“No Strings Attached” #1 at Box Office

“The Green Hornet” got thrashed by a new chick flick. That’s right. The R-rated romantic comedy,”No Strings Attached,” debuted at number one this weekend with an estimated haul of $20.3 million. The rom-com stars Natalie Portman and Ashton Kutcher and reportedly was produced on a $25 million budget.

“The Green Hornet” slipped from first to second with a take of about $18.1 million — bringing the superhero action comedy two week total to around $63 million. The comedy “The Dilemma” snagged third with $9.7 million, followed by ”The King’s Speech” with $9.1 million and rounding out the top five, “True Grit” with $8 million.

“The King’s Speech” surprise win

The race to the Oscars just got a little more interesting. Last night in Beverly Hills, the British historical drama,”The King’s Speech,” picked up the top honor at the Producers Guild Awards for best produced motion picture. ”The Social Network,” which had been on a roll at awards shows, was left in the dust along with eight other film nominees including “The Fighter” and  “Inception.” Here’s the Los Angeles Times article on the upset.

Academy Award nominations announced on Tuesday

Many in Hollywood  and here in the Media City will be up before sunrise this Tuesday, January 25, to hear the list of nominees for the 83rd Academy Awards.  Last year’s best supporting actress winner, Mo’Nique, and Academy President, Tom Sherak, will reveal the Oscar nominations at the Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills at 5:30 a.m. Pacific Time.

Also this year,  the announcement of the Oscar nominees will be streamed live on the Internet via livestream.com  and available on mobile devices, according to the Academy.

The Oscars ceremony is Sunday, February 27, 2011 at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood. The ceremony is set to be televised live in more than 200 countries around the globe.

Opening in theaters today

A new romantic comedy is challenging “The Green Hornet” at the Box Office this weekend. “No Strings Attached” hits movie theaters today and it stars Natalie Portman and Ashton Kutcher. The script revolves around a couple of friends who make a deal to have a “no strings attached” fling without the complication of falling in love. Yeah, right.

NBC Universal honcho Jeff Zucker’s final memo to staffers

Now that the Comcast NBC Universal merger is nearly complete, NBC Universal CEO Jeff Zucker has to move on. Today Zucker sent out a gracious farewell note to staffers. No rancor in it about being kicked to the curb by the Comcast team.  Check it out on The Wrap site.

Beyoncé to star in remake of “A Star Is Born” –Clint Eastwood will direct

A lot of folks in showbiz are chattering about the new remake of “A Star Is Born” — greenlighted with singer Beyoncé  Knowles in the lead role. This will be the fourth big screen version of the story of a talented young woman who falls in love with a self-destructive male star. Her career rises — while his tanks. Heavyweight Clint Eastwood has signed on to direct.

While there is some grumbling about another re-do of this story — most of the debate is about the acting chops of Beyoncé. The singer has appeared in several movies. She’s not quite at the level of Judy Garland or Barbra Streisand — but you never know what could happen.  Remember first timer, Jennifer Hudson, won the Academy Award for best supporting actress for her powerful performance in the movie adaptation of the Broadway musical ”Dreamgirls” (2006). Beyoncé was in that musical as well. Maybe “A Star Is Born” will be her big chance to really shine.

More on the “A Star Is Born” remake and debate on deadline.com – including more than 200 comments.

Comcast NBC Universal merger almost a done deal 

It took more than a year, but the Federal Communications Commission and the Department of Justice today gave the thumbs up to that huge Comcast NBC Universal  merger today. The mega deal is said to be worth $30 billion. It is expected to be finalized by the end of the month. The Wrap has more on this development here.

“The Green Hornet” wins Box Office crown

The superhero action comedy, “The Green Hornet,” is the new king of the Box Office. Over the weekend, the new 3D flick scooped up $33.5 million and a tally of $40 million over the long MLK four day holiday weekend.

Coming in a distant second, the new adult comedy, “The Dilemma,” with $17.8 million for the weekend. Perhaps, the bland title and dull movie poster  were a turn off for movie fans. The movie, directed by Ron Howard, has an interesting premise — A guy has to figure out how to tell his best friend that his wife is cheating on him — without jeopardizing their friendship and working relationship. Vince Vaughn, Kevin James, Winona Ryder, Queen Latifah are in the cast.

