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This week's movie releases are a bit funny due to the Fourth of July holiday: While both "The Amazing Spider-Man" and "Katy Perry: Part of Me" are already in theaters, I imagine a lot of you will be playing catchup this weekend, so I've included them for your review.

Dripping of blood, sex and drugs, Oliver Stone's "Savages" is the only wide release debuting in theaters this weekend. But for those of you in the right geographic locations, there are a slew of new limited releases to look out for in theaters: "Collaborator," "Crazy Eyes," "The Do-Deca Pentathlon," "The Magic of Belle Isle," "The Pact," "Vampires" and "Starry Starry Night."

Let's get to your new movies crip sheet:

Savages



Rated R for strong brutal and grisly violence, some graphic sexuality, nudity, drug use and language throughout.

What's the story?

Turning stereotypical Hollywood chauvinism on its head -- and a whole lot of other, nastier things -- Oliver Stone seemed to have great fun toying with role reversals in "Savages," based on a Don Winslow novel of the same name. Blake Lively plays O, a typical Orange County beach babe looking for fun in the sun and at the mall. The catch is, she has... (wait for it)... two boyfriends. But before you start thinking that's the main focus of this tale, I'll clarify: O's boyfriends, played by Aaron Johnson and Taylor Kitsch, are big-time Southern California marijuana distributors, and the Mexican cartel want in on their action. Led by Salma Hayek, the cartel is powered by extreme tactics executed by her lead henchmen, played by Benicio Del Toro and Demián Bichir. The So. Cal kids are forced to fight evil with evil. The movie, as Stone recently told me himself, is truly "a wild ride." Look for John Travolta's smart performance as a crooked DEA agent.

Who will dig it?

Most reminiscent of Stone's "Natural Born Killers," fans of that film, as well as general Stone fans should enjoy this jolt-to-the-system-movie. People who revel in Tarantino-style action and violence should also find similarity in this in-your-face film.

Katy Perry: Part of Me


Rated PG for some suggestive content, language, thematic elements and brief smoking.


What's the story?

She let cameras follow her on tour and she liked it. This Katy Perry documentary delves into her childhood, her tight knit relationship with her quirky grandmother and her sister who she describes as "the warden." Shot while her marriage to comedian Russell Brand was crumbling, the film also offers a view into the personal side of that headline-grabbing story. And, oh yeah, it's in 3D!

Who will dig it?

It goes without saying hardcore Katy Perry fans will flock to this film and like it too, but general pop culture and celebrity news fans should also be pleased as punch to see the personal side of Perry and her many colorful get-ups.

The Amazing Spider-Man


Rated PG-13 for sequences of action and violence.


What's the story?

This Spidey redux goes back to the beginning when Peter Parker (Andrew Garfield) fumbles his way through high school, trying to figure out who he is, all the while experiencing his very first crush on Gwen Stacy (Emma Stone). Seeking information about the secret contents of his late father's brief case, Parker unwittingly confides in the wrong person -- Dr. Curt Conners A/K/A The Lizard (Rhys Ifans).

Who will dig it?

Not only fans of the comic book, and not only fans of the prior installment starring Tobey Maguire, but people who liked "500 Days of Summer," also directed by Marc Webb, will enjoy this one, which prominently explores the relationship between Spidey and his first girlfriend. Awww, cute.

Oliver Stone makes no bones about it — he is an overall proponent of marijuana. So it's no surprise the controversial plant is a central theme in his new film "Savages," in theaters this weekend. (It's also no surprise he recently landed himself on the cover of High Times, pictured smoking a joint.)

"Savages," a work of fiction based on a Don Winslow novel of the same name, delves into a current world wherein legal marijuana distribution clashes with a very crooked Mexican cartel. The film delivers shocks to the system, filled with stylized violence, sex and drug laden sequences, along with a few jack-in-the-box surprises, likely designed by Stone to jolt you out of your seat. "Savages" is also an exercise in juxtaposition, depicting both bright Southern California beach culture and calculated, bloody organized crime.

