2013: The Best of Everything Beautiful from around the globe

KARACHI: Clutch: Stella McCartney Plexiglass

No guesses as to why this $2000 clutch screams futuristic and elegant at the same time. Carrying this beauty would be like accessorising yourself with a giant diamond. Made entirely of mirrors, it would perfectly reflect whichever outfit the fashionistas carrying this clutch is sporting; those who own it will never have to worry about coordinating their accessory to their dress ever again.

Watch (for her): Chanel Horlogerie

A gold chain bracelet with an octagonal face, 56 brilliant-cut diamonds, a black lacquered dial and bracelet chain in yellow gold, this watch is definitely a girl’s best friend. Its high precision quartz movement keep you on task while looking chic anywhere, anytime.

Coffee-table book: Humans of New York

An instant number one New York bestseller, this is a trophy for any coffee table. Photographer Brandon Stanton compiled a book showcasing hundreds of people across New York City in their most candid and vulnerable moments. This book is both a tribute to and a celebration of individuality across the vast state and the original Facebook page has inspired multiple ‘Humans of…’ pages across the world, including Humans of Karachi.

Photograph: National Geographic’s The Colosseum, Rome, 2013

Rarely does a picture enthral, but this shot of a rare snowfall on the Colosseum, built 2000 years ago, is breathtaking. The 50,000-seat amphitheatre serves as a major tourist attraction, and this photograph which was one of National Geographic’s Picks for the Best travel Photos of 2013, is the perfect evidence why.

PHOTO: Gabriele Forzano/Reuters

Game: Bioshock Infinite

After its release in March, critics declared the game a definitive work of art, a rare example of ingenuity, innovation and complexity in mainstream gaming, according to Arts Beat. Metacritic reviews call it a game of “artistry”; a “lavish and cerebral” experience that “dignifies the medium” and “advances the art form”; the game that “video games were made for”; a “masterpiece” in every respect. With a new setting and characters, and seamlessly integrated themes, Bioshock Infinite is amazing from beginning to end. The entertaining combat creates an incredible experience that has a gamer captivated from beginning to end, and leaves no wonder as to why this was one of the most popular games of 2013.

Man: Henry Cavill

Move over Ryan Gosling, because Henry Cavill stole our hearts in the previous year with his chiselled good looks.  The actor owned 2013 with Man of Steel, making it to the top spot onGlamour’s list of 100 Sexiest Men Alive, a place well deserved.  Along with that, we were rooting to see him top People Magazine’s Sexiest Man Alive list this year. Adam Levine may have won the battle, but we’re certain that Cavill will win the war. Eventually.

Car: Peugeot Onyx

This gorgeous machine packs a diesel V8 engine, which means it has eye-watering horsepower.  The Peugeot Onyx made us fall in love with it at first sight, but (alas!) it’s a concept car that would cost one an amount with a LOT of zeros to actually own. Peugeot has no plans to actually build this marvel of vehicular design in the future. A pity, really!

Couture gown:  Rami Kadi Spring Collection 2013, Au Bal des Orchidées Noire

With a boutique in Beirut, Lebanese designer Rami Kadi’s reputation has grown overwhelmingly quickly for a couturier of his age and we don’t doubt why. With stunning creations, and a reputation of never having made a bad dress, his ascent to the elite circle of couture designers is justified. This bouquet of a gown is right out of a baroque fairytale  — grand, lavish and inspiring. The colours are eye catching, the cut impeccable and the folds gorgeous.

Perfume bottle: Valentino Valentina Acqua Floreale

This art piece of a bottle exudes a sensual femininity which perfectly complements the delicate fragrance it holds. It is pink, black and chic. Perfume bottle connoisseur Marc Rosen says packaging is the perfume’s silent salesmen, and we completely agree. Consider us sold!

Woman: Angelina Jolie

Before you sigh and go ‘not again’, take a look at what the actor has done in 2013 alone. Not for her graceful recovery after a necessary reconstructive surgery, but for the millions of lives she’s saved by spreading awareness about the BRCA1 breast cancer gene, Jolie is our definition of what makes a woman beautiful  — inside and out.

Fashion film: Calvin Klein’s Provocations

Calvin Klein enforces its image as a modern and sophisticated brand through their fashion film Provocations, starring True Blood’s Alexander Skarsgård and Suvi Koponen. The ten minute film follows a series of thematic and suspenseful, yet visually stunning, scenes setting the tone for CK’s Spring/Summer 2013 Collection.

