98% Before Midnight

All Critics (146) | Top Critics (38) | Fresh (142) | Rotten (3)

Hawke and Delpy remain as charming as ever, and their combined goofiness is more endearing than annoying.

Love is messy here, life cannot be controlled, satisfaction is far from guaranteed. Romance is rocky at best. But romance still is.

Though "Before Midnight" is often uncomfortable to watch, it's never less than mesmerizing - and ultimately, a joy to walk with this prickly but fascinating couple again.

"Before Midnight" is heartbreaking, but not because of Jesse and Celine. It's the filmmakers' passions that seem to have cooled.

Before Midnight is fascinating to watch, and so long as Celine and Jesse are communicating, there's still hope.

How (Jesse and Celine) try to rekindle that flame is what drives Midnight, a film that feels so authentic it's like overhearing a conversation you're not sure you should be hearing.

Loving words mix with personal attacks, the magic moments with the unintended slights, as we witness the occasional desperation of imperfect people doing the best they can when life moves beyond meet-cute and courtship. That's authentic.

Linklater and his players bring an end to the fantasy and welcome the thrilling ups and bitter downs of reality to this love story.

Like the first two films, it reflects the real world in a way that seems almost preternatural. It's just that, here, the real world is a harsher, more disappointing place.

The duo, clearly so comfortable in their characters' skin, indulge in intelligent banter, sharp humour and emotional truths.

So much better written than contemporary novels, this film is a literary as well as cinematic achievement to cherish. For grown-ups.

As before, it's often very funny, with Jesse and Celine swapping Woody Allen-esque one-liners - nicely snarky, appealingly abrasive.

The acting, the dialogue and direction are superb.

None of the films is faultless in itself, but, tinted with complementary tones, the complete cycle comes as close to perfection as any trilogy in cinema history.

Marvelous. It's impossible to shake the feeling that we are merely eavesdropping on reality. Witty, wise, and -- most important of all -- truly romantic in ways that movies usually aren't.

It's been 18 years since Hawke, Delpy and Linklater introduced us to Jesse and Celine, and their story just gets richer, funnier and more punchy each time we see them. In 1995's Before Sunrise, they were idealistic 23-year-olds.

Hawke and Delpy are as believably real as any screen couple can ever be.

This is one of the few sequels for which the cliche 'eagerly awaited' is truly applicable.

Predictably, it's just as great as the first two.

By the end, Before Midnight inches towards a dawn of charm. But it's a troubled trip.

As an organic experiment in collaboration between actors and director, it is a triumph, co-created and co-owned by Delpy, Linklater and Hawke.

Hawke and Delpy, who are both credited on the script too, have never found co-stars to bounce off more nimbly or bring out richer nuances in their acting.

The performances and dialogue are wonderfully naturalistic; a reminder that the best special effects are often the cheapest.

Before Midnight is about the nature of long-term relationships, and the way love deepens and grows but also finds itself subject to the complications of maturity. Smart, insightful, and poignant.

For those who witnessed Jesse and Celine's tentative getting together as inter railing students almost twenty years ago, it's reassuring to see them still in love.

Brilliantly directed, superbly written and impeccably acted, this is a thoroughly enjoyable, thought-provoking and emotionally engaging drama that perfectly complements the previous two films.

Source: http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/before_midnight_2013/

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State regulators warn virtual currency exchanges: WSJ

(Reuters) - State regulators are warning virtual currency exchanges and other companies that deal with Bitcoin that they could be shut down if their activities run counter to money transmission laws, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing people familiar with the matter.

Banking regulators in California, New York and Virginia in recent weeks have issued letters saying the companies need to follow the state rules or prove that the rules do not apply to them, the Journal said.

"Virtual currency firms inhabit an evolving and sometimes murky corner of the financial world," Benjamin Lawsky, superintendent of New York's Department of Financial Services, told the WSJ in an interview.

"The extent and nature of their operations morph constantly, so it's important for regulators to ask the hard questions and stay ahead of the curve in order to root out dangerous or illegal activity," Lawsky said.