I recently sat down with Mr. Stone to talk about his stance on the green, leafy drug and how he chose to approach it in the film. He also discusses how drug dealing has changed since he wrote "Scarface." Known for his many films which explore the Vietnam War, a war Stone fought in real life, "Savages" is a relatively rare occurrence wherein Stone reflects on more recent wars.


Meriah Doty: "Savages" depicts not only the business of marijuana distribution but also touches on the legalization of marijuana. What do you hope audiences will take away?

Oliver Stone: I never think about that. They take away what they take away. Look, it is legal in… California as well as 20 other states, and the federal government is cracking down. I think the federal government is dead wrong. Prosecuting the war on drugs will get us nowhere. It's just going to end up with more people in prison, more money being spent, more damage to Mexico, more damage to our own culture. We have an entire African American underclass in prison because of victimless crimes such as marijuana. It's gotta stop, but it won't. The system is built on money. So, I'm not optimistic about America's ability to extract itself from the war on drugs — It's a mistake in the first place. I believe in, at the very least, decriminalization of the drug. If you can't legalize it, at least decriminalize it — 'cause who's getting hurt here? Marijuana is a healing drug and it's been a very kind friend to humanity for about 3, 4 thousand years. Probably cavemen smoked it for Christsake. I think alcohol and cigarettes are far more damaging.

MD: How has the business of drug dealing changed since you wrote "Scarface" in the early eighties?

OS: [There has been a] huge amount of change. In the 1980s it was coming through Florida. And it was Colombian and it was coke [i.e. cocaine]. Because of the crackdowns in Florida by the feds and the RICO Act it went through Mexico. [The Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act established in 1970, which was aimed at disabling organized crime.]… And then the Mexicans had the bright idea of taking over the trade themselves. The Colombians got cut out — It was called the "trampoline effect." Not only that but Mexican weed had been growing for generations. Actually we planted marijuana -- the United States government — in the 1930s as an experiment for medical purposes — we planted it in Mexico. We gave them the poppy idear [sic] and they kept coming with it. The weed in Mexico was not great, nor was it ever, but they developed new methods. But the idear [sic] of the movie is that they want to move in on the quality control — the California wines are the best — these Americans have devised ways to make the seeds — cross seeds — in ways that are very creative. So, the idear [sic] in the movie is that when you get a niche business Wal-Mart's going to come in and be your partner or take you over — which leads to bloodshed and resistance.  Cause these kids resist and I think that's much to their credit.


MD: In many of your films you depict the Vietnam War, in this the Iraq War is a backdrop. How is depicting that war different?

OS: Not different at all. It's very much the same. Taylor Kitsch [plays a] veteran from Iraq and Afghanistan. He brings back the [marijuana] seed from Afghanistan. He also has buddies who are willing to back him 100 percent in a very bloody stand against the cartel. This has all happened before in various forms since Vietnam. America is enamored of its wars… These wars come home to roost. The drug war will come here eventually as will Afghanistan and Iraq — and they did in 2001.


MD: In the film you fuse light moments with extremely dark and violent moments. What was your strategy in keeping the tone at the right balance?

OS: Light and dark. It was my "Beach Blanket Bingo." You know, I loved Laguna Beach — it was in the Don Winslow book. He loves the beach and the sun and the sand and the surf. It was always intended to be brightly colored. The savage backdrop comes with the cartels: dark, black. And you see the contrast. I love those kinds of movies — from heaven to hell and back.

MD:Who are savages in the real world today?

OS: You have to decide that for yourself. The movie [has an] ironic title. I think it's said in the movie they talk about who the real savages are. But certainly you have to put the focus quite a bit on Aaron Johnson's character 'cause he is, at the beginning of the movie, the one, I think, you would identify with the most. Where he goes and his journey is symbolic of what the drug war has done to this country.

Perhaps you didn't realize that the red-headed Weasley twins of the "Harry Potter" film franchise are actually brunette.

After more than ten years of coloring their hair, the twins, James and Oliver Phelps, now 26 years old, have retired their hair dye and hopped across the pond to Hollywood with dreams of breaking into the industry all over again.

