertain her fans with more music.

  • Reintegration Photos & Film Launched

    The International Alert on October 9, launched ‘Fractured Lives’, a photographic essay and film highlighting stories of Rwandans who are still working to rebuild their lives and society, 18 years after the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.

    At the same event held in Kigali, Alert also launched the policy report, ‘Healing fractured lives: reconciliation and
    reintegration in Rwanda’.

    The new releases are part of Alert’s project that is supported by USAID and Misereor. The project is implemented by Alert in partnership with Pro-Femmes/Twese Hamwe Umuseke, the Rwandan Association of Trauma Counsellors (ARCT Ruhuka), Duterimbere Asbl, and Duterimbere IMF.

    Among others, the photos by award-winning photojournalist Carol Allen Storey put the spotlight on the long-term effects of war and the complexity of reconciling a nation.

    Commenting on the launch, International Alert’s Country Manager in Rwanda, Gloriose Bazigaga, said, “These photos are very striking, as are the stories behind them.”

    However, they are not one-day success stories; they are stories of a lifetime. They demonstrate the commitment of Rwandan individuals, communities and organisations that goes on year after year, sometimes for generations, to rebuild lives fractured by
    conflict.”

    The project has brought all sides affected by the genocide and supporting them to establish common ground. In this visual account, survivors, ex-combatants,ex-prisoners and youth share their powerful stories of trauma, forgiveness and hope.

    Also commenting on the project, Dan Smith, Alert’s Secretary General, said: ‘Alert and its partners also work to support people facing tough economic conditions especially survivors.

    The project addresses both the psychological and economic voids that are always present after conflicts in a long-term process of counselling, dialogue, and training and support for livelihoods initiatives.’

    The report analyses reintegration and reconciliation programmes in the country. This study recommends that an inclusive approach to reintegration, bringing together all groups affected by the genocide and its consequences, be used more widely in Rwanda as it has powerful benefits for social cohesion.

    It further argues that the reintegration programmes should target the youth as opportunity they have opportunity to positively transform community dynamics. It calls for a multidisciplinary way, targeting psychological, economic and dialogue needs in communities.

  • Rick Ross Rocks Tanzania Concert

    Rick Ross ‘The Boss’ performed in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania on Saturday night to a very packed audience.

    Wearing a black tee-shirt and blue jeans and flanked by several hype men, Ross put on a subdued but engaging show.

    The Leaders Club was completely full and other than the bouncers having a tough time pushing back the crowd, and some reports of pick-pocketing, everything seemed to go according to plan.

    Ross was performing at the Serengeti Fiesta, a culmination of a musical extravaganza in 11 towns across the East African country.

    Hundreds attended the event, which Rick Ross graced well after midnight, and performed for just over half an hour.

    On his way out of Dar Es Salaam, the ‘Boss’ gave a shout out to Tanzania on his twitter page, to his 2.5 million followers.