FILM NEWS: "Meatballs" at #1, Hudson + Bernal?, New Villain in Green Hornet, and more

Wow! I can't believe Jennifer's Body did soooo badly. Opening in almost 3,000 theaters, it only managed to place at #5 with $6.8 mil. Apparently, the world has reached their maximum quota of Megan Fox in-take and is now suffering from an overload and overshare of info. My mom read me her Rolling Stone interview (because she was practicing her English, not because I'm lazy), and I learned that she got her period when she was 10, she has the libido of a 14-year-old boy, she's only had sex with two men in her life, and she's a pathological liar. I know more about her than I know about my best friend. Alas, I'll be seeing the film this week against my better judgment. I just know I'll wake up in the middle of the night in a cold sweat. Surprise, surprise Jennifer Anniston's Love Happens actually did pretty well considering the tough competition. Unfortunately, even though she opened at #4 with $8.4 mil, the critics weren't in the least bit impressed, citing sheer boredom as the cause for the film's failure. That's...embarrassing. The film I'm saving for a stressful weekend is The Informant. While parents were busing hauling their broods to Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, which took the #1 spot with $30 mil, Matt Damon's quirky comedy took the #2 spot with a respectable $10.5 mil. Critics loved it and I'm sure I will too. Unfortunately with the premiere of the adaptation of the kids' classic, the post-apocalyptic 9 got shoved down from #2 to #6. It's still a winner in my book, and probably a shoe-in for a Oscar nom.

Ejected from the top 10 were the wintry thriller Whiteout, which had the most confusing and uninformative trailer, departing with a measly $8 mil, the beloved Julie & Julia, retiring with a hearty $88 mil, the cult-favorite District 9, with an unexpected $126 mil, and the practically-ignored action flick Gamer, with a pathetic $18 mil. I need to catch up on my in-theater films, since Whip It, which comes out this Friday, will be my third must-see. Luckily, I'm still on the fence about the action comedy Zombieland and Ricky Gervais's The Invention of Lying, so I don't have to worry about squeezing them in.

• I love Kate Dennings—no lie. And my love for her grew exponentially when I saw Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist. Unfortunately, she's often relegated to the sidekick role. But I suppose I should be happy at least that she'll be in good company for her next film, Liars (A-E). She'll play the bff to Rebecca Hall (Vicky Cristina Barcelona), who'll play a woman who was dumped on the eve of Obama's victory and is inspired to retrieve lost items from all of her ex-boyfriends. I know what you're thinking. Yes, she can! ;)

• For those of you who dug Tim Pocock, who played young Scott Summers, in X-Men Origins: Wolverine, you'll be happy to know that he'll be returning in the teen-oriented X-Men: First Class, which starts shooting next Spring.

• There's a slight possibility that Kate Hudson will crawl out of that hole she dug when she had herself branded the rom-com queen. Gael Garcia Bernal might sign on to star opposite her in the dramatic romance Earthbound, about a terminally ill woman who falls in love with her doctor. Fingers crossed.

• Finally! A Wall Street film I might actually want to see. (Sorry Shia, Wall Street 2 just isn't that alluring.) Chazz Palminteri, the actor who wrote the critically acclaimed A Bronx Tale, is writing the indie drama Wall Street Mafia. It'll be based on a true story about an FBI investigation of the mob's involvement in the world of finance during the 90s. It's kind of like The Departed in that it'll have a young executive who leaves his Brooklyn background to join the suits in Manhattan, only to find himself having to choose where his loyalties lie. Hmm, who should get cast? It has to be someone who looks both gritty and clean-cut. But for variety's sake, I say nix the idea of casting Joseph Gordon-Levitt or Emile Hirsch.

• Christopher Waltz, the breakout star of Inglorious Basterds, scored the villain role in Seth Rogen's Green Hornet, replacing Nicholas Cage. I don't know about you, but I think the movie's credibility just rose a couple of notches.

