Rock Legends REM Have split up as a band.

Rock legends REM announce split

Members of legendary US rock band REM have announced they are splitting up after 31 years. “We have decided to call it a day as a band,” the band said. “To anyone who ever felt touched by our music, our deepest thanks for listening.”

The group found fame with a string of albums, notably 90s hits Out of Time and Automatic for the People. The band’s website was briefly unavailable on Wednesday afternoon after the announcement was made.

Four of REM’s albums in the 1990s went platinum in the UK, peaking with Automatic For The People, which sold more than 1.8m copies. In the States, three of the band’s albums were certified quadruple platinum - representing sales of 4m - according to the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).

The group was originally made up of singer Michael Stipe, guitarist Peter Buck, bassist Mike Mills and drummer Bill Berry, who left the band in 1997. “I hope our fans realise this wasn’t an easy decision; but all things must end, and we wanted to do it right, to do it our way,” Stipe said as he announced the split.

Asked in a BBC 6 Music interview earlier this year whether every album felt like the band’s last, Stipe had said: “I put so much into the work we do that, when I’m done, I feel like I’d never be able to do it again.” In the same interview he said the band had started off without any goals.
“The fact that we were making records and touring felt like this amazing adventure to us. We didn’t necessarily want to conquer the world - but then we ended up doing exactly that in some small corner of the universe that belonged to pop music and us.”

Robert Pattinson is reportedly considering a romantic reconciliation with Kristen Stewart

Robert Pattinson considering reconciliation with Kristen Stewart

Here’s a rumor that’s sure to spark some serious debate, but we just wanted to pass it along. Robert Pattinson is reportedly considering a romantic reconciliation with Kristen Stewart. Rumors are surfacing that he is over his anger and seriously considering reuniting with his Twilight costar and (ex?) girlfriend after she was caught cheating on him with her Snow White And The Huntsman  director Rupert Sanders.

“Rob was super angry for the first couple of weeks. Angry at Kristen for ruining what they had, angry at her for the public embarrassment, angry at Rupert,” a friend of Rob’s told RadarOnline. ”But he’s starting to wind down and really think about what he’s going to do regarding his relationship with Kristen. He goes back and forth.” As usual in times of heartbreak, R-Patz has been going to his friends for solace and support. Water For Elephants co-star Reese Witherspoon has let him stay in her Ojai vacation home to plan his next move/listen to “Everybody Hurts” on repeat.

Yet despite all of their help, his friends might be confusing him further by giving him contradicting advice about what to do regarding Kristen. “There’s definitely some friends who think he should just move on from Kristen,” the source continued. “But then there are others who still think Rob and Kristen really have a special connection and want him to give her another chance. He has a lot to think about and hasn’t decided either way right now.” A complicated situation indeed, and that’s without all of the stuff we don’t know about what their relationship was like in private. What do you think he should do? Let us know in the poll below. And hang in their, Rob!


The 5 Creepiest Coincidences in Movie Casting History Read more: The 5 Creepiest Coincidences in Movie Casting History

Anyone who's ever seen Tom Cruise play a samurai knows that casting isn't always the detail that's given the most attention when producing a film. But sometimes, casting choices that were made on a whim end up looking like they'd been planned since the beginning of time.Here are five strange casting coincidences from famous movies ...

#5. John Lennon's Killer Portrays John Lennon

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In 1985, an actor named Mark Lindsay Chapman was cast to play John Lennon in the made-for-TV biopic John and Yoko: A Love Story. Just five short years earlier, John Lennon had been shot and killed in front of his NYC apartment building by a man named ... Rick Stephens.

No, we're joking. The guy's name was Mark David Chapman. And now some casting dipshit had hired a man with a damn near identical name to portray John Lennon in a movie. Luckily, a PR disaster was avoided when the offending Chapman was fired just days before production began.

It's cool, though, he found a different gig. Years later, Mark Lindsay Chapman played John Lennon in Chapter 27 ... a biopic about Mark David Chapman.

 

#4. When Dana Carvey Met Michael Myers

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Years before he found fame acting alongside Mike Myers in Wayne's World, Dana Carvey made his theatrical film debut with a very small bit part in Halloween II ... which, of course, is the story of a town being terrorized by a mad slasher named Michael Myers.


Wait, there's no way this is correct.

Oh, and in a coincidental tie-in between these first two entries: Mike Myers actually had an early bit part as a delivery boy in John and Yoko: A Love Story.


No. Definitely not right.