Magazine cover: Time’s Benedict Cumberbatch Issue

With a sharp monochrome portrait of the breakout star of 2013, Benedict Cumberbatch, thisTime magazine cover had the Cumbercollective raving over everything that the October issue had to offer.  The magazine delivered with an in-depth profile on the British actor, which evoked radical responses from fans. Cumbercupcakes, anyone?

Movie soundtrack: The Great Gatsby

The Great Gatsby soundtrack is an impressive and groundbreaking collection, boasting Jay Z’s slick production alongside other top artists like Beyonce and Lana Del Ray. The strong soundtrack compliments the movie perfectly, and this is one CD we can let play from start to finish, and then still want to hit repeat.

Watch (for him): Roger Dubuis Excalibur

A masterpiece that is an expression of power personified,  Roger Dubuis has us floored with this brilliantly sculptured timepiece with a magnificent dial. Ten points to the man who wears it.

Plane: Airbus A380

First class on this palace in the skies offers free Wi-Fi, a bar, a shower and bagful of goodies with Bulgari favours. The interior itself is gorgeously lit, making us want to fly around aimlessly just to relax in this beauty.

Print campaign: GAP

Celebrating inclusion and diversity, this ad sparked frenzy worldwide. Putting the debate on whether it’s liberating or exploitative aside, we do conclude that it’s clever marketing with a different concept, eye-catching shots, and a very good looking Waris Ahluwalia taking centre stage

Taylor Swift Beats Harry Styles On ‘Celebs Gone Good 2013′ List

Taylor Swift has beaten out One Direction for the top spot as the celeb who has done the most good in 2013, in a list published by DoSomething.org.

OK, so we at HollywoodLife.com don’t want to say that there any losers when it comes to good deeds and charitable donations, but there are definitely winners. Somebody has to be first, after all, and Taylor Swift has edged out her ex, Harry Styles, for the top “Celeb Gone Good of 2013″, .

Taylor Swift Beats Harry Styles On ‘Celebs Gone Good 2013′ List

Taylor landed the top spot for donating $100,000 to the Nashville Symphony on her own birthday, as well as for “[headlining] an event benefiting Centrepoint, an org working to help young people experiencing homelessness.”

If you’ll recall, that was the Winter Whites Gala at Kensington Palace where Taylor Swift sang “Livin’ On A Prayer” with Prince William and Bon Jovi himself! Who ever said that giving back couldn’t be fun?

One Direction, on the other hand, were no slouches themselves. The group raised over £2 million for Red Nose Day, benefitting those in Africa and the UK living in poverty, for their cover single “One Way Or Another”. They also raised  ”$784,345 in donations, benefitting cancer research,” according to the site.

In London yesterday on our way to the recording studio! For new year

OMG Vegas yes! What a show today!!!! I will hear you all xoxox

1 Day till #ROCKINEVE

Britney Spears begins two-year Las Vegas gamble

as Vegas (AFP) - Britney Spears, in the heels of such performers as Celine Dion and Elton John, late Friday opened a two-year sojourn in Sin City with a dazzling performance to a crowd of adoring fans.

The former enfant terrible of US pop wowed some 4,600 fans with a stunning show at the Axis Theater at the city's Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino.

The Grammy-winning pop songstress was hired to perform her new spectacle, titled "Piece of Me," 50 times a year in 2014 and 2015.

"Wow… perfect audience for the 1st #PieceOfMe show! That was AMAZING! I <3 you Vegas!!!" the 32 year-old Spears wrote on Twitter.

In the 90-minute extravaganza, Spears lip-synched more than 20 songs, including many of the hits she had over her 15-year career from former Disney starlet in the late 1990s to pop diva of the 2000s.

Against a backdrop of stunning video projections, Spears performed such hits as "Toxic," "Womanizer," "Baby One More Time," "Scream and Shout," and "Till the World Ends."

Spears, who has sold some 100 million albums so far in her career, had help from a troupe of dancers that writhed, wiggled and did back flips at a steady pace throughout the show.

After being delivered on stage inside a metal sphere, Spears showed up in a large winged angel costume to sing "Everything," while she sang "Toxic" perched on a giant stage tree.

For "Freakshow" she dressed as a dominatrix for a sadomasochistic skit that has become de rigueur for female singers in the post-Madonna era.

"It's a lot better than expected. I love her, I'm a big fan," said spectator Alfredo Carrillo after the show. "She was on stage more than expected, not too many outfit changes, a lot of songs, a lot of energy."

