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The Latest in ShowBiz News

‘Paul Blart: Mall Cop’ is #1 at the box office, again?
Pau Brunet
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2009/01/26 at 12:00am

Movies

‘Paul Blart: Mall Cop’ is #1 at the box office, again?

01.26.2009 | By |

'Paul Blart: Mall Cop' is #1 at the box office, again?

What is this world coming to?

Is Kevin James the new Will Smith? He has just proved he has some cred. In its second frame, Paul Blart: Mall Cop was able to take down the favorite to win, Underworld: Rise of the Lycans and hold onto the number one spot.

Mall Cop continues to beat out expectations in its second frame by declining a miniscule 32% to earn another $21.5 million over the weekend. Underworld: Rise of the Lycans followed at number two with $20.7 million.

While the number is still strong, Lycans is the worst opening we’ve seen from the franchise. The first Underworld bowed to $21.8 million and the sequel, Underworld: Evolution, saw a boost with $26.9 million. While I’m sure Sony will find a way to spin a reason for the drop in ticket sales, we can all assume that an Underworld installment lacking in Kate Beckinsale just didn’t feel right. Lycans cost $35 million to produce, so Sony should have no problem earning some positive cash flows with what should be the franchise’s final installment.

Probably the biggest disappointment was Inkheart. New Line’s latest attempt at fantasy, the family adventure was only able to gross $7.7 million in its opening bow. With a strong cast and a family audience, this film should have done much, much better.

“We’re disappointed. We wish the opening would have been bigger, but I think it was always going to be this type of result. Unfortunately, the audience wasn’t excited to see it,” said Warner exec VP of domestic distribution Jeff Goldstein.

The final film worth a mention is Clint Eastwood’s Gran Torino. Though the film didn’t get the love that many hoped from the Oscar nominations, Gran Torino was still able to hold onto the number three spot over the weekend after declining only 27% from the last frame. Tack on the latest earnings of $16 million and the film is close to jumping the $100 million mark. By next weekend it looks like Gran Torino will quickly become Clint Eastwood’s highest grossing film for both directing and acting.

Here’s the estimated ticket sales for Friday through yesterda.

1. Paul Blart: Mall Cop, $21.5 million

2. Underworld: Rise of the Lycans, $20.7 million

3. Gran Torino, $16 million

4. Hotel for Dogs, $12.4 million

5. Slumdog Millionaire, $10.6 million

6. My Bloody Valentine 3D, $10.1 million

7. Inkheart, $7.7 million

8. Bride Wars, $7 million

9. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, $6 million

10. Notorious, $5.7 million

Underworld: Rise of the Lycans
Mike Pierce
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2009/01/23 at 12:00am

Reviews

Underworld: Rise of the Lycans

01.23.2009 | By |

Rated: R for bloody violence and some sexuality.
Release Date: 2009-01-23
Starring: Danny McBride, Dirk Blackman
Director(s):
Distributor:
Film Genre:
Country: USA
Official Website: http://www.entertheunderworld.com/

Go to our film page

Underworld: Rise of the Lycans

Ohh Yeahh….I have been waiting for this one…UNDERWORLD: RISE OF THE LYCANS…it’s actually the prequel to the other two films, Underworld (2003) and Underworld: Evolution (2006). If you are like a few of my friends…living under a few rocks…and haven’t seen the others….then your just fine…start here and rent the others!! (lol)
 
The movie’s about the century-old feud between the vampires and werewolves. One day the king vampire (Viktor) finds out that one of his werewolves (slaves) gives birth to a baby…but this baby is ½ werewolf and ½ human. Instead of killing it – he decides to make it his “SUPER” slave and uses him for whatever. Well…you can say that some serious drama goes down and Lucian (super baby lol) decides to rebel and rise up against the vampires. (It’s dope how it goes down!)
 
This movie is hella dope – if you liked the other 2 movies – you’ll love this one!! If you haven’t SEEN the others…you’ll love this one! (lol) Where Rise of the Lycans ends…Underworld starts.
 
Niceeeeeeee…

ShowBizCafe on the radio: ‘Inkheart’, ‘Underworld’
Jack Rico
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By

2009/01/23 at 12:00am

Movies

ShowBizCafe on the radio: ‘Inkheart’, ‘Underworld’

01.23.2009 | By |

ShowBizCafe on the radio: 'Inkheart', 'Underworld'

We’ve never done this before, but we’re going to try something new and crossover some Spanish content for some of you who understand Spanish. It’s a weekly radio segment we do every Friday, en español of course, on the ‘Luis Jimenez Radio Show’, one of the top FM morning shows in New York City. We’re sort of pioneers as this is the only Spanish language movie radio segment in the US.

So to give you a brief recap of what we spoke about today, we reviewed Inkheart, Underworld: Rise of the Lycans and the re-release of The Dark Knight.