#3. The Godfather Predicts Robert De Niro's Two Oscar-Winning Roles

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During the assassination attempt on Don Vito Corleone in The Godfather, a poster can be seen in the background advertising a boxing match with Jake LaMotta. Robert De Niro would go on to win his two career Academy Awards playing Vito Corleone in The Godfather: Part II and Jake LaMotta in Raging Bull. You can see the poster behind the fruit stand at the beginning of this clip.

Youtube
Not to mention crazy low prices!

#2. Two Generations of Potters Star in Woman in Black

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This past year, Daniel Radcliffe starred in a screen adaptation of Susan Hill's horror novel Woman in Black. If we're not mistaken, he played the woman. You know who else he played? Harry Potter.

As for Woman in Black, the novel had previously been adapted into a 1989 made-for-TV movie where Radcliffe's character, Arthur, was played by Adrian Rawlins ... the same actor who would go on to play Harry Potter's father. Spooooooooky!

#1. Elvis' Last Role Predicts Future Director of His Biopic

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In 1979, John Carpenter directed a made-for-TV biopic about Elvis Presley. Fittingly, he called it Elvis.

Ten years before this, Elvis Presley had made his very last acting appearance in a movie called Change of Habit. The name of his character in that film? John Carpenter.

Also, we guess you could say it's a coincidence that Elvis' last acting role was in a movie called Change of Habit and then he died because he refused to change his habits, but you'd be kind of a dick for pointing that out.

So if you have been tempted to get IPL hair removal for a part of the body you want hairless

IPL Hair Removal

People who have had the treatment indicates that for many, IPL hair removal is not painful or even particularly uncomfortable. Some hardly feel any discomfort at all. You will no doubt be provided with eye protection in view of the high intensity of the light used. A gel spread on the skin may be used to make sure the light is transmitted with maximum effect and absorbed into the hair follicle.

The applicator head will be pressed against the skin and a short pulse of intense light will be triggered. The applicator will be moved to another area of skin and the process repeated until the whole area is covered. As for any sensation, some compare it to being pricked with a pin while others describe it as a slight sting similar to what you feel when someone flicks an elastic band on your skin.

A number of sessions will be required in view of the way hair grows in cycles. IPL hair removal can only disable hair in the growth stage so you have to return to the clinic for more sessions as the hair moves through the various resting and growth cycles. In many cases there is a period of up to 6 weeks between treatments.

Is IPL Hair Removal For You?

Is beauty salon equipment for you? Perhaps. However, if your hair is red, white or grey, sorry, it won’t work. If you have fine blond hair the results may not be so impressive. Generally speaking though, there appears to be a reasonable customer satisfaction rating.

In some cases the hair is permanently stopped from growing, in other cases, treatment may be needed every six months or so. It can depend on a number of variables, such as the characteristics of your hair and skin, the way the therapist uses the equipment and at what intensity, as well as your own preference on how often you want the treatment done. So obviously a thorough consultation is needed before embarking on a course of treatment. The therapist needs to know your requirements and expectations and you need to know realistically what the therapist can do for you.

So if you have been tempted to get IPL hair removal for a part of the body you want hairless, why not check out your local clinics and get some ideas on prices and the level of professionalism. Many prefer IPL hair removal over laser hair removal as it seems there is less danger of skin reaction, and due to the variable wavelengths used, it can be quicker and take fewer sessions. It most certainly comes as a relief after years of inconvenient, frequent hair removal using other methods.

From vacuums to miracle gels, we test the treatments that claim to... banish the mummy tummy

Another day, another picture of a celebrity mother on the beach, sporting a supernaturally flat stomach.

Last week it was Victoria’s Secret model Alessandra Ambrosio, below, whose daughter is aged three.

A fortnight before, fellow model Heidi Klum, 39, who has four children, tweeted pictures to followers of her bikini-clad washboard stomach.

Yummy mummy... and her washboard tummy: Victoria's Secret model  Alessandra Ambrosio with her three-year-old daughter

Yummy mummy... and her washboard tummy: Victoria's Secret model Alessandra Ambrosio with her three-year-old daughter

And Jennifer Lopez, 42, who gave birth to twins just three years ago, has also been pictured on stage recently, proudly displaying her flat tummy.

Back in the real world, more than half of new mothers who were surveyed for a parenting magazine said they were unhappy with their shape after giving birth.

So it’s not surprising that shelves at clinics and chemists heave with non-surgical treatments that claim to rid women of  their post-pregnancy bellies. But do any  of them actually work? JILL FOSTER spoke to the experts to find out.