FILM: Funny People at #1, Twilight's Upgrade, and more

• Adam Sandler and Seth Rogen's Funny People stole the top spot from Harry Potter with a modest $23 mil. Even though it had mixed reviews, I'm still seeing it this Wednesday. You really can't go wrong with an Apatow film. Meanwhile, the kids were still digging both Potter, which has reached a resounding $659 mil worldwide after only 3 weeks, and G-Force, which came in right after it at #3 with a depressingly high $66 mil. Seriously kids? Hamsters? Unfortunately, because of the two, Aliens in the Attic had a truly disappointing open at #5 with $7.8 mil. The only other adult-oriented film in the top 5 is the rom-com The Ugly Truth, which slid down to #4 with $54 mil. Can you believe that Gerard Butler had to re-audition as an American, in order to convince the director that he shouldn't play his character as a Scottsman? After seeing the film and laughing my ass off, I'm glad he stuck to his guns. There's no way a Scottsman would've done or said half the things his character did. Another film I'd recommend seeing is the dramatic romance Adam with Hugh Dancy and Rose Byrne. It opened in 4 theaters with $66,000. The critics loved the deadpan humor and quirky endearing qualities of a troubled yet charming character. Retiring from the top 10 are Public Enemies with a sizable $93 mil, and Bruno with a $119 mil, which is less than half of what Borat made. And 0n the verge of being retired from the top 10 is the formidable Transformers sequel with $806 mil worldwide. Not bad at all.

• It seems as the Twilight saga progresses, there are more and more efforts to legitimize the film's worth. A majority of Hollywood and viewers thought the first film was a joke, whether due to the acting or the directing, but I'm truly surprised at what lengths the studio will go in order to silence the snickering. At first, replacing Catherine Hardwicke with Chris Weitz (Golden Compass) as director seemed like a no-brainer, especially since she okayed the addition of crappy dialogue and presented the laughable, stripper-like glitter effect on Edward's skin. But then they went above-and-beyond by threatening to nix Taylor Lautner as Jacob if he didn't beef up, selected respected actors like Dakota Fanning to portray future characters, and most recently recast a formidable future enemy. The controversy regarding the replacement of Rachelle Lefevre as the vengeance-seeking Victoria with Bryce Dallas Howard (The Village and Lady in the Water) has become a heated discussion on the net. Was it fair to nix Lefevre because she wouldn't have been available for 10 days to shoot due to a previous commitment to another film? And even more importantly, will it make a difference? I, personally, think that the amount of rage that Victoria possesses can't really be expressed by someone who looks as innocent and harmless as Howard. We've already been witness to Lefevre's fury and expecting Howard to deliver the same or even better will be a hard sell. Replacing actors half way through a saga is never a good idea in my opinion.

• While Courtney Cox is set to star in her very own ABC comedy series called "Cougars," another "Friends" graduate, Jennifer Anniston, has just signed on for a cougar-themed rom-com called Pumas. It's about two women in their 30s who go on the hunt for some young blood while on a French skiing vacation. According to the press release, the experience "challenges their romantic expectations." How exactly? They discover something that Demi Moore already has: young men can actually maintain a steady monogamous relationship? I think the clincher will be whoever ends up as her co-star. Fingers crossed for a heavyweight like Drew Barrymore, although I think she's above such low-brow rom-coms, but it's the only way to attract a major box office result.

• Ever since I heard that the producers of "Dexter" gave it an expiration date, the sudden flurry of films Michael C. Hall has signed on for makes perfect sense. First I saw him in the trailer for Gerard Butler's upcoming action thriller Gamer, and now I'm hearing that he's signed on for the indie drama adaptation East Fifth Bliss. He'll play a guy who begins an "awkward relationship with the 18-year-old daughter of a former high school classmate." Plus, he just wrapped the comedy Peep World, where four siblings try deal with their youngest sibling's recently published tell-all about their family secrets. Sounds like we won't be seeing the last of Hall even if his serial killer alter ego gets the ax.

BUZZ: Half-Blood Prince at #1, Wolfman Reshoots, Ghost Rider Restarted, and more

• Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince opened at #1 with $160 mil, while Bruno free-fell to #4 with close to $50 mil. Public Enemies also stumbled a bit, dropping from #4 to #7 with $79 mil, and I Love You Beth Cooper was shoved to #10 with $10 mil. Meanwhile, the Taking of Pelham 1 2 3 retired from the top 10 with $63 mil, and the romantic indie 500 Days of Summer, which received rave reviews after opening in 27 theaters, came in at #12 with $838,000.

• Natalie Portman will play Chris Hemsworth's (Star Trek) love interest in Thor. You know you've made it when your leading lady is uber famous.

• Only Hugh Jackman could make me laugh in his latest role in the comedy Avon Man. He'll be playing a car salesman who gets sacked and has to resort to selling beauty products and becoming an Avon man. While at first he feels emasculated, eventually he becomes the top seller and convinces his friends to join so they can win a regional contest. Sounds like a riot.

