'No Country' wins best picture Oscar
LOS ANGELES, Feb. 25 (UPI) -- "No Country for Old Men," Joel and Ethan Coen's adaptation of Cormac McCarthy's novel, won four Oscars in Los Angeles Sunday, including best picture.
The film, which co-starred Javier Bardem, Tommy Lee Jones and Josh Brolin, beat out "Atonement," "Juno," "Michael Clayton" and "There Will Be Blood" for the top prize.
Moments before "No Country" was named best picture, the Coen brothers picked up the prize for best director. They also earned the award for best adapted screenplay, while Bardem won for best supporting actor.
"I think whatever success we've had in this area has been entirely attributable to how selective we are," Joel Coen said upon accepting the Oscar for best adapted screenplay. "We've only adapted Homer and Cormac McCarthy. So, thank you."
The Homer reference was to the epic poem, "The Odyssey," which loosely formed the basis for the Coen brothers' 2000 film, "O Brother, Where Art Thou?"
Daniel Day-Lewis won the best actor prize for "There Will Be Blood" and Marion Cotillard won for best actress for "La Vie En Rose."
Tilda Swinton won best supporting actress for "Michael Clayton."
Diablo Cody won the best original screenplay prize for "Juno."
Elton John party raises $5.1M for charity
LOS ANGELES, Feb. 25 (UPI) -- The 16th Annual Elton John AIDS Foundation Academy Awards viewing party raised $5.1 million in Los Angeles Sunday night, the foundation announced Monday.
The Oscar night gala, which was held at the Pacific Design Center and co-sponsored by Chopard and VH1, was one of the evening's best attended parties, organizers said.
Guests included Marion Cotillard, Tom Wilkinson, Amy Adams, Ellen DeGeneres and Portia De Rossi, Sean Penn, Patricia Clarkson, Calista Flockhart and Harrison Ford, Josh Groban, Faye Dunaway, Sean Combs, Seal and Heidi Klum, Prince, Kate Beckinsale, Billy Joel, Courtney Love, Quincy Jones, Stevie Wonder, Petra Nemcova, Jeremy Piven, Roberto Cavalli, Minnie Driver, Simon Cowell and Herbie Hancock.
Also attending the event, which included dinner, a musical performance by Elton John and a live auction, were Natasha Henstridge, Larry King, Eric McCormack, Jason Lewis, Jonny Lee Miller, Brett Ratner, Jason Retiman, Rupert Murdoch, Jennifer Coolidge, Russell Simmons, Cheryl Tiegs, John Waters and Ziyi Zhang.
John and his partner David Furnish were the gala's hosts.
Established in 1992, the non-profit foundation said it has since raised more than $125 million to support HIV/AIDS prevention and service programs in 55 countries around the globe.
N.Y. Philharmonic to play in North Korea
PYONGYANG, North Korea, Feb. 25 (UPI) -- The New York Philharmonic Monday prepared to play a historic, 90-minute concert in North Korea's East Pyongyang Grand Theater, featuring Dvorak.
The orchestra, which was invited to perform by North Korean authorities, is scheduled to play Dvorak's symphony No. 9 "From The New World" and George Gershwin's "An American in Paris," as well as the U.S. and North Korean national anthems at Tuesday night's concert, the Yonhap news agency reported Monday.
"This journey is a manifestation of the power of music to unite people," orchestra Executive Director Zarin Mehta told Yonhap. "It is our sincere hope that these concerts will aid in the beginning of a new era between the peoples of our nations."
U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice described the planned concert as a "good thing," but cautioned against reading too much into its significance.
"The North Korean regime is still the North Korean regime. And so, I don't think we should get carried away with what listening to Dvorak is going to do in North Korea," Rice said.
'Wolverine' starts shooting in Australia
SYDNEY, Feb. 25 (UPI) -- Australian actor Hugh Jackman has started filming his star-studded superhero movie "X-Men Origins: Wolverine" in Sydney Monday.
The new prequel to the three "X-Men" blockbusters, in which Jackman previously played Wolverine, boasts a cast that includes actors Liev Schrieber, Ryan Reynolds and Dominic Monaghan, as well as recording artist will.i.am.
The Australian Broadcasting Corp. said the majority of the film, which is expected to hit theaters next year, is being shot at Sydney's Fox Studios and around the city.
Some of the movie was also filmed in New Zealand earlier this month, the report said.
New South Wales Premier Morris Iemma estimates the production will translate into 250 jobs and bring at least $60 million into Sydney's economy.
"Wolverine's producers have chosen Sydney as the base for this production ahead of Canada, thanks to our key infrastructure at Fox Studios and our talented crew base," Iemma said in a statement.
Jackman is also a producer on the film.