On the DVD front, Saw 5 and Max Payne were trashed ad nauseam.

If you’re interested in listening to the show live, you can log on every Friday at 10:50am to get the movie download via: http://www.luisjimenezradio.com/

Give us your feedback, we would love to hear from you!

The 2009 Oscar Nominations: ‘Slumdog,’ ‘Button,’ ‘Penelope,’ ‘Rourke’
Jack Rico
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By

2009/01/22 at 12:00am

Movies

The 2009 Oscar Nominations: ‘Slumdog,’ ‘Button,’ ‘Penelope,’ ‘Rourke’

01.22.2009 | By |

The 2009 Oscar Nominations: 'Slumdog,' 'Button,' 'Penelope,' 'Rourke'

No major surprises at the 81st annual Academy Awards announcements. Some of the highlights were Spanish actress Penelope Cruz’s second nomination in her career, this time for Vicky Cristina Barcelona, a post-humous nod for Heath Ledger for his work in The Dark Knight, Slumdog Millionaire’s 10 nominatios and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button leading the way with 13 nominations.

Its competition in the best picture race includes the political dramas “Frost/Nixon” and “Milk,” the post-Holocaust tale “The Reader” and the Mumbai-set rags-to-riches story “Slumdog Millionaire.”

The best actor nominees include Richard Jenkins for “The Visitor,” Frank Langella for “Frost/Nixon,” Sean Penn for “Milk,” Brad Pitt for “Button” and Mickey Rourke for “The Wrestler.”

Best actress nominees are Anne Hathaway for “Rachel Getting Married,” Angelina Jolie for “Changeling,” Melissa Leo for “Frozen River,” Meryl Streep for “Doubt” and Kate Winslet for “The Reader.”

Winslet’s nomination for playing a former concentration camp guard in “The Reader” proved to be a particular surprise since the actress had been promoted for the lead actress slot for her performance in “Revolutionary Road,” while it had been suggested to the Academy that she be nominated for a supporting role “The Reader.”

This year, all the best picture nominees also earned their respective directors best director noms. Making the list are David Fincher for “Button,” Ron Howard for “Frost/Nixon,” Gus Van Sant for “Milk,” Stephen Daldry for “The Reader” and Danny Boyle for “Slumdog Millionaire.”

Best picture
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Reader
Milk
Slumdog Millionaire
Frost/Nixon

Director
David Fincher, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Ron Howard, Frost/Nixon
Gus Van Sant, Milk
Stephen Daldry, The Reader
Danny Boyle, Slumdog Millionaire

Actress
Anne Hathaway, Rachel Getting Married
Angelina Jolie, Changeling
Melissa Leo, Frozen River
Meryl Streep, Doubt
Kate Winslet, The Reader

Actor
Richard Jenkins, The Visitor
Frank Langella, Frost/Nixon
Sean Penn, Milk
Brad Pitt, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Mickey Rourke, The Wrestler

Supporting actress
Amy Adams, Doubt
Penelope Cruz, Vicky Cristina Barcelona
Viola Davis, Doubt
Taraji P. Henson, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Marisa Tomei, The Wrestler

Supporting actor
Josh Brolin, Milk
Robert Downey Jr., Tropic Thunder
Philip Seymour Hoffman, Doubt
Heath Ledger, Dark Knight
Shannon, Revolutionary Road

Original screenplay
Courtney Hunt, Frozen River
Mike Leigh, Happy-Go-Lucky
Martin McDonough, In Bruges
Dustin Lance Black, Milk
Andrew Stanton, WALL-E

Adapted screenplay
Eric Roth, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
John Patrick Shanley, Doubt
Peter Morgan, Frost/Nixon
David Hare, The Reader
Simon Beaufoy, Slumdog Millionaire

Foreign-language film
Baader Meinhof Complex, Germany
The Class, France
Departures, Japan
Revanche, Austria
Waltz With Bashir, Israel

Animated film
Bolt
Kung Fu Panda
WALL-E

‘2012’ gets hit with a major delay
Jack Rico
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By

2009/01/21 at 12:00am

Movies

‘2012’ gets hit with a major delay

01.21.2009 | By |

'2012' gets hit with a major delay

In a move designed to maximize playability, Sony is delaying the release of Roland Emmerich‘s sci-fi action pic “2012” from July 10 to Nov. 13, two weekends before the lucrative Thanksgiving session.

“We’ve had such success with the James Bond films in November that we wanted a big tentpole film in that slot this year,” Sony distribution president Rory Bruer said Tuesday. “We’ve got so many films in the summer that this is the perfect answer to that.”

The 007 film “Quantum of Solace” unspooled amid light competition over the comparable frame last year to gross $67.5 million, en route to a franchise-topping $167 million domestically.

