Batzra blog

Early review: Justin Bieber's 3-D "Never Say Never"

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) – They'll laugh, they'll cry, they'll squeal, they'll smile, and after some 100 minutes of heart-racing, in-your-face 3-D footage, even the most casual of teen fans and the stodgiest of parents will exit the movie theater a complete Justin Bieber convert.

At least that was our experience viewing an early screening of Justin Bieber's movie "Never Say Never" (out February 11) at Paramount studios, just down the road from the "Glee" set, where two of Bieber's own hits -- "Baby" and "Somebody to Love" -- were in heavy rotation as the cast shot the show's upcoming Valentine's Day episode.

It was a fitting coincidence considering how much heart the film oozes at every turn - from Bieber's earliest performances behind the drum kit at a neighbor's house, to his time in Atlanta, where he wowed Usher and Island Def Jam head L.A. Reid, to middle school showcases, state fairs, and finally, the arena stage. If one theme is a constant: it's how musical this 16-year-old truly is.

Of course, it will be no surprise to the Justin Bieber loyalists of the world that "Never Say Never" tells a truly uplifting story of a small-town-kid who sees his big city dreams come true. Those kids have been there from the get-go, watching fuzzy Youtube clips, obsessing over every flip of the hair and bat of the eyelashes, tweeting incessantly and pushing for their guy when the pop world was rolling its eyes at the thought of a Jonas successor.

In fact, the tight-knit Bieber camp welcomes the challenge and relishes in being the underdog -- manager Scooter Braun says so himself in the movie. But they have a greater purpose: spreading love, be it through a sea of hand-shaped hearts, irresistible pop ditties like "Smile," "Eenie Meenie," and "Baby," or the swoon-worthy "One Less Lonely Girl," which, like N Sync before Bieber (remember "God Must Have Spent A Little More Time On You"), hits female tweens at the core, and even finds one lucky lady brought up onto the stage.

The beauty of 3-D is that anyone can feel like they're the girl plucked from the crowd and invited to watch the show from the front row (team Bieber gifts several fans at every tour stop), but the effects go way beyond just having a good seat, you get to see everything -- from behind-the-scenes to above the stage, the dressing room where Bieber, you know, dresses, to the tour bus to his hometown, in Stratford, Ontario, where life as its most famous resident couldn't get more surreal. But bring your earplugs, parents, and expect the shriek volume to hit the red zone with every point of Bieber's finger -- and there are many.

The timing for "Never Say Never" couldn't be better. On February 6, Bieber will appear in a Best Buy ad that airs during the Super Bowl. Two days after the movie's release, Bieber will be at the Grammy Awards, where he's nominated for Best New Artist and Best Pop Vocal album. On the 15th, "Glee" airs. Does that mean Bieber fever is about to hit its peak? To the contrary. It's more like this team is just getting started.

(Editing by Zorianna Kit)

J.D. Salinger letters show "warm," "affectionate" side

LONDON (Reuters) – Previously unseen letters from "The Catcher in the Rye" author J.D. Salinger show the kind of "warmth" and "affection" not often associated with someone who is seen as an eccentric recluse, a university said on Thursday.

Salinger wrote the letters to Donald Hartog from London, between October 1986 and January 2002, and Hartog's daughter Frances and his other children have donated them to Britain's University of East Anglia (UEA) Archives.

The men met in 1937 when they were both 18 years-old and sent by their fathers to study German in Vienna. They stayed in touch after their return home in 1938 and continued to write to each other until the 1950s, although these early letters no longer survive.

After several decades with no contact, Hartog wrote to Salinger in 1986 when he learned of the possible publication of an unauthorized biography of the writer. Salinger replied and their correspondence resumed.

The UEA said it was unable to provide excerpts from the letters, because the copyright remains with Salinger's estate.

The author, who died a year ago, aged 91, was fiercely protective of his body of work, and in 2009 sued the writer and publisher of a book billed as a sequel to "The Catcher in the Rye," saying it infringed on his copyright.

Salinger's 1951 novel, a story of alienation and rebellion featuring teenage hero Holden Caulfield, is considered a classic of American literature.

"MOVING" LETTERS

Salinger addressed Hartog as Don and signed the letters as Jerry, and talked about everyday topics like politics, the weather, family and tennis, including who should win Wimbledon.

According to the UEA, he also referred to their increasing ages and associated health issues, and Salinger remembered fondly the time he spent with Hartog in Vienna before it was annexed by Nazi Germany.

Frances Hartog, who once met Salinger, said that despite the mundane subject matter, the letters were "very moving.

"There is tremendous warmth and affection toward my father and this is so different to the man Salinger is often portrayed as. The letters have been sitting in a drawer, but hopefully by being in the archive they will show people another side to him.

"I think there was this extra bond between my father and Salinger because they met before the war.

"This isn't the fighting Salinger of the 1960s, though he talks quite aggressively about publishing and publicity.

"He wanted to be published, but what he appears not to have liked was that it wasn't just about what you published, it was about you."

In 1989 Salinger traveled to London to attend Hartog's 70th birthday dinner, and it was then that Frances met him.

