Cinema makes return to Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia hosted its first public film screening in over 35 years on Friday, two days after US movie giant AMC unveiled the kingdom's debut theatre in Riyadh.

Clutching prized tickets for the sold-out showing of Hollywood blockbuster action film "Black Panther", men and women walked into the movie hall with tubs of popcorn and fizzy drinks.


AMC chief executive Adam Aron on Wednesday said its multiplex theatre at Riyadh's King Abdullah Financial District will for now operate one screen with a seating capacity of around 250.

He said plans were afoot for three more screens in the coming months.

The conservative desert kingdom lifted a decades-long ban on cinemas last year as part of a far-reaching modernisation drive, with AMC Entertainment granted the first licence to operate movie theatres.

Religious hardliners, who have long vilified movie theatres as vulgar and sinful, were instrumental in shutting down cinemas in the 1980s.

Reopening movie theatres is part of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's ambitious reform drive as he seeks to balance unpopular subsidy cuts in an era of low oil prices with more entertainment options.

The choice of "Black Panther", a film about a young monarch of a fictional resource-rich African kingdom, has drawn parallels with the Saudi prince.

On social media, many Saudis complained that the ticket price of 75 Saudi riyals ($20), which included a new entertainment tax and value-added tax introduced this year, was too exorbitant in an age of austerity.

"If we go as a family we will need a loan," one Saudi tweeted.

Saudis currently splurge billions of dollars annually to see films and visit amusement parks in neighbouring tourist hubs like Dubai and Bahrain.

"Welcome to the era when movies can be watched by Saudis not in Bahrain, not in Dubai, not in London... but inside the kingdom," Aron said Wednesday at the launch of the theatre.

International theatre chains have long eyed Saudi Arabia as the Middle East's last untapped mass market, with its more than 30 million people, the majority of whom are under 25.

AMC will face stiff competition from heavyweights such as Dubai-based VOX Cinemas, which on Thursday announced it had also secured a government licence to operate in Saudi Arabia and would open the kingdom's first IMAX theatre in the coming days.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Old faves 'Breaking Bad,' 'Modern Family' top Emmys

LOS ANGELES - AMC's gritty drug drama "Breaking Bad" was honored at the Primetime Emmy Awards on Monday as the top drama series on U.S. television for the second consecutive year, and picked up three top acting awards.

The series about schoolteacher Walter White, who begins making and selling methamphetamines to care for his family after a terminal cancer diagnosis, concluded last year after five seasons.

"Holy cow!" exclaimed "Breaking Bad" creator Vince Gilligan when accepting the Emmy statuette, U.S. television's highest honor.

"This is indeed a wonderful time to be working in television ... we're all lucky to be working now," added Gilligan, whose show picked up five Emmys for cable network AMC.

"Breaking Bad" held off upstart "True Detective," Netflix's online political thriller "House of Cards," HBO medieval fantasy "Game of Thrones," PBS British period series "Downton Abbey" and AMC ad world portrait "Mad Men."

The annual Emmys, which are handed out by the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, pitted cable and online newcomers against traditional cable and network heavyweights, with the Academy picking old favorites over cable and Internet upstarts.

In comedy, ABC's "Modern Family" about unconventional families won best series for the fifth consecutive year, tying 1990s NBC sitcom "Frasier" for the most comedy victories.

"'Modern Family' has been a big, beautiful dream for the last five years and we thank you for not waking us up," said series co-creator Steven Levitan.

"Breaking Bad" streaked through its final Emmys as Bryan Cranston, who portrays Walter White, won for best actor in a drama while co-stars Aaron Paul and Anna Gunn each won for their supporting roles.

Juliana Margulies won best drama actress for her role as lawyer Alicia Florrick in CBS's "The Good Wife."

Somber Williams tribute

Although the big broadcasters were shut out of the nominations for best drama and have taken a backseat to cable and Netflix in recent years, they notched several early wins among comedies, with CBS picking up a leading five wins alongside AMC and FX.

HBO earned four wins, while broadcasters ABC and PBS each earned three. Netflix, which earned nominations for political thriller "House of Cards" and comedy "Orange Is the New Black" was shut out in top awards.

Jim Parsons won his fourth lead acting Emmy for playing the pedantic nerd Sheldon in the CBS comedy "The Big Bang Theory," and Julia Louis-Dreyfus won her third consecutive Emmy for her role as the foul-mouthed, gaffe-prone U.S. Vice President Selina Meyer on HBO's political satire "Veep."

"Fargo" gave FX Networks its first Emmy for a program, but actors from the critically acclaimed miniseries lost out on awards despite being heavy favorites, especially lead actor Billy Bob Thornton.

The Emmys, which were hosted by comedian Seth Meyers in Los Angeles, were moved up from their usual Sunday night spot in September so as not to conflict with NBC's ratings-powerhouse "Sunday Night Football" and MTV's Video Music Awards.

The celebratory program assumed a somber tone when actor Billy Crystal paid a cosmic tribute to friend and comedian Robin Williams, who died in an apparent suicide two weeks ago.

In the comedy awards, comedian Louis C.K. won his second writing award for his FX show "Louie," and Stephen Colbert's Comedy Central fake news show "The Colbert Report" won the Emmy for best variety program for the second consecutive year.

British television miniseries "Sherlock: His Last Vow" won three Emmys for U.S. public broadcaster PBS.

HBO's "The Normal Heart" earned best TV movie honors for its depiction of the early fight against AIDS.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com