Some of the singer's fans came from far and wide to see the star perform.

View gallery

A view of the welcome ceremony for Britney Spears as she celebrates the release of her new album &qu …

"I am a fan from the very beginning. I came from Bologna, Italy, just to see her the first night," said a woman named Chiara. "This is the best of all her shows."

However John Cannavale, a resident of Chicago, said he was "disappointed by the lip-synch" throughout the performance.

Several big-name stars on hand for the premier on the famed Las Vegas strip included Katy Perry and pop's current enfant terrible, Miley Cyrus.

Spears thanked them both, especially writing to Perry on Twitter: "Was SOOOO good to see you again girl! Glad we could make our Vegas date happen :)"

During her time in Vegas, Spears is banned from performing anywhere else in North America.

Tabloid fodder

Spears was on the front pages of celebrity magazines -- and eventually scandal supermarket tabloids -- during much of her career.

She rattled viewers when she gave singer Madonna a kiss on the mouth onstage at the 2003 MTV Movie Awards.

She wedded childhood friend Jason Alexander in Las Vegas in 2004, a marriage that lasted all of 55 hours before it was annulled.

She then married Kevin Federline, one of her backup dancers -- this while Federline's ex-girlfriend was pregnant with the couple's second child.

Spears and Federline had two children, and they divorced in 2007.

Reports of drug use in front of the children, and a move by her parents to take control of her affairs, was all over the scandal sheets.

Spears had a public breakdown in 2006 and shaved her head. Two years later she was briefly committed to a psychiatric ward.

All of those scandals may be in the past, but her future as the Princess of Pop is in doubt, as her latest album, "Britney Jean," received only lukewarm reviews.

Spears now joins a panoply of music stars who have taken time out for temporary residence in Las Vegas, including Elton John, Shania Twain, Rod Stewart and Celine Dion.

French-Canadian songstress Dion even sent Spears a bouquet of flowers to celebrate her premiere in the world gambling capital.

Following Christmas and with just days ahead of New Year celebrations, Las Vegas is bursting with tourists.

According to the celebrity website TMZ.com, the 73,600 seats for the first 16 Britney Spears concerts -- the only ones currently for sale -- are nearly all sold out.

Spears will rake in around $15 million (10 million euros) for each year in Las Vegas, according to TMZ.

Britney Spears' Opening Night in Vegas Draws Rave Reviews

Pop icon Britney Spears' new 90-minute Las Vegas show, "Britney: Piece of Me," at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino drew raves from the sold-out crowd of A-list celebrities, reporters, die-hard fans and family members.

Spears, 32, announced her two-year deal to perform her own show on ABC's "Good Morning America" on Sept. 17 and had just four months to put together the performance. Spears signed on to perform 50 shows each in 2014 and 2015 at The AXIS Theater, and casino executives told the Associated Press the gig could be extended if it proves a success.

It's no surprise all eyes are on Spears. With the release of her eighth studio album titled "Britney Jean," her 32 nd birthday and learning choreography for the 24-song set list, Spears has no doubt had a very busy December.

E! premiered its two-hour documentary titled "I Am Britney Jean" on Dec. 22, which it said would let fans take "an intimate look at one of the most overexposed yet under-revealed stars of today as she faces one of her biggest challenges ever while finishing her album, shooting videos, doing press - and being a mom."

The documentary also served as a promotional tool for Spears' Vegas residency, giving fans an all-access behind-the-scenes look at Spears and her army of backup dancers prepping for their routines and all the other intricate details in putting together such a large-scale, high intensity show.

Even Planet Hollywood welcomed Spears with open arms to her new home with an homage performance to some of her biggest hits during a staged event in front of the property earlier this month.

So far, Spears' whirlwind publicity schedule (thanks perhaps to her revamped management team) seem to have paid off with opening night fervor.

Katy Perry, Miley Cyrus and Selena Gomez were in attendance, along with DJ Pauly D, Adam Lambert, and "Extra" host Mario Lopez. Cyrus was seen enjoying the show in various Instagram posts including one in which Cyrus is seen alongside Spears' mother and sister.

Spears tweeted out her thanks to her celebrity friends.

Soy excited to see @britneyspears baby bottle pop it off tonight at her grand opening @phvegas! We are coming in full lewks to support! ???? - Katy Perry (@katyperry) December 28, 2013 .

 @KatyPerry Was SOOOO good to see you again girl! Glad we could make our Vegas date happen :)

- Britney Spears (@britneyspears) December 28, 2013 .

