01.23.2011 3C
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Apple app store hits 10 billion downloads NEW YORK (AP) — Ap- ple says that its app store has hit the 10 billion downloads mark. The milestone, an- nounced on Apple Inc.’s website Saturday, arrives as the company’s hugely popular smart phone is likely to become even more popular with the ad- dition next month of Verizon Wireless as a car- rier. The company has sold tens of millions of iPhones since the device launched in 2007 and con- tinues to expand the use of apps with its iPad tablet computer. Its app store has drawn an army of software developers hoping to piggyback on the company’s success. The store now boasts more than 350,000 differ- ent programs for the iPhone, iPod Touch or iPad. Apple said it would give the 10 billionth per- son to download an app a $10,000 gift card to its iTunes store, which now offers movies and TV shows along with digital music files. And the win- ner is Gail Davis of Orpington, Kent, in the U.K. She downloaded a free game app called Pa- per Glider. Winfrey promises to spill family secret Monday LOS ANGELES (AP) — Oprah Winfrey has staged many a family reunion on her talk show. But on Monday’s episode, she promises, the drama will be about her. Winfrey told viewers Thursday that she will have a reunion of her own on “The Oprah Winfrey Show.” She wouldn’t say with whom — only that it involves something she’s learned about recently and is known to only a few people close to her. “I thought I’d seen it all. But this, my friends, is the miracle of all mira- cles,” Winfrey says in a promotional spot for the show. The word “miracle” appears on screen, rein- forcing her pronouncement. “I was given some news that literally shook me to my core. This time, I’m the one being reunited,” she said. “I was keeping a family secret for months, and on Monday you’re go- ing to hear it straight from me.” Ivanka Trump says she and husband expecting baby NEW YORK (AP) — Ivanka Trump and her husband are expecting their first child. The “Celebrity Appren- tice” co-host announced Friday on Twitter that she’s pregnant. In 2009, she married Jared Kushn- er, a New York real estate scion and publisher of The New York Observer weekly newspaper. The 29-year-old Trump hasn’t said when she’s due. Trump, the daughter of Donald Trump and his former wife Ivana, is a vice president at her fa- ther’s real estate company and has a jewelry compa- ny. She graduated from the University of Pennsyl- vania. Kushner’s father was a prominent Democratic political donor who pleaded guilty to cam- paign and tax law violations. Bob Marley’s heirs win image case in Nevada court LAS VEGAS (AP) — A federal jury has sided with Bob Marley’s family in ruling against a Ne- vada company accused of making and selling appar- el featuring the reggae icon’s image. The Las Vegas Review- Journal reported Friday that jurors ruled against AVELA and owner Leo Valencia, awarding $300,000 in damages to a company owned by Mar- ley’s family. U.S. District Judge Philip Pro is expected to award more damages af- ter determining how much profit was lost be- cause of unfair competition. A lawyer told the jury in Las Vegas that Bob Marley’s children don’t want to see the reggae legend portrayed as a bobblehead or a plush toy. Michelle Obama going on Oprah Winfrey show Thurs. WASHINGTON (AP) — Michelle Obama is going on “The Oprah Winfrey Show.” The White House says the first lady is returning to her Chicago hometown Friday to tape one of the last original episodes of Winfrey’s nationally syn- dicated talk show. Mrs. Obama will discuss plans to launch a nation- wide campaign to support families with someone in the military. The first lady has be- come an advocate for military families. She has traveled to military instal- lations to talk with service members about their needs and concerns and has urged Americans to volunteer time to help them. The program is sched- uled to air Thursday. WikiLeaks founder’s story optioned as film LOS ANGELES (AP) — A coming biography of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange isn’t even in stores yet, and it’s already been optioned into a fea- ture film. Plans are under way for Andrew Fowler’s book, “The Most Dangerous Man in the World,” to be turned into a movie. The Australian reporter first interviewed Assange last May, and his investigative biography is due out later this year. Josephson Entertain- ment and Michelle Krumm Productions joint- ly optioned the movie rights. Assange, 39, is the founder of WikiLeaks, a whistle-blowing website that revealed classified information. He’s in Lon- don, where he’s battling extradition to Sweden over sex-crime allega- tions. Sunday, January 23, 2011 East Oregonian Page 3C ENTERTAINMENT ‘No Strings Attached’ makes relationships look difficult T he recipe goes as follows: boy meets girl, boy asks girl on a date, boy and girl devel- op