LAS VEGAS (AP) -- Ben Affleck will direct a stand-alone “Batman” movie, says Warner Bros. chairman and CEO Kevin Tsujihara. 　 Affleck portrayed the caped crusader in this year’s “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice” and had been rumored to be the studio’s top choice. Tsujihara confirmed the studio was moving forward with him in the director’s seat Tuesday at CinemaCon, an annual gathering of theater owners in Las Vegas. 　 Actor Ben Affleck, cast as Batman, waves as he arrives for the red carpet e

Film April 13, 2016

Hailed as one of the first Korean ballerinas to achieve widespread international fame, Julia Moon is seeking to expand the global network of Universal Ballet and make it more “universal.” 　One of the founding members of the Universal Ballet -- among the top ballet companies in the country, rivaling the Korean National Ballet -- Moon has been its general director for the past decade, since retiring as principal dancer. 　Now in its 32nd year, the director says the company is ready to branch out mo

Performance April 13, 2016

　　PARIS (AP) -- A 400-year-old picture that might have been painted by Italian master Caravaggio has been found in an attic in southern France.　 　Eric Turquin, the French expert who retrieved the painting two years ago, said it is in an exceptional state of conservation and estimated its value at 120 million euros (about $135 million), even though he acknowledged experts disagree about its authenticity.　 　Called “Judith Beheading Holofernes,” it depicts the biblical heroine Judith beheading an A

Culture April 13, 2016

　　BOSTON (AP) -- Ernest Hemingway penned 47 possible endings to “A Farewell to Arms,” eight of which are on display at a new exhibition on the famed American writer at the John F. Kennedy presidential library -- along with the one that actually concluded the classic World War I novel.　 　“If a person wants to make their mark as a writer they have to work very hard, and this exhibit really shows how hard he worked,” said Patrick Hemingway, the author’s only surviving child who on Tuesday toured th

Culture April 13, 2016

　　　JERUSALEM (AP) -- Israeli mathematicians and archaeologists say they have found evidence to suggest that key biblical texts may have been composed earlier than what some scholars think.　 　Using handwriting analysis technology similar to that employed by intelligence agencies and banks to analyze signatures, a Tel Aviv University team determined that a famous hoard of ancient Hebrew inscriptions, dated to around B.C. 600, were written by at least six different authors. Although the inscription

Culture April 13, 2016

Fitness brand Sentinel is hosting an evening yoga program aimed at awakening the senses, it announced Friday.　Titled “Awaken Six Senses,” the program features activities like “Chocolate Meditation” and “Mirror Game” that stimulate the senses and the subconscious. 　“The program features both peaceful meditation and dynamic yoga positions that will allow participants to sweat and work together, communicating and receiving energy from each other. It is a community party,” said Lachlan Winner, Senti

Technology April 8, 2016

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism said Friday it will feature Song Joong-ki, the actor from the hit TV drama “Descendants of the Sun,” in a new video series to promote tourism in South Korea. 　The Korean tourism TV ad will be filmed in the former mining cities of Taebaek and Jeongseon in Gangwon Province, the main venue of the show. Photo caption: Actor Song Joong-ki poses at the 2016 Style Icon Asia awards in Seoul on March 15. (Yonhap)　The TV and print ad will begin in early July in

Television April 1, 2016

NEW YORK (Reuters) – Recording star Beyonce launched a women’s fitness clothing line on Thursday featuring bodysuits, leggings and headbands.　It is named partly after her 4-year-old daughter, Blue Ivy. Called Ivy Park, the 200-piece active wear collection is a joint venture with British businessman Sir Philip Green, who owns the Topshop fashion chain.　The collection will feature leggings, T-shirts, crop-tops and jackets all designed for fitness and leisure wear. It will go on sale at selected To

Performance April 1, 2016

BEIJING (AP) – A private film company in eastern China has agreed to invest at least $500 million in the studio of former Walt Disney boss Dick Cook to make movies to be distributed worldwide, the companies announced. 　The deal is the latest tie-up between Hollywood and Chinese companies as China is offering overseas producers more investment opportunities. Both look to increase their presence in each other’s film industries. 　Los Angeles-based Dick Cook Studios and Film Carnival, a film produce

Film April 1, 2016

Teddy Thompson & Kelly Jones　“Little Windows” 　(Cooking Vinyl)　Teddy Thompson’s musical influences come from this side of the Atlantic, so his first duets album sounds nothing like the British folk rock produced more than 30 years ago by his parents, Richard and Linda.　“Little Windows” does share one thing with Richard and Linda’s music: It’s terrific.　Teddy meshes beautifully with singing partner Kelly Jones, whose background is in California power pop. Their two-part harmony is the lead instru

Performance April 1, 2016

Willie Nile　“World War Willie” 　(River House Records) 　Willie Nile is loud and proud. While other rockers merely strut around leathered and weathered, Nile takes one giant leap for mankind, glorifying the aging process with the party-hearty song “Grandpa Rocks.” Its featured character depicted in a Clash T-shirt and dirty combat boots. 　Soul mates, seekers -- even seductive sociopaths -- populate the storytelling in Nile’s robust new album, “World War Willie,” coproduced with Grammy winner Stewa

Performance April 1, 2016

Cheap Trick　"Bang Zoom Crazy... Hello" 　(Big Machine)　Some classic rock bands limp into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on the basis of past reputation. On the other hand, Cheap Trick -- the hard-charging, melodic rockers from Rockford, Illinois -- is racing full speed ahead into the Rock Hall, fueled by its best album in decades.　“Bang Zoom Crazy... Hello” kicks off with a blast of feedback and a classic guitar-bass-and-drum roar on “Heart on the Line,” which would make a great concert opener if

Performance April 1, 2016

If only love were all! Then loving what you live for -- for Ed Wood, it was the cinema -- would make you an interpretive artist of the highest order.　In “Marguerite,” the title character is working on a cruel passion-to-talent ratio. She’s a terrible, screechy, off-pitch would-be opera singer, but she loves Mozart and Bellini and Handel so much that her delusions prevent her from hearing how little she can bring to her pursuits. It’s a movie about a sweet-natured mediocrity and her social circle

Film April 1, 2016

Misconduct  (U.S.)　Opened March 30　　Drama/Thriller. Directed by Shintaro Shimosawa　　Ben (Josh Duhamel), an ambitious lawyer, becomes mired in a case of corruption and blackmail, caught between Denning (Anthony Hopkins), an unscrupulous pharmaceutical executive and his firm’s partner Abrams (Al Pacino).  　The Great Actor　(Korea)　Opened March 30　　Comedy. Directed by Seok Min-woo　　Obscure actor Jang Sung-pil (Oh Dal-soo), who has been playing a dog with no lines for nearly 20 years in a play, dream

Film April 1, 2016