@MileyCyrus Love you so much! Thank you for coming to #PieceOfMe! I adore you :)

- Britney Spears (@britneyspears) December 28, 2013

 Lopez tweeted about his good time at the concert especially getting plucked out of the crowd by Spears to join her onstage for a dance number.

The show takes place in a relatively intimate theater, as opposed to the large-scale venues and stadiums where Spears has performed her tours in the past. Spears performs most of her greatest hits off her older albums from her 15-plus years in the business and even recycles some of her classic choreography. "Perfume" and "Work Bitch" were the only songs featured off her latest album.

"'Britney: Piece of Me' is the most cutting-edge pop concert experience ever produced for Las Vegas, featuring a four-piece band, 14 dancers, elaborate sets, unforgettable costumes and state-of-the-art, never-before-seen technology," said a press release from Planet Hollywood.

"The AXIS is part nightclub and part theater, setting it apart from any other venue in Las Vegas," the press release reads. "The 4,600-seat, intimately-sized theater allows Britney's fans to see her as they've never seen her before."

So far, early reviews have been positive for Spears' lavish, entertaining spectacle.

"Spears stomped into town with a 21-hit salute to her 15 years of dance confections the artfully melded spectacle with stagecraft," USA Today writer Marco della Cava wrote in his glowing review.

"In fact, listening to some of the more empowering songs that helped close the show, including 'Stronger' and 'Till The End of the World,' one had to acknowledge that all three pop divas in the audience this night owed a huge debt to the mother of two on stage," Della Cava continued. "She may not be the 18-year-old girl next door who shocked the world silly, but she's still a force to be reckoned with."

MTV News writer Sophie Schillaci, who took over MTV News' Twitter account to live blog the night wrote: "True to her word, Britney Spears poured on the cheese during the opening night of her "Piece of Me" Las Vegas residency," referring to Britney's statement that "cheesy is good" from her E! documentary.

"Spears delivered on her signature style of larger-than-life production, blaring beats and rapid-fire dance moves, whirling through seven costume changes and even a couple of wig changes," Schillaci said.

Schillaci posted an Instagram snippet of "Me Against The Music," which featured recycled choreography from her music video.

 "The show's production values are unusually high for a casino residency, often calling to mind the golden age of music videos," said Hannah Dreier of The Associated Press. "Its high-concept set pieces featured a cadre of backup dancers who danced in human-sized hamster wheels and somersaulted over the Grammy-winning star."

Billboard writer Keith Caulfield kept a live blog running of the show, and mentioned the thrill of hearing Spears "breathing into the microphone," in reference to the question of whether there were any live vocals in the show.

"Notably, 'Me Against the Music' was one of the few songs during the show where hints of Spears' live vocals were audible," Caulfield wrote. "(Though, she was still singing over the original studio vocals of "Me Against the Music.") The vast majority of the show was lip-synced, and only occasionally were any seemingly live vocals heard."

Spears has maintained that she only plans to sing live during her residency. Spears told Chicago's 103.5 KISS FM, "I'm definitely going to be singing live. I always sing live. It doesn't sound so great all the time, but I do my best."

Spears' manager Larry Rudolph told Billboard in September there's not a single artist who can dance full out during a song and sing without a vocal track underneath them.

"The idea is to try to get her pretty close to 100 percent. There might be some numbers where she's full out dancing with a (vocal) track underneath her, but there won't be any lip-syncing across the board on anything," Rudolph said.

Regardless of any controversy that may surround Spears' residency, her Vegas engagement is setting a precedent. The Los Angeles Timescalls it a "gamble," writing, "It's unparalleled for a contemporary, major Top 40 pop act to embark on a long-term Vegas engagement while they're still on the charts- and on the playlists of people under 35.

" However, leave it to Spears to take on the challenge. Few doubt the resilience of Spears' fans, who will continue to flock to see her make history in Sin City.

Spears continues her residency with a show on Dec. 28, followed by shows on Dec. 30 and Dec. 31. It then takes a break until Jan. 29. Tickets range from $59 to $179.

Taylor Swift Tops Most Charitable Celebrities List

Taylor Swift was the most charitable celebrity of 2013, according to the social change nonprofit DoSomething.org. The pop star topped the organization's annual "Top 20 Celebs Gone Good" list for the second year in a row thanks to the $100,000 donation she gave the Nashville Symphony on the occasion of her 24th birthday. She was also recognized for her headlining gig at a London benefit for homeless youth.

