LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Walt Disney Co agreed to buy filmmaker George Lucas's Lucasfilm Ltd and its 'Star Wars' franchise for $4.05 billion in cash and stock, a blockbuster deal that includes the surprise promise of a new film in the series in 2015.
Disney Chief Executive Bob Iger told analysts on Tuesday that the plan is to release a new movie in the series every two to three years thereafter. The last 'Star Wars' picture was 'Revenge of the Sith' in 2005, and Lucas has in the past denied any plans for more.
Lucas, a Hollywood icon known for exercising control over the most minute details of the fictional universe he created, will remain as a creative consultant on the new films.
'It's now time for me to pass 'Star Wars' on to a new generation of filmmakers,' he said in a statement. Lucas will become the second-largest individual holder of Disney shares, with a 2.2 percent stake.
Disney will pay about half the purchase price in cash and issue about 40 million shares at closing.
'This is one of the greatest entertainment properties of all time,' Iger said. Like Disney's purchases of Marvel Entertainment and Pixar studio, LucasFilm will 'drive long-term value to our shareholders,' he said.
Chief Financial Officer Jay Rasulo said the deal would lower Disney's earnings per share by a low single-digits percentage in fiscal 2013 and 2014. He also said Disney would repurchase all of the issued shares on the open market within the next two years, on top of planned buybacks.
This agreement marks the third time in less than seven years that Disney has signed a massive deal to take over a beloved studio or character portfolio, part of its strategy to acquire brands that can be stretched across TV, movies, theme parks and the Internet.
In early 2006, Disney struck a deal to acquire 'Toy Story' creator Pixar, and in the summer of 2009 it bought the comic book powerhouse Marvel.
'Disney already has a great portfolio and this adds one more,' said Morningstar analyst Michael Corty. 'They don't have any holes, but their past deals have been additive.'
Iger said he and Lucas first discussed a possible sale about 18 months ago. Lucas was pondering his retirement, and Iger was looking to add another well-known brand to the Disney empire. The two signed the deal at Disney's Burbank, California, headquarters on Tuesday.
'Everywhere I went, 'Star Wars' was already there, and sometimes they got there ahead of us,' said Iger in an interview. 'I kept seeing that brand and decided maybe we should buy it.'
He told analysts he believed there was 'substantial pent-up demand' for new 'Star Wars' movies. Each of the last three films in the series would have grossed $1.5 billion in today's dollars at the box office, CFO Rasulo estimated.
The film's iconic characters also will boost Disney's sales of toys and other consumer products, particularly overseas, executives said. Sales of 'Star Wars' items such as Darth Vader and Yoda action figures total roughly $215 million a year, Rasulo said.
In 2005, the year the last 'Star Wars' film was released, LucasFilm generated $550 million in operating income, Rasulo said.
Disney also will be able to extend the presence of the franchise at its theme parks around the globe, Iger said. The company's parks already feature rides based on 'Star Wars' and 'Indiana Jones,' another Lucas property.
'Star Wars' characters also are likely to find a home on the Disney XD cable channel, which is aimed at young boys, Iger said.
Iger wouldn't commit to keeping the 'Star Wars' operation separate from Disney, as he did with Pixar and Marvel.
And Lucas won't sit on the Disney board despite his 2.2 percent stake in the company, Iger said. The late Apple CEO Steve Jobs, who held a large stake in Disney after it bought his Pixar studio, had a seat on the Disney board.
From a fan's perspective, critics said there was sure to be at least some excitement at the prospect of episode seven in the saga of Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader.
'Do I want to see more Star Wars movies? Not really, but they're not making these movies for me,' the film writer 'Mr. Beaks' wrote on the well-regarded industry site Ain't It Cool News. 'There's a whole new generation of Star Wars fans, and they worship the prequels like folks my age worshipped the original trilogy.'
Besides 'Star Wars,' the Lucasfilm deal also includes rights to the 'Indiana Jones' franchise, though Disney did not elaborate on any plans for that series.
(Additional reporting by Michael Erman in New York and Himank Sharma in Bangalore; Writing by Ben Berkowitz; Editing by Saumyadeb Chakrabarty and Ciro Scotti)
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Tuesday, October 30, 2012
Sunday, October 28, 2012
"Argo" rises above "Cloud Atlas" as Sandy spooks
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Acclaimed Iran hostage thriller 'Argo' brought home its first box-office win over a quiet weekend, leading movie charts with $12.4 million in U.S. and Canadian ticket sales as would-be moviegoers hunkered down for Hurricane Sandy.
The tally for 'Argo,' directed by and starring Ben Affleck, topped the $9.4 million for new sci-fi drama 'Cloud Atlas'. Halloween-themed animated film 'Hotel Transylvania' scared up $9.5 million from Friday through Sunday, narrowly edging 'Cloud Atlas', studio estimates showed.
After two weeks in the No. 2 spot, 'Argo' moved into the lead and lifted its domestic sales to $60.8 million through three weekends.
The movie, produced by Warner Bros. and GK Films for $44 million, tells the story of a mission to rescue U.S. government employees from Iran in 1979. The film has earned Oscar buzz after stellar reviews from critics and an 'A+' grade from audiences polled by CinemaScore.
Dan Fellman, president of theatrical distribution for Warner Bros., a unit of Time Warner Inc, attributed the film's jump to 'great word-of-mouth', which he called 'the best form of advertising'.
'Cloud Atlas', also from Warner Bros., fell short of industry forecasts for a $13 million debut at North American (U.S. and Canadian) theaters. Fellman said the film did better in larger cities, but struggled in the South and Midwest.
The film, starring Tom Hanks and Halle Berry, cost $100 million to make. Many in Hollywood thought the story, based on a philosophical novel by David Mitchell, was too complex to bring to the big screen.
The nearly three-hour film with six interweaving stories divided critics, with the harshest reviewers saying it would try audiences' patience with multiple storylines and century-hopping plots. The film's stars also shift characters. Hanks, for example, is a shady doctor in the 1840s, a nuclear scientist in the 1970s and a simple valley-dweller in the distant future.
But 'Cloud Atlas' also drew praise as an ambitious and well-acted epic. Sixty-one percent of reviews on the Rotten Tomatoes website recommended the film.
'Hotel Transylvania' set a record for a September film opening in North America when it opened on September 28, and has performed solidly since then.
In the family comedy, Frankenstein, the Invisible Man and other monsters gather for a party at a high-end resort operated by Dracula. Their celebration is disrupted when a boy discovers the hotel and falls in love with Dracula's daughter but must deal with her overprotective father.
The president of worldwide distribution for Sony Corp's Sony Pictures studio, Rory Bruer, wasn't entirely surprised that the weeks-old movie beat 'Cloud Atlas', despite the latter movie's buzz.
'Anything at this point doesn't surprise me,' Bruer said. 'It's like an annuity that keeps on giving and giving.'
Paul Dergarabedian, box office analyst at Hollywood.com, said the Halloween weekend gave the film a boost, and is 'still the number one choice for families' among the spooky seasonal films currently playing.
This weekend was fairly quiet at the box office in North America, which Dergarabedian attributed to Hurricane Sandy, a storm menacing the East Coast of the United States.
However, the new James Bond movie 'Skyfall' whipped up a storm of its own overseas, taking $77.7 million in 25 countries. The latest installment of the British spy saga took the top spot in all 25 countries, broke the all-time Saturday attendance record in the United Kingdom, and was the biggest film opening there of 2012. It will open in the United States on November 9.
Rounding out the weekend's top five, low-budget horror sequel 'Paranormal Activity 4' grossed $8.7 million at domestic theaters. 'Silent Hill: Revelation 3D' and 'Taken 2' tied for fifth place, each pulling in $8 million.
Two other new films failed to crack the top five.
New Halloween-themed comedy 'Fun Size' brought in $4.1 million at domestic theaters, landing in tenth place. The $14 million production tells the story of a boy who goes missing among trick-or-treaters, sparking his teen sister's frantic search to find him before her mother comes home.
Sports drama 'Chasing Mavericks' disappointed, failing to break the top ten. The movie stars Gerard Butler in the story of a surfer who tries to conquer one of the biggest waves on Earth.
'Silent Hill: Revelation 3D' was released by Open Road Films, a joint venture between theater owners Regal Entertainment Group and AMC Entertainment Inc. Paramount Pictures, a unit of Viacom Inc, released 'Fun Size' and 'Paranormal Activity 4'.
'Chasing Mavericks' was distributed by News Corp's 20th Century Fox studio. Sony Corp's movie division released 'Hotel Transylvania'.
(Reporting by Lisa Richwine and Andrea Burzynski; Editing by Will Dunham and Dale Hudson)
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The tally for 'Argo,' directed by and starring Ben Affleck, topped the $9.4 million for new sci-fi drama 'Cloud Atlas'. Halloween-themed animated film 'Hotel Transylvania' scared up $9.5 million from Friday through Sunday, narrowly edging 'Cloud Atlas', studio estimates showed.
After two weeks in the No. 2 spot, 'Argo' moved into the lead and lifted its domestic sales to $60.8 million through three weekends.
The movie, produced by Warner Bros. and GK Films for $44 million, tells the story of a mission to rescue U.S. government employees from Iran in 1979. The film has earned Oscar buzz after stellar reviews from critics and an 'A+' grade from audiences polled by CinemaScore.
Dan Fellman, president of theatrical distribution for Warner Bros., a unit of Time Warner Inc, attributed the film's jump to 'great word-of-mouth', which he called 'the best form of advertising'.
'Cloud Atlas', also from Warner Bros., fell short of industry forecasts for a $13 million debut at North American (U.S. and Canadian) theaters. Fellman said the film did better in larger cities, but struggled in the South and Midwest.
The film, starring Tom Hanks and Halle Berry, cost $100 million to make. Many in Hollywood thought the story, based on a philosophical novel by David Mitchell, was too complex to bring to the big screen.
The nearly three-hour film with six interweaving stories divided critics, with the harshest reviewers saying it would try audiences' patience with multiple storylines and century-hopping plots. The film's stars also shift characters. Hanks, for example, is a shady doctor in the 1840s, a nuclear scientist in the 1970s and a simple valley-dweller in the distant future.
But 'Cloud Atlas' also drew praise as an ambitious and well-acted epic. Sixty-one percent of reviews on the Rotten Tomatoes website recommended the film.
'Hotel Transylvania' set a record for a September film opening in North America when it opened on September 28, and has performed solidly since then.
In the family comedy, Frankenstein, the Invisible Man and other monsters gather for a party at a high-end resort operated by Dracula. Their celebration is disrupted when a boy discovers the hotel and falls in love with Dracula's daughter but must deal with her overprotective father.
The president of worldwide distribution for Sony Corp's Sony Pictures studio, Rory Bruer, wasn't entirely surprised that the weeks-old movie beat 'Cloud Atlas', despite the latter movie's buzz.
'Anything at this point doesn't surprise me,' Bruer said. 'It's like an annuity that keeps on giving and giving.'
Paul Dergarabedian, box office analyst at Hollywood.com, said the Halloween weekend gave the film a boost, and is 'still the number one choice for families' among the spooky seasonal films currently playing.
This weekend was fairly quiet at the box office in North America, which Dergarabedian attributed to Hurricane Sandy, a storm menacing the East Coast of the United States.
However, the new James Bond movie 'Skyfall' whipped up a storm of its own overseas, taking $77.7 million in 25 countries. The latest installment of the British spy saga took the top spot in all 25 countries, broke the all-time Saturday attendance record in the United Kingdom, and was the biggest film opening there of 2012. It will open in the United States on November 9.
Rounding out the weekend's top five, low-budget horror sequel 'Paranormal Activity 4' grossed $8.7 million at domestic theaters. 'Silent Hill: Revelation 3D' and 'Taken 2' tied for fifth place, each pulling in $8 million.
Two other new films failed to crack the top five.
New Halloween-themed comedy 'Fun Size' brought in $4.1 million at domestic theaters, landing in tenth place. The $14 million production tells the story of a boy who goes missing among trick-or-treaters, sparking his teen sister's frantic search to find him before her mother comes home.
Sports drama 'Chasing Mavericks' disappointed, failing to break the top ten. The movie stars Gerard Butler in the story of a surfer who tries to conquer one of the biggest waves on Earth.
'Silent Hill: Revelation 3D' was released by Open Road Films, a joint venture between theater owners Regal Entertainment Group and AMC Entertainment Inc. Paramount Pictures, a unit of Viacom Inc, released 'Fun Size' and 'Paranormal Activity 4'.
'Chasing Mavericks' was distributed by News Corp's 20th Century Fox studio. Sony Corp's movie division released 'Hotel Transylvania'.
(Reporting by Lisa Richwine and Andrea Burzynski; Editing by Will Dunham and Dale Hudson)
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Friday, October 26, 2012
Arnold Schwarzenegger to reprise "Conan" movie role
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Arnold Schwarzenegger is reprising one of his most famous movie roles - Conan the Barbarian - for an upcoming sequel, Universal Pictures said on Friday.
Schwarzenegger, 65, will play the sword-swinging hero in 'The Legend of Conan,' 30 years after the film that launched the Austrian body-builder as a Hollywood star.
'I always loved the Conan character, and I'm honored to be asked to step into the role once again,' Schwarzenegger said in a statement.
The original films, 1982's 'Conan the Barbarian' and 1984's 'Conan The Destroyer,' together grossed more than $70 million at U.S. box office.
The 'Conan' franchise was remade in 2011 with 'Game of Thrones' star Jason Momoa, but the film -- also called 'Conan the Barbarian' -- failed to repeat the success of its predecessors, earning only $21 million at the North American box office, according to film tracking site BoxOfficeMojo.com.
The new 'Conan' film is the latest Hollywood venture by Schwarzenegger since the action movie hero ended his term as governor of California in January 2011.
He starred alongside Hollywood's veteran action heroes in this summer's 'The Expendables 2,' and is lined up to star in five other films, including thriller 'Ten' and 'Triplets,' a sequel to his hit 1988 comedy 'Twins' alongside co-star Danny DeVito
Schwarzenegger, a Republican, also has launched a global policy think-tank in his name at the University of Southern California, and released a memoir in October, 'Total Recall: My Unbelievably True Life.' The book revealed details of the child Schwarzenegger fathered with his family's housekeeper 15 years ago, while married to Maria Shriver.
(Reporting By Piya Sinha-Roy; editing by Jill Serjeant and Leslie Adler)
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Schwarzenegger, 65, will play the sword-swinging hero in 'The Legend of Conan,' 30 years after the film that launched the Austrian body-builder as a Hollywood star.
'I always loved the Conan character, and I'm honored to be asked to step into the role once again,' Schwarzenegger said in a statement.
The original films, 1982's 'Conan the Barbarian' and 1984's 'Conan The Destroyer,' together grossed more than $70 million at U.S. box office.
The 'Conan' franchise was remade in 2011 with 'Game of Thrones' star Jason Momoa, but the film -- also called 'Conan the Barbarian' -- failed to repeat the success of its predecessors, earning only $21 million at the North American box office, according to film tracking site BoxOfficeMojo.com.
The new 'Conan' film is the latest Hollywood venture by Schwarzenegger since the action movie hero ended his term as governor of California in January 2011.
He starred alongside Hollywood's veteran action heroes in this summer's 'The Expendables 2,' and is lined up to star in five other films, including thriller 'Ten' and 'Triplets,' a sequel to his hit 1988 comedy 'Twins' alongside co-star Danny DeVito
Schwarzenegger, a Republican, also has launched a global policy think-tank in his name at the University of Southern California, and released a memoir in October, 'Total Recall: My Unbelievably True Life.' The book revealed details of the child Schwarzenegger fathered with his family's housekeeper 15 years ago, while married to Maria Shriver.