The western remake, “True Grit,” wrangled up $11 million, which was good enough for third place. Rounding out the top five the dramas, “The King’s Speech” with $9. 1 million and “Black Swan” with $8.3 million.

“The Social Network” collects more awards

“The Social Network” is packing a lot of Oscar heat after winning a slew of awards — including best drama, director, screenplay, and film score at the  much-maligned-but-attention-grabbing Golden Globes last Sunday.

The Golden Globe for best film actor in a drama went to Colin Firth for his role in “The King’s Speech.”  Natalie Portman took home best actress in a drama for her turn in “Black Swan.” The full list of Golden Globe winners here.

Some of the Oscar mystery will be solved when the nominations are announced later this month on Tuesday, January 25. The 83rd Academy Awards ceremony is set for Sunday, February 27, 2011 at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood.

“The Green Hornet” opens in theaters today

The new film version of “The Green Hornet” is going to try to make a killing over the long Martin Luther King Jr. holiday weekend. “The Green Hornet” has appeared in a number of different media including, a radio program, a television series, and comic books.

The 3D film hits domestic theaters today and stars, Seth Rogen as the wealthy playboy, Britt Reid, turned superhero/crime fighter who teams up with trusty sidekick/martial arts expert, Kato, played by Jay Chou. Cameron Diaz stars as Lenore “Casey” Case, Reid’s secretary and love interest.

 ”The Green Hornet” will be trying to topple the number one film, “True Grit.”

The western remake won last weekend’s domestic Box Office race with a tally of $14.6 million. Throughout the week, “True Grit” continue to out pace the competition and to hold on to the title of number one movie in the country.

The comedy “Little Fockers,” got bumped from the top spot to second place with earnings of $13.4 million, last weekend. The new horror flick, “Season of the Witch,” landed in third with $10.6 million. It stars Nicolas Cage and Ron Perlman. The plot revolves around a woman accused of being a witch and causing the Black Plague.

The fantasy, “Tron Legacy,” took four with $10 million and rounding out the top five, the psychological thriller  flick, “Black Swan” with $8.1 million. It’s about to dancers fighting for the top role in a ballet. Natalie Portman, Winona Ryder, Vincent Cassel, and Mila Kunis are in the cast.

Catching up on other entertainment news…

Michael Jackson’s personal physician, Conrad Murray, has been ordered to stand trial in connection with the pop superstar’s death in June of 2009. Last Wednesday, after a six-day hearing, a Los Angeles County Superior Court judge ruled there was sufficient enough evidence to try Dr. Murray for manslaughter. An arraignment has been set for January 25.

Also, the judge revoked Dr. Murray’s license to practice in California. Murray could lose his medical licenses in two other states as well. Details here.

DGA feature film nominations for 2010

Earlier this week, the Directors Guild of America released the names of the five nominees for outstanding directorial achievement in feature films for 2010. No real surprises on the list. All of the directors and their films have been getting a lot of awards buzz lately.  

Here are the nominees:

• Darren Aronofsky  “Black Swan”
• David Fincher “The Social Network”
• Tom Hooper “The King’s Speech”
• Christopher Nolan “Inception”
• David O. Russell “The Fighter”

The winner will be announced on Saturday, January 29 at a ceremony and dinner in Hollywood. For more on the nominees, the DGA Awards, and the ceremony go here.

Judge dismisses charges against Anna Nicole Smith’s boyfriend

Photo: www.theinsider.com --Actress Anna Nicole Smith and her attorney Howard K. Stern in 2007

In a surprise decision, a Los Angeles Superior Court Judge today threw out the charges against Anna Nicole Smith’s long-time boyfriend/attorney, Howard K. Stern. Last October, a jury found Stern guilty of two conspiracy felony charges in connection with drugs prescribed for Smith — who died of an accidental overdose February 7, 2007.

Also, the judge reduced from four to one — the charges against one of Smith’s doctors — saying the evidence did not support the charges. More on the judge’s decision and the prosecution’s reaction on the People website.