Med Contour Dual

FLAB ZAPPER 

THE TREATMENT

Med Contour Dual. £149 for one session or £975 for ten. med-contour.co.uk

THE CLAIM

Low-frequency ultrasound rays are directed at the fat cells in the stomach through a hand-held device.

They ‘rupture the adipose cells, activating metabolic processes which lead to the body’s natural elimination of fat waste’.

Mummy tummy is usually caused by fat and loose skin, and heat produced by the device promotes production of collagen, the protein that gives skin firmness.

EXPERT VERDICT

Dr Ravi Jain, cosmetic doctor and founder of the Riverbanks Clinic, London, says: ‘The mainstay of my work is liposuction, an operation in which fat is sucked out of the body via thin tubes called cannulas, so I was sceptical a non-invasive treatment claimed to be able to do the same.

'But we tried it and I have been impressed. The science is plausible. We use this technology after lipo to smooth out any irregularities. But it can be effective on its own.’

DOWNSIDE

‘Patients need good muscle tone to begin with. The results are subtle compared  with liposuction,’ says Dr Jain.Treatment could lead to a rise in fat levels in the blood, so anyone with high cholesterol or other circulatory problems should avoid it.

MUMMY TUMMY BUSTING RATING: 4/5                                                                  

 


Paris Freeze

PARIS FREEZE

THE TREATMENT

Lipocryolysis.From £650 per area. aestheticmedicontour.com

THE CLAIM

Dubbed ‘The Paris Freeze’, in this non-invasive procedure ‘fat is rapidly cooled until the fat cells crystallise, which permanently destroys up to a third’.

A device is positioned around the target area, which creates a vacuum effect. The treatment takes 25-45 minutes per area. Up to six weeks later, the makers say that patients notice a visible and lasting difference.

EXPERT VERDICT

Dr Ross Perry, of www.cosmedics.co.uk and an expert in non-surgical treatment, says: ‘Freezing is a novel approach and one that has approval from the FDA [the American regulatory body] for getting rid of fat.

‘It is one of the few methods that actually does work. The low temperature kills fat cells but does not damage the skin.’

Let's get physical! Vanessa Hudgens is raring to go as she arrives at dance class to work up a sweat

Some people may enjoy a lazy Saturday but it seems Vanessa Hudgens isn’t one of them.

The actress was ready to get stuck into some exercise as she arrived at a high-octane dance class in North Hollywood today.

The 23-year-old looked like she was raring to go and had a big smile on her face as she made her way into the dance studio.

Raring to go: Vanessa Hudgens wore a big smile as she arrived at a  dance class in North Hollywood today

Raring to go: Vanessa Hudgens wore a big smile as she arrived at a dance class in North Hollywood today

Vanessa was sporting navy tracksuit bottoms and a white tank top with a futuristic pattern which accentuated the pink tips of her dark hair.

The Journey 2: The Incredible Island star swept her dip-dyed locks off her face and into a high ponytail so they wouldn’t get in the way of her workout.

And she certainly seemed prepared to work up a sweat as she toted a small towel and bottle of water.

Pink lady: The pattern on Vanessa's tank top accentuated her  dip-dyed hair
Pink lady: The pattern on Vanessa's tank top accentuated her  dip-dyed hair

Pink lady: The pattern on Vanessa's tank top accentuated her dip-dyed hair

The session may have been gruelling but Vanessa yesterday proved all that working out is paying off.

The High School Musical star paraded her honed pins in a racy leopard print dress as she took a stroll in Los Angeles.

And Vanessa accentuated her slim legs further with the help of a pair of black wedged shoe boots.

Feel the burn: Vanessa was ready to work up a sweat and toted a  towel and water bottle

Feel the burn: Vanessa was ready to work up a sweat and toted a towel and water bottle

She completed her stylish look with oversized sunglasses, a quilted black Chanel bag and plenty of gold jewellery.

Dance is not the only activity Vanessa relies on to stay in shape and the star is also a fan of yoga and Pilates.

Earlier this year Vanessa was regularly seen sporting a bikini as she filmed for upcoming drama film Spring Breakers alongside Selena Gomez and Ashley Benson.

The fruits of her labour: Yesterday Vanessa showed that her hard  work has paid off as she paraded her honed pins

The fruits of her labour: Yesterday Vanessa showed that her hard work has paid off as she par

Still in the honeymoon phase! Kim Kardashian and Kanye West can't stop grinning as they step out together

It seems Kim Kardashian and Kanye West just can’t get enough of each other.