(Reporting By Piya Sinha-Roy; editing by Jill Serjeant and Leslie Adler)
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Wednesday, October 24, 2012
Tom Cruise files $50 million lawsuit over claims he abandoned Suri
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Tom Cruise filed a $50 million defamation lawsuit on Wednesday against magazines that claimed he had abandoned his daughter, Suri, following his divorce from actress Katie Holmes.
The 'Mission: Impossible' star filed the lawsuit in U.S. court in Los Angeles against the publishers of celebrity magazines 'In Touch' and 'Life & Style.' Cruise's attorney Bert Fields said in a statement.
'Tom is a caring father who dearly loves Suri. She's a vital part of his life and always will be. To say he has 'abandoned' her is a vicious lie. To say it in lurid headlines with a tearful picture of Suri is reprehensible,' Cruise's lawyer, Bert Fields, said in a statement
The lawsuit refers to two cover stories published by the magazines in July and September with the headlines 'Abandoned by Daddy' and 'Abandoned by her dad.' The September story from 'In Touch' claimed that six-year-old Suri, the only child of Cruise and Holmes, had gone more 44 days without seeing him.
The magazines, owned by privately held German publishing group Bauer Media, did not immediately return calls for comment.
Holmes filed for divorce in June after six years of marriage, seeking sole custody of Suri, in a move that took Cruise by surprise when he was filming in Iceland. They swiftly agreed to a custody arrangement and settled other matters but details have been kept private.
Fields said that despite repeated stories in celebrity media about Cruise and his personal life during his 30-year Hollywood career, the actor rarely resorted to litigation.
'He's not a litigious guy. But when these sleazy peddlers try to make money with disgusting lies about his relationship with his child, you bet he's going to sue,' he added.
Fields said Cruise was seeking damages of $50 million and would 'undoubtedly give the money to charity' if he wins the case.
(Reporting by Jill Serjeant; Editing by Leslie Gevirtz)
The 'Mission: Impossible' star filed the lawsuit in U.S. court in Los Angeles against the publishers of celebrity magazines 'In Touch' and 'Life & Style.' Cruise's attorney Bert Fields said in a statement.
'Tom is a caring father who dearly loves Suri. She's a vital part of his life and always will be. To say he has 'abandoned' her is a vicious lie. To say it in lurid headlines with a tearful picture of Suri is reprehensible,' Cruise's lawyer, Bert Fields, said in a statement
The lawsuit refers to two cover stories published by the magazines in July and September with the headlines 'Abandoned by Daddy' and 'Abandoned by her dad.' The September story from 'In Touch' claimed that six-year-old Suri, the only child of Cruise and Holmes, had gone more 44 days without seeing him.
The magazines, owned by privately held German publishing group Bauer Media, did not immediately return calls for comment.
Holmes filed for divorce in June after six years of marriage, seeking sole custody of Suri, in a move that took Cruise by surprise when he was filming in Iceland. They swiftly agreed to a custody arrangement and settled other matters but details have been kept private.
Fields said that despite repeated stories in celebrity media about Cruise and his personal life during his 30-year Hollywood career, the actor rarely resorted to litigation.
'He's not a litigious guy. But when these sleazy peddlers try to make money with disgusting lies about his relationship with his child, you bet he's going to sue,' he added.
Fields said Cruise was seeking damages of $50 million and would 'undoubtedly give the money to charity' if he wins the case.
(Reporting by Jill Serjeant; Editing by Leslie Gevirtz)
Tuesday, October 23, 2012
Al Pacino to play aging rocker and Jeremy Renner's dad in "Imagine"
LOS ANGELES (TheWrap.com) - The Oscar-nominees and winners are aligning, as Al Pacino, Julianne Moore and Jeremy Renner team up on the directorial debut from the writer of 'Crazy, Stupid, Love.'
'Imagine' centers on an aging rocker (Pacino) who is inspired to put down the pipe and the whiskey bottle and reconnect with his son (Renner) after coming across an undelivered letter he wrote as a 19-year-old to John Lennon. The rock star gives up the arenas for a small New Jersey hotel, where he befriends the hotel's manager (Moore), who helps him get his life together.
Dan Fogelman, who wrote 'Crazy, Stupid, Love' and 'Tangled,' will direct from his original screenplay. Denise DiNovi ('Batman Returns'), Jessie Nelson ('I Am Sam') and Nimitt Mankad ('Today's Special') will produce.
Inimitable Pictures and Mister Smith Entertainment will finance the picture independently.
Pacino has been largely doing cable movies in recent years, such as his Emmy-winning turn as Jack Kevorkian in 'You Don't Know Jack.' He can next be heard in 'Despicable Me 2' and seen in the heist film 'Stand Up Guys.'
'Imagine' marks a change of adrenaline for Renner, who has been busy transforming himself into an action star in the likes of 'The Bourne Legacy' and 'The Avengers.' He will next star in 'Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters' and an untitled project from David O. Russell.
Moore previously worked with Fogelman as the adulterous wife in 'Crazy, Stupid, Love.' Among her upcoming projects is the remake of the horror classic 'Carrie.'
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'Imagine' centers on an aging rocker (Pacino) who is inspired to put down the pipe and the whiskey bottle and reconnect with his son (Renner) after coming across an undelivered letter he wrote as a 19-year-old to John Lennon. The rock star gives up the arenas for a small New Jersey hotel, where he befriends the hotel's manager (Moore), who helps him get his life together.
Dan Fogelman, who wrote 'Crazy, Stupid, Love' and 'Tangled,' will direct from his original screenplay. Denise DiNovi ('Batman Returns'), Jessie Nelson ('I Am Sam') and Nimitt Mankad ('Today's Special') will produce.
Inimitable Pictures and Mister Smith Entertainment will finance the picture independently.
Pacino has been largely doing cable movies in recent years, such as his Emmy-winning turn as Jack Kevorkian in 'You Don't Know Jack.' He can next be heard in 'Despicable Me 2' and seen in the heist film 'Stand Up Guys.'
'Imagine' marks a change of adrenaline for Renner, who has been busy transforming himself into an action star in the likes of 'The Bourne Legacy' and 'The Avengers.' He will next star in 'Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters' and an untitled project from David O. Russell.
Moore previously worked with Fogelman as the adulterous wife in 'Crazy, Stupid, Love.' Among her upcoming projects is the remake of the horror classic 'Carrie.'
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Monday, October 22, 2012
How "Hotel Transylvania" beat its better-reviewed rivals at the box office
LOS ANGELES (TheWrap.com) - 'Hotel Transylvania' and its comic ghoulies won the battle of animated Halloween kids movies three weeks ago, and it's still taking victory laps. 'Hotel Transylvania' delivered the best September opening in box office history at $42 million, and this past weekend it made an estimated $13.5 million, hiking its overall domestic gross to $119 million.
Its success was hardly a given as one of three animated kids' comedy horror films - 'ParaNorman' and 'Frankenweenie' are the others - that arrived at the box office in time for Halloween this year, and the one with the weakest reviews.
'Hotel Transylvania' rated 43% on Rotten Tomatoes, compared to 89% for 'Frankenweenie' and 86% for 'ParaNorman.'
'ParaNorman,' has taken in a respectable $91 million worldwide thus far, but 'Frankenweenie' has taken in just $40 million so far.
The startling part of 'Hotel Transylvania' is its staying power. The movie dropped just 36 percent in both the second and third weeks, and this week it was off just 21 percent. It's even winning overseas, taking in another $14.5 million this week to raise its foreign haul to $68.3 million.
A healthy $187 million worldwide box office, and one that is still growing, is not bad for a film that cost Sony Pictures Animation around $85 million to produce.
''Hotel Transylvania' is performing beyond anyone's imagination, and the holds are ridiculous,' Sony president of worldwide distribution Rory Bruer. 'It exceeds expectations in every new market it opens in.'
The studio isn't saying, but it's hard to imagine there won't be a sequel.
While 'Hotel Transylvania' has become an unlikely hit, the Focus Features-distributed 'ParaNorman' hasn't done as well as the previous film from Laika Entertainment, 'Coraline.' The critics loved its dark and semi-scary tone, but since opening on August 17, 'ParaNorman' has brought in $55 million domestically and $91 million worldwide. Its budget was unavailable.
Disney and Tim Burton's 'Frankenweenie' has turned into a bit of a box-office pumpkin, despite being a critical favorite. Burton's had some big hits but he's had some misses, too. With its $39 million budget, 'Frankenweenie' was always going to be more 'Corpse Bride' than 'Alice in Wonderland,' and the $28 million in box office since opening on October 5 ($40 million worldwide) bears that out.
Of the three films, 'Hotel Transylvania' had the weakest reviews, but that hasn't hurt it at the box office. Its style charmed some critics. TheWrap's Alonso Duralde called it 'the kind of film that many will dismiss as being 'merely' entertaining, and even if it isn't as creepy as 'ParaNorman' or as original as 'The Nightmare Before Christmas,' it's a boisterous joyride from start to finish.'
Audiences have agreed: The 3D cartoon earned an 'A-' CinemaScore overall, and an 'A' from females and kids under the age of 18.
While the two rival stop-action films may have initially looked a little hipper, director Genndy Tartakovsky (with Adam Sandler at the Toronto premiere, left) infused his first feature with a traditional but distinctive CGI style in 3D.
A Russian immigrant, Tartakovsky learned English through cartoons like 'Tex Avery' and 'Popeye,' and he pays homage to both throughout 'Hotel.'
Tartakovsky is a 13-time Emmy nominee and three-time winner for helping create shows including 'Dexter's Lab,' 'Samurai Jack' and 'Star Wars: Clone Wars.' That the film would be seen as a directorial triumph is another upset; in the six years since it went into development, no less than five other directors had the helm at one point. Michelle Murdocca produced, and the executive producers are Sandler and Robert Smigel, who wrote the screenplay with Peter Baynham.
'When it comes to kids movies,' Phil Contrino, editor in chief at Boxoffice.com told TheWrap, 'you have to sell the parents first, and this one did a very good job of that.'
Sony stalwarts Sandler, who voices Dracula in the film, and Kevin James, who does Frankenstein, may have helped with that. It marks a nice rebound for Sandler, whose foray into R-rated comedy, 'That's My Boy,' flamed out this summer. His co-star in 'That's My Boy,' Andy Samberg, voices Jonathan, the young mortal who dares to woo the Count's daughter (Selena Gomez) in 'Hotel Transylvania.'
The rest of the voice cast includes some familiar folks: Fran Drescher, Steve Buscemi, David Spade, Molly Shannon and Jon Lovitz.
Exhibitor Relations senior analyst Jeff Bock told TheWrap that the reason for 'Translyvania's' success may be 'that it's totally non-threatening. Or maybe it's just fun for kids.'
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Its success was hardly a given as one of three animated kids' comedy horror films - 'ParaNorman' and 'Frankenweenie' are the others - that arrived at the box office in time for Halloween this year, and the one with the weakest reviews.
'Hotel Transylvania' rated 43% on Rotten Tomatoes, compared to 89% for 'Frankenweenie' and 86% for 'ParaNorman.'
'ParaNorman,' has taken in a respectable $91 million worldwide thus far, but 'Frankenweenie' has taken in just $40 million so far.
The startling part of 'Hotel Transylvania' is its staying power. The movie dropped just 36 percent in both the second and third weeks, and this week it was off just 21 percent. It's even winning overseas, taking in another $14.5 million this week to raise its foreign haul to $68.3 million.
A healthy $187 million worldwide box office, and one that is still growing, is not bad for a film that cost Sony Pictures Animation around $85 million to produce.
''Hotel Transylvania' is performing beyond anyone's imagination, and the holds are ridiculous,' Sony president of worldwide distribution Rory Bruer. 'It exceeds expectations in every new market it opens in.'
The studio isn't saying, but it's hard to imagine there won't be a sequel.
While 'Hotel Transylvania' has become an unlikely hit, the Focus Features-distributed 'ParaNorman' hasn't done as well as the previous film from Laika Entertainment, 'Coraline.' The critics loved its dark and semi-scary tone, but since opening on August 17, 'ParaNorman' has brought in $55 million domestically and $91 million worldwide. Its budget was unavailable.
Disney and Tim Burton's 'Frankenweenie' has turned into a bit of a box-office pumpkin, despite being a critical favorite. Burton's had some big hits but he's had some misses, too. With its $39 million budget, 'Frankenweenie' was always going to be more 'Corpse Bride' than 'Alice in Wonderland,' and the $28 million in box office since opening on October 5 ($40 million worldwide) bears that out.
Of the three films, 'Hotel Transylvania' had the weakest reviews, but that hasn't hurt it at the box office. Its style charmed some critics. TheWrap's Alonso Duralde called it 'the kind of film that many will dismiss as being 'merely' entertaining, and even if it isn't as creepy as 'ParaNorman' or as original as 'The Nightmare Before Christmas,' it's a boisterous joyride from start to finish.'
Audiences have agreed: The 3D cartoon earned an 'A-' CinemaScore overall, and an 'A' from females and kids under the age of 18.
While the two rival stop-action films may have initially looked a little hipper, director Genndy Tartakovsky (with Adam Sandler at the Toronto premiere, left) infused his first feature with a traditional but distinctive CGI style in 3D.
A Russian immigrant, Tartakovsky learned English through cartoons like 'Tex Avery' and 'Popeye,' and he pays homage to both throughout 'Hotel.'
Tartakovsky is a 13-time Emmy nominee and three-time winner for helping create shows including 'Dexter's Lab,' 'Samurai Jack' and 'Star Wars: Clone Wars.' That the film would be seen as a directorial triumph is another upset; in the six years since it went into development, no less than five other directors had the helm at one point. Michelle Murdocca produced, and the executive producers are Sandler and Robert Smigel, who wrote the screenplay with Peter Baynham.
'When it comes to kids movies,' Phil Contrino, editor in chief at Boxoffice.com told TheWrap, 'you have to sell the parents first, and this one did a very good job of that.'
Sony stalwarts Sandler, who voices Dracula in the film, and Kevin James, who does Frankenstein, may have helped with that. It marks a nice rebound for Sandler, whose foray into R-rated comedy, 'That's My Boy,' flamed out this summer. His co-star in 'That's My Boy,' Andy Samberg, voices Jonathan, the young mortal who dares to woo the Count's daughter (Selena Gomez) in 'Hotel Transylvania.'
The rest of the voice cast includes some familiar folks: Fran Drescher, Steve Buscemi, David Spade, Molly Shannon and Jon Lovitz.
Exhibitor Relations senior analyst Jeff Bock told TheWrap that the reason for 'Translyvania's' success may be 'that it's totally non-threatening. Or maybe it's just fun for kids.'
This news article is brought to you by SEXUAL HEALTH NEWS - where latest news are our top priority.
Hugh Grant reteams with "Two Weeks Notice" director on romantic comedy
LOS ANGELES (TheWrap.com) - Hugh Grant is returning the world of romantic comedy in an untitled film from Marc Lawrence, his director on 'Two Weeks Notice.'
Grant will begin shooting his new starring role in New York in April 2013, the film's producer Castle Rock Entertainment said.
In addition to 'Two Weeks Notice,' Lawrence and Grant have collaborated on 'Music and Lyrics' and 'Did You Hear About the Morgans?' the latter a box office and critical dud.
In their latest pairing, Grant will play an Oscar-winning screenwriter who is washed up, divorced and broke. Out of desperation, he takes a job teaching screenwriting at a small college on the East Coast, which leads to a romance with a single mom who's gone back to school.
