Pop Culture/Entertainment Watch

2012-01-26T23:45:00.002-05:00

Box Office Preview: "The Grey" should conquer the weekend

Apparently last week's trio of action films wasn't enough so Hollywood is rolling out another three-pack this Friday making for a crowded menu of options for thrillseekers. First up: The Grey, in which Liam Neeson must stand up to a pack of ferocious wolves. This is the second release from Open Road Films, the newly formed distributor financed by AMC Entertainment and Regal Cinemas. "The Grey" cost a reported $34 million to produce, but Open Road acquired the film for a mere $5 million. That was a smart purchase. Although the film probably won’t duplicate the success of Taken or Unknown due to its bleak story and R rating, it should find a healthy opening in the $15 million range. Sam Worthington has starred in a number of hits — Avatar, Terminator Salvation, Clash of the Titans — but his name wasn’t really a selling point for those movies. In the PG-13 Man on a Ledge, he’s front and center, so this will be a good test to see whether Worthington can attract a sizable crowd all on his own (and without the help of snazzy special effects). I’m thinking it will be a mixed bag. Buzz is low for this film and the trailer got groans at a recent screening. Opening in well over 2,000 theaters, "Man on a Ledge" could debut to about $10 million in second place. Underworld Awakening is the fourth entry — if you can believe it — in the supernatural action franchise led the box office last weekend with a solid $25.3 million. Now comes the hard fall. The first three Underworld flicks dropped an average of 59% their second weekend, and I see no reason not to predict the same decline for this one. If it can escape the weekend with $9.5 million in third place it should consider itself lucky. It’s tough to know how the WWII action film Red Tails, a passion project for executive producer George Lucas, will hold up its second week. It started off with an impressive $18.8 opening last weekend, and earned an “A” rating from CinemaScore audiences. It might tumble around 45% or more, so expect a fourth place finishing in the $9 million range. Katherine Heigl stars as a cash-strapped gal that takes a job as a bail bondswoman in the fish-out-of-water comedy One for the Money. Unlike most of her other recent films, this PG-13 pic has no major co-stars to lend any box office muscle so it's all on the Knocked Up star's shoulders here. Lionsgate has kept it away from the press so expect her usual bad reviews to start trickling in online once critics get the chance to pay and see it - if they dare. Opening in 2,737 theaters,it could tank in fifth place with $9 million, making it close for a fourth place finish. As always check back Sunday for the early estimates.

2012-01-26T21:17:00.002-05:00

"Welcome Back Kotter" star Robert Hegyes dies

The actor best known for playing Jewish Puerto Rican student Juan Epstein on the 1970s TV show Welcome Back Kotter has died. The Flynn & Son Funeral Home in Fords, N.J., says it was informed of Robert Hegyes’ death Thursday by the actor’s family. He was 60. A spokesman at JFK Medical Center in Edison, N.J., told the Star-Ledger newspaper that Hegyes, of Metuchen, arrived at the hospital in the morning in full cardiac arrest and died. Hegyes was appearing on Broadway in 1975 when he auditioned for Kotter, a TV series about a teacher who returns to the inner-city school of his youth to teach a group of remedial students. They included the character Vinnie Barbarino, played by John Travolta.

2012-01-25T23:31:00.002-05:00

Academy says yes to online voting for 2013 Oscars

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced Wednesday that it will begin using an “electronic voting system” starting with the 85th Academy Awards in 2013. Up until this announcement, the Academy has always collected ballots by mail. Those ballots were then counted by hand by a small team of PricewaterhouseCoopers accountants. But now the Academy will team with the firm Everyone Counts to develop an online voting system for next year’s Oscars. Over the next year, the Academy will “undertake a rigorous security and user-acceptance testing process.” A chief concern will be ensuring that the system cannot be compromised by hackers. PricewaterhouseCoopers will still be responsible for ultimately tabulating and verifying the results. The move to online will help speed up the voting process for the Oscars. The Academy is rumored to be thinking about moving the ceremony a month earlier to late January, and a swifter voting system would make that change easier to execute.
The electronic voting system will be used to determine both the nominations and the winners, an Academy rep confirmed.

2012-01-24T17:10:00.004-05:00

84th Academy Awards: Initial Thoughts

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has announced the nominees for the 84th Academy Awards this morning. This year’s most nominated film? Martin Scorsese’s Hugo, with 11 nominations, followed by Michel Hazanavicius’ The Artist, with 10. There was the usual surprises and snubs that come with any Oscar nominations and this year was no different. A few random thoughts to bring up initially: Hugo got a large chunk of nominations, the most overall with 11 nominations. This could really push Scorsese's latest to the front of the pack right alongside The Artist. In the end I think The Artist gets the win, but that's getting ahead of ourselves. More thoughts below:

Best Picture: Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close? For real? Believe it. It was announced last (seemingly in no particular order) but my hunch is it really did fill that ninth slot, rounding out the Best Picutre nominees that included The Artist, The Descendats, Hugo, Midnight in Paris and The Help. Also finding their way into the race was Moneyball and The Tree of Life, both well received during the Oscar run-up. I'm equally surprised about the inclusion of War Horse. One wonders how it got so many No. 1 votes on 250 ballots. Beats me.

Best Director: The DGA correctly predicted Martin Scorsese for Hugo, Michel Hazanavicius for The Artist, Alexander Payne for The Descendants, and Woody Allen for Midnight is Paris. However, David Fincher failed to score a nod for The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo as Terrence Malick snagged the last slot for his wonderful direction in The Tree of Life. I always knew Malick was on the bubble, teetering on the edge of the nomination. I bet it was aclose vote, but it seems clear Malick had enough pull within the Academy to garner a nomination.

Best Actor: This is the category I did the worst in. We have a bunch of first time nominees here, incluiding unsurprising nominee Jean Dujardin for The Artist. Demián Bichir for A Better Life and Gary Oldman for Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy both were the shocking inclusions here, since both had little pre-Oscar heat (aside from Bichir who had a SAG nod, and Oldman had a BAFTA nod.) George Clooney (The Descendants) and his good friend Brad Pitt (Moneyball) round out the the shortlist. Snubs? In terms of precursor support both Michael Fassbender and Leonardo DiCaprio both seemed like solid guesses. Fassbender in particular has a lot of critical enthusiasm and media support though his film was always going to be a tough sell with Academy voters.

Best Actress: For Best Actress, Michelle Williams was cited for her turn as Marilyn Monroe in My Week with Marilyn, as was Meryl Streep, who plays former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, in The Iron Lady. Streep's nomination is her 17th. Viola Davis looks as strong as ever here for her work in The Help. Also receiving recognition was Glenn Close for Albert Nobbs. However, Tilda Swinton found herself on the outside looking in as Rooney Mara was the surprising fifth nominee.

Best Supporting Actor: Albert Brooks was overlooked as the mob boss from Drive This race seemed really diffuse beyond Christopher Plummer and Kenneth Branagh since Nick Nolte's film didn't have heat, Jonah Hill seemed like an easy snub if they didn't love Moneyball as much we expected so several men still seemed possible like SAG nominee Armie Hammer, Globe nominee Viggo Mortensen and men in Best Pictures like Ben Kingsley. In the end Max von Sydow claimed the last spot for Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close.

Best Supporting Actress: The nominees here are: Octavia Spencer, The Help; Berenice Bejo, The Artist; Jessica Chastain, The Help; Janet McTeer Albert Nobbs; and Melissa McCarthy, Bridesmaids. According to most of the precursors and several regional critics organizations who went bonkers for The Descendants, Shailene Woodley is the one that's missing from that list above for playing George Clooney's sorta rebellions sorta not daughter. Earlier in the year it looked like electrifying work by Vanessa Redgrave in Coriolanus and Carey Mulligan in Shame might win traction but that didn't come to pass.

Other thoughts:

- Best Oscar song with two nominees?? And why only two nominees, the minimum possible? Thirty-nine songs made the short list, including two of the Rio songs, Zooey Deschanel's sweet "So Long" from "Winnie the Pooh," a couple more songs from Muppets and more. In the end we are left with "Man or Muppet" from Muppets and "Real in Rio" from Rio. Sure, the Muppets was awesome, but there was a better song there called "Life's a Happy Song." Something is rotten in Denmark.

- Visual Effects is a darn mess from top to bottom. I can behind Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2, Hugo and Rise of the Planet of the Apes. But Real Steel? What?!! I just don't get it! Where in the world is The Tree of Life? This is probably the one award it deserved to win.

- Where is The Adventures of Tin Tin in the Best Animated category? It seemed to have strong buzz going in so it's weird to lose the nod.

Ok, I'm out of time. More thoughts as they come along. In the meantime check out some of my friends websites and blogs!!!

http://kdoscarology.blogspot.com/ My friend Keith's blog!

http://awardcontenders.com/ My friend Mark's site! Check them both out!!!

2012-01-24T09:05:00.002-05:00

Oscars 2012: And the nominees are...

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has announced the nominees for the 84th Academy Awards. Here are the nominees in all categories. The Oscars will be televised on ABC on Sunday, Feb. 26.

Best Picture
"The Artist" Thomas Langmann, Producer
"The Descendants" Jim Burke, Alexander Payne and Jim Taylor, Producers
"Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close" Scott Rudin, Producer
"The Help" Brunson Green, Chris Columbus and Michael Barnathan, Producers
"Hugo" Graham King and Martin Scorsese, Producers
"Midnight in Paris" Letty Aronson and Stephen Tenenbaum, Producers
"Moneyball" Michael De Luca, Rachael Horovitz and Brad Pitt, Producers
"The Tree of Life" Nominees to be determined
"War Horse" Steven Spielberg and Kathleen Kennedy, Producers

Directing
"The Artist" Michel Hazanavicius
"The Descendants" Alexander Payne
"Hugo" Martin Scorsese
"Midnight in Paris" Woody Allen
"The Tree of Life" Terrence Malick

Actor in a Leading Role
Demián Bichir in "A Better Life"
George Clooney in "The Descendants"
Jean Dujardin in "The Artist"
Gary Oldman in "Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy"
Brad Pitt in "Moneyball"

Actor in a Supporting Role
Kenneth Branagh in "My Week with Marilyn"
Jonah Hill in "Moneyball"
Nick Nolte in "Warrior"
Christopher Plummer in "Beginners"
Max von Sydow in "Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close"

Actress in a Leading Role
Glenn Close in "Albert Nobbs"
Viola Davis in "The Help"
Rooney Mara in "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo"
Meryl Streep in "The Iron Lady"
Michelle Williams in "My Week with Marilyn"

Actress in a Supporting Role
Bérénice Bejo in "The Artist"
Jessica Chastain in "The Help"
Melissa McCarthy in "Bridesmaids"
Janet McTeer in "Albert Nobbs"
Octavia Spencer in "The Help"

Animated Feature Film
"A Cat in Paris" Alain Gagnol and Jean-Loup Felicioli
"Chico & Rita" Fernando Trueba and Javier Mariscal
"Kung Fu Panda 2" Jennifer Yuh Nelson
"Puss in Boots" Chris Miller
"Rango" Gore Verbinski

Art Direction
"The Artist"
Production Design: Laurence Bennett; Set Decoration: Robert Gould
"Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2"
Production Design: Stuart Craig; Set Decoration: Stephenie McMillan
"Hugo"
Production Design: Dante Ferretti; Set Decoration: Francesca Lo Schiavo
"Midnight in Paris"
Production Design: Anne Seibel; Set Decoration: Hélène Dubreuil
"War Horse"
Production Design: Rick Carter; Set Decoration: Lee Sandales

Cinematography
"The Artist" Guillaume Schiffman
"The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" Jeff Cronenweth
"Hugo" Robert Richardson
"The Tree of Life" Emmanuel Lubezki
"War Horse" Janusz Kaminski

Costume Design
"Anonymous" Lisy Christl
"The Artist" Mark Bridges
"Hugo" Sandy Powell
"Jane Eyre" Michael O'Connor
"W.E." Arianne Phillips

Documentary (Feature)
"Hell and Back Again"
Danfung Dennis and Mike Lerner
"If a Tree Falls: A Story of the Earth Liberation Front"
Marshall Curry and Sam Cullman
"Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory"
Charles Ferguson and Audrey Marrs
"Pina"
Wim Wenders and Gian-Piero Ringel
"Undefeated"
TJ Martin, Dan Lindsay and Richard Middlemas

Documentary (Short Subject)
"The Barber of Birmingham: Foot Soldier of the Civil Rights Movement"
Robin Fryday and Gail Dolgin
"God Is the Bigger Elvis"
Rebecca Cammisa and Julie Anderson
"Incident in New Baghdad"
James Spione
"Saving Face"
Daniel Junge and Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy
"The Tsunami and the Cherry Blossom"
Lucy Walker and Kira Carstensen

Film Editing
"The Artist" Anne-Sophie Bion and Michel Hazanavicius
"The Descendants" Kevin Tent
"The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" Kirk Baxter and Angus Wall
"Hugo" Thelma Schoonmaker
"Moneyball" Christopher Tellefsen

Foreign Language Film
"Bullhead" Belgium
"Footnote" Israel
"In Darkness" Poland
"Monsieur Lazhar" Canada
"A Separation" Iran

Makeup
"Albert Nobbs"
Martial Corneville, Lynn Johnston and Matthew W. Mungle
"Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2"
Edouard F. Henriques, Gregory Funk and Yolanda Toussieng
"The Iron Lady"
Mark Coulier and J. Roy Helland

Music (Original Score)
"The Adventures of Tintin" John Williams
"The Artist" Ludovic Bource
"Hugo" Howard Shore
"Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy" Alberto Iglesias
"War Horse" John Williams

Music (Original Song)
"Man or Muppet" from "The Muppets" Music and Lyric by Bret McKenzie
"Real in Rio" from "Rio" Music by Sergio Mendes and Carlinhos Brown Lyric by Siedah Garrett

Short Film (Animated)
"Dimanche/Sunday" Patrick Doyon
"The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore" William Joyce and Brandon Oldenburg
"La Luna" Enrico Casarosa
"A Morning Stroll" Grant Orchard and Sue Goffe
"Wild Life" Amanda Forbis and Wendy Tilby

Short Film (Live Action)
"Pentecost" Peter McDonald and Eimear O'Kane
"Raju" Max Zähle and Stefan Gieren
"The Shore" Terry George and Oorlagh George
"Time Freak" Andrew Bowler and Gigi Causey
"Tuba Atlantic" Hallvar Witzø

Sound Editing
"Drive" Lon Bender and Victor Ray Ennis
"The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" Ren Klyce
"Hugo" Philip Stockton and Eugene Gearty
"Transformers: Dark of the Moon" Ethan Van der Ryn and Erik Aadahl
"War Horse" Richard Hymns and Gary Rydstrom

Sound Mixing
"The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo"
David Parker, Michael Semanick, Ren Klyce and Bo Persson
"Hugo"
Tom Fleischman and John Midgley
"Moneyball"
Deb Adair, Ron Bochar, Dave Giammarco and Ed Novick
"Transformers: Dark of the Moon"
Greg P. Russell, Gary Summers, Jeffrey J. Haboush and Peter J. Devlin
"War Horse"
Gary Rydstrom, Andy Nelson, Tom Johnson and Stuart Wilson

Visual Effects
"Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2"
Tim Burke, David Vickery, Greg Butler and John Richardson
"Hugo"
Rob Legato, Joss Williams, Ben Grossman and Alex Henning
"Real Steel"
Erik Nash, John Rosengrant, Dan Taylor and Swen Gillberg
"Rise of the Planet of the Apes"
Joe Letteri, Dan Lemmon, R. Christopher White and Daniel Barrett
"Transformers: Dark of the Moon"
Scott Farrar, Scott Benza, Matthew Butler and John Frazier

Writing (Adapted Screenplay)
"The Descendants" Screenplay by Alexander Payne and Nat Faxon & Jim Rash
"Hugo" Screenplay by John Logan
"The Ides of March" Screenplay by George Clooney & Grant Heslov and Beau Willimon
"Moneyball" Screenplay by Steven Zaillian and Aaron Sorkin Story by Stan Chervin
"Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy" Screenplay by Bridget O'Connor & Peter Straughan

Writing (Original Screenplay)
"The Artist" Written by Michel Hazanavicius
"Bridesmaids" Written by Annie Mumolo & Kristen Wiig
"Margin Call" Written by J.C. Chandor
"Midnight in Paris" Written by Woody Allen
"A Separation" Written by Asghar Farhadi

2012-01-23T16:54:00.010-05:00

Final Oscar Nominations: Here we go...

Here are my FINAL picks for Oscar nominations, whcih are due to be announced on Tuesday morning at 8:38AM. Without any further ado..

Best Picture

The big category of the year is also the most confusing in terms of exactly how many films will garner a nomination on Tuesday morning. To secure a nomination, any one film must gather at least 5% number one votes in the total amounts of ballots. It can all be very confusing, but it comes down to this: Close to 250-300 voters must rank one specific film at No. 1 on their ballots to be considered for a Best Picture nomination. In a lesser year, it would seem easy to say the Top 5 films almost guaranteed a nomination are The Artist, The Descendants, The Help, Hugo, and Midnight in Paris, probably in that order. After this is anyone’s guess. (I’m almost at the point where these 5 films may be the only nominations we have this year.) But I think we may have an additional one or two films sneak in right under the line. If there are more than 5 nods, I would bet on The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and Moneyball slipping in. If Warhorse received love from DGA or BAFTA I would include it here, but it seems its Oscar chances are slipping dramatically in the final run. My gut says we have 5 nominations, but I’m too scared to predict only 5, so I’ll go with the Lucky 7 for now.