And they are more than happy with their updated 'do [via the Daily Mail]:

We miss a lot of things about doing 'Harry Potter,' but dyeing our hair isn't one of them... I'm a Birmingham City fan and I was at a match with my friends and they were asking me if I wanted to get a drink afterwards. 'I said: "I can't — I've got to get my roots done" and everyone in the crowd turned to look at me. There's a time and a place to talk about your hair and a football match probably isn't one of them.'--James


Known for pulling pranks on set -- even changing their names around to confuse cast and crew during rehearsals -- James and Oliver's "Harry Potter" alter egos where famous for copying each other in every way possible. But time spent on movie sets didn't seem to spoil their formative years [also via the Daily Mail]:

When we were making and promoting the films we had to understand grown-up kind of things about how hotels worked, what we needed when traveling, stuff about airports, motorways, that kind of thing. But I wouldn't say we lost out on our childhood — it just added to it. --Oliver



Now that they've moved to the U.S. to take a crack at Tinseltown , the identical twins, just 13 minutes apart in age, have settled close to the beach in nearby Santa Monica, CA.

Competitive with each other in games and gaining the highest number of Twitter followers, one can only hope their likely impending competition over acting roles doesn't spoil their seemingly earnest brotherly love.

Lying needs imagination. Whether you're fabricating, exaggerating or distorting the truth. And the much loved filmmaker Hrishikesh Mukerjee showcased the art and wit behind this theory to perfection in rich comedies like Chupke Chupke, Naram Garam and Gol Maal.

His protagonists were legendary fibbers, engaged in harmless pranks or making up a pack of ingenious lies to tackle a recurring target -- the eccentric elderly.

These are revered realisations that need to be preserved not tampered with. Except show is seldom spelled without business in this industry and even the most special films are sacrificed as fodder for inferior creativity.

But if you can desensitise yourself to this disconcerting trend, enjoying the chowmeinisation of Mukerjee's zestful, feel-good Gol Maal by director Rohit Shetty will be no trouble at all.

Like this year's Players and Agneepath, Bol Bachchan is not an exact replica of its celebrated source. Fox Star Studios purchased the rights but co-producer Ajay Devgn realised he 'cannot compete' with the original and said this is their way of paying 'tribute.' Although if your translation skills are as garbled as Devgn's character in the film, this could be decoded as yet another potential 100 crore feather in his cap.

Shetty picks up all the major plot points of the original only to alter it with his boisterous, cheesy, slapstick and visually flashy sensibilities, known to work hugely in his favour given the success of the propitiously titled Golmaal franchise. Unlike the Utpal Dutt-Amol Palekar starrer, however, Bol Bachchan isn't an out-and-out comedy throwing in large-scale action and irksome melodrama.

Bol Bachchan opens with a flamboyant title song featuring an ebullient Amitabh Bachchan (in a guest appearance) along with the caper's main leads – Ajay Devgn and Abhishek Bachchan in costumes that glitter more than Tinker Bell's lifetime supply of pixie dust.

The razzmatazz is followed by some lacklustre writing that establishes Bachchan Jr's Abbas and sister Sania (played by Asin) as a pair of siblings left in dire conditions after losing their ancestral property to a relative. Following an advice from family friend Shastri (Asrani doing what he does in every Priyadarshan movie), the trio and the soon-to-ensue trickery shifts to Ranakpur, Rajasthan .

Why they don't rent a place and try looking for a job in the city? Whether they are formally educated are questions I don't even dare ask. Once in Ranakpur, Abbas and Sania are introduced to an army of characters.

There's the brawny wrestler cum influential village lord Prithviraj (Ajay Devgn), his sister Radhika (Prachi Desai), his sidekick (a typecast Neeraj Vora), his villainous, property-disputing cousin, Asrani's son Ravi Shastri (Krushna Abhishek is part funny, part uncontrollable) and his nautanki band (a nice touch there as they keep reenacting strategic scenes from the 1979 classic).

Within minutes of arrival, Abbas heroically rescues a boy from drowning against Amar Mohile's earsplitting background score and is immediately taken under the wing by the mildly foolish Prithviraj as his accounts overseer.