• The third Bridget Jones film will be about her struggle to get pregnant now that she's in her 40s.

• Nicholas Cage wants to remodel the Ghost Rider film and make it less of a Western and more of an international thriller. I'm pretty sure the "Western" portion of the film wasn't the problem. It was the lame bad guys and the cheesy lines...oh and you.

• The remake of the 1971 thriller Straw Dogs will star James Marsden (27 Dresses and Enchanted) in Dustin Hoffman's role, Kate Bosworth as his wife, and Alexander Skarsgard ("True Blood") as her high school boyfriend.

• I'm really hyped about this action-thriller Pursuit. It's about a photographer who falls in love with a mysterious woman while on assignment in Colombia, later discovering she's an assassin. Can't wait till it's cast. Taken director Pierre Morel is on board, which is even more reason to be excited.

• Benicio Del Toro's The Wolfman is being reshot to make the werewolf more realistic and to make it move around on four paws rather than just two legs. It never bodes well when the graphics of a film look shotty enough to reshoot. Just ask Twilight viewers.

FILM: Bruno at #1, Green Lantern Chosen, Fox vs. Seyfried, and more

• Wowwwwww! Bruno actually opened at #1 with $30 mil this weekend, proving that despite this world's ever-present homophobic climate, we can all still gather as a nation and openly mock a fame-whoring lunatic. It beat Borat by five million more dollars and will probably go on to outdo its $261 mil worldwide gross. Probably. Unfortunately, I Love You, Beth Cooper didn't profit from Hayden Panettiere's attempt to spread the news of her nudity in the film, opening at #7 with a meager $5 mil.

The films from last week suffered minor blows. The Ice Age sequel slipped down to #2 with $120 mil, and Public Enemies was nudged to #4 with $66 mil. Transformers 2 really isn't slowing down despite its new position at #3 with an alarming $672 mil worldwide. Retiring from the top 10 are Night at the Museum 2 with $378 mil worldwide and Year One with $43 mil. This Wednesday, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince hits theaters and Potter fans are going to go nuts! Adults, who aren't equally in love with the series, however, can take refuge in the romantic indie (500) Days of Summer with Joseph Gordon Levitt and Zooey Deschanel (Yes Man).

• When given the choice between the soulful singer Justin Timberlake, the smooth-talking, up-and-comer Bradley Cooper (The Hangover), the hasbeen Jared Leto, and the sexy comedian Ryan Reynolds to play the lead in Green Lantern, the studio has officially chosen Reynolds. I wasn't exactly rooting for Timberlake or Cooper, but isn't Reynolds already playing the comic book character Deadpool? This is almost (almost) as alarming as finding out Christian Bale would play John Connor, leader of the rebellion in Terminator Salvation. I mean, I know that it's hard to find an actor who can play heroic convincingly, but should they really be doubling-up?

• Speaking of green-suited heroes, now that Seth Rogen has scored the budget for his writing-and-starring project The Green Hornet, he's working on choosing his female lead. Rumor has it that he's looking at the blonde and leggy Cameron Diaz. Hmmm...

• While Brad Pitt may think that Steven Soderbergh, director of the Ocean's Eleven franchise, can do no wrong, the studio producing his baseball film Moneyball do not feel the same. They've opted to bring Aaron Sorkin ("The West Wing" and Charlie Wilson's War) in to rewrite the film adaptation.

• Okay wait a second. When I initially watched the trailer for Jennifer's Body, I was just amazed by how many lines Megan Fox could memorize (lol), and how creepy yet funny it was. But now I realize, after watching the second trailer, that what it really boils down to is an epic girl fight. Amanda Seyfried and Fox are going to throw down and THAT is something I'd pay to see.

BOX OFFICE: Ice Age at #1, Transformers Reach $600 mil, and more

School's only been out for a week and children have already begun to rule the box office, giving Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs the #1 spot with a total of $67 mil in its first weekend. Not bad for a second sequel. But even though it nudged Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen down to the #2, it doesn't overshadow the fact that the metal smackdown has grossed nearly $600 million worldwide in just two weeks. In-sane! I'd recommend it though. The fight scenes, Shia screaming like a little girl, and newcomer Ramon Rodriguez as his roommate are worth the hefty ticket price. Another must-see is Public Enemies. Perhaps the 4th of July weekend wasn't the best release date, since it only grossed $41 mil for a movie boasting Johnny Depp and Christian Bale in the leads, but throw in a few rainy days and future DVD sales and it'll soon get the respect it deserves.

