Movie News

• Lindsay Lohan takes swipe at E-Trade babies (AP)
  

  Lindsay Lohan is feuding with the E-Trade babies.
  

• Review: `Our Family Wedding' surpasses stereotype (AP)
  

  One enters a movie like "Our Family Wedding" bracing for cheesiness.
  

• Sony to roll out 3D TVs in Japan in June (AFP)
  

  Sony said Tuesday it would start selling 3D televisions in Japan in June, aiming to ride a new wave of interest in the technology thanks to recent movies such as sci-fi blockbuster "Avatar".
  

• The Academy Awards: Oscar Salutes Grown-Up Women (HuffingtonPost.com)
  

  Read Carol Orsborn's other articles on HuffingtonPost.com

• Girls Gone Wild associate fined $5,000; no prison (AP)
  

  A Hollywood associate of Girls Gone Wild founder Joe Francis was fined $5,000 Monday but spared prison time for his role as the "bag man" in the bribery of jail guards to help Francis when he was held in Reno on tax evasion charges in 2007.

• Liv Tyler, Patrick Wilson join suspense film (Reuters)
  

  Liv Tyler and Patrick Wilson have been cast in the suspense film "The Ledge," which began shooting Monday in Baton Rouge, La.

• Film, TV casting briefs (Reuters)
  

  Actress Spencer Locke has been cast in a guest spot on the CW's "Vampire Diaries." She will play Amber Bradley, a girl who enters a beauty pageant along with Elena and Caroline. Locke has appeared in the ABC series "Cougar Town," the film "Resident Evil: Extinction" and the Nick series "Ned's Declassified School Survival Guide."

• Oscar's big question: How did David slay Goliath? (AP)
  

  For Hollywood pundits, industry folk and Oscar fans still paying attention on Monday, a major question remained: How did David slay Goliath?
  

• "Sopranos" creator to direct coming-of-age film (Reuters)
  

  "The Sopranos" creator David Chase has unveiled the nature of the feature film he's written and will direct for Paramount Pictures.

• Japan dolphin hunt town shrugs off 'Cove' Oscar (AP)
  

  The gala crowd in Los Angeles cheered as "The Cove" won the best documentary Oscar with its grisly portrayal of dolphin hunting. Half a world away, residents of the small Japanese village shown in the film abhorred the attention and said it won't end their centuries-old tradition.
  

• Latest Oscar telecast most watched in five years (Reuters)
  

  "Avatar" may have failed to repeat the Academy Award success for "Titanic," but James Cameron's latest hit film proved once again: nothing draws eyeballs to the Oscars like the nomination of a blockbuster.

• Oscars ride 'Avatar effect' to ratings surge (AFP)
  

  Television ratings for the Academy Awards surged to their highest level in five years, figures showed Monday, likely boosted by the inclusion of box office giant "Avatar" in the best picture race.
  

• TV ratings smile on Oscar as viewership rises (AP)
  

  An estimated 41.3 million people saw "The Hurt Locker" top the popular "Avatar" for best picture in the most-watched Academy Awards telecast since 2005.
  

• 'Alice in Wonderland' races to $116.1M opening (AP)
  

  Johnny Depp and Tim Burton found a pile of money on the other side of the looking glass.
  

• Argentine president celebrates local film's Oscar (AP)
  

  Argentine President Cristina Fernandez is congratulating the director and actors of the "The Secret in Their Eyes," a local film that won the Oscar for best foreign-language film.
  

• Bigelow makes Oscar history as war drama triumphs (Reuters)
  

  Hollywood finally entrusted a female director with an Oscar on Sunday.
  

• Why Oscar chose "Hurt Locker" over "Avatar" (Reuters)
  

  By the time "The Hurt Locker" won the best picture Oscar Sunday, it seemed almost a foregone conclusion since it previously earned honors from the Producers Guild, BAFTA, Broadcast Film Critics, the National Society of Film Critics and critics groups in New York, L.A. and elsewhere.

• Independents muscle out Hollywood studios at Oscars (Reuters)
  

  It was a disappointing night for Hollywood's major studios.

• John Hughes script stirring up interest (Reuters)
  

  John Hughes' film career may not yet be over despite his sudden death in August.

• James Cameron, Golden Globes lead Oscar losers (Reuters)
  

  Twelve years ago, James Cameron declared he was "king of the world" when "Titanic" won the Oscar for best picture.

 

• "Shutter Island" still captivates moviegoers (Reuters)
  

  Martin Scorsese's suspense thriller "Shutter Island" led the North American box office for a second consecutive weekend on Sunday, while "Avatar" was the top choice internationally for an 11th weekend.
  

• Roger Ebert gets 'voice' grandkids can recognize (AP)
  

  Film critic Roger Ebert, who lost his ability to speak after surgery for cancer, says a Scottish company has helped him regain a voice his grandchildren can recognize.

• Hollywood's Oscar contenders chart course for gold (Reuters)
  

  With the Vancouver Olympics near an end on Sunday, Hollywood began charting its own path to glory at the Oscars, and though the film honors feature shoo-in contenders in several key races, industry watchers still expect some excitement.
  

• Roger Ebert gets 'voice' grandkids can recognize (AP)
  

  Film critic Roger Ebert says computer programmers have captured his voice from movie commentary tracks so he can type what he wants to say and listeners hear a voice that sounds like him.
  

• "Prodigal Sons" unlike any other family documentary (Reuters)
  

  Homegrown documentaries dealing with gender issues and family dysfunction by now are a dime a dozen, but Kimberly Reed's "Prodigal Sons" is unique.

• `Shutter Island' stays afloat at No. 1 with $22.2M (AP)
  

  Leonardo DiCaprio and Martin Scorsese continue to lure movie-goers to "Shutter Island," while James Cameron's "Avatar" has surpassed $700 million domestically.

• The top movies at the North American box office (Reuters)
  

  Following are the top 10 movies at the North American box office for the three days beginning on February 26, led again by "Shutter Island," according to studio estimates compiled on Sunday by Reuters.

• "A Prophet" triumphs at French film awards (Reuters)
  

  Jacques Audiard's powerful prison drama "Un Prophete" (A Prophet) swept the board at the "Cesar" awards on Saturday, picking up the best film, best actor and best director prizes at France's annual version of the Oscars.
  

• `White Ribbon' earns top cinematography prize (AP)
  

  The German drama "The White Ribbon" has taken top honors from the American Society of Cinematographers.

• 'A Prophet' wins French film industry top prize (AP)
  

  The French film industry has showered honors on director Jacques Audiard's Oscar-nominated "Un Prophete" ("A Prophet"), giving the movie France's coveted Cesar award for best movie.

• Woody Harrelson is a changed man after Oscar role (Reuters)
  

  Environmental activist, hemp promoter, peacenik, surfer dude. Woody Harrelson has been called a lot of things, but until recently it is unlikely he has been called a friend of the U.S. military.

• 'Lockergate'?: Producer apologizes for e-mails (AP)
  

  The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is considering action against a producer of "The Hurt Locker" who sent multiple e-mails urging academy members to vote for his movie in the Oscar best-picture race and "not a $500 million film" — an obvious reference to close-competitor "Avatar."
  

• Winners of the 41st NAACP Image Awards (AP)
  

  The complete list of winners of the 41st NAACP Image Awards:

• "Precious" sweeps Image Awards, Wyclef Jean honored (Reuters)
  

  Independent movie "Precious: Based on the novel 'Push' by Sapphire" swept the Image Awards on Friday, picking up six trophies including best movie and best actress for its star, newcomer Gabourey Sidibe.
  

• 'Precious' wins big at 41st NAACP Image Awards (AP)
  

  It was a winning night for "Precious" at the 41st NAACP Image Awards.
  

• Sacha Baron Cohen, Tina Fey help hand out Oscars (AP)
  

  At least five funny actors will help hand out Oscars this year.
  

• Redford collaborates on New Mexico film program (AP)
  

  Actor and director Robert Redford and New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson unveiled details Friday of a collaboration that will expand training opportunities for Native Americans and Hispanics interested in filmmaking, the arts and the environment.

• Dolphins, monks, migrants aided by Oscar's long arm (Reuters)
  

  Documentary filmmakers are accustomed to preaching to a choir of mostly small-sized audiences who see their issue-driven films.

• Polish documentary gives rabbit's view of Wall (AP)
  

  Among this year's Oscar nominees is a Polish film that tells the history of the Berlin Wall from an unexpected point of view — that of thousands of wild rabbits who inhabited the death strip between East and West Berlin.
  

• 3-D films face new test with Burton's "Wonderland" (Reuters)
  

  Tim Burton believes author Lewis Carroll's 19th century story, "Alice's Adventures In Wonderland," screamed out for a 3-D film because of its surreal elements, or what the director calls its "trippyness."

 

• Odeon reverses itself and agrees to show "Alice" (Reuters)
  

  A top European theater chain said on Thursday it will show Walt Disney Co's "Alice In Wonderland," after threatening to boycott it in some countries to protest Disney's plans to release the DVD early.