The Artist
The Descendants
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
The Help
Hugo
Midnight in Paris
Moneyball

Best Director

With the Directors Guild of America recently releasing their five nominated Directors, it's always best to use that as a template when picking your Oscar shortlist. That being said, Michel Hazanavicius is almost guaranteed a nomination for his work behind the camera on The Artist. Same scenario for Martin Scorsese, who won the Golden Globe a few weeks back for his work on Hugo. Alexander Payne, a previous Oscar winner for his screenplay of Sideways, should find himself wedged into the director race this year for creating the many plot threads in The Descendants. One of the last two slots could go to Woody Allen, who found his highest grossing film in the form of Midnight in Paris. With a recent DGA nomination, his chance of getting in here are very likely. The last slot could belong to Terrence Malik, who created a world all his own in The Tree of Life, but with the lack of a DGA, his chances have dwindled over the past few weeks. Many insiders predict that Nicolas Winding Refn, who created a dark atmosphere in Drive, could sneak into the fifth slot, which usually can go to a director who may not have a Best Picture film in contention. Tate Taylor, director of The Help, may have a shot of sneaking in here, but that film seems to be honored more for its ensemble cast. Therefore, the last slot will likely go to David Fincher, who crafted The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. If that is to happen, my shortlist will match DGA five for five.

Michel Hazanavicius, The Artist
Alexander Payne, The Descendants
David Fincher, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Martin Scorsese, Hugo
Woody Allen, Midnight in Paris

Best Actor

As with any Oscar category, this one has a few sure things. Fresh off his recent Critics’ Choice and Golden Globes win, previous Oscar winner George Clooney will earn his fourth nomination for his strong work in The Descendants. While a win is a ways off, it’s becoming clear that his closest competition may come in the form of Brad Pitt, who should earn his third nomination for Moneyball, or Jean Dujardin, a fresh face to the United States, who showed off great range with his wordless role in The Artist. This is where things get a little difficult: Leonardo DiCaprio was once considered a real contender for J. Edgar, but then the film came out and some positive buzz turned questionable. In the end, I still think he will turn up in here, but if he doesn’t watch out for surprise SAG nominee Demien Bichir who was spellbinding in A Better Life. The last slot is also a toss-up: Conventional wisdom says to go with SAG favorite Michael Fassbender who capped off his strong year with the controversial Shame. However, equal love seems to be going toward Michael Shannon for the disturbing film Take Shelter, or even more likely Gary Oldman for Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy. This could be the spot where we find a surprise nomination on Tuesday morning, but for now, I’m sticking with my gut instincts.

George Clooney, The Descendants
Leonardo DiCaprio, J. Edgar
Jean Dujardin, The Artist
Michael Fassbender, Shame
Brad Pitt, Moneyball

Best Actress

This category is filled with a crop of fine actresses, many of whom are past nominees. Meryl Streep is almost certain to lock her 17th nomination for her splendid turn as Margaret Thatcher in The Iron Lady, which is boosted from her recent win at the Golden Globes. Buzz has remained strong for past nominee Viola Davis ever since The Help was released last August. While a debate seems all but certain over which actress nabs the Oscar, a nomination is almost a guarantee. Also returning to the race will be two-time nominee Michelle Willams, who did as fine a job as I have ever seen of playing one of the most iconic actresses of the past 50 years — Marilyn Monroe. Although My Week With Marilyn was labeled with some poor reviews, everyone seems to agree that Williams is brilliant, and her recent SAG nod and Globe win in the Best Actress Musical/Comedy category further solidifies her standing. Glenn Close has a real shot of earning her sixth career nomination for her gender bending role as the title character Albert Nobbs. As is the case with Williams, everyone seems to praise Close in the role, while the movie itself seems to be less so applauded. The last slot could be up for grabs: Elizabeth Olsen for Martha Marcy May Marlene? Kirsten Dunst in Melancholia? Rooney Mara was a standout as Lisbeth Salander in The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. While many compared her performance to Noomi Rapace from the Swedish versions, many felt she made the film and character her own. However, her absence in the SAG race is telling and could be the sign of trouble we were looking for. That means it could be Tilda Swinton in the last slot for her devastating turn in We Need to Talk About Kevin. Equal parts horror and drama, Swinton showed a human learning to accept who her son is and what he has become. It’s a performance that stays with you. I think the Academy will agree as well.

Glenn Close, Albert Nobbs
Viola Davis, The Help
Meryl Streep, The Iron Lady
Tilda Swinton, We Need to Talk About Kevin
Michelle Williams, My Week with Marilyn

Best Supporting Actor

This category is without a doubt the most wild in terms of occupants. They all seem like a rather ragtag batch of actors, but maybe that's my opinion. I think a lot has to do with the fact that, to me, only one stands out as being superior to all the rest. With only a single other nomination, Christopher Plummer should earn his second career nomination for Beginners, and at this point the Oscar looks to be his already. Kenneth Branagh earned strong reviews for his role in My Week with Marilyn; while his performance was strong, the film was considered by many to be substandard. After watching Moneyball last year, one of my first thoughts was how against type Jonah Hill plays it as Brad Pitt's smart aleck sidekick. While I loved the performance, I didn't think it had a shot of earning him any awards love. Wrong again: First came Golden Globes then SAG. To lose the Oscar nomination at this point would be hard to swallow. Same situation goes for Albert Brooks and his role as a mobster out for revenge in Drive. Again, a wonderful performance, but I didn't think it would earn him an Oscar nod. Globes and SAG nominations proved that theory wrong. Is the talent too lacking here? It could go a far way to explain how these guys got in. The last slot could go to Max von Sydow, who gave a strong, silent performance as a man known as the Renter in Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close. But with no pre-nomination heat, his chances are shallow. I think Nick Nolte gets the last slot, for his work as a dad stuck between two brothers in the widely under seen Warrior.

Kenneth Branagh, My Week with Marilyn
Albert Brooks, Drive
Jonah Hill, Moneyball
Nick Nolte, Warrior
Christopher Plummer, Beginners

Best Supporting Actress

Shaping up to be on of the more difficult categories to predict, Actress in a Supporting Role has some performances that may surprise on nomination morning by sneaking into this race. The closest to a sure thing comes in the form of Octavia Spencer for her role in The Help. She has already won early awards at Critics Choice and Golden Globes, so her inclusion here is almost a guarantee. Also look for the similarly loved Melissa McCarthy from Bridesmaids, who seems to be on every shortlist at this stage in the game. Her failure to nab a nomination would seem almost shocking at this point in the race. Bérénice Bejo also should score a career first nomination for her strong role in The Artist. Add in overall love for the film, and she can be considered almost a sure thing. Overall love for The Help could give Jessica Chastain a boost into the shortlist, but her nomination isn't as sure as Spencer’s. I do give a pass on the basis of overall love. The last spot is, as always, a toss up. You might see Shaileen Woodley slip in for The Descendants, but her lack of a SAG and BAFTA nomination hurts her chances. The likely spoiler for the fifth slot is Janet McTeer, who played against type in Albert Nobbs. I think she barely makes it into this year’s shortlist.

Bérénice Bejo, The Artist
Jessica Chastain, The Help
Melissa McCarthy, Bridesmaids
Janet McTeer, Albert Nobbs
Octavia Spencer, The Help

2012-01-23T10:25:00.001-05:00

Bryce Dallas Howard has a baby girl

Bryce Dallas Howard and husband Seth Gabel welcomed a daughter on Thursday, Bryce's proud father, movie director Ron Howard, Tweeted on Sunday. "Beatrice Jean Howard-Gabel Born Jan 19 2012 8lbs 6oz Bryce & Baby B are spectacular Daddy Seth & brother Theo are beaming ear to ear :-) " the filmmaker announced Sunday.

2012-01-23T10:23:00.001-05:00

Heidi Klum, Seal to separate after having "grown apart"

Heidi Klum and Seal, who have become well-known for very publicly praising their marriage and sex life since they wed in 2005, are separating, according to a rep for the Project Runway host. Says a statement released by the couple, ”While we have enjoyed seven very loving, loyal and happy years of marriage, after much soul-searching we have decided to separate. We have had the deepest respect for one another throughout our relationship and continue to love each other very much, but we have grown apart. This is an amicable process and protecting the well-being of our children remains our top priority, especially during this time of transition. We thank our family, friends, and fans for their kind words of support. And for our children’s sake, we appreciate you respecting our privacy.” Klum and Seal have three children: 6-year-old Henry, 5-year-old Johan, and 2-year-old Lou. Klum has a 7-year-old daughter, Leni, from a previous relationship.

2012-01-22T13:03:00.002-05:00

Box Office Report: "Underworld Awakening" tops weekend

The weekend Box Office was buoyed by a few new releases, which all had decent releases over the three-day span. On top of the pack was Underworld Awakening, a 3D fourth installment of the Underworld franchise, which scared up $25.4 million in its three days. This registers the second-best debut in the franchise’s history (Underworld: Evolution started with $26.9 million in its first weekend in 2006), although that number seems much less healthy when you factor in "Awakening"'s $70 million budget. In second place, Red Tails successfully got off the ground with $19.1 million. The George Lucas-produced WWII picture pulled off a decent start, which would have seemed impossible a few short weeks ago. Last week’s victor, Contraband, which also stars Kate Beckinsale (who is having a very good January!), stuck around in third place with $12.2 million. The Mark Wahlberg action title has thus far gained $46 million since its debut. Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close expanded into 2,630 locations on Friday, but the 9/11 drama is being met with weaker-than-expected results: It pulled in $10.6 million in its first wide weekend. Steven Soderbergh’s Haywire brought in a tepid $9 million, good enough for fifth place.

1. Underworld Awakening -- $25.4 million
2. Red Tails -- $19.1 million
3. Contraband – $12.2 million
4. Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close -- $10.5 million
5. Haywire -- $9 million
6. Beauty and the Beast 3D -- $8.6 million
7. Joyful Noise -- $6.1 million
8. Mission: Impossible -- Ghost Protocol -- $5.5 million
9. Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows -- $4.8 million
10. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo -- $3.8 million

2012-01-22T01:07:00.002-05:00

"The Artist" wins the top prize at PGA

Winners of the 23rd annual Producers Guild of America Awards were announced Saturday at the Beverly Hilton in California and the top prize went to The Artist. Like the Academy Awards, the PGA winner is determined using a preferential system of ballot counting. The guild and Oscars have agreed on 15 of the last 22 Best Picture champs. The other PGA nominees were: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Hugo, The Ides of March and Moneyball. The complete list of winners is below.

Picture The Artist
Animated Feature The Adventures of Tintin
Documentary Beats, Rhymes & Life: The Travels of A Tribe Called Quest
TV Drama Boardwalk Empire
TV Comedy Modern Family
TV Longform Downton Abbey
Live Entertainment & Talk The Colbert Report
TV News 60 Minutes
Competition The Amazing Race
TV Sports ESPN’s 30 for 30
Non-fiction TV American Masters
Childrens Sesame Street
Web Series 30 Rock Presents

2012-01-20T14:43:00.002-05:00

Etta James dies at 73

Etta James, an icon of mid-century soul and R&B, has passed away in Riverside, Calif., after a long battle with leukemia. She was 73. Her longtime friend and manager, Lupe De Leon, first confirmed the news. "This is a tremendous loss for the family, her friends and fans around the world," De Leon said. "She was a true original who could sing it all – her music defied category. I worked with Etta for over 30 years. She was my friend and I will miss her always." She will be missed.

2012-01-20T01:38:00.003-05:00

Box Office Preview: "Underworld Awakening'" should top the charts

After skipping out on Underworld: Rise of the Lycans, Kate Beckinsale rejoins the enduring vampires vs. werewolves franchise for the series’ fourth installment, which, thanks in part to the presence of 3D, should outdo the $20.8 million that Lycans opened with in 2009. The three Underworld installments’ average opening weekend stands at $23.1 million, and their average domestic total at $53.4 million. Thanks to 3D ticket prices, those numbers may creep up a little bit, but at this point in the franchise, uninitiated viewers aren’t going to suddenly check out what Underworld is all about. In 3,078 theaters, Underworld: Awakening may scare up $24 million. more than enough for a top spot finish. Cuba Gooding Jr. and Terence Howard headline the wartime actioner Red Tails which tells the story of the Tuskegee Airmen and their much overlooked contribution to World War II. Tracking for "Red Tails" isn’t very strong, but time and time again, movies that play well with African-American audiences have had deceptively low tracking scores — that may be why Fox is predicting only an $8-10 million weekend. I, however, think "Red Tails" may pull in an impressive $19 million from 2,512 locations, resulting in a second place finish. Mark Wahlberg’s thriller Contraband broke out last weekend, but due to heavy competition, it may fall by about 50% this time around. A $12.5 million weekend would land the film in third place. After five weeks in limited release, the Tom Hanks/Sandra Bullock adaptation Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close will expand from 6 theaters into 2,630 theaters on Friday, and while it will certainly get a huge box office boost as a result, I’m doubtful that it will truly break out. Difficult subject matter will keep many away. The film deals with the aftermath of 9/11, a touchy plot that many moviegoers will simply not want to explore in theaters. In addition, reviews have been harsh. All that being said, "Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close" is based on a popular novel by Jonathan Safran Foer, which means there is a built-in audience here, and its gotten a strong advertising push, which features a few choice rave reviews. I’m predicting an $11.5 million weekend, landing in fourth place. Disney's Beauty and the Beast 3D should fare well since there is nothing new opening that is appropriate for little kids. A 35% dip would give the animated hit roughly $11 million in fifth place. In case action audiences are not satisfied with other new releases or holdovers, there is the spy thriller Haywire opening starring Mixed Martial Arts superstar Gina Carano headlining her first motion picture. Reviews have been among the best in recent months for a non-ghost protocol action title. But competition will be intense given the two other action titles opening on Friday and weekend grosses should be hampered by Sunday's football. Channing Tatum, Michael Douglas, and Antonio Banderas may co-star, but none will add too much to the box office since this is a Gina vehicle. Maybe some love for Soderbergh will factor in. Opening in over 2,000 theaters, Haywire could debut to about $9 million, just outside the Top 5. Plus: After eight weekends in limited release, Golden Globes Best Picture (Musical or Comedy) winner The Artist will also expand into 662 theaters this weekend, and the film may draw about $3 million as a result. Check back Sunday for the complete Top 10.

2012-01-17T16:55:00.002-05:00

"The Artist," "Tinker Tailor" lead BAFTA nominations

Oscar frontrunner The Artist leads the nominees for this year’s British Academy of Film and Television Arts Awards with 12 nominations, followed by Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy with 11. Though it wasn’t nominated for Best Film, Hugo also fared well with 9 nominations. The Artist‘s Bérénice Bejo was listed in the lead actress category despite her supporting campaign on these shores. Left out of the acting races: J. Edgar‘s Leonardo DiCaprio, The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo‘s Rooney Mara, Drive‘s Albert Brooks, and The Descendants‘ Shailene Woodley. (Albert Nobbs costars Glenn Close and Janet McTeer were not eligible since their film didn’t open in the UK in time.) War Horse, meanwhile, received five craft nominations but was shut out of all the major categories. Viewers can watch the BAFTA ceremony on Sunday, Feb. 12 at 8 pm ET on BBC America.

