The Latest in Latino Entertainment News

Tina Fey is the ‘Entertainer of the Year’!

Tina Fey was voted The Associated Press‘ Entertainer of the Year, an annual honor chosen by newspaper editors and broadcast producers across the country. Fey was selected by AP members as the performer who had the greatest impact on culture and entertainment in 2008.

The 38-year-old comedian bested runner-up Robert Downey Jr., whose comeback was capped with the blockbuster smash “Iron Man,” and the third-place vote-getter, Heath Ledger, who posthumously wowed audiences as the Joker in “The Dark Knight.”

But it was Fey who most impressed voters largely with her indelible impression of Gov. Sarah Palin on “Saturday Night Live.” Her cameos on her old show (where she had been a head writer until 2006) helped drive the show to record ratings and eventually drew an appearance from Palin herself.

“Tina Fey is such an obvious choice,” said Sharon Eberson, entertainment editor of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. “She gave us funny when we really needed it and, in a year when women in politics were making huge strides, Fey stood out in the world of entertainment.”

Fey’s 2008 was a full year, though.

She also starred for the first time on the big screen in “Baby Mama” (which grossed $60 million at the box office) and won three Emmys for her critically lauded NBC sitcom “30 Rock,” which she created, stars in and writes. In the comedy series category, she won for best lead actress and best writing, and shared in the award for best comedy series.

“She simultaneously entertained us with her wit and put a mirror up to the nation during the election and made us think about what was going on,” said Scott Shive, assistant features editor at the Lexington Herald-Leader. “She is the epitome of the smart kid coming out on top for once.”

As soon as Palin was chosen as Sen. John McCain‘s running mate, conjecture mounted that the similar-looking Fey would have to return to “SNL” to play her.

In an interview earlier this fall, Fey recalled watching early TV coverage of Palin: “That was the first time I thought, ‘Well, I kinda do look like her. I’d better really listen to how this lady talks.'”

Fey debuted the impression on the “SNL” season premiere and a sensation quickly followed. She made four more pre-election appearances as Palin on the late-night satire.

“From the winks to the nods to the accent, she nailed it,” said Marc Bona, assistant entertainment editor of the Plain Dealer in Cleveland. “And she did so at a time when it seemed the whole country was tuned in — both to the presidential race as well as ‘Saturday Night Live.'”

Her Palin impression has benefited “30 Rock,” too. The show premiered its fourth season to 8.5 million viewers, a million more than last year’s opener.

Recently, she was also nominated for a Golden Globe (for best performance by an actress in a TV series, comedy or musical), as well as a Screen Actors Guild award.

“The ‘SNL’ stuff has certainly changed things for me,” Fey said in October. “A lot more people seem to know who I am.”

Last year’s AP Entertainer of the Year also went to a comedian whose satire blended in with politics: Stephen Colbert.

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Rated: PG-13 for brief war violence, sexual content, language and smoking.
Release Date: 2008-12-25
Starring: Eric Roth, F. Scott Fitzgerald (historia)
Director(s):
Distributor:
Film Genre:
Country: USA
Official Website: http://wwws.warnerbros.es/benjaminbutton/?frompromo=movies_comingsoon_curioiuscaseofbenbutton

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Box office says yes to ‘Yes Man’

Jim Carrey’s new comedy “Yes Man” got the nod from moviegoers across North America, but brutal weather in key markets combined with holiday shopping distractions to hit overall ticket sales.

According to studio estimates issued on Sunday, “Yes Man” earned $18.2 million during its first three days, winning a closely watched duel with the Will Smith drama “Seven Pounds.” The decidedly downbeat film opened to a lightweight $16 million, Smith’s worst performance in seven years.

A third new entry, the mouse cartoon “The Tale of Despereaux,” followed at No. 3 with $10.5 million. Last weekend’s champion, the sci-fi remake “The Day the Earth Stood Still,” fell to No. 4 with $10.2 million.

Ticket sales on the East Coast, Pacific Northwest and parts of the Midwest fell victim to a winter deluge of snow and ice. Boston, for example, is a top-10 market, but it plunged to the lower reaches of the top 25 on Friday, studio executives said.

The top 12 films grossed $83 million, essentially flat with last weekend but down 44 percent from the year-ago period, according to tracking firm Media By Numbers.

Warner Bros Pictures, which released “Yes Man,” said the bad weather knocked about $2.5 million off the film’s total. But the Time Warner Inc (TWX.N)-owned studio hoped to make the money back in subsequent weeks.