• A Minute With: Disney's John Lasseter on creating Oscar magic (Reuters)
  

  Disney's Pixar Animation Studios head into the next week's Oscars with the only movie ever nominated for both best film and best animated film, "Up," about an old man and boy on an adventure in a faraway land.

• Top 20 Concert Tours (AP)
  

  The Top 20 Concert Tours ranks artists by average box office gross per city and includes the average ticket price for shows in North America. The previous week's ranking is in parentheses. The list is based on data provided to the trade publication Pollstar by concert promoters and venue managers.

• Sheen rehab could prove costly as show shuts down (Reuters)
  

  The future of CBS' "Two and Half Men" has become Topic A in Hollywood since production on the series was put on hold Tuesday after star Charlie Sheen checked himself into rehab.

• Argentine Oscar nominee is historical thriller (AP)
  

  Argentina's Oscar nominee for best foreign film is a thriller set in the country's main federal courthouse, where an investigator discovers co-workers torturing suspects into false confessions and running death squads for the president.
  

• Odeon, Disney agree deal over 'Alice In Wonderland' (AFP)
  

  Cinema chain Odeon said Thursday it would screen Tim Burton's new movie "Alice In Wonderland" in Britain, Ireland and Italy after resolving a row with Disney, hours before the world premiere.
  

• Review: `Cop Out' falls shy of its inspirations (AP)
  

  "Cop Out" is a clumsy postmodern buddy cop flick that stuffs as many genre references as it can into the ceaseless patter between Tracy Morgan and Bruce Willis.
  

• Review: `Crazies' taps into our fear of infection (AP)
  

  Breck Eisner's insane-in-the-membrane update of the George A. Romero cult horror movie "The Crazies" opens with a brief shot of fire, devastation and small-town apocalypse, followed by a title card that takes us back to the same Iowa farm community two days earlier.
  

• Peru film on sexual violence nominated for Oscar (AP)
  

  Liliana Tenorio was just a few months old when her father was detained by the Peruvian military, then disappeared. At age 3, she saw soldiers rape her mother and other relatives during a raid on their country home.
  

• Britain's culture-clash comedy "East is East" gets sequel (Reuters)
  

  In 1999, the low-budget British film "East is East," about the clash of cultures in a Muslim Pakistani family living in Manchester, became a surprise worldwide hit, winning awards and grossing over $15 million.

• Comic book veteran may shape next Superman film (Reuters)
  

  After helping director Christopher Nolan bring Batman back to the spotlight, writer David Goyer is coming on board to rejuvenate Superman.

• Mickey Rourke to play Conan's father (Reuters)
  

  Mickey Rourke is in talks to play Conan's father in "Conan," a resurrection of the fantasy franchise that made Arnold Schwarzenegger a star.

• Anthony Hopkins takes demonic forces in "The Rite" (Reuters)
  

  Anthony Hopkins is counting his blessings, coming aboard to star in "The Rite," a supernatural thriller based on true events.

• Jim from "The Office" among Captain America contenders (Reuters)
  

  John Krasinski as Captain America?

• Doc turns business of "Art" into compelling drama (Reuters)
  

  For a movie about bureaucratic and political machinations in the art world, the new documentary "The Art of the Steal" is far more enthralling than it has a right to be.

• Baldwin warms up in NYC before Oscar co-host gig (AP)
  

  As a kind of warm-up to his upcoming gig as Academy Awards co-host, Alec Baldwin appeared at the Time Warner Center for a personal and wide-ranging conversation.
  

• Review: `Yellow Handkerchief' strains for tears (AP)
  

  William Hurt does possibly the best haunted eyes in Hollywood.
  

• Gary Busey's girlfriend gives birth to a boy (AP)
  

  Gary Busey's girlfriend, Steffanie Sampson, has given birth to a boy named Luke Sampson Busey.
  

• Once a renegade, Tarantino turns Hollywood insider (Reuters)
  

  He built a reputation making movies on Hollywood's fringe, but at age 46 with one Oscar in hand and another possibly on the way, Quentin Tarantino now finds himself the consummate industry insider.

• Burton's new fantasy lands him in `Wonderland' (AP)
  

  Tim Burton, girlfriend Helena Bonham Carter and pal Johnny Depp are starting to look like wayfarers you might find somewhere along the Yellow Brick Road.

 

 

http://awardswatch.fandango.com/2010/theshows/academyawards.php

Roadside picks up Sundance winner "Winter's Bone" (Reuters)

"Winter's Bone," winner of the just-wrapped Sundance festival's Grand Jury Prize, has secured a stateside distribution deal, with Roadside Attractions acquiring North American rights to the dark thriller from director Debra Granik.

Mountains of trash give rise to hope in "Waste Land" (Reuters)

A joy to watch despite the abject poverty it portrays, "Waste Land" transcends the artist-doc format and has a broad emotional appeal that should ensure a warm reaction from theatrical audiences.

Well-to-do lives come undone in intimate "District" (Reuters)

The crumbling of the aristocracy in his native Bolivia is the subject of writer/director Juan Carlos Valdivia's entrancing "Southern District." Stylistically innovative, the film builds on the details of daily life to compose its portrait of a society in flux.

Taylor Swift, Lady Gaga among early Grammy winners (AFP)

Country star Taylor Swift and quirky pop singer Lady Gaga were among the early winners Sunday as the stars came out at the 52nd Grammy Awards, the music industry's equivalent of the Oscars.

Disney looking to sell Miramax unit: report (Reuters)

Walt Disney Co is looking to sell what is left of its Miramax film unit, which could bring in more than $700 million, The New York Times reported on Sunday, citing a mergers and acquisitions expert with knowledge of the process.

Stars come out for British premiere of Mandela rugby film (AFP)

Hollywood stars Matt Damon and Morgan Freeman took to the red carpet in London on Sunday for the British premiere of "Invictus", about Nelson Mandela and the 1995 Rugby World Cup.

'Avatar' wins box office, nears domestic record (AP)

"Avatar" is on the cusp of toppling the domestic box-office record after leading all movies for a seventh straight week.

Kathryn Bigelow tops directors with 'Hurt Locker' (AP)

Kathryn Bigelow and "The Hurt Locker" became official awards-season front-runners Saturday after Bigelow won the top prize from the Directors Guild of America.

'Avatar' tops box office for seventh week running (AFP)

Science-fiction epic "Avatar" topped the North American box office for the seventh week running, taking in 30 million dollars one week after it broke the all time ticket sales record set by "Titanic," weekend estimates showed Sunday.

"Avatar" breaks $2 billion at worldwide box office (Reuters)

"Avatar" ventured further into rarefied territory at the worldwide box office during the weekend, surpassing the $2 billion mark days after it broke the record held by "Titanic."

Bigelow wins Directors top award for "Hurt Locker" (Reuters)

Kathryn Bigelow became the first woman to win the best director award from the Directors Guild of America on Saturday with her Iraq war thriller "The Hurt Locker," a low-budget film gathering awards steam ahead of the Oscars.

'Winter's Bone,' 'Restrepo' earn Sundance honors (AP)

The Ozark Mountains drama "Winter's Bone" and the war-on-terror documentary "Restrepo" won top honors Saturday among U.S. movies at the Sundance Film Festival.

"Winter's Bone", "Restrepo" win top Sundance awards (Reuters)

"Winter's Bone," a stark tale of a young woman trying to keep her family together, and Afghanistan war documentary "Restrepo" won top awards at the Sundance Film Festival on Saturday,

Famed film editor struck, killed by car in NYC (AP)

An award-winning film editor who worked on many of Errol Morris' documentaries, including "The Fog of War," was struck and killed by a getaway car speeding from a Manhattan drugstore robbery, police and her mother said on Saturday.

Rip Torn charged with breaking into Conn. bank (AP)

Actor Elmore "Rip" Torn has been charged with breaking into a Connecticut bank and carrying a loaded handgun while intoxicated.

Idaho ski resort owned by Bruce Willis reopens (AP)

An Idaho ski resort owned by Bruce Willis has reopened, almost a year after the resort's lodge was destroyed by fire.

Michael Douglas appears in NY court for son (AP)

Michael Douglas has shown up in federal court to support a son who pleaded guilty earlier this week to a drug charge.

Son of Escobar pleas for peace in Sundance film (Reuters)

When you are a boy and your father steals money from the Monopoly board game just to beat you, you have a problem. When your father also is Colombian drug kingpin Pablo Escobar, you have a real problem.

"Little Fockers" release date shifts to December (Reuters)

Universal figures "Little Fockers" is more Yuletide fare than summer sizzler.

Sundance: More retreads than recharging (Reuters)

The trouble with SundanceTwentyTen is its marketing slogans.

 

Anne Hathaway at Harvard to get her pudding pot (AP)

Oscar-nominated actress Anne Hathaway is getting a good-natured ribbing from Harvard's Hasty Pudding Theatricals student drama troupe.