Here is the entire list of feature nominees:

Best Film

The Artist
The Descendants
Drive
The Help
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy

Film Not in the English Language
Incendies
Pina
Potiche
A Separation
The Skin I Live In

Outstanding British Film

My Week with Marilyn
Senna
Shame
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
We Need to Talk About Kevin

Director

Michel Hazanavicius, The Artist
Nicolas Winding Refn, Drive
Martin Scorsese, Hugo
Tomas Alfredson, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
Lynne Ramsay, We Need to Talk About Kevin

Leading Actor

Brad Pitt, Moneyball
Gary Oldman, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
George Clooney, The Descendants
Jean Dujardin, The Artist
Michael Fassbender, Shame

Leading Actress

Bérénice Bejo, The Artist
Meryl Streep, The Iron Lady
Michelle Williams, My Week with Marilyn
Tilda Swinton, We Need to Talk About Kevin
Viola Davis, The Help

Supporting Actor

Christopher Plummer, Beginners
Jim Broadbent, The Iron Lady
Jonah Hill, Moneyball
Kenneth Branagh, My Week with Marilyn
Philip Seymour Hoffman, The Ides of March

Supporting Actress

Carey Mulligan, Drive
Jessica Chastain, The Help
Judi Dench, My Week with Marilyn
Melissa McCarthy, Bridesmaids
Octavia Spencer, The Help

Original Screenplay

The Artist
Bridesmaids
The Guard
The Iron Lady
Midnight in Paris

Adapted Screenplay

The Descendants
The Help
The Ides of March
Moneyball
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy

Cinematography

The Artist
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Hugo
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
War Horse

Editing

The Artist
Drive
Hugo
Senna
Tinker Tailor Solider Spy

Production Design

The Artist
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2
Hugo
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
War Horse

Make Up & Hair

The Artist
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2
Hugo
The Iron Lady
My Week with Marilyn

Costume Design

The Artist
Hugo
Jane Eyre
My Week with Marilyn
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy

Special Visual Effects

The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2
Rise of the Planet of the Apes
War Horse

Documentary

George Harrison: Living in the Material World
Project Nim
Senna

Sound

The Artist
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2
Hugo
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
War Horse

Original Music

The Artist
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Hugo
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
War Horse

Animated Film

The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn
Arthur Christmas
Rango

Outstanding British Debut by a Director or Producer

Joe Cornish, Attack the Block
Will Sharpe, Tom Kingsley, Sarah Brocklehurst, Black Pond
Ralph Fiennes, Coriolanus
Richard Ayouade, Submarine
Paddy Considine & Diarmid Scrimshaw, Tyrannosaur

2012-01-17T00:28:00.002-05:00

Box Office Report: "Contraband" tops "Beauty and the Beast 3D"

The R-rated Contraband, which stars Mark Wahlberg as a former smuggler trying to protect his brother-in-law from a drug lord, earned an estimated $28.8 million over four-day holiday weekend. That’s a solid start for the $25 million movie, a remake of the 2008 Icelandic thriller Reykjavík-Rotterdam. It also represents Wahlberg’s strongest solo debut since 2008′s The Happening. In second was Beauty and the Beast 3D with $23.5 million for the three-day frame — the largest January opening for an animated film (topping 2006′s Hoodwinked). Disney spent less than $10 million converting the 1991 classic to 3-D, so this kind of opening more than justifies the studio’s decision to re-release the musical. It also bodes well for Disney’s future 3-D re-releases: Finding Nemo in September, and Monsters, Inc. and The Little Mermaid in 2013. Among holdovers, Mission: Impossible — Ghost Protocol dropped a mild 29% for $14.2 million in third place. On Saturday it surpassed the original Mission: Impossible‘s $181 million gross to become the action franchise’s second-highest grossing film, behind Mission: Impossible II with $215.4 million. The weekend’s third new release, the gospel-singing dramedy Joyful Noise, drew a smaller congregation with $13.8 million in fourth place over the four-day frame. Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows continued to hold up well, too, slipping just 23% for $10.5 million, and pushing its cumulative total to $172 million. The Iron Lady, starring Meryl Streep as former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, expanded from five to 802 theaters and earned a respectable $6.5 million, which was just enough for 11th place.

1. Contraband -- $28.8 million
2. Beauty and the Beast 3D -- $23.5 million
3. Mission: Impossible — Ghost Protocol -- $14.2 million
4. Joyful Noise -- $13.8 million
5. Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows -- $10.5 million
6. The Devil Inside -- $9.2 million
7. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo -- $8.1 million
8. Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked -- $7.8 million
9. War Horse -- $7.2 million
10. We Bought a Zoo -- $6.8 million

2012-01-16T09:09:00.001-05:00

Golden Globes winners!

The Artist and The Descendants took home the comedy and drama best picture trophies at the 69th annual Golden Globe Awards in Beverly Hills, Calif. Sunday night. In a ceremony that saw Globes handed out to a wide range of projects, The Artist had the most wins for a movie with three total, including best score and best actor in a comedy for star Jean Dujardin. In addition to best picture (drama), The Descendants also collected a best actor in a drama trophy for star George Clooney. The full list of winners is below.

Best Picture (Drama): The Descendants

Best Actor in a Movie (Drama): George Clooney, The Descendants

Best Picture (Comedy or Musical): The Artist

Best Actress in a Movie (Drama): Meryl Streep, The Iron Lady

Best Actor in a Movie (Comedy or Musical): Jean Dujardin, The Artist

Best TV Series (Comedy or Musical): Modern Family

Best Director: Martin Scorsese, Hugo

Best Supporting Actress in a Movie: Octavia Spencer, The Help

Best Actor in a TV Series (Comedy or Musical): Matt LeBlanc, Episodes

Best Actress in a TV Series (Drama): Claire Danes, Homeland

Best Foreign Language Movie: A Separation (Iran)

Best Supporting Actress in a TV Series, Miniseries, or TV Movie: Jessica Lange, American Horror Story

Best Screenplay: Midnight in Paris, Woody Allen

Best Animated Movie: The Adventures of Tintin

Best Supporting Actor in a TV Series, Miniseries, or TV Movie: Peter Dinklage, Game of Thrones

Best Actress in a Movie (Comedy or Musical): Michelle Williams, My Week With Marilyn

Best Actor in a Miniseries or TV Movie: Idris Elba, Luther

Best Original Song: “Masterpiece,” W.E.

Best Original Score: Ludovic Bource, The Artist

Best TV Series (Drama): Homeland

Best Actor in a TV Series (Drama): Kelsey Grammer, Boss

Best Actress in a Miniseries or TV Movie: Kate Winslet, Mildred Pierce

Best Miniseries or TV Movie: Downton Abbey

Best Actress in a TV Series (Comedy or Musical): Laura Dern, Enlightened

Best Supporting Actor in a Movie: Christopher Plummer, Beginners

2012-01-14T07:56:00.003-05:00

Oscar nomination ballots are in

The 5,783 voting members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences have returned their completed Oscar nominations ballots to PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) on Friday, January 13. Ballots received after that deadline have not been counted. In the majority of the categories, PwC will tabulate the ballots using the preferential voting system. The 84th Academy Awards nominations will be announced live on Tuesday, January 24, at 5:30 a.m. PT in the Academy’s Samuel Goldwyn Theater.

2012-01-13T00:33:00.003-05:00

Box Office Preview: “Beauty and the Beast" could rule the weekend

Monday is a holiday (Martin Luther King, Jr. day) so the weekend should be busy, but not record-breaking. The film that looks to have the best shot at opening at the top spot is Beauty and the Beast, which is being shown in 3D. The G-rated re-release is part of the Disney’s parade of popular toons from the recent past getting updated with a 3D conversion allowing a new generation of kids to have the experience in theaters. Disney scored big when it released The Lion King in 3D back in September, earning $30 million in its opening weekend. “Beauty and the Beast” won’t likely open quite that big, since in its original run, it was a modest size hit, compared to the larger fan base of The Lion King. December kidpics are playing out now so families should be in the mood for something new - even if new means a two-decade old movie. Dancing into 2,625 theaters, “Beauty and the Beast 3D” may take in around $19 million over the Friday-to-Sunday period. Some newer films should also rank high this weekend, with Mark Wahlberg’s latest Contraband the safest bet. The R-rated film should excite male moviegoers although female appeal is respectable. Mid-January is typically a tough time for action films since football playoffs offer a huge distraction for male audiences. With this weekend's four big games spread out across both Saturday and Sunday, “Contraband” may not reach its potential. Most reviews are giving it a moderate rating, so expect a moderate chunk this weekend. Landing in 2,864 theaters, “Contraband” might premiere with about $16 million over three days, enough for second place. The PG-13 Joyful Noise is likely to occupy the third place spot, banking in on its wide reaching commercial campaigns, that could garner it a large church-going crowd. The film brings together singers Queen Latifah and Dolly Parton as two competing women with their own idea on how to lead a Georgia church group to victory in a national singing competition. Expect it to bank close to $15 million this weekend. The action flick Mission: Impossible -- Ghost Protocol has been holding up very well, dropping only 33% for $19.9 million last weekend. "Contraband" will steal some of "M:I 4‘"'s male audience, so a decline that’s closer to 40% seems reasonable for this weekend. A fourth place finish with $14 million could result. Last weekend, the low-budget fright flick The Devil Inside blew away expectations with a phenomenal $33.7 million debut, half of which was collected on opening day. But word-of-mouth has been horrendous and the Paramount release should see a steep drop even by horror movie standards. The only thing working in its favor is the holiday frame which will allow Sunday to see a decline slightly better than normal since Monday is a day of off school and work for many. A 70% tumble could occur giving the film around $10 million, rounding out the Top 5. Chck back late Sunday for early estimates.

2012-01-13T00:29:00.003-05:00

"The Artist" and "The Help" dominate the Critics Choice Awards

The Artist cleaned up at the Broadcast Film Critics Association’s Critics Choice Awards, winning four trophies including Best Picture and Best Director. The Help, meanwhile, also won big, taking home three prizes including acting awards for Viola Davis and Octavia Spencer. The Descendants‘ George Clooney and Beginners‘ Christopher Plummer picked up the male acting awards. Last year, all four acting winners repeated their victories at the Oscars. The full list of winners is below.

Best Picture The Artist
Best Director Michel Hazanavicius, The Artist
Best Actor George Clooney, The Descendants
Best Actress Viola Davis, The Help
Best Supporting Actor Christopher Plummer, Beginners
Best Supporting Actress Octavia Spencer, The Help
Best Original Screenplay Woody Allen, Midnight in Paris
Best Adapted Screenplay Aaron Sorkin & Steven Zaillain, Moneyball
Best Acting Ensemble The Help
Best Animated Film Rango
Best Foreign Language Film A Separation
Best Documentary George Harrison: Living in the Material World
Best Comedy Bridesmaids
Best Action Movie Drive
Best Young Actor/Actress Thomas Horn, Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close
Best Makeup Harry Potter and Deathly Hallows Part 2
Best Song “Life’s A Happy Song,” The Muppets
Best Costume Design The Artist
Best Score The Artist
Best Editing The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo
Best Sound Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2
Best Visual Effects Rise of the Planet of the Apes
Best Art Direction Hugo
Best Cinematography (tie) War Horse and The Tree of Life

2012-01-12T22:12:00.002-05:00

Heather Locklear in hospital after emergency call

Heather Locklear was taken to the hospital following an emergency call from her home earlier today, insiders report. “Emergency response personnel responded to a medical emergency call at Ms. Locklear’s residence,” Ventura Couny police said in a statement. “Once they arrived, it was determined that Ms. Locklear needed to be transported to the hospital for further medical attention.” Alcohol and drugs are suspected of being involved, but nothing has been verified.

2012-01-12T19:52:00.002-05:00

Lil Wayne set to release prison memoir

Lil Wayne hads a lot to say, and he's hoping you're willing to pay to listen. It was announced today that Gone Till November – a Weezy-penned account of his eight-month stint at Rikers — will be released by Hachette this November. The rapper, who was sentenced in 2010 on a gun possession charge, will provide “an internal dialogue” based on diaries he apparently kept while serving his term. “We are thrilled to be publishing Wayne’s prison memoir,” confirmed Grand Central Publishing Ben Greenberg. ”He kept detailed journals of his inner and outer life while he was on Rikers Island, and they certainly tell a story. They are revealing.” November will hit shelves November 28th, ensuring that rap fans will have a lot to be thankful for this holiday season.

2012-01-12T19:46:00.002-05:00

Kelly Clarkson to sing at Super Bowl?

While it hasn’t been officially announced yet — and her publicist telling reporters that she is unable to confirm it yet — it’s been reported that inaugural American Idol winner Kelly Clarkson will be on “Star-Spangled Banner” duty at Super Bowl XLVI in Indianapolis on Feb. 5th. The broadcast will also feature Madonna, Nicki Minaj, and M.I.A. during the halftime show. This will make Clarkson only the third Idol winner (after Jordin Sparks and Carrie Underwood) to belt the Francis Scott Key tune on Super Sunday, despite the fact that her widely praised vocal talents have always made her a natural candidate for the job. Then again, Super Bowl organizers might be going the Idol route as a way of playing it safe this year, given Christina Aguilera’s much-criticized blunder last year.

2012-01-10T23:13:00.002-05:00

k.d. Lang ends domestic partnership

Singer k.d. lang is splitting with her domestic partner Jamie Price after nine years, reports insiders. The singer filed to dissolve the partnership Dec. 28 on the grounds of irreconcilable differences. Lang is best known for her 1992 hit “Constant Craving.” A native Canadian, she performed at the closing ceremony for the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary, and more recently at the opening ceremony for the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver.

2012-01-10T23:11:00.002-05:00

"Red Tails": Watch seven minutes!

Red Tails, doesn't open for a few weeks, but who says you can't sneak a peek at it? The film, which has been 23 years in the making, is finally having its big red carpet premiere tonight in New York in advance of its Jan. 20 release in theaters. But you can watch seven minutes of clips from the film — which includes stars Cuba Gooding Jr. and Terrence Howard — below:

RT Clip from Tambay Obenson on Vimeo.

2012-01-09T15:31:00.002-05:00

Jennifer Lawrence to reveal Oscar nominees

Nominations for the 84th Academy Awards will be announced on Tuesday, January 24, by Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences President Tom Sherak and Academy member and Oscar-nominated actress Jennifer Lawrence. Sherak and Lawrence will unveil the nominations in 10 of the 24 categories at a 5:30 a.m. PT news conference at the Academy's Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills, where hundreds of media representatives from around the world will be gathered. Last year, for the 83rd Academy Awards, Lawrence received a nomination for her lead performance in Winter's Bone. Last year, Mo’nique, who won best supporting actress for Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire, helped Sherak read the new contenders, and the year before that Anne Hathaway, a previous best actress nominee for Rachel Getting Married (and eventual cohost of the telecast), did the honors.

2012-01-09T13:07:00.002-05:00

DGA announces its nominations!

DGA President Taylor Hackford announced the five nominees for the DGA Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Feature Film for 2011.
"The directors nominated this year for the Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Feature Film Award have each demonstrated an inspired command of the medium. The fact that their prodigious talents have been recognized by their peers is the highest honor a director can achieve," said Hackford. "I offer my most sincere congratulations to each of the nominees." The winner will be named at the 64th Annual DGA Awards Dinner on Saturday, January 28, 2012, at the Grand Ballroom of Hollywood and Highland. The 5 nominees are:

Woody Allen - Midnight in Paris
David Fincher, The Gril with the Dragon Tattoo
Michel Hazanavicius - The Artist
Alexander Payne, The Descendants
Martin Scorsese - Hugo

This puts Dragon Tattoo clearly in the running for a Best Picture nomination and we have a clear race for the win between The Artist, The Descendants and Hugo. Spielberg looks like a non-starter for a nomination this year, but his film, War Horse, looks like it could slide into sixth or seventh place, if there are that many nominations.

2012-01-09T10:09:00.004-05:00

DGA to announce at 1 PM EST

This is the place to check when the Directors Guild of America announce their 5 nominations for Best Achievement in Directing. It's a huge advantage for the nominees, since it usually means an Academy Award nomination isn't too far off. My picks for this year are:

Woody Allen, "Midnight in Paris"
Michel Hazanavicius , "The Artist"
Alexander Payne, "The Descendants"
Martin Scorsese, "Hugo"
Steven Spielberg, "War Horse"

2012-01-08T13:20:00.003-05:00

Box Office Report: "The Devil Inside" screams up huge opening

It seems like the slump is over! The new possession movie, The Devil Inside, which was acquired for under $1 million, grossed an absolutely gigantic $34.5 million on its opening day weekend, with $2 million of that coming from midnight showings. (And to think I was worried that my prediction was too high!) "The Devil Inside" was the only new wide release of the weekend after the holiday crush, historically a good time for something different to sneak in and become an unexpected hit. "The Devil Inside" bumped another Paramount hit, Tom Cruise's Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol, out of the top spot after two weekends at No. 1. "Ghost Protocol" slipped to No. 2 with $20.5 million, raising its domestic total to $170.2 million. Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows came in third with $14.1 million, The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo notched a $11.3 million weekend, while Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked earned $9.5 million over the Friday-to-Sunday period. In ninth place, Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy, which expanded into 809 theaters this weekend, found a sturdy $5.8 million over the weekend.
-
1. The Devil Inside -- $34.5 million
2. Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol -- $20.5 million
3. Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows -- $14.1 million
4. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo -- 11.3 million.
5. Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked -- $9.5 million
6. War Horse -- $8.6 million
7. We Bought a Zoo -- $8.5 million
8. The Adventures of Tintin -- $6.6 million
9. Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy -- $5.8 million
10. New Year's Eve -- $3.3 million.

2012-01-08T07:51:00.001-05:00

Beyoncé gives birth to a baby girl

Beyoncé and Jay-Z are now Mom and Dad! The singer, whose pregnancy was closely watched and the subject of various rumors, gave birth to a baby girl in New York on Saturday, according to her hometown paper, the Houston Chronicle. Mom and baby are doing fine, the paper reports. Sources tell reporters the little girl's name is Blue Ivy Carter. Congratulations to the happy couple!

