Sandra Bullock tops box office after 10 years

Reporting by Dean Goodman
Editing by Vicki Allen

LOS ANGELES -- Sandra Bullock achieved her first No. 1 movie in 10 years at the weekend box office as moviegoers across the United States and Canada said yes to "The Proposal," which also marked her biggest opening.

The Walt Disney Co romantic comedy sold an estimated $34.1 million worth of tickets during the three-day period beginning June 19, the company said on Sunday.

"It definitely met and exceeded our expectations," said Mark Zoradi, president of Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures Group. "In a summer with a lot of sequels, it's always nice to have an original movie."

"The Proposal" also earned $10 million from 10 foreign markets, with No. 1 bows in Australia ($3.3 million) and Russia ($2.8 million) leading the way.

Bullock last went to No. 1 in North America with the 1999 film "Forces of Nature," which co-starred Ben Affleck. Her previous best opening was $17.6 million for her most recent film, "Premonition," in March 2007.

The 44-year-old actress stars as a book executive who fakes an engagement to her lowly assistant (Ryan Reynolds) to avoid deportation to her native Canada. The laughs ensue when she meets his parents, with "Golden Girls" veteran Betty White stealing the show. Anne Fletcher ("27 Dresses") directed. Disney declined to reveal the budget.

Critics' reviews were mixed, but exit surveys were strong, Disney said. Men accounted for 37 percent of the audience, a surprisingly large turnout for a romantic comedy.

Its reign likely will be short-lived, though, with "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen" opening worldwide on Wednesday through Viacom Inc's Paramount Pictures.

"HANGOVER" PERSISTS

After two weekends at No. 1, "The Hangover" slipped to No. 2 with $26.9 million. The hit bachelor-party comedy now has banked $152.9 million, according to Time Warner Inc's Warner Bros. Pictures.

The only other new release in the top 10 was the Jack Black prehistoric comedy "Year One," which came in at No. 4 with $20.2 million, in line with the expectations of its distributor, Sony Corp's Columbia Pictures.

The $60 million film, from "Groundhog Day" director Harold Ramis, stars Black and Michael Cera ("Juno") as hunter-gatherers banished from their primitive village.

Just ahead of it, at No. 3, was Disney's Pixar-produced cartoon "Up" with $21.3 million. It has earned $224.1 million after four weekends, surpassing the $223.8 million lifetime total of Pixar's 2008 Oscar-winning smash "WALL-E."

Zoradi said he expected "Up" to pass 2004's "The Incredibles" ($261 million) to become the second-biggest Pixar film after 2003's "Finding Nemo" ($340 million). Comparative data are not adjusted for inflation.

Rounding out the top five was Columbia's "The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3" with $11.3 million. Denzel Washington and John Travolta star in the hijacking thriller, which has earned $43.3 million after 10 days.

Director Woody Allen's 40th film, "Whatever Works," starring "Seinfeld" co-creator Larry David and Evan Rachel Wood, earned $281,000 from nine theaters in New York and Los Angeles. The best comparison is with his 2005 comeback, "Match Point," which opened to about $400,000 in eight theaters on its way to $23 million. "Whatever Works" was released by Sony art house unit Sony Pictures Classics.

Source: Reuters.

"Big" debut for Dave Matthews Band on U.S. chart

By Keith Caulfield

LOS ANGELES (Billboard) - Dave Matthews Band replaced Eminem at the top of the U.S. pop album chart on Wednesday, logging the third-best debut of the year.

"Big Whiskey and the GrooGrux King" becomes the group's fifth-consecutive studio album to debut at No. 1 after selling 424,000 copies during the week ended June 7. DMB's last studio set, 2005's "Stand Up," stood tall with 465,000 copies in its first frame.

The only other bigger openers so far this year are Eminem's "Relapse" (608,000) and U2's "No Line On the Horizon" (484,000). Speaking of Eminem, "Relapse" slipped to No. 2 with 141,000 in its third week.

The Billboard 200's top six debuts all come from rock acts. 311's "Uplifter" came in at No. 3, giving the band its highest charting album ever. But the 60,000-unit opening is actually its smallest first-week sales debut for a studio album since 1995, when its self-titled album bowed at No. 56 with 20,000.

Rock super group Chickenfoot debuted at No. 4 with its self-titled debut, shifting 52,000 copies. The quartet consists of Van Halen veterans Sammy Hagar and Michael Anthony along with Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith and guitar god Joe Satriani.

Elsewhere, Taking Back Sunday's "New Again" entered at No. 7 with 48,000, Rancid's "Let the Dominoes Fall" at No. 11 with 33,000, and Elvis Costello's "Secret, Profane & Sugarcane" at No. 13 with 28,000 -- his highest rank on the Billboard 200 since 1980's "Get Happy!!" peaked at No. 11.