Apple's iPad may underwhelm Hollywood (Reuters)

After months of hype that reached a fever pitch in the past few weeks, Apple's new iPad is likely to underwhelm executives in Hollywood who had their fingers crossed that the sexy new tablet could be a game changer for film and TV studios.

Indie film world gets boost at Sundance (Reuters)

The independent films are all right.

Khmer Rouge killing machine explored at Sundance (AFP)

Ten years in the making, a documentary showing at the Sundance Festival explores the inner workings of the Cambodian regime through hundreds of hours of interviews with the Khmer Rouge regime's number two.

"Space Tourists" a stellar trip (Reuters)

Even us Baby Boomers who got advanced math shoved down our throats in the wake of Yuri Gagarin's trek aboard Sputnik, and couldn't care less about outer space, will be entertained by this spry, melancholy glimpse into the last half-century's race to space.

Wedding comedy "Romantics" walks predictable aisle (Reuters)

It's a long night's journey into day for a bride, her groom and seven close friends in "The Romantics," writer-producer Galt Niederhoffer's initial foray into directing.

Peruvian film an ordinary yarn of gay oppression (Reuters)

An artist is drowned by the undertow of the Peru coastline, emblematic of his life as a gay man being dragged down by a close-minded Catholic-macho community. This scrumptiously photographed World Cinema Dramatic contender here at Sundance will not likely navigate beyond gay venues or the festival circuit.

Boring characters populate "3 Backyards" (Reuters)

A slice-of-life story cut too thin, "3 Backyards" is a minimalist glimpse into the lives of a burg of uninteresting people. It's likely exhibition neighborhood will be video-on-demand where cineastes will take a chance on recognizable cast names -- Edie Falco, Elias Koteas, Embeth Davidtz.

"Obselidia" undone by overwrought storytelling (Reuters)

Neologisms and a quirky point of view aren't enough to save "Obselidia" from the obscurity that the film's central character obsessively dreads.

DreamWorks books "Eat, Sleep, Poop" (Reuters)

DreamWorks has picked up the rights to the upcoming book "Eat, Sleep, Poop: A Common Sense Guide to Your Baby's First Year" with plans to turn it into a feature comedy.

Joan Rivers promotes 'A Piece of Work' at Sundance (AP)

Forget hitting the ski slopes, grabbing bags of swag, or long, luxurious nights by the fire. Joan Rivers is working the Sundance Film Festival.

George Lucas away with the fairies in new musical (Reuters)

George Lucas is tackling his first musical.

Zac Efron to star in spy thriller (Reuters)

Teen heartthrob Zac Efron is attached to star in an adaptation of the graphic novel "Fire," and will also serve as an executive producer.

'Poltergeist' actress Zelda Rubinstein dies at 76 (AP)

Zelda Rubinstein, the 4-foot-3-inch character actor best known as Tangina, the psychic who tries to calm a family inhabiting a haunted house in the 1982 horror film "Poltergeist," has died. She was 76.

Michael Douglas' son pleads guilty in NY meth case (AP)

The hard-luck son of Michael Douglas pleaded guilty on Wednesday to dealing large quantities of methamphetamine and cocaine while holed up in a trendy Manhattan hotel where he was arrested last year.

Gordon-Levitt goes from '3rd Rock' to Sundance kid (AP)

Joseph Gordon-Levitt charmed Sundance Film Festival fans a year ago with the romance "(500) Days of Summer."

Sundance sweetheart Ferrera returns to indie fest (AP)

America Ferrera came to the Sundance Film Festival eight years ago as an unknown with only one professional acting gig behind her. She's back as a star.

Mel Gibson shakes off boredom, returns to acting (Reuters)

Eight years have passed since Mel Gibson starred in a major Hollywood movie, but not because of his well-publicized personal problems. Rather, he said he grew bored with the career that made him a star.

Capsule reviews: `Edge of Darkness" and others (AP)

Capsule reviews of films opening this week:

Next "Harry Potter" movies coming in 3D (Reuters)

Warner Bros. will release the next two "Harry Potter" films in 3D, a move underscoring the post-"Avatar" rush for extra-dimensional box office returns.

 

Mel Gibson returns to screen after 71/2 years (AP)

The last time Mel Gibson starred in a movie, he was grappling with alien invaders and a misplaced faith in the sci-fi thriller "Signs."
Sundance films turn cameras on the paparazzi (Reuters)

In a celebrity culture that turns the spotlight on its heroes to uncover their flaws, it seems only natural, at some point, to return it to the people who take the pictures -- the paparazzi -- to see if they can live up to their own scrutiny.
Review: Mel Gibson returns in `Edge of Darkness' (AP)

It's been seven years since his last film, but Mel Gibson is still playing martyr.
AC/DC to release official soundtrack to Iron Man 2 (AP)

AC/DC is putting the metal in the upcoming "Iron Man 2" film.
'Precious' aims to extend Sundance's Oscar glory (AP)

A little movie called "Precious" seems ready to join the list of Sundance Film Festival hits that have gone on to compete for Hollywood's biggest prize.
Sundance loves rock 'n' roll with Jett, 'Runaways' (AP)

Joan Jett kicked open doors for women to rock out in a man's music world. So when the time came for a film drama on how she got her start, Jett wanted to be on hand to help make sure the story was told right.
Rosie lets kids do talking in TV film on families (Reuters)

Rosie O'Donnell realizes she is often a polarizing figure. So that's why she let some children do the talking in a TV documentary on the changing face of the American family.

Zellweger joins Herzog on Berlin film fest jury (AP)

The Berlin Film Festival says Oscar-winning actress Renee Zellweger has joined the jury for this year's competition.

Travolta flies jetload of relief supplies to Haiti (AP)

John Travolta has flown a jetliner carrying relief supplies into the Haitian capital, along with doctors and ministers from the Church of Scientology.
World-beater "Avatar" stays top UK earner (Reuters)

"Avatar," now the biggest international release of all time, extended its run at the top of the British box office, taking another five million pounds, Screen International said on Tuesday.
Bioware's star-faring `Mass Effect 2' sparkles (AP)

Fans of "Avatar" rave about how immersive it is, but it has a problem: The film only lasts 161 minutes.
Timberlake wins Harvard's Hasty Pudding award (AP)

Justin Timberlake will soon have a new piece of hardware for his trophy case — a pudding pot.
"Wolverine" director eyeing Alaskan adventure pic (Reuters)

Gavin Hood, the director of "X-Men Origins: Wolverine," is in negotiations to shoot an untitled Alaskan adventure project.

Sundance titles brim with bad behavior (Reuters)

Beatings, prostitution, rough sex, knifings, car wrecks, arson, self-destructive despair, chain smoking, suicide.

Sundance audience shaken by brutal "Killer" (Reuters)

Let's get this out of the way up front: In Michael Winterbottom's "The Killer Inside Me," Jessica Alba is pulverized, fist to face, fist to face, fist to poor pretty face, by Casey Affleck for a good three minutes or so. Until her eyes are swollen shut and part of her face has been smashed away, exposing her jaw. What one character later describes as "hamburger," "stewed meat."

Kyra Sedgwick, Vincent D'Onofrio in "Chlorine" (Reuters)

Kyra Sedgwick and Vincent D'Onofrio have signed on for "Chlorine," an indie comedy-drama that begins filming this month in New Jersey.

Pat Tillman film stirs Sundance, ponders heroes (Reuters)

When Amir Bar-Lev first looked into the story of U.S. football star-turned-soldier Pat Tillman, he was intrigued that the apparent steely-jawed war hero was an intellectually curious man who harbored doubts about the U.S. war effort.

Tim Burton to head Cannes film festival jury (Reuters)

U.S. director Tim Burton is to head this year's Cannes film festival jury, organizers said on Tuesday.

A "Delicious" directing debut for Mark Ruffalo (Reuters)

The Lord's ways are mysterious if not downright perverse in "Sympathy for Delicious," an unusual tale of miracles and self-doubt that marks the feature-directing debut of Mark Ruffalo.
Escobar's son opens up in "Sins of My Father" (Reuters)

Think about your family history and the black sheep and how you would answer for their transgressions. Multiply that difficulty by infinity and you would face what druglord Pablo Escobar's son has had to answer for. Filmmaker Nicolas Entel has distilled and visualized that moral burden to powerful, personal dimension in "Sins of my Father."

 

`Basterds,' `Avatar' early Critics' Choice winners (AP)

Quentin Tarantino's World War II tale "Inglourious Basterds" came into Friday's Critics' Choice Awards with a leading 10 nominations, and it made good on two of them early in the night.
Luxembourg's "Draft Dodgers" an uneven war drama (Reuters)

The youth of Nazi-annexed Luxembourg had a choice, "Draft Dodgers" shows: conscription in the German army and likely death on the Russian front or the death-in-life of hiding in the country's iron mines for months on end.

"Precious", "Avatar" win Critics' Choice awards (Reuters)

"Precious," "Avatar" and "Inglourious Basterds" won early prizes on Friday at the Critics' Choice Awards, a ceremony that has an uncanny knack of foretelling Oscar success.