Hitch? Abbas conceals his religious identity and introduces himself as Abhishek Bachchan. Yes it is the sort of film where even that's worth a titter and Ravi Shastri is a joke. (Okay, so maybe there's a little truth in that.) Moreover, implying a Hindu-Muslim prejudice seems irrelevant when Shetty isn't interested in portraying anyone as an intolerant type harping on secular sentiments like 'Ram in Ramazan and Ali in Diwali .'

Just when Shetty's excesses begin to tear my hair away from the scalp, Bol Bachchan, finally, decides to redeem all that money it spent in buying the copyright. Even if the circumstances that lead to Abbas/Abhishek slipping into yarn-weaving mode are never too compelling, it's a relief to see the lie go places and wrap up its unjustified two hours, 35 minutes running time.

Also, as the gap between the real deal and the ordeal widens, one begins to take in the farce for what it has to offer.

Like the fake mom shopping with Archana Puran Singh (the lady resists her hamming tendencies to an appreciable degree and actually does well as the bogus version of her kindly predecessor), or the multiple mommas gag to follow soon after or Bachchan's hilarious boogie on a medley of songs ranging from Mere dholna (Bhool Bulaiyaa), Darling (7 Khoon Maaf), Ooh la la (The Dirty Picture) and DK Bose (Delhi Belly) or the pre-climax, Karz-inspired gig, it's all very silly and droll.Not all of its humour is on the inoffensive side what with the numerous innuendoes, crude gestures and frequent suggestions of homophobia.

The heroines are restricted to bleh, sisterly parts with precious little to do leaving Archana Puran Singh as the only lady in the cast making some kind of impression. Been a while since we last saw Ms Braganza in her element.

Bol Bachchan primarily concerns itself with its leading men and their blundering equation. They even redo an iconic moment from the original, which would warantee a good laugh at Comedy Circus (judged by Shetty)but gets a half-smile nonetheless.

Devgn's contribution to the buffoonery is mouthing absurd English translations of Hindi phrases (Honesty is the best mutual policy, A brother in need is a sister indeed, Necessity is the mother of Discovery Channel, When elders are getting cozy, younger don't bring nosy, I will make you remember Milk No 6, to list a few) in every single scene. The shtick gets seriously jaded after a while.

Ideally someone like Anil Kapoor was better suited for his role. Devgn looks suitably gruff and goofy, his comedic skin has loosened up considerably but those snarling faces and a hammering baritone that oscillates between a gravelly, fake Marwari accent and lousy Hinglish liners gets overbearing after a point.

If there's one thing about this over-crowded, over-the-top, overboard, overlong flick, with not an ounce of subtlety -- right from the obese pahelwans populating Devgn's entourage to the bright, magenta flowers on Abhishek's shirt -- which actually clicks, it's the eponymous hero. Abhishek Bachchan underplays it as the regular, unspectacular dude with his Rowdy Rathoreish moustache but it's his turn as the queer brother where he really lets his hair down like a guy who hasn't had this much fun at office in days. Despite the overstated tone, it works.

What doesn't is Shetty's decision to end this like an Anees Bazmee movie. Think No Entry or Welcome. Then again, why is that not a surprise?

Bol Bachchan is dispensable cinema, forgotten almost immediately after it's over. What I kept wondering is how does Asrani who acted in Mukerjee's acclaimed films like Chupke Chupke, Abhimaan, Bawarchi feel about working in the remake of a film where the hero wore his kurta. Don't know what I'm talking about? You deserve Bol Bachchan. But if you do, you must have already begun scouting for your copy of Gol Maal somewhere.

London, July 6  Seven men have been arrested in Britain on suspicion of being involved in terror offences, after weapons were found hidden in a car, police said Friday. A day earlier, six people - one of them a woman - were arrested in London in an operation led by British intelligence agency MI5.

Police said one man from West Yorkshire and six from West Midlands are being questioned on suspicion of the commission, preparation or instigation of acts of terrorism, The Sun reported.

Police said the contents of the car were undergoing forensic analysis and the suspects' homes had been searched.

The arrests followed a routine stop of a vehicle by police on a motorway in South Yorkshire. The car was impounded on suspicion of having no insurance, a police spokesman said.