Day three of Michael Jackson’s doctor’s hearing

More dramatic revelations today in the Los Angeles hearing to determine if there is enough evidence for Dr.Conrad Murray to stand trial in the death of Michael Jackson. Murray was apparently engaged in phone conversations and texting when he should have been paying attention to the medicated superstar according to records presented in court.

On June 25, 2009, paramedics rushed the singer from his rented Holmby Hills mansion to the UCLA Medical Center where he was pronounced dead. Later, the Los Angeles Coroner’s office ruled the entertainer’s death a homicide — the result of an overdose of the powerful anesthetic, propofol, which was being given to him as a sleeping aid.

A report on the hearing and the testimony on the Los Angeles Times website site.

2011 People’s choice Awards

The movie blockbuster, “The Twilight Saga: Eclipse,” snatched four top awards at the People’s Choice Awards last night at the Nokia Theatre Live L.A. in downtown Los Angeles. Among the People’s Choice awards for this “Twilight” sequel, favorite movie and favorite movie drama.

These award winners for film, television and music are selected by the fans.  A list of the winners, the nominees, photos and videos and more on the People’s Choice website.

The 2011 WGA screen award nominees

The Writers Guild of America today announced its nominees for outstanding achievement in writing for the screen in 2010. Here are some of the big screen nominees:

Original Screenplay

• Black Swan, Screenplay by Mark Heyman and Andres Heinz and John McLaughlin; Story by Andres Heinz; Fox Searchlight
• The Fighter, Screenplay by Scott Silver and Paul Tamasy & Eric Johnson; Story by Keith Dorrington & Paul Tamasy & Eric Johnson; Paramount Pictures
• Inception, Written by Christopher Nolan; Warner Bros.
• The Kids Are All Right, Written by Lisa Cholodenko & Stuart Blumberg; Focus Features
• Please Give, Written by Nicole Holofcener; Sony Pictures Classics

Adapted Screenplay

• 127 Hours, Screenplay by Danny Boyle & Simon Beaufoy; Based on the book Between a Rock and a Hard Place by Aron Ralston; Fox Searchlight
• I Love You Phillip Morris, Written by John Requa & Glenn Ficarra; Based on the book by Steven McVicker; Roadside Attractions
• The Social Network, Screenplay by Aaron Sorkin; Based on the book The Accidental Billionaires by Ben Mezrich; Sony Pictures
• The Town, Screenplay by Peter Craig and Ben Affleck & Aaron Stockard; Based on the novel Prince of Thieves by Chuck Hogan; Warner Bros.
• True Grit, Screenplay by Joel Coen & Ethan Coen; Based on the novel by Charles Portis; Paramount Pictures

The full list is here. The WGA screen awards will be handed out on Saturday, February 5, 2011, at simultaneous ceremonies in Los Angeles and New York.

Producers Guild of America 2011 award nominations

The Producers Guild of America announced the nominations for its 2011 PGA awards in television and motion pictures today. The film list includes some familiar award nominees: “Inception,” “Black Swan,” “The Social Network,” “The Town,” and  “True Grit.” Go here for the complete list.  The 22nd Annual Producers Guild Awards ceremony is set for Saturday, January 22, 2011, at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills.  

Oprah Winfrey’s new TV network goes live

That talk- show- diva- now- network-mogul, Oprah Winfrey, launched her own cable television network on New Year’s Day. One million viewers turned in, according to deadline.com

You can get an idea of the kind of programming Oprah is offering by visiting her OWN website. This is a terrific looking site, packed with all sorts of stuff — including hundreds of comments from viewers and Oprah fans about the new network. Check it out here.

New Year’s weekend Box Office

New Year’s weekend Box Office turned out to be very much like Christmas weekend –  slow and very unexciting. Attendance was done at movie theaters during those two weekends not because of the bad weather, but most liekly due to the weak slate of films — not one in the top five is a real “gotta see” type film or blockbuster.

The comedy sequel, “Little Fockers,” held onto the number spot with a weekend tally of $25.7 million. The western-remake with awards buzz, “True Grit,” held remained in second place with $24.4 million.