Prosecutor balks at sentencing absent Polanski (AP)

A prosecutor filed legal briefs Friday strongly reiterating his opposition to sentencing movie director Roman Polanski in absentia in a 32-year-old sex case.
Hollywood stars lead Haitian quake charity drive (Reuters)

Haiti's devastating earthquake has moved Hollywood and pop music stars to lead a rally for disaster relief donations and open their own wallets, led by Haitian hip-hop artist Wyclef Jean.

'Fences' Tickets Now Available in AmEx Pre-Sale (Playbill)

Tickets for the first Broadway revival of Fences, the 1987 Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning play by August Wilson, starring two-time Academy Award winner Denzel Washington, are now on sale exclusively to American Express card members.

B'way awaits the arrival of a delayed 'Spider-Man' (AP)

The drawing of a familiar superhero stares out from the double doors of the dark Hilton Theatre on 42nd Street, just west of Times Square.
Filming in Hollywood slumps as recession bites (AFP)

On-location filming in Los Angeles plunged by nearly 20 percent last year, the sharpest annual decline since records began, the group responsible for issuing film permits in the area said Friday.
Jackie Chan aims at families with "Spy Next Door" (Reuters)

There's an old saying in Hollywood: never work with kids or animals. Jackie Chan is okay with kids. Animals are another story.

LA film production dips 19 percent in 2009 (AP)

Movie and TV filming on the streets of Los Angeles plummeted last year but a new state tax credit program helped stop some runaway production.

'Avatar' eyes awards season gold at Golden Globes (AFP)

Hollywood's awards season cranks into overdrive on Sunday with science-fiction epic "Avatar" hoping to score vital pre-Oscars momentum with victory at the 67th Golden Globe Awards.
Globe nominees benefit long after the show is over (Reuters)

One of the surprises when the Golden Globes nominations were announced in December 2008 was the attention given "The Reader," a Holocaust drama that earned nods for best picture, director, screenplay and actress Kate Winslet.
Dutch wartime movie a "Winter" wonder (Reuters)

World War II movies often are favorites of Academy voters, and the Netherlands' entry in this year's foreign-language film Oscar race, "Winter in Wartime," has a good chance of being recognized when nominations are announced on February 2.

Dalai Lama opens up in film the Chinese tried to block (Reuters)

The subtitle of new film "The Sun Behind the Clouds" -- "Tibet's Struggle for Freedom" -- refers not only to the half-century dispute between Tibet and China but also to the divisions that have arisen among Tibetans around their beloved leader. The film is essential viewing for anyone who cares about the fate of the mountain region and the legacy of the Dalai Lama.

"Avatar" closing in on "Titanic" record (Reuters)

The four-day Martin Luther King Day weekend features a box office smackdown between "Avatar" and the tag-team pairing of two new pictures.

Can Mel Gibson still draw a crowd? (Reuters)

Admit it: You experienced a jolt upon seeing that first billboard for "Edge of Darkness" right after New Year's.

Expect roasting, Ricky Gervais warns Golden Globe stars (Reuters)

Ricky Gervais sure knows how to create award-winning comedies.

`Precious' star transformed from `random girl' (AP)

Flashes of fantasy punctuate "Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire."
Golden Globes group: Show a go despite Haiti quake (AP)

The group behind the Golden Globes says there are no plans to alter Sunday night's awards ceremony because of the Haitian earthquake disaster.

Cast of `The Hangover' to appear at Golden Globes (AP)

Expect a hangover at the Golden Globes.

 

 

`Avatar' rules with $68.3M, tops $1B worldwide (AP)
James Cameron's science-fiction epic "Avatar" had another stellar weekend with $68.3 million domestically, shooting past $1 billion worldwide, only the fifth movie ever to hit that mark.

"Avatar" passes $1 billion at world box office (Reuters)
"Avatar" sped past the $1 billion mark at the worldwide box office after three weekends in release, making it the fourth-biggest movie of all time, according to data released on Sunday.

Bono calls for control over Internet downloads (AFP)
Irish rock star Bono called Sunday for tougher controls over the spread of intellectual property over the Internet, arguing that file swiping and sharing hurt creators of cultural products.

Muslim-Hindu punk rock bands part of new movement (AP)
A small but growing South Asian and Middle Eastern punk rock movement is attracting children of Muslim and Hindu immigrants and sparking new bands across America.

A Minute With: Bryce Dallas Howard in "Teardrop" (Reuters)
After starring opposite giant robots in the action movie "Terminator: Salvation," Bryce Dallas Howard plays a debutante in 1920s Memphis in the film drama "The Loss of a Teardrop Diamond."

'You Light Up My Life' songwriter settles lawsuit (AP)
The Academy Award-winning songwriter of "You Light Up My Life" has ended his six-figure fight with a former fiancee he accused of conning him out of cash and pricey gifts by hiding the fact that she was already married.
French vote ex-tennis champ Yannick Noah favourite (AFP)
The French have voted pop singer and former tennis champion Yannick Noah their favourite celebrity once again, with the star beating off stiff competition from film-makers to politicians.

Theater owners name Sandra Bullock 2009's top star (Reuters)
In the eyes of U.S. movie theater owners, Sandra Bullock shined as 2009's top Hollywood star at the box office, as the actress nicknamed "America's Sweetheart" scored with audiences after a two-year absence from screens.
Obama family goes to the movies to see 'Avatar' (AP)
President Barack Obama's family is watching the movie "Avatar."
Marvel shareholders approve acquisition by Disney (AP)
Shareholders of Marvel Entertainment Inc., home of Spider-Man and the Hulk, on Thursday approved the company's acquisition by The Walt Disney Co., as expected.

Top 20 Concert Tours-2009 (AP)
The final 2009 Top 20 Concert Tours ranks artists by the year's total box office gross and includes average box office gross per city and the average ticket price for shows in North America. The list is based on data provided to the trade publication Pollstar by concert promoters and venue managers.
Movie director Jackson named a New Zealand knight (AP)
The king of Middle Earth is being made a knight — for real.
Patrick Stewart of "Star Trek" receives knighthood (AP)
There's an especially starry knight in Britain's latest round of royal honors.

Second "Love Guru" pirate to plead guilty (Reuters)
A second person has agreed to plead guilty in the case involving a copy of the Mike Myers bomb "The Love Guru" leaking on the Internet a day before its theatrical release.

"Hangover" tops "District 9" on DVD sales chart (Reuters)
The year is ending with quite a "hangover."
Mother Teresa, Katharine Hepburn to get U.S. stamps (Reuters)
The U.S. Postal Service on Wednesday said Nobel Peace Prize winner Mother Teresa and Hollywood actress Katharine Hepburn will be honored in 2010 with their own mail stamps.
Jackson "Thriller" film picked for U.S. registry (Reuters)
Michael Jackson's 1983 short movie "Thriller," the song-and-dance horror flick that helped popularize television music videos, will live on in the U.S. National Film Registry.
Weinstein Co says no plans to cut "Nine" screens (Reuters)
The studio behind the star-studded musical "Nine" said it has no plans at this time to pull the movie out of any theaters after disappointing box office and lackluster reviews.
Lawyers: Sheens want to reconcile despite arrest (AP)
Actor Charlie Sheen and his wife Brooke want to reconcile, their lawyers said Wednesday, even though she told police he put a knife to her throat and threatened to kill her less than a week ago.

Magic, booze lucrative for Warner Bros. in '09 (Reuters)
Harry Potter's broom was turbo-charged this year, as the schoolboy wizard's latest film adventure helped Warner Bros. fly well north of $2 billion to extend its reign atop the North American box office in 2009.

 

Feature: DVD Times Top 10 Films of 2009 new
As 2009 draws to a close, the DVD Times reviewers list their favourite 10 films of the year......
Rodanthe movie house sold to NC bail bondsman (AP)
The beachfront house featured in the movie "Nights in Rodanthe" will soon have a new home itself, thanks to a bail bondsman who fell in love with the surf-threatened house after his wife bought the movie for him as a Christmas present last year.
Vampires rule, "Transformers" divides movie fans (Reuters)
The "Twilight" vampire franchise topped a survey of 2009 moviegoers' favorites, but film fans were divided over whether they loved or hated this year's "Transformers" sequel.
'Avatar' rules as North American moviegoers set record (AFP)
A pack of hit films led by science fiction epic "Avatar" sent North American box office figures surging to the highest-grossing weekend in movie history, an industry tracker said Monday.

Oscars ballots mailed to voters (AFP)
The race for next year's Oscars got under way Monday as nomination ballot papers were posted to the 5,777 voters who will decide the movie industry's most prestigious awards.

Disney sees superhero dollars in Marvel unknowns (AP)
Moviegoers have shown a willingness to be entangled by Spider-Man's web over and over again. Now, as Disney prepares to buy the comic-book powerhouse Marvel, it faces the question of whether fans will also get attached to characters as obscure as Ant-Man and Iron Fist.

