Memorable Moments from the Unmemorable Academy Awards
Posted by Veronica Santiago Categories: Awards, Celeb News,
Last night’s Best Actor categories were as predictable as the Best Actress races were surprising. Yesterday’s ceremony was also as disappointing as it was routine.
For months now, we’d been hearing about several plans being orchestrated for the Academy Awards. If the writers’ strike was still in effect, the producers swore the telecast would continue with packages that celebrated Oscar’s 80-year history. Interestingly enough, even with the scribes back at work, the show was still horribly written and crammed with unnecessary fillers. (Even I could have penned ‘the always Fantastic…Jessica Alba’.)
As it was, the winners appeared to have been given less time last night to accept their awards than ever. (Which may or may not have been a good thing.) But did Javier Bardem really need to rush his lovely speech to his mother? Did the organizers have to reshow the previous awards presentations? Did the AMPAS President really need to waste time explaining how the selection process is done??
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Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences
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Box Office Breakdown: Jumper Leaps to #1
Posted by Veronica Santiago Categories: 20th Century Fox, Disney, Fox Searchlight, Paramount, Universal, Warner Bros, Action, Adaptation, Adventure, Drama, Family, Music, Romance, Science Fiction, Sequels, Comedy, Box Office, Lists, New Releases,
This President’s Day weekend, a good number of theatergoers honored their country’s leaders by taking in a showing of Jumper. The sci-fi film, starring Hayden Christensen and Jamie Bell, took in approximately $27.3 million and earned itself a first place berth. Although the gross did not break any holiday records, the movie did put about $8 million between itself and its nearest competitor (The Spiderwick Chronicles).
Third place-finisher, Step Up 2 the Streets, also had something to brag about this weekend. The dance spectacle averaged $7,655 per screen, just behind Jumper’s $7,980 figure. The other eight films had to settle for $5000 or less.
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Variety
Box Office Breakdown: Hudson and McConaughey Strike Gold
Posted by Veronica Santiago Categories: 20th Century Fox, Disney, Fox Searchlight, Lionsgate, Paramount, Universal, Warner Bros, Action, Adaptation, Drama, Horror, Musicals, Mystery, Romance, Satire, Sequels, Comedy, Thrillers, Box Office, Lists, New Releases,
Fool’s Gold, the latest joint venture for Kate Hudson and Matthew McConaughey, debuted at the top of the charts this weekend with $21 million. (When that total is worthy of a first place finish, you know times were slow.) This marks the second time the pair opened in the $20 million dollar range; 2003’s How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days started at $23.8 million.
Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins was the only other new entry in this weekend’s Top Ten. The Martin Lawrence comedy grossed $16 million over the three days pushing Hannah Montana into third place. The 3-D concert, though, had the stronger per screen average ($14,987).
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Yahoo! Movies
Box Office Breakdown: Hannah Montana Humiliates Her Elders
Posted by Veronica Santiago Categories: 20th Century Fox, Disney, Fox Searchlight, Lionsgate, Paramount, Sony, Warner Bros, Action, Adaptation, Drama, Family, Horror, Music, Romance, Satire, Sequels, Comedy, Thrillers, Box Office, Lists, New Releases,
It’s now time for the entertainment industry to take notice: a 15-year-old girl has officially become the hottest thing thing around. Miley Cyrus already had a hit TV series (Hannah Montana) and a sold-out concert tour, but now she has a record-breaking movie as well.
The limited run of her 3-D film, Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds Concert Tour, made waves on what is usually considered a slow weekend for movies. (Audiences are usually plopped in front of the TV watching the Super Bowl.) The pic earned over $31 million, surpassing the total set by 1998’s Titanic during the same football weekend. (That weeper grossed $25.2 million.) Miley also rocked a stellar $45,560 per screen average. In comparison, this week’s #2 (The Eye), earned $40,000 less per theater. Fortunately, those unable to snag a Montana ticket now have their chance. The wildly successful film has been extended indefinitely.
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Variety
Box Office Breakdown: Rambo Outgunned by Spartans
Posted by Veronica Santiago Categories: 20th Century Fox, Buena Vista, Disney, Fox Searchlight, Lionsgate, Paramount, Sony, Warner Bros, Action, Adaptation, Drama, Horror, Satire, Sequels, Comedy, Thrillers, Box Office, Lists, New Releases,
Although Sylvester Stallone was hoping to end the Rambo series on an up note, it appears the actor/writer/director will just have to settle for second place. Many had expected the fourth installment would come away with the weekend’s spoils, unfortunately the aging action hero was overpowered by a group of toga-clad warriors.
It should be said though that Meet the Spartans had an extremely narrow victory. The spoof of 2007’s 300 edged out the action flick by just $300,000. But a win is still a win, right? The satire also had the best per screen average of any movie in the Top Ten ($7104).