"Firearms, offensive weapons and other material were later found hidden inside, prompting police to take action to trace and arrest the driver, passenger and others suspected of being involved," he said.

Three men aged 23, 26 and 27 from Sparkhill, Birmingham, a 22-year-old from Alum Rock, Birmingham, a 24-year-old from Moseley area of the city, and a 22-year-old from Smethwick, West Midlands, were arrested.

A 43-year old man from Kirklees, West Yorkshire, was also detained.

On Thursday, six men and a woman, suspected to be involved in terrorism offences were arrested in London.

The arrests were related to a possible plot involving Islamist extremists, with potential British targets. However, they were not linked to the Olympics or Paralympics, BBC reported.

Britain's terror threat level is still "substantial", which means a terrorist attack is a "strong possibility", police said.

There are two higher levels - "severe", meaning an attack is "highly likely", and "critical", meaning an attack is "expected imminently", BBC said.

Noida, July 6  India batsman Virender Sehwag Friday said Mahendra Singh Dhoni had a good side during the 2011 World Cup that helped him lead it to the title.

Sehwag said a strong team backed by the able leadership of Dhoni helped India win the World Cup after 28 years.

"Dhoni got a very strong team. When you get a strong team, it is easier to perform well just like Australia did at one point of time. We won World Cup because we had a very strong team which was ably backed by Dhoni's leadership," said Sehwag when asked what helped Dhoni to lead India to two World Cups, including the Twenty20 World Cup in 2007.

Sehwag, who is back in the national team for the ODI tour of Sri Lanka, said Sachin Tendulkar will be missed in the series. Tendulkar has opted out the series.

Sehwag said Tendulkar, who is approaching 40s, should have the right to pick and choose his innings.

"Not only me but the whole country misses Sachin when he is not in action. But one should realise that he is 39 years and he should be allowed to pick and choose which series he wants to go. He will certainly be available for the Test series against New Zealand," Sehwag told reporters during the inauguration of Saba Karim-Genesis Pro-Cricket Centre.

Sehwag said he was fitness and is looking forward for the series in Sri Lanka starting July 21.

"I played almost all the matches in Indian Premier League and there is no fitness issue now. The ODI tour of Sri Lanka will also help me in preparing for the Twenty20 World Cup to be held there," he said.

Asked whether he was concerned with the performance of some young Indian batsmen during the recent 'A' tour of the West Indies, Sehwag said: "Before I became a prominent member of the senior team I have also gone for 'A' tours. Some people get runs on this kind of tours and some don't. That does not mean that those who fail are not good enough. The best part is that you can make mistakes and learn from it, try to rectify in your domestic cricket and come back stronger."

When queried whether the future of Test cricket is threatened by the popularity of Twenty20 cricket, Sehwag said he sees no danger for the the longest format of the game.

"You ask any youngster and he would always tell you that he wants to be successful in Test cricket. You will see cricketers retiring from ODIs to prolong their Test career but you will never see a cricketer retiring from both Test and ODI to play only Twenty20," he said.

New Delhi, July 6  Badminton ace Saina Nehwal, who is confident of winning the gold in the London Olympics, was initially into karate before she took up the shuttlecock game, says a just released book.

Saina was learning the martial art from coach Indrasena Reddy in Hyderabad paying Rs.100 a month.

"The karate coaching came to an abrupt end in December 1998 when, during a demonstration, the instructor prepared to run a motorbike over the hands of the students," says journalist T.S. Sudhir's book "Saina Nehwal: An Inspirational Biography" (Nimby Books).

"Saina's parents did not allow that and withdrew her from karate. Karate's loss was to become badminton's gain."

A born vegetarian, Saina, the book says, became non-vegetarian in 2005 while in China.

According to her coach P. Gopichand, when they found no vegetarian fare at a restaurant they were in, he told Saina to eat fish and crab.

The champion in the making did not argue. The book quotes Gopichand as saying: "To my surprise, she ate. No questions asked. She couldn't even open her mouth, but she ate."

But Saina, the book says, still does not particularly like meat. "She stays away from fish and mutton and only eats chicken. Given a choice, she still would fill her plate with rajma, dal and roti."