Academy library hosts new members of movie history (AP)
For 81 years, she has amassed movie memorabilia. Her collection now includes more than 10 million photographs, 80,000 screenplays and 35,000 movie posters dating back to when the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences was founded in 1927.
Review: `The White Ribbon' is grim but gorgeous (AP)
As they did during the Depression and World War II, movie audiences today have found a respite from hard times with light, fanciful tales that help them forget their troubles for a couple of hours.

'2012' sets box office record in China (AP)
A second Hollywood movie has shattered the Chinese box office record in a year, as Beijing faces increased pressure to ease its annual quota of 20 foreign blockbusters.
Ahead of the Bell: Movie theaters see strong sales (AP)
U.S. movie theater chains should see a jump in box office revenue for the fourth quarter after moviegoers flocked to high-profile films over the holiday weekend, a Merriman Curhan Ford analyst said Monday.
Capsule reviews: `White Ribbon' and others (AP)
Capsule reviews of films opening this week:
Waits goes to the devil in Gilliam's `Parnassus' (AP)
Tom Waits has given the devil his due with wry song lyrics, asking if the devil made the "world while God was sleeping" or musing "don't you know there ain't no devil, there's just God when he's drunk."

The secret comic-book origin of "Sherlock Holmes" (Reuters)
Before "Sherlock Holmes" was a movie opening on Christmas Day, it was a comic.
Polanski thanks supporters for their solidarity (AP)
Filmmaker Roman Polanski says letters from supporters that he received in a Swiss prison and while under house arrest at his Alpine chalet have been "full of comfort and reason to hope."

Hugh Grant dreams of literary career (AFP)
Actor Hugh Grant said he dreams of running away from Hollywood and publishing a book, in an interview with a German newspaper Sunday.

Merry Xmas in Hollywood: Box-office record falls (AP)
It was a memorable and merry Christmas in Hollywood as moviegoers shattered box-office records, responding in droves to a diverse array of high-profile releases over the holiday weekend.

"Avatar", Chipmunks lead worldwide box office (Reuters)
The 3-D extravaganza "Avatar" ruled the worldwide box office for a second weekend on Sunday, while the latest exploits of Alvin and the Chipmunks and Sherlock Holmes helped set a North American sales record.
"It's Complicated": a man's film in a woman's world (Reuters)
Nancy Meyers, the middle-aged men of America thank you.
A Minute With: Daniel Day Lewis on "Nine" (Reuters)
Daniel Day-Lewis has not appeared on a live theater's stage in decades, but he takes on a uniquely theatrical role for new movie musical, "Nine," which begins its broad U.S. release Christmas day.
"Star Trek" the most-pirated film of 2009 (Reuters)
Paramount's worst fears are confirmed: "Star Trek" was the most pirated film of 2009, according to a new report.

50 Cent, Kilmer shooting 'Gun' (Reuters)
Rapper 50 Cent and Val Kilmer are set to star in "Gun," a drama set in the world of illegal drug dealing.

 

Family: Brittany Murphy was ill days before death (AP)
Authorities said Monday it appeared actress Brittany Murphy died of natural causes after becoming ill with flulike symptoms in the days before she collapsed in the bathroom of her Hollywood Hills home.
"Avatar" debut box office raised to $77 million (Reuters)
Director James Cameron's new movie "Avatar," considered one of the most expensive movies ever made, on Monday saw its initial weekend ticket sales raised to $77 million in the United Statesand Canada
`Sesame Street' star Alaina Reed-Amini dead at 63 (AP)
Alaina Reed-Amini, the Broadway star and TV actress best known for her long-running roles on "Sesame Street" and "227," has died. She was 63.
Court rejects Polanski move to have case dismissed (AP)
A California appeals court on Monday rejected Roman Polanski's bid to have his 32-year-old sex case dismissed, but cited grave concerns over possible judicial and prosecutorial misconduct.
Poehler, Applegate squeak for laughs in "Chipmunks" (Reuters)
Two years ago, a big screen adaptation of "Alvin and Chipmunks" became a surprise hit at box offices grossing $360 million worldwide. The movie was based on the animated music group created in 1958 about three singing chipmunks and their exasperated manager/father.
'Louis & Keely' Holiday Engagement Begins in North Hollywood (Playbill)
The acclaimed biographical musical Louis & Keely: Live at the Sahara, created by and starring Jake Broder and Vanessa Claire, is on hiatus, but in its place over the holidays is A Vegas Holiday! Songs From "Live at the Sahara," playing Dec. 19-31 at El Portal Theatre in North Hollywood, CA
Review: Downey's no Sherlock Holmes, but it works (AP)
Take it from a lifelong fan of Arthur Conan Doyle: Robert Downey Jr. is so NOT Sherlock Holmes.
Review: Love's simple-minded in `It's Complicated' (AP)
"It's Complicated" is lying from the moment the title appears.
Big Sunday raises `Avatar' weekend to $77M (AP)
James Cameron's "Avatar" jumped out to a faster start than projected, taking in $77 million domestically over opening weekend.
Sci-fi epic 'Avatar' tops North American box office (AFP)
Science-fiction adventure "Avatar" topped the North American box office this weekend, scooping 77 million dollars in a stellar debut for the effects-laden epic, final figures showed Monday.
California court rejects Polanski sex case appeal (AFP)
A California appeals court Monday rejected a bid by Roman Polanski to have his child sex case dismissed but demanded an "urgent" probe into the filmmaker's allegations of judicial misconduct.
Autopsy set for actress Brittany Murphy (AFP)
Los Angeles coroners were to carry out an autopsy on the body of Brittany Murphy on Monday following the 32-year-old actress's sudden death at the weekend.
`Avatar' creator Cameron shares alien shop talk (AP)
James Cameron offers what may be the most exotic planet full of aliens ever put on film in his sci-fi epic "Avatar."
WTO: China unfairly restricting American CDs, DVDs (AP)
The World Trade Organization's top arbitrators upheld a ruling that China is illegally restricting imports of U.S. music, films and books, and Washington pushed forward with a new case accusing China of manipulating the prices for key ingredients in steel and aluminum production.
"Avatar" midnight screenings pull in $3.5 mln (Reuters)
Director James Cameron's big-budget film "Avatar" took in $3.5 million at its initial midnight screenings on Friday in the United States and Canada , ticket tracker Hollywood.com Box Office said on Friday.
New movie trailers could boost Oscar ratings (Reuters)
If there's one thing the producers of the Academy Awards should have learned from the 2009 telecast, it's that Hollywood loves a hit.
"Alvin and the Chipmunks" sequel hits flat note (Reuters)
The tune selection might be different, but otherwise it's the same old song with "Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel," which Fox opens on Wednesday.
Coen Bros. search for young girl with "True Grit" (Reuters)
The Coen Bros. and Paramount have launched a search for the young female lead in their remake of the western "True Grit."
"Meatballs" directors may move to "21 Jump Street" (Reuters)
The Golden Globe-nominated directors of "Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs" are in talks to shoot a big-screen version of "21 Jump Street."
Valentino documentary kept afloat by credit cards (Reuters)
Making the shortlist for the best documentary feature Oscar is icing on the cake for "Valentino: The Last Emperor."
‘Blind Side’ is the Weekend Champ

Michelle Williams May Play Marilyn Monroe

Harry Potter: Deathly Hallows Teaser Trailer

Bennett Miller Catches ‘Moneyball’

Kristen Stewart as a Prostitute in ‘Rileys’

Armored Review

Taylor Lautner’s Abs to Star in ‘Max Steel’

Sundance Reveals 2010 Non-Competition Slate

Mark Wahlberg Wants an ‘Entourage’ Movie

Spielberg Leaves ‘Harvey’ Remake

Shyamalan’s The Last Airbender Trailer Delayed

DiCaprio to Play Jack Frost in Animated Feature

National Board of Review Picks ‘Up in the Air’

PT Anderson’s Next Film is About Scientology

Summit Picks an ‘Alibi’ and Eli Roth’s ‘Invasion’

Martin Campbell Flies from ‘The Birds’ Remake

International ‘Iron Man 2′ Poster

Sundance Unveils 2010 Competition Lineup

Zombieland 2 and Jackass Sequel Set for 3D

Three New ‘Nightmare on Elm Street’ Images

Peter Berg Fires ‘Battleship’ Details at the Web

No More Tweets: Roger Avary Behind Bars

Four New ‘Iron Man 2′ Images

2010 Annie Award Nominations

Filming on The Hobbit to Start Summer 2010

2010 Independent Spirit Award Nominees

First Look: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

Summit Considering ‘Breaking Dawn’ Split

‘Predators’ Director Defends Adrien Brody Pick

First Official Look: 4 ‘Karate Kid’ Remake Pics

 `The Hurt Locker' wins best pic at Gotham Awards (AP)

"The Hurt Locker" has won for best feature at the 19th annual Gotham Independent Film Awards.
`Precious,' `Last Station' lead Spirit Award noms (AP)

The urban drama "Precious" and the Leo Tolstoy period piece "The Last Station" each earned a leading five nominations Tuesday for the Spirit Awards honoring independent film.
"Tron: Legacy" team mount a "Black Hole" remake (Reuters)

Disney is preparing another expedition into "The Black Hole."