2012-01-05T23:47:00.003-05:00

****** Box Office Preview: "The Devil Inside" hopes to possess the top spot

After topping the box office over the busy Christmas and New Year's weekends, and leading all studios in market share in 2011, Paramount rings in the new year with 2012's first new wide release The Devil Inside. The R-rated chiller tells of a young American woman's trip to Rome to find out what demons possessed her mother two decades earlier. Starpower is zero as with many fright flicks, but the film mixes a regular narrative style with the feel of a found-footage pic in hopes of appealing to today's Paranormal Activity-loving horror set. In addition, it seems the film was made on the cheap, reportedly for only $1 million. That means any gross it makes would be considered a plus. Last August, The Last Exorcism debuted to $20.6 million and grossed $41 million overall, and "The Devil Inside," which is playing in 2,285 theaters, may perform similarly. I’ll give it $20 million for the weekend, sneaking into the top spot. Look for Mission: Impossible -- Ghost Protocol to stay strong, but suffer a 45% decline, which could be worse. It has the buzz and good reviews to keep it in good shape in its third week of release. It will likely place second with a close $19 million. While the battle could rage for first place between the aforementioned movies, third place will likely belong to Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows which has held up well. While the Robert Downey, Jr. detective movie won’t break the $200 million plateau as its predecessor did, "A Game of Shadows" made up a lot of lost ground over the holidays (it’s now trailing the original Sherlock Holmes by $27.6 million — ten days ago, it was a whopping $59.7 million behind), and it still has some life left in it. In its fourth weekend, the tentpole may pull in $11.5 million. With no new kidpics entering the marketplace, Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked should have a decent hold with $10 million in fourth place, while The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo showed an impressive hold over New Year's weekend sliding less than the other films aimed at mature adults. With good buzz and people needing a little more time to find the picture, the R-rated crime thriller may fall to fifth place with $8.5 million. Further down the chart, Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy is getting an expansion — from 57 theaters into 809 — as a result, the film may double its $4.5 million total gross to date. Check back on Sunday for early estimates.

2012-01-05T23:15:00.002-05:00

Oscar trailer debuts online

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has produced its trailer for the 84th Academy Awards in conjunction with Funny Or Die. The trailer features host Billy Crystal and celebrity cameo appearances by Robin Williams, Josh Duhamel, Megan Fox, William Fichtner and Vinnie Jones. "We wanted to try something a little bit different this year instead of a traditional, clip-based piece," said Academy Chief Marketing Officer Christina Kounelias. "The trailer has a fun twist that conveys how excited everyone is to have Billy back." Crystal has one of the most distinguished track records of any host in Oscar history. His upcoming appearance will mark his ninth turn hosting the Academy Awards. The enthusiastic response to the announcement of his return was the inspiration for the trailer. "Our team had a great time working with the Academy and joining forces with Billy again," said Mike Farah, Funny Or Die's president of production. "We think the trailer really speaks to the excitement around this year’s Oscars, and Funny Or Die was honored to be a part of it." The trailer will have a one-month run in more than 2,000 theaters beginning January 6 and can be viewed below.

2012-01-05T16:43:00.002-05:00

Drew Barrymore to marry for third time

Drew Barrymore, who was previously married to Jeremy Thomas and to Tom Green, is engaged to art consultant Will Kopelman. According to insiders, Kopelman proposed in Sun Valley, Idaho. The Charlie’s Angels star and Kopelman have been linked since February 2011, though they have remained mum on their relationship. Barrymore will next be seen in Big Miracle, slated to hit theaters Feb. 3. In the meantime, let’s all re-watch The Wedding Singer, in celebration. As for the ring: The ring features a colorless radiant-cut diamond — which weighs in at just under 4 carats — situated on a diamond-covered band. The stunning sparkler was designed by Graff Diamonds.

2012-01-05T16:41:00.001-05:00

Justin Timberlake and Jessica Biel are engaged

Justin Timberlake and Jessica Biel have gotten engaged! The news comes after a small storm of have-they-or-haven’t-they speculation of the impossibly attractive couple, who had announced that they’d ended their four-year relationship last March. By September, however, they had reportedly reconciled. A source said that Timberlake, 30, proposed to Biel, 29, with a custom-designed ring while the two were vacationing in Montana.

2012-01-05T08:01:00.002-05:00

Zooey Deschanel files for divorce from Ben Gibbard

Zooey Deschanel has filed for divorce from Ben Gibbard, her husband of two years.
The actress filed for divorce in Los Angeles on Dec. 27 citing irreconcilable differences. The former couple announced they had broken up in November. The 31-year-old actress stars in the Fox sitcom New Girl and was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for her performance. Gibbard is the lead singer of Death Cab for Cutie, which released the album Codes and Keys in May. Deschanel and Gibbard were married in September 2009 and have no children together. Deschanel’s publicist has said that the couple’s split was “amicable.”

2012-01-03T14:05:00.002-05:00

"Paranormal Activity 4" officially a go

Paramount announced that Paranormal Activity 4 will be released in 2012, continuing the successful low-budget horror franchise that has banked nearly $300 million in the last three years. The third film debuted in October with a $52.6 million weekend, on its way to a $103.8 million run. In a press release trumpeting the studio’s 2011 successes – notably a record $5.17 billion worldwide in grosses — Paramount confirmed that another Paranormal Activity was on its way this year, along with Brad Pitt’s World War Z, G.I. Joe: Retaliation, and Sacha Baron Cohen’s The Dictator.

2012-01-02T19:52:00.001-05:00

Aretha Franklin is engaged to be married

Here’s some news that deserves a little r-e-s-p-e-c-t. The 69-year-old Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin, is engaged to be married. Her rep confirms that Franklin and her longtime friend William ‘Willie’ Wilkerson will tie the knot this year, possibly in Miami. And Franklin adds, “We’re looking at June or July for our date and no, I’m not pregnant, LOL!”

2012-01-02T19:36:00.003-05:00

Box Office Report: "Mission: Impossible" retains No. 1 hold

Tom Cruise rang in the New Year smiling, as Mission: Impossible — Ghost Protocol led the box office with an estimated $38.3 million over the four-day (Friday to Monday) weekend. That represents a 29% jump from Christmas weekend, which is unsurprising since the weekend after Christmas has historically been a strong box-office period, as many families are still on break but are no longer occupied with holiday preparations. "Ghost Protocol," the fourth entry in the action franchise, has now cumulatively tallied $141 million, surpassing the final gross of Mission: Impossible III ($134 million). In second place was Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows, which rose 30% for $26.5 million. The sequel has taken in $136 million in 17 days. The original Sherlock Holmes, by comparison, had earned $165.2 million by this point. But remember, the first Sherlock Holmes started out of the gate much quicker, but "Shadows" is picking up steam. The sequel probably won’t have enough momentum to reach its predecessor’s final tally of $209 million, but the gap between the two films should be a lot smaller than many people initially thought. The same holds true for Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked, which jumped an incredible 66% for $21 million. The rodent threequel has so far earned $97 million in 17 days. In the same time frame, the 2007 original had grossed $141.4 million and its 2009 sequel had amassed $165.4 million. In its first full weekend, Steven Spielberg’s equine epic War Horse finished fourth with $19.2 million. Whereas most films dropped from Friday to Saturday this weekend (on account of Saturday being New Year’s Eve), "War Horse" actually jumped on Saturday. One possible explanation could be that the movie is drawing a decidedly older audience that wasn’t about to let New Year’s Eve get in the way of its moviegoing plans. Finally, in fifth, was David Fincher’s The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, which rose 49% for $19 million. The $90 million adaptation of Stieg Larsson’s bestselling novel has so far grossed a decent but somewhat disappointing $60 million in 12 days. In limited release, The Iron Lady, starring Meryl Streep as former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, debuted to an outstanding $280,000 at four theaters — that’s a per-location average of $70,000. The acclaimed Iranian drama A Separation, which is practically assured an Oscar nomination for Best Foreign Language Film, opened to a solid $79,500 in three theaters. And the Sundance drama Pariah started its run with a merely okay $65,100 at four locations. The complete Top 10 is below, covering the four-day totals.

1. Mission: Impossible -- Ghost Protocol -- $38.3 million
2. Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows -- $26.5 million
3. Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked --- $21 million
4. War Horse -- $19.2 million
5. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo -- $19 million
6. We Bought a Zoo -- $16.5 million
7. The Adventures of Tintin -- $15 million
8. New Year's Eve -- $7.7 million
9. The Darkest Hour -- $5.3 million
10. The Descendants -- $4.3 million

2011-12-30T20:57:00.002-05:00

Katy Perry and Russell Brand split

Russell Brand and Katy Perry are getting a divorce. The 36-year-old comedian said Friday: “Sadly, Katy and I are ending our marriage. I’ll always adore her and I know we’ll remain friends.” Brand and the pop singer married in October 2010, meaning the marriage lasted 16 months.

2011-12-30T00:34:00.003-05:00

----- Box Office Preview: "MI:4" to retain box office crown

Another year comes to a close as the same movies will fill up the top spots at the box office since no new wide releases are opening. With Monday being an observed holiday for many for New Year's, another robust four-day holiday weekend is in store although the lackluster pace of the final few weeks of 2011 will mean that the industry will not reach some of the levels that were expected. Tom Cruise worked hard over the last few years to get his career back on track and with his return to the number one spot he occupied so many times before, the actor has no intention of giving up his box office title as the new year rings in. Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol enjoyed a strong top spot debut last weekend in its first round of wide release and it has done exceptionally well daily during this holiday week. The four-day Friday-to-Monday gross looks to remain potent thanks to people having time off again but this time with no Christmas activities to take them away from theaters. A slight dip to about $39 million over the long weekend looks likely, enough to retain a first place finish. Rival action sequel Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows has been attracting a sizable audience too and has fared well over the last week. A four-day gross of about $26 million could result, finding it in second place by the time Monday rolls around. Kidpics often see their numbers rise from Christmas to New Year's since children's activities are no longer a distraction. Look for Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked - the film families have made their top choice this holiday season - to rise to around $23 million over four days resulting in a third place finish. Steven Spielberg’s WWI epic War Horse opened on Christmas Day to a sturdy $7.5 million. In its first four days of release, it has so far galloped to $22.4 million. The film has been attracting mostly older moviegoers so it’ll be interesting to see whether "War Horse" starts playing more as a family film in the weeks to come; regardless, it should clear $20 million this weekend, placing it in fourth place, while fifth place remains a battle between David Fincher's The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and Matt Damon's We Bought a Zoo. Positive word of mouth and younger audience members may allow "Zoo" to steal fifth place with $17 million over the long weekend. Due to the four-day holiday, look for refined numbers to be posted Monday.

2011-12-30T00:31:00.004-05:00

Steven Tyler: engaged?

Although Steven Tyler has yet to go on the record confirming anything, it appears as though the Aerosmith rocker is engaged to girlfriend Erin Brady. Brady, who spent the holidays vacationing in Hawaii with Tyler, has appeared in photos sporting a diamond ring on her ring finger. A spokesperson for Loree Rodkin told reporters that Tyler purchased the ring from the jeweler. “He was working, so I picked stones, built settings, showed him choices, and sent him pictures on his phone,” the spokesperson said. “He asked for guidance but the choice was his. Having made jewelry for both Erin and Steven made it an effortless process, as I know their taste.” Tyler and Brady have been together for five years. This would be the American Idol judge’s third marriage — he previously was wed to Teresa Barrick and to Cyrinda Foxe.

2011-12-28T08:50:00.002-05:00

New Oscar Poster revealed

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has unveiled the poster for the 84th Academy Awards. The art features the iconic Oscar statuette alongside memorable images from eight films spanning eight decades: Gone with the Wind (1939), Casablanca (1943), Giant (1956), The Sound of Music (1965), The Godfather (1972), Driving Miss Daisy (1989), Forrest Gump (1994) and Gladiator (2000). All the films featured on the poster won the Academy Award for Best Picture, except Giant, for which George Stevens won the Oscar for Directing. Supported by the tagline "Celebrate the movies in all of us," the design is meant to evoke the emotional connections we all have with the movies. "Whether it's a first date or a holiday gathering with friends or family, movies are a big part of our memory," said Academy President Tom Sherak. "The Academy Awards not only honor the excellence of these movies, but also celebrate what they mean to us as a culture and to each of us individually." Check it out and share your thoughts!

2011-12-27T18:44:00.005-05:00

Oscar Nomination Ballots mailed out

Nomination ballots for the 84th Academy Awards were mailed today to the 5,783 voting members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Completed ballots must be returned to PricewaterhouseCoopers by 5 p.m. PT on Friday, January 13, 2012. Ballots received after the deadline will not be counted. Nomination and final Awards ballots are tabulated by PricewaterhouseCoopers to ensure that all aspects of the balloting process are conducted with fairness and accuracy. Prior to mailing, the PricewaterhouseCoopers staff administers a thorough verification process to ensure that there are no duplicate ballots and that none are missing. In addition to being counted and sorted, the ballots are numbered to guarantee that each one is addressed to the appropriate Academy voter.

2011-12-26T18:58:00.003-05:00

Box Office Report: "Mission: Impossible" spreads holiday cheer

It was a busy weekend for many, icluiding theater owners, as people swarmed the box office over the long holiday. Let's get right to it, since we have a lot to cover. Mission: Merrily Accomplished for Tom Cruise. The fourth installment in the actor’s Mission: Impossible spy-fi franchise — this time directed by Oscar winner Brad Bird making his live-action debut — finished in first place at the box office this weekend over both the short weekend (earning $29.5 million Friday-Sunday) and the longer four-day weekend, which includes the popular day after Christmas (earning a strong $46.2 million.) Adding in the earlier limited run in IMAX and other large-format venues, the cume stands at a solid $78.6 million with a red hot holiday week still to come when everyday behaves like a Saturday. Dropping in its second weekend to second place was the tentpole sequel Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows with an estimated $20.3 million over the three-day period and $31.8 million over four days raising the 11-day tally to $90.6 million. Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked fared a little better dropping 14% from its opening frame to an estimated Friday-to-Monday take of $20 million ranking third for the session. The Fox release has taken in $56.9 million in 11 days. With kids now out of school and on break, the studio is expecting stellar daily grosses for the next week. Sony's much-hyped The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo opened in fourth place with a mediocre start grossing an estimated $19.4 million over the four-day holiday weekend and $27.7 million since debuting on Tuesday night. Directed by David Fincher, the R-rated remake of the hit Swedish film averaged $6,658 from 2,914 locations and like other films is hoping to pick up solid numbers during the holiday week ahead. Steven Spielberg had a bumpy start to his Christmas double feature offering for North American movie fans. The animated actioner The Adventures of Tintin bowed to just $16.1 million over the four-day weekend, according to estimates, with $20.8 million across the six-day debut period of Wednesday-to-Monday. The domestic total including the earlier run in Quebec which began on December 9 is $24.1 million. The 3D Paramount release played in 3,087 theaters and averaged $5,215 over four days but with sensational reviews is hoping to find American audiences over time. The property is not too well-known in the United States which always posed a challenge. Also slow out of the gate, but well-positioned to gain some ground during the holiday week ahead, was the Matt Damon drama We Bought a Zoo which opened on Friday and collected an estimated $15.6 million over the long weekend from 3,117 locations for a $5,005 average. The World War I drama War Horse enjoyed a solid debut on Christmas Sunday with $7.5 million on opening day and an estimated $15 million for the two-day Sunday-Monday span. Released by Disney, the PG-13 film averaged a strong $6,324 over only two days and was able to capitalize on good reviews and the brand name of Steven Spielberg. Also opening on Christmas Day was the thriller The Darkest Hour which bowed to $3 million on Sunday and $5.5 million over two days. The Summit release averaged only $2,367 across two days from 2,324 playdates. In limited release, Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close earned $137,000 in six sites over Sunday and Monday. It had the best per-screen average with $$22,833 in the charts. The four-day totals are listed below.