The fantasy,”Tron:Legacy,” landed in third again with $18.7 million, followed by the animation, “Yogi Bear,” in fourth with $12.3 million, and fifth earning $10.2 million, “The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader.”

 25 films added to the National Film Registry

The disco-boogie classic, “Saturday Night Fever,” (1977) is one of 25 films selected for the National Film registry of the Library of Congress. The announcement was made today. More than two thousand films were nominated by the public for the inclusion in this year’s group.

The films are selected not because they’re the best cinema, but “… as works of enduring significance to American culture,” according to a Library of Congress press release. This year’s selection brings the total number of films in the National Film Registry to 550.

Some of the other films on the 2010 list: “Airplane” (1980), “The Empire Strikes Back” (1980), “The Exorcist” (1973), “Malcolm X” (1992), “The Pink Panther” (1964), and “A Tree Grows in Brooklyn” (1945).  For the complete list and some details on each film, go here.

Oscar Nomination ballots in the mail

Photo: Greg Harbaugh/A.M.P.A.S. — Nomination ballots for the 83rd Academy Awards were given a final check before being mailed out in Beverly Hills December 27, 2010

 Those Oscar nomination ballots for the 83rd Academy Awards should be arriving at the homes of the voting members of the academy very soon. The ballots were mailed out yesterday, after being sorted, counted, and numbered under the close scrutiny of reps from the accounting firm, Pricewaterhousecoopers.  

The 5, 755 ballots must be returned to Pricewaterhousecoopers by 5 p.m. January 14, 2011. The Oscar ceremony is Sunday, February 27, 2011 at the Kodak Theater in Hollywood. The  prestigious affair is always huge here and around the world. The awards extravaganza reportedly will be televised live in more than 200 countries.

A comedy sequel wins the Christmas weekend Box Office  

Two new films top the weekend Box Office. Taking the number one spot, “Little Fockers,” with a respectable $30.8 million. This is the sequel to the family comedies “Meet the Parents” (2000) and “Meet the Fockers” (2004). Many of the players from the earlier films appear in “Little Fockers,” including Ben Stiller, Rober De Niro, Blythe Danner, Teri Polo, and Owen Wilson.

In “Little Fockers”  Jack Byrnes (Robert De Niro) has a heart scare, appoints his son-in-law Greg Focker (Ben Stilles) as  the new head of the family — and then has second thoughts about the decision.

Another new film with a familiar ring bagged second place. The new version of the western, “True Grit,” earned $24.8 million.  The first “True Grit”  in (1969) starred John Wayne who won an Academy Award for his performance as U.S. Marshal, Reuben “Rooster” J.Cogburn.

In the new version, directed by the Coen brothers, Jeff Bridges portrays the U.S. Marshal and Hailee Steinfeld is the 14-year-old girl who hires him to track down the hired hand (Josh Brolin) who killed her father. Both film adaptations are based on the book, “True Grit” (1968), by Charles Portis.

Last week’s top film, the sci-fi sequel, “Tron Legacy” slipped to third with a take of $19.1 million. Rounding out the top five,  the fantasy flick, “The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader,”  with $9.4 million and the animated film, “Yogi Bear” with $7.8 million.

After more than 25 years, a sequel to the 1982 “Tron” film hit theaters and it captured the Box Office crown over the weekend. The final numbers came out today and “Tron: Legacy” debuted with $44 million to become the number one  film in the country.

In the “Tron” sequel a brilliant software programmer and his son are reunited in a cyber  universe where they must battle for survival, while searching for a way back to the normal world.  Jeff Bridges, Bruce Boxleitner, Garrett Hedlund, and Olivia Wilde star.

A new family animation, based on the 1950s’ “The Yogi Bear Show,”  landed in second place with $16.4 million. “Yogi Bear” is about the fight to save Jellystone Park, the home of Yogi and his sidekick, Boo-Boo. Celebrity voices include Dan Aykroyd, Justin Timberlake, and Anna Faris.