The Proposal maintains a steady position in the top 5 at #4 with $94 mil, while The Hangover settles at #5 with $204 mil. Up, Ice Age's main competition, descends to #6 with $265 mil, while Night at the Museum 2 teeters at #10 with $362 mil worldwide. Rounding out the top 10 are My Sister's Keeper at #7 with $26 mil, The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3 at #8 with $58 mil, and Year One already on its way out at #9 with $38 mil. Suffering the most in ticket sales this weekend was Nia Vardalos of My Big Fat Greek Wedding fame, who failed to recreate the magic with her former costar in her third writing (and first directing) credit I Hate Valentine's Day, only grossing half a million dollars abroad. Ouch! She might start hating the fourth of July too.

Meanwhile, Star Trek retired from the top 10 after 9 weeks with $374 mil worldwide, while Sam Mendes' Away We Go dropped out with a respectable $6 mil from only 500 theaters. Next week, Sacha Baron Cohen brings his public displays of humiliation to a climax when Bruno hits theaters; Hayden Panettiere ("Heroes") sheds her self-respect when she uses her naked body to seduce teenagers into seeing the adaptation of I Love You, Beth Cooper; and the comedic indie Humpday takes bromances to the next level.

BOX OFFICE: Transformers at #1, Hurt Locker's Critical Acclaim, and more

Woa! $112 million! Unfreaking believable. I'll be adding to that load this Tuesday when I watch Shia, Megan, and the rest of the humans battle alongside the Transformers for what I hear is a kickass alien robot war. This 4th of July weekend could be a record breaker for both Michael Bay and the film industry in general. In other box office news, The Hurt Locker, an indie war drama starring Jeremy Renner ("The Unusuals") and Anthony Mackie (Notorious), opened in four theaters with rave reviews and a decent $144,000. This could mean big things for Renner, whose star is shining bright despite his minor accomplishments. Cameron Diaz's adaptation My Sister's Keeper didn't fare as well with the critics, but it came in at #5 with $12 mil. Considering people don't normally jump at the chance to see depressing dramas in the summer, that's not bad.

The Proposal stayed strong at #2, reaching $69 mil. It's amazing what Ryan Reynolds' naked body can do for Hollywood's pocket. The Hangover continues its reign at #3 with $247 mil after only a month. Year One isn't down for the count just yet. It may have slid to #6, but it's managed a hearty $32 mil in two weeks. Not bad for such an odd premise. Several films retired from the top 10 this weekend: Land of the Lost with $49 mil, Terminator Salvation with $323 mil, and Imagine That with $14 mil. Away We Go, however, moved into the top 10, grossing $4 mil.

This 4th of July weekend, the adults can go watch the crime thriller Public Enemies, drop the kids off to see the animated Ice Age sequel, and occupy the teenagers with Nia Vardalos's (My Big Fat Greek Wedding) romantic indie I Hate Valentine's Day.

FILM: Proposal at #1, Casting New Stooge, & Lance Armstrong Biopic

The Proposal was genuinely hilarious, so I totally understand why it stole the #1 spot with $34 mil. The comedy was a solid B+, from Sandra Bullock's hilarious performance of "Get Low" to the disturbingly funny addition of Oscar Nunez (Oscar from "The Office") as the Alaskan town's token minority. Bullock and Ryan Reynolds' chemistry was also a B+, but the ultimate romantic climax was more like a B-. They weren't really going for grand gestures, but maybe they should've. Together they successfully bumped the testosterone-filled Hangover out of the top spot to #2 with $153 mil, and the heartwarming Up to #3 with $224 mil. Meanwhile, Jack Black and Michael Cera's Year One debuted at #4 with a solid $20 mil. It was a whole lot funnier than I thought it was going to be for a caveman comedy that slowly morphs into a biblical tale.