1. Mission: Impossible -- Ghost Protocol -- $46.2 million
2. Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows -- $31.8 million
3. Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked -- $20 million
4. The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo -- $19.4 million
5. The Adventures of Tintin -- $16.1 million
6. We Bought a Zoo -- $15.6 million
7. War Horse -- $15 million.
8. The Darkest Hour -- $5.5 million.
9. New Year's Eve -- $3.3 million
10. The Descendants -- $2.1 million

2011-12-23T00:01:00.004-05:00

--------- Box Office Preview: A crowded slate for the holidays

A jam-packed menu of offerings will greet North American moviegoers who have no shortage of options during the Christmas holiday frame. Four films open or expand nationwide between Wednesday and Friday while two more wide bows will arrive on Sunday for the big holiday. And with Christmas Eve falling on the worst possible day this year - Saturday - ticket sales on that day will be depressed thanks to holiday traveling, last-minute shopping, and theaters closing early. During the period from Christmas Day to New Year’s, pretty much every day is a weekend day — all films in release should recoup some serious cash then. Mission: Impossible -- Ghost Protocol grossed $17.9 million from a lucrative five-day IMAX run, and it pulled in another $8.9 million on its first day of wide release on Wednesday, giving it a $26 million total. Over the next three days, the blockbuster should just about double its total with $27 million, while the longer five-day Wednesday-to-Sunday wide release could deliver roughly $38 million, all but guranteeing it a first place finish. Sony counters with a franchise film of its own with the Hollywood version of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo starring Daniel Craig. The R-rated crime thriller should play to a somewhat narrower audience but with millions of people in the U.S. familiar with the book and the Swedish film, a large enough crowd exists to give this Sony release a good start this weekend putting it into the top three for the frame. The film, which debuted on Wednesday, earned $5.1 million on its opening day. That being said, the film seems destined for $17 million weekend, which seems slightly low given the popularity of the book — though not at all troublesome. It should earn $27 million over the Wednesday-to-Sunday period. The Christmas Eve effect will counter whatever holiday-boost Sherlock Holes: A Game of Shadows would have received. A 60% drop would put the Robert Downey, Jr. movie at $15 million over the Friday-to-Sunday period, landing it in third place. Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked should suffer a smaller drop, closer to 45%, for a fourth place finish with $12 million over the weekend. Steven Spielberg’s hugely expensive motion-capture film The Adventures of Tintin has already amassed $239 million overseas, and that’s a good thing, because American audiences aren’t nearly as aware of the Tintin character or the comics from which he came. A $2.3 million Wednesday forebodes a $9.5 million weekend, just slightly ahead of We Bought a Zoo, which may find $9 million over this weekend, making fifth place a tough battle to the end. As if the field wasn't crowded enough, two more wide releases hit theaters on Sunday for the Christmas Day rush but will be too late to make a big dent into the weekend figures. Steven Spielberg's second film of the frame War Horse opens in 2,376 locations through Disney. While many stories about a kid and his animal play to children, this one will probably not given its war violence and PG-13 rating. Look for the World War I saga to play to an older crowd of people looking for an old fashioned sentimental story. Reviews have been good, but the target audience has plenty of other options to choose from over the holidays including many with big stars. With most films aiming for young kids or older adults, Summit hopes to exploit an opportunity to connect with teens and young adults with the apocalyptic thriller The Darkest Hour. The PG-13 film will be unleashed in 2,200 sites but despite the lack of compelling choices right now for high school and college students, this one does not have the power to make it an event film. Plus darker films historically have done poor business at Christmas when people want lighter and happier fare. Not surprisingly, the film was not screened for critics. Look for box office updates through the holiday weekend.

2011-12-22T22:31:00.002-05:00

"The X-Factor" crowns a winner

After a two-hour finale featuring holiday songs by the Top 3, a billion holiday commercials, and performances by Justin Bieber and Stevie Wonder, Leona Lewis, 50 Cent, and Ne-Yo and Pitbull, someone has won a $5 million recording contract! The winner of The X Factor is….Melanie Amaro!

2011-12-22T12:02:00.004-05:00

Adam Lambert arrested in Finland

Adam Lambert was arrested outside a club in Finland on Thursday night for fighting with his boyfriend (Finnish Big Brother star Sauli Koskinen), according to multiple reports. The dispute began inside a Helinski bar and spilled out into the street, where the cops apprehended the duo and took them into custody. They were reportedly questioned and released. Koskinen responded to the incident with a blog post (roughly translated from Finnish):

“The limelight is not easy. But celebrities are only human people. Love is not easy but it is forever! … [E]verything is really good! … Hey, the evening was pretty funny and the hangover is already gone! Yay! P.S. By the way, paparazzi, including those at the rear door of the police station … Go home already!”

2011-12-21T08:15:00.002-05:00

"The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey" trailer has arrived

The Lord of the Rings was one of the most successful film series in history. And if the long-awaited teaser trailer of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey is anything to go by, Peter Jackson's return to Middle Earth should be successful both critically and commercially. He says: "My dear Frodo, you asked me once if I had told you everything there was to know about my adventures. While I can honestly say I have told you the truth, I may not have told you all of it." It then cuts to a young Bilbo, played by The Office star Martin Freeman, who is approached by Sir Ian McKellan's Gandalf and invited on an adventure. The CGI looks amazing and it feels good to be back in the land of Hobbits and elves. Check it all out below and leave your thoughts after the jump.

2011-12-21T08:11:00.003-05:00

Orson Welles' Oscar for "Citizen Kane" sells for $861K

The Academy Award statuette that Orson Welles won for the original screenplay of Citizen Kane was auctioned for more than $861,000 Tuesday in Los Angeles. Nate D. Sanders Auctions spokesman Sam Heller said bidders from around the world, including David Copperfield, vied for the Oscar. The 1942 Oscar was thought to be lost for decades. It surfaced in 1994 when cinematographer Gary Graver tried to sell it. The sale was stopped by Beatrice Welles, Orson’s youngest daughter and sole heir. Copperfield, who was outbid in the auction, said he admires Welles not only for his cinematic successes, but because he, too, was a magician. Welles hosted Copperfield’s first television special. The auction house declined to release the highest bidder’s name. It said only a handful of Academy Awards have sold for nearly a million dollars, including the best picture Oscar awarded to David O. Selznick for Gone With The Wind, which Michael Jackson purchased for $1.54 million in 1999.

2011-12-19T14:45:00.002-05:00

Daniel Radcliffe to host "SNL"

Daniel Radcliffe is set to make his hosting debut on SNL Jan. 14, the network has announced. Lana Del Rey will be the musical guest. The show also announced former NBA star Charles Barkley would return as host on Jan. 7, the first new episode of 2012. Barkley last hosted in Jan. 2010, when he also helmed the first episode of the new year. The musical guest this time will be Kelly Clarkson.

2011-12-18T14:09:00.005-05:00

Box Office Report: "Sherlock Holmes" opens at a weak No. 1

Some good news: The box office was up this weekend after a few weeks of poor performances. The bad news? It should have performed much higher. Warner Bros.' Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows finished first with an estimated $40 million. By comparison, the 2009 original grossed $62 million its first weekend. Granted, that movie opened on Christmas Day, resulting in holiday-inflated figures. Still, most box-office prognosticators thought the $125 million sequel would at least cross $50 million this weekend. While it's already behind the eight-ball, it might be able to recoup some of its loss next weekend thanks to the holiday crowds. But it’ll have to contend with The Adventures of Tintin, The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, and the wide expansion of Mission: Impossible — Ghost Protocol, among other releases. Surely Sherlock would have liked to have started out with a bit more cash. Fox’s $80 million threequel, Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked, squeaked its way to $23.5 million its opening weekend. That’s far below the opening days of the franchise’s first two movies. It also continued this year’s trend of family films struggling to duplicate the big openings of their predecessors. The weekend's one bright spot was Paramount’s Mission: Impossible — Ghost Protocol, which collected $13 million from just 425 IMAX and large-format theaters. That translates to a meaty $30,588 per-screen average, though some credit should be given to The Dark Knight Rises prologue that played in front of the film at 42 IMAX locations. The fourth entry in the Tom Cruise action films' strong early performance bodes well for its wide expansion into 3,400 theaters on Wednesday. New Year's Eve dropped 43% to end the weekend in fourth place with $7.4 million, while The Sitter snagged fifth place with $4.4 million. Further down the chart in seventh place was Young Adult, which expanded from eight to 986 theaters this weekend. The R-rated comedy clearly wasn’t ready for such a wide release, as it grossed only $3.7 million in seventh place. The complete Top 10 appears below.

1. Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows -- $40 million
2. Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked -- $23.5 million
3. Mission: Impossible -- Ghost Protocol — $13 million
4. New Year’s Eve -- $7.4 million
5. The Sitter -- $4.4 million
6. The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn -- Part 1 -- $4.3 million
7. Young Adult -- $3.7 million
8. Hugo -- $3.62 million
9. Arthur Christmas -- $3.6 million
10. The Muppets -- $3.5 million

2011-12-17T07:35:00.002-05:00

Etta James in final stages of leukemia

I have confirmed that iconic soul singer Etta James’s health has taken a turn for the worst. It’s been a year of medical hardship for 73-year-old James. According to Lupe De Leon, her manager of 30 years, “Etta has a terminal illness. She’s in the final stages of leukemia. She has also been diagnosed with dementia and Hepatitis C. She’s in a home right now and mostly sleeps. She is under the care of a live-in doctor from Riverside Community Hospital and two others who have placed her on oxygen. Her husband is with her 24 hours a day, and her sons visit regularly. We’re all very sad. We’re just waiting.”

2011-12-16T16:47:00.002-05:00

Britney Spears engaged!

Following up on rampant online buzz, sources are reporting that Britney Spears is engaged to Jason Trawick, the agent she’s been officially dating since May of last year. Spears previously hinted at big news in a tweet: “OMG. Last night Jason surprised me with the one gift I’ve been waiting for. Can’t wait to show you! SO SO SO excited!!!! Xxo” Spears has been married twice before: Once to old friend Jason Alexander in a blink-of-an-eye Vegas hitching, and once to Kevein Federline.

2011-12-16T01:26:00.003-05:00

Box Office Preview: "Sherlock Holmes" to rejuvenate box office

Three big Hollywood sequels - with no 3D gimmicks at play or numerals in the titles - invade the struggling North American box office hoping to pump up excitement and get audiences back into those empty seats. The weeks leading up to Christmas can be tough going at the multiplex, with kids studying for exams and parents rushing to prepare for the holidays. Thankfully, we have Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows. The first Sherlock Holmes opened to an unexpected $62.3 million two years ago. However, it debuted on Christmas Day, which inflated its initial figures a bit. Robert Downey Jr. continues to be one of the most popular and respected Hollywood actors and his drawing power is still substantial. Add in Jude Law and returning director Guy Ritchie and it looks like a bona fide hit. Good reviews should help convince consumers too. Opening in 3,703 theaters, "Sherlock Holmes" may take in about $52 million this weekend, enough for a first place opening. Another year, another Chipmunk movie. The first Chipmunks movie premiered to a strong $44.3 million on the same December weekend in 2007. However, this year has witnessed several family films struggle to duplicate the big openings of their predecessors (see Kung Fu Panda 2, Happy Feet Two, and Spy Kids: All the Time in the World). I think Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked may face the same fate, while still debuting to a very respectable $30 million in second place. Third place is a tricky one to predict, since we have Mission:Impossible -- Ghost Protocol thrown into the mix. In advance of its wide release next Wednesday, Paramount is previewing the latest Tpm Cruise action pic in 425 theaters this weekend. Of those 425 sites, about 300 represent IMAX screens. (Director Brad Bird shot about 30 minutes of the movie with IMAX cameras.) This IMAX strategy could create a first wave of movie fans that can see the film for the piece of escapist entertainment that it is and start persuading a broader audience to look beyond its couch-jumping star and focus instead on the total package which delivers a roller coaster ride at a time when adults will have lots of time off. In the end, it could crack third place with close to $9 million. The star-studded comedy New Year's Eve earned some of the worst reviews of the year and opened to a tepid $13 million last weekend (compared to Valentine’s Day‘s $56.3 million). It could fall 45% to earn a fourth place finish with $7 million. The R-rated comedy Young Adult— directed by Jason Reitman (Up in the Air), written by Diablo Cody (Juno), and starring recent Golden Globe nominee Charlize Theron — expands from eight theaters to 986 this weekend. The $12 million movie did pretty good but not spectacular business last week, averaging $39,000 per theater. Expect that per-location average to drop to a still commendable $5,000 this weekend, pushing its total to $5 million by the end of the weekend, rounding out the Top 5. As always ,check back Sunday for our early estimates.

2011-12-15T09:32:00.003-05:00

Golden Globes announce their nominations!

The 69th annual Golden Globes race will soon begin: This morning, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association announced this year’s nominees. Who leads the pack in TV and film this year? See the full list of nominees here, and see who picks up the trophy at the ceremony Jan. 15!

Best Drama
The Descendants
The Help
Hugo
The Ides of March
Moneyball
War Horse

Best Comedy/Musical
50/50
The Artist
Bridesmaids
Carnage
Midnight in Paris
My Week with Marilyn

Best Animated Film
Arthur Christmas
Cars 2
Rango
Puss in Boots
The Adventures of Tintin

Best Foreign Language Film
The Flowers of War
In the Land of Blood and Honey
The Kid With a Bike
A Separation
The Skin I Live In

Best Actor in a Drama
George Clooney, The Descendants
Brad Pitt, Moneyball
Ryan Gosling, The Ides of March
Michael Fassbender, Shame
Leonardo DiCaprio, J. Edgar

Best Actor in a Comedy or Musical
Jean Dujardin, The Artist
Brendan Gleeson, The Guard
Joseph Gordon-Levitt, 50/50
Ryan Gosling, Crazy, Stupid, Love.
Owen Wilson, Midnight in Paris

Best Supporting Actor  in a Motion Picture
Kenneth Branagh, My Week With Marilyn
Albert Brooks, Drive
Jonah Hill, Moneyball
Christopher Plummer, Beginners
Viggo Mortensen, A Dangerous Method

Best Actress in a Drama
Glenn Close, Albert Nobbs
Viola Davis, The Help
Rooney Mara, The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo
Meryl Streep, The Iron Lady
Tilda Swinton, We Need to Talk About Kevin

Best Actress in a Musical or Comedy
Jodie Foster, Carnage
Charlize Theron, Young Adult
Kristen Wiig, Bridesmaids
Michelle Williams, My Week with Marilyn
Kate Winslet, Carnage

Best Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture
Shailene Woodley, The Descendants
Octavia Spencer, The Help
Janet McTeer, Albert Nobbs
Berenice Bejo, The Artist
Jessica Chastain, The Help

Best Director 
Woody Allen, Midnight in Paris
George Clooney, The Ides of March
Michel Hazanavicius, The Artist
Alexander Payne, The Descendants
Martin Scorsese, Hugo

Best Screenplay for a Motion Picture
Woody Allen, Midnight in Paris
Michel Hazanavicius, The Artist
Alexander Payne, Nat Faxon, Jim Rash, Kaui Hart Hemmings, The Descendants
Steve Zallian, Aaron Sorkin, Stan Chervin, Michael Lewis, Moneyball
George Clooney, Grant Heslov, Beau Willimon, The Ides of March

Best Original Score in a Motion Picture
Ludovic Bource, The Artist
Abel Korzeniowski, W.E.
Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo
Howard Shore, Hugo
John Williams, War Horse

Best Original Song in a Motion Picture
“Hello Hello,” Gnomeo & Juliet
“The Keeper,” Machine Gun Preacher
“Lay Your Head Down,” Albert Nobbs
“The Living Proof,” The Help
“Masterpiece,” W.E.

Best TV Drama
American Horror Story
Boardwalk Empire
Boss
Game of Thrones
Homeland

Best TV Comedy or Musical
Enlightened
Episodes
Glee
Modern Family
New Girl

Best Mini-Series or Motion Picture
Cinema Verite
Downton Abbey
The Hour
Mildred Pierce
Too Big To Fail

Best Actor in a TV Drama
Bryan Cranston, Breaking Bad
Steve Buscemi, Boardwalk Empire
Damian Lewis, Homeland
Jeremy Irons, The Borgias
Kelsey Grammer, Boss

Best Actor in a TV Musical or Comedy
Alec Baldwin, 30 Rock
David Duchovny, Californication
Johnny Galecki, The Big Bang Theory
Thomas Jane, Hung
Matt LeBlanc, Episodes

Best Actor in a Mini-Series or Made-for-TV Movie
Hugh Bonneville, Downton Abbey
Idris Elba, Luther
William Hurt, Too Big To Fail
Bill Nighy, Page Eight
Dominic West, The Hour

Best Supporting Actor in TV Series, Mini-Series, or Made-for-TV Movie
Peter Dinklage, Game of Thrones
Paul Giamatti, Too Big To Fail
Guy Pearce, Mildred Pierce
Tim Robbins, Cinema Verite
Eric Stonestreet, Modern Family

Best Actress in a TV Drama
Claire Danes, Homeland
Mireille Enos, The Killing
Julianna Margulies, The Good Wife
Madeleine Stowe, Revenge
Callie Thorne, Necessary Roughness

Best Actress in a TV Musical or Comedy
Laura Dern, Enlightened
Zooey Deschanel, New Girl
Tina Fey, 30 Rock
Laura Linney, The Big C
Amy Poehler, Parks and Recreation

Best Actress in a Mini-Series or Made-for-TV Movie
Romola Garai, The Hour
Diane Lane, Cinema Verite
Elizabeth McGovern, Downton Abbey
Emily Watson, Appropriate Adult
Kate Winslet, Mildred Pierce

Best Supporting Actress in TV Series, Mini-Series, or Made-for-TV Movie 
Jessica Lange, American Horror Story
Kelly Macdonald, Boardwalk Empire
Maggie Smith, Downton Abbey
Sofia Vergara, Modern Family
Evan Rachel Wood, Mildred Pierce

2011-12-14T11:00:00.002-05:00

SAG nominations announced!: "The Help" leads

The Screen Actors Guild Awards have announced their nominees, with The Help leading the pack with four nominations. The Artist also fared very well, while Hugo, Harry Potter, War Horse and Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close received no recogition. Great news for Glenn Close who scored a Lead Actress nomination for Albert Nobbs. Also, Hugo failed to garner a Ensemble Cast nod which could be bad news come Oscar time. The full list appears below.

