Batman dominates box office for a month

Batman dominates box office for a month

Wednesday, Aug 20, 2008

LONDON (Reuters) - The latest Batman movie "The Dark Knight" was Britain's favourite film for a fourth week, just pipping "Mamma Mia!" for the top box office spot over the weekend.

Starring Christian Bale and the late Heath Ledger as the Joker, and directed by Englishman Christopher Nolan, The Dark Knight took 2.3 million pounds, according to Screen International, for a four-week total of 40 million.

Mamma Mia, the film of the show based on Swedish supergroup Abba, took 2.2 million pounds for a 45 million pound six-week total and edged back up to second spot from third.

Coming in at three was Adam Sandler's new comedy "You Don't Mess with the Zohan," the story of an Israeli assassin fleeing to New York to become a hairdresser.

The third film of the Mummy franchise, "The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon," was down two places at four with "Wild Child," featuring a spoilt Malibu brat at an English boarding school, coming in at five.

"Star Wars: The Clone Wars," an animated version acting as a pilot for an upcoming Cartoon Network series, came in at six while animated robot "Wall-E" was down three places at seven.

The galactic rescue mission by "Space Chimps" was back up one place at eight, swapping places with "Kung Fu Panda."

At 10, down four places, was Hindi action comedy "Singh is Kinng."

Dave Matthews Band saxophonist Moore dies

Dave Matthews Band saxophonist Moore dies

Wednesday, Aug 20, 2008

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Saxophonist LeRoi Moore, a founding member of the Dave Matthews Band, died on Tuesday of complications from a vehicle accident in June.

A statement on the band's Web site said Moore, 46, died unexpectedly at Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Centre in Los Angeles on Tuesday afternoon.

Moore had been injured in June while riding an all-terrain vehicle near his farm in Charlottesville, Virginia, the statement said.

He recently had returned to his home in Los Angeles to begin rehabilitation.

Reuters/Nielsen

Lavigne asked to postpone concert

Lavigne asked to postpone concert

Wednesday, Aug 20, 2008

KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) - Malaysia's government has told promoters of a concert by Canadian pop star Avril Lavigne to postpone the show because it could mar the country's independence day celebrations, an official said on Wednesday.

The decision came after the opposition Islamic party, Parti se-Islam Malaysia, objected to the August 29 concert in Kuala Lumpur, saying that mainly Muslim Malaysia should not ape Western values and cultures.

Although Malaysia is a moderate Muslim country with sizeable non-Muslim minorities, conservative groups often frown upon departures from strict interpretations of the Koran.

A culture ministry official said the show's promoters now have to find another slot for Lavigne.

"We did not reject the concert. We asked them to find another date as the original date is so close to the independence day," the official said. "That's the only reason."

A spokesman for the organisers said more than half of the tickets had already been sold. "As far as we are concerned, the show is still on," he said. Malaysia marks its 51st year of independence from Britain on August 31.

Last October, U.S. R&B star Beyonce Knowles axed her debut concert in Malaysia in protest against the country's ultra-strict dress code and over fears of a Muslim outcry over her show.

But a year ago, U.S. singer Gwen Stefani performed in Malaysia despite calls from Muslim students to cancel the concert because they deemed it too obscene.

(Reporting by Jalil Hamid, editing by Miral Fahmy)