Grant has been largely absent from screens since 'Morgans' was released in 2009, but is currently appearing in 'Cloud Atlas,' the gonzo historical epic from Tom Tykwer, Andy Wachowski and Lana Wachowski.
This news article is brought to you by GOING GREEN NEWS - where latest news are our top priority.
Grant will begin shooting his new starring role in New York in April 2013, the film's producer Castle Rock Entertainment said.
In addition to 'Two Weeks Notice,' Lawrence and Grant have collaborated on 'Music and Lyrics' and 'Did You Hear About the Morgans?' the latter a box office and critical dud.
In their latest pairing, Grant will play an Oscar-winning screenwriter who is washed up, divorced and broke. Out of desperation, he takes a job teaching screenwriting at a small college on the East Coast, which leads to a romance with a single mom who's gone back to school.
Grant has been largely absent from screens since 'Morgans' was released in 2009, but is currently appearing in 'Cloud Atlas,' the gonzo historical epic from Tom Tykwer, Andy Wachowski and Lana Wachowski.
This news article is brought to you by GOING GREEN NEWS - where latest news are our top priority.
London film festival closes, boasts record crowds
LONDON (Reuters) - The London film festival ended late on Sunday with the European premiere of Mike Newell's 'Great Expectations' and the release of figures showing public attendance at screenings across the capital this year had risen 12 percent to a record 149,000.
Organizers of the annual 12-day cinema showcase, which has yet to match the importance of other European festivals like Berlin, Venice and Cannes, also introduced a new awards format this year to try and raise its international profile.
Clare Stewart, in charge of her first London film festival, said the 2012 event had underlined the strength of the British film industry.
'I think British cinema is incredibly healthy and you can see that in the range of films that we've had on offer,' she told Reuters on the red carpet in London's Leicester Square.
'Everything from our opening night film 'Frankenweenie' which is made with over 200 British craftspeople ... all the way through to tonight's ... 'Great Expectations' with Mike Newell at the helm and an incredibly talented British cast.'
Among the stars of the Dickens adaptation, made during the 200th anniversary of his birth, was Helena Bonham Carter who plays the sinister, scheming Miss Havisham.
The 46-year-old actress said she was initially concerned that she was too young to play the part.
'The archetypal image of Miss Havisham is somebody who's probably a pensioner in a bridesmaid's dress, so when Mike phoned me up, first of all I was like 'Jesus, am I that old?',' she told Reuters ahead of the screening.
Bonham Carter also joked that she was pleased that her partner, director Tim Burton, was honored with a British Film Institute Fellowship as well as her at this year's festival.
'I was actually really grateful that they'd given my fellow a fellowship, because then it keeps the peace at home.'
Burton directed the festival's opening movie 'Frankenweenie', a black and white, 3D stop-motion animation adventure.
In between more than 200 feature films and full-length documentaries were screened around London and hundreds of industry guests attended talks, screenings and parties.
Among the highlights was the world premiere of 'Crossfire Hurricane', a documentary about the Rolling Stones that coincides with their 50th anniversary.
All four members of one of rock's most successful acts hit the red carpet, and generated the kind of buzz that film festivals thrive on.
At a weekend awards ceremony, French movie 'Rust and Bone' starring Oscar winner Marion Cotillard was named best film and the Sutherland Award for the most original feature debut at the festival went to 'Beasts of the Southern Wild.'
The Grierson Award for best documentary was won by Alex Gibney for 'Mea Maxima Culpa: Silence in the House of God' and Sally El Hosaini was named best British newcomer for her feature 'My Brother the Devil'.
(Reporting by Mike Collett-White, editing by Paul Casciato)
This news article is brought to you by STOCK MARKET BLOG - where latest news are our top priority.
Organizers of the annual 12-day cinema showcase, which has yet to match the importance of other European festivals like Berlin, Venice and Cannes, also introduced a new awards format this year to try and raise its international profile.
Clare Stewart, in charge of her first London film festival, said the 2012 event had underlined the strength of the British film industry.
'I think British cinema is incredibly healthy and you can see that in the range of films that we've had on offer,' she told Reuters on the red carpet in London's Leicester Square.
'Everything from our opening night film 'Frankenweenie' which is made with over 200 British craftspeople ... all the way through to tonight's ... 'Great Expectations' with Mike Newell at the helm and an incredibly talented British cast.'
Among the stars of the Dickens adaptation, made during the 200th anniversary of his birth, was Helena Bonham Carter who plays the sinister, scheming Miss Havisham.
The 46-year-old actress said she was initially concerned that she was too young to play the part.
'The archetypal image of Miss Havisham is somebody who's probably a pensioner in a bridesmaid's dress, so when Mike phoned me up, first of all I was like 'Jesus, am I that old?',' she told Reuters ahead of the screening.
Bonham Carter also joked that she was pleased that her partner, director Tim Burton, was honored with a British Film Institute Fellowship as well as her at this year's festival.
'I was actually really grateful that they'd given my fellow a fellowship, because then it keeps the peace at home.'
Burton directed the festival's opening movie 'Frankenweenie', a black and white, 3D stop-motion animation adventure.
In between more than 200 feature films and full-length documentaries were screened around London and hundreds of industry guests attended talks, screenings and parties.
Among the highlights was the world premiere of 'Crossfire Hurricane', a documentary about the Rolling Stones that coincides with their 50th anniversary.
All four members of one of rock's most successful acts hit the red carpet, and generated the kind of buzz that film festivals thrive on.
At a weekend awards ceremony, French movie 'Rust and Bone' starring Oscar winner Marion Cotillard was named best film and the Sutherland Award for the most original feature debut at the festival went to 'Beasts of the Southern Wild.'
The Grierson Award for best documentary was won by Alex Gibney for 'Mea Maxima Culpa: Silence in the House of God' and Sally El Hosaini was named best British newcomer for her feature 'My Brother the Devil'.
(Reporting by Mike Collett-White, editing by Paul Casciato)
This news article is brought to you by STOCK MARKET BLOG - where latest news are our top priority.
Sunday, October 21, 2012
'Paranormal Activity 4' haunts top of movie charts
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - The fourth 'Paranormal Activity' fright flick crept into the No. 1 spot at the weekend box office with $30.2 million in U.S. and Canadian ticket sales.
Iran hostage thriller 'Argo' earned $16.6 million and took second place, studio estimates released on Sunday showed. Two-time box office leader 'Taken 2' fell to the No. 4 spot with $13.4 million from Friday through Sunday.
Low-budget 'Paranormal Activity 4' opened short of distributor Paramount's projection for at least $35 million in domestic receipts during the movie's lead off weekend. The film also trailed its predecessor in the haunted house series. The third 'Paranormal' rung up $53 million in its debut last October.
But with $26.5 million more from international markets, the fourth installment already had grossed far more than its tiny production budget of $5 million.
'We're thrilled,' said Don Harris, Paramount's president of domestic distribution. 'It was in a slightly more crowded market than a year ago.'
The strong showing for the film bodes well for more to follow. 'It is highly likely that we will do another,' he said.
The new 'Paranormal' chronicles the strange events that haunt a neighborhood after a woman and her young son move in. As in the earlier films, the movie uses a 'found footage' style by capturing mysterious encounters with invisible forces on surveillance cameras.
The franchise produced by Jason Blum has brought in big bucks since the original hit theaters in 2009. The first three 'Paranormal' films grabbed $577 million in global ticket sales. Each movie was produced for $5 million or less.
Receipts for 'Argo' dropped 15 percent from a week earlier. The movie has earned glowing reviews from critics and a rare 'A+' grade from audiences polled by CinemaScore.
'Argo' is based on the real-life rescue of U.S. government employees from Iran in 1979 under the guise of a fake movie production. Ben Affleck directs and stars in the film.
In fourth place, 'Taken 2' stars Liam Neeson as a former spy who is kidnapped in Istanbul. The action film has grossed $105.9 million through three weekends.
In the No. 3 slot, family movie 'Hotel Transylvania' pulled in $13.5 million at North American (U.S. and Canadian) theaters. Global sales for the animated film reached $119 million through Sunday.
'Alex Cross' starring Tyler Perry debuted in fifth place with $11.7 million domestically, was on the mark with the predictions by distributor Summit Entertainment.
The movie features Perry outside of the popular comedic role of Madea that he created. In 'Alex Cross,' the actor plays a psychologist and homicide detective in hot pursuit of a serial killer played by Matthew Fox. The film is based on the character at the center of a series of best-selling crime novels by James Patterson.
Paramount Studios, a unit of Viacom Inc released 'Paranormal Activity 4.' 'Argo' was distributed by Warner Bros., a unit of Time Warner Inc. 'Taken 2' was released by 20th Century Fox, a unit of News Corp. Sony Corp's film studio released 'Hotel Transylvania.'
'Alex Cross' was distributed by Summit Entertainment, a unit of Lions Gate Entertainment, in the United States. Entertainment One released 'Alex Cross' in Canada.
(Reporting By Lisa Richwine; editing by Patricia Reaney and Sandra Maler)
This news article is brought to you by TAXES BLOG - where latest news are our top priority.
Iran hostage thriller 'Argo' earned $16.6 million and took second place, studio estimates released on Sunday showed. Two-time box office leader 'Taken 2' fell to the No. 4 spot with $13.4 million from Friday through Sunday.
Low-budget 'Paranormal Activity 4' opened short of distributor Paramount's projection for at least $35 million in domestic receipts during the movie's lead off weekend. The film also trailed its predecessor in the haunted house series. The third 'Paranormal' rung up $53 million in its debut last October.
But with $26.5 million more from international markets, the fourth installment already had grossed far more than its tiny production budget of $5 million.
'We're thrilled,' said Don Harris, Paramount's president of domestic distribution. 'It was in a slightly more crowded market than a year ago.'
The strong showing for the film bodes well for more to follow. 'It is highly likely that we will do another,' he said.
The new 'Paranormal' chronicles the strange events that haunt a neighborhood after a woman and her young son move in. As in the earlier films, the movie uses a 'found footage' style by capturing mysterious encounters with invisible forces on surveillance cameras.
The franchise produced by Jason Blum has brought in big bucks since the original hit theaters in 2009. The first three 'Paranormal' films grabbed $577 million in global ticket sales. Each movie was produced for $5 million or less.
Receipts for 'Argo' dropped 15 percent from a week earlier. The movie has earned glowing reviews from critics and a rare 'A+' grade from audiences polled by CinemaScore.
'Argo' is based on the real-life rescue of U.S. government employees from Iran in 1979 under the guise of a fake movie production. Ben Affleck directs and stars in the film.
In fourth place, 'Taken 2' stars Liam Neeson as a former spy who is kidnapped in Istanbul. The action film has grossed $105.9 million through three weekends.
In the No. 3 slot, family movie 'Hotel Transylvania' pulled in $13.5 million at North American (U.S. and Canadian) theaters. Global sales for the animated film reached $119 million through Sunday.
'Alex Cross' starring Tyler Perry debuted in fifth place with $11.7 million domestically, was on the mark with the predictions by distributor Summit Entertainment.
The movie features Perry outside of the popular comedic role of Madea that he created. In 'Alex Cross,' the actor plays a psychologist and homicide detective in hot pursuit of a serial killer played by Matthew Fox. The film is based on the character at the center of a series of best-selling crime novels by James Patterson.
Paramount Studios, a unit of Viacom Inc released 'Paranormal Activity 4.' 'Argo' was distributed by Warner Bros., a unit of Time Warner Inc. 'Taken 2' was released by 20th Century Fox, a unit of News Corp. Sony Corp's film studio released 'Hotel Transylvania.'
'Alex Cross' was distributed by Summit Entertainment, a unit of Lions Gate Entertainment, in the United States. Entertainment One released 'Alex Cross' in Canada.
(Reporting By Lisa Richwine; editing by Patricia Reaney and Sandra Maler)
This news article is brought to you by TAXES BLOG - where latest news are our top priority.
"Paranormal Activity 4" haunts top of movie charts
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - The fourth 'Paranormal Activity' fright flick crept into the No. 1 spot at the weekend box office with $30.2 million in U.S. and Canadian ticket sales.
Iran hostage thriller 'Argo' earned $16.6 million and took second place, studio estimates released on Sunday showed. Two-time box office leader 'Taken 2' fell to the No. 4 spot with $13.4 million from Friday through Sunday.
Low-budget 'Paranormal Activity 4' opened short of distributor Paramount's projection for at least $35 million in domestic receipts during the movie's lead off weekend. The film also trailed its predecessor in the haunted house series. The third 'Paranormal' rung up $53 million in its debut last October.
But with $26.5 million more from international markets, the fourth installment already had grossed far more than its tiny production budget of $5 million.
'We're thrilled,' said Don Harris, Paramount's president of domestic distribution. 'It was in a slightly more crowded market than a year ago.'
The strong showing for the film bodes well for more to follow. 'It is highly likely that we will do another,' he said.
The new 'Paranormal' chronicles the strange events that haunt a neighborhood after a woman and her young son move in. As in the earlier films, the movie uses a 'found footage' style by capturing mysterious encounters with invisible forces on surveillance cameras.
The franchise produced by Jason Blum has brought in big bucks since the original hit theaters in 2009. The first three 'Paranormal' films grabbed $577 million in global ticket sales. Each movie was produced for $5 million or less.
Receipts for 'Argo' dropped 15 percent from a week earlier. The movie has earned glowing reviews from critics and a rare 'A+' grade from audiences polled by CinemaScore.
'Argo' is based on the real-life rescue of U.S. government employees from Iran in 1979 under the guise of a fake movie production. Ben Affleck directs and stars in the film.
In fourth place, 'Taken 2' stars Liam Neeson as a former spy who is kidnapped in Istanbul. The action film has grossed $105.9 million through three weekends.
In the No. 3 slot, family movie 'Hotel Transylvania' pulled in $13.5 million at North American (U.S. and Canadian) theaters. Global sales for the animated film reached $119 million through Sunday.
'Alex Cross' starring Tyler Perry debuted in fifth place with $11.7 million domestically, was on the mark with the predictions by distributor Summit Entertainment.
The movie features Perry outside of the popular comedic role of Madea that he created. In 'Alex Cross,' the actor plays a psychologist and homicide detective in hot pursuit of a serial killer played by Matthew Fox. The film is based on the character at the center of a series of best-selling crime novels by James Patterson.
Paramount Studios, a unit of Viacom Inc released 'Paranormal Activity 4.' 'Argo' was distributed by Warner Bros., a unit of Time Warner Inc. 'Taken 2' was released by 20th Century Fox, a unit of News Corp. Sony Corp's film studio released 'Hotel Transylvania.'
'Alex Cross' was distributed by Summit Entertainment, a unit of Lions Gate Entertainment, in the United States. Entertainment One released 'Alex Cross' in Canada.
(Reporting By Lisa Richwine; editing by Patricia Reaney and Sandra Maler)
This news article is brought to you by SHOCKING DATING ADVICE - where latest news are our top priority.
Iran hostage thriller 'Argo' earned $16.6 million and took second place, studio estimates released on Sunday showed. Two-time box office leader 'Taken 2' fell to the No. 4 spot with $13.4 million from Friday through Sunday.
Low-budget 'Paranormal Activity 4' opened short of distributor Paramount's projection for at least $35 million in domestic receipts during the movie's lead off weekend. The film also trailed its predecessor in the haunted house series. The third 'Paranormal' rung up $53 million in its debut last October.
But with $26.5 million more from international markets, the fourth installment already had grossed far more than its tiny production budget of $5 million.
'We're thrilled,' said Don Harris, Paramount's president of domestic distribution. 'It was in a slightly more crowded market than a year ago.'