The 231-page book, the first biography of one of India's greatest sporting icons, is packed with interesting anecdotes from the time the Haryana-born Saina took to badminton.

Saina was in tears when she lost her first expensive badminton Isometric racquet that in 1999 cost Rs,2,700. It was bought for the under-10 Krishna Khaitan Tournament in Chennai.

In her early teens, Saina had to travel 25 km daily for training in Hyderabad. As she woke up at 4 a.m., "many a time Saina would doze off on the backseat of (her father's) scooter". In March 2000 the family purchased a Maruti 800 car for Saina's use.

Although she chose badminton over studies, there was a time when she would carry two bags -- one with her badminton kit and another with school books.

Her steadily growing badminton career cost the middle class family - her father Harvir Singh was an official in the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) - Rs.12,000 a month when she was barely 12-13 years old.

From 1999, the Sports Authority of India gave her a fellowship of Rs.700, a kit and second class train fare for tournaments.

In 2003, the Petroleum Sports Promotion Board gave her a fellowship of Rs.2,500.

Harvir Singh and mother Usha Rani were surprised when Bharat Petroleum offered Saina a job when she was only 14 and had not passed Class 10.

To finance her game, her father drew money from his provident fund six times, claiming his wife was ill.

In contrast, Saina paid Rs.60 lakh in income tax in 2010 and Rs.1.5 crore in 2011. Her chartered accountant's fee alone was Rs.2.5 lakh. Companies now vie to pay her around Rs.1 crore for an endorsement.

The book says her aloofness coupled with aggression on court did not make her popular with players at the receiving end.

"In Saina's case, the urge to 'take revenge' has always been part of her personality. "She is also very stubborn... It is this lack of fear and respect that enabled her to beat top Chinese players."

Saina is extremely fond of chocolates, biscuits and ice cream, the book says.

Once, after visiting Malaysia, her weight went up by seven kilograms due to wrong diet. Her fitness was hit. "Now Gopi's permission is required if Saina wants to celebrate a win with an ice cream!"

The Hyderabad resident enjoys playing in Indonesia, "where she feels she perhaps has more fans than in India". This is because Indonesians resent Chinese domination of world badminton.

Does Saina, who turned 22 in March, have marriage plans?

Wedding is a long way off, according to her parents. Saina says: "At the moment, it is only badminton, badminton and badminton."

Her proud father, who has given up promotions to be in Hyderabad for her sake, says: "I wish every parent had a daughter like Saina."

Handwara (Jammu and Kashmir), July 6 (ANI): Two of the six militants engaged in a gun battle with security forces in Handwara for the past 48 hours were killed on Friday.

ne soldier of the Special Operations Group of the police was injured during the encounter.

The joint army- police operation was launched in Bowan village of Nowgam sector, about 100 km from Srinagar on Thursday.

Washington, July 6 : Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes "fought viciously" over how to raise their six-year-old daughter Suri, it has been revealed.

According to a source, prior to Holmes' June 28 divorce filing, the 33-year-old actress bristled at the bizarre tenets behind Scientology parenting, Us Magazine reported. aised a Catholic but converting to the talked-about faith after getting together with Cruise, 50, back in 2005, Holmes is fed up with the demands of child-rearing according to Scientology's rules.

As an infant, little Suri was fed a mixture of barley water, milk and corn syrup instead of formula or breast milk, as prescribed by founder L. Ron Hubbard.

While Cruise enlisted Scientologists to homeschool his children (which also include Connor, 17, and Bella, 19, his kids with ex Nicole Kidman), Holmes wanted a more traditional education for her daughter.

"They fought over schools," a source said.

Suri's famously indulged life-designer clothes, frequent ice cream stops-was a result of another Scientology tenet, in which parents "treat kids like grown-ups," a source said.

Another insider added that Cruise was "all-around overindulgent" with Suri. "Katie struggled to be a disciplinarian."

Holmes herself stopped going to Scientology classes-which she once attended up to three times a week-about a year and a half ago.

In her divorce filing last week, she asked for sole legal custody of Suri.

"She wants to be in charge of how Suri is being raised and didn' want her to have an exclusively Scientology education," a source said.