"I didn't really want to meet him because I liked his writing and was worried he might live up to his reputation and be rather unpleasant, but he ... was utterly charming."

In the manuscripts, Salinger was honest about his dislike of publishers but said he continued to work on his writing, and in 1997 was considering publishing a short story, "Hapworth 16, 1924," which appeared in The New Yorker in 1965, as a book.

The correspondence from Salinger stopped in 2002, but his wife continued writing to Hartog until his death in 2007.

(Reporting by Mike Collett-White; Editing by Bob Tourtellotte)

BSkyB Bid Puts Murdoch Back in Political Spotlight

For an Australian-born U.S. citizen, Rupert Murdoch casts an extraordinarily long shadow over Britain and its politics. As the owner of four U.K. newspapers, he already has a big part in the national conversation. And now his latest bid to take full control of BSkyB, the country's biggest pay-TV station, is giving the government a headache at a time when it's already suffering through expenses scandals, falling poll ratings and public anger over budget cuts. Murdoch announced the $12.5 billion bid last June and already one minister has been stripped of his job of making a ruling on the takeover after he told undercover reporters he had "declared war" on the media tycoon.

As just about anybody in British politics will tell you, declaring war on Rupert Murdoch - the "Dirty Digger," as he has been dubbed by detractors - is not something to be undertaken lightly. This, after all, is the man prime ministers and would-be prime ministers fall over themselves to woo, most notably just before general elections, in the hope of winning the support of his media outlets.

The relationship between Murdoch and Britain's leaders is currently making headlines of its own. Reports on Wednesday revealed that Murdoch had skipped the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland to fly to London while the government considers whether the bid by his News Corporation should be referred to the competition commission. The point at issue is whether, as rival media groups claim, a Murdoch-owned BSkyB - he already owns just over 30% of the company - combined with his existing ownership of four national newspapers - the tabloids the Sun and News of the World, and upmarket the Times of London and Sunday Times - would pose a threat to media plurality in the U.K.

Until Dec. 21, Business Secretary Vince Cable was tasked with deciding if the bid should be sent to the competition commission. But after Daily Telegraph reporters caught him making that combative comment, the responsibility was passed to Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt, who immediately gave Murdoch more time to answer concerns over his bid which had been raised by the media watchdog Ofcom.

For those already concerned about what they see as Murdoch's power over the nation's decision-makers, Hunt's act of leniency appeared to be another sign that politicians are too eager to keep the news mogul on side. And all this comes as controversy continues to boil over the activities of Murdoch's News of the World and phone-hacking of celebrities, royals and politicians by its reporters. That affair saw two employees jailed in 2007, and on Jan. 21, Prime Minister David Cameron's chief spin doctor Andy Coulson, who was the paper's editor at the time of the offenses and says he knew nothing about them, quit as the row refused to die down.

But how is it Murdoch has come to be so feared and revered by Britain's politicians? Probably because some of them have learnt the hard way what his support - or lack of it - can mean.

The most famous example was the struggling Conservative government's shock election victory in 1992, after which Murdoch's Sun newspaper, which had a daily readership of around 10 million, screamed from its front page: "It's the Sun Wot Won It!" Even skeptics were forced to accept that Murdoch's decision to back the beleaguered Tory prime minister, John Major, helped carry the Conservatives to victory.

But it was actually the Sun's treatment of the then opposition Labour party leader, Neil Kinnock, that drew most attention and allowed the paper to make its flamboyant claim. On election day, it had carried a front-page picture of Kinnock's head, portrayed as a lightbulb, under the headline: "If Kinnock wins today, will the last person to leave Britain please turn out the lights."

Kinnock quit immediately, enraged by his treatment by the media in general and the Sun in particular - and Labour's future Prime Minister, Tony Blair, learned a powerful lesson. In July 1995, Blair and aides jetted to the Australian resort at Hayman Island for an annual conference held by Murdoch and his executives. It was there that Blair persuaded the audience that his "New Labour" Party was responsible and electable. Two years later, the Sun declared for Blair, who went on to win a landslide victory.

Rumors of secret deals between the two men persisted and in February 2009, former Blair-era spin doctor Lance Price seemed to confirm them in his book Where Powers Lies: Prime Ministers v the Media: "A deal had been done, although with nothing in writing. If Murdoch were left to pursue his business interests in peace he would give Labour a fair wind."

In the run-up to last year's general election, that wind seemed to change when the Sun threw its support behind Conservative leader David Cameron. The impact wasn't nearly as striking as it had been years before, thanks to the general decline of newspaper readership and the growth of new media. But it was still a blow to the Labour party, which was ousted from government when Britons took to the polls.

Little wonder, then, that those who fret about Murdoch's power over Britain's politicians are questioning whether Cameron too has decided to leave him to "pursue his business interests in peace."

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Barclays to cut 1,000 UK retail banking jobs

LONDON (Reuters) – British bank Barclays Plc (BARC.L) is to cut about 1,000 UK jobs as it stops offering financial planning advice in its branches.