Spokespeople for California banking department and Virginia Bureau of Financial Institutions declined to comment to the Journal. (http://link.reuters.com/wuq29t)

Most money transmission rules require companies to provide detailed financial data, business strategy and information about the management. States also usually require companies to put up a bond of several million dollars.

Digital currency is electronic money that can be passed between individuals without the use of the traditional banking or money transfer system.

Bitcoin, which has been embraced by a number of venture capitalists in Silicon Valley, exists through an open-source software program that any users with enough skill and computing power can access. It is not managed by a single company or government. Users can buy bitcoins through exchanges that convert real money into the virtual currency.

None of the parties could immediately be reached for comment by Reuters outside of regular U.S. business hours.

(Reporting by Sakthi Prasad in Bangalore; Editing by Richard Borsuk)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/state-regulators-warn-virtual-currency-exchanges-wsj-042043274.html

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New cycling sponsor vows 'zero tolerance'

PARIS (AP) ? The new sponsor of the Tour de France cycling team now renamed Belkin is vowing "zero tolerance" for doping.

Chet Pipkin, founder and CEO of Los Angeles-based consumer technology company Belkin, said in an interview with The Associated Press that the team is committed to "doing things in a very visible and up front and honest way."

The Belkin Pro Cycling Team used to be called Rabobank, after its former sponsor. But the Dutch lender ended 17 years of cycling sponsorship last October, pulling 15 million euros ($20 million) per year from the team. The bank said it was no longer convinced that the doping-tainted sport can become "clean and honest."

Pipkin wouldn't give a dollar figure but said Belkin's sponsorship of the team is "the biggest one we have ever made in the marketing arena."

Belkin signed as title sponsor through 2015.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/347875155d53465d95cec892aeb06419/Article_2013-06-24-CYC-Tour-de-France-New-Sponsor/id-a8cefd8cfddf407f9c613ca833ebfd19

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US tones down demands that Russia expel NSA leaker (The Arizona Republic)

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Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/315197156?client_source=feed&format=rss

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Comic Con 2013: MTV Is Giving You An Inside Look!

Josh Horowitz and Steven Smith will take fans behind the scenes of the San Diego convention beginning July 18.
By Todd Gilchrist

Tyler Hoechlin
Photo: Getty Images

Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1709457/mtv-san-diego-comic-con-2013.jhtml

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Texas Senate set for filibuster finale on abortion

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) ? A sweeping bill that would effectively shut down most abortion clinics across the nation's second most-populous state has stalled in the Texas Senate ? and a Democratic filibuster that will only need to last a seemingly manageable 13 hours Tuesday looks like it will be enough to talk the hotly contested measure to death.

After thwarting two attempts Monday by majority Republicans to bring the abortion bill to a floor vote ahead of its scheduled time Tuesday morning, Democrats are turning to Sen. Wendy Davis, D-Fort Worth, to stage the marathon speech.

"We want to do whatever we can for women in this state," Sen. Kirk Watson of Austin, leader of the Senate Democrats.

The bill would ban abortion after 20 weeks of pregnancy and force many clinics that perform the procedure to upgrade their facilities and be classified as ambulatory surgical centers. Also, doctors would be required to have admitting privileges at a hospital within 30 miles ? a tall order in rural communities.

Although Texas is just the latest of several conservative states to try to enact tough limits on abortions, the scope of its effort is notable because of the combination of bills being considered and the size of the state.

When combined in a state 773 miles wide and 790 miles long and with 26 million people, the measures would become the most stringent set of laws to impact the largest number of people in the nation.

"If this passes, abortion would be virtually banned in the state of Texas, and many women could be forced to resort to dangerous and unsafe measures," said Cecile Richards, president of Planned Parenthood Action Fund and daughter of the late former Texas governor Ann Richards.

Outnumbered 19-11 ? with San Antonio Sen. Leticia Van de Putte missing to attend the funeral of her father, who died last week in a car crash ? Senate Democrats held firm Monday their razor-thin margin of a single vote to block the bill from moving forward.