Carrey plays a bank officer stuck in a personal and professional rut. After he attends a self-help seminar, he must say “yes” to all ideas and requests, leading to both comic and dramatic pitfalls. It cost in the $70 million range to make, said Dan Fellman, the studio’s president of distribution.

Seven Pounds

Rated: PG-13 for thematic material, some disturbing content and a scene of sensuality.
Release Date: 2008-12-19
Starring: Grant Nieporte
Director(s):
Distributor:
Film Genre:
Country: USA
Official Website: http://www.sonypicturesreleasing.es/teaser/sietealmas/

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SAG Award nominations are announced

The movie version of John Patrick Shanley’s Tony Award-winning drama about sexual and religious power struggles at a Bronx Catholic school in 1964, led the nominations for the 15th annual Screen Actors Guild Awards with five, including nods for each major member of its cast and an overall pick for outstanding performance by a cast.

Meryl Streep, who plays a suspicious school principal, Sister Aloysius, in the film, was nominated in the lead actress category. Her co-stars, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Amy Adams and Viola Davis, earned nominations in supporting categories.

Also doing well at the SAG nominations were “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” and “Milk,” both of which earned three nominations. The films are up for outstanding cast, lead actor (Brad Pitt and Sean Penn, respectively) and a supporting performance.

Kate Winslet was nominated for her performances in two films. The actress earned a lead actress nomination for “Revolutionary Road” and a supporting nod for “The Reader.”

The late Heath Ledger, who earned critical and mass praise for his performance as the Joker in “The Dark Knight,” was nominated for supporting actor.

The outstanding cast nominations went to “Button,” “Doubt,” “Frost/Nixon,” “Milk” and “Slumdog Millionaire.”

The SAGs also shined a light on a handful of lower-profile performances. Richard Jenkins, who received plaudits for his performance in the little-seen “The Visitor,” received a best actor nomination. Melissa Leo, who plays a struggling single mother who turns to smuggling in “Frozen River,” earned a best actress nomination.

The SAGs also honor TV series, and among the top nominees are “Boston Legal,” which earned nominations for stars William Shatner, James Spader and its ensemble; “Mad Men,” which picked up nods for Jon Hamm, Elisabeth Moss and its ensemble; and “30 Rock,” which received nominations for Tina Fey, Alec Baldwin and its ensemble.

For Academy Award watchers, the SAG Awards nominations are considered a bellwether of Oscar acting nominations. The actors’ branch is the largest Academy voting bloc and is responsible for creating the short lists for the various Oscar acting categories.

However, a SAG win is by no means a guarantee of an Oscar. Though last year’s SAG lead actor winner, Daniel Day-Lewis, won the best acting Oscar for his performance in “There Will Be Blood,” the SAG lead actress winner, Julie Christie, didn’t duplicate the feat. Christie, who was nominated for “Away From Her,” lost to Marion Cotillard, who played Edith Piaf in “La Vie en Rose.”

Moreover, SAG Award nominees for casts sometimes have little overlap with the Oscar nominees for best picture. Last year, the SAG list had just one film — eventual winner “No Country for Old Men” — that was also nominated for best picture.

SAG Award nominations are decided by about 4,000 randomly selected members of the actors’ union. The full membership is allowed to vote on the winners.

The 15th annual SAG Awards are scheduled to air on January 25 on TNT and TBS. Both networks are units of Time Warner, as is CNN.

‘Halloween 2’ is coming to a theater near you!

We just got word that Dimension Films will make “H2,” the sequel to Rob Zombie’s 2007 remake of “Halloween.” The film made $58.3 million domestically and was considered a success. Will the sequel do better?

Here’s a look at the press release Dimension sent us:

Once again, Rob Zombie has been tapped to write and direct. Malek Akkad of Trancas International Films, who also produced 2007’s Halloween with Dimension, will produce the sequel, along with Andy Gould of Spectacle Entertainment Group, Zombie’s long time manager and producing partner.  The announcement was made today by Bob Weinstein, Co-Chairman of The Weinstein Company.

Zombie’s “H2” will pick up at the exact moment the first movie stopped and follow the aftermath of Michael Myers murderous rampage through the eyes of heroine Laurie Strode.
 
“H2” will be Zombie’s fifth written and directed feature.  Prior to the success of Halloween, Zombie released the critically-acclaimed film “The Devil’s Rejects” (2005), the follow-up to his cult classic “House of 1000 Corpses” (2004).  Zombie just wrapped production on his animated feature film “The Haunted World of El Superbeasto” due to be released in 2009.  Zombie, also an accomplished recording artist, has sold over fifteen million albums worldwide, making him one of Geffen Records’ top selling and longest running artists.
 