Rounding out the top 10 are The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3 at #5 with a disappointing $43 mil (considering it took $100 mil to make), the mildly funny Night at the Museum 2 at #6 with $332 mil worldwide, Star Trek at #7 with $358 mil worldwide, Land of the Lost at #8 with an embarrassing $44 mil, Eddie Murphy's continued failure Imagine That at #9 with $11 mil, and Terminator Salvation at #10 with $284 mil worldwide. Angels & Demons and Drag Me to Hell retired from the top 10 with $445 mil worldwide and $39 mil, respectively. Next weekend, Transformers will annihilate the box office. lol

In other film news:
• Jim Carrey and Benicio del Toro will have to find another actor to fulfill their trio for the comedy revival of The Three Stooges, since Sean Penn is taking a break from acting to work on his marriage. Who should replace him?

• A Lance Armstrong biopic is in the works and they're starting to cast the lead. Since it'll cover his first tour when he was 21, they've nixed Jake Gyllenhaal and Matt Damon. I think Garrett Hedlund might be an interesting option. He started off pretty well with Troy and Friday Night Lights, and then faltered a little when he appeared in Four Brothers, Eragon, Georgia Rule, and Death Sentence. But he scored the lead in the remake TRON 2.0, so clearly someone thinks he's bankable.

BUZZ: MTV Movie Award Winners & Weekend Box Office (5/29)

I was going to do an overview of the MTV Movie Awards, but after seeing that Twilight and High School Musical 3 were the big winners, I lost all respect for it. lol On what planet does Catherine Hardwicke deserve a Best Movie Award over Slumdog Millionaire and Dark Knight? Kristen Stewart for Best Female Performance? Really? The sputtering, nervous tick, and spontaneous bursts of psychotic fear--that was the best performance? She managed to beat: Angelina Jolie (Wanted), Anne Hathaway (Bride Wars), Kate Winslet (The Reader), and Taraji P. Henson (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button). Really? Alright, maybe it's plausible that every teenager that voted would create this Twilight landslide. They are a rabid fan base. However, I'm still a little skeptical and I wouldn't be surprised if the award show is just a marketing tool and they bought all of those awards. Either way, it's un-f*cking believable.


As for the weekend box office, I think it's needless to say that so far Up is set for the Animated Oscar. I thought it was hilarious when I got a sneak peak at this year's NYC Comic Con, and I can't wait to see it. Apparently, the feeling was mutual among the critics and the multitude that helped it amass $68 mil in it's first weekend. In taking the #1 spot, it put the Night at the Museum sequel at #2 with a whopping $105 mil in its second week. Drag Me to Hell, the sole horror flick in the top 10, debuted this weekend at #3 with a meager $16.6 mil. The critics loved Sam Raimi's (Spiderman) mixture of suspense and humor, but perhaps Alison Lohman (Flicka) and Justin Long (Live Free or Die Hard) weren't big enough draws. Terminator Salvation took a bit of a hit, dropping to #4 in its second week and only reaching $90 mil, which is hardly a bite out of its $200 mil budget. Hopefully, it'll break even before another blockbuster hits theaters. Star Trek, on the other hand, has been in theaters for a month now. It sits at #5 with $301 mil worldwide, and looks to be ready for a sequel due to critics' approval.

Angels and Demons steadies itself at #6 after three weeks with a $104 mil. Fans of the first film and critics weren't as bowled over by the sequel as expected. There's much less scandal surrounding it, which can't be good for the $150 mil budget. Unsurprisingly, Dance Flick has only grossed $19 mil in its second week and has already dropped to #7. Meanwhile, another X-Men: Wolverine is sure to be greenlit now that its made $316 mil worldwide in its 5th week despite critics' disapproval. And even I wasn't interested in yet another Matthew McConaughey rom-com, so it wasn't a bit surprising that Ghosts of Girlfriends Past only grossed about $50 mil during its stint in the top 10. Its meager success can be attributed to the fact that it's the only rom-com in theaters at the moment. The big surprise hit of the Spring-to-Summer season was definitely Obsessed. Even though the critics agreed with me in dubbing it crap, it rounds out the top 10, leaving with a respectable $67 mil after 6 weeks. Exiting the top 10 were 17 Again with $97 mil and Monsters vs. Aliens with $346 mil worldwide.

This weekend, Up and Night at the Museum will go toe-to-toe with Will Ferrell's Land of the Lost, the much-talked about Hangover will add a little adult humor to the top 10, and the indie dramedies Away We Go and My Life in Ruins will give chick-flick lovers a few more options.

VIDEO: Jessica Biel Singing "Mad About the Boy" in Easy Virtue

Jessica Biel's period piece rom-com Easy Virtue didn't get much press and was eventually given a limited 10-theater release on May 22nd. It made less than $200 grand, but a majority of the major critics thought it was a wonderfly cheeky comedy, and I'm sure her impressive singing didn't hurt either:

FILM: New in Theaters - 5/1/09

If you haven't seen it online already love watching superhero flicks and/or things blow up, X-Men Origins: Wolverine is just the movie for you. However, if you don't like these movies and you're just bored, don't go watch it. This marks the beginning of a long series of films that will explore the origins of potentially every single X-Men character that has ever been drawn. Awesome news for comic book lovers! Not so awesome news for everyone else. In this origin story, we delve into Logan's past and discover the relationships and events that made him the blade-wielding badass that we all know and love. Sprinkled through the film are several characters that might pop up in future origin stories of their own: Sabretooth (Liev Schreiber), Deadpool (Ryan Reynolds), Gambit (Friday Night Light's Taylor Kitsch), Bolt (Dominic Monaghan), Agent Zero (newcomer Daniel Henney), Silverfox (True Blood's Lynn Collins), The Blob (Lost's Kevin Durand), Wraith (rapper Will.i.am), and a young Cyclops (newcomer Tim Pocock). I'm personally psyched to finally see Gambit, one of my favorite X-Men, on the big screen. Of course, it doesn't hurt that he's being embodied by the uber hot Kitsch.

If you find Matthew McConaughey as charming as most women do and find Jennifer Garner to be self-depracatingly adorable, then you'll probably watch Ghost of Girlfriends Past. Think of it as two hours of closure. McConaughey plays a guy who's spent most of his life plowing playing the field and avoiding his first love, until he has to go to a wedding and all his buried emotions start rushing back. "Ghosts" from his past start popping up to help him backtrack and realize where he went wrong. I'm guessing it's when he dumped the girl of his dreams (duh!). Nonetheless, you're sure to be tickled pink with appearances from Michael Douglas, one of Hollywood's unabashedly funny women Emma Stone (The House Bunny and The Rocker), and the over-the-top Lacey Chabert (Mean Girls).

If you are a fan of alien movies and animated films (and you don't mind sitting in a theater with hundreds of whining, screaming children), then you should watch the beautifully illustrated Battle of Terra. Luke Wilson, Justin Long, and Evan Rachel Wood voice aliens who have to stop...a human invasion. Consider this a continuation of Wall-E's message that humans are not only a waste of space and the main pollutant of Earth, but co-opters of all things that aren't theirs.

Other options:
• Last week's number #1 movie, grossing $28 mil, Obsessed, starring the divalicious Beyonce, a crazed Ali Larter, and the supposedly sexy-enough-to-be-in-a-love-triangle Idris Elba.

• The surprisingly funny family film 17 Again, starring the very much drooled over Zac Efron, the MILF with a funny bone Leslie Mann, the under-utilized but ever hilarious Thomas Lennon ("Reno 911"), and a venerable up-and-coming laugh-riot Sterling Knight ("Sonny with a Chance"). [I'd watch it again if only to see Efron get smacked 10 times in a span of two minutes, Knight calmly walk away from his crush while knowingly on fire, and Melora Hardin ("The Office") speak elvish in a sexy voice fulfilling Michael Scott's wet dream.]

• The out-right promotion of teen violence Fighting, starring the unbelievably hot Channing Tatum, the street-sleazy Terrence Howard, and the resident eye candy Zulay Henao (Feel the Noise).

• The critic-approved biopic The Soloist, starring Jamie Foxx in Oscar-mode and Robert Downey Jr. glad to not be playing the f*ck up for once.

• The Disney documentary Earth, starring beautiful creatures and landscapes that'll make you want to recycle and take shorter showers.

• The only animated film in theaters—gasp—Monsters vs. Aliens, voiced by the super-sweet Reese Witherspoon, the dopy Seth Rogen, the uber dorky Rainn Wilson, the stilted Brit Hugh Laurie, the...omg there are so many voices in this movie: Will Arnett, Kiefer Sutherland ("24"), Stephen Colbert, Paul Rudd, Jefffrey Tambor ("Arrested Development"), Amy Poehler, Ed Helms ("The Office"), Renee Zellweger, John Krasinski...funny, funny, funny people.

• The very much-talked-about political suspense thriller State of Play, starring a relentless Russell Crowe, a devious Ben Affleck, a tough-as-nails Helen Mirren, a boundless Jason Bateman, and a gossip-hounding Rachel McAdams.

• The teen-tastic Hannah Montana movie, starring (duh!) Miley Cyrus and a few new actors who aren't on the series, like native Texan Lucas Till (Walk the Line).

• The fourth film in the car porn saga Fast and Furious, starring the baritone-speaking Vin Diesel, the grittier Paul Walker, the "innocently" beautiful Jordana Brewster, and a bunch of other people who are inconsequential.

• The action-packed sequel Crank: High Voltage, starring the B-grade adrenaline junkie Jason Statham and the C-grade, glorified T&A Amy Smart.

Lastly, check these out before they exit theaters for good:
• I Love You, Man: It dropped out of the top 10 from #9 to #11 with $68 mil.

• Knowing: Moviegoers retired it from #8 to #12 with a respectable $77 mil—respectable for Nicholas Cage that is.

• Observe and Report: It's been considered as the indie Paul Blart, and has been treated accordingly, dropping from #7 to #13 with $22 mil after its third week.

• The Haunting in Conneticut: Even though it went from #10 to #14, technically it's the #1 horror movie in America with $54 mil...unless you count Obsessed.

• Dragonball Evolution: I'm not even surprised that it freefell from #11 to #22 with just a measly $8.7 mil—for shame. Maybe next time they'll stay true to the series. At least then they'll get people who will be tricked into thinking it's good as opposed to people who know for sure that it isn't.

FILM: Adventureland Review & Box Office Results - 4/3

I'm truly surprised that so many critics applauded Adventureland, but not in the least surprised that it opened at #6 with $6 mil. No, not because Fast and Furious came in at #1 with $72 mil--no doubt encouraging producers to make four more--but because it wasn't really that amazing.

The New York Times heralded the 80s coming-of-age rom-com even though it acknowledged that it tells a story that's already been told. But my main quarrel with it is actually that there really wasn't a story worth telling. A broken-hearted, recent college graduate (Jesse Eisenberg from Cursed and The Education of Charlie Banks) rebounds with a self-loathing, rich girl (Kristen Stewart from Twilight) he meets while working at a theme park, and after a lot of relationship ups-and-downs and a little self-discovery...you can pretty much guess the rest. Predictable and pointless. Honestly, the best part of the film--besides Jesse Eisenberg's impeccable comic timing and Margarita Levieva's (The Invisible and "Vanished") hilarious portrayal of a vapid 80s Catholic tart--was the lovable pessimism of Martin Starr's (Knocked Up) dorky fatalist. He's not exactly the Hollywood definition of a leading man, as aren't many pasty and/or scrawny actors (Paul Dano, Chris Marquette, etc.), but he's due for something a little bigger than playing second fiddle to a lame summer romance.

The critically unloved romantic dramedy Gigantic, starring Dano and Zooey Deschanel, opened in only one theater and made $10,500. However, I'd suggest you watch that instead of watching Adventureland. The rest of the top 10 were shoved down one to make room for car porn mania. Monsters vs. Aliens slid to #2, amassing an incredible $106 mil after two weeks. The horror flick The Haunting in Conneticut hasn't been booted just yet, at #3 with $37 mil. Nicholas Cage's surprise hit, the scifi disaster film Knowing, took #4 wtih $58 mil after three weeks. The number one comedy, I, Love You Man, came in at #5 with $49 mil. The unfairly neglected rom-com, spy thriller Duplicity has fallen to #7 in its third week with $32 mil, which is pretty poor for a Julia Roberts film. Race to Witch Mountain somewhat disappoints at #8 with only $58 mil after a month in the top 10. The last two spots go to the action underdog 12 Rounds with $9 mil and the female-driven indie Sunshine Cleaning, which hopped up one spot, with close to $5 mil.

Liam Neeson's thriller Taken finally retired after ten weeks with $139 mil. Joining him were the semi-successful Last House on the Left with $31 mil and Watchmen with $105 mil (after only five weeks). Luckily, for Zack Snyder, it made enough overseas to cover the $150 mil budget.