"Bones" hits big screen as mawkish thriller (Reuters)

Peter Jackson certainly is familiar with the challenges of satisfying filmgoers' expectations, having helmed three films derived from J.R.R. Tolkien's immensely popular "Lord of the Rings" novel and a second remake of the iconic film "King Kong."

"Anvil!" nabs documentary group award (Reuters)

"Anvil! The Story of Anvil," the well-reviewed film about a veteran Canadian rock band, did not make the short list for the documentary Oscar, but it has been named best music doc by the International Documentary Association.

U.S. war drama wins top film at Gotham awards (Reuters)

"The Hurt Locker," a suspense film about a U.S. Army bomb squad unit that defuses bombs in Iraq, won best feature on Monday at the Gotham awards, the top U.S. East Coast independent film awards.

"New Moon" shines on record holiday box office (Reuters)

"The Twilight Saga: New Moon" rose to the top of movie box office charts for the second straight week on Sunday with a three-day haul of $42.5 million on a record-breaking holiday weekend in North America, according to studio estimates.

'Louis & Keely' Gets Holiday Engagement in North Hollywood (Playbill)

The acclaimed biographical musical Louis & Keely: Live at the Sahara, created by and starring Jake Broder and Vanessa Claire, is on hiatus, but in its place over the holidays will be A Vegas Holiday! Songs From "Live at the Sahara," to play Dec. 19-31 at El Portal Theatre in North Hollywood, CA.

Valerie Harper Will Be Tallulah, Darling, on Broadway (Playbill)

Looped, starring Emmy Award winner Valerie Harper as aging actress Tallulah Bankhead, who spars with a movie sound editor, will have a Broadway life in spring 2010, according to a casting notice.

Regal cinema group sees "Avatar" making over $250 million (Reuters)

The highly anticipated 3-D movie "Avatar" could make more than $250 million in the U.S. and Canada, and draw new audiences to 3-D films, Regal Entertainment Group's chief executive said on Tuesday.

Capsule reviews: 'Up in the Air' and others (AP)

Capsule reviews of films opening this week:

"Precious" and "Last Station" top Spirit film nods (Reuters)

The race for Hollywood film honors picked up pace on Tuesday when a key independent movie group unveiled Spirit Award nominees, giving dramas "Precious" and "The Last Station" five nods each, including best movie.
Review: `Brothers' loses something in translation (AP)

In Jim Sheridan's "Brothers," it feels like the film's three young stars are playing house.
'Up,' 'Princess,' 'Fox' vie for Annie top prize (AP)

The travel adventure "Up," the musical fairy tale "The Princess and the Frog" and the storybook adaptations "Fantastic Mr. Fox" and "Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs" are competing for top honors at the Annie Awards, exclusively for animated films.

Schwimmer back in the director's chair for 'Trust' (AP)

David Schwimmer has a well-earned reputation as a TV star after 10 years playing Dr. Ross Geller on NBC's mega-hit "Friends," although these days he is more focused on what happens behind the camera.
Animation group announces awards nominees (Reuters)

The nominees for the 37th Annie Awards, announced Tuesday by the Los Angeles chapter of the International Animated Film Society, reflect a full range of animation, from traditional to stop-motion to 3-D CG.

Review: `Broken Embraces' is Almodovar's lastest (AP)

In the most indelible scene of "Broken Embraces" ("Los abrazos rotos"), Pedro Almodovar's latest vivid melodrama, Penelope Cruz plays dress-up.

'Blair Witch' thieves prompt new signs in Md. town (AP)

The small Maryland town where "The Blair Witch Project" was set has some new welcome signs. Please don't steal them.

Thousands cheer stars of 'Twilight' sequel in LA (AP)

LOS ANGELES — Exactly 12 months ago, Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson were surprised to be greeted by throngs of eager fans of the novel "Twilight" at the premiere of the big-screen adaptation.

Latest Hollywood script deals (Reuters)

Lionsgate has pre-emptively picked up the action thriller spec "Last Stand" from writer Andrew Knauer.

"Atonement" director may shoot assassin movie (Reuters)

"Atonement" director Joe Wright is in talks to shoot the thriller "Hanna," his first foray into the action realm.

Shallow pool for Oscar's actress contenders (Reuters)

The director of "An Education" recently lamented, good-naturedly, that she was tired of producers thinking of her for stereotypically female projects.

Stephen Root cast in two films (Reuters)

Stephen Root, currently in theaters with "The Men Who Stare at Goats," has lined up roles in the ensemble comedy "Cedar Rapids" and the Robert Redford historical drama "The Conspirator."

Anna Faris wedded to Robin Williams comedy (Reuters)

"Scary Movie" actress Anna Faris is in negotiations to star as Robin Williams' daughter in "Wedding Banned," a Disney romantic comedy.

Hollywood producers discuss firings, finances (Reuters)

What does a movie producer actually do? To find out, The Hollywood Reporter gathered the men behind six of the season's most buzz-worthy films -- Lawrence Bender ("Inglourious Basterds"), Jon Landau ("Avatar"), Laurence Mark ("Julie & Julia"), Bill Mechanic ("Coraline"), Mace Neufeld ("Invictus") and Ivan Reitman ("Up in the Air").

Country star George Strait returning to theaters (Reuters)

Country music veteran George Strait will star in a follow-up to his 1992 film "Pure Country."

New hit film "2012" beats estimate by $5 million (Reuters)

Disaster movie "2012" wreaked even more havoc at the box-office than expected, Columbia Pictures said on Monday, taking in $230.4 million worldwide on its opening weekend.

Peter Jackson asked to up the agony in "Lovely Bones" (Reuters)

Filmmakers trying to satisfy a U.S. movie rating aimed at mostly teenagers often complain that they're forced to cut violent scenes, and those edits compromise the director's vision. 

Great interview on Francis X. Buschman

http://www.filmthreat.com/index.php?section=interviews&Id=1251

'This Is It' tops overseas boxoffice

Family Guy: Seth & Alex's Almost Live Comedy Show -- TV Review

Disney Channel wants more 'Jonas'

The Men Who Stare at Goats -- Film Review

Lionsgate reports second-quarter profit

TV revenue helps fuel $31.7 mil in earnings

Searchlight sings 'Swan's' song

Winona Ryder joins cast of Darren Aronofsky thriller

Comedy writer Sultan Pepper dies

Emmy winner wrote for 'Ben Stiller Show,' 'Mad TV'

David Ansen named LAFF artistic director

2010 festival begins June 17

GE, Comcast agree on NBCU valuation

$30 bil for joint venture between NBC Universal, Comcast

Liberty Media reports improved Q3 results

Better results at Liberty Entertainment; Starz subs weak

NATPE selects four for Tartikoff awards

Gaspin, Kelley, Gotlieb and Sheindlin to be honored

Kenny Chesney concert to hit theaters

Sony will release 'Summer in 3D' in a limited run in April

Meet 'World Cafe' host at Cinemapolis event  

Ithaca's Cinemapolis to host Cirque du Soleil documentary premiere, Q&A  

Oscar-winning film, 'Departures,' playing locally  

State Theater will show Miller ski film  

Elmira native Smith to bring polar bear documentary to Ithaca

E-mails show Iowa gov.'s interest in film office (AP)

Iowa Gov. Chet Culver's office took a close interest in the state's film promotion efforts long before questions about spending and bookkeeping prompted the governor to freeze the program, e-mails obtained by The Associated Press indicate.

Review: `Fantastic Mr. Fox' is mighty fine (AP)

It may not merit the adjective in its title, yet the animated yarn "Fantastic Mr. Fox" offers some of the most goofy fun you'll have at a theater this season.

Warren Beatty OK'd to sue Tribune over Dick Tracy (Reuters)

Academy-award winning actor Warren Beatty can go ahead with a California lawsuit against a unit of bankrupt Tribune Co over rights to comic strip detective Dick Tracy, a federal judge ruled on Monday.

Book Review: Story of WWII told through 3 generals (AP)

"Patton, Montgomery, Rommel: Masters of War" (Crown Publishing, 448 pages, $30), by Terry Brighton: During a dinner in Saigon with some news correspondents in 1971, Gen. Creighton Abrams, the U.S. commander in Vietnam, was asked his opinion of the movie, "Patton."

Ronaldo wins damages over drink binge libel (AFP)

Portuguese football star Cristiano Ronaldo won "substantial" libel damages on Monday over a newspaper report saying he went on a drink-fueled "bender" in a Hollywood nightclub.

Paltrow joins Kidman for gender-bending 'Danish Girl' (AFP)

Oscar-winners Gwyneth Paltrow and Nicole Kidman are to play husband and wife in an upcoming film about the world's first transsexual, it was reported Monday.