BEST ENSEMBLE CAST
The Artist
Bridesmaids
The Descendants
The Help
Midnight in Paris

BEST ACTOR
Demián Bichir, A Better Life
George Clooney, The Descendants
Leonardo DiCaprio, J. Edgar
Jean Dujardin, The Artist
Brad Pitt, Moneyball

BEST ACTRESS
Glenn Close, Albert Nobbs
Viola Davis, The Help
Meryl Streep, The Iron Lady
Tilda Swinton, We Need to Talk About Kevin
Michelle Williams, My Week With Marilyn

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Kenneth Branagh, My Week With Marilyn
Armie Hammer, J. Edgar
Jonah Hill, Moneyball
Nick Nolte, Warrior
Christopher Plummer, Beginners

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Berenice Bejo, The Artist
Jessica Chastain, The Help
Melissa McCarthy, Bridesmaids
Janet McTeer, Albert Nobbs
Octavia Spencer, The Help

2011-12-14T08:03:00.001-05:00

Fantasia welcomes baby boy

American Idol winner Fantasia Barrino gave birth to a healthy baby boy! Dallas Xavier checked in at 7 lbs., 9 oz. and measured 21 inches when he was born in North Carolina on Tuesday. ”I feel so blessed that my son Dallas Xavier was born healthy, and is a wonderful new addition to our family,” Barrino told reporters. “I thank all my fans for their well wishes and continued support.” Barrino also has a daughter, Zion, 10.

2011-12-14T07:58:00.002-05:00

Trailer: "Rock of Ages" new trailer, well, rocks!

Behold the new trailer for Adam Shankman’s Rock of Ages musical, starring Catherine Zeta-Jones, Russell Brand, Paul Giamatti, Tom Cruise, Mary J. Blige, Julianne Hough, and, of course, Tom Cruise. It has a sort of cheesy flavor to it, but I think it works. I can't wait for next June to come. Can you? Watch the trailer unfold below.

2011-12-13T22:09:00.002-05:00

"The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" release moved to Dec. 20

Sony Pictures announced today that The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo will be opening one day earlier than originally planned. Moviegoers can grab tickets to David Fincher’s adaptation of the Stieg Larsson best-seller starting at 7 p.m. on Dec. 20. Theaters are about to get overstuffed with new releases: Mission: Impossible — Ghost Protocol is starting an IMAX-only run this Friday, Dec. 16, before it goes wide on Dec. 21 — when it will compete with Dragon Tattoo and The Adventures of Tintin. On Dec. 23, the Matt Damon family dramedy We Bought a Zoo roars into theaters. And on Christmas day, Oscar-bait Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close and War Horse, and alien-invasion counterprogramming The Darkest Hour muscle into the multiplex too.

2011-12-11T23:39:00.003-05:00

AFI announces its Top 10

The American Film Institute has announced its annual list of the 10 best U.S. releases, which last year predicted nine of the eventual 10 Best Picture nominees. On the list this time are nine expected contenders: The Descendants, The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, The Help, J. Edgar, Hugo, Midnight in Paris, Moneyball, The Tree of Life, and War Horse. But the AFI also included one very interesting dark horse: Bridesmaids. Missing from the top 10: Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close, Beginners, Drive, The Ides of March, and Young Adult. Not eligible for the list were non-American entries The Artist (which also received special recognition) and Tinker Tailor Solider Spy. Extremely Loud‘s exclusion doesn’t bode well for its chances in the coming weeks. After the film failed to screen in time for the National Board of Review and New York Film Critics Circle voting, the AFI was one of the first groups to see it for awards consideration.

2011-12-11T13:58:00.004-05:00

------ Box Office Report: "New Year's Eve" drops the ball with $13.7 million

Two new releases hit the box office this weekend, but it seems that not many folks turned out to support them at the box office. New Year’s Eve led the box office with $13.7 million in its first three days. The star-studded film debuted way behind similar holiday film Valentine’s Day, which found $56.3 million over its opening weekend in 2010. One thing is certain: the film will have to work hard to earn back its $56 million budget. Jonah Hill’s baby sitting comedy The Sitter started its run in second place with $10 million, continuing the recent trend of R-rated comedies not clicking at the box office. Fox’s $25 million flick earned poor reviews so it’s not likely to endure at the box office for very long. The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 1 filled the third place slot in its fourth weekend with $7.9 million. After 24 days in theaters, "Breaking Dawn" has earned $259.5 million, and the vampire sequel is now running slightly behind its predecessors, Eclipse and New Moon, which had earned $275 million and $267.3 million at the same point, respectively. A trio of family films make up the next three rankings. In fourth, The Muppets declined by 36% to $7 million, giving it a $65.2 million total after three weekends. The Disney reboot opened solidly over Thanksgiving weekend, but it’s performed much like a front-loaded fanboy film in the weeks that followed. In fitfh place, Arthur Christmas dropped 11% to $6.6 million. Sony’s $98 million animation has earned $33.5 million after 17 days. Among new limited releases, Young Adult began its run with $321,000 out of eight theaters, leading to a $40,000 per theater average. Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy did almost as well in only four theaters. The spy drama grossed $301,000, leading to a spectacular $75,250 venue average. Further down the chart, We Need to Talk About Kevin opened in just one theater, and it did fairly well, grossing $24,000. The complete Top 10 appears below.

1. New Year’s Eve – $13.7 million
2. The Sitter – $10 million
3. The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 1 – $7.9 million
4. The Muppets – $7.1 million
5. Arthur Christmas – $6.6 million
6. Hugo -- $6.1 million
7. The Descendants -- $4.8 million
8. Happy Feet Two -- $3.8 million
9. Jack and Jill -- $3.2 million
10. Immortals -- $2.4 million

2011-12-09T09:15:00.003-05:00

Box Office Preview: "New Year's Eve" comes early at Box Office

This is going to be short and sweet, due to a late posting by me. I apologize for the brashness of the Box office Preview. . The PG-13 film New Year's Eve is overflowing with big names like Ashton Kutcher, Katherine Heigl, Zac Efron, Josh Duhamel, Ludacris, Jon Bon Jovi, Jessica Biel, Sarah Jessica Parker, Hector Elizondo along with Oscar nominees Michelle Pfeiffer and Abigail Breslin plus Academy Award winners Robert De Niro, Hilary Swank, and Halle Berry. Garry Marshall scored a box office bonanza with this formula last time around with Valentine's Day which broke the Presidents Day opening weekend record with a towering $63.1M four-day score. This time around, I'm predicting a top spot opening of close to $25 million, thanks in large part to its high theater count of 3,300 sites. Jonah Hill tests out his ability to anchor a film all by himself with the raunchy R-rated comedy The Sitter playing a slacker forced to take care of a wealthy couple's three young children. The Fox release should play best to older teens and young adults with older adults not likely to take interest. Opening in 2,749 theaters, "The Sitter" could debut to around $11 million in a distant second place. The female crowd that has been shoveling cash into The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn-- Part 1 will have a new game in town with "New Year's Eve." That could lead to a 50% decline to around $8 million for a third place finish. With no new films appropriate for kids, The Muppets should find itself in the opposite situation where its drop should be much less than last week's, earning $7.5 million for a fourth place finish. Martin Scorsese's acclaimed 3D film Hugo will expand once again in its third weekend. The Paramount release started in 1,277 locations over Thanksgiving, widened into 1,840 playdates last weekend, and will now add 768 additional runs on Friday putting it into 2,608 theaters. It should round out the Top 5 with about $7 million in ticket sales. As always, the complete Top 10 will be posted on Sunday,

2011-12-08T12:26:00.002-05:00

The new trailer for "The Iron Lady"

I think she just makes it look easy: In the latest trailer for the Margaret Thatcher biopic, The Iron Lady, Meryl Streep effortlessly takes on the seemingly thankless task of playing the resolute politician. She seems to become one with Thatcher, and that's good for all of us, since it's been eons since Streep won an Academy Award. (Especially in the lead category, which she hasn't done since 1982.) Check out the trailer and see if you agree or disagree.

2011-12-08T11:56:00.002-05:00

Ryan Seacrest in talks with "Today"

The American Idol host Ryan Seacrest is reportedly in talks to replace Matt Lauer on NBC’s morning show Today, should Lauer opt to leave after his contract expires next year. NBC suits began preliminary talks with Seacrest on Tuesday about joining the show. The celebrity entrepreneur — who also hosts a daily show for E! — is NBC’s top pick to replace Lauer, who began tipping off his bosses this year that he wants to leave by December, 2012. At the time, a Today spokesperson said “there seems to be an awful lot of speculation around news anchors these days, and it’s not our practice to comment on any of it. Matt Lauer has a long term contract with NBC News and Today.”

2011-12-05T17:04:00.002-05:00

Rosie O'Donnell engaged

Rosie O’Donnell is engaged to girlfriend Michelle Rounds, media outlets have confirmed. O’Donnell and Rounds, a New York headhunter, went public with their relationship this September. No date has been set for the wedding yet, according to O’Donnell’s publicist.
It will be the second marriage for O’Donnell, who split from wife Kelli Carpenter in 2010. O’Donell has four children with Carpenter.

2011-12-05T00:40:00.002-05:00

It's official: Madonna to perform at Super Bowl halftime show

It's official: The NFL and NBC announced today during tonight’s Detroit Lions-New Orleans Saints game that Madonna will indeed be the featured performer at the Super Bowl XLVI halftime show on Feb. 5 in Indianapolis. The 53-year-old Material Girl — whose romantic drama W.E. just happens to be hitting theaters two days before the game — will collaborate with Cirque Du Soleil and Jamie King for the big gig. She is currently recording an album that’s slated to be released in 2012.

2011-12-04T14:16:00.002-05:00

Box Office Report: "Breaking Dawn" retains top spot for third weekend

The Twihards are still going strong, pushing The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn -- Part 1 to the front of the box office charts for a third straight weekend in a row. The film earned an additional $16.9 million, pushing its grand total to a staggering $247 million. The film dropped 60% this weekend, which may sound like a steep decline, and it is, but keep in mind that the weekend following the Thanksgiving holiday weekend is typically one of the slowest box-office frames of the year, hence no new wide releases. Disney’s The Muppets took a harsher-than-expected fall, dropping 62% for $11.2 million this weekend. The PG-rated film may have been front-loaded thanks to nostalgic adults who rushed out to revisit their puppet friends last weekend. The film earned a second place spot and pushed its two-week total to $56 million — quite an accomplishment for a $45-million movie about a franchise that many considered dead. In third place was Martin Scorsese’s 3-D adventure Hugo, which slid 33% for $7.6 million. The PG movie expanded from 1,277 to 1,840 theaters this weekend, which is why it held up a little better than the rest of the top five. Paramount plans to continue expanding the well-reviewed Oscar hopeful throughout the month, but the film has a long way to go before it can even make a dent in its $150-million to $170-million budget. So far, "Hugo" has grossed $25.2 million. Sony’s animated holiday flick Arthur Christmas took fourth place, down 39% for $7.4 million, whilr Happy Feet Two rounded out the Top 5 with an additional $6 million. Not far behind was The Descendants, which collected $5.2 million from just 574 locations. The Hawaiian dramedy, directed by Alexander Payne and starring George Clooney, has already made $18 million — and it’s just getting started. Finally, the NC-17 drama Shame, starring Michael Fassbender and Carey Mulligan, debuted to a strong $361,000 at 10 theaters. The complete Top 10 appears below.

1. The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn — Part 1 -- $16.9 million
2. The Muppets -- $11.2 million
3. Hugo -- $7.6 million
4. Arthur Christmas -- $7.4 million
5. Happy Feet Two -- $6.0 million
6. Jack and Jill -- $5.5 million
7. The Descendants -- $5.2 million
8. Immortals -- $4.4 million
9. Tower Heist -- $4.1 million
10. Puss in Boots -- $3.1 million

2011-12-02T00:35:00.002-05:00

Box Office Preview: "Breaking Dawn": Third weekend at No. 1?

Better clear your plate for some leftovers. The weekend following Thanksgiving typically sees few, if any, new releases, so expect a healthy heaping of leftovers to dominate the box office this weekend. Why is this? First, if a studio opened a film this weekend, it’d likely be kicked off screens by Christmas due to an overwhelming amount of December releases. And, second, if a studio has a movie that’s strong enough to withstand the December competition, why not release it a week earlier and take advantage of the holiday weekend? Going into this lackluster weekend the biggest question will be whether The Muppets can knock The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn -- Part 1 off its box-office mantle. After tweleve days in wide release, "Breaking Dawn -- Part 1" smashed $500 million box office dollars on Tuesday. This being said, the film will start a steady decline, but if it follows the same trajectory as New Moon, it should drop 65% putting it at around $14.5 million for the weekend in first place. The Muppets got off to a great start banking $43.6 million in its first seven days while also scoring some of the best reviews of the year as well as a fantastic A grade from CinemaScore. Most kiddie fare drops significantly after the long Thanksgiving holiday, and I'm not convinced a Muppet is impervious to this fact. During their sophomore frames, Enchanted fell 52% and Tangled plummeted 56%. I’m going with a slightly better 50% decline for Kermit and Miss Piggy, but even that may not be enough to overtake those vampires and werewolves,; based on this, a second place finish with a close $13 million may cause a photo finish for first place by Sunday. Martin Scorsese's Hugo opened impressively last weekend keeping to 3D venues, some with a 2D option as well, and delivered a five-day score of $15.4 million. Paramount will add more than 500 new theaters on Friday bringing the total theater count north of 1,800 as it aims to capitalize on good word-of-mouth and a reduced amount of competition. The decline should be slim and a $9 million weekend could result giving the Paris-set tale a third place finish. Fourth place could be a fierce battle between two animated pictures: the well-reviewed holiday comedy Arthur Christmas and the Antarctic musical sequel Happy Feet Two. So far, the dancing penguins have outperformed "Arthur" on a daily basis since last Wednesday. But with Christmas quickly approaching," Arthur" may have topicality on its side, which could result in a fourth place $6 million finish. "Happy Feet 2" will round out the Top 5 as it settles in fifth place with $5.5 million. Check back Sunday for the full report.

2011-12-02T00:29:00.003-05:00

First Look: Daniel-Day Lewis as Lincoln

Daniel-Day Lewis is crawling under the skin of a new character, and based upon what we see, it looks like he may want to clear a spot on the mantel for a few more trophies. What we see is a picture of the actor looking like the Great Emancipator at a restaurant in Virginia , where’s he’s currently filming Lincoln for Steven Spielberg. The casting department should be given props (no pun imtended) for their uncanny ability in the perfect casting choice! What he does with the role remains to be seen. but judging this book by its' cover, it looks like more bright days ahead for Daniel-Day Lewis.

2011-12-01T23:36:00.003-05:00

Lady Gaga releases "Marry the Night" video

Folks, Little Monsters, and everyone else: Lady Gaga has released her epic, 14-minute-long music video for latest single “Marry the Night.” And, as ever — filled with a crazy trip to the hospital, a ballet scene, hair-dying, naked bathtub writhing, Fame-esque dance sessions, and cars catching fire — the clip is quite the trip to Total Crazyville, population: 1. But, I sat in tight and took the ride with Gaga and found it to be quite the profound ride. Settle in for 14 minutes and watch the “Marry the Night” video below, but note that if you want to, you know, get right to the song, you’ll need to skip to about the 8-minute mark:

2011-12-01T19:25:00.006-05:00

"Hugo" wins National Board of Review

Martin Scorsese’s 3D family film Hugo has won the National Board of Review’s prize for Best Film of 2011. The Thanksgiving-weekend release also won the Best Director award, while The Descendants also picked up multiple citations, for Best Actor (George Clooney), Best Supporting Actress (Shailene Woodley), and Best Adapted Screenplay. Missing from the largely predictable NBR top 10: The Help (which won an ensemble prize instead), Midnight in Paris, and Moneyball, as well as Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, which didn’t screen in time. Meanwhile, Tilda Swinton’s victory for Best Actress for We Need to Talk About Kevin is a big help to her chances, although last year’s winner, Another Year's Lesley Manville, failed to make the Academy’s cut. Check out the full list of winners below.

Best Film Hugo

Top 10 Films
The Artist
The Descendants
Drive
The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2
The Ides of March
J. Edgar
The Tree of Life
War Horse

Best Actor George Clooney, The Descendants

Best Actress Tilda Swinton, We Need to Talk About Kevin

Best Supporting Actor Christopher Plummer, Beginners

Best Supporting Actress Shailene Woodley, The Descendants

Best Director Martin Scorsese, Hugo

Best Original Screenplay Will Reiser, 50/50

Best Adapted Screenplay Alexander Payne, Nat Faxon & Jim Rash, The Descendants

Breakthrough Performance Felicity Jones, Like Crazy and Rooney Mara, The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo

Best Foreign Film A Separation

Top 5 Foreign Films
13 Assassins
Elite Squad: The Enemy Within
Footnote
Le Havre
Point Blank

Best Documentary Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory

Top 5 Documentaries
Born to Be Wild
Buck
George Harrison: Living in the Material World
Project Nim
Senna

Best Animated Feature Rango

Best Ensemble Cast The Help

Best Debut Director J.C. Chandor, Margin Call

Spotlight Award Michael Fassbender, A Dangerous Method, Jane Eyre, Shame, X-Men: First Class

NBR Freedom of Expression Crime After Crime and Pariah

Special Achievement in Filmmaking The Harry Potter franchise

Top 10 Independent Films
50/50
Another Earth
Beginners
A Better Life
Cedar Rapids
Margin Call
Shame
Take Shelter
We Need to Talk About Kevin
Win Win

2011-11-28T16:49:00.004-05:00

Anne Hathaway engaged to longtime boyfriend

Anne Hathaway is engaged to boyfriend Adam Shulman, sources report. The couple have been dating since 2008. The One Day star began dating Shulman shortly after her very public split with Italian real estate developer Raffaello Follieri, who pled guilty to fraud charges. A wedding date for Hathaway and Shulman has not yet been announced.