Last week’s number one film, the fantasy “The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader” managed only third this time out with $12.3 million.  ”The fighter,” a sports drama with awards buzz, earned with $12.1 million, and rounding out the top five, the blockbuster animation,”Tangled” with $8.7 million. The re-telling of the “Rapunzel” fairytale has scooped up $127.9 million at the domestic Box Office in four weeks.

Director Blake Edwards dies at 88

The director of such notable films as “Operation Petticoat” (1959), “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” (1961), ”The Pink Panther” films (1963, 1964, 1975, 1978),  and “10″ (1979), has died. The Los Angeles Times is reporting today that Blake Edwards passed away yesterday in Santa Monica, with his wife, actress Julie Andrews, and close family at his bedside.  More on the  director’s death and career highlights on the Times’ website.

Screen Actors Guild Awards nominees

The nominees for the 17th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards were announced in West Hollywood today. The awards ceremony will be at the Los Angeles Shrine Exposition Center next month, on January 30.

 Here are some of the actors and actresses lucky enough to get nominated by their peers for outstanding performances in 2010. The full list of movie and television nominations is on the  SAG website.

• Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role
  JEFF BRIDGES / Rooster Cogburn – “TRUE GRIT” (Paramount Pictures)
  ROBERT DUVALL / Felix Bush – “GET LOW” (Sony Pictures Classics)
  JESSE EISENBERG / Mark Zuckerberg – “THE SOCIAL NETWORK” (Columbia Pictures)
  COLIN FIRTH / King George VI – “THE KING’S SPEECH” (The Weinstein Company)
  JAMES FRANCO / Aron Ralston – “127 HOURS” (Fox Searchlight Pictures)

• Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role
  ANNETTE BENING / Nic – “THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT” (Focus Features)
  NICOLE KIDMAN / Becca – “RABBIT HOLE” (Lionsgate)
  JENNIFER LAWRENCE / Ree Dolly – “WINTER’S BONE” (Roadside Attractions)
  NATALIE PORTMAN / Nina Sayers – “BLACK SWAN” (Fox Searchlight Pictures)
  HILARY SWANK / Betty Anne Waters – “CONVICTION” (Fox Searchlight Pictures)

• Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role
  CHRISTIAN BALE / Dicky Eklund – “THE FIGHTER” (Paramount Pictures)
  JOHN HAWKES / Teardrop – “WINTER’S BONE” (Roadside Attractions)
  JEREMY RENNER / James Coughlin – “THE TOWN” (Warner Bros. Pictures)
  MARK RUFFALO / Paul – “THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT” (Focus Features)
  GEOFFREY RUSH / Lionel Logue – “THE KING’S SPEECH” (The Weinstein Company)

• Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role
  AMY ADAMS / Charlene Fleming – “THE FIGHTER” (Paramount Pictures)
  HELENA BONHAM CARTER / Queen Elizabeth – “THE KING’S SPEECH” (The Weinstein Company)
  MILA KUNIS / Lily – “BLACK SWAN” (Fox Searchlight Pictures)
  MELISSA LEO / Alice Ward – “THE FIGHTER” (Paramount Pictures)
  HAILEE STEINFELD / Mattie Ross – “TRUE GRIT” (Paramount Pictures)

Blogger/tweeter gets TV project gig

Blogger/tweeter and mother of three, Kelly Oxford, has been writing for years — but now it’s really paying off for her. Oxford’s witty tweets and interesting blog posts, got her a deal to write a sitcom series pilot called, “Mother of All Something.”

Now CBS has picked up the project for development with actress Jessica Alba and Jhoni Marchinko, a former-writer for the TV series, “Will & Grace” attached. The CBS comedy, “$#*! My Dad Says,” is based on a Twitter feed. The Network reportedly has several other Internet-based projects in the works.  More about Oxford and this deal here.

2010 Golden Globe nominations

The Hollywood awards season is in full swing. Yesterday, the period film, “The King’s Speech,” received seven Golden Globe nominations, the most of any motion picture. It’s about Briain’s King George VI  and his struggle to overcome a stuttering problem.