Bob Weinstein stated: “Following the success of 2007’s ‘Halloween,’ we are thrilled to be back in business with Rob Zombie, bringing a sequel to theatres.  The fans have made it clear – and we agree – that they feel the franchise is in great hands with Rob Zombie.”
 
Rob Zombie said, ”I am very excited to be working with Bob Weinstein again and returning to the world of ‘Halloween.’ The remake laid the groundwork, now it’s time to really take Michael Myers to the next level. I believe we’ve just barely scratched the surface of where we can take this series.“
 
John Carpenter’s “Halloween” launched the Halloween franchise in 1978 and Moustapha Akkad, founder of Trancas International Films, executive produced the original classic. Akkad’s son Malek has continued with the franchise, producing “Halloween” (2007), “Halloween H20: 20 Years Later” (1998) and now, “H2.”
 
“I am thrilled to be making ‘H2’ at Dimension, the home of the ‘Halloween’ franchise for the last 15 years,” commented Malek Akkad.  “I look forward to working again with Bob Weinstein, as well as a filmmaker of Rob Zombie’s talent and stature.”

Jennifer Lopez returns to film with a ‘Plan B’

Jennifer Lopez may have just given birth, but she’s all in favor of Plan B.

After taking time off her busy film career to play mama to fraternal twins Emme and Max (born last February), the A-lister has signed on to topline a fertility-themed romantic comedy for CBS Films.

Per Variety, Lopez will play a single woman who, unlucky in love, resorts to artificial insemination to have a child only to wind up falling for Mr. Right on the day she learns she’s pregnant.

Plan B, written by Kate Angelo, is slated to start shooting in April or May. Also in the pipeline for 2009, J.Lo is attached to star in The Governess, playing a thief who poses as a nanny to a wealthy widower in order to pull off the job of a lifetime.

The Day the Earth Stood Still is #1 at the box office!

Keanu Reeves, an actor known for his offbeat movie choices, added another unlikely box office hit to his collection on Sunday with “The Day the Earth Stood Still,” a chart-topping remake of a 1951 sci-fi movie.

The film, largely ridiculed by critics, sold an estimated $31 million worth of tickets in the United States and Canada since opening on Friday, distributor 20th Century Fox said.

It was also the top pick internationally, raking in $39 million from 90 markets. Fox, a unit of News Corp, said the film was No. 1 in 53 of those markets, with Russia ($5.6 million) and Britain ($4.1 million) leading the way.

The film cost about $80 million to make, said Fox.

The North American tally was in line with expectations. It marks Reeves’ biggest opening since 2003’s “The Matrix Revolutions,” the third film in the blockbuster “Matrix” franchise, kicked off with $48 million on its way to $139 million. Since then, he has starred in a series of art-house pictures (2005’s “Thumbsucker”) and middling studio pictures (2006’s “The Lake House”).

Reeves, 44, plays the alien Klaatu, who comes to save Earth from itself. The film co-stars Jennifer Connelly. Scott Derrickson (“The Exorcism of Emily Rose”) directed.

“It’s an environmental as well as a political statement,” said Chris Aronson, Fox’s senior vice president of domestic distribution.

Critics were less impressed. The Wall Street Journal said the movie was “insufferably full of itself,” while the Houston Chronicle described it as “a stunningly misconceived folly.” On the other hand, the Los Angeles Times said the film was “enjoyable.”

After two weeks at No. 1 in North America, the holiday comedy “Four Christmases” slipped to No. 2 with $13.3 million, taking its total to $88 million. The film, starring Vince Vaughn and Reese Witherspoon, was released by Warner Bros. Pictures, a unit of Time Warner Inc.

The only other new entry in the top 10 was also a Christmas tale. The Latin-themed ensemble piece “Nothing Like the Holidays” opened at No. 7 with $3.5 million. Industry analysts had expected an opening in the $5 million-$6 million range. It was released by Overture Films, a unit of Liberty Media Corp.

Rounding out the top five were the vampire romance “Twilight” at No. 3 with $8.0 million (total: $150 million); the canine cartoon “Bolt” at No. 4 with $7.5 million (total: $89 million); and the period drama “Australia” with $4.3 million (total: $38 million).

“Twilight” was released by Summit Entertainment LLC, which is privately held. “Bolt” was released by Walt Disney Pictures, a unit of Walt Disney Co. “Australia” was also released by Fox.