Coming in just behind Swift at Number Two in the rankings, One Direction got props for raising more than $3 million through their single for the British charity Comic Relief, as well as raising more than $800,000 for cancer research. Beyoncé came in at Number Three, with particular recognition for headlining the "Chime For Change" concert for women's rights.

Fourth place went to the late Paul Walker, who died in November on the same day he was hosting a charity event for victims of Typhoon Haiyan. Walker founded the aid organization Reach Out Worldwide, which provides disaster relief around the world.

Wrapping up the list in the final two spots were Kendrick Lamar, recognized for his socially conscious lyrics as well as raising thousands of dollars for the Red Cross Superstorm Sandy relief efforts, and Justin Bieber, who raised an impressive $1,164,027 in support of Typhoon Haiyan victims and fulfilled more than 200 requests from Make-A-Wish kids.

Here's the full list of "Top 20 Celebs Gone Good":

1.Taylor Swift
2. One Direction
3. Beyoncé
4. Paul Walker
5. Macklemore & Ryan Lewis
6. Sandra Bullock
7. Kerry Washington
8. Ian Somerhalder
9. Ryan Seacrest
10. Carrie Underwood
11. Jennifer Lawrence
12. Alicia Keys
13. Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul
14. Miley Cyrus
15. Demi Lovato
16. Blake Shelton
17. Mindy Kaling
18. Kevin Durant
19. Kendrick Lamar
20. Justin Bieber

Hollywood struggles against new film meccas

'Avatar' decision to shoot mostly in New Zealand underscores nomadic nature of modern movies

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- In the old days, filmmakers flocked to Hollywood for its abundant sunshine, beautiful people and sandy beaches. But today a new filmmaking diaspora is spreading across the globe to places like Vancouver, London and Wellington, New Zealand.

Fueled by politicians doling out generous tax breaks, filmmaking talent is migrating to where the money is. The result is an incentives arms race that pits California against governments around the world and allows powerful studios —with hundreds of millions of dollars at their disposal— to cherry-pick the best deals.

The most recent iteration of the phenomenon came earlier this month when James Cameron announced plans to shoot and produce the next three "Avatar" sequels largely in New Zealand. What Cameron gets out of the deal is a 25 percent rebate on production costs, as long as his company spends at least $413 million on the three films.

"There's no place in the world that we could make these sequels more cost effectively," says producer Jon Landau. It is neither the archipelago's volcanoes nor its glaciers that are attractive, because the "Avatar" movies will be shot indoors. Sure, Peter Jackson's award-winning special effects infrastructure is there, but the deciding factor was the money. "We looked at other places," says Landau. But in the end, "it was this rebate."

In exchange, the local economy will benefit hugely, Landau says, comparing the ripple effect to the boost that comes from new home construction. "We're doing lumber, we're catering for hundreds of people a day. We're housing people in hotels. We're going to a stationery store and tripling their business in a year."

The deal was "the best Christmas present we could have possibly hoped for," says Alex Lee, an Auckland, New Zealand-based entertainment lawyer. The news is especially welcome because the local screen industry is facing a potential drought: The Starz pay TV series "Spartacus" finished this year and Peter Jackson's "The Hobbit" trilogy is set to wrap next year. Thanks to the "Avatar" sequels, the 1,100 workers at Weta Digital Ltd., the ground-breaking digital effects house Jackson co-founded in 1993, can keep plugging away through 2018.

"It would have been a real shame if we had lost any of that talent and they had to move to follow the films," says Wellington Mayor Celia Wade-Brown.

Driving the trend are powerful global forces squeezing the entertainment industry. Falling DVD sales are putting pressure on movie-making budgets, while the demand for ever-more-amazing special effects grows. The spread of technology and skills around the world is creating a huge number of special effects suppliers — some using cheaper labor than can be found in Hollywood.

Government largesse has helped create mini-moguldoms in Vancouver, Montreal, London, New York and Wellington, all of which are aggressively one-upping each other to become the next new hotbed of activity. As the work spreads, branch offices of visual effects companies have opened up in new locations. Even though digital work is borderless, workers must live and be paid locally to generate the income taxes and spending that governments seek.

The tax incentives race is destined to accelerate next year. State incentives in California — home to "Star Wars" pioneer Industrial Light & Magic — are too small to accommodate big-budget movies. Democratic Assembly member Raul Bocanegra is preparing a bill to expand their scope, but it could take months to get through committees, says his chief of staff, Ben Golombek.