Latest Hollywood script deals (Reuters)

DreamWorks Studios and Doubleday have pre-emptively acquired film and publishing rights to Daniel H. Wilson's unpublished manuscript, "Robopocalypse," which explores the fate of the human race after a robot uprising.

Capsule reviews: `Precious' and others (AP)

Capsule reviews of films opening this week:

Review: `Men Who Stare at Goats' has fuzzy vision (AP)

A fun tone is undermined by disjointed storytelling in George Clooney's "The Men Who Stare at Goats," and it all starts with the disclaimer that opens the movie: "More of this is true than what you might imagine."

"A Christmas Carol" gets thrill ride movie treatment (Reuters)

Take a classic Christmas tale, a dollop of Jim Carrey and a sprinkling of innovative movie technology.

Russia-born tycoon buys Mel Gibson UK cinema firm-paper (Reuters)

Russian-born tycoon Len Blavatnik has acquired a British cinema distribution business from Hollywood star Mel Gibson, Russian business daily Vedomosti reported on Tuesday.

Best Buy plans movie download service with Sonic (Reuters)

Best Buy Co Inc plans to start an online service that allows consumers to buy, rent and download movies and television shows, the electronics retailer said on Tuesday.

Carrey's Scrooge rings in Hollywood holiday spirit (AP)

Hollywood loves money. So does Ebenezer Scrooge. So what better way to launch the holiday season than putting the old money-grubber at the head of the line to separate movie-goers from their cash?

Anchor hooks 'Slammin' Salmon'

FILM:  Film unit picks up comedy for theatrical release

Sharon Swart - 10/25/09 9:00pm

January Jones, Diane Kruger find 'Male'

FILM:  Duo to costar with Neeson in Dark Castle thriller

Tatiana Siegel - 10/25/09 9:00pm

Counting on 'County'

FILM:  Gelatt makes directorial debut with indie film

Sharon Swart - 10/25/09 9:00pm

Rotterdam festival unveils first titles

FILM FESTIVALS:  Competition includes Russell's 'Let Each One'

Ian Mundell - 10/26/09 9:28am

King of Pop aims for king of music film status (AP)

The 50 comeback concerts Michael Jackson planned in London last summer sold out in a few hours.

Disney CEO calls for rethink of movie model: report (Reuters)

The chief executive of Walt Disney has called for a thorough reexamination of the business model for marketing and producing movies as DVD sales tumble and distribution costs rise.

Association marks 20 years of greening Hollywood (AP)

With local, organic food, minimal electricity use and on-site composting, the Environmental Media Association's 20th anniversary party might be the green standard for future Hollywood awards shows.

Overseas box office still high on "Up" (Reuters)

The listless pre-holiday box-office season overseas wound down over the weekend with "Up" claiming the No. 1 spot on the foreign circuit for the fifth time this year.

Warner Bros. nears deal for animated feature (Reuters)

Warner Bros. is strutting back into animation. The studio is in final negotiations to acquire a movie pitch centering on a peacock from writers Austin Winsberg and Heath Corson.

Canadian film directors honor 'Passchendaele' (Reuters)

"Passchendaele" continued its winning ways Saturday night at the eighth annual Directors Guild of Canada Awards, where it picked up the best feature film team trophy.

'Paranormal Activity' scares up box-office gold (AFP)

Fueled by rave word-of-mouth reviews and clever marketing, mini-budget horror film "Paranormal Activity" has taken the box office by storm to become the year's most unlikely number one hit.

Gasol to guest star on 'CSI: Miami' (AFP)

Spanish national basketball team player and LA Lakers star Pau Gasol says he recently completed filming a guest appearance on the hit US crime drama "CSI: Miami" in an interview published Sunday.

'Paranormal' came, conquered 'Saw' -- and box office (AFP)

Low-budget sensation "Paranormal Activity" slayed its horror film competitors including "Saw VI" to claim North America's pre-Halloween box office, weekend estimates showed Sunday on the heels of rave word-of-mouth reviews and clever marketing.

A Minute With: Kenny Ortega on the 'It' in "This Is It" (Reuters)

Ortega had been hired to stage the King of Pop's London concerts, also called "This Is It," which would have begun last July had the "Thriller" singer remained alive. Jackson died, of course, on June 25 from a lethal combination of drugs.

"Paranormal Activity" scares up box office win (Reuters)

Low-budget fright film "Paranormal Activity" scored a kill over the sixth picture in the perennial "Saw" franchise, with a pre-Halloween weekend box office draw of $22 million.

Besson and Sarandon win Stockholm film prizes

Oscars tap Mechanic, Shankman to produce show

Search for Amelia Earhart endures, and new film shows she's still remembered

'Things' too wild and dangerous for a child to see?

'Twilight' sequel goes worldwide

'New Moon' may outgross the first film
Pamela McClintock - 11/17/09 5:32pm

Showcase screenings set for Turner fest
'Star,' 'Metropolis' to be featured at festival
Cynthia Littleton - 11/17/09 6:59pm

Universal circles Rinsch for '47 Ronin'
Directing debut likely will be Keanu Reeves starrer
Michael Fleming - 11/17/09 4:46pm

Newmarket acquires 'Agora'
Company makes first acquisition since sale
Dave McNary - 11/17/09 4:22pm

Eric Dane buys ticket for 'Burlesque'
'Grey's' star joins Screen Gems musical
Tatiana Siegel - 11/17/09 6:30pm

Globes expands Animated Feature category
HFPA vote increases category to five pics
Jennifer Konerman - 11/17/09 3:46pm

'Thor' gets his posse
Trio set to play Warrior's Three
Michael Fleming - 11/17/09 12:17pm

AFI FEST presents a survey of the year's most significant films each fall. Featuring international work from emerging filmmakers, global showcases of films from the great masters and red-carpet gala premieres, AFI FEST brings world cinema to the heart of Hollywood.
'Babel' director Inarritu heads Tokyo fest jury (AP)
"Babel" director Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu is back in Japan, a nation he says has long fascinated him — this time, as head of the jury of the Tokyo International Film Festival.
Tokyo film festival opens with 'green' carpet (AP)
The Tokyo International Film Festival opened with stars including Hollywood actress Sigourney Weaver strolling a "green" carpet made of recycled plastic bottles.
Barbra Streisand auctions items for charity (AP)
A robe worn by Barbra Streisand in "The Way We Were" sold for nearly $6,000 and an outfit from "Meet the Fockers" went for $3,500 at an auction of hundreds of the entertainer's personal items.
Overseas box office still looking "Up" (Reuters)
For the fourth time this year, the 3D animated feature "Up" claimed the No. 1 spot on the overseas circuit, bagging $27.9 million from 4,500 screens in 24 territories during the weekend.
Screen Actors Guild makes White permanent director (AP)
The Screen Actors Guild has made permanent the status of interim national executive director David White.
"Mississippi" tops Chicago Film Festival awards (Reuters)
Tina Mabry's "Mississippi Damned" took home the top prize, the Gold Hugo for best film, at the 45th annual Chicago International Film Festival on Saturday. The drama's writer-director, Tina Mabry, claimed the best screenplay prize.
Horror pic "Amer" nabs top prize at Montreal fest (Reuters)
Helene Cattet and Bruno Forzani's horror homage "Amer," a Belgian-French production that depicts three parts in a woman's life, took home the top audience award at the Festival du Nouveau Cinema.
"Astro Boy" lands on big screen with dynamic style (Reuters)
Since making his debut in a 1951 Osamu Tezuka manga, the beloved Astro Boy has been retooled as a fondly remembered 1960s black-and-white animated series and, subsequently, full-color renditions in 1980 and again in 2003.
The top movies at the North American box office (Reuters)
Following are the top 10 films at the North American box office for the three-day weekend beginning on October 16, led by the new release "Where the Wild Things Are," according to studio estimates compiled on Sunday by Reuters.
Adults lead 'Wild Things' $32.5M box-office rumpus (AP)
"Where the Wild Things Are" proved a bigger hit with adult audiences than family crowds as the adaptation of Maurice Sendak's beloved children's book debuted at No. 1 with $32.5 million.
"Where the Wild Things Are" tops weekend box office (Reuters)
"Where the Wild Things Are" topped the North American box office, according to studio estimates on Sunday, a strong start for a film that, like its little boy hero, sailed into somewhat uncharted waters.
'Wild Things' tames weekend box office (AFP)
"Where The Wild Things Are," a live action rendering of a beloved children's book, topped the North American box office in its first weekend of release, preliminary figures showed Sunday.
Movieplex 10 on Grant Avenue in auburn closes
Popular movie theater in Auburn closes amidst issues of critical review.
Not "Wild" about kids book adaptation (Reuters)
An illustrated children's book that consists of nine sentences and 20 pages does not immediately suggest a feature film adaptation. Nonetheless, Spike Jonze has fearlessly plunged ahead to weave whimsical movie magic to bring Maurice Sendak's 1963 "Where the Wild Things Are" to the screen.