This time around, the studio has slotted its tentpole against two wide openers — Warner Bros.’ caper pic “Sherlock Holmes,” starring Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law, and Fox’s Dwayne Johnson comedy “The Tooth Fairy.” It wasn’t clear whether the arrival of “2012” would prompt the departure of either of those pics for clearer pastures.

Sony execs said “2012” could have been completed by its summer date, though the new date will add some extra time for the effects-laden production. The studio’s remaining films set for release this summer include “The Taking of Pelham 123,” an action pic starring Denzel Washington and John Travolta; “The Year One,” a comedy toplined by Jack Black and Michael Cera; “Julie and Julia,” a drama featuring Meryl Streep and Amy Adams; “District 9,” a sci-fi movie with Jason Cope and Sharlto Copley; and “Mardi Gras,” a comedy starring Nicholas D’Agosto and Josh Gad.

Inkheart
Jack Rico
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By

2009/01/20 at 12:00am

Reviews

Inkheart

01.20.2009 | By |

Rated: PG for fantasy adventure action, some scary moments and brief language.
Release Date: 2009-01-23
Starring: David Lindsay-Abaire
Director(s):
Distributor:
Film Genre:
Country: UK, Germany, USA
Official Website: http://www.inkheartmovie.com/

Go to our film page

Inkheart

Brendan Fraser’s new family adventure film ‘Inkheart’ has no heart at all, just ink on 120 pages of a script. The concept and premise are alluring, but it never delivers more than a basic and elemental movie experience. Instead of engaging the senses, the film only provides apathy. In addition, the film targets infant and juvenile audiences, but makes no excuses in its exclusion of adults. Parents beware, you are going to have a hard time maintaining any interest after the first 15 minutes.

The story focuses on a young girl (Eliza Hope Bennett) who discovers that her father (Brendan Fraser) has an amazing talent to bring literature characters to life and must try to stop a freed villain from destroying them all, with the help of her father, her aunt (Helen Mirren), and a storybook’s hero (Paul Bettany).

The acting is neither uproarious nor dreadful, just bland. Fraser gives you the ol’ nice guy acting he consistently does well, young newcomer Bennett shows potential and Mirren and Bettany are too good for the film – and it is noticeable.

The demise of ‘Inkheart’ comes at the misuse of its premise, the director Iain Softley could have trounced us with creativity, it also manipulated the laws of storytelling to suit the story’s shortcomings and the it had the inconsistencies of a stale and uninspired script.

It’s interesting to note, the movie’s message is to have us indulge in the journey of our imagination, but all it achieves is to be lifeless and forgettable.

Early Review: ‘Inkheart’
Jack Rico
0

By

2009/01/20 at 12:00am

Movies

Early Review: ‘Inkheart’

01.20.2009 | By |

Early Review: 'Inkheart'

Brendan Fraser’s new family adventure film ‘Inkheart’ has no heart at all, just ink on 120 pages of a script. The concept and premise are alluring, but it never delivers more than a basic and elemental movie experience. Instead of engaging the senses, the film only provides apathy. In addition, the film targets infant and juvenile audiences, but makes no excuses of including adults. Parents beware, you are going to have a hard time maintaining any interest after the first 15 minutes.

The story focuses on a young girl (Eliza Hope Bennett) who discovers that her father (Brendan Fraser) has an amazing talent to bring literature characters to life and must try to stop a freed villain from destroying them all, with the help of her father, her aunt (Helen Mirren), and a storybook’s hero (Paul Bettany).

The acting is neither uproarious nor dreadful, just bland. Fraser gives you the ol’ nice guy acting he consistently does well, young newcomer Bennett shows potential and Mirren and Bettany are too good for the film – and it is noticeable.

The demise of ‘Inkheart’ comes at the misuse of its premise – the director Iain Softley could have trounced us with creativity – the deliberate manipulation of the laws of storytelling to suit the story’s shortcomings and the inconsistencies of a stale and uninspired script.

It’s interesting to note, the movie’s message is to have us indulge in the journey of our imagination, but all it achieves is to be lifeless and forgettable.

Saw V
Jack Rico
0

By

2009/01/19 at 12:00am

DVD ReviewsReviews

Saw V

01.19.2009 | By |

Rating: 2.0

Rated: R for sequences of grisly bloody violence and torture, language and brief nudity.
Release Date: 2008-10-24
Starring: Patrick Melton, Marcus Dunstan
Director(s):
Distributor:
Film Genre:
Country:USA
Official Website: http://www.saw5.com/site/index.html

 Go to our film page

 

SAW V is the worst film in the franchise’s history, yet it’s disturbing, gory, parody of itself maintains an appeal like no other in its ilk. Bad acting, a ‘horror’ of a script dialogue, all add to the mystique of why we as a collective mass of movie goers flock to films of this nature.

Jigsaw is dead and Detective Strahm is trying to get to the bottom of who is continuing his deranged games.