feelings for one an- other, boy does some- thing stupid and “loses” the girl, boy does some- thing completely sweet and redeeming and wins said girl back, boy and girl live happily ever after (or until the credits roll). Such is the life of any romantic come- dy. So, it was pleasantly surprising to have the girl in “No Strings Attached” play the guy role and royal- ly screw the pooch. But no amount of gender-role switching, raunchy comedy or sexualized puns is going to save “No Strings At- tached” from falling into utter obscurity. Already, you can feel its lackluster plot being rele- gated to the same shelfs that house “Valentine’s Day,” “The Back-Up Plan” and “27 Dresses.” Howev- er, unlike like most of its ilk, this one is rated R, de- servingly so because of the descriptive, sordid di- alogue. Not to be outdone by his last not-so-super film, director Ivan Reitman (“My Super Ex-Girl- friend”) spends an inordinate length of time introducing the two main characters, Emma (Natal- ie Portman, “Black Swan”) and Adam (Ashton Kutcher, “That ’70s Show”) in what amounts to an editing room night- mare. It comes across more as several different opening sequences rather than one continuous leap through time. But, eventu- ally, the main plot is established. Emma, a doc- tor, and Adam, a film studio assistant, yet again bump into each other, re- alizing they are living in the same city. Shortly thereafter, Adam discov- ers that his father (Kevin Kline, “Definitely, Maybe”) is sleeping with his recent ex-girlfriend, which causes him to have a drunken existential cri- sis. This is where Emma comes into play: Adam just wants sex. In fact, he’s OK with the first girl in his address book who says “yes.” But, he blacks out before he can accom- plish his mission, and wakes up naked in Em- ma’s apartment, not having slept with anyone. But that doesn’t stop him from having some morn- ing-after fun with her. In a fresh twist on gender as- signment, it’s Emma who wants to keep things sim- ple and non-committal. The story then unfolds in a particularly predictable fashion. But it’s not shock- ing, given how boxed in everything is. Still, it’s kind of surprising how unsurprising it is. However, the greatest shame of this movie is the opportunity it squanders. Comedic gems litter the otherwise bland plot, making you wonder what script writer Elizabeth Meriweather was busy do- ing in her down time. But Emma’s quirky friends, who spread the gamut from the flamboy- ant gay man to the finger-snapping black girl, truly shine in the funniest of ways, and even at times pull the spotlight from Portman and Kutcher. More of this brisk, witty comedy would have gone a long way. Portman’s performance was commendable (which is saying a lot considering what she had to work with), and it’s reminiscent of her “Saturday Night Live” “Natalie Raps” clip. Her logical view on sex and love is refreshing sim- ply because of its straight-forwardness. Kutcher, however, should just go back to his Twitter battles and leave the rest of humanity in peace. You would think after “Killers” that Hollywood would have ridded the world of him, but alas, that’s not in the cards. So, in the end, it should- n’t surprise you to be dis- appointed with this classic cookie-cutter re- lease (which had less substance than an issue of TV Guide). And if you leave the theater having already forgotten the title of this particularly forget- table movie, don’t be upset: You’re not the only one. Two stars out of five. Dominic Baez is the copy editor/paginator for the East Oregonian. Relationships: Now with more strings attached At the Movies DOMINIC BAEZ M MO OV VI IE E R RE EV VI IE EW W “No Strings Attached” ★★★★★ AP photo by Paramount, Dale Robinette Ashton Kutcher, left, and Natalie Portman are shown in a scene from “No Strings Attached.” B BR RI IE EF FL L Y Y
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EO newspaper - "No Strings Attached" review
Transcript of 01.23.2011 3C
Apple app storehits 10 billiondownloadsNEW YORK (AP) — Ap-
ple says that its app storehas hit the 10 billiondownloads mark.The milestone, an-
nounced on Apple Inc.’swebsite Saturday, arrivesas the company’s hugelypopular smart phone islikely to become evenmore popular with the ad-dition next month ofVerizon Wireless as a car-rier.The company has sold
tens of millions ofiPhones since the devicelaunched in 2007 and con-tinues to expand the useof apps with its iPadtablet computer. Its appstore has drawn an armyof software developershoping to piggyback onthe company’s success.The store now boastsmore than 350,000 differ-ent programs for theiPhone, iPod Touch oriPad.Apple said it would
give the 10 billionth per-son to download an app a$10,000 gift card to itsiTunes store, which nowoffers movies and TVshows along with digitalmusic files. And the win-ner is Gail Davis ofOrpington, Kent, in theU.K. She downloaded afree game app called Pa-per Glider.