That's key since the 30-day special legislative session ends at midnight Tuesday, meaning the filibuster Democrats have promised only needs to last the better part of one day, instead of two.

Davis gave a filibuster at the end of the 2011 session to temporarily block $5.4 billion cuts to public schools, and said she was preparing for her upcoming one speech but refused to say exactly how.

She will have to speak nonstop, remain standing, refrain from bathroom breaks or even leaning on anything. Other Democrats can give her voice a break by offering questions to keep conversation moving.

"Democrats chose not to negotiate, and we could not get the block undone," said Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst, a Republican who controls the flow of Senate legislation. He refused to declare the issue dead ? but others were less optimistic.

Sen. Dan Patrick, R-Houston, said the Democrats never should have been allowed to put Republicans "in a box" and complained that many in the Senate GOP were "flying by the seat of their pants."

But the bill's bogging down began with Gov. Rick Perry, who summoned lawmakers back to work immediately after the regular legislative session ended May 27, but didn't add abortion to the special session to-do list until late in the process. The Legislature can only take up issues at the governor's direction during the extra session.

Then, House Democrats succeeded in stalling nearly all night Sunday, keeping the bill from reaching the Senate until 11 a.m. Monday.

The measure only passed the lower chamber after a raucous debate that saw more than 800 women's rights activists pack the public gallery and surrounding Capitol, imploring lawmakers not to approve it.

While supporters say it will protect women's health, abortion rights groups warn the practical effect of the bill would be to shutter most abortion providers statewide ? making it very difficult for Texas women to have the procedure.

Debate ranged from lawmakers waving coat-hangers on the floor and claiming the new rules are so draconian that women are going to be forced to head to drug war-torn Mexico to have abortions, to the bill's sponsor, Republican Rep. Jodie Laubenberg of Spring, errantly suggesting that emergency room rape kits could be used to terminate pregnancies.

In the end, though, the bill passed by more than 60 votes as Republicans and some conservative Democrats approved it.

Still, Legislature rules prohibit the Senate from taking up a bill for 24 hours after it clears the House. Republicans struggled to find a way to break the Democratic roadblock, but the vote swung Monday on Sen. Eddie Lucio, a Brownsville Democrat who voted for the abortion bill when it first passed the Senate a week ago but pledged not to approve suspending the rule with Republicans unless Van de Putte was able to make it to the chamber.

She didn't show and Lucio voted with his party, despite his support for the bill.

If the abortion restrictions go down, though, other measure could also fall with it. A proposal to fund major transportation projects as well as a bill to have Texas more closely conform with a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision banning mandatory sentences of life in prison without parole for offenders younger than 18 might not get votes. Current state law only allows a life sentence without parole for 17-year-olds convicted of capital murder.

Watson said Democrats are willing to pass the transportation and 17-year-old sentencing measures but won't budge on abortion.

"Let's get those up, let's get those out of here," Watson said. "Let's not make these victims of red-meat politics."

Patrick said that if the filibuster succeeds, he hopes Perry will summon lawmakers back for a second or even third special session.

"If the majority can't pass the legislation that they believe is important and the people believe is important," he said, "than that's of great concern to me."

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/texas-senate-set-filibuster-finale-abortion-071515450.html

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Heat celebrate with parade through downtown Miami

MIAMI (AP) ? The last piece of confetti had landed, the Miami Heat championship celebration was officially over and many in the crowd of revelers were starting to make their way to the exits.

Players and coaches remained on the stage.

They were in no hurry to leave. Every member of the NBA champions stood and watched a giant video board play highlights of Miami's march through the playoffs, from LeBron James' MVP-caliber plays on both ends to Ray Allen's season-saving 3-pointer in Game 6 of the NBA Finals and countless moments in between.

"It's a special group," Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. "You know what? This season started over nine months ago with that trip to China and we were able to experience so many cool things together in the regular season. But at times, it just seems to be going by so fast."

So maybe that's why the Heat aren't ready to stop celebrating this title just yet.

