Composition: 'My favorite actor' (Jared Leto)

Korovashkina Yana

 

I think movies and television in whole make big influence on people of all kinds especially teenagers. I consider myself as a modern person so I can't stay away from such rapidly developing art as cinema. No doubt I have my favorite genres and actors. I keen on psychological, historical and war dramas. My favorite actor is Jared Leto, I'd like to tell you some facts about him.

He was born on December 26, 1971, in Bossier City, LA. He led a traveling childhood under the care of his mother, who moved her family to places ranging from Haiti to a Colorado commune. Leto, who was interested in becoming a painter, enrolled in Philadelphia's University of the Arts, but then discovered acting and transferred to the School of Visual Arts in New York City. While he was a student there, he wrote and starred in his own film, Crying Joy. Leto moved to Los Angeles in 1992 to pursue his acting career. In 1994, he got his big break playing in "My So-Called life". Although the show didn't have a long run, it accumulated a loyal cult following from being ceaselessly re-run on MTV. Leto soon became daydream fodder for teenage girls, a status furthered by his selection as one of People's "50 Most Beautiful People" in both 1996 and 1997. After starring with a pre-Clueless Alicia Silverstone in the 1994 TV movie "The Cool" and the Crazy, Leto was cast in his first big screen role in "How to Make an American Quilt" (1995). More work followed in "The Last of the High Kings" (1996), in which he co-starred with Christina Ricci, and in "Switchback" (1997), opposite Danny Glover and Dennis Quaid. Leto then took on an athletic part in the Disney-produced "Prefontaine" (1997), the story of legendary runner Steve Prefontaine.

1998 proved a good year for Leto, who appeared in Terrence Malick's "The Thin Red Line" as part of a powerhouse cast including Nick Nolte, George Clooney, and Sean Perm. In addition, he had a major role in "Urban Legend", one of the more successful exploitations of the teen horror genre. Leto did hit one stumbling block, however, with "Basil", a straight-to-video period drama co-starring Christian Slater and Claire Forlani. This misstep didn't seem to hurt the actor, whose name was already attached to a number of high-profile projects that would no doubt further increase his star wattage.

Two powerful projects were films "American Psycho" and "Requiem for a Dream", both released in 2000. Though passed up for the lead in the former film, Leto made an impression in a supporting role as an guy doomed to be the first victim of vapid serial killer Patrick Bateman. Later that year, Leto landed the plum lead role in up-and-coming director Darren Aronofsky's sophomore effort, the addiction drama "Requiem for a Dream". Playing a young Brooklyn man struggling with heroin and a severely unhinged mother, Leto had the opportunity to play against the legendary Ellen Burstyn as well as future Oscar winner Jennifer Connelly, and garnered the best reviews of his career.

Though two Leto-starring films - a would-be Boogie Nights ensemble piece named "Sunset Strip" (2000) and a road film eventually titled "Highway" (2001) - quickly went the way of the video store shelf, the performer would find himself better employed as a supporting actor in two of director David Fincher's more notable films. In the controversial "Fight Club" (1999), Leto had a small part as a masochistic anarchist wannabe.

After more supporting roles in 2002's "Panic Room" and 2004's "Alexander", during which time he also pursued his musical talents with the group 30 Seconds to Mars, Leto returns to the big screen in "Lord of War" (2005), "Lonely Hearts" (2006) and "Chapter 27" (2007).

 

Some quick facts about Jared:

·         Chosen by "People" magazine as one of the 50 Most Beautiful People in the World. 1996, 1997.

·         His hobbies include: Snow-boarding, skateboarding, hiking, writing songs, reading, painting.

·         Has a dog named Judas.

·         He is in a band called "30 Seconds To Mars" with his brother and two friends.

·         Jared's favorite food is Popcorn, vegetables and his best loved drink is Hot chocolate.

·         Jared gave up sex for two months when he was preparing for his role as a heroin addict in the movie Requiem for a Dream (2000). He also lost 28 pounds. Leto admits that playing the part of Harry Goldfarb was "sadomasochistic... the hardest thing I've done". For the future role of Lenon's killer Chapmen in the film "Chapter 27" - 2007, he's already put on 23 kilos.