And the U.S. federal incentive, an arguably difficult-to-use tax deduction of up to $20 million per film or TV episode, is set to expire at the end of 2013.

"Once our federal incentive ends in two weeks, you're going to have a lot of people who are going to go elsewhere," says Hal "Corky" Kessler, a tax incentives lawyer with Chicago-based Deutsch, Levy & Engel.

Industry business leaders say they're simply following the money.

"This is no different than any other multinational business," says Sir William Sargent, co-founder and CEO of Framestore, a London-based special effects business that worked on likely Oscar-contender, "Gravity," and has offices in Montreal, New York and Los Angeles. "We're just going to where our customers are."

Even if the U.S. moves to counteract growing incentives overseas, the efforts won't prevent another jurisdiction from offering a bigger break.

Joseph Chianese, executive vice president at consulting company EP Financial Solutions, says the competition to offer attractive incentives is intense. More than 30 countries and 44 U.S. states now offer tax breaks to filmmakers.

The mix "changes daily, but it's not going away," Chianese says. "We have now trained a generation of filmmakers and TV makers that production doesn't have to happen here anymore."

Miley Cyrus, Kellan Lutz Party Together After Britney Spears' Vegas Show With Katy Perry, Selena Gomez

Britney Spears' first Vegas show Friday night drew in several stars! Shortly after watching the pop diva take the stage, Miley Cyrus headed over to host a party at Beacher's Madhouse, where she spent time with Katy Perry and reunited with her latest Hollywood fling -- Kellan Lutz.

"Miley and Katy Perry settled into a booth with 10 or so others. Tons of fans crowded around the whole time," an insider tells England Weekly of the shindig. "Katy was sitting next to Miley in the booth, with her back turned toward her, talking to some male friends." Some of those pals included Adam Lambert and Emile Hirsch, the eyewitness tells England Weekly.

At one point, Cyrus was also spotted embracing 28-year-old Lutz while giving him a kiss on the cheek. England Weekly confirmed on Dec. 26 that the two are currently hooking up. The Twilight alum, a friend of Liam Hemsworth's, is "nice eye candy" for Cyrus, a source told England Weekly. "They really enjoy each other's company."

The "Wrecking Ball" singer wore a nude crop top for the bash, with a tight-fitting black stretchy one-piece suspender. She also rocked a shade of red lipstick, danced throughout the night and jammed to Lana Del Rey's "Summertime Sadness." Cyrus, 21, previously covered the hit song during an appearance on BBC Radio1's live lounge in November.

Earlier in the night, Cyrus was just getting the party started. While watching Spears perform hits such as "Work Bitch," "Drive Me Crazy" and "Stronger," she was seen hugging Perry in the crowd. The "Unconditionally" star was also seen sitting next to Selena Gomez during the show. Holly Madison and Spears' younger sister Jamie Lynn and her fiance Jamie Watson were also in attendance.

Making Dying Wishes Come True: The 8 Top Celebrity Dream Makers of 2013

If a dream is a wish your heart makes, a dream come true must be a wish a pop star grants.  

2013 was filled with plenty of breakups, selfies, drama and twerking in the lives of our favorite celebs, yes. But it was also a year bursting with great acts of kindness from many of the famous faces we've grown to know so well.  

Here is our definitive list of the stars who took time to grant some pretty big wishes in 2013.

1. Beyoncé: Queen Bey shocked the world with her surprise video album release on December 13, but the singer has a heart just as big as her mega talent. On Christmas Eve, a video was posted to her YouTube page showing the pop star with Taylon Davis, a 12-year-old girl who has an inoperable tumor on her brain and just one wish: to dance with Beyoncé. And her dream came true when the Make-A-Wish Foundation hooked Taylon up with the Grammy-winning singer so they could share a rendition of "Survivor" at a Las Vegas show earlier this month. However, this isn't the singer's first good deed. In November, she sang a duet of "Irreplaceable" with a blind fan in Perth, Australia. 

2. Taylor Swift:  Delaney "Laney" Ann Brown passed away from complications from leukemia on Christmas, but just five days earlier, on her 8th birthday, the West Reading, Pennsylvania, native had a huge wish granted by the area's most famous alum, Swift. The "Red" singer, who grew up in nearby Reading, called her young fan via Facetime so that they could see one another. "Laney lit up and had a huge smile on her face," a Facebook post about the encounter details. "We will hold that memory in our hearts forever."