Green Day's "21st Century Breakdown" (No. 5, also 52,000), the "Hannah Montana" movie soundtrack (No. 6, 50,000), Lady GaGa's "The Fame" (No. 8, 47,000), and Kenny Chesney's "Greatest Hits II" (No. 9, 39,000) were each down three places. Taylor Swift's "Fearless" slipped one to No. 10 with (36,000).

Overall album sales totaled 6.38 million units, up 10.9% compared to the sum last week (5.75 million), but down 15.6% compared to the same sales week of 2008 (7.56 million). Year to date album sales stand at 155.1 million, down 14% compared to the same total at this point last year (179.3 million).

(Editing by Dean Gooodman at Reuters)

Source: Reuters.

Monroe lives in the heart

By Culture Desk

Born Norma Jean Mortenson on June 1, 1926 in Los Angeles, California to a single mother — Gladys Baker struggling with mental illness and a travelling salesman who would not claim her, Marilyn Monroe was baptised Norma Jean Baker.

She later dominated the world of movie stars and become the most famous woman of the 20th century. Traded in and out of orphanages and foster homes, Monroe’s early childhood was defined by emotional neglect and sexual abuse at the age of eight.

As many other film stars from the studio system era in Hollywood would report, movie-going cultivated in Monroe a driving desire to join the privileged, shining faces, and outsized personalities of the silver screen. More than a 1950s sex goddess, Monroe personified Hollywood glamour, but always felt unfulfilled as an actress.

‘My illusions didn’t have anything to do with being a fine actress. I knew how third rate I was. I could actually feel my lack of talent, as if it were cheap clothes I was wearing inside. But, my God, how I wanted to learn, to change, to improve!’ she is quoted to have said.

Brief roles in The Asphalt Jungle and All About Eve (1950) led to stardom in many films, notably, The Seven Year Itch (1955) and Some Like It Hot (1959). She never won, nor was nominated for an Oscar.

She married the baseball legend Joe DiMaggio and later the playwright Arthur Miller, who wrote her last film, The Misfits (1960). After she had divorced Arthur Miller, she was madly in love with John F Kennedy, a love that ‘probably’ cost her life.

In 1962, at age 36, and after completing only 29 films, Marilyn Monroe died in the bedroom of her Brentwood, California, home from an overdose of barbiturates, leaving a legacy as one of the most recognizable movie stars and powerful cultural images in film history.

Candle in the Wind, a song with music by Elton John and lyrics by Bernie Taupin, could be listened up once again on her birthday.

Source: NewAgeBD.

Deepika Padukone more beautiful than Angelina Jolie

By Agencies

Hollywood superstar Angelina Jolie is facing competition in the looks department by none other than Bollywood starlet Deepika Padukone. 

Padukone who made headlines by debuting opposite superstar, Shah Rukh Khan, has been hailed more beautiful than Jolie by 'The Fast and the Furious' director Rob Cohen, FemaleFirst reported. 

"Deepika Padukone is gorgeous and is more beautiful than Angelina Jolie," Dohen said. 

Cohen, whose credits includes 'The Witches of Eastwick' and 'The Fast and the Furious', 'Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story' has even indicated that he is interested in casting the the Indian beauty for his next film project, the website said. 

Padukone is a favourite in the world of fashion, having endorsed International brands like Maybelline and Levi's in the past. 

She was also the most searched celebrity on Yahoo! India in 2008, surpassing Bollywood favourites Aishwarya Rai and Shilpa Shetty.

Source: http://www.screenindia.com

'Drag Me to Hell' will get your pulse racing

By Claudia Puig, USA TODAY

The best horror movies, like the best amusement park rides, should elicit equal parts screams and laughter. Drag Me to Hell fits that squirmy bill and then some.

Sam Raimi (the Spider-Man movies) has fashioned a slick, old-school scarefest that combines the best of schlocky fright flicks with classic supernatural thrillers. Raimi returns triumphant to the genre where he cut his teeth, so to speak, with 1981's The Evil Dead. (Speaking of things dental, there are some outrageous moments involving a toothless old lady and her menacing dentures.)

The movie centers on a contest between this geriatric meanie (Lorna Raver) and Christine (Alison Lohman), a damsel in distress who fights back. A bank officer angling for a promotion, Christine rejects an extension on the old lady's defaulted home loan. How timely that the mayhem is kicked off by someone facing foreclosure.

The elderly woman, whose vaguely Slavic accent conjures up images of gypsies, does more than give Christine the evil eye, though eyeballs do figure prominently.