The bank said on Wednesday it was consulting with the Unite trade union about ending the service, which is due to occur on February 18 and affect about 1,000 staff across Britain.

The bank plans to focus its investment service offering online. It said providing advice through branches was becoming less commercially viable, and that decline was likely to continue.

Rob MacGregor, Unite national officer, said the bank's management should "hang their heads in shame" at the cuts.

"This news once again confirms that contrary to what the Conservative government claims the private sector will not fill the gap left by the slashing of jobs in our public services," MacGregor said in a statement.

(Reporting by Steve Slater; Editing by Louise Heavens)

AP Source: Nabokov won't report to NY Islanders

UNIONDALE, N.Y. – Evgeni Nabokov left Russia hoping to land back in the NHL with a competitive team.

The contending Detroit Red Wings gave Nabokov that chance, signing him to a one-year contract, but those plans were upset when the struggling New York Islanders swooped in to claim him off waivers Saturday.

Nabokov, though, doesn't plan to show up.

The 35-year-old goaltender has decided he won't report to the Islanders, a person familiar with his plans told the Associated Press on Saturday. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because Nabokov hadn't announced his decision.

Several hours after claiming him, Islanders general manager Garth Snow said he hadn't been told Nabokov wouldn't report and was waiting for him to return a call.

The former San Jose standout started the season in Russia. After being released by his KHL club, he had to clear waivers before joining an NHL team.

While he might have dreamed of making a long playoff run with Detroit, which is among the Western Conference leaders, he apparently doesn't have any interest in playing out the string with the Islanders, who have the third fewest points in the league, ahead of only Edmonton and New Jersey.

Snow, though, made a move that was in the best interest of the franchise he's trying to turn around.

"This was a good opportunity to get a quality goaltender with a proven track record," Snow told the AP.

However, several reports surfaced that Nabokov wouldn't report.

"That's news to me," Snow said. "We got a player who has a standard player contract and we are looking forward to having him join our organization."

The Islanders nabbed Nabokov two days after he signed a one-year contract with the Red Wings. He had spent this season with SKA St. Petersburg of the Russian KHL and hadn't yet played for Detroit. The NHL's collective bargaining agreement states that anyone who plays in a professional league before signing an NHL contract must clear waivers.

Snow said the Islanders have an airline ticket for Nabokov to fly from Oakland, Calif., to New York on Sunday when the Islanders will face the Buffalo Sabres in an afternoon game.

Nabokov's new deal contains a no-move clause.

"When I put the claim in, I had no intention to claim him to move him by any means," Snow said.

It is the third time in recent weeks that a player returning to the NHL from the KHL was plucked off waivers. The St. Louis Blues were victimized by the process twice when they lost right wing Marek Svatos to the Nashville Predators and center Kyle Wellwood to the San Jose Sharks.

"I wasn't surprised that he got picked by another team," Red Wings captain Nicklas Lidstrom said. "We saw St. Louis try to sign two players and they got picked up right away. We knew that was a possibility."

The Islanders were burned by the waiver rule in January 2009 when they tried to bring goalie Wade Dubielewicz back to the organization after he played for Kazan Ak-Bars of the KHL. After signing a deal with New York, Dubielewicz was claimed by the Columbus Blue Jackets.

The Islanders (15-24-7) have struggled in goal because of the absence of injured Rick DiPietro and the trade of Dwayne Roloson to the Tampa Bay Lightning this month. New York has been going with rookies Kevin Poulin and Nathan Lawson in place of DiPietro, who has missed several games recently because of lingering knee trouble and a case of the flu.

Lawson was forced out of Friday night's win at Buffalo after one period by a knee sprain. The 20-year-old Poulin played the final two periods and earned the win. DiPietro is in the fifth season of a landmark 15-year deal with the Islanders.

Detroit was looking for help in net because backup Chris Osgood is expected to be out until March after having hernia surgery and starter Jimmy Howard has been bothered by a bruised right knee.

"I thought he would've been a good pickup for us if he came here — even though it could've affected me," Osgood said. "I think it was a great pickup for the Islanders. They have Ricky (DiPietro) and some good, young goalies. I would imagine there were five or six other teams that would've wanted him, too. I didn't think he'd end up here, but it was a good move that Kenny (Holland) made because it would've made us better.

"I'm surprised he wasn't in the league this year because he is a great goalie."

After the Sharks chose not to re-sign Nabokov, he was 8-8-5 with a 3.02 goals-against average and an .888 save percentage in 22 games with St. Petersburg. He became a free agent in December after he was released by the KHL club in the first season of a four-year deal.

Nabokov went 44-16-10 with a 2.43 GAA last season with the Sharks and helped the Sharks reach the Western Conference finals against eventual Stanley Cup champion Chicago.

After being chosen in the ninth round of the 1994 NHL draft, Nabokov went on to a 293-178-29-37 mark with a 2.39 GAA and a .912 save percentage in parts of 10 seasons with the Sharks. He was 40-38 with a 2.29 GAA and .913 save percentage in 80 career postseason games.

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AP Sports Writer Larry Lage in Detroit contributed to this report.