·         Attended the University of the Arts in Philadelphia.

·         In many of his movies, he is disfigured in some way. In "Requiem For a Dream", his arm becomes infected and is amputated. In "Fight Club" his face is beaten beyond recognition. In "Panic Room" he is badly burned. In "American Psycho" he is brutally murdered with an axe. In "Alexander" became infected with typhus and died. In "Lord of war" he was shot because of his desire to stop the weapon deal.

 

 

 

Composition "My favorite singer" (Vladimir Kuzmin)

Korovaskina Yana

 

Music is an important part of our life. There are huge numbers of different styles. From techno to metal, from pop to classical rock. I like rock music. My favorite singer is Vladimir Kuzmin. He has reached success in 1980's and his songs are still listened to.

He is a true legend of Russian rock-and-roll scene — a musician, who gave 25 years to his career and presented more then 200 amazing songs to his listeners...

A musician, who has recorded and released an impressive number of albums - 18 studio CD's, 4 live concert CD's, 4 CD's of duos with other musicians and 12 CD's with his best songs; besides, each of his albums got a multi-platinum status...

A man, whose songs are familiar to several generations...

One of the most gifted guitar musicians, singer, composer, who has really become a great artist...

...Vladimir Kuzmin was born in Moscow on the 31-st of May, 1955. His father was a sea officer and his mother was an English teacher. He was an 'A' student. Kuzmin has gone in for music already in his early childhood. He graduated from music school (in the violin-type). Kuzmin wrote his first song at the age of 6 and himself mastered guitar at the age of 12. He organized his first rock band at the age of 13.

After school Vladimir decided to enter the Moscow railway university, but after the 2-nd year he went away, because he understood that his real way to live is music. He entered the music university, where he learnt to play the flute, the violin, the sax. The first experience of performing on the professional stage was in the VIA "Nadegda", where Vladimir played the guitar. Soon he was invited to the more popular "Samozweti", where he had been for a year. There he found his unique style of playing guitar using the saxophone particularities with the help of Vladimir Presnyakov.

In 1979 Kuzmin and Alexander Barikyn organized a new band "Karnaval", which obtained phenomenal popularity in Moscow. By that time Vladimir had collected his own material, ideas and songs. Repertoire of the band consisted mostly of Kuzmin's songs. First concerts of band were very successful. "Karnaval" was a serious school for Kuzmin. But soon the band finished its existence. It happened because of a quarrel between Kuzmin and Barikyn.

In May of 1982 Vladimir Kuzmin, who was well-known in the country, organized the band "Dinamik" - and at the moment - amazing success. "Dinamik" started to work very hard: made tour inside the country, recorded 2 albums. Rock-and-roll of the band was very close to the hearts of common people.

In 1985 Kuzmin took part in recording of the rock-opera "Stadium" and released his 1-st solo-album "Golos". Soon after the band "Dinamik" had disappeared.

Kuzmin unexpectedly became the singer in the Theatre of Song of Alla Pugacheva. Partnership with this singer has become the crucial moment in the career of Vladimir. Songs of Kuzmin could be listened on the radio, videos could be seen on the most famous TV channels. Vladimir changed the style of his songs - from the rock-and-roll to lyric ballads, and his famous love songs. In the 1987 Kuzmin recorded his 2-nd album "Moya Lubov". In March he decided to reborn "Dinamik". Band performed greatly again. Musicians were known all about the country. It was the time of the top of their popularity.

At the beginning of the 90's Vladimir went to the USA (California). Vladimir made covers of all Hendrix and Clapton. He managed to become popular here. "Dinamik" was in the TOP-20 of the best bands in California. In 1992 in the USA Kuzmin recorded 2 english albums. In the end of the year Kuzmin came back to Moscow and he is staying here for the moment.

Songs by Kuzmin are very beautiful and romantic. Ballads had become the label of the singer. Some of them make people cry. They alarm, worry, force to think. Every year Kuzmin releases one album and one video, makes concert program and performs it in his tour. He reached the stage of professionalism, when it's forbidden to write weak songs. Vladimir continues to work hard - there are about 200 unfinished songs. So the career of Vladimir Kuzmin is steel successfully going on.