The new gritty sci-fi action flick, “Battle: Los Angeles,” fought its way to the top of the box office this weekend.  “Battled: LA” debuted with an estimated $36 million to become the number one movie in the country.

Aaron Eckhart, Michelle Rodriquez, and pop singer Ne-Yo are in the cast of  ”Battle: LA,” which is about a marine platoon that goes up against invading aliens in the City of Angels. 

Last week’s top film, Johnny Depp’s computer-animated western-comedy, ”Rango,” slipped to second place with around $23 million. ‘ The new take on folk tale classic, “Red Riding Hood,” did not generate the kind of opening expected — by landing in third with an estimated $14.1 million. The dark fantasy stars Amanda Seyfried as a woman living in a town terrorized by a werewolf.

The thriller, “The Adjustment Bureau,” claimed fourth with just about $11.4 million, and rounding out the top five, the new Disney animation, “Mars Needs Moms,” with an estimated $6.8 million. Produced on a budget reported to be at least $150 million, the film is considered a box office bomb. “Mars Needs Moms” stars Seth Green and Joan Cusack, in a story of a young boy who is out to save his mother from Martians. It is based on a book by cartoonist, Berkeley Breathed.

“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.

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.

“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.

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.

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.

Facebook film wins Box Office derby

Despite a big publicity blitz by Disney the new film,”Secretariat,” got dusted by the geeks of  ”The Social Network” at the Box Office this weekend. The final figures are out today and they show “The Social Network” leading the pack with $15.4 million — to hang onto the title of the number one film in the country for the second straight week.

In second place, the new comedy/drama, “Life as we Know It,” earning $14.5 million. Katherine Heigl and Josh Duhamel play single professionals who must make a relationship under one roof work after they become the caregivers to an orphaned little girl they both adore.

“Secretariat,” the story of the spectacular race horse who won the Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing in 1973, managed only third, pulling in $12.6 million. The film stars Diane Lane and John Malkovich. A much stronger debut was expected from the movie, which received good reviews along with a ton of  promotion.

The animated family flick, “Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga’Hoole” came in fourth with $6.88 million. Close behind in fifth, the new slasher film, “My Soul to Take,” scared up $6.84 million. The 3D movie stars Max Thieriot, John Margaro, and Christopher Place. The plot revolves around the return of a serial killer to his hometown to stalk seven children who were born on the day, 16 years ago, he supposedly died.

Country Singer Garth Brooks lends a helping hand

Photo: PRNewsFoto/Habitat for Humanity International Ezra Millstein -- Garth Brooks helped build homes in Alabama as part of Habitat for Humanity's Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter Work Project October 8, 2010

Entertainer, Garth Brooks, traded in his microphone for a drill as he  joined 400 volunteers for the 27th Annual Habitat for Humanity’s Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter Work Project in Birmingham, Alabama last Friday. Oh, Brooks did perform for Habitat supporters the night before. The volunteers are building 10 new homes and rehabbing 18 others, according to a PRNewswire press release.

Brooks and his wife, singer Trisha Yearwood, have volunteered with Habitat in the Gulf Coast and in Los Angeles as well.  

An update for Harry Potter fans

“Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows — Part 1″ is coming out  on schedule, but in 2D, according to a PRNewswire press release.  Apparently, Warner Bros.Pictures has not been able to complete the Potter sequel and get it into the 3D format in time for the target release next month, on November 19.

Also, the upcoming “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows –Part 2″ will hit the big screen on July 15, 2011, in both 2D and 3D format.

 Hot Hollywood Movie Deal

I thought it was a bizarre combination when the novel came out last spring: President Abraham Lincoln and vampires. No matter. Hollywood is hot to take this property to the big screen. Several studios were bidding on the project, but over the weekend, 20th Century Fox came out the victor, according to Nikki Finke & Mike Fleming over at Deadline.com.

Los Angeles Author Seth Grahame-Smith’s novel, “Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter” has our 14th President taking out the blood suckers and their slave-owning allies, in revenge for a vampire killing his mother. Oh, it’s going to be made in 3D. Wow! More on the deal at Deadline.com

WGA announces awards for New Media writing

The Writers Guild of America awards ceremony next February will include two new categories: Writing Original New Media and Writing Derivative New Media.  WGA-West President John Wells explained the need for the additions in a news release: ““New media writers play an essential role in entertaining, educating, and engaging audiences in the digital arena. These new awards pay tribute to their talents and to the diversity of work being done under Writers Guild contracts.”

The WGA will be accepting submissions through November 23, 2010. Details on eligibility and the new awards on the WGA -West website.  

More on the Facebook movie

“The Social Network,” the new movie about Facebook, is the number one flick in the nation. Also, now there’s growing Oscar buzz surrounding the movie. Deadline has that as well as a tidbit about how the screenwriter of the film, Aaron Sorkin, collected a cool $3 million for his work. Who says screenwriting doesn’t pay the bills?

Catching up on …

Some good obits and remembrances of some recently departed celebs over on the  Los Angeles Times website – among them, Actor/Artist Tony Curtis and  TV Producer/Author Stephen J. Cannell.  Cannell was not only a great talent, but a generous writer who was willing to share his knowledge and experiences with other scribes.  I heard Cannell speak to writers’ groups a couple of times — and each time he was terrific.

The story of Internet social network juggernaut, Facebook, pulled in the most moviegoers at theaters this weekend. “The Social Network” debuted with an estimated $23 million to become the number one film in the country.

The drama is loosely based on Ben Mezrich’s book, “The Accidental Billionaires”  (2009). The story centers on how Mark Zuckerberg, as a young Harvard University undergraduate, founded Facebook in his dorm room back in 2004. Today the mega-website has become a huge part of the Internet experience for millions. The movie stars Jesse Eisenberg, Andrew Garfield, and Justin Timberlake.

Far behind In second place, the animated family flick, “Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga’Hoole” with around $10.8 million. Last week’s top film, “Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps” dropped to third with about $10.1 million, followed by the crime drama “The Town” with somewhere around $10 million.

The teen comedy, “Easy A” rounds out the big five with an estimated $7 million. The final numbers on the weekend films will be released tomorrow.

The new drama, “Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps,” rolled right over the competition this weekend to become the number one film in the country. This sequel to the 1987 film, “Wall Street,” collected an estimated $19 million at the domestic Box Office.   

Oliver Stone directed both the original and the sequel. “Wall Street : Money Never Sleeps” picks up 23 years after the original with Michael Douglas’ Gordon Gekko out of prison and reformed. Douglas won the Best Actor Oscar for his performance in “Wall Street.” In the sequel, Gekko tries to warn Wall Street right before the 2008 financial meltdown. The cast includes Shia LaBeouf, Josh Brolin, and Carey Mulligan.

In second place, a new 3D animation, “Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga’Hoole,” with around $16.3 million. The film is based on an adventure fantasy book series by Kathryn Lasky.

“The Town”, last week’s number top film, fell to third place earning an estimated $16 million. The teen comedy, “Easy A”  landed in fourth with about $10.7 million.

Rounding out the top five, the new romantic comedy, “You Again” with an estimated $8.3 million. Jamie Lee Curtis, Kristen Bell, Sigourney Weaver, and Betty White star. The film is about a young woman who discovers her older brother is about to marry the girl who bullied her in high school.