Winfrey promisesto spill familysecret MondayLOS ANGELES (AP) —
Oprah Winfrey has stagedmany a family reunion onher talk show. But onMonday’s episode, shepromises, the drama willbe about her.Winfrey told viewers
Thursday that she willhave a reunion of her ownon “The Oprah WinfreyShow.” She wouldn’t saywith whom— only that itinvolves something she’slearned about recentlyand is known to only afew people close to her.“I thought I’d seen it
all. But this, my friends, isthe miracle of all mira-cles,” Winfrey says in apromotional spot for theshow. The word “miracle”appears on screen, rein-forcing herpronouncement.“I was given some news
that literally shook me tomy core. This time, I’mthe one being reunited,”she said. “I was keeping a
family secret for months,and on Monday you’re go-ing to hear it straightfrom me.”
Ivanka Trump saysshe and husbandexpecting babyNEW YORK (AP) —
Ivanka Trump and herhusband are expectingtheir first child.The “Celebrity Appren-
tice” co-host announcedFriday on Twitter thatshe’s pregnant. In 2009,she married Jared Kushn-er, a New York real estatescion and publisher ofThe New York Observerweekly newspaper.The 29-year-old Trump
hasn’t said when she’sdue.Trump, the daughter of
Donald Trump and hisformer wife Ivana, is avice president at her fa-ther’s real estate companyand has a jewelry compa-ny. She graduated fromthe University of Pennsyl-vania.Kushner’s father was a
prominent Democraticpolitical donor whopleaded guilty to cam-paign and tax lawviolations.
Bob Marley’s heirswin image case inNevada courtLAS VEGAS (AP) — A
federal jury has sidedwith Bob Marley’s familyin ruling against a Ne-vada company accused ofmaking and selling appar-el featuring the reggaeicon’s image.
The Las Vegas Review-Journal reported Fridaythat jurors ruled againstAVELA and owner LeoValencia, awarding$300,000 in damages to acompany owned by Mar-ley’s family.U.S. District Judge
Philip Pro is expected toaward more damages af-ter determining howmuch profit was lost be-cause of unfaircompetition.A lawyer told the jury
in Las Vegas that BobMarley’s children don’twant to see the reggaelegend portrayed as abobblehead or a plushtoy.
Michelle Obamagoing on OprahWinfrey showThurs.WASHINGTON (AP) —
Michelle Obama is goingon “The Oprah WinfreyShow.”The White House says
the first lady is returning
to her Chicago hometownFriday to tape one of thelast original episodes ofWinfrey’s nationally syn-dicated talk show.Mrs. Obama will discuss
plans to launch a nation-wide campaign to supportfamilies with someone inthe military.The first lady has be-
come an advocate formilitary families. She hastraveled to military instal-lations to talk with
service members abouttheir needs and concernsand has urged Americansto volunteer time to helpthem.The program is sched-
uled to air Thursday.
WikiLeaksfounder’s storyoptioned as filmLOS ANGELES (AP) —
A coming biography ofWikiLeaks founder JulianAssange isn’t even instores yet, and it’s alreadybeen optioned into a fea-ture film.Plans are under way for
Andrew Fowler’s book,“The Most DangerousMan in the World,” to beturned into a movie. TheAustralian reporter firstinterviewed Assange lastMay, and his investigativebiography is due out later
this year.Josephson Entertain-
ment and MichelleKrumm Productions joint-ly optioned the movierights.Assange, 39, is the
founder of WikiLeaks, awhistle-blowing websitethat revealed classifiedinformation. He’s in Lon-don, where he’s battlingextradition to Swedenover sex-crime allega-tions.