SAW movies are no longer frightening, they are just living off of their reputation from the first two. Director David Hackl reduces the bloodshed compared to it’s previous incarnations and in this fifth installment he delivers more of a character driven feature, leaving us more time to be engaged by the actor’s skills – why would you put us through such a thing!?

Nevertheless, the inventiveness of how to kill people is amped in this sequel; from homemade nail bombs to guillotine contraptions.

If you’re looking for a fright, save your money on SAW 5 and rent The Strangers on DVD. That has more of what you’re looking for. It was created to scare the skin off of you through a slow build of suspense that keeps you screaming to the very end.

Max Payne
Mike Pierce
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By

2009/01/19 at 12:00am

DVD ReviewsReviews

Max Payne

01.19.2009 | By |

Rating: 2.5

Rated: PG-13 for violence including intense shooting sequences, drug content, some sexuality and brief strong language.
Release Date: 2008-10-17
Starring: Sam Lake, Shawn Ryan
Director(s):
Distributor:
Film Genre:
Country:USA
Official Website: http://www.maxpaynethemovie.com

 Go to our film page

Well, I went to the movies over the weekend. Hmmmm, what can I say about Max Payne?
 
It was a PAINNNN to watch!
 
Don’t get me wrong…I am a huge fan of Mark Wahlberg…I see everything he is in…I think Mila Kunis is hot…but…come on now…when I saw the preview…I was so pumped…I was like, “Oh yeah – Marky Mark’s going to kick some demon angel ass!!!”
 
I WAS WRONG!!!
 
Hmmm…it started off slow…then you think it’s going to get going…then it slows down…it did that a lot. I hated the fact that I saw all the good parts on the TV commercials. I hate when movie’s do that. (Total bummer!) Bastards! I thought it was going to be like Constantine…now that was a kick butt flick! I mean, didn’t it seem like there was going to be some kick ass angels in it? Yessssss…but….noooooooooo…that’s not what you get!!
 
Another thing that killed it for me was…Ludacris. I don’t think he belonged in that role. I didn’t believe his acting. It was actually kind of cheesy. Would anyone agree?
 
There were a few things I liked about it. Miss Mila – she’s hot – I know I said it before…but, she kept me watching the movie. I wish she would have kicked a little more butt though. The special EFX were dope. But, that’s about it.
 
If you haven’t seen it yet – just wait to Netflix it. Don’t bother wasting your cash.

Exclusive! ‘Cantinflas’ producer Jay Weisleder talks cast, premise and a 2010 release
Jack Rico
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By

2009/01/19 at 12:00am

Movies

Exclusive! ‘Cantinflas’ producer Jay Weisleder talks cast, premise and a 2010 release

01.19.2009 | By |

Exclusive! 'Cantinflas’ producer Jay Weisleder talks cast, premise and a 2010 release

Just last week, Variety announced that NBC Chairman and President Ben Silverman was going to executive produce the biopic of ‘Cantinflas,’ the most famous comedian in Mexico’s history. Since not much was said, we had to get in contact with Jay Weisleder, a 34 year old Costa Rican Jewish producer and brainchild behind bringing the comedian’s life to the big screen, to expand on the details of the project.

We called him on his cell phone while he was in Los Angeles and here’s what we were able to obtain and print on record:

– The lead for the film is unknown and they will not be looking for potential lead actors until Alejandro Monteverde, the co-writer and director, finishes developing the script. Four years ago they had in mind Diego Luna, Wilmer Valderrama, John Leguizamo and Gael Garcia Bernal to play the role. When we probed Weisleder about Leguizamo, he said he saw ‘Paraiso Travel’ and enjoyed his performance in it and that he would love to sit with him and other potential candidates in the near future. His criteria, though not strict, has him nailing down a Mexican actor which is why we think he is leaning towards Gael Garcia Bernal and Diego Luna. Since Gael is the stronger actor of the two, we’ll assume he’s their #1 desired candidate. On the female front, Natalie Portman, Rachel McAdams, Scarlett Johansson are being thought of as possible co-stars.

 

– The synopsis has been a kept secret from the press due to the delicate, sensitive nature of the script. We were conveyed the whole plot line, but were asked, off the record, to not print any verbiage of it. What we can tell you is that most of the story will be focused around two characters and a possible third one, a female. It will also explore self discovery, responsibility, a coming of age theme and an intense family transgression. As soon as we get the ok, we will posting up more info about the film in the upcoming weeks.

– The movie will be spoken in Spanish with some scenes in English and they’ll be shooting for a 2010 Mexican/US production release under, perhaps, a Universal Pictures distribution.

For those of you unfamiliar with Cantinflas’ work, here’s a snippet of his acting from ‘Around the World in 80 Days’

We want to get more of your feedback on the casting process and see if you have better ideas on who should be playing Cantinflas. Stay webbed!

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