2011-11-27T14:10:00.002-05:00

Box Office Report: "Twilight: Breaking Dawn" tops the charts

The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 1 topped the box office on this weekend with a whopping $62.3 million from Wednesday to Sunday, including $42 million it gained over the traditional three-day weekend. Since it was released last Friday, the film has earned a staggering $221 million. In second place on Friday was Disney’s The Muppets, which found $29.5 million during the Friday-to-Sunday period, which translated it to a $42 million five-day launch. That's a pretty good debut for the Muppet gang, which should please most Muppet loyalists. Three more kids movies filled up the next three spots on the chart. Happy Feet Two slid into third place with $13.4 million over three days, accumulating $18.7 million over the five-day period. Arthur Christmas slightly edged Hugo for fourth place — the films earned $17 million and $15.4 million, respectively over the long weekend. In limited release, The Descendants found a jaw-dropping $9.5 million from 390 locations over the five day weekend. That translated to a $21,328 per-theater average. Meanwhile, My Week with Marilyn has done some fairly solid business of its own. In 244 theaters, the Michelle Williams vehicle earned about $2.1 million over the five-day frame. Finally, The Artist began its run Friday in four theaters, and it scored a magnificent $210,000 total, being bested by A Dangerous Method for hightest per-theater average on the chart with $60,250 total in 4 sites. The complete Top 10 appears below.

1. The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 1 – $62.3 million
2. The Muppets – $42 million
3. Happy Feet – $18.4 million
4. Arthur Christmas – $17 million
5. Hugo – $15.4 million
6. Jack and Jill – $14.1 million
7. Immortals – $12.5 million
8. Puss in Boots – $10.4 million
9. Tower Heist – $10.2 million
10. The Descendants --$9.2 million

2011-11-24T01:28:00.003-05:00

Box Office Preview: "Breaking Dawn" takes on "The Muppets"

Since Thanksgiving is a time for family, and families includes children, we witness an influx of children related fare at the box office this weekend. Reigning box office champs Bella and Edward will face off against another inter-species couple for the Thanksgiving crown - Kermit and Miss Piggy. The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn -- Part 1 is sure to drop heavily from its huge debut now that the upfront audience for the fourth Twilight film has already seen it. Even if it falls by a harsh 60%, the film should top the chart with ease. I'm thinking a $55 million take could result over the five-day period. Disney is preparing for a feast with its strong contender The Muppets which should dominate the market for kids this weekend. The Kermit and Miss Piggy adventure also stars Jason Segel and Amy Adams plus features the many lovable Jim Henson characters along with a handful of celebrity cameos. Reviews are mainly positive and the characters are everywhere, from talk shows to cooking shows. Having just opened in 3,440 locations, "The Muppets" could take in roughly $31 million over the Friday-to-Sunday period and about $44 million over the five-day Wednesday-to-Sunday time frame, easily taking second place. Families more in a yuletide mood over the turkey frame will get to have fun with Santa and company in the 3D animated film Arthur Christmas. Sony's PG-rated release features the voices of James McAvoy and Hugh Laurie who are both well-liked and talented actors, but not really commercial draws on their own in the voice department. Buzz is fair for this movie, only helped out by the mainly strong reviews. Landing in 3,376 theaters, "Arthur Christmas" may debut with around $14 million over the weekend and $19 million across the five-day period, topping in third place. The penguin sequel Happy Feet 2 disappointed majorly last weekend so it might waddle down to an alright-but-still-sad $18 million from Wednesday to Sunday, landing it in fourth place. While critics love the 3-D Martin Scorsese picture Hugo and herald it for being a perfect choice for people who love filmmaking, general audiences don’t tend to care about that sort of thing. They'd rather launch their eyes on "Happy Feet 2." The $170 million feature may start soft with just $10 million in five days, landing in fifth place this weekend. The complete Top 10 will be posted Sunday.

2011-11-23T00:51:00.003-05:00

J. R. Martinez Wins "Dancing With the Stars"

The fans—and America—have spoken. Actor and Iraq War vet J. R. Martinez was crowed the winner of this season’s Dancing With the Stars. Ricki Lake, who scored highest but did not advance to the final two, and Rob Kardashian were his competition. Martinez and Kardashian duked it out with an “instant samba,” which earned both perfect scores. It wasn’t an easy victory for Martinez: he had been favored to win all season, and just last week he twisted his ankle. “First and foremost, I want to thank everybody who voted for us for 10 weeks,” Martinez said. “Thank you, America, for believing in us.” Then, turning to partner Karina Smirnoff, he added, “I want to say, you know what? You are amazing, and I’m so grateful that I was able to be a part of your first mirror ball trophy. Thank you very much.” Overall, the finale was an interesting hodgepodge. The standout performances included a redemption re-do for Chynna Phillips as she showed the crowd just what her doomed Mission: Impossible dance was meant to look like before she got the ballroom boot. There was also an over-the-top “Vogue” number from Carson Kressley that both wowed the crowd and fulfilled one of the fashion guru’s dreams — to dance with a Chmerkovskiy. (Val, for those keeping track of the ballroom brothers. And who isn’t?)

2011-11-22T13:32:00.001-05:00

Justin Bieber takes paternity test

Hoping to disprove alleged baby mama Mariah Yeater, Justin Bieber has taken a paternity test, reports media outlets. Yeater dropped her paternity lawsuit against Bieber, 17, last week, but the 20-year-old didn’t preclude plans to pursue her claim beyond the courtroom. Bieber’s team previously avowed its plan to “vigorously pursue all available legal remedies to protect Justin and to hold those involved with bringing this suit accountable for their actions.” Bieber himself said earlier this month, “I know that I’m going to be a target, but I’m never going to be a victim.”

2011-11-21T19:00:00.002-05:00

Katy Perry to host "SNL" with musical guest Robyn

Katy Perry has just announced via Twitter she’ll be hosting the Dec. 10 episode of Saturday Night Live with musical guest Robyn. “I’m SO excited 2 announce I’ll be HOSTING Saturday Night Live Dec. 10! This is the cherry on top and @robynkonichiwa is part of it!” (NBC confirms the news.) Is it weird that she isn't pulling double duty, or are you just happy that Perry gets to show off her comedic chops? Post it!

2011-11-20T14:43:00.003-05:00

Box Office Report: "Breaking Dawn" opens big with $139.5 million

Although it didn’t set a franchise record, The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn — Part 1 had one of the best openings in box-office history by debuting to $139.5 million, according to studio estimates. That’s the fifth-best opening weekend ever, behind Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows — Part 2, The Dark Knight, Spider-Man 3, and The Twilight Saga: New Moon, which held on to the franchise record. "Breaking Dawn" earned $72 million on Friday (the third-best opening day ever), and then fell 44% on Saturday and a projected 34% today. Of course, the domestic box office is only a part of the equation here. "Breaking Dawn" took in $144 million from 54 foreign territories this week, pushing its worldwide debut to a staggering $283.5 million. In second place was Warner Bros.’ 3-D animated sequel Happy Feet Two, which fell far short of expectations by dancing to only $22 million. The 2006 original, an Oscar winner for best animated feature, opened to $41.5 million — and that was without the benefit of 3-D surcharges. The rest of the top five consisted of holdovers. The 3-D action flick Immortals dropped a harsh 62% for $12.3 million. Jack and Jill witnessed a typical Adam Sandler fall of 52% for $12 million. And even though "Happy Feet Two" underperformed, Puss in Boots lost much of its family audience. The animated adventure dropped 57% for $10.7 million in its fourth weekend. In limited release, Alexander Payne’s The Descendants, starring George Clooney, debuted to $1.2 million from 29 theaters — enough for a tenth-place finish. The Oscar hopeful raked in an impressive $42,150 per location. The complete Top 10 appears below.

1. The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn — Part 1 — $139.5 million
2. Happy Feet Two — $22.0 million
3. Immortals — $12.3 million
4. Jack and Jill — $12.0 million
5. Puss in Boots — $10.7 million
6. Tower Heist -- $7 million
7. J. Edgar -- $5.9 million
8. A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas -- $2.9 million
9. In Time -- $1.7 million
10. The Descendants -- $1.2 million

2011-11-19T14:52:00.006-05:00

"Breaking Dawn -- Part 1" opens with $72 million

The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn — Part 1, the fourth movie in the supernatural-romance franchise, grossed an incredible $72 million on Friday, according to early estimates. That’s the third-best opening day ever, behind only this year’s Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows — Part 2 ($91.1 million) and 2009′s The Twilight Saga: New Moon ($72.7 million). And while Breaking Dawn fell slightly short of New Moon, it did surpass the opening day of last year’s The Twilight Saga: Eclipse, which debuted to $68.5 million (albeit on a Wednesday). Included in the PG-13 movie’s $72 million Friday figure was $30.3 million from Thursday midnight showings — a midnight debut second to only the final Potter film. Full box office report will be published tomorrow.

2011-11-18T00:54:00.003-05:00

Box Office Preview: Get ready for "Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn"

While I don't think many records will be shattered with the opening of The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn — Part 1, I do think it will be quite the event this weekend. The last two films have displayed the buying power of the current audience and both finished off near the $300 million domestic mark despite having very different openings. New Moon debuted this weekend in 2009 and grossed an eye-popping $142.8 million from its Friday-to-Sunday debut including a record $72.7 million opening day. Eclipse shifted in two ways to a Wednesday launch in June 2010. The opening day was a stellar $68.5 million which was incredible given that it was mid-week and the first three days (Wednesday-to-Friday) grossed a spectacular $121.3 million. Fandango is reporting that "Breaking Dawn" has already sold out more than 3,500 showtimes, and that the PG-13 film is accounting for 95% of the online service’s daily ticket sales. Out of "Breaking Dawn"'s 4,061 theaters this weekend, at least 3,250 of them will be screening it at midnight tonight. That should provide the $110 million movie with a monster start and give it enough fuel to reach around $150 million by Sunday night, easily the top film of the weekend. The first Happy Feet, an Oscar winner for best animated feature, opened to $41.5 million on the same November weekend five years ago. Happy Feet Two will be hurt a bit going up against a behemoth like "Breaking Dawn," and the $135 million dancing-penguin sequel will also have to contend with the stupendous stamina of Puss in Boots. Furthermore, "Happy Feet Two" is earning reviews that are far less glowing than those for the original movie. A distant second plase win should result in the $36 million range. The rest of the Top 5 should fall thusly: Immortals, out of the gate in first place last weekend, will dip to third this weekend and an additional $14 million take. After owning the kid-market the past few weeks, Puss in Boots gets shevled by some rapping penguins as the Dreamworks Animation film gets relegated to fourth place and a $13 million weekend. Adam Sandler’s comedies usually fall roughly 50% their second weekend. Jack and Jill shouldn’t fare any differently, nabbing $12 million to round out the Top 5. In addition, George Clooney makes his second bid for Oscar glory in as many months with the dysfunctional family comedy The Descendants which Fox Searchlight releases in limited play this weekend ahead of a moderate national release over the Thanksgiving holiday. As always, check back on Monday for the full results and I'll break news all weekend as to "Breaking Dawns'" success.

2011-11-17T22:33:00.003-05:00

L.A. detectives re-open Natalie Wood death inquiry

A Los Angeles County sheriff’s official says homicide detectives have re-opened their investigation into the 1981 drowning death of actress Natalie Wood (West Side Story, Rebel Without a Cause). Sheriff’s spokesman Steve Whitmore says the agency is taking another look at the case after recently receiving additional information. A news conference has been scheduled for Friday with the detective leading the investigation. Whitmore declined to release any additional details about what information detectives had been given. Wood drowned on Nov. 29, 1981, after a night of partying with husband Robert Wagner and Brainstorm co-star Christopher Walken on the couple’s yacht anchored off Santa Catalina Island. Coroner’s officials ruled the death of the star an accident.

2011-11-17T20:50:00.002-05:00

Demi Moore and Ashton Kutcher file for divorce

After six years of marriage, Demi Moore and Ashton Kutcher will part ways. Reps for the actress have confirmed that Moore has decided to end her marriage with the Two and a Half Men star, weeks after the couple became tabloid fodder following Kutcher’s alleged extramarital affairs. Said Moore in a statement: “It is with great sadness and a heavy heart that I have decided to end my six-year marriage to Ashton. As a woman, a mother and a wife there are certain values and vows that I hold sacred, and it is in this spirit that I have chosen to move forward with my life. This is a trying time for me and my family, and so I would ask for the same compassion and privacy that you would give to anyone going through a similar situation.”

Kutcher already tweeted about the split: “I will forever cherish the time I spent with Demi. Marriage is one of the most difficult things in the world and unfortunately sometimes they fail. Love and Light, AK.”

2011-11-16T20:58:00.002-05:00

Bradley Cooper named "People's Sexiest Man Alive"

Bradley Cooper has just found his place in history. Sexy, sexy history. The Hangover Part II star has joined the prestigious ranks of Johnny Depp, Brad Pitt, George Clooney, and Ryan Reynolds in being declared the Sexiest Man Alive by People. In addition to the oh-so-modest Sexiest Man Cooper (“I think it’s really cool that a guy who doesn’t look like a model can have this [title]“), the issue, which hits stands on Friday, also features, among others, Liam Hemsworth (sorry Peeta!), Idris Elba, Justin Theroux, Chris Evans, Tim McGraw, Josh Charles, Joel McHale, Jason Momoa, Alec Baldwin, Dylan McDermott, and, duh, Ryan Gosling.

2011-11-16T20:53:00.001-05:00

"Wizard of Oz" munchkin Karl Slover dies

Karl Slover, one of the last surviving actors who played Munchkins in the 1939 classic film, The Wizard of Oz, has died. He was 93. The 4-foot-5 Slover died of cardiopulmonary arrest Tuesday afternoon in a central Georgia hospital, said Laurens County Deputy Coroner Nathan Stanley. According to friends, as recently as last weekend, Slover appeared at events in the suburban Chicago area. Slover was best known for playing the lead trumpeter in the Munchkins’ band but also had roles as a townsman and soldier in the film, said John Fricke, author of 100 Years of Oz and five other books on the movie and its star, Judy Garland. Slover was one of the tiniest male Munchkins in the movie. We will miss him dearly.

2011-11-16T00:45:00.004-05:00

Trailer Blazer: "Mirror, Mirror"

Last week, we got our first extended look at Snow White and the Huntsman, i.e. the Snow White movie that stars Kristen Stewart and Charlize Theron and portrays itself as a dark and twisted adventure film. Today, we get our first extended look at Mirror, Mirror, i.e. the Snow White movie that stars Lily Collins and Julia Roberts and fancies itself a high style romantic comedy. If those differences weren’t clear before, the Mirror, Mirror trailer makes them abundantly clear around about the time that the evil Queen (Roberts) gives a love potion to the charming Prince (Armie Hammer), only to discover it’s for puppy love. One common thread they both have: a disarming look at the Queen in each, who is clearly the focus of both films. Check out the trailer below:

2011-11-16T00:40:00.002-05:00

"DWTS" reveals its Final 3!

After performing three dances each the night before, one of Dancing with the Stars' four semi-finalists was booted from the competition on Tuesday, a week shy of the show's season finale. Ricki Lake and Rob Kardashian were awarded by the judges for their nearly flawless routines on Monday. Meanwhile, an injured J.R. Martinez experienced his worst week yet but still scored higher than Hope Solo. By the end of Tuesday's results show, Solo and her partner Maksim Chmerkovskiy were eliminated. "This competition is one of the toughest competitions I've ever been a part of. I'm grateful. This was an amazing opportunity," she said. "Instead of winning the mirror-ball trophy I'm going to go and try and win a gold medal at the Summer Olympics." Chmerkovskiy was also grateful: "Thank you for determination and will and everything else. I wish I could have been better for you," he told his partner. "It's been an amazing journey."

2011-11-16T00:38:00.001-05:00

Heather Locklear, Jack Wagner break off engagement

Sorry Melrose Place fans: Heather Locklear and Jack Wagner will not be getting married. Media outlets reports that the couple, who got engaged in August, are no longer engaged. This would have been Locklear’s third marriage: She was previously married to Tommy Lee and Richie Sambora.

2011-11-14T10:59:00.002-05:00

Trailer Blazer: "Hunger Games" trailer debuts!

I'll keep this short as we don't want you to have to waste too much time reading before checking out the awesome new trailer for The Hunger Games. Introduced today on Good Morning America by Peeta Mellark himself (Josh Hutcherson), the sneak preview above should excite all moviegoers—regardless of how familiar they are with the popular book series. This clip, featuring Jennifer Lawrence's Katniss Everdeen volunteering for the Games, has me, well, hungry for more. Check it out!