The strong showing for the film bodes well for more to follow. 'It is highly likely that we will do another,' he said.
The new 'Paranormal' chronicles the strange events that haunt a neighborhood after a woman and her young son move in. As in the earlier films, the movie uses a 'found footage' style by capturing mysterious encounters with invisible forces on surveillance cameras.
The franchise produced by Jason Blum has brought in big bucks since the original hit theaters in 2009. The first three 'Paranormal' films grabbed $577 million in global ticket sales. Each movie was produced for $5 million or less.
Receipts for 'Argo' dropped 15 percent from a week earlier. The movie has earned glowing reviews from critics and a rare 'A+' grade from audiences polled by CinemaScore.
'Argo' is based on the real-life rescue of U.S. government employees from Iran in 1979 under the guise of a fake movie production. Ben Affleck directs and stars in the film.
In fourth place, 'Taken 2' stars Liam Neeson as a former spy who is kidnapped in Istanbul. The action film has grossed $105.9 million through three weekends.
In the No. 3 slot, family movie 'Hotel Transylvania' pulled in $13.5 million at North American (U.S. and Canadian) theaters. Global sales for the animated film reached $119 million through Sunday.
'Alex Cross' starring Tyler Perry debuted in fifth place with $11.7 million domestically, was on the mark with the predictions by distributor Summit Entertainment.
The movie features Perry outside of the popular comedic role of Madea that he created. In 'Alex Cross,' the actor plays a psychologist and homicide detective in hot pursuit of a serial killer played by Matthew Fox. The film is based on the character at the center of a series of best-selling crime novels by James Patterson.
Paramount Studios, a unit of Viacom Inc released 'Paranormal Activity 4.' 'Argo' was distributed by Warner Bros., a unit of Time Warner Inc. 'Taken 2' was released by 20th Century Fox, a unit of News Corp. Sony Corp's film studio released 'Hotel Transylvania.'
'Alex Cross' was distributed by Summit Entertainment, a unit of Lions Gate Entertainment, in the United States. Entertainment One released 'Alex Cross' in Canada.
(Reporting By Lisa Richwine; editing by Patricia Reaney and Sandra Maler)
This news article is brought to you by SHOCKING DATING ADVICE - where latest news are our top priority.
Friday, October 19, 2012
Justin Timberlake, Jessica Biel marry in Italy
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Hollywood couple Justin Timberlake and Jessica Biel have married in southern Italy, People magazine said on Friday.
'It's great to be married, the ceremony was beautiful and it was so special to be surrounded by our family and friends,' the couple told the U.S. celebrity magazine in an exclusive statement.
People said it would carry full details of the wedding, including exclusive photos, in next week's edition.
'Sexy Back' singer and actor Timberlake, 31, and 'Total Recall' actress Biel, 30, have been dating on and off since 2007. They announced their engagement at the beginning of 2012, and carefully shielded the details of their nuptials from the public.
The pair have been in southern Italy for much of the week, partying with friends and wedding guests on a beach before exchanging vows. It was not immediately clear on which day the ceremony took place.
Timberlake has previously had high-profile relationships with pop singer Britney Spears and actress Cameron Diaz.
Tennessee native Timberlake, who rose to fame in the boy band N'Sync, forged a successful solo music career before moving into films. He played Napster founder, Sean Parker, in the Oscar-nominated Facebook film, 'The Social Network' and more recently starred alongside Amy Adams and Clint Eastwood in 'Trouble With The Curve.'
Biel, who was born in Minnesota, started her career on U.S. television in the long-running family drama '7th Heaven.' She broke into movies with a starring role in the 2003 remake of horror flick 'Texas Chainsaw Massacre' and has since been seen in 'The A-Team' and 'New Year's Eve.'
(Reporting by Jill Serjeant; Editing by Bernadette Baum)
'It's great to be married, the ceremony was beautiful and it was so special to be surrounded by our family and friends,' the couple told the U.S. celebrity magazine in an exclusive statement.
People said it would carry full details of the wedding, including exclusive photos, in next week's edition.
'Sexy Back' singer and actor Timberlake, 31, and 'Total Recall' actress Biel, 30, have been dating on and off since 2007. They announced their engagement at the beginning of 2012, and carefully shielded the details of their nuptials from the public.
The pair have been in southern Italy for much of the week, partying with friends and wedding guests on a beach before exchanging vows. It was not immediately clear on which day the ceremony took place.
Timberlake has previously had high-profile relationships with pop singer Britney Spears and actress Cameron Diaz.
Tennessee native Timberlake, who rose to fame in the boy band N'Sync, forged a successful solo music career before moving into films. He played Napster founder, Sean Parker, in the Oscar-nominated Facebook film, 'The Social Network' and more recently starred alongside Amy Adams and Clint Eastwood in 'Trouble With The Curve.'
Biel, who was born in Minnesota, started her career on U.S. television in the long-running family drama '7th Heaven.' She broke into movies with a starring role in the 2003 remake of horror flick 'Texas Chainsaw Massacre' and has since been seen in 'The A-Team' and 'New Year's Eve.'
(Reporting by Jill Serjeant; Editing by Bernadette Baum)
Actor John Hawkes: A familiar face to reluctant fame
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Unlike some actors, John Hawkes dislikes being recognized and does not crave attention. It distracts people from believing his transformations, he says quietly, of which there have been many.
In role after role, he has remained anonymous, so much so that eyebrows were raised when he was nominated for best supporting actor last year for 'Winter's Bone.'
Now he is being propelled farther into the limelight in a starring role that awards voters traditionally love -- a writer crippled by polio -- opposite Helen Hunt in 'The Sessions,' a feel-good inspiring indie movie aiming for wider appeal when it is released in the United States on Friday.
'There is trepidation alongside the gratitude,' Hawkes said in an interview about his rising status, adding that while he 'doesn't want to seem ungrateful,' he knows with acclaim comes 'things that are actually detrimental to being an effective actor.'
'The Sessions' is based on the story of Mark O'Brien, an American poet and journalist who died in 1999, aged 49, who spends his days being wheeled around on a gurney and nights trapped in an iron lung. The film shows O'Brien hiring a sex therapist, played by Hunt, to lose his virginity.
It premiered to a standing ovation at the Sundance Film Festival. Then called 'The Surrogate,' it was a breakout hit there. It has received rave reviews, including for the performances of Hunt, and Hawkes, who for the entire film is limited to movement mostly above the neck.
'Just the notion that you would be playing the lead role in a film and you would only be able to move your head 90 degrees and every other part of you would have to remain twisted and still, gives you pause as an actor,' Hawkes said.
He was offered the role by writer and director Ben Lewin on the back of his 'Winter's Bone' success, in which he played a menacing meth addict and before that an evil cult leader in the film 'Martha Marcy May Marlene.' He is best known for his recurring role of Sol Star in the TV series 'Deadwood.'
'Ben rented 'Winter's Bone' and reported back, 'That creepy old guy?'' Hawkes said.
By then Lewin, himself a polio survivor, checked previous roles in a career spanning more than 25 years. They met and clicked.
'I don't know if he had a lot of choices at the time,' said Hawkes, who at 53 looks young enough to play O'Brien aged in his late thirties.
HUMANIZING O'BRIEN
After Hawkes signed onto the film, Hunt followed, as did William H. Macy, who as a priest counsels O'Brien, a fervent Catholic, and offers advice in often humorous scenes.
Lewin shot the film in chronological order in a 22-day shoot to make the sex scenes between Hunt and Hawkes seem authentic.
'Sex scenes are often awkward to shoot and made to look flawless and like the perfect fantasy -- and we weren't interested in that,' said Hawkes. 'It was a wise choice that Helen and I didn't pal up and have dinner and get to know each other, so that awkwardness, unfamiliarity, nervousness, is all real.'
He spent two months before filming practicing O'Brien's high-pitched voice and mannerisms seen in the Oscar-winning 1996 documentary short film, 'Breathing Lessons: The Life and Work of Mark O'Brien.'
Training himself to lie still, he learned to use a mouth stick and did not have the aid of prosthetics or a body double to replicate O'Brien's extreme curvature of the spine. Instead, he used a 'soccer ball-sized piece of foam' placed behind his back to pronounce his rib cage.
He wanted to ensure during filming that 'I would forget I was horizontal and just thought of myself as a human being,' he said.
He often consulted the real life Cheryl Cohen Greene, who Hunt plays, and Susan Fernbach, O'Brien's partner in later years.
The film offers the message of living life to the full and facing one's fears. These are lessons Hawkes, who dreamed of being creative after appearing in a play aged 16, seems attuned to.
'Since that moment it has been in my blood, to, if nothing else avoid the straight world,' he said.
(Editing by Patricia Reaney; Editing by Kenneth Barry)
This news article is brought to you by CELEBRITY GOSSIP NEWS - where latest news are our top priority.
In role after role, he has remained anonymous, so much so that eyebrows were raised when he was nominated for best supporting actor last year for 'Winter's Bone.'
Now he is being propelled farther into the limelight in a starring role that awards voters traditionally love -- a writer crippled by polio -- opposite Helen Hunt in 'The Sessions,' a feel-good inspiring indie movie aiming for wider appeal when it is released in the United States on Friday.
'There is trepidation alongside the gratitude,' Hawkes said in an interview about his rising status, adding that while he 'doesn't want to seem ungrateful,' he knows with acclaim comes 'things that are actually detrimental to being an effective actor.'
'The Sessions' is based on the story of Mark O'Brien, an American poet and journalist who died in 1999, aged 49, who spends his days being wheeled around on a gurney and nights trapped in an iron lung. The film shows O'Brien hiring a sex therapist, played by Hunt, to lose his virginity.
It premiered to a standing ovation at the Sundance Film Festival. Then called 'The Surrogate,' it was a breakout hit there. It has received rave reviews, including for the performances of Hunt, and Hawkes, who for the entire film is limited to movement mostly above the neck.
'Just the notion that you would be playing the lead role in a film and you would only be able to move your head 90 degrees and every other part of you would have to remain twisted and still, gives you pause as an actor,' Hawkes said.
He was offered the role by writer and director Ben Lewin on the back of his 'Winter's Bone' success, in which he played a menacing meth addict and before that an evil cult leader in the film 'Martha Marcy May Marlene.' He is best known for his recurring role of Sol Star in the TV series 'Deadwood.'
'Ben rented 'Winter's Bone' and reported back, 'That creepy old guy?'' Hawkes said.
By then Lewin, himself a polio survivor, checked previous roles in a career spanning more than 25 years. They met and clicked.
'I don't know if he had a lot of choices at the time,' said Hawkes, who at 53 looks young enough to play O'Brien aged in his late thirties.
HUMANIZING O'BRIEN
After Hawkes signed onto the film, Hunt followed, as did William H. Macy, who as a priest counsels O'Brien, a fervent Catholic, and offers advice in often humorous scenes.
Lewin shot the film in chronological order in a 22-day shoot to make the sex scenes between Hunt and Hawkes seem authentic.
'Sex scenes are often awkward to shoot and made to look flawless and like the perfect fantasy -- and we weren't interested in that,' said Hawkes. 'It was a wise choice that Helen and I didn't pal up and have dinner and get to know each other, so that awkwardness, unfamiliarity, nervousness, is all real.'
He spent two months before filming practicing O'Brien's high-pitched voice and mannerisms seen in the Oscar-winning 1996 documentary short film, 'Breathing Lessons: The Life and Work of Mark O'Brien.'
Training himself to lie still, he learned to use a mouth stick and did not have the aid of prosthetics or a body double to replicate O'Brien's extreme curvature of the spine. Instead, he used a 'soccer ball-sized piece of foam' placed behind his back to pronounce his rib cage.
He wanted to ensure during filming that 'I would forget I was horizontal and just thought of myself as a human being,' he said.
He often consulted the real life Cheryl Cohen Greene, who Hunt plays, and Susan Fernbach, O'Brien's partner in later years.
The film offers the message of living life to the full and facing one's fears. These are lessons Hawkes, who dreamed of being creative after appearing in a play aged 16, seems attuned to.
'Since that moment it has been in my blood, to, if nothing else avoid the straight world,' he said.
(Editing by Patricia Reaney; Editing by Kenneth Barry)
This news article is brought to you by CELEBRITY GOSSIP NEWS - where latest news are our top priority.
Wednesday, October 17, 2012
Actress Megan Fox gives birth to baby boy
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Actress Megan Fox said on Wednesday that she had given birth to a baby boy, her first child, with husband Brian Austin Green, in September.
The 'Transformers' actress, 26, made the announcement on her official Facebook page, saying she wanted to release the news herself.
'I gave birth to our son Noah Shannon Green on September 27th. He is healthy, happy, and perfect. We are humbled to have the opportunity to call ourselves the parents of this beautiful soul and I am forever grateful to God for allowing me to know this kind of boundless, immaculate love,' the actress said.
Fox and television actor Green, 39, married in June 2010 in Hawaii after a four-year engagement that included a brief split in 2009.
Green, who rose to fame in the 1990s series 'Beverly Hills, 90210' and will be seen in the upcoming comedy series 'The Wedding Band,' has a son, Kassius, from a previous relationship with his '90210' co-star Vanessa Marcil.
(Reporting By Piya Sinha-Roy, editing by Jill Serjeant and Sofina Mirza-Reid)
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The 'Transformers' actress, 26, made the announcement on her official Facebook page, saying she wanted to release the news herself.
'I gave birth to our son Noah Shannon Green on September 27th. He is healthy, happy, and perfect. We are humbled to have the opportunity to call ourselves the parents of this beautiful soul and I am forever grateful to God for allowing me to know this kind of boundless, immaculate love,' the actress said.
Fox and television actor Green, 39, married in June 2010 in Hawaii after a four-year engagement that included a brief split in 2009.
Green, who rose to fame in the 1990s series 'Beverly Hills, 90210' and will be seen in the upcoming comedy series 'The Wedding Band,' has a son, Kassius, from a previous relationship with his '90210' co-star Vanessa Marcil.
(Reporting By Piya Sinha-Roy, editing by Jill Serjeant and Sofina Mirza-Reid)
This article is brought to you by FREE MONEY MANAGEMENT TOOL.
Santa Barbara Film Fest's Kirk Douglas Award is talkin' to Robert De Niro
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Robert De Niro has been chosen as the 2012 recipient of the Santa Barbara International Film Festival's Kirk Douglas Award for Excellence in Film, the SBIFF announced on Tuesday.
The annual honor, which in the past has gone to the likes of Michael Douglas, Quentin Tarantino and Harrison Ford, is one of the first awards in what might be called the flip side of awards season, in which publicity campaigns are given boosts by lifetime achievement awards and special citations from the likes of the Santa Barbara and Palm Springs Film Festivals.
De Niro is considered a strong Best Supporting Actor candidate for his performance in David O. Russell's 'Silver Linings Playbook,' in which the veteran actor excels in the meatiest role he has had in years. In the press release announcing De Niro's selection, Kirk Douglas commented, 'I am a great fan, not only for what he does on screen, but also for establishing the Tribeca Film Festival.'
The award will be given to De Niro not at the late-January film festival, which will honor a wide variety of other actors and filmmakers, but at a separate black-tie ceremony in Santa Barbara on December 8.
The event will serve as a fundraiser for the festival, which will take place from January 24 to February 3, 2013. In addition to screenings and panels, the festival will give out a number of awards at special tributes, which will be announced in coming weeks.
'Silver Linings Playbook,' which became an immediate Oscar contender when it debuted in Toronto in September, will be released by the Weinstein Company in November.
This news article is brought to you by GOING GREEN NEWS - where latest news are our top priority.