With an estimated 400,000 people lining the downtown Miami streets, the Heat held their parade and an in-arena rally afterward Monday. James stood atop a double-decker bus with a cigar in his mouth for the parade. Shane Battier blew kisses to the crowd, Dwyane Wade raised three fingers aloft and Chris Andersen flapped his arms in a nod to his "Birdman" moniker.

"It's the ultimate," James told Sun Sports, the Heat broadcast partner. "It's the ultimate. This is what I came down here, to be able to have a parade at the end of the year. I'm extremely blessed, man. It doesn't get any better than this."

Several players held super-soaker squirt guns and sprayed water on fans, confetti dotted the streets, and horns honked from all directions. Heat managing general partner Micky Arison and team president Pat Riley stood in the front of one bus, while Spoelstra ? his championship cap turned backward ? waved and clapped at fans.

"Miami parties better than any city in the world," Spoelstra said. "But it took nine months, nine months of incredible sacrifice, not only by these men right here but everybody in our organization, grinding it out every single day, ups and downs, highs and lows. And to have a culmination like Game 7 in front of all of you here is incredible."

Wade said that without the fans, Miami wouldn't have found a way to win the title.

"It's humbling. It's very humbling to be here," Wade said, gazing out at the enormous crowd. "I envision a lot of things. I can't say I envisioned this. This parade down Biscayne Boulevard was once a vision by Coach Riley and now we've taken this ride three times. It's special."

When Riley got hired by the Heat, he talked at his introductory news conference about his vision of a parade down Biscayne Boulevard. It took Riley until 2006 to deliver on that hope, but now with three parades in eight seasons, the Heat are getting used to these celebrations.

"Their names are going to be respected and honored," Riley said. "And that's all we have. All we have is the name on the front of the shirt, which is the Heat, and the name on the back of the shirt. And that's why we play."

Miami became the sixth franchise in NBA history to win consecutive championships, after topping the San Antonio Spurs in this year's finals for the third title overall for the Heat franchise, needing a Game 7 to get it done. Wade and Udonis Haslem ? a Miami native who said "this is what it's all about" ? are the only players to be part of all three titles, and Wade insisted Monday that the city is going to be his home now for good.

"This is my home. They've treated me well since Day One," Wade said. "I'll be here for probably the rest of my life in this amazing city. I thank the Miamians for accepting me as one of their own."

Miami needed to win Games 6 and 7 of the finals to capture the title, and needed a huge late comeback in Game 6 just to force the ultimate game. Down by five with less than a half-minute left in regulation, James and Ray Allen made 3-pointers ? Allen's coming with 5.2 seconds left ? to force overtime, and the Heat ultimately prevailed to get into Game 7.

"I have to say that is the biggest shot I ever hit in my career," Allen said.

Along the parade route, one vehicle carried a number of uniformed military personnel. The Heat have honored military members before every home game in Miami for the past several seasons.

Police reported no major problems, and bomb- and drug-sniffing dogs were spotted working their way through the crowd. City officials banned fans from carrying backpacks, though several were spotted along the route and some people were searched randomly for security reasons. The huge crowds and parking difficulty did not seem to take away from the fans' celebratory mood.

"It's the excitement of something that doesn't come around too often, even though we've been lucky to experience it two years in a row," said Heat fan Blake Thames, who made the trip down from Palm Beach County.

Some fans began arriving before sunrise Monday, and traffic into downtown was extremely heavy as people hoped to get close enough for a glimpse of the celebration.

"It hasn't hit me yet," James said. "This is unbelievable to be a part of such a great franchise and to be able to go back-to-back."

Players spent the weekend celebrating. Some are planning to start vacations later this week, while others will remain in South Florida for at least a few more days.

"All the fans that we're seeing here is who supported us throughout the whole season, man," James said. "This is the least we could do is ride through the city and show our appreciation."

___

Associated Press Writers Jennifer Kay and Kelli Kennedy in Miami contributed to this report.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/heat-celebrate-parade-downtown-miami-152238430.html

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