Evoking the black comedy of his early horror films, Raimi has fashioned a cathartic thrill ride that seems almost innocent by current horror standards. He relies on shadows and ominous sounds to make the audience jump and recoil, rather than grisly violence, blood splattering or bone-crunching special effects.

Drag Me to Hell is horror light. Jokey and playful, it's far from the torture porn of such fright flicks as the Saw and Hostel series. Instead of gruesome weaponry or mass slaughter, there are insects and a ghostly séance.

For witty one-liners, there's Justin Long as Clay, Christine's devoted boyfriend. Most of the roles are caricatures, but intentionally so.

Drag Me to Hell is unlike any scary thriller in a while: frightening, frenzied and fun.

Source: http://www.usatoday.com

Lisa Ray in Hello's '50 Most beautiful' list

Agencies - May 20, 2009

Lisa Ray, the Indian origin actress who catapulted to international recognition through Deepa Mehta's 'Water' has been featured in the Canadian edition of ‘Hello’ magazine as one of the '50 Most Beautiful People' of the country. 

The 37-year-old supermodel-turned-actress features along with Ruby Dhalla, a Canadian politician, in the list which features only two Indians, reported ‘Hello’ online.  While reacting to her inclusion in the list, Lisa Ray said, "I guess I need to thank my parents for this. I am really proud to feature along with such prestigious people." 

The list which was topped by country singer Shania Twain , featured renowned names like 'Complicated' singer Avril Lavigne, actor Keifer Sutherland, 'Sex and the City' star Kim Catrall and model Gabriel Aubry among others. 

Lisa Ray who was born in Toronto to a Bengali Indian father and a Polish mother originally planned to study journalism but started modelling when she was spotted by an agent in India at the age of 16. Ray first came to the public attention when she appeared in an advertisement for Bombay Dyeing wearing a high-cut black swimsuit.

Source: http://www.screenindia.com/

‘Grey’s’ Wins Ratings

By BENJAMIN TOFF; Compiled by DAVE ITZKOFF - May 15, 2009

The ambiguous season finale of “Grey’s Anatomy,” in which Dr. George O’Malley (played by T. R. Knight) and Dr. Isobel Stevens (Katherine Heigl) were left for dead — he, after being hit by a bus; she, after surgery for a brain tumor — earned Thursday’s largest television audience. According to Nielsen’s estimates, the episode, on ABC, was watched by 16.4 million viewers, the best showing for “Grey’s Anatomy” since its September premiere. ABC also averaged the most viewers for the night, and CBS came in second with “Survivor” (12 million), “CSI” (14.4 million) and “CSI: NY” (12.8 million). Fox was third with “Bones” (8.7 million) and “Hell’s Kitchen” (7.4 million). No one was killed on the finales of NBC’s shows “The Office” (6.8 million) and “30 Rock” (5.7 million), as the network placed fourth.

Source: http://www.nytimes.com

'America's Next Top Model': It's Allison vs Teyona

By Lisa B. |  May 13, 2009

Upon this hallowed day, wherein we experience the revelation of the "America's Next Top Model" heir-apparent (oh, come on, we saw it coming from a mile away) ... all I keep thinking is: what the hell, they fired Paulina? 

Paulina Porizkova, she of the effortless snark and withering critiques, has left the building. Fired due to some combination of ANTM cutbacks and/or her alleged "ego problem." Paulina: call me. I will brush your rock-n-roll hair and laugh at all your goofy, deadpan Czech jokes. Whomever they bring on next won't hold a candle to you. We shall never forget.

The Bones

Okay, where were we? Oh right: it's the finale, and to no one's surprise Teyona wins it. The judges have been steering the Good Ship Teyona for weeks now. She is a perfectly good winner. Consistent, pretty, versatile, driven. Yet she could be unimaginative at times, a little unaware of her body, and packing a grin that straddles a fine line between toothy and feral. Still, possibly the biggest point against her was her monstrous mess up in the Cover Girl commercial (yet she does join the hallowed ranks of girls who completely flubbed the commercial and still won ... what's up with that?).  

Judging by Zap2it's unbiased, highly scientific survey system -- you know, that poll at the end of each recap -- Allison was the overwhelming fan favorite (69% of you voted her your choice). She definitely brought her A Game in tonight's episode, stomping around the runway show like she owned the place and doing pretty well at the Cover Girl commercial. Alas, it was not to be for Crazy Eyes. Still, I suspect she'll have a decent career, and she won't have to endure those terrible My Life As A Cover Girl commercials.  