Two other movie dramas, “The Fighter,” and “The Social Network,” got six nominations. The sci-fi actioner, “Inception,” the psychological thriller, ” Black Swan,” and the comedy, “The Kids are All Right,” each were handed four nominations by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association.

Even though the Golden Globes get a lot of flak for being more about the glitter than real talent — it frequently selects Academy Awards contenders and sometimes even picks Oscar winners.

The 68th Annual Golden Globes Awards ceremony is set for January 16, 2011 on NBC. 

The entire list, including TV nominees, on the HFPA website. 

 “The Chronicles of Narnia” rules the Box Office

The third installment of  “The Chronicles of Narnia” is still king at the domestic Box Office, after earning the crown over the weekend with a haul of $24 million. “The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader” rolled right over another newbie, “The Tourist.”

“The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader,” is based on the third book in the classic children’s book series by C.S. Lewis. In this version, the King of Narnia and his brave team must rescue seven lords in order to save his country from an evil mist. The 3D flick earned $1.6 million on Monday and $1.7 million on Tuesday to remain the number one film in the country.

Angelina Jolie and Johnny Depp are in second place. Over the weekend their romantic/thriller, “The Tourist,” managed only $16.4 million.  On Monday, it made $1.3 million and did a little better on Tuesday, $1.6 million.  In “The Tourist” Depp plays an American visiting Italy who meets a mysterious woman, Jolie.  “The Tourist” is a remake of the French action/thriller “Anthony Zimmer” (2005).

The animated movie, “Tangled,” landed in third with $14.3 million, followed by “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1″ in fourth  with $8.4 million and rounding out the top five, “Unstoppable” with $3.7 million.

The Black List: Hot unproduced scripts of 2010 

The Black List is one of the most eagerly awaited screenplay collections in Hollywood. Since 2004, film executive, Franklin Leonard, has been compiling this list of the favorite unproduced screenplays of the year.  Diablo Cody’s “Juno” is one of the scripts that was discovered on this list and got produced!

This time around 290 film executives cast ballots for the screenplays they enjoyed reading the most. Nikki Finke has the complete list, the agencies and managers who rep the scripts and the screenwriters, as well as over 100 comments about it on deadline.com

“Tangled” wrangled the top spot at the Box Office away from Harry Potter over the weekend. In its second week, “Tangled,” claimed the number one slot with a haul of $21.6 million, according to the final figures released today.

“Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1″ dropped to second place with $17 million. In third week, the 7th installment in the epic fantasy film series has conjured up $244.5 million at the domestic Box Office.

The musical, “Burlesque,” stirred up enough interest for third with $6.1 million. The action thriller “Unstoppable,” is still rolling along in theaters and collected $5.9 million — for a four week total of $68.7 million.

And in fifth place, the comedy/drama, “Love and Other Drugs,” with $5.6 million. The R-rated film centers on a romance between a traveling pharmaceutical salesman and a woman battling the onset of Parkinson’s disease. It’s based on the book, “Hard Sell: The Evolution of a Viagra Salesman,” by Jamie Reidy. The movie stars Jake Gyllenhaal and Anne Hathaway.

Another big search for new talent. Entertainment heavyweight DreamWorks is holding an open casting call for a lead role in its upcoming film, “Welcome To People,” starring Elizabeth Banks and Chris Pine.

The casting folks are looking for someone to play the character, “Josh.” Some of the requirements include age 11-13, Caucasian, and able to remember large chunks of dialogue. Also, no acting experience is required.

The casting call is this Saturday, December 4, at the Sunset Gower Studios in Hollywood, between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.  Details over on deadline.com

The final numbers are in and  “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1″ managed to beat back newcomer, “Tangled,” to remain the number one movie in the country, for the second straight week.

 The seventh installment of the phenomenal film series conjured up $49 million at theaters last weekend. Its two week total stands at around $219 million at the domestic box office.

The new animated re-telling of the “Rapunzel” fairy tale, “Tangled,” came in a very close second, outpacing expectations with $48.7 million.  The 3D family flick features the voices of Manny Moore, Zachary Levi, Donna Murphy, and Ron Perlman. Another 3D animation, “Megamind,” took in $12.5 million –good enough for third. 