3.Justin Bieber :  He may have made news almost exclusively this year for his slip-ups, but the "Believe" star did do some major good in 2013 as well. In August, the Biebs granted his 200th Make-A-Wish Foundation request, breaking the organization's record. His milestone wish recipient was 8-year-old Annalysha Brown-Rafanan, who was suffering from a life-threatening liver condition and merely wanted to meet the pop singer. Bieber also recognized the passing of Jake, another of his wishful fans, who he'd spent a day playing hockey with in 2011. "The world lost a great kid but I'm grateful I got to meet him. RIP Jake," he tweeted in November.

4. Aaron Paul: The "Breaking Bad" actor is really just a big sweetheart. While filming the movie "Need for Speed" in Georgia, the "Breaking Bad star struck up a friendship with Austin Childers, 22, who was battling a rare mitochondrial disease, and visited him multiple times at his hospital in Macon. He even regularly talks to fans on the phone (after tweeting the number to a pay phone or soliciting their numbers on Twitter). "I get to meet really interesting, cool, fun people," he said in April. Making wishes come true actually became something of a mainstay on his AMC show. The popular program's creator, Vince Gilligan, and other starBryan Cranston developed a close relationship with terminally ill 16-year-old super fan, Kevin Cordasco, who died of cancer in the spring, dedicating the final season's premiere to his memory.

 5. Gisele Bundchen:  The supermodel (and mom) surprised 15-year-old Karina Xavier, who is battling bone cancer, with a visit on December 26 to help the young fashion blogger, who is also a Brazil native. "You are a warrior, an inspiration of positivity and courage," Bundchen posted on her Instagram page. "I will be praying for you. Sending you love and light always." 

6. Dame Helen Mirren:  The acclaimed actress gamely reinhabited one of her most famous characters: Queen Elizabeth II to grant a terminally ill fan's wish of having tea with the Queen. After learning 10-year-old Oliver Burton, suffering from spinal cancer, would not be able to meet the real Queen of England, Mirren invited the young boy to see her London play, "The Audience," in which she plays the monarch, and met him in character for tea after the show — even granting him a faux knightship during the May visit. 

7. Katy Perry:  The singer recently reached out to Olivia Wise, a fan whose cover of "Roar" went viral, before her untimely death from brain cancer. "I saw your video and I was very moved, and you sounded great for being in the studio and making it your wish to record that song," Perry said in her own video recording in October. That same month, the songstress also made another little lady's dreams come true when she dueted her uplifting anthem "Firework" with Jodi DiPiazza, a young autistic girl at Comedy Central's "Night of Too Many Stars" benefit.

8 Lady Gaga:  Mother Monster canceled the end of her Born This Way Ball tour earlier this year to undergo emergency hip surgery, but the singer made sure one special fan still got to see her idol in person. Gaga pulled out of her February Chicago show, but after hearing from a local radio station that terminally ill 5-year-old Kayleigh Gurzynski had traveled from Wisconsin for the concert without knowing about its cancellation, Gaga set up a meeting with the young girl to make sure her wish came true.

 Here's hoping 2014 will be filled with even more stories of dream weaving!

Box Office: Bieber Doc 'Believe' Bombs, Most Fans a No Show

How Justin Bieber's fortunes have fallen at the box office.

The performer's second concert documentary Believe is turning in a dismal performance at the Christmas box office, where it has earned only $3.1 million in its first three days. On Friday, it fell below $1 million to $790,000 for a 14th place finish.

Believe is now only expected to take in $4.5 million over the course of its five-day debut (Wednesday through Sunday), including a meek weekend haul of $2.2 million. Granted, the movie is said to have cost only $5 million to make, but Believe will do only a fraction of the business that Bieber's Never Say Never enjoyed in February 2011.

Never Say Never, opening to $29.5 million in North America, posted a lifetime domestic gross of $73 million, making it the most successful concert film of all time domestically. Most box office observers say Believemay only hit $10 million.

Believe is badly trailing similar concert documentaries. In August, One Direction: This Is Us debuted to $15.8 million on its way to earning $28.9 million (even that was considered something of a disappointment).

Open Road Films, which is releasing Believe in North America, points out that the movie is playing on only 1,037 screens, compared to 3,100 for Never Say Never, which was distributed and marketed by Paramount.

Nevertheless, other concert docs which have likewise opened on fewer screens than a usual release (2,500-plus screens) have done far more business.

Disney's Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds Concert Tour opened on 683 screens in early February 2008, grossing $31.1 million. Exactly a year later, Jonas Brothers: The 3D Concert Experiencerolled out on 1,271 screens, grossing $12.5 million in its debut.

Believe, reteaming Bieber with his Never Say Never director John M. Chu, has supplanted Katy Perry: Part of Me as the worst opener among the recent slate of concert documentaries featuring young pop artists. Perry's film debuted to a meek $7.1 million from 2,730 screens in summer 2012.

Box office observers questioned whether some mothers kept their younger tweens away from Part of Me, and they are wondering the same thing in regards to Believe. When Never Say Never was released, Bieber still had a squeaky clean image. His antics since -- including tweeting on Christmas Eve that he was retiring -- have made headlines around the world (the tweet was promptly removed).

Open Road says Believe will be profitable for all involved, considering its modest $5 million budget. Open Road also spent only $5 million to market the film, far less than is usually spent on a nationwide release, saying it focused exclusively on Bieber's fanbase.

"It's a new model. We wanted to go straight to Justin's fans" said Open Road marketing chief Jason Cassidy. "Financially, we are going to be fine."

Still, there's no denying that many of Bieber's fans are staying away. Rivals question why Open Road -- owned by giant exhibitors Regal and AMC -- decided to open Believe on Christmas, the most crowded time of the year.

Miley Cyrus, Kim Kardashian & More: Hottest Barely Dressed Stars Of 2013

If 2013 is going to be remembered for anything, it’ll be known as the year all 

the sexiest stars stripped down as much as possible. From Miley’s on-stage attire to Kim’s steamy selfies, here are the ladies who really nailed the barely dressed look this year.

Here’s how we know the year 2013 was one of the wildest ever – Rihanna was one of the more dressed up celebrities! The queen of the skimpy outfit welcomed a slew of sexy stars into her barely-dressed club, as Miley Cyrus twerked her way into history and Kim Kardashian snapped unbelievable selfie after unbelievable selfie. Without further ado, here are the hottest nearly naked stars of the year!

Miley Cyrus, Selena Gomez & More Nearly Naked Stars

Rihanna

From her naughty bikinis (like the one she wore during a trip to Barbados in November) to her outfits from the “Diamonds” world tour, our favorite self-proclaimed bad girl kept up the sexy vibes in 2013.

Rihanna

From her naughty bikinis (like the one she wore during a trip to Barbados in November) to her outfits from the “Diamonds” world tour, our favorite self-proclaimed bad girl kept up the sexy vibes in 2013.

Miley Cyrus

What do we even highlight here? The iHeartRadio see-through dress with nipple pasties? The “Wrecking Ball” video? The Lil Kim Halloween costume? We could go on forever…

Selena Gomez

This will always be remembered as the year Selena grew up. Unfortunately for Justin Bieber, it was also the year they broke up!

Katy Perry

Katy’s handful of sexy crop top outfits this year really made us feel like we were living a teenage dream.

Beyonce

We were bowing down to Bey all year… and then she released Beyonce in Decemeber, and we haven’t stopped drooling over those 17 sexy videos since.

Jamie Alexander

You may not have known who Jamie was at the beginning of the year, but when she hit the Thor: The Dark World premiere on Nov. 4 in a sheer dress that showed off her ample cleavage and her bare butt, well, she’s been on the tip of our tongues ever since.

Kendall Jenner

Speaking of growing up! Kendall turned 18 in 2013, and she made sure everyone knew that she was hotter than ever, wearing tight outfits on the red carpets, and modeling in skimpy bikinis.

Kylie Jenner

Her sister Kylie meanwhile, made us feel like we were on the verge of doing something illegal, endlessly posting pictures of herself and her deep cleavage.

Justin Bieber & Selena Gomez: Is He Spending Christmas With Her?

Justin and Selena still have incredibly strong feelings for each other, so do you think they’ll have a secret rendevous on Christmas this year?

Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez are taking some time to enjoy the holidays with their family but will they be with each other? This couple once reigned over Hollywood as the most romantic, loving and promising couple! But their recent tweets and Instagrams suggest that there might be a possibility for them to reunite, even as friends, for the holidays!

Justin Bieber & Selena Gomez — Will They Spend Christmas Together?

The once happy couple are spending Christmas with their families and Justin sounds like he is all about togetherness today!

Family time

— Justin Bieber (@justinbieber) December 24, 2013

We know Selena is in Texas with her fam but we know she misses Justin. There was a report that she cancelled her Australian tour because she was missing Justin so badly