For those of you seeking to relive the magic -- or just needing to know the basics -- we opened the show and immediately tossed the models into the Cover Girl commercial/photo shoot. McKey shows up and delivers the pat CG speech about how fabulous her lipstick is in a terribly mechanical, rehearsed manner ... she may be very pretty but hoo-eey, that girl is not a spokesmodel. Aminat worked hard at her script and delivered a strong performance, knowing she was the underdog; Allison's wasn't bad but Teyona had a sobbing meltdown.  

At panel Allison was called first, then Teyona: both girls had amazing photos. But that meant Aminat was out, told she needed to learn to control her face better and be a better model (oh, wait, the latter was my commentary).  Allison and Teyona departed for their runway show, which instead of the usual couture seemed to be swimsuits. (Hm, more budget cuts?) While the girls are getting gussied up backstage, the judges show up at the show and dear God, what is Miss Jay wearing? It's a muu muu ... it's Carmen Miranda ... it's a tranny ... oh, heck, I give up. It's a trainwreck. 

Teyona does well on the catwalk but doesn't surpass any expectations; well, not until her hairpiece falls off and -- staying in the moment -- she starts swinging it around like a cat-o-nine-tails. Allison blows the doors off the place with her Miss Most Improved performance, sassing Miss Jay and looking especially fierce.  At final panel, Allison was praised for having wonderful photos and a surprisingly good show. But, of course, Teyona wins it. 

Bonus: Allison is a very gracious loser. Way to go.

The Pretty

All the girls looked gorgeous this episode. Teyona and Allison's Cover Girl photo shoots were just fabulous: sassy, sweet, a little sexy. Both girls rocked the runway and were fun to watch. (I could not say the same for Tyra. She looked especially worn out this episode.)

The Ugly

According to the judges, one of the reasons Teyona won was because "she wanted it more." This seems sort of weak to me. Celia wanted it pretty bad, but she was deemed "desperate." No one is giving me a pair of Christian Louboutin heels because I really, really want them. It seems a contest like this should be decided by talent ... but what the heck do I know?

The End 

Gentle readers, thanks for coming along on this cycle with me. We laughed, we cried, we were emotionally reborn. (Okay, maybe not, but we were entertained.) Best of luck to our models and more importantly: best of luck to you. See you soon.

Source: http://blog.zap2it.co

"Star Trek" weekend box office nudged higher

By Alex Dobuzinskis - May 11, 2009

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - "Star Trek" keeps getting hotter at the North American box office.

The eleventh movie in Paramount Pictures' reenergized sci-fi franchise earned $75.2 million during the three days beginning Friday, according to final data issued on Monday.

A day earlier, the Viacom Inc-owned studio had issued a preliminary estimate of $72.5 million. Including early sales from Thursday night, the tally now stands at $79.2 million, said Paul Dergarabedian of Hollywood.com Box Office.

The acclaimed film, which follows the origins of Captain Kirk, Mr. Spock and the rest of the crew of the Starship Enterprise, was easily the top film at the box office.

The previous weekend's champ, "X-Men Origins: Wolverine," slipped to No. 2 with $26.4 million, off a little from its $27 million Sunday estimate. The Hugh Jackman movie was released by Twentieth Century Fox, a unit of News Corp.

© Thomson Reuters 2009 All rights reserved

Source: http://www.reuters.com

Star Trek beams to top of chart

The new Star Trek film has rocketed to the top of the North American box office chart, early figures show.

BBC / May 11, 2oo9

Director JJ Abrams' prequel to the sci-fi franchise took an estimated $76.5m (£50.3m) in its opening weekend, easily beating its nearest rival. 

The figure far surpasses the opening totals of the previous 10 Trek films. 

Star Trek's impressive opening pushed previous chart-topper X-Men Origins: Wolverine down to second place, with takings of $27m (£17.7m). 

But the comic book hero movie still ranks as the biggest film opening so far this year, taking $85m (£56m) in its first weekend.

Star Trek, which stars newcomer Chris Pine in the lead role, reveals the back stories of Captain Kirk, Mr Spock and the rest of the crew of the USS Enterprise. 

Paramount Pictures had estimated that the movie would make about $50m (£33m) for the weekend, but hoped strong reviews would help carry it to a bigger opening. 

Vice chairman Rob Moore said he expected the movie, which had a $140m (£92.3m) budget, should gross over $200m (£132m) total this summer, even with competition like Terminator: Salvation and Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince being released in cinemas soon. 

The rest of the films in the top five all shuffled down one place to make way for the sci-fi blockbuster. 

Romantic comedy Ghosts of Girlfriends Past was at three, with Beyonce thriller Obsessed at four and Zac Efron comedy 17 Again at five. 

The only other new nationwide release, comic crime tale Next Day Air, opened at number six with $4m (£2.6m).

Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk