Actor Leonardo DiCaprio is blowing up huge on the big screen. DiCaprio is two-for-two — with his second film this year, “Inception,” debuting at the top of the domestic Box Office this weekend.  

Last February, DiCaprio starred in the psychological drama, ”Shutter Island,” which opened in first place with $41 million.  Now, the sci-fi thriller “Inception” cleans-up with an estimated $60.4 million to become the number one movie in the country. “Inception” also stars Ken Watanabe, Ellen Page, and Michael Caine.

Directed and written by the talented Chris Nolan, “Inception” is the highly anticipated original thriller about a thief’s ability to steal from his victim’s mind during the dream state and how he has to bump that skill up to an even higher level  in one last operation. Nolan, who’s successes include “Batman Begins, “The Dark Knight,” “Memento,” and “Insomnia,” reportedly started working on ”Inception” 10 years ago.

The computer-animated film, “Despicable Me,” slipped from first to second with around $32.7 million. The new fantasy adventure, “The Sorcerer’s Apprentice” landed in third with an estimate $17.3 million. Based on a number of sources, the film is about a sorcerer who finds his apprentice in modern day New York and must give this college student a crash course in magic and sorcery to help save the world from destruction. Nicolas Cage and Jay Baruchel star.

In fourth, the vampire fantasy ”The Twilight Saga: Eclipse” with about $13.5 million and rounding out the top five, the 3D animated  ”Toy Story 3″ with an estimated  $11.7 million.

 Conan O’Brien gets four Emmy nominations

Late night talk show host, Conan O’Brien, has plenty to joke about after receiving four Emmy nominations today, for his short-lived version of “The Tonight Show,” including nods for outstanding variety music or comedy series, for writing, directing, and art direction. How many nominations did his rivals Jay Leno and David Letterman get? Nada! Zilch!  

That recent odd-ball Emmy ad campaign by the TBS Network for the comedian just might have paid off. Or maybe O’Brien got a lot of sympathy votes because of the shabby way NBC treated him in “The Tonight Show” debacle last winter, which led to Leno returning to the legendary late night talker as host. O’Brien is now prepping his new late night show for this fall on TBS.

The 62nd Primetime Emmy nominations were announced this morning.  HBO got the most nominations, followed by ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox and PBS. Several posts about the Emmy nominations on deadline.com/Hollywood

Disney plans to appeal $200 million-plus court decision

Photo: FLLewis/Media City G -- Disney Studios in Burbank

Investors are watching the Mouse Kingdom’s stock for signs of erosion after a federal jury in Riverside yesterday awarded the creator of the “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?”  television game show nearly $269.2 million in damages.

U.K.-based Celador International sued Disney in 2004 claiming it did not receive a fair share of profits from the show.  More on the legal battle here.

 ”Eclipse” still making serious money

“The Twilight Saga: Eclipse” continued its winning ways this week. Over the Fourth of July weekend, the vampire/fantasy/love story easily won the Box Office race with a haul of $83.6 million.

In its first six days of release, the third installment of the “Twilight” film series made a huge $176.3 million at the domestic Box Office. As of yesterday,  the film had earned nearly $20 million more — meaning it will probably leap the $200 million mark before the weekend.  At the center of the plot is a love triangle involving main characters Bella Swan, Edward Cullen, and Jacob Black played by Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, and Taylor Lautner.

In second place, another new fantasy flick, “The Last Airbender” with $52 million.  Written and directed by M. Night Shyamalan, the movie is about a young adventurer,  portrayed by Noah Ringer, who has the power to manipulate the four main elements of nature : water, fire, Earth, and air.

“Toy Story 3″ came in third with $43 million, and rounding out the top five, the comedies “Grown Ups” $26 million and “Knight and Day” $14 million.

 A Southland lottery winner cashed in that missing $7 million SuperLotto Plus jackpot winning ticket last Monday, June 14. This is the unclaimed jackpot I posted about a few days ago. The ticket was bought in the 7-Eleven store at 3450 Overland Avenue in Los Angeles for the June 5 draw. Oh, the 7-Eleven gets a $35,000 bonus for selling that winning ticket.

 The owner of the lucky ticket wants to remain anonymous. According to lottery officials, the winner chose the annuity option and will receive increasing payments over 26 years, beginning with the first for $175,000. What are his plans?  The winner disclosed he intends to pay off some credit cards, some other bills, and take a long-awaited trip to Disney World!

Actress Demi Moore nails a $2 million book deal

Movie roles have been pretty slim for Actress, Demi Moore, lately, but she just scored a huge deal in the publishing biz. Over on Deadline.com, Mike Fleming reports Moore’s reps are working on the fine points of a book contract with HarperCollins. The word is this will not be a trip down memory lane. More here.

Screenwriting duo hook a deal to write “Monster High” musical

Alfred Gough and Miles Millar are very busy screenwriters/producers these days. And they are making a lot of dough at it. Gough and Millar are the showrunners for the TV hit, “Smallville.” Also, they wrote such male-focused films as ”Lethal Weapon 4,” “Shanghai Noon,” and “Spider-Man 2.”  For a some variety, they produced last year’s “Hannah Montana: The Movie,” which rang up $80 million at the domestic Box Office.

Now Gough and Millar are working on a monster musical about the trials and tribulations of high school — as experienced by the off-spring of Dracula, Frankenstein, and the Wolfman. “Monster High” is based on a new entertainment/toy line from Mattel. The Hollywood Reporter has a nice write up on the project. 

“Shrek Forever After” number one again

For the third week in a row, “Shrek Forever After” is king of the domestic Box Office, but the achievement is overshadowed by the lackluster performance of a new crop of films. Audiences are not packing the theaters like they did last year at this time.

“Shrek Forever After” drew the biggest crowds making $25.4 million, bringing its three week domestic take to $183.2 million. In second place the new film, “Getting Him to the Greek,” which opened with $17.5 million. The comedy centers on a record company intern who takes the job of escorting an out-of-control British rock star to a concert in Los Angeles. Jonah Hill and Russell Brand star.

Another new movie,”Killers” landed in third with$15.8 million. The action comedy is about a woman who discovers, three years into her marriage, that she’s hooked up with a CIA hitman who has a contract on his head.  Ashton Kutcher and Katherine Heigl star.

“Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time” earned $14 million for fourth place. Rounding out the top five, “Sex and the City 2″ with $12.3 million — bringing its two week domestic haul to $73 million. Box Office Mojo has more on the weekend movie derby.  

“Now You See Me” spec script sale

The cold spec script market warmed up somewhat with the sale of, “Now You See Me.” Screenwriters Boaz Yakin and Edward Ricourt sold their spec to Summit Entertainment. The script is a thriller with a hocus -pocus kind of twist. In the plot, a top FBI team takes on some of the greatest illusionists who create magic on stage while pulling-off a series of daring bank heists. The Hollywood Reporter has more on this deal and other projects involving these two hot screenwriters.  

Sandra Bullock re-teams with Ryan Reynolds for new flick

Oscar-winning actress, Sandra Bullock, is back in the mix. During the past few days, Bullock made her first official appearances since being hit with all that personal drama from her ex-husband’s infidelities. Before that, Bullock was on a high after winning the best actress Academy Award for, “The Blind Side.” Over the weekend, The actress dropped by “Spike TV Guy’s Choice Awards” and “The MTV Awards.”

Today, there’s buzz about Bullock and Ryan Reynolds co-starring in a new action comedy, “Most Wanted.” Bullock and Reynold clicked in the successful romantic comedy, “The Proposal.” That film debuted at number one its first weekend back in June of 2009, then went on to earn $162 million at the domestic Box Office and $317 million worldwide.  Details on the new teaming of Bullock and Reynolds here.

Sequels stumble at the Box Office

The four-day Memorial Day weekend was no thriller at the Box Office, and that has sparked a lot chatter about whether moviegoers are growing weary of the sequels. Ticket sales for the long weekend, $184.2 million compared to $213.8 million for the same holiday weekend last year. Many critics are putting the blame for this year’s disappointment on the weak performance of the sequels.

The animation “Shrek Forever After” held onto the number one ranking, for a second week at the domestic Box Office, with a haul of $57 million.

Second place went to the new action adventure, “Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time,” which racked up $37.8 million. The flick, based on a video game, is about a prince who teams up with a rival princess to stop a sandstorm that could destroy the world. Jake Gyllenhaal stars, along with Gemma Arterton and Ben Kingsley.

“Sex and the City 2″ sashayed into third with a debut of $36.8 million. This sequel had a ton of buzz, got off to a fast start, but cooled somewhat over the long weekend. Sarah Jessica Parker, Kristin Davis, Cynthia Nixon, and Kim Cattrall star in another go-round of comedy, drama, and romance in the Big Apple.

 ”Iron Man 2″ landed in fourth with $21 million and “Robin Hood” scored fifth place with $13.4 million. More on the sluggish Memorial Day weekend Box Office and the struggling sequels on The Wrap.

Director James Cameron takes a meeting on that catastrophic oil spill

Oscar-winning filmmaker James Cameron joined 20 top scientists, engineers, tech experts, and  government officials yesterday to brainstorm on how to contain that huge oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Besides winning three Oscars  for the movie “Titanic” and producing other blockbusters like “Avatar,” Cameron helped design special underwater equipment to film a series of documentaries exploring shipwrecks in the ocean deep. So he might have some ideas on what to do about that six-week-old, oil disaster.

Southland hearing on the Comcast-NBCU deal

The House Judiciary Committee is scheduled to hold a hearing next Monday, June 7, at the California Science Center in Downtown Los Angeles, on the controversial Comcast-NBCU proposed deal.  The hearing is open to the public.

The Justice Department is looking into possible anti-trust implications of the union, while the FCC will determine if the $30 billion deal is in the public interest. Details on The Los Angeles Times website.

A final exit for actors Dennis Hopper & Gary Coleman

Photo:  Mark Boster/ Los Angeles Times — A frail Dennis Hopper gets a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, March 26, 2010

A legendary Hollywood  “Bad Boy”  

 Veteran actor and co-star of the cult classic motorcycle/road film, “Easy Rider” (1969), Dennis Hopper, died last Saturday, May 29, at the age of 74, after a battle with prostate cancer. Hopper reportedly passed away at his home in Venice, California surrounded by family and friends.

Hopper appeared in over 100 films. He lived a life that was, at times, as colorful and wild as some of the characters he played on the big screen.  The Los Angeles Times website has a tribute and extensive photo gallery on the life and talent of Hopper, who was a writer, director, and photographer. as well as a gifted actor.  

Star of TV hit “Diff’rent Strokes” dies

Former-Child Star, Gary Coleman, gained fame for playing the lovable chubby-cheeked kid, Arnold Jackson, in the  TV comedy, “Diff’rent Strokes.” However as an adult, Coleman’s life was filled with drama, mishaps, and misfortune.  He died last Friday, May 28, in a Utah hospital after being taken off life-support. Coleman reportedly suffered an intracranial hemorrhage (bleeding within the skull) and then slipped into a coma last week. Coleman was only 42. People Magazine website has more on the troubled actor’s death and life.

Disney employee arrested and charged with insider trading scheme

A lot of buzz on the Internet and here in the Media City about the arrest of Disney employee, Bonnie Jean Hoxie and her boyfriend, in an FBI sting operation.  Hoxie and Yonni Sebbag were taken into custody last Wednesday in Los Angeles and arraigned in federal court that afternoon. Both were charged with wire fraud and conspiracy.  Each suspect is facing up to 25 years in prison on those charges.

Hoxie is (was) the administrative assistant to Zenia Mucha, Disney’s head of corporate communications. Hoxie and Sebbag reportedly were nabbed trying to sell insider information on Disney’s quarterly earnings to undercover FBI agents.  

The word is this scheme was pretty dumb — with the alleged suspects discussing their game plan in e-mails! Oh, in one e-message, Hoxie reportedly talked about the Stella McCartney handbag and shoes she wanted to buy with the plot-dough. Instead, Hoxie and Sebbag are going to be shelling out a lot of their own money for lawyers.

Hoxie was released on $50,000 bail. Sebbag is considered a flight risk, so he’s still in custody.  More details on the alleged scheme and the undercover operation at L.A. Times and Deadline.com/Hollywood.

More controversy simmering in B-town

Some Burbank city officials probably think their stonewalling will end the inquiries about that suspicious bus accident involving school children last winter. Not a chance.  The first media report of the strange circumstances surrounding that bus vs vehicle accident on January 15, 2010, at Olive Avenue and Orchard Drive, appeared on this blog back on March 20, 2010.

City employees had been talking about that accident for weeks, then I heard about it.  Here’s a quick recap: 21 Burbank school children, from Emerson Elementary and Jordan Middle School, were riding on that bus. It was a minor mishap. I’m told the other vehicle swerved, hit the bus, knocking off the side mirror. No injuries. However, the controversy is over what type of bus was carrying those children. City officials insist it was a Got Wheels bus.

However, my reliable sources tell me the police report states it was not a Got Wheels bus, but a regular Burbank transit bus. This has sparked questions of whether the city is putting children’s safety at risk by side-stepping regulations for buses designated for children, in order to save a buck or two.

At the suggestion of Burbank City Manager Mike Flad, I e-mailed Interim Community Development Director, Greg Herrmann, about the matter for a clarification. However, Hermann did not take kindly to my tough questions and sent me, what came across as, a threatening e-mail. I posted e-mails from that exchange in a blog post on April 6.

Then on April 21,  I posted another story on my blog about Activist Mike Nolan asking Flad for an investigation into the bus accident and the e-mail threat I got from Herrmann. Nolan made his request at the televised city council meeting on April 20. Flad agreed to provide a report on the bus accident.

So here’s the latest. At the May 18 city council meeting, Nolan expressed disappointment that Flad had reneged on his commitment to provide that report. What happened surprised a lot of folks. City Attorney Dennis Barlow declared the bus accident a ”legal matter” saying that was “due to potential litigation.” Barlow explained he had provided the city council members with a summary of the accident, but there would be nothing to report to the public.

 Photo: FLLewis/A Writer’s Groove — Burbank City Attorney Dennis Barlow 

 After that May 18 city council meeting, I asked City Attorney Barlow what type of bus was involved in that accident. He said quote,” It was a Got Wheels bus.”  When I asked what kind of “potential litigation” would be involved in an accident with no injuries and a busted side mirror — he would not comment.

The day after, I dropped off a formal media request, at BPD Headquarters,  for Burbank Police Records Technician Supervisor, Deborah Wilson,  asking for a copy of the police/traffic report on that bus accident, with the required $15 in cash enclosed.  I got back a rejection, dated May 24,  in the mail with my 15 bucks. Along with the rejection letter, a copy of ”the call for service for this incident” with preliminary information — but no traffic report from the scene of that bus accident.

Mike Nolan is still on the hunt for an unaltered copy of that police report and so am I. Burbank city council members should be demanding to see this police report and not accept some lightweight summary from the City Attorney. Did they not learn anything from the police mess Burbank is attempting to dig its way out of right now. Sooner or later the real facts will come out and if there is “potential litigation” as Barlow stated, council members need to show they did not stick their heads in the sand, but acted decisively in the public interest. 

Another Honeybee sighting

Photo: FLLewis/A Writer’s Groove — Burbank Police Commissioner Jim Etter’s cool “Honey Bee” — a beautifully restored 1956 Chevy Bel Air parked n the Burbank City Hall parking lot May 19, 2010

This time I had my camera with me and was able to snap a few shots of Chevy Jim’s classic ride. When I drove into the Burbank City parking lot for the Police Commission meeting, Wednesday, May 19,  I caught sight of a couple of young dudes posing and profiling in front of Burbank Police Commissioner Jim Etter’s 1956 Chevrolet Bel Air convertible.

The “Honey Bee” really grabs attention. After the meeting, I walked out into the parking lot with Commissioner Etter and over to the pretty Chevy. A couple came over and just stared at “Honey Bee” in awe. Etter made their evening, by allowing them to slide into the front seat.

Warning! Don’t try that if Etter is not around. “Honey Bee” is security tight. You can look, admire, and even take photos, but no joyriding without the owner’s permission.

Grand View claims checks in the mail

Photo: FLLewis/A Writer’s Groove — A young visitor spends a few moments at a relative’s gravesite at Grand View Memorial Park Cemetery in Glendale on March 7, 2010

The check is in the mail or has already arrived for more than 14-hundred folks who filed valid claims in the class action lawsuit involving the landmark Grand View Memorial Park Cemetery in Glendale. That lawsuit alleges a long list of violations including selling non-existing grave plots and the mismanagement of remains and gravesites at the 120-plus-year-old cemetery. Also back in 2005, a state investigator discovered thousands of human remains at Grand View that had been improperly handled.

The defendants, among them the present owner Moshe Goldsman, did not admit guilt, but agreed to settle the class action lawsuit for around $3.8 million last October. The settlement was finalized earlier this year on January 19.  Over a million bucks of that went to the lawyers.  Also, $500,000 was set aside for the restoration of Grand View, which it badly needs. And finally, 1,460 claimants were awarded $1, 296.23 each.

A Burbank resident I know, got one of those checks recently, but still has concerns about the future management of the cemetery, and of course, when it will be open with regular hours.  More than two years ago, at the height of its troubles, Grand View was shut down and has been opened for months now, only occasionally, by the order of Los Angeles Superior Court Judge, Anthony J. Mohr.  Grand View is scheduled to be opened to the public, noon to 4 p.m. this coming Sunday, June 6, and again on Father’s Day, June 20.

Check out the archives for more Grand View posts and photos.

Million $ plus script deal

Two heavyhitter screenwriters have really scored an out-of-this-world script deal with a ton of zeros attached. Terry Rossio and Bill Marsilli reportedly have sold a movie pitch to Disney and Producer Jerry Bruckheimer in a deal that’s a low-seven figures against $3.5 million payday. Wow!

The Wrap is reporting the pitch, yeah there isn’t even a script yet, is called, “Lightspeed.” The project is described as an epic space adventure about a young hot shot space pilot who must navigate his ship on a dangerous mission through a galaxy on the brink of war. Apparently the buyers see this as a 3D event movie.

Oh, Rossio and Marsilli hold the record for the highest spec sale –a romantic thriller called, “Deja Vu.” Disney and Bruckheimer shelled out somewhere between $5 and $8 million for that spec back in 2004. Nice to see a couple of writers making big money.  

Mega Millions officials looking for owner of valuable ticket

Could you use some extra cash, like around $167, 371?  Well, if you have a lucky lottery ticket that matched five out of six winning numbers in the Mega Millions draw on April 27, 2010, then that money belongs to you!

Mega Millions officials say the ticket has the numbers 50, 41, 37, 23, and 55. The only winning number missing is 6, the Mega Ball. That ticket was bought at the Chevron gas station at 267 South Indian Hill in Claremont.  

Right now the Mega Millions jackpot is at $12 million. The next draw is tomorrow, Tuesday, June first at 8 p.m.

A run-off in the 43rd Assembly District race

It’s Democrat Mike Gatto against the only Republican on the ballot, Sunder Ramani.  

I dropped by a couple of polling places in Burbank on Tuesday evening and was told by the poll workers that the turnout was way better than expected.  A small sampling, but it turned out to be right on the mark. The Los Angeles County Registrar Recorder County Clerk’s office posted the following election results on its website.

April 13, 2010   43rd Assembly Special Election

Mike Gatto  (D)   10,584         32.34%

Sunder Ramani (R)  10,403     31.79%

Nayiri Nahabedian  (D)  7,298  22.30%

Chake Keuroghelian (D)  4,444   13.58%

Total ballots cast     32,912       16.35%

I was disappointed in the showing by Nahabedian, who got drawn into a negative campaign battle with Gatto. Both candidates hammered and jabbed at each other in a mountain of expensive political mailers. The negative campaign hurt both candidates with Nahabedian apparently suffering the most damage.

Sometimes you need to throw a few punches when you’re under attack. I can relate to that. I understand that. Nevertheless, an election is not a boxing match. Voters really don’t want to watch candidates beat-up on each other. We are more interested in candidates talking about the issues; showcasing their ideas and plans for improving our communities.

There is still time for Gatto and Nehabedian to make campaign changes. It ain’t over yet. In a strange political twist, this was the first of four elections for the same office. Gatto and Ramani will square off on June 8 for the right to finish out Paul Krekorian’s term which ends on November 30, 2010. Krekorian left early to campaign and win election to the Los Angeles City Council.

Also on June 8 there will be a primary, which will include candidates running for the next two-year term for the 43rd Assembly District. Gatto, Ramani, Nahabedian, and Keuroghelian, will be on that ballot as well.

Did you have trouble finding your polling place?

I heard some voters showed up at the wrong polling places. Probably because they went back to where they voted in the last election and discovered their names were not on the rosters. They were still able to vote provisionally, but that takes a little longer or they were given directions to the correct polling place.

I was assigned to a new polling site as well. In fact, I passed two polling locations on East Providencia Avenue in route to the First Christian Church on 6th Street where I voted. How smart was that? The folks that draw up these precincts for the elections have a strange logic. No wonder so many voters are skipping the polling places all together. In this Assembly election, 18,989 local voters cast their ballots by mail.

TV late night changes

 New music director for “The Tonight Show”

Recently ”Tonight Show” Music Director Kevin Eubanks has been hinting he might bow out soon and early this week, he did just that. Eubanks announced on Monday’s “Tonight Show with Jay Leno” that he’s calling it quits after 18 years with the late night talk show.

Stepping in as the new music director the Emmy-nominated and very talented Rickey Minor, who has made guest appearances with the “Tonight Show” band numerous times.  For the past few years, Minor has been the music director over on “American Idol.” Before that the accomplished musician and arranger worked with super-stars like Alicia Keys, Whitney Houston, Christina Aguilera, and Beyoncé.

Minor debuts as “The Tonight Show” music director on June 7th. Here’s the NBC press release about it.

Conan O’Brien should tape his new late night talker in Burbank

A lot of chatter out there about the new TV deal for talk show host/comic Conan O’Brien. Negotiations were going on with Fox, but Monday TBS announced O’Brien had signed on for an 11 p.m. show on that cable network. No doubt, there was a ton of wheeling and dealing that went on behind the scenes.  

O’Brien’s new one-hour late night show kicks off in November and he will own his new cable talker, according to The Hollywood Reporter.  Also, there are reports the new O’Brien show will be based in the Southland. Probably Los Angeles. Hey, why not Burbank?  We have plenty of studio space and talent in Media City to help the former “Tonight Show” host put together a terrific late night program.

Spec script market still hot

Spec scripts are still going out and getting bought! Spec Chaser reports “Romeo’s Redemption” by Dave Lease was snatched up by Gold Circle Films. The crime drama is about mob-enforcer-turned-informant who leaves the safety of the witness protection program to save the only person he’s ever really loved — his ex-wife — from his former mob associates. Nice hook.

More about this script sale and other spec screenplays being shopped here. Good inspiration for the  screenwriters out there and especially the Burbank scribes I know who are writing scripts and pitching projects right now.