'Final Destination' sustains fear factor with $12M (AP)

Fear has trumped romance at the box office over Labor Day weekend.

"Final Destination" retains lead at box office (Reuters)

Reigning champ "The Final Destination" fended off a challenge from Sandra Bullock's latest romantic comedy to lead the U.S. Labor Day holiday box office in North America for a second weekend, according to studio estimates issued on Sunday.

French film has Huppert as coffee planter in Africa (Reuters)

Acclaimed actress Isabelle Huppert plays a French expatriate farmer facing civil war in Cameroon in "White Material," a violent family drama presented at the Venice film festival on Sunday.

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Vampires, werewolves, liars lead fall film cast (AP)

Hollywood might be telling its own life story this fall, presenting a lineup of liars, phonies, smooth talkers, bloodsuckers and greedy old men.

Highlights of Hollywood's fall, holiday schedule (AP)

Highlights of the fall film slate (release dates are subject to change, and some films will play in limited release):

"Star Trek" veteran boldly saved movie franchise (Reuters)

Had Paramount put a number on this summer's successful "Star Trek" reboot it would have been XI, an instant indication of just how valuable the franchise has become.

"Bad Boys 3" in the works (Reuters)

Columbia Pictures is developing a third installment of the high-octane "Bad Boys" franchise, hiring a writer for the screenplay.

"Barry Minkow" lands actor for title role (Reuters)

Justin Baldoni has been cast in the title role of "Barry Minkow," the true-life story of a young entrepreneur busted for rnning a Ponzi scheme.

3-D flick 'Final Destination' tops North American box office (AFP)

Three-dimensioned horror was just what moviegoers needed to send "The Final Destination" to the top of the North American box office, industry estimate figures showed Sunday.

'Final Destination' arrives at No. 1 with $28.3M (AP)

Movie fans have made fear their top destination at the weekend box office.

Horror, violence lure movie fans (Reuters)

In the battle of horror franchises, "The Final Destination" scared off "Halloween II" to claim top honors at the weekend box office in North America, according to studio estimates issued on Sunday.

Capitalism the villain as Moore movie hits Venice (Reuters)

The Venice film festival has capitalism in its sights this year, with premieres of Michael Moore's documentary on the U.S. economic meltdown and a drama starring Matt Damon as a corrupt corporate whistleblower.

'Operation Nakam': true story behind Tarantino's film (AFP)

Quentin Tarantino's new film "Inglourious Basterds" about a Jewish militia that killed and scalped Nazis in World War II is not as far-fetched as it might sound.

"Shutter Island" release postponed to February (Reuters)

In an unexpected move, Paramount has pushed the domestic release date of the latest Martin Scorsese/Leonardo DiCaprio collaboration, "Shutter Island," from October 2 to February 19.

Michael Moore, Drew Barrymore to headline Toronto film fest (AFP)

The 34th Toronto International Film Festival next month will welcome actress Drew Barrymore, talk show host Oprah Winfrey and director Michael Moore among the more than 500 celebrities expected to attend, organizers said Thursday.

Spike Lee's Jackson birthday bash could draw 10K (AP)

New York City officials want to find a larger place for Spike Lee to hold his celebration of Michael Jackson's birthday.

Tarantino digs into record collection for "Basterds" (Reuters)

It's the critical night for the heroine of your comedic-noir-World War II film, the evening when she unspools her plan to set a lethal blaze.

Tarantino's "Basterds" leads world box office (Reuters)

Director Quentin Tarantino scored the best opening of his colorful career with his World War Two thriller "Inglourious Basterds," which topped the worldwide box office after selling $65.1 million worth of tickets, its distributors said on Sunday.

Tarantino, Pitt's 'Basterds' earns glorious $37.6M (AP)

Brad Pitt and Quentin Tarantino have landed their history lesson on World War II at the top of the box office.

Robin Williams says he is a "work-in-progress" dad (Reuters)

Robin Williams stars in a movie called "World's Greatest Dad," produced by Syracusan Bobcat Goldthwait, but as a real life father of three grown kids the Oscar winner said he had to overcome dark times and was still a work-in-progress.

Real-life "Saviors" inspire riveting WWII drama (Reuters)

German cinema's growing number of films willing to address topics relating to World War II has a fine addition in Ludi Boeken's "Under Bauern" (Saviors in the Night), which tells of farmers -- unter bauern -- in Westphalia who sheltered Jewish friends from the Nazis

Judge Limits Possible Damages in DVD Promotion Suit Against Paris Hilton

Hotel heiress Paris Hilton won’t owe more than $8 million in damages for the financial failure of the film National Lampoon’s Pledge This!, the judge in her breach of contract case ruled Aug. 17.

'District 9' lifts off with No. 1 weekend at $37M (AP)

The acclaimed sci-fi thriller "District 9" has given Hollywood a late-summer box office boost.

Alien action film "District 9" tops box office (Reuters)

Sci-fi action thriller "District 9," about a colony of aliens stranded in South Africa, landed atop the North American box office with an estimated $37 million its first weekend, distributor Sony Pictures said on Sunday.

Indian feature "Kaminey" a smart, vivid thriller (Reuters)

It's not every day that one sees a Bollywood hero dancing in the streets dressed as a giant red condom. With the reckless, urban crime thriller "Kaminey," director-writer Vishal Bhardwaj -- who earned accolades with "Omkara" and "Maqbool" -- is challenging mainstream Indian audiences to accept his left-of-center sensibilities.

 Charlize Theron cancels "Tourist" trip (Reuters)

Charlize Theron has opted out of the thriller "The Tourist," to which she has long been attached, and sources say Angelina Jolie is in talks to replace her.

"Up" rises again overseas (Reuters)

Buoyed by a substantial first-place U.K. debut, the Pixar cartoon "Up" reclaimed the No. 1 spot on the foreign box office during the weekend.

"Anvil" an unlikely awards contender (Reuters)

It's hard to imagine a film that's taken a more circuitous route to awards season, or a public screening, than the Canadian heavy-metal documentary "Anvil: The Story of Anvil."

Filipino directors: Don't pander to festivals (AP)

Two of the Philippines' leading independent directors urged young Asian filmmakers Monday not to let thoughts of overseas festival accolades cloud their artistic vision.

Gray days in Philly for "Law Abiding Citizen" (Reuters)

So many films take tortuous years of dealmaking to reach the screen that it's reassuring to find a project that came together practically overnight.

Fans check in for 'Couples Retreat' with $35.3M (AP)

"Swingers" co-stars Vince Vaughn and Jon Favreau buddied up for the weekend's top movie as "Couples Retreat" debuted with $35.3 million, while the micro-budgeted fright flick "Paranormal Activity" leaped into the top 10.

Vince Vaughn victorious with "Couples Retreat" (Reuters)

The critically maligned Vince Vaughn comedy "Couples Retreat" easily took the top spot at the weekend box office in North America on Sunday, helped by the absence of any other new releases.

Chinese directors pay tribute to quake-hit city (AP)

In the same style as the anthology films "New York, I Love You" and "Paris, I Love You," two Chinese filmmakers have profiled a Chinese city that was hit by a massive earthquake last year.

Singer says he may make another 'X-Men' movie (AP)

Bryan Singer said Sunday he's interested in making another "X-Men" movie and has discussed the possibility with Twentieth Century Fox.

Studio shake-up reflects changing Hollywood (AFP)

Management shake-ups at movie giants Universal and Disney reflect the industry's difficulty in adjusting to the digital age and failure to halt sliding DVD sales, analysts say.

Animal rights group wants Tornatore film blocked (Reuters)

Italy's main animal rights group has asked prosecutors to stop further screenings of Giuseppe Tornatore's new film "Baaria" because it features the gruesome slaughtering of a bull.

New film seeks answer to mystery of vanishing bees (Reuters)

A new documentary seeks to unravel the mystery of why billions of honey bees have been disappearing from hives across the United States, and concludes that the chief suspect is pesticides.

Hollywood flair visits impoverished Miss. Delta (AP)

Luster Bayless' life reads like a Hollywood script: The son of a dirt-poor Mississippi sharecropper who hitchhiked his way West a half-century ago and carved a niche in Tinseltown.

Del Toro urges Puerto Rico to nix monkey facility (AP)

Benicio del Toro is asking Puerto Rico to halt a planned monkey-breeding facility, arguing the primates would suffer "extreme animal abuse."

John Cusack promotes apocalyptic '2012' in Taiwan (AP)

The crew of the Hollywood doomsday movie "2012" expressed sympathy Friday for victims of real-life flooding and earthquakes this week in the Asia-Pacific region.

"Transformers 3" confirmed for 2011 (Reuters)

Ending a complete lack of suspense, director Michael Bay said Thursday that he will shoot a third "Transformers" film, whose release date has been brought forward by exactly one year to July 1, 2011.

"Zombieland" top destination at box office (Reuters)

Woody Harrelson scored the biggest opening of his career at the North American box office, as "Zombieland" stormed theaters with weekend ticket sales of $25 million, according to studio estimates issued on Sunday.