The annual honor, which in the past has gone to the likes of Michael Douglas, Quentin Tarantino and Harrison Ford, is one of the first awards in what might be called the flip side of awards season, in which publicity campaigns are given boosts by lifetime achievement awards and special citations from the likes of the Santa Barbara and Palm Springs Film Festivals.
De Niro is considered a strong Best Supporting Actor candidate for his performance in David O. Russell's 'Silver Linings Playbook,' in which the veteran actor excels in the meatiest role he has had in years. In the press release announcing De Niro's selection, Kirk Douglas commented, 'I am a great fan, not only for what he does on screen, but also for establishing the Tribeca Film Festival.'
The award will be given to De Niro not at the late-January film festival, which will honor a wide variety of other actors and filmmakers, but at a separate black-tie ceremony in Santa Barbara on December 8.
The event will serve as a fundraiser for the festival, which will take place from January 24 to February 3, 2013. In addition to screenings and panels, the festival will give out a number of awards at special tributes, which will be announced in coming weeks.
'Silver Linings Playbook,' which became an immediate Oscar contender when it debuted in Toronto in September, will be released by the Weinstein Company in November.
This news article is brought to you by GOING GREEN NEWS - where latest news are our top priority.
Tuesday, October 16, 2012
Martin Scorsese, Leo DiCaprio Head to Paramount with 'Wolf of Wall Street'
NEW YORK (TheWrap.com) - Martin Scorsese and Leonardo DiCaprio are returning to Paramount with their upcoming drama, 'The Wolf of Wall Street,' an individual with knowledge of the deal told TheWrap.
The studio has acquired domestic rights to the film, which chronicles the rise and fall of Jordan Belfort (DiCaprio), a Wall Street trader whose own success leads him down a path towards substance abuse and, eventually, jail time. It plans to release the film in the fourth quarter of next year, positioning it for awards season. Scorsese's films often garner multiple nominations, though wins have been harder to come by.
Scorsese is directing the film from Terence Winter's script. Winter, a main writer on 'The Sopranos,' created HBO's 'Boardwalk Empire, which Scorsese directed the pilot of.
Winter adapted 'Wolf' from Belfort's memoir, one of two best-sellers written by the former trader.
Paramount also distributed Scorsese and DiCaprio's last collaboration, 'Shutter Island. That thriller was initially slated for a fourth quarter release, but the studio then moved it to February.
Though it was not a major awards contender, it made almost $300 million at the global box office and received largely positive reviews.
This news article is brought to you by MOVIE CRITIC NEWS - where latest news are our top priority.
The studio has acquired domestic rights to the film, which chronicles the rise and fall of Jordan Belfort (DiCaprio), a Wall Street trader whose own success leads him down a path towards substance abuse and, eventually, jail time. It plans to release the film in the fourth quarter of next year, positioning it for awards season. Scorsese's films often garner multiple nominations, though wins have been harder to come by.
Scorsese is directing the film from Terence Winter's script. Winter, a main writer on 'The Sopranos,' created HBO's 'Boardwalk Empire, which Scorsese directed the pilot of.
Winter adapted 'Wolf' from Belfort's memoir, one of two best-sellers written by the former trader.
Paramount also distributed Scorsese and DiCaprio's last collaboration, 'Shutter Island. That thriller was initially slated for a fourth quarter release, but the studio then moved it to February.
Though it was not a major awards contender, it made almost $300 million at the global box office and received largely positive reviews.
This news article is brought to you by MOVIE CRITIC NEWS - where latest news are our top priority.
Johnny Depp embarking on book imprint with Harper
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Johnny Depp is adding a new hat to his collection, as a publisher with the launch of a new book imprint in conjunction with Harper, the company said on Tuesday.
Depp, the Oscar-nominated actor known for films ranging from 'Edward Scissorhands' and the 'Pirates of the Caribbean' series to the recent 'Dark Shadows,' will focus on books that reflect his interests and passions, providing a home for 'outspoken and visionary ideas and voices,' HarperCollins said in a release.
Depp said in the release the new imprint would 'deliver publications worthy of people's time, of people's concern. Publications that might ordinarily never have breached the parapet.'
One of the titles under the new imprint, which is called Infinitum Nihil, will include 'The Unraveled Tales of Bob Dylan,' by author Douglas Brinkley and promises to set the record straight on countless Dylan issues. It is tentatively scheduled to be published in 2015.
'Johnny and I thought the Dylan book was the ideal way to inaugurate the Infinitum Nihil series,' Brinkley said in the HarperCollins release. 'Bob has been very warm and forthcoming with us. His music has inspired us both deeply since we were teenagers.'
Depp and Brinkley have already collaborated in the past, co-writing the Grammy Award-nominated liner notes for the documentary, 'Gonzo: The Life and Work of Dr. Hunter S. Thompson.'
Early next year the new imprint will publish another tome steeped in music history, folk singer Woody Guthrie's novel 'House of Earth.'
Guthrie finished the book in 1947 but never tried to have it published, and the manuscript remained in his archives. The book is set in the Texas panhandle of the 1930s amid the struggle between private citizens, banks and corporate interests.
Depp and Brinkley, author of the Walter Cronkite biography 'Cronkite,' will pen an essay to introduce the novel.
(Reporting by Chris Michaud, editing by Christine Kearney)
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Depp, the Oscar-nominated actor known for films ranging from 'Edward Scissorhands' and the 'Pirates of the Caribbean' series to the recent 'Dark Shadows,' will focus on books that reflect his interests and passions, providing a home for 'outspoken and visionary ideas and voices,' HarperCollins said in a release.
Depp said in the release the new imprint would 'deliver publications worthy of people's time, of people's concern. Publications that might ordinarily never have breached the parapet.'
One of the titles under the new imprint, which is called Infinitum Nihil, will include 'The Unraveled Tales of Bob Dylan,' by author Douglas Brinkley and promises to set the record straight on countless Dylan issues. It is tentatively scheduled to be published in 2015.
'Johnny and I thought the Dylan book was the ideal way to inaugurate the Infinitum Nihil series,' Brinkley said in the HarperCollins release. 'Bob has been very warm and forthcoming with us. His music has inspired us both deeply since we were teenagers.'
Depp and Brinkley have already collaborated in the past, co-writing the Grammy Award-nominated liner notes for the documentary, 'Gonzo: The Life and Work of Dr. Hunter S. Thompson.'
Early next year the new imprint will publish another tome steeped in music history, folk singer Woody Guthrie's novel 'House of Earth.'
Guthrie finished the book in 1947 but never tried to have it published, and the manuscript remained in his archives. The book is set in the Texas panhandle of the 1930s amid the struggle between private citizens, banks and corporate interests.
Depp and Brinkley, author of the Walter Cronkite biography 'Cronkite,' will pen an essay to introduce the novel.
(Reporting by Chris Michaud, editing by Christine Kearney)
This article is brought to you by ONLINE MONEY MANAGER.
Bye-bye Ricky, hello Tina and Amy for Golden Globes
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Comedy duo Tina Fey and Amy Poehler will host next year's Golden Globe awards in Beverly Hills, bringing perhaps a gentler touch to a ceremony helmed for the past three years by acerbic Briton Rick Gervais.
Organizers the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA) and NBC said on Monday that Fey and Poehler would bring their tried and tested chemistry to the January 13, 2013 gala dinner for Hollywood's leading film and TV stars.
Fey, 42, creator and star of '30 Rock,' and 'Parks and Recreation' actress Poehler, 41, have worked together for years - first on satirical sketch show 'Saturday Night Live' and later on 2008 comedy movie 'Baby Mama.'
'Tina and Amy have a proven chemistry and comedic timing from their many years together,' NBC alternative programming president Paul Telegdy said in a statement.
The executive producers of dick clark productions, which owns the rights to the Golden Globes, said they were excited 'to have two of the most respected names in comedy' at the helm of the 70th Globes ceremony.
Fey has won seven Emmy awards for her TV work, including her piercing impersonations of 2008 Republican vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin.
Poehler worked for eight years on 'Saturday Night Live,' often playing politician Hillary Clinton, and went on to create and star in popular TV comedy 'Parks and Recreation.' She also appeared alongside Fey in the 2004 comedy 'Mean Girls.'
Gervais hosted the event, which hands out awards to the best films, actors and TV shows of the previous year, from 2010-2012, attracting plenty of publicity along with criticism for his acid one-liners about the assembled celebrities.
The British creator of the TV series 'The Office' was the first person to host the Golden Globes ceremony since 1995. In the interim, the live, televised show went without a formal host and used presenters to introduce the various awards.
The Golden Globes is one of Hollywood's key award ceremonies ahead of the Oscars, which take place next year on February 24 and will be hosted by Seth MacFarlane, creator of animated comedy 'Family Guy.'
(Reporting By Jill Serjeant; Editing by Todd Eastham and Eric Walsh)
This news article is brought to you by GLAMOROUS FASHION NEWS - where latest news are our top priority.
Organizers the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA) and NBC said on Monday that Fey and Poehler would bring their tried and tested chemistry to the January 13, 2013 gala dinner for Hollywood's leading film and TV stars.
Fey, 42, creator and star of '30 Rock,' and 'Parks and Recreation' actress Poehler, 41, have worked together for years - first on satirical sketch show 'Saturday Night Live' and later on 2008 comedy movie 'Baby Mama.'
'Tina and Amy have a proven chemistry and comedic timing from their many years together,' NBC alternative programming president Paul Telegdy said in a statement.
The executive producers of dick clark productions, which owns the rights to the Golden Globes, said they were excited 'to have two of the most respected names in comedy' at the helm of the 70th Globes ceremony.
Fey has won seven Emmy awards for her TV work, including her piercing impersonations of 2008 Republican vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin.
Poehler worked for eight years on 'Saturday Night Live,' often playing politician Hillary Clinton, and went on to create and star in popular TV comedy 'Parks and Recreation.' She also appeared alongside Fey in the 2004 comedy 'Mean Girls.'
Gervais hosted the event, which hands out awards to the best films, actors and TV shows of the previous year, from 2010-2012, attracting plenty of publicity along with criticism for his acid one-liners about the assembled celebrities.
The British creator of the TV series 'The Office' was the first person to host the Golden Globes ceremony since 1995. In the interim, the live, televised show went without a formal host and used presenters to introduce the various awards.
The Golden Globes is one of Hollywood's key award ceremonies ahead of the Oscars, which take place next year on February 24 and will be hosted by Seth MacFarlane, creator of animated comedy 'Family Guy.'
(Reporting By Jill Serjeant; Editing by Todd Eastham and Eric Walsh)
This news article is brought to you by GLAMOROUS FASHION NEWS - where latest news are our top priority.
Monday, October 15, 2012
Russell Crowe separates from wife: media
CANBERRA (Reuters) - Academy Award-winning actor Russell Crowe has separated from his wife after nine years of marriage, Australian media reported on Monday.
Neither Crowe nor his musician wife, Danielle Spencer, was available for immediate comment and their Twitter accounts gave no hint of any split.
But Don Spencer, Spencer's father, confirmed the couple had separated and said their main priority was the children, Australian TV station Ten Network reported.
New Zealand-born Crowe was filming the Biblical epic 'Noah' in the United States, while Spencer remained in Sydney with their two sons, the Sydney Morning Herald said.
The couple married in 2003 and were seen as a solid partnership in showbiz circles. Spencer was believed to have tamed Crowe's temper while pursuing her own music career.
'All that stuff has nothing to do with me as a person,' Spencer had said of her husband's fame, according to the newspaper.
Crowe won the best actor Oscar for the 2000 movie 'Gladiator' and was nominated for the same award for the 'The Insider' (1999) and 'A Beautiful Mind' (2001).
(Reporting by Maggie Lu Yueyang; Editing by Elaine Lies)
This news article is brought to you by TAXES BLOG - where latest news are our top priority.
Neither Crowe nor his musician wife, Danielle Spencer, was available for immediate comment and their Twitter accounts gave no hint of any split.
But Don Spencer, Spencer's father, confirmed the couple had separated and said their main priority was the children, Australian TV station Ten Network reported.
New Zealand-born Crowe was filming the Biblical epic 'Noah' in the United States, while Spencer remained in Sydney with their two sons, the Sydney Morning Herald said.
The couple married in 2003 and were seen as a solid partnership in showbiz circles. Spencer was believed to have tamed Crowe's temper while pursuing her own music career.
'All that stuff has nothing to do with me as a person,' Spencer had said of her husband's fame, according to the newspaper.
Crowe won the best actor Oscar for the 2000 movie 'Gladiator' and was nominated for the same award for the 'The Insider' (1999) and 'A Beautiful Mind' (2001).
(Reporting by Maggie Lu Yueyang; Editing by Elaine Lies)
This news article is brought to you by TAXES BLOG - where latest news are our top priority.
Sunday, October 14, 2012
Thriller "Taken 2" earns second box office win
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Liam Neeson thriller 'Taken 2' won a battle between two hostage movies over the weekend, holding on to its top box office rankings for a second week with $22.5 million from ticket sales at U.S. and Canadian theaters.
Ben Affleck's highly praised Iran hostage thriller 'Argo' was as close second, earning $20.1 million from Friday through Sunday. Low-budget horror movie 'Sinister' came in third with $18.3 million, according to studio estimates compiled by Reuters.
Action sequel 'Taken 2' stars Neeson as a former CIA agent who is captured while on vacation in Istanbul. The movie has pulled in $86.8 million at North American (U.S. and Canadian) theaters since its debut a week ago, plus $132.8 million from international markets.
'We continue to play broadly across all demographics and it is a testament to the strength of Liam's character and the property,' said Chris Aronson, president of domestic distribution at 20th Century Fox, which released the film.
With a worldwide box office total already reaching nearly $220 million, he said the film was close to equaling the final box office total of the first 'Taken' movie ($226.8 million), and therefore labeled the sequel as 'a much bigger movie.'
'Taken 2' sales outpaced receipts for 'Argo,' a movie that Affleck stars in and directs. The film is based on a real-life CIA plot to smuggle six U.S. diplomats out of Iran in 1979 under the guise of a fake movie production.
The diplomats had escaped the storming of the U.S. Embassy in Tehran at the height of the Islamic revolution. They hid at the Canadian embassy until a CIA agent came to sneak them out of the country.
'Argo' is generating buzz as an Oscar contender after earning stellar marks from critics, with 94 percent of reviews collected on the Rotten Tomatoes website praising the film. Ahead of the weekend, box-office forecasters had predicted an opening of $15 million or more.
'The movie is like the perfect storm, everything came together at the right time,' said Dan Fellman, president of theatrical distribution for Warner Bros, noting that the combination of the film's appeal to all ages combined with critical acclaim and awards season buzz would spell a long commercial run.
'It's going to have legs,' he said. 'Critical acclaim is going to translate into commercial success.'
Warner Bros. and GK Films paid about $44 million to produce the movie.
Sales for third-place film 'Sinister' came in more than 6 times its tiny $3 million production budget. The movie stars Ethan Hawke as a crime novelist who moves into a new house and finds disturbing home movies. It was produced by Jason Blum, producer of the hit 'Paranormal Activity' series of horror flicks.
Family film 'Hotel Transylvania' held on to the No. 4 spot during its third weekend in theaters, pulling in $17.3 million. Total domestic sales since its debut reached $102.2 million.
New comedy 'Here Comes the Boom,' earned $12 million and landed in fifth place. The $40-million film stars Kevin James as a high-school biology teacher who competes in mixed martial arts to raise money for his school.