Sunday, January 23, 2011 East Oregonian Page 3CENTERTAINMENT
‘No StringsAttached’ makesrelationshipslook difficult
Therecipe goes asfollows: boymeetsgirl, boy asks girlon a date, boy and
girl devel-op feelingsfor one an-other, boydoes some-thingstupid and“loses” thegirl, boydoes some-thingcompletelysweet andredeemingandwins said girl back,boy and girl live happilyever after (or until thecredits roll). Such is thelife of any romantic come-dy. So, it was pleasantlysurprising to have the girlin “No Strings Attached”play the guy role and royal-ly screw the pooch. But noamount of gender-roleswitching, raunchy comedyor sexualized puns is goingto save “No Strings At-tached” from falling intoutter obscurity.Already, you can feel its
lackluster plot being rele-gated to the same shelfsthat house “Valentine’sDay,” “The Back-Up Plan”and “27 Dresses.” Howev-er, unlike like most of itsilk, this one is rated R, de-servingly so because ofthe descriptive, sordid di-alogue.Not to be outdone by
his last not-so-super film,director Ivan Reitman(“My Super Ex-Girl-friend”) spends aninordinate length of timeintroducing the two maincharacters, Emma (Natal-ie Portman, “BlackSwan”) and Adam (AshtonKutcher, “That ’70sShow”) in what amountsto an editing room night-mare. It comes acrossmore as several differentopening sequences ratherthan one continuous leapthrough time. But, eventu-ally, the main plot isestablished. Emma, a doc-tor, and Adam, a filmstudio assistant, yet againbump into each other, re-alizing they are living inthe same city. Shortlythereafter, Adam discov-ers that his father (KevinKline, “Definitely,Maybe”) is sleeping withhis recent ex-girlfriend,which causes him to havea drunken existential cri-sis. This is where Emmacomes into play: Adamjust wants sex. In fact,he’s OK with the first girlin his address book whosays “yes.” But, he blacksout before he can accom-plish his mission, andwakes up naked in Em-ma’s apartment, nothaving slept with anyone.But that doesn’t stop himfrom having some morn-ing-after fun with her. In afresh twist on gender as-signment, it’s Emma who
wants to keep things sim-ple and non-committal.The story then unfolds ina particularly predictablefashion. But it’s not shock-ing, given how boxed ineverything is. Still, it’skind of surprising howunsurprising it is.However, the greatest
shame of this movie is theopportunity it squanders.Comedic gems litter theotherwise bland plot,making you wonder whatscript writer ElizabethMeriweather was busy do-
ing in her down time.But Emma’s quirky
friends, who spread thegamut from the flamboy-ant gay man to thefinger-snapping black girl,truly shine in the funniestof ways, and even at timespull the spotlight fromPortman and Kutcher.More of this brisk, wittycomedy would have gonea long way.Portman’s performance
was commendable (whichis saying a lot consideringwhat she had to work
with), and it’s reminiscentof her “Saturday NightLive” “Natalie Raps” clip.Her logical view on sexand love is refreshing sim-ply because of itsstraight-forwardness.Kutcher, however, shouldjust go back to his Twitterbattles and leave the restof humanity in peace. Youwould think after“Killers” that Hollywoodwould have ridded theworld of him, but alas,that’s not in the cards.So, in the end, it should-
n’t surprise you to be dis-appointed with thisclassic cookie-cutter re-lease (which had lesssubstance than an issue ofTV Guide). And if youleave the theater havingalready forgotten the titleof this particularly forget-table movie, don’t beupset: You’re not the onlyone.Two stars out of five.
�Dominic Baez is the copy
editor/paginator for the EastOregonian.
Relationships: Now with more strings attached
At the Movies
DOMINICBAEZ
MMOOVVIIEE RREEVVIIEEWW
“No Strings Attached”
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AP photo by Paramount, Dale RobinetteAshton Kutcher, left, and Natalie Portman are shown in a scene from “No Strings Attached.”
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