The new musical, “Burlesque,” shimmed its way to fourth place with a $11.9 million debut. The plot revolves around a young Iowa waitress, played by pop singer, Christina Aguilera, who follows her dream of becoming an entertainer to Los Angeles. Cher, Kristen Bell, and Stanely Tucci also star. Rounding out the top five, the action thriller, “Unstoppable,” with $11.4 million — for a three week domestic total of around $60 million.

Fans of the wild adventures of that wizard, Harry Potter, stormed movie theaters this weekend.The latest installment in the popular fantasy film series, ”Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1,” cleaned up with an estimated $125.1 million –easily becoming the number one movie in the country.

“Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows part 1,” is the first of a two part film epic of the seventh and final book in the series by J. K. Rowling.  In this film, Harry Potter is out to destroy his archenemy’s secret to immortality. Leading the cast Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, and Emma Watson.

Far, far, behind in second place, the animated flick, “Megamind,” with around $16.1 million. The action film, “Unstoppable,” took third with about $13.1 million. The road comedy, “Due Date,” rolled into fourth with an estimate $9. 1 million.

The new action thriller, “The Next Three Days,” created  barely a ripple at the Box Office. It landed in fifth place with an estimated take of $6.7 million. The plot revolves around a husband’s daring plan to break his wife out of prison, after she was falsely convicted of murder. The cast includes Russell Crowe, Liam Neeson, and Elizabeth Banks.

Photo: Cliff Watts/People -- Actor Ryan Reynolds

Today People Magazine announced it’s Sexiest Man Alive 2010. The lucky hunky guy, Actor Ryan Reynolds. Besides his good looks, Reynolds has a lot of other things going for him these days. He’s married to Actress, Scarlett Johansson, and his acting career is on a roll.

Reynolds is getting some buzz for his upcoming role as the superhero, Green Lantern. The Warner Bros. movie is due out next June. Checkout the Green Lantern website and new trailer here.

More on Reynolds and People’s selection of some other sexy men on its website.

Hollywood Publicist gunned down

An investigation is underway into the early morning  fatal shooting of well-known Publicist, Ronni Chasen. There are reports, Chasen was shot several times in her car in Beverly Hills, after leaving a party following a premiere for the movie, “Burlesque.” More details on The Wrap.

New book from Barbra Streisand

Out today — a new book from  Superstar, Barbra Streisand. It’s not about singing, movies, or entertainment.  ”My Passion for Design” is about the singer’s love for American architecture and her adventures in designing and decorating numerous homes. This is Streisand’s first book.

Ted Koppel speaks out on the new brand of TV News

Photo: mediabistro.com -- Television Journalist Ted Koppel

 Veteran TV Journalist, Ted Koppel, has an excellent, thought provoking opinion piece in the Washington Post about the new trend in TV News, which has made stars of Glenn Beck, Keith Olbermann, and Bill O’Reilly.

“What we really need in our search for truth is a commodity that used to be at the heart of good journalism: facts – along with a willingness to present those facts without fear or favor,” Koppel opined.

However he admits, “The transition of news from a public service to a profitable commodity is irreversible.”  Check out Koppel’s opinion piece here.

“Megamind”  stops “Unstoppable” at the Box Office

“Megamind” is still tops at the Box Office, after going head-to-head with the new action flick, “Unstoppable” over the weekend. ”Megamind” earned $29.1 million to remain the number one movie in the country, for the second straight week.

“Unstoppable” is about a runaway train and efforts made to stop it in order to avoid a catastrophe. The film stars Denzel Washington and Chris Pine. “Unstoppable” debuted with $22.6 million — enough for second place.

The comedy, “Due Date,” landed in third with $15.4 million. The new sci-fi film, “Skyline,” swooped down into fourth with $11.6 million. The movie is about an alien invasion in Los Angeles  and stars Eric Balfour and Scottie Thompson.

Rounding out the top five, the new comedy-drama, “Morning Glory.” Despite its star power of Diane Keaton and Harrison Ford, the film managed only $9.2 million in its debut. The movie is about a producer struggling to save a morning show with feuding  anchors.