Another new entry, comedy 'Seven Psychopaths,' earned ninth place, grossing $4.3 million from a medium-sized run in about 1,500 theaters. The film stars Colin Farrell and Woody Harrelson in the story of a screenwriter who gets wrapped up in criminal activity after his friends kidnap a gangster's dog.
The movie, which won an 89 percent positive rating on Rotten Tomatoes, cost $15 million to make. It will expand to more theaters in two weeks.
Warner Bros., a unit of Time Warner Inc, released 'Argo.' 'Taken 2' was distributed by News Corp's 20th Century Fox studio. Summit Entertainment, owned by Lions Gate Entertainment, released 'Sinister.'
Sony Corp's movie studio distributed 'Hotel Transylvania' and 'Here Comes the Boom.' CBS Films, a unit of CBS Corp, released 'Seven Psychopaths.'
(Additional reporting by Christine Kearney, editing by Doina Chiacu and Gunna Dickson)
This news article is brought to you by ADVANCED DATING ADVICE - where latest news are our top priority.
Ben Affleck's highly praised Iran hostage thriller 'Argo' was as close second, earning $20.1 million from Friday through Sunday. Low-budget horror movie 'Sinister' came in third with $18.3 million, according to studio estimates compiled by Reuters.
Action sequel 'Taken 2' stars Neeson as a former CIA agent who is captured while on vacation in Istanbul. The movie has pulled in $86.8 million at North American (U.S. and Canadian) theaters since its debut a week ago, plus $132.8 million from international markets.
'We continue to play broadly across all demographics and it is a testament to the strength of Liam's character and the property,' said Chris Aronson, president of domestic distribution at 20th Century Fox, which released the film.
With a worldwide box office total already reaching nearly $220 million, he said the film was close to equaling the final box office total of the first 'Taken' movie ($226.8 million), and therefore labeled the sequel as 'a much bigger movie.'
'Taken 2' sales outpaced receipts for 'Argo,' a movie that Affleck stars in and directs. The film is based on a real-life CIA plot to smuggle six U.S. diplomats out of Iran in 1979 under the guise of a fake movie production.
The diplomats had escaped the storming of the U.S. Embassy in Tehran at the height of the Islamic revolution. They hid at the Canadian embassy until a CIA agent came to sneak them out of the country.
'Argo' is generating buzz as an Oscar contender after earning stellar marks from critics, with 94 percent of reviews collected on the Rotten Tomatoes website praising the film. Ahead of the weekend, box-office forecasters had predicted an opening of $15 million or more.
'The movie is like the perfect storm, everything came together at the right time,' said Dan Fellman, president of theatrical distribution for Warner Bros, noting that the combination of the film's appeal to all ages combined with critical acclaim and awards season buzz would spell a long commercial run.
'It's going to have legs,' he said. 'Critical acclaim is going to translate into commercial success.'
Warner Bros. and GK Films paid about $44 million to produce the movie.
Sales for third-place film 'Sinister' came in more than 6 times its tiny $3 million production budget. The movie stars Ethan Hawke as a crime novelist who moves into a new house and finds disturbing home movies. It was produced by Jason Blum, producer of the hit 'Paranormal Activity' series of horror flicks.
Family film 'Hotel Transylvania' held on to the No. 4 spot during its third weekend in theaters, pulling in $17.3 million. Total domestic sales since its debut reached $102.2 million.
New comedy 'Here Comes the Boom,' earned $12 million and landed in fifth place. The $40-million film stars Kevin James as a high-school biology teacher who competes in mixed martial arts to raise money for his school.
Another new entry, comedy 'Seven Psychopaths,' earned ninth place, grossing $4.3 million from a medium-sized run in about 1,500 theaters. The film stars Colin Farrell and Woody Harrelson in the story of a screenwriter who gets wrapped up in criminal activity after his friends kidnap a gangster's dog.
The movie, which won an 89 percent positive rating on Rotten Tomatoes, cost $15 million to make. It will expand to more theaters in two weeks.
Warner Bros., a unit of Time Warner Inc, released 'Argo.' 'Taken 2' was distributed by News Corp's 20th Century Fox studio. Summit Entertainment, owned by Lions Gate Entertainment, released 'Sinister.'
Sony Corp's movie studio distributed 'Hotel Transylvania' and 'Here Comes the Boom.' CBS Films, a unit of CBS Corp, released 'Seven Psychopaths.'
(Additional reporting by Christine Kearney, editing by Doina Chiacu and Gunna Dickson)
This news article is brought to you by ADVANCED DATING ADVICE - where latest news are our top priority.
Saturday, October 13, 2012
Brad Pitt blasts U.S. 'War on Drugs,' calls for policy rethink
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Brad Pitt has thrown his weight behind a documentary that blasts America's 40-year war on drugs as a failure, calling policies that imprison huge numbers of drug-users a 'charade' in urgent need of a rethink.
The Hollywood actor came aboard recently as an executive producer of filmmaker Eugene Jarecki's 'The House I Live In,' which won the Grand Jury Prize in January at the Sundance Film Festival. The film opened in wide release in the United States on Friday.
Ahead of a Los Angeles screening, Pitt and Jarecki spoke passionately about the 'War on Drugs' which, according to the documentary, has cost more than $1 trillion and accounted for over 45 million arrests since 1971, and which preys largely on poor and minority communities.
'I know people are suffering because of it. I know I've lived a very privileged life in comparison and I can't stand for it,' Pitt told Reuters on Friday, calling the government's War on Drugs policy a 'charade.'
'It's such bad strategy. It makes no sense. It perpetuates itself. You make a bust, you drive up profit, which makes more people want to get into it,' he added. 'To me, there's no question; we have to rethink this policy and we have to rethink it now.'
'The House I Live In' was filmed in more than 20 states and tells stories from many sides of the issue, including Jarecki's African-American nanny, a drug dealer, narcotics officer, inmate, judge, grieving mother, senator and others.
It also shows that although the United States accounts for only 5 percent of the world's population, it has 25 percent of its prison population. Additionally, African Americans, who make up roughly 13 percent of the population and 14 percent of its drug users, account for 56 percent of those incarcerated for drug crimes.
FILM GETS STRONG REVIEWS
The Los Angeles Times called the film 'one of the most important pieces of nonfiction to hit the screen in years,' while the Hollywood Reporter said it was a 'potent cry for a drastic rethinking of America's War on Drugs' and that the film 'should connect solidly with viewers at a moment when it seems possible to change public attitudes.'
Pitt, who like his partner Angelina Jolie is no stranger to humanitarian and social causes, said that after seeing Jarecki's documentary, coupled with his own involvement with aiding the victims of Hurricane Katrina, he realized the U.S. government's war on drugs may not just be about drugs alone.
'That was an interesting premise for me,' the 'Moneyball' star told Reuters. 'I hadn't thought about it in that matter (before seeing the film), but certainly what we witnessed after Katrina proved the idea had validity.'
Some critics have attributed the slow response of the U.S. government to Katrina in 2005, and the devastating flooding of poor areas of New Orleans, to race and class issues.
Now, Pitt believes the War on Drugs is the greatest obstacle for impoverished parts of society, including African Americans, from getting ahead.
'It's a never-ending cycle. But then when you look at it after what we experienced with Katrina - this is Eugene's point and what he wanted to investigate - it is actually being used to cap a portion of our society and holding them back, shackling them,' the actor said, adding that he signed on as executive producer to help promote the documentary.
Jarecki contrasted the justice system's attitude to bankers in the 2008 financial meltdown of Wall Street, who 'got a slap on the hand,' with its stance toward young drug-takers.
'A kid right now a block from here is going to have a cop find an ounce of something on his person and he's going spend 10 years in jail. These are all indicators of a society that has lost its way - and it has lost its way in the direction of injustice and unfairness,' Jarecki told Reuters.
(Editing by Jill Serjeant and Eric Walsh)
This news article is brought to you by GAMING NEWS - where latest news are our top priority.
The Hollywood actor came aboard recently as an executive producer of filmmaker Eugene Jarecki's 'The House I Live In,' which won the Grand Jury Prize in January at the Sundance Film Festival. The film opened in wide release in the United States on Friday.
Ahead of a Los Angeles screening, Pitt and Jarecki spoke passionately about the 'War on Drugs' which, according to the documentary, has cost more than $1 trillion and accounted for over 45 million arrests since 1971, and which preys largely on poor and minority communities.
'I know people are suffering because of it. I know I've lived a very privileged life in comparison and I can't stand for it,' Pitt told Reuters on Friday, calling the government's War on Drugs policy a 'charade.'
'It's such bad strategy. It makes no sense. It perpetuates itself. You make a bust, you drive up profit, which makes more people want to get into it,' he added. 'To me, there's no question; we have to rethink this policy and we have to rethink it now.'
'The House I Live In' was filmed in more than 20 states and tells stories from many sides of the issue, including Jarecki's African-American nanny, a drug dealer, narcotics officer, inmate, judge, grieving mother, senator and others.
It also shows that although the United States accounts for only 5 percent of the world's population, it has 25 percent of its prison population. Additionally, African Americans, who make up roughly 13 percent of the population and 14 percent of its drug users, account for 56 percent of those incarcerated for drug crimes.
FILM GETS STRONG REVIEWS
The Los Angeles Times called the film 'one of the most important pieces of nonfiction to hit the screen in years,' while the Hollywood Reporter said it was a 'potent cry for a drastic rethinking of America's War on Drugs' and that the film 'should connect solidly with viewers at a moment when it seems possible to change public attitudes.'
Pitt, who like his partner Angelina Jolie is no stranger to humanitarian and social causes, said that after seeing Jarecki's documentary, coupled with his own involvement with aiding the victims of Hurricane Katrina, he realized the U.S. government's war on drugs may not just be about drugs alone.
'That was an interesting premise for me,' the 'Moneyball' star told Reuters. 'I hadn't thought about it in that matter (before seeing the film), but certainly what we witnessed after Katrina proved the idea had validity.'
Some critics have attributed the slow response of the U.S. government to Katrina in 2005, and the devastating flooding of poor areas of New Orleans, to race and class issues.
Now, Pitt believes the War on Drugs is the greatest obstacle for impoverished parts of society, including African Americans, from getting ahead.
'It's a never-ending cycle. But then when you look at it after what we experienced with Katrina - this is Eugene's point and what he wanted to investigate - it is actually being used to cap a portion of our society and holding them back, shackling them,' the actor said, adding that he signed on as executive producer to help promote the documentary.
Jarecki contrasted the justice system's attitude to bankers in the 2008 financial meltdown of Wall Street, who 'got a slap on the hand,' with its stance toward young drug-takers.
'A kid right now a block from here is going to have a cop find an ounce of something on his person and he's going spend 10 years in jail. These are all indicators of a society that has lost its way - and it has lost its way in the direction of injustice and unfairness,' Jarecki told Reuters.
(Editing by Jill Serjeant and Eric Walsh)
This news article is brought to you by GAMING NEWS - where latest news are our top priority.
James Bond soars in early "Skyfall" reviews
(Reuters) - James Bond is back and better than ever, according to early reviews on Friday, as the latest movie featuring Britain's smooth-talking, martini-drinking super-spy soared with critics and audiences after an advance screening in London.
Newspaper critics rushed to print and celebrities took to Twitter after seeing 'Skyfall,' with many calling it the best Bond film in the franchise's 50-year history.
Reviewer Robbie Collin at British newspaper The Telegraph said director Sam Mendes' Bond was comparable to Christopher Nolan's darker, grittier 'Batman' from the 'Dark Knight' franchise.
'Mendes is unafraid to let the quieter dramatic moments breathe ... and ace cinematographer Roger Deakins makes the wildly ambitious action sequences the most beautiful in Bond's 50-year career,' Collin said.
Geoffrey McNab at the Independent gave 'Skyfall' four out of five stars, criticizing the film for being 'occasionally ... repetitive.' But he praised Mendes for 'throwing in far greater depth of characterization than we're accustomed to in a series of films that are often proudly superficial.'
'Skyfall,' the 23rd film in the Bond franchise, opens in UK theaters on October 26 and in the United States on November 9. It is Mendes' first time directing a Bond film. The British filmmaker won a best director Oscar in 2000 for 'American Beauty.'
The 22 Bond films have to date amassed $5.1 billion at the worldwide box office according to The-Numbers.com, which tracks box office performances. The last film, 2008's 'Quantum of Solace,' grossed nearly $600 million globally.
'Skyfall,' produced by privately held studio MGM, will be distributed in the UK by Sony Pictures Entertainment and in the United States by Columbia Pictures, both units of Sony Corp.
'Skyfall' sees actor Daniel Craig return as the suave agent, on a mission to bring down a dangerous villain, played by Javier Bardem. Judi Dench returns in the role of 'M' along with co-stars Ralph Fiennes and Ben Whishaw, while Naomie Harris and Berenice Marlohe became the latest Bond girls.
Baz Bamigboye at the Daily Mail gave 'Skyfall' five stars on Friday, calling it 'pure classic 007 fare, back on firm footing after the less than memorable 'Quantum of Solace.''
Reviewers on Twitter praised the explosive action scenes, Mendes' directing, Dench's darker portrayal of 'M' and Bardem's turn at playing a Bond villain.
British GQ magazine tweeted: 'Just seen #skyfall. Daniel Craig is magnificent - you will not be disappointed.' The Times film critic Kate Muir tweeted that she gave 'Skyfall' five stars, calling it 'a return to classic form and a great British bulldog of a movie.'
BBC Radio 1's film critic Rhianna Dhillon tweeted: 'WOW! You have a massive treat in store for you! Don't want to review it on air in case I give anything away! It's just so good!'
British comedian Graham Norton, who hosts a TV talk show on BBC 1, tweeted: 'Skyfall is perfection!!!!!'
(Reporting by Piya Sinha-Roy in Los Angeles, editing by Jill Serjeant and Eric Beech)
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Newspaper critics rushed to print and celebrities took to Twitter after seeing 'Skyfall,' with many calling it the best Bond film in the franchise's 50-year history.
Reviewer Robbie Collin at British newspaper The Telegraph said director Sam Mendes' Bond was comparable to Christopher Nolan's darker, grittier 'Batman' from the 'Dark Knight' franchise.
'Mendes is unafraid to let the quieter dramatic moments breathe ... and ace cinematographer Roger Deakins makes the wildly ambitious action sequences the most beautiful in Bond's 50-year career,' Collin said.
Geoffrey McNab at the Independent gave 'Skyfall' four out of five stars, criticizing the film for being 'occasionally ... repetitive.' But he praised Mendes for 'throwing in far greater depth of characterization than we're accustomed to in a series of films that are often proudly superficial.'
'Skyfall,' the 23rd film in the Bond franchise, opens in UK theaters on October 26 and in the United States on November 9. It is Mendes' first time directing a Bond film. The British filmmaker won a best director Oscar in 2000 for 'American Beauty.'
The 22 Bond films have to date amassed $5.1 billion at the worldwide box office according to The-Numbers.com, which tracks box office performances. The last film, 2008's 'Quantum of Solace,' grossed nearly $600 million globally.
'Skyfall,' produced by privately held studio MGM, will be distributed in the UK by Sony Pictures Entertainment and in the United States by Columbia Pictures, both units of Sony Corp.
'Skyfall' sees actor Daniel Craig return as the suave agent, on a mission to bring down a dangerous villain, played by Javier Bardem. Judi Dench returns in the role of 'M' along with co-stars Ralph Fiennes and Ben Whishaw, while Naomie Harris and Berenice Marlohe became the latest Bond girls.
Baz Bamigboye at the Daily Mail gave 'Skyfall' five stars on Friday, calling it 'pure classic 007 fare, back on firm footing after the less than memorable 'Quantum of Solace.''