The pair couldn’t stop grinning as they gazed adoringly at one another while walking side by side in Los Angeles today.

Kim looked like a giggling schoolgirl as Kanye beamed at her and in response the reality star appeared coy, staring shyly at her feet.

Loved up: Kim Kardashian and Kanye West only had eyes for each  other when they stepped out in Los Angeles

Loved up: Kim Kardashian and Kanye West only had eyes for each other when they stepped out in Los Angeles

The 31-year-old was dressed in a baggy cream T-shirt, knee-length beige skirt and striking caged boots for the romantic stroll.

Meanwhile her 33-year-old rapper beau was causal in an all-black ensemble of T-shirt, jeans and trainers.

The loved up pair had already spent the morning together as they both hit the gym.

Coy: Kim looked shy and stared at her feet as the happy couple  took a romantic stroll

Coy: Kim looked shy and stared at her feet as the happy couple took a romantic stroll

 

Just can't get enough: It seems the celebrity couple never tire of  each other's company

Just can't get enough: It seems the celebrity couple never tire of each other's company

Even though it was the weekend Kim seemed determined to maintain her fitness regime and keep her curvy figure looking its best.

But no doubt having her love by her side would have made the punishing workout a good deal easier.

After hitting the gym Kim tweeted: 'Got in a good workout today! Feels good to start my weekend like this! Have a good Saturday everyone.'

Dressed to impress: Kanye went casual but Kim dolled up for their  date

Dressed to impress: Kanye went casual but Kim dolled up for their date

 

Was it something he said?: Kanye seemed to have his lady love  amused as Kim giggled while they walked along

Was it something he said?: Kanye seemed to have his lady love amused as Kim giggled while they walked along

Yesterday, Kanye accompanied Kim to the opening of the DASH store in West Hollywood.

She was joined by her younger sister Khloe and mother Kris Jenner for the big event.

However Kim’s older sister Kourtney, who gave birth last the weekend to daughter Penelope Scotland, was not in attendance.

It's getting serious: The pair seem to be spending more and more  time together

It's getting serious: The pair seem to be spending more and more time together

 

Couple's workout: Earlier in the day Kim and Kanye hit the gym  together

 

George Clooney Hates Daniel Day-Lewis

George Clooney Daniel Day-Lewis combo picture

George Clooney didn't like Daniel Day-Lewis! The Best Supporting Actor of Oscar 2006 is now worrying about his chance to be awarded the Best Actor of this year's Academy Awards. From Ok!

Two years ago, George Clooney had a one in three shot of winning an Oscar and pulled through, picking up Best Supporting Actor for Syriana. This year, he has one shot, in Best Actor for Michael Clayton, but he's not feeling good about his chances.

"If you want my honest opinion, I think it's going to be Daniel Day-Lewis [who was nominated for the role in There Will Be Blood.]," he tells Extra. "He sort of irritates all of us because he's so good. I'll tell you right now, I don't like him!"

My 20 Favorite Actors

In response to the Film Experience Blog, my top 20 actors. This is a pretty arbitrary list, with some ridiculous picture choices:

Hugh Jackman


Clark Gable


Cary Grant


Tom Hanks


Harrison Ford


Robert Downey Jr.


Daniel Day-Lewis


Gene Kelly


Yul Brynner


Edward Norton


Steve McQueen


Anthony Hopkins


Takeshi Kaneshiro


Gregory Peck


Kenneth Branagh


Denzel Washington


Colin Firth


Joaquin Phoenix


Mark Ruffalo


Steve Zahn

Charlotte Gainsbourg & Connan Mockasin

I was pleasantly surprised to find out one of my favorite singers would be performing in Madrid while I was there. I was even more surprised and elated to know super sexy Charlotte Gainsbourg would be accompanied by Connan Mockasin instead of him opening up for her. The show was at the Teatro Circo Price not far from the Reina Sofia museum which held a good couple thousand of people. The crowd seemed cheery despite being there at the same time as the Spain vs Portugal game – Spain won the game that night making everything that much more pleasant.

Anyway, besides being an awesome actress Charlotte also performs as a singer and plays several instruments. Many claim her success was due to her father’s fame (Serge Gainsbourg) but after seeing her perform live twice (last time at Coachella a few years back), I can assure you she’s an extremely talented songwriter and musician. The pairing with Connan Mockasin was perfect and she even supported his songs by playing drums and xylophone while he took center stage. Great show!