The DreamWorks animation,”Megamind 3D,” debuted at the top of the weekend Box Office, with $46 million — but that was below expectation. The film had been expected to exceed the $50 million mark.  Nevertheless, the debut was good enough to earn “Megamind 3D” the title of the number one film in the country.

The family-friendly feature  is about supervillians and superheroes battling for supremacy on Earth. Will Ferrell stars along with Brad Pitt and Tiny Fey. Another flick, the buddy-comedy, “Due Date ,” came in second with $32.6 million. Robert Downey Jr., Zach Galifianakis, and Jamie Foxx star in the story of a wild cross country road trip involving an expectant father and a wanna-be actor.

In third, the drama, “For Colored Girls,” which raked in a surprising $19.4 million. The film, directed by Tyler Perry, is based on the acclaimed 1975 play “For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When the Rain bow Is Enuf” by Ntozake Shange. Like the play, the movie is about a group of women who share their deeply personal and sometimes heartbreaking experiences of what it is like being of color and female. The cast includes Janet Jackson, Thandie Newton, and Macy Gray. The film was produced on a budget of around $21 million.

The comedy, “Reds” pulled in $8.6 million for fourth and rounding out the top five, the horror sequel, “Saw 3D,” with $7.7 million.

Movie fans were gong-ho for horror flicks on Halloween weekend, propelling “Saw 3D” to the top of the Box Office.  “Saw 3D” debut with a respectable $22.5 million,  acccording to the final figures out today. ”Saw 3D” is now the number one movie in the country.

This is the seventh and  reportedly final chapter in John “Jigsaw” Kramer’s torture series of challenges and tests for his victims. Tobin Bell, Costas Mandylor, and Betsy Russell star.  Whether this turns out to be the end of Jigsaw, more than likely depends on how much dough this installment of the series manages to scare up at the Box Office.

The psychological horror flick , “Paranormal Activity 2,”  last week’s top film, had to settle for second place with $16.5 million. The action comedy “Red”  earned $10.7 million, good enough for third, followed by the comedy “Jackass 3-D” in fourth with $8.5 million and in fifth, the spiritual drama, “Hereafter” with $6.4 million.

“Paranormal Activity 2″ really cleaned up at the weekend Box Office. The fright sequel debuted with an estimated $41.5 million–a huge opening for a horror flick. “Paranormal Activity 2″ is now the new number one film in the country.

The plot of “Paranormal Activity 2″ is very similar to the first.  Instead of a couple, this time, a sinister force terrorizes a family. The R-rated film reportedly was produced on a meager budget of $3 million. Katie Featherston and Micah Sloat star.

Last week’s top film, “Jackass 3D,” landed in second with around $21.6 million. In third place, the action/comedy “Red”  with about $15 million. The new Clint Eastwood movie, “Hereafter” debuted in fourth with $12 million. Matt Damon and Cecile de France star in the story about life and the afterlife.

Rounding out the top five, “The Social Network,”  with an estimated $7.3 million to bring its four week total to at least $72 million.

"Jackass 3D" movie poster

Two new adult films debuted at the top of the Box Office, outperforming expectations. Leading the way, “Jackass 3D,” a crude comedy, that packed theaters and earned an estimated $50 million, to become the new number one film in the country.

This is the third installment of the “Jackass” series and is based on the TV series (2000-2002). The movie has no real plot, and basically shows a bunch of guys doing stupid pranks, stunts, and other idiotic routines. You either dig this kind of R-rated humor or you don’t. Johnny Knoxville stars.   

In second place, a different kind of adult film, “Red,” which stars Helen Mirren, Morgan Freeman, Mary-Louise Parker, and Bruce Willis. “Red” debuted with around $22.5 million. It’s about a CIA agent who is forced to come out of retirement and to assembly his old team, after he gets targeted by assassins. The action-comedy is based on a DC comic book series of the same name.

Following in third place, “The Social Network” with an estimated $11 million, “Secretariat” with $9.5 million took fourth, and the comedy/drama, “Life as We know It,” is close behind in fifth with $9.2 million.