Reviewers on Twitter praised the explosive action scenes, Mendes' directing, Dench's darker portrayal of 'M' and Bardem's turn at playing a Bond villain.
British GQ magazine tweeted: 'Just seen #skyfall. Daniel Craig is magnificent - you will not be disappointed.' The Times film critic Kate Muir tweeted that she gave 'Skyfall' five stars, calling it 'a return to classic form and a great British bulldog of a movie.'
BBC Radio 1's film critic Rhianna Dhillon tweeted: 'WOW! You have a massive treat in store for you! Don't want to review it on air in case I give anything away! It's just so good!'
British comedian Graham Norton, who hosts a TV talk show on BBC 1, tweeted: 'Skyfall is perfection!!!!!'
(Reporting by Piya Sinha-Roy in Los Angeles, editing by Jill Serjeant and Eric Beech)
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Friday, October 12, 2012
Grammys give Whitney Houston a glittering salute
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Whitney Houston was given a final sendoff by the Grammys on Thursday as Halle Berry, Britney Spears, Jennifer Hudson, Usher and other stars shared their memories and performed in homage to the late singer.
Academy-award winner Berry made a tearful introduction at the 'We Will Always Love You: A Grammy Salute to Whitney Houston' special, and praised the 'unforgettable' performer.
'She inspired a generation of little girls and women to believe in their own dream and to know that they had within themselves the greatest gift of all. I was one of those little girls who then became a woman who never ever, ever, stopped loving Whitney Houston,' Berry said.
The event was attended by Houston's daughter Bobbi Kristina Brown, who was joined by boyfriend Nick Gordon and sister-in-law Pat Houston.
Noticeably absent was Houston's mother, Cissy, and her brother Gary. Record label executive Clive Davis, who discovered the late singer, sat alongside the family in the front row.
The tribute comes towards the end of a year in which the music world was rocked by Houston's sudden death at age 48 in February. She was found dead in a Beverly Hills hotel bathtub on the night before the Grammy awards, from what authorities said was accidental drowning brought on by cocaine use and heart disease.
A homage to Houston was quickly put together at the Grammy awards in February with Jennifer Hudson singing a heart-felt rendition of 'I Will Always Love You' on a stage lit by a single spotlight. Later in May, R&B star Jordin Sparks, who co-starred with Houston in the late singer's final movie 'Sparkle,' sang the same song at the Billboard Music Awards in tribute.
There was no mention of Houston's turbulent personal life and history of drug abuse on Thursday as the Grammy organizers decided to focus on the late singer's career achievements and best-known performances, including her rendition of the 'Star-Spangled Banner' at the 1991 Superbowl.
Hudson on Thursday channeled Houston's style from the 1980s with big hair and a glittering blazer, performing more uptempo numbers with a medley of 'I'm Every Woman,' 'How Will I Know' and 'I Wanna Dance With Somebody'.
R&B star Usher sang 'I Believe In You And Me' and gospel singers Cece Winans and Yolanda Adams delivered a rousing performance of 'Count On Me,' which had Houston's family in tears.
Canadian singer Celine Dion was on the bill to perform on the night but was unable to make it, taping her rendition of 'The Greatest Love Of All' in Canada to air during the televised special.
The event organizers decided to leave Houston's best-known song, 'I Will Always Love You,' to the late singer, showing a tape of her singing at the 1994 Grammy awards.
Presenters at the event shared their memories. Pop star and 'X Factor' judge Spears said her version of Houston's 'I Have Nothing' scored her a deal with a record label and started her career.
The audience were also treated to exclusive interviews from the early days of Houston's career, showing her talking about fame, philosophy and religion.
The one-hour CBS special will be aired on November 16.
(Reporting By Piya Sinha-Roy, editing by Elaine Lies and Andrew Heavens)
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Academy-award winner Berry made a tearful introduction at the 'We Will Always Love You: A Grammy Salute to Whitney Houston' special, and praised the 'unforgettable' performer.
'She inspired a generation of little girls and women to believe in their own dream and to know that they had within themselves the greatest gift of all. I was one of those little girls who then became a woman who never ever, ever, stopped loving Whitney Houston,' Berry said.
The event was attended by Houston's daughter Bobbi Kristina Brown, who was joined by boyfriend Nick Gordon and sister-in-law Pat Houston.
Noticeably absent was Houston's mother, Cissy, and her brother Gary. Record label executive Clive Davis, who discovered the late singer, sat alongside the family in the front row.
The tribute comes towards the end of a year in which the music world was rocked by Houston's sudden death at age 48 in February. She was found dead in a Beverly Hills hotel bathtub on the night before the Grammy awards, from what authorities said was accidental drowning brought on by cocaine use and heart disease.
A homage to Houston was quickly put together at the Grammy awards in February with Jennifer Hudson singing a heart-felt rendition of 'I Will Always Love You' on a stage lit by a single spotlight. Later in May, R&B star Jordin Sparks, who co-starred with Houston in the late singer's final movie 'Sparkle,' sang the same song at the Billboard Music Awards in tribute.
There was no mention of Houston's turbulent personal life and history of drug abuse on Thursday as the Grammy organizers decided to focus on the late singer's career achievements and best-known performances, including her rendition of the 'Star-Spangled Banner' at the 1991 Superbowl.
Hudson on Thursday channeled Houston's style from the 1980s with big hair and a glittering blazer, performing more uptempo numbers with a medley of 'I'm Every Woman,' 'How Will I Know' and 'I Wanna Dance With Somebody'.
R&B star Usher sang 'I Believe In You And Me' and gospel singers Cece Winans and Yolanda Adams delivered a rousing performance of 'Count On Me,' which had Houston's family in tears.
Canadian singer Celine Dion was on the bill to perform on the night but was unable to make it, taping her rendition of 'The Greatest Love Of All' in Canada to air during the televised special.
The event organizers decided to leave Houston's best-known song, 'I Will Always Love You,' to the late singer, showing a tape of her singing at the 1994 Grammy awards.
Presenters at the event shared their memories. Pop star and 'X Factor' judge Spears said her version of Houston's 'I Have Nothing' scored her a deal with a record label and started her career.
The audience were also treated to exclusive interviews from the early days of Houston's career, showing her talking about fame, philosophy and religion.
The one-hour CBS special will be aired on November 16.
(Reporting By Piya Sinha-Roy, editing by Elaine Lies and Andrew Heavens)
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Thursday, October 11, 2012
Tom Hanks to make Broadway debut in new Nora Ephron play
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Tom Hanks will make his Broadway debut playing a tabloid journalist in 'Lucky Guy', a new drama by the late Nora Ephron, producers said in a statement on Thursday.
The Hollywood star will continue his long collaboration with Ephron that has included 'Sleepless in Seattle' in 1993 and 'You've Got Mail' in 1998. Ephron died in June at the age of 71 of complications from leukemia.
Based on a true story, 'Lucky Guy' opens in April next year, the statement said, and dramatizes the rise and fall of former tabloid columnist Mike McAlary as he covers the police scandals of a polarized, crime-ridden 1980s New York. McAlary died aged 41 in 1998.
Hanks, 56, has won two best actor Oscars for his performances in 'Philadelphia' and 'Forrest Gump' and is known for other popular films, but his stage acting has been limited to small Shakespeare productions in the 1970s.
Ephron started as a tabloid reporter before becoming known as a writer of essays, books and screenplays. She penned romantic comedies such as 1989's 'When Harry Met Sally', and wrote and directed 2009's 'Julie & Julia'.
'Lucky Guy' is billed as a drama with touches of her famed acerbic tone.
Her first Broadway play, 'Imaginary Friends', was produced in 2002 and starred Cherry Jones and Swoosie Kurtz. The play was largely panned by critics.
She also co-authored 'Love, Loss, and What I Wore' with her sister Delia, which was performed Off-Broadway to positive reviews in 2009 and enjoyed a long run followed by a national tour.
(Reporting by Andrea Burzynski; Editing by Christine Kearney and Dale Hudson)
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The Hollywood star will continue his long collaboration with Ephron that has included 'Sleepless in Seattle' in 1993 and 'You've Got Mail' in 1998. Ephron died in June at the age of 71 of complications from leukemia.
Based on a true story, 'Lucky Guy' opens in April next year, the statement said, and dramatizes the rise and fall of former tabloid columnist Mike McAlary as he covers the police scandals of a polarized, crime-ridden 1980s New York. McAlary died aged 41 in 1998.
Hanks, 56, has won two best actor Oscars for his performances in 'Philadelphia' and 'Forrest Gump' and is known for other popular films, but his stage acting has been limited to small Shakespeare productions in the 1970s.
Ephron started as a tabloid reporter before becoming known as a writer of essays, books and screenplays. She penned romantic comedies such as 1989's 'When Harry Met Sally', and wrote and directed 2009's 'Julie & Julia'.
'Lucky Guy' is billed as a drama with touches of her famed acerbic tone.
Her first Broadway play, 'Imaginary Friends', was produced in 2002 and starred Cherry Jones and Swoosie Kurtz. The play was largely panned by critics.
She also co-authored 'Love, Loss, and What I Wore' with her sister Delia, which was performed Off-Broadway to positive reviews in 2009 and enjoyed a long run followed by a national tour.
(Reporting by Andrea Burzynski; Editing by Christine Kearney and Dale Hudson)
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Wednesday, October 10, 2012
London film festival opens, Rolling Stones to star
LONDON (Reuters) - The London film festival opens on Wednesday with the European premiere of Tim Burton's stop-motion 3D animation drama 'Frankenweenie', kicking off the 12-day cinema showcase where more than 220 movies and documentaries will be screened.
It closes on October 21 with another European premiere, Mike Newell's adaptation of the classic Dickens novel 'Great Expectations' starring Ralph Fiennes as Abel Magwitch and Helena Bonham Carter as Miss Havisham.
While not yet on a par with other festivals like Cannes and Toronto, which feature world premieres in their official selections, London allows people living in the capital to catch up with the latest arthouse movies from around the globe.
There will be stars on the red carpet too, most notably on October 18 when the Rolling Stones, one of rock'n'roll's biggest bands celebrating their 50th anniversary in 2012, appear to promote a new documentary 'Crossfire Hurricane'.
The movie, which is set to some of the group's most famous tracks, will focus mainly on the first 20 years, including the death in 1969 of founder member Brian Jones, musicians coming and going and memorable live performances.
The London film festival's new director Clare Stewart said several of the bigger titles would be screened at dozens of cinemas across Britain simultaneously with the premieres.
'Audiences around the UK will not only have the opportunity to see the film simultaneous to its premiere at Leicester Square ... but we'll also have the opportunity to see the red carpet action via live satellite,' she told Reuters.
Asked whether she would like to see more world premieres at the festival, she replied that several British films would debut in London.
'World premieres are only important in one context and that's about international media and reach, and that's important. But that's by no means the only reason for a festival,' she added.
Other big names appearing in London to promote their movies include Maggie Smith for Dustin Hoffman's directorial debut 'Quartet', Ben Affleck for his spy thriller 'Argo' and Helen Hunt for 'The Sessions'.
Among the movies Stewart has highlighted this year is 'Wadjda', which first screened in Venice last month, made by Saudi Arabia's first female director Haifaa Al Mansour.
Mansour is one of 12 debut directors shortlisted for the Sutherland Award honoring first-time filmmakers, as the festival aims to boost the profile of its prizes.
The main competition, also 12-strong and to be decided by a jury led by playwright and screenwriter David Hare, includes 'After Lucia' from Mexico, 'Fill the Void' from Israel, 'Ginger and Rosa' from Britain and 'In the House' from France.
At this year's awards ceremony on October 20 at the grand Banqueting House in central London, Burton and Bonham Carter will both receive a BFI Fellowship, the highest honor given by the British Film Institute industry body.
(Reporting by Mike Collett-White, editing by Paul Casciato)
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It closes on October 21 with another European premiere, Mike Newell's adaptation of the classic Dickens novel 'Great Expectations' starring Ralph Fiennes as Abel Magwitch and Helena Bonham Carter as Miss Havisham.
While not yet on a par with other festivals like Cannes and Toronto, which feature world premieres in their official selections, London allows people living in the capital to catch up with the latest arthouse movies from around the globe.
There will be stars on the red carpet too, most notably on October 18 when the Rolling Stones, one of rock'n'roll's biggest bands celebrating their 50th anniversary in 2012, appear to promote a new documentary 'Crossfire Hurricane'.
The movie, which is set to some of the group's most famous tracks, will focus mainly on the first 20 years, including the death in 1969 of founder member Brian Jones, musicians coming and going and memorable live performances.
The London film festival's new director Clare Stewart said several of the bigger titles would be screened at dozens of cinemas across Britain simultaneously with the premieres.
'Audiences around the UK will not only have the opportunity to see the film simultaneous to its premiere at Leicester Square ... but we'll also have the opportunity to see the red carpet action via live satellite,' she told Reuters.
Asked whether she would like to see more world premieres at the festival, she replied that several British films would debut in London.
'World premieres are only important in one context and that's about international media and reach, and that's important. But that's by no means the only reason for a festival,' she added.
Other big names appearing in London to promote their movies include Maggie Smith for Dustin Hoffman's directorial debut 'Quartet', Ben Affleck for his spy thriller 'Argo' and Helen Hunt for 'The Sessions'.
Among the movies Stewart has highlighted this year is 'Wadjda', which first screened in Venice last month, made by Saudi Arabia's first female director Haifaa Al Mansour.
Mansour is one of 12 debut directors shortlisted for the Sutherland Award honoring first-time filmmakers, as the festival aims to boost the profile of its prizes.
The main competition, also 12-strong and to be decided by a jury led by playwright and screenwriter David Hare, includes 'After Lucia' from Mexico, 'Fill the Void' from Israel, 'Ginger and Rosa' from Britain and 'In the House' from France.
At this year's awards ceremony on October 20 at the grand Banqueting House in central London, Burton and Bonham Carter will both receive a BFI Fellowship, the highest honor given by the British Film Institute industry body.
(Reporting by Mike Collett-White, editing by Paul Casciato)
This news article is brought to you by MOVIE CRITIC NEWS - where latest news are our top priority.
Tuesday, October 9, 2012
Man finds suit he believes belonged to Paul Newman
NEW HAVEN, Conn. (AP) - A man renting an apartment in a Victorian house in Connecticut was poking around the basement when he was surprised to find some fine clothes stuffed in a trash bag. A tailor's tag listing the client's name on one of the suits startled him even more.
'Paul Newman. January 1986.'
Peter Gamlen, a 23-year-old British illustrator, said he believes the suit belonged to the late actor, director, entrepreneur and racing driver. The suit was by the tailor Henry Stewart. So, Gamlen researched Stewart and found an obituary in the New York Times from 1993 that listed Newman among the tailor's clients.
Gamlen said he began to holler and run around when he made the discovery.
'Guess where my legs are!,' he said to a friend. 'They're in Paul Newman's trousers!'
Gamlen described the suit as a two-piece lounge suit with surgeon's cuffs.
'This is incredibly well made,' said Gamlen, who said he was surprised at how well the suit fit. 'The whole cut of this is absolutely beautiful.'
Gamlen, who was given permission to sift through previous tenants' belongings in New Haven, said he also found a photo of Newman in the pocket of a sports jacket. The actor was sporting sunglasses and standing with three other men.
Newman, who died in 2008, lived in Westport, about 30 miles from New Haven.
Gamlen, who came to the United States for work about a year ago and works in a clothing store, said he believes, at the very least, the suit with the tailor's tag belonged to Newman.
Gamlen said he loves fine clothing and 'The Hustler' starring Newman is one of his favorite films.