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Variety
Box Office Breakdown: Cloverfield Attacks the Charts
Posted by Veronica Santiago Categories: 20th Century Fox, FOCUS, Disney, Fox Searchlight, Paramount, Sony, Warner Bros, Action, Adaptation, Adventure, Animation, Drama, Family, Horror, Independent, Period, Romance, Sequels, Comedy, Books, Lists, New Releases,
Final numbers for the three-day weekend revealed what many had suspected: Cloverfield toppled New York and the competition. The strong numbers were a result of Paramount’s smart marketing. In addition to the eerie trailers, the film debuted in January - usually a fairly quiet month for decent films. Cloverfield’s $46 million take has already covered the movie’s budget (estimated at around $25 million). That dollar amount also earned the Matt Reeves flick the title for best MLK and January opener ever.
Although 27 Dresses raked in $20 million less than the horror flick, Katherine Heigl had nothing to cry about. Thanks to more strategic marketing - this time by Fox - the film was able to take advantage of those looking for something less dark. Dresses was originally scheduled to debut last week but was repositioned so it could open during the busy weekend.
Unfortunately, female focus on the romantic comedy didn’t help the female-filled Mad Money. The movie - co-starring Queen Latifah, Diane Keaton and Katie Holmes - cashed out in 8th place. This makes two disappointing debuts in a row for the Cruise Clan (the first being Tom’s Lions for Lambs). Let us not forget that Katie opted to do this film instead of the Batman sequel for her post-Tom movie return. Come to think of it, maybe it was for the best. I could just hear Tom telling us now that if he had known Heath was doing drugs, he would have cured Ledger himself.
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Yahoo! Movies
Jack Nicholson: Movie Star and Bachelor Bad Boy
Posted by K.C. Morgan Categories: Celebrity Gossip,
He may eligible for Social Security, but A-lister Jack Nicholson is still an attractive single guy. And he still has an eye for the ladies.
A self-proclaimed “fool for love,” Nicholson said in AARP The Magazine that he’s changed his pick-up methods as he ages. He no longer tries to woo women in public, for example. And though he is now seventy years old, he’s still quite open to dating and the possibility of romance. Age is no obstacle for Nicholson - he’s willing to date younger women and even those closer to his own advanced years.
The issue featuring Jack Nicholson will be in stores January 24.
Yahoo! News
Box Office Breakdown: The Bucket List Rises to the Top
Posted by Veronica Santiago Categories: 20th Century Fox, FOCUS, Disney, Sony, Universal, Warner Bros, Action, Adaptation, Adventure, Animation, Drama, Family, Horror, Music, Period, Romance, Science Fiction, Sequels, Comedy, Thrillers, Box Office, Lists, New Releases,
After placing 23rd last week, The Bucket List - starring Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman - soared 22 spots to take the #1 spot this past weekend. It seems a simple case of addition was all that was needed to accomplish this feat. Up until now, the movie had only been playing in 16 theaters total; it expanded to nearly 3000 on Friday. Bucket’s impressive finish was not only a win for 70-year-olds everywhere, it was a win for director Rob Reiner. His biggest opener had been 1992’s A Few Good Men. (That film grossed $15.5 million.) Maybe Reiner should write Jack into all his films.
Debuting at #2 was the latest Ice Cube comedy. First Sunday, co-starring Tracy Morgan (30 Rock), earned an impressive $8000 per screen average. That was the best median performance for any movie in this week’s Top Ten. (There Will Be Blood, this week’s #17, averaged $14,421 over the past three days.)
Will this yesterday’s Golden Globes have any effect on Sweeney Todd’s financial future? After only 4 weeks in release, the dark feature dropped off the chart and landed at #12. Assuming theatergoers are still interested in watching potential Oscar nominees, I’m guessing the win for Best Comedy/Musical will give the movie a nice boost next weekend.
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Yahoo! Movies
In Theaters This Weekend: January 11, 2008
Posted by Veronica Santiago Categories: Sony, Universal, Warner Bros, Action, Adaptation, Animation, Drama, Family, Music, Sequels, Comedy, Lists, New Releases,
If you are looking for movies with long titles, this is your weekend. Two of them are opening this Friday:
- The Bucket List** (PG-13): starring Jack Nicholson, Morgan Freeman, Sean Hayes (directed by Rob Reiner)
- First Sunday (PG-13): starring Ice Cube, Tracy Morgan, Katt Williams (directed by David E. Talbert)
- In the Name of the King: A Dungeon Siege Tale (PG-13): starring Jason Statham, Ray Liotta, Burt Reynold (directed by Uwe Boll)
- The Pirates Who Don’t Do Anything: A VeggieTales Movie (G): starring Mike Nawrocki, Phil Vischer (directed by Mike Nawrocki)
**now in wide release
A Divorce for Sean Penn and Robin Wright Penn
Posted by Veronica Santiago Categories: Celeb News, Celebrity Gossip,
After more than a decade together, the Princess Bride and the Bad Boy are calling it quits. Sean Penn and Robin Wright Penn - who had been officially married since 1996 - are finally putting an end to something that endured quite a bit of time. Their romance began shortly after Sean’s high-profile marriage to Madonna fell flat in 1989.
The couple - who have two kids together (Hopper Jack, 14, and Dylan Frances, 16) - have acted together in several films including She’s So Lovely and Hurlyburly. Sean also helmed The Crossing Guard and The Pledge; both movies starred Robin Wright Penn and Jack Nicholson.
Sean’s directorial work can currently be seen in Into the Wild. Wright Penn’s Beowulf is also still in theaters.
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