2011-11-14T10:34:00.002-05:00

Honorary Oscars handed out over the weekend

At the third annual Governor's Ball, hosted by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, 3 of the biggest names in the industry were noted for each of their unique achievements in their respected fields. Legendary actor James Earl Jones and no less noteworthy makeup artist Dick Smith were given honorary Oscars. Jones, though not in Los Angeles, was honored by Academy President Tom Sherak's choice in attire (a Darth Vader costume and it must be said that he walked to the stage with a coterie of storm troopers) and opening song choice ("Can You Feel The Love Tonight?" sung by Mary J. Blige) for his voice work in both Star Wars and "The Lion King. Jones was at London's West End performing in the stage version of Driving Miss Daisy and was awarded thusly by Ben Kingsley-a situation that he dubbed the highest honor by describing it as an "actor's wet dream." Super 8 director, J.J. Abrams, recalled a story to pay tribute to Smith's talent. As a boy, Abrams wrote a fan letter to Smith for his work in "The Exorcist" and as a reply, Smith sent him one of the best props in movie history-Linda Blair's tongue in The Exorcist. Abram's mother was promptly horrified but the young director never forgot, even referencing Smith in his movie. The last honoree for the evening was philanthropist and media mogul, Oprah Winfrey, who was given the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award. Speakers for the media queen included John Travolta and producer Larry Gordon who revealed that Oprah is no lightweight when it comes to drinking as he shared a story with which Oprah matched him shot for shot at a single event.

2011-11-14T00:28:00.002-05:00

Box Office Report: "Immortals" shields off "Jack and Jill" from No. 1

After two weekends atop the box office, Puss in Boots was thwarted by a pair of newcomers, Immortals and Jack and Jill, both of which opened to solid numbers. "Immortals" became the new box office titan, fending off competition and scoring a strong $32 million opening. While that number pales in comparison to the openings of 300 ($70.8 million) and Clash of the Titans ($61.2 mil), it puts "Immortals" ahead of other swords-and-sandals de buts like Prince of Persia ($30.1 mil) and Alexander (13.7 mil). In second place (for now) was Adam Sandler’s latest comedy, "Jack and Jill," which scored a $26 million debut out of 3,438 theaters — good for a $7,563 per theater average. After two weekends in first place, "Puss in Boots" settled for third (though it may swap places with "Jack and Jill" once final results are released tomorrow) with an estimated $25.5 million. The Shrek spin-off only dropped 3% last weekend, and this time around, "Puss" scored another terrific 23 percent decline. The $130 million DreamWorks picture, which looked like a bust when it opened, has now earned a robust $103 million. Tower Heist drooped 45% this weekend to $13.2 million, giving the $85 million Universal caper a ten-day total of $43.9 million. Rounding out the top 5 was Warner Brothers’ $35 million biopic J. Edgar. The Clint Eastwood film, which stars Leonardo DiCaprio as infamous FBI figurehead J. Edgar Hoover, earned $11.5 million out of 1,910 theaters, giving it a solid $6,005 venue average. Check out the Top 10 below.

1. Immortals – $32 million
2. Jack and Jill – $26 million
3. Puss in Boots – $25.5 million
4. Tower Heist – $13.2 million
5. J. Edgar – $11.5 million
6. A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas -- $5.9 million
7. In Time -- $4.2 million
8. Paranormal Activity 3 -- $3.6 million
9. Footlosse -- $2.7 million
10. Real Steel -- $2 million

2011-11-10T23:45:00.005-05:00

Box Office Preview: Will "Immortals" unleash its wrath?
After two weeks atop the box office, Puss in Boots will need to draw his sword and fend off an army of gladiators as a couple of new films will do their best to wrest the title away from the animated film. The Shrek spin-off has been box office champ for two weeks running, and it may just pull off a third weekend in first place. "Puss in Boots" will certainly fall harder than the scant 3% it dipped last weekend, but with no new outright family films hitting screens, it may score a small 20% decline to about $26 million, which will likely keep it firmly in the top spot. Adam Sandler also storms the box office this weekend, although it could be rough going for the comedian. In Jack and Jill, Sandler takes on the popular comedic trope of cross-dressing by playing both a man and his twin sister, and the actor is hoping for some Norbit-sized results. Typically, Sandler waits until the summer to open his bawdy comedies, but "Jack and Jill" appears to be a bit tamer than usual, and thanks to its PG rating, it may attract a few more families. So, if the $80 million Sony film can open solidly — I’m predicting about $24 million this weekend, enough for second place — it could play very well to families over the next few weeks as we head into the holidays. Relativity’s $75 million R-rated swords-and-sandals action film Immortals, which stars future Man of Steel Henry Cavill as Theseus, is hoping to draw the same male crowds that helped make 300 and Clash of the Titans box office gladiators that opened to $70.8 million and $61.2 million, respectively. For whatever reason, though, "Immortals" doesn’t seem to be generating nearly as much excitement. Perhaps that is because the last few ancient-times action films, The Eagle (which earned $19.5 million total), Conan the Barbarian ($21.3 million), and Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time ($90.8 million) have been poorly received by audiences. Whatever the reason, Tarsem Singh’s visually stunning 3-D actionfest doesn’t seem poised to rule like a god over the rest of the box office this weekend, and it may conjure up $22 million in its first three days. After a disappointing $24.1 million opening, the Ben Stiller/Eddie Murphy comedy Tower Heist may fall by a somewhat steep 45% due to the arrival of new films this weeknd. Something tells me that the target audience for Tower Heist isn’t overly concerned with award season Academy drama, such as this and this. The caper may steal another $13.5 million, landing in fourth place. Clint Eastwood is back with his annual offering presenting audiences with the biopic J. Edgar starring Leonardo DiCaprio in the title role of the legendary FBI director. As with most of the director's projects, this R-rated film will skew older than most other pics and it will be highly sensitive to reviews. So far critics have been mixed with many giving the pic a thumbs down although DiCaprio is getting better notices than the overall film is. Warner Bros. platformed "J. Edgar" on Wednesday grossing $53,000 from seven theaters for a potent $7,500 average, but that tells little about how it will do over the weekend when it will be playing in more than 1,900 locations nationwide. A weekend score of around $11 million in fifth place may result. Check back Sunday for a peek at the Top 10.

2011-11-10T23:38:00.002-05:00

Teaser Trailer: "Snow White and the Hunstman"

Check out the dark new teaser trailer for Snow White and the Huntsman. And what a doozy it is! Charlize Theron’s Evil Queen? She wants Snow White's heart. Following scenes of battle and destruction, she declares coolly, “It once pained me to know that I am the cause of such despair.” When we meet her, that regret has long passed, and she’s a soul-sucking, mirror shattering, power hungry badass who will stop at nothing to destroy the beautiful upstart Snow White. Keep that armor on, Snow. You’re going to need it. Does Kristen Stewart’s Snow White stand a chance? For that matter, does Chris Hemsworth’s Huntsman? Check out the full trailer after the jump.

2011-11-10T17:19:00.002-05:00

Breaking News: Billy Crystal to host Oscars!

Billy Crystal has agreed to take over the role of Oscar host from Eddie Murphy. Crystal lit up the blogosphere late Thursday afternoon by posting a message to Twitter: “Am doing the Oscars so the young woman in the pharmacy will stop asking my name when I pick up my prescriptions. Looking forward to the show.” A spokeswoman for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences confirmed that Mr. Crystal wasn’t joking. Murphy backed out of hosting the ceremony on Wednesday following the resignation of his friend Brett Ratner as a producer. This will be Crystal’s ninth appearance as the Oscar front man.

2011-11-09T22:04:00.002-05:00

Brian Grazer signs on as Oscar producer

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has announced that Brian Grazer (The Da Vinci Code, A Beautiful Mind) will be the new producer of the Academy Awards, the latest development in a wild 48 hours that saw previous producer Brett Ratner resign amid a firestorm of controversy and Eddie Murphy subsequently withdraw from hosting the show this morning. Ironically, Grazer also produced Ratner and Murphy’s latest film, Tower Heist. He joins veteran TV producer Don Mischer, who remained on as an Oscar producer after Ratner stepped down. “It’s very gratifying to be part of a show that honors excellence in the medium to which I have devoted so much of my career,” said Grazer in a statement. “Don is a legend, and I am excited to work with him.” “Brian Grazer is a renowned filmmaker who over the past 25 years has produced a diverse and extraordinary body of work,” added Academy president Tom Sherak. “He will certainly bring his tremendous talent, creativity and relationships to the Oscars.” Added Mischer, ”I am thrilled to welcome Brian Grazer as my partner and that we will be collaborating to produce an outstanding show.”

2011-11-09T16:21:00.001-05:00

Zsa Zsa Gabor rushed to hospital

Zsa Zsa Gabor has been rushed to a Los Angeles hospital after another health scare. Publicist John Blanchette says the 94-year-old actress was taken by ambulance to Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center on Wednesday after her feeding tube became loose. Blanchette says Gabor’s husband Frederic von Anhalt noticed bleeding in her stomach where the tube came unattached. Gabor has been hospitalized repeatedly since falling out of bed and breaking her hip in July 2010. She had a leg amputated in January.

2011-11-09T14:05:00.002-05:00

Breaking News: Eddie Murphy exits as Oscar host

Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences President Tom Sherak announced that Eddie Murphy has withdrawn as host of the 84th Academy Awards. "I appreciate how Eddie feels about losing his creative partner, Brett Ratner, and we all wish him well," said Sherak. Commented Murphy, "First and foremost I want to say that I completely understand and support each party's decision with regard to a change of producers for this year's Academy Awards ceremony. I was truly looking forward to being a part of the show that our production team and writers were just starting to develop, but I'm sure that the new production team and host will do an equally great job." If there is a God, please let Billy Crystal host this event!!

2011-11-08T22:59:00.003-05:00

Breaking: Brett Ratner exits Oscars gig

Dogged by growing controversy over his use of an anti-gay slur after a screening of his movie Tower Heist and boorish comments he made about his sex life on The Howard Stern Show, Brett Ratner has stepped down as the producer of this year’s Oscars telecast. Yesterday, in an attempt to tamp down an explosion of bad press surrounding Ratner’s remark that “rehearsal is for fags,” Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences president Tom Sherak expressed support for Ratner, even as he criticized his comments as “inappropriate…dumb and insensitive,” saying that “we all make mistakes and I believe he didn’t mean it.” But the pressure to distance Ratner from the Academy and its most important event clearly became too great, and Ratner told Sherak this morning he would be stepping down. “He did the right thing for the Academy and for himself,” Sherak said in a statement. “Words have meaning, and they have consequences. Brett is a good person, but his comments were unacceptable. We all hope this will be an opportunity to raise awareness about the harm that is caused by reckless and insensitive remarks, regardless of the intent.” Ratner released an open letter to the film industry. It reads, in full:

Dear Colleagues,
Over the last few days, I’ve gotten a well-deserved earful from many of the people I admire most in this industry expressing their outrage and disappointment over the hurtful and stupid things I said in a number of recent media appearances. To them, and to everyone I’ve hurt and offended, I’d like to apologize publicly and unreservedly.
As difficult as the last few days have been for me, they cannot compare to the experience of any young man or woman who has been the target of offensive slurs or derogatory comments. And they pale in comparison to what any gay, lesbian, or transgender individual must deal with as they confront the many inequalities that continue to plague our world.
So many artists and craftspeople in our business are members of the LGBT community, and it pains me deeply that I may have hurt them. I should have known this all along, but at least I know it now: words do matter. Having love in your heart doesn’t count for much if what comes out of your mouth is ugly and bigoted. With this in mind, and to all those who understandably feel that apologies are not enough, please know that I will be taking real action over the coming weeks and months in an effort to do everything I can both professionally and personally to help stamp out the kind of thoughtless bigotry I’ve so foolishly perpetuated.
As a first step, I called Tom Sherak this morning and resigned as a producer of the 84th Academy Awards telecast. Being asked to help put on the Oscar show was the proudest moment of my career. But as painful as this may be for me, it would be worse if my association with the show were to be a distraction from the Academy and the high ideals it represents.
I am grateful to GLAAD for engaging me in a dialogue about what we can do together to increase awareness of the important and troubling issues this episode has raised and I look forward to working with them. I am incredibly lucky to have a career in this business that I love with all of my heart and to be able to work alongside so many of my heroes. I deeply regret my actions and I am determined to learn from this experience.
Sincerely, Brett Ratner

2011-11-07T19:25:00.002-05:00

Conrad Murray guilty in death of Michael Jackson

Dr. Conrad Murray was convicted Monday of involuntary manslaughter in the June 25, 2009, death of Michael Jackson. A bewildered-looking Murray was handcuffed and led out of the courtroom. He was held without bail pending sentencing."This is a crime where the end result was the death of a human being," said Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Michael Pastor. "That factor demonstrates rather dramatically that the public should be protected." Earlier, Murray showed no emotion as the clerk read the verdict, which was reached after 10 hours of deliberation. As the verdict was read in the courtroom, Jackson's sister La Toya said, "Yes!" His mother Katherine dabbed tears with a tissue. Other Jackson family members and fans shouted in joy.

2011-11-07T10:56:00.004-05:00

Lindsay Lohan serves four hours of jail sentence before being released

After being sentenced 30 days for violating probation, media reports that Lindsay Lohan was in jail for just four hours before being released early Monday morning. The reason for the short stay? Overcrowding — it is not uncommon for California inmates to serve roughly 10% of their sentence. In addition, there is a federal mandate in which “nonviolent offenders are routinely sent home early after serving only a fraction of their sentences.” (Last year Lohan served just 13 days of a 90-day sentence thanks to good behavior and overcrowding.)

2011-11-07T10:53:00.001-05:00

Justin Bieber agrees to take paternity test: Report

A source reports that Justin Bieber plans to take a DNA test when he returns to the United States in two weeks in response to 20-year-old Mariah Yeater’s paternity suit, which alleges that he fathered her 3-month-old son. Bieber is currently in Europe and promoting his Christmas album Under the Mistletoe. Sources reportedly reporters that Bieber also intends to file a lawsuit against Yeater. An official statement from Bieber's reps reads: “It’s sad that someone would fabricate malicious, defamatory, and demonstrably false claims. We’ll vigorously pursue all available legal remedies to protect Justin and to hold those involved with bringing this suit accountable for their actions.”

2011-11-07T09:23:00.002-05:00

Andy Williams says he has bladder cancer

When Andy Williams performed at his Moon River Theater in Missouri on Saturday, fans came out for what was supposed to be a special Christmas celebration. Instead, the "Can't Take My Eyes Off You" crooner made a health announcement that was less than festive. “I do have cancer of the bladder,” Williams said. “But that is no longer a death sentence. People with cancer are getting through this thing. They’re kicking it, and they’re winning more and more every year. And I’m going to be one of them.” The silver-haired “Moon River” singer missed planned performances this fall with an undisclosed medical condition and the theater announced recently that he would likely miss his holiday schedule as well because of the condition. The newspaper reported he has not started treatment, though it did not identify the person who provided that information. Answered with an enthusiastic round of applause from the crowd, Williams thanked everyone for being there during his "time of need." "I really have missed this an awful lot," he said. "I'll be coming back here next year, in September and October. I'm going to do the shows I've planned to do."

2011-11-06T13:40:00.002-05:00

Box Office Report: "Puss in Boots" scampers past "Tower Heist"

I think some paranormal activity has descended upon the box office. I'm talking straight up, real freaky paranormal activity. In a shocking development, Puss in Boots managed to hang on to the top spot, pulling in an additional $33 million at the box office. When you figure in last weekend's take, the film has grossed a solid $75 million over 10 days. What's even more astonishing is the slim (if barely there) dip the film took: a measely 10% drop from last weekend. How do we explain this phenomenon? Some are blaming the massive Northeast snow storm last week, coupled with Halloween festivites, leaving many families a week behind in their moviegoing. the film may have opened soft, but it seems to be making up for it now. Others are saying "Puss in Boots" just has very long legs (and by extension long boots?) Either way, strong word of mouth will keep the feline in the Top 10 through the holiday season. Tower Heist, which was directed by Brett Ratner and cost $85 million to produce, fell very short of industry predictions. The PG-13 movie finished the weekend with a weak $25.1 million. It's hard to say what happened here, but I'm guessing it failed to grab the younger demo. The screening I went skewed mainly older, so it will be interesting to see the breakdown when Universal releases it. The weekend’s other new release, the extra-dimensional stoner comedy A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas, debuted in third place with $13.1million. The R-rated movie, which cost $19 million, debuted behind 2008's Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay, which opened to $14.9 million. Among holdovers, Paranormal Activity 3 fell to fourth place with $8.5 million, while the sci-fi thriller In Time dropped to a better-than-expected $7.8 million in fifth place. The complete Top 10 appears below.

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1. Puss in Boots -- $33 million
2. Tower Heist -- $25.1 million
3. A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas -- $13.1 million
4. Paranormal Activity 3 -- $8.5 million
5. In Time -- $7.7 million
6. Footloose -- $4.6 million
7. Real Steel --$3.4 million
8. The Rum Diary --$3 million
9. The Ides of March --$2 million
10. Moneyball -- $1.9 million