'It's certainly valuable to me in terms of being like an amazing coincidence and also a really beautiful set of clothes that look pretty damn good on me,' he said.
Gamlen said he's not sure what he's going to do with the suit.
Kay Hill, who owns the building, said she has no idea how Newman's clothes could wind up in the basement, though she noted she's had notable tenants over the years such as professors and authors.
'It sounds like it really could have been Paul Newman's suit,' Hill said.
She said her parents, who once lived in the building, met Newman at a Democratic fundraiser decades ago, and her late father in law once played tennis with Newman.
'They wouldn't have anything to do with the suit,' she said.
A.E..Hotchner, Newman's longtime friend, said he could not imagine how Newman's clothes would wind up in New Haven though he didn't rule it out.
And especially fancy suits.
'Paul was notoriously underdressed,' Hotchner said. 'As far as I remember he had one black sports coat and he had one suit.'
The down-to-earth actor who liked to race cars also had a tuxedo, but he burned it so he'd have an excuse not to attend any more black tie events, Hotchner said.
'Paul really didn't want anything to do with any kind of dressing up,' Hotchner said. 'He certainly wouldn't have left any clothes in a building in New Haven.'
Newman's daughter, Nell, also said she's not sure why her father would have old clothes sitting around in New Haven, though she noted he briefly attended Yale University in the city.
___
Associated Press researcher Barbara Sambriski in New York contributed to this report.
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'Paul Newman. January 1986.'
Peter Gamlen, a 23-year-old British illustrator, said he believes the suit belonged to the late actor, director, entrepreneur and racing driver. The suit was by the tailor Henry Stewart. So, Gamlen researched Stewart and found an obituary in the New York Times from 1993 that listed Newman among the tailor's clients.
Gamlen said he began to holler and run around when he made the discovery.
'Guess where my legs are!,' he said to a friend. 'They're in Paul Newman's trousers!'
Gamlen described the suit as a two-piece lounge suit with surgeon's cuffs.
'This is incredibly well made,' said Gamlen, who said he was surprised at how well the suit fit. 'The whole cut of this is absolutely beautiful.'
Gamlen, who was given permission to sift through previous tenants' belongings in New Haven, said he also found a photo of Newman in the pocket of a sports jacket. The actor was sporting sunglasses and standing with three other men.
Newman, who died in 2008, lived in Westport, about 30 miles from New Haven.
Gamlen, who came to the United States for work about a year ago and works in a clothing store, said he believes, at the very least, the suit with the tailor's tag belonged to Newman.
Gamlen said he loves fine clothing and 'The Hustler' starring Newman is one of his favorite films.
'It's certainly valuable to me in terms of being like an amazing coincidence and also a really beautiful set of clothes that look pretty damn good on me,' he said.
Gamlen said he's not sure what he's going to do with the suit.
Kay Hill, who owns the building, said she has no idea how Newman's clothes could wind up in the basement, though she noted she's had notable tenants over the years such as professors and authors.
'It sounds like it really could have been Paul Newman's suit,' Hill said.
She said her parents, who once lived in the building, met Newman at a Democratic fundraiser decades ago, and her late father in law once played tennis with Newman.
'They wouldn't have anything to do with the suit,' she said.
A.E..Hotchner, Newman's longtime friend, said he could not imagine how Newman's clothes would wind up in New Haven though he didn't rule it out.
And especially fancy suits.
'Paul was notoriously underdressed,' Hotchner said. 'As far as I remember he had one black sports coat and he had one suit.'
The down-to-earth actor who liked to race cars also had a tuxedo, but he burned it so he'd have an excuse not to attend any more black tie events, Hotchner said.
'Paul really didn't want anything to do with any kind of dressing up,' Hotchner said. 'He certainly wouldn't have left any clothes in a building in New Haven.'
Newman's daughter, Nell, also said she's not sure why her father would have old clothes sitting around in New Haven, though she noted he briefly attended Yale University in the city.
___
Associated Press researcher Barbara Sambriski in New York contributed to this report.
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Nicolas Cage, Hayden Christensen sign on for "Outcast" for AFM
LOS ANGELES (TheWrap.com) - Arclight Films is getting into the China business, with the feature film 'Outcast,' which is being presented to buyers ahead of next month's AFM with a cast that includes Hayden Christensen and Nicolas Cage, a person familiar with the project has told TheWrap.
Budgeted at $25 million, the film is set in 10th Century China, and follows a warrior who attempts to redeem himself by saving a princess.
James Dormer is writing the script for the feature, which will mark the directorial debut for stunt man, Nick Powell. Arclight Films is selling worldwide rights to the project, which is aiming to film next year.
Dormer has worked on a number of British television series, including the BBC's spy show, 'Spooks.' Cage recently signed on to 'I am Wrath' for Emmett/Furla, and David Gordon Green's southern drama, 'Joe.'
Reps for Christensen did respond for comment to TheWrap.
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Budgeted at $25 million, the film is set in 10th Century China, and follows a warrior who attempts to redeem himself by saving a princess.
James Dormer is writing the script for the feature, which will mark the directorial debut for stunt man, Nick Powell. Arclight Films is selling worldwide rights to the project, which is aiming to film next year.
Dormer has worked on a number of British television series, including the BBC's spy show, 'Spooks.' Cage recently signed on to 'I am Wrath' for Emmett/Furla, and David Gordon Green's southern drama, 'Joe.'
Reps for Christensen did respond for comment to TheWrap.
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Rushdie film to get India release despite protests
MUMBAI (Reuters) - A film based on Salman Rushdie's novel 'Midnight's Children' is set to be screened in India, its distributor said, a month after the movie's director said she feared 'insecure politicians' could prevent it from being shown.
The film, which chronicles the story of an Indian family living through the tumultuous events from India's recent past including the partition in 1947 and 1970s state of emergency, features a voiceover by Rushdie.
The British author, who won the coveted Booker Prize for Midnight's Children in 1981, was forced to cancel a visit to a literature festival in his native India earlier this year after assassination threats were made against him.
Rushdie's 1988 novel 'The Satanic Verses', which many Muslims deemed blasphemous, is banned in India, and his depiction of sensitive issues like former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi's role during the Emergency in Midnight's Children had thrown the film's screening into doubt.
Director Deepa Mehta chose to film the movie in Sri Lanka instead of India, after her previous production in the country was hit by protests from right-wing Hindu groups.
But PVR Pictures, the distribution company that has acquired the film in India, does not expect any problems.
'We are not (expecting any trouble). We don't think the film is controversial,' Kamal Gianchandani, PVR's president, told Reuters, adding that the film was expected to be released in India in December.
He declined to say whether Rushdie, who has promoted the movie at festivals such as Toronto and Telluride, would be in India to launch it there.
'If the censor board has a perspective, it will be respected,' Gianchandani added. 'Whatever is the law of the land will be followed in (its) entirety.'
Last month, Mehta said she feared 'insecure politicians' might derail the film's release plans in India.
(Reporting by Shilpa Jamkhandikar; Editing by Henry Foy and Paul Casciato)
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The film, which chronicles the story of an Indian family living through the tumultuous events from India's recent past including the partition in 1947 and 1970s state of emergency, features a voiceover by Rushdie.
The British author, who won the coveted Booker Prize for Midnight's Children in 1981, was forced to cancel a visit to a literature festival in his native India earlier this year after assassination threats were made against him.
Rushdie's 1988 novel 'The Satanic Verses', which many Muslims deemed blasphemous, is banned in India, and his depiction of sensitive issues like former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi's role during the Emergency in Midnight's Children had thrown the film's screening into doubt.
Director Deepa Mehta chose to film the movie in Sri Lanka instead of India, after her previous production in the country was hit by protests from right-wing Hindu groups.
But PVR Pictures, the distribution company that has acquired the film in India, does not expect any problems.
'We are not (expecting any trouble). We don't think the film is controversial,' Kamal Gianchandani, PVR's president, told Reuters, adding that the film was expected to be released in India in December.
He declined to say whether Rushdie, who has promoted the movie at festivals such as Toronto and Telluride, would be in India to launch it there.
'If the censor board has a perspective, it will be respected,' Gianchandani added. 'Whatever is the law of the land will be followed in (its) entirety.'
Last month, Mehta said she feared 'insecure politicians' might derail the film's release plans in India.
(Reporting by Shilpa Jamkhandikar; Editing by Henry Foy and Paul Casciato)
This article is brought to you by MONEY MANAGEMENT TOOL.
Monday, October 8, 2012
Creator of "Sopranos" back with rock'n'roll tale
NEW YORK (Reuters) - The creator of the popular 'Sopranos' is back, this time on the big screen with a new saga set in the New Jersey suburbs filled with teenagers and rock 'n' roll instead of mobsters and violence.
David Chase's cinema debut, 'Not Fade Away', which premiered at the New York Film Festival, is a coming-of-age story set in the early 1960s, centered around a group of teens who form a band and taste the entwined allures of rock music and rebellion.
At the core of the story is Douglas, played by John Magaro with the sleepy eyes and curly mop of a young Bob Dylan, who aspires to become a singer and songwriter.
Along the way come friendships and conflicts among the band members and growing tension with Douglas' traditionally minded family, particularly his father, played by James Gandolfini.
Joining Gandolfini, best known as mobster Tony Soprano, in the making of 'Not Fade Away' is another 'Sopranos' alumnus, Steve Van Zandt. Van Zandt played mobster Silvio Dante on the hit HBO television series, produced and written by Chase, which ended five years ago.
A guitarist in Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band, Van Zandt served as music supervisor for 'Not Fade Away' and taught the actors to play hits by Buddy Holly, the Beatles, the Rolling Stones and the Kinks in a 3-month musical studio 'boot camp,' he said at a press briefing in New York.
'They're a band now. They could perform at a party tonight,' Van Zandt said. 'It took me, like, 10 years to learn what they learned in three months.'
Chase, 67, said the movie is immensely personal, but he stopped short of calling it autobiographical, despite his stint playing drums in a band as a teenager.
'We never got out of the basement,' he said. 'No one ever saw us.'
'Not Fade Away' is infused with music, from the songs the band members learn to play to the ones they dream of playing, the ones they listen to and the music in other scenes viewers get to hear.
And the music illustrates freedom, as promised by rock 'n' roll as Douglas tries to follow his dream, and the safer choices made by the older generation, poignantly depicted by Gandolfini as he listens to 'South Pacific' show tune 'Bali Ha'i' in his tiny New Jersey home.
The movie grows out of the conflict between security and freedom, Chase said.
'Human beings are always in that conflict about 'I want to be part of something, I want to be babied, I want to be taken care of' and ... 'I'm free and I can do what I want and I'm my own person,'' he said.
Early reviews have ranged from very good to fair. Some critics praised Chase's sharp dialogue and his ability to capture the era's social and political changes, and one described Gandolfini's performance as Oscar-worthy.
But other critics said Chase failed to develop his characters well and called his plot and story-telling formulaic, bringing no fresh insight to its look at an endlessly scrutinized era in U.S. history.
'Not Fade Away' is slated for release in December by Paramount Pictures.
(Editing by Christine Kearney; Editing by Richard Chang)
This news article is brought to you by WOMEN'S BLOG - where latest news are our top priority.
David Chase's cinema debut, 'Not Fade Away', which premiered at the New York Film Festival, is a coming-of-age story set in the early 1960s, centered around a group of teens who form a band and taste the entwined allures of rock music and rebellion.
At the core of the story is Douglas, played by John Magaro with the sleepy eyes and curly mop of a young Bob Dylan, who aspires to become a singer and songwriter.
Along the way come friendships and conflicts among the band members and growing tension with Douglas' traditionally minded family, particularly his father, played by James Gandolfini.
Joining Gandolfini, best known as mobster Tony Soprano, in the making of 'Not Fade Away' is another 'Sopranos' alumnus, Steve Van Zandt. Van Zandt played mobster Silvio Dante on the hit HBO television series, produced and written by Chase, which ended five years ago.
A guitarist in Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band, Van Zandt served as music supervisor for 'Not Fade Away' and taught the actors to play hits by Buddy Holly, the Beatles, the Rolling Stones and the Kinks in a 3-month musical studio 'boot camp,' he said at a press briefing in New York.
'They're a band now. They could perform at a party tonight,' Van Zandt said. 'It took me, like, 10 years to learn what they learned in three months.'
Chase, 67, said the movie is immensely personal, but he stopped short of calling it autobiographical, despite his stint playing drums in a band as a teenager.
'We never got out of the basement,' he said. 'No one ever saw us.'
'Not Fade Away' is infused with music, from the songs the band members learn to play to the ones they dream of playing, the ones they listen to and the music in other scenes viewers get to hear.
And the music illustrates freedom, as promised by rock 'n' roll as Douglas tries to follow his dream, and the safer choices made by the older generation, poignantly depicted by Gandolfini as he listens to 'South Pacific' show tune 'Bali Ha'i' in his tiny New Jersey home.
The movie grows out of the conflict between security and freedom, Chase said.
'Human beings are always in that conflict about 'I want to be part of something, I want to be babied, I want to be taken care of' and ... 'I'm free and I can do what I want and I'm my own person,'' he said.
Early reviews have ranged from very good to fair. Some critics praised Chase's sharp dialogue and his ability to capture the era's social and political changes, and one described Gandolfini's performance as Oscar-worthy.
But other critics said Chase failed to develop his characters well and called his plot and story-telling formulaic, bringing no fresh insight to its look at an endlessly scrutinized era in U.S. history.
'Not Fade Away' is slated for release in December by Paramount Pictures.
(Editing by Christine Kearney; Editing by Richard Chang)
This news article is brought to you by WOMEN'S BLOG - where latest news are our top priority.
Danny DeVito, Rhea Perlman split after 30-year marriage
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Actors Danny DeVito and Rhea Perlman are separating after 30 years of marriage, DeVito's spokesman said on Monday.
Stan Rosenfeld said the pair had split but gave no details.
DeVito and Perlman married in 1982 and have three adult children. The duo, both known for playing characters with sharp tongues, acted alongside each other in the 1978-82 TV comedy 'Taxi,' in which she had a recurring role as his character's girlfriend, and in the 1996 children's film 'Matilda.'
Perlman is best known for her role as sarcastic waitress Carla Tortelli in the 1980s hit comedy 'Cheers,' for which she won four Emmy Awards.
DeVito, who won an Emmy for his turn as the despotic dispatcher in 'Taxi,' currently stars in the FX comedy 'It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia.'
The pair also founded TV and movie production company Jersey Films, whose titles include 'Pulp Fiction' and 'Erin Brockovich.'
(This version of the story has been corrected in the 4th paragraph to show Perlman played a waitress) (Reporting by Jill Serjeant; Editing by Gary Hill)
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Stan Rosenfeld said the pair had split but gave no details.
DeVito and Perlman married in 1982 and have three adult children. The duo, both known for playing characters with sharp tongues, acted alongside each other in the 1978-82 TV comedy 'Taxi,' in which she had a recurring role as his character's girlfriend, and in the 1996 children's film 'Matilda.'
Perlman is best known for her role as sarcastic waitress Carla Tortelli in the 1980s hit comedy 'Cheers,' for which she won four Emmy Awards.
DeVito, who won an Emmy for his turn as the despotic dispatcher in 'Taxi,' currently stars in the FX comedy 'It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia.'
The pair also founded TV and movie production company Jersey Films, whose titles include 'Pulp Fiction' and 'Erin Brockovich.'
(This version of the story has been corrected in the 4th paragraph to show Perlman played a waitress) (Reporting by Jill Serjeant; Editing by Gary Hill)
This article is brought to you by FREE MONEY MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE.
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