Next weekend, Fast and Furious will go toe-to-toe with none other than Miley Cyrus, when her feature film debut, Hannah Montana: The Movie, hits theaters. Seth Rogen will retest his commercial appeal when he fights off the Paul Blart: Mall Cop comparisons and stands by his darkly humorous portrayal of second-rate security in Observe and Report. Comic book and Japanese cartoon-lovers everywhere will determine Justin Chatwin's future as a leading man when they decide whether Dragonball Evolution is worth their time or blog space. My money, for the #1 spot, goes on the Disney diva. They'll come out in droves. Why? Because their brothers and boyfriends will just sneak in to see Dragonball, as will everyone else who doesn't want to waste a buck (or twelve).

NEW IN THEATERS: Watchmen, Phoebe in Wonderland, The Horsemen, & Tokyo

If you want to have your mind blown, then watch the graphic novel adaptation of the Watchmen. Click here for a play-by-play of the first 10 minutes and watch a sneak peak:



If by some chance Dennis Quaid trumps Watchmen, then watch the horror thriller The Horsemen. "A recently widowed detective (Quaid) still grieving over his wife's death discovers a shocking connection between himself and the suspects in a serial killing spree linked to the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse." It also stars Lou Taylor Pucci (Thumbsucker), Ziyi Zhang (Memoirs of a Geisha), Patrick Fugit (Almost Famous), and Eric Balfour ("24").

If you want to trip out, then watch this tri-directed film by Michel Gondry (Eternal Sunshine of a Spotless Mind), the incredible Joon-ho Bong (The Host), and Leos Carax called Tokyo. Each gives their ode to Japan. It's like Paris je t'aime but for Japan.
If by some chance you prefer it when Dakota Fanning was little, then watch her baby sister Elle in the drama Phoebe in Wonderland. "Confounded by her clashes with the seemingly rule-obsessed world, a little girl (Fanning) seeks enlightenment from her unconventional drama teacher (Patricia Clarkson from Good Night, Good Luck)."

NEW IN THEATERS: Street Fighter, Jonas Bros, Crossing Over, & Echelon Conspiracy

If you have a secret passion for video game action movies, and/or the 1994 Jean Claude Van Damme Street Fighter didn't satisfy you, and/or you have a major crush on Lana from "Smallville," then you should go watch Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li. There's an ass-kicking Kristin Kreuk ("Smallville") playing an interpol agent named Chun-Li, who enters an underground fighting tournament to avenge her father's death. Her enemy is played by Neal McDonough (Edie's husband on "Desperate Housewives"), and the cast is rounded out by Robin Shou (Mortal Kombat: Annihilation), Chris Klein (Just Friends and American Dreamz), Moon Bloodgood ("Journeyman"), Michael Clarke Duncan (Green Mile), and Black Eyed Peas' rapper Taboo. You know an action movie is legitimate once they have their token rapper.

If you want to have your ear drums blown out by hoards of teenage girls, go watch the Jonas Brothers: The 3D Concert Experience. Prepare to dance, sing, mock, and, of course, be amazed. Just in case, the idea of watching a concert on a huge screen isn't enticing to you, you might be interested in learning that there's also a behind-the-scenes documentary sprinkled in between songs, not to mention cameos from pop sensations Demi Lovato and Taylor Swift. Perhaps you'll even catch the subtle beginnings of Taylor and Joe's now defunct relationship.

If you liked the illegal immigration plot of Crash, then you'll love Crossing Over. It covers the lengths to which people will go to stay in America, the strict laws that are implemented, the age ranges of immigrants who are deported unfairly, and the trouble that they get in to fit into American society. The best part isn't even that Harrison Ford, Ray Liotta, Ashley Judd, Jim Sturgess (21), and Alice Braga (I Am Legend) are starring. It's that it doesn't just cover the Mexican border. There are immigrants who are Asian, Indian, South African, British, Australian, etc. It's the melting pot boiling over.

If you liked Eagle Eye, then you might want to see Echelon Conspiracy. It's a suspense thriller about a cellphone (*cough* commercial *cough*) controlled by an NSA computer that--instead of throwing you into sudden panic by threatening your life and everyone you love at first--gives you orders that leads to survival (not dying in an airplane crash) and wealth (Vegas baby!). Unfortunately, whoever mysteriously gets this in the mail is eventually murdered...by the computer. Of course, there's a reason the recipient was chosen, which the government has to figure out. Edward Burns (27 Dresses) and Ving Rhames play the agents tracking Shane West ("ER"), and for some reason a badass version of Tamara Feldman (Natalie on "Dirty Sexy Money") is inserted between sex scenes.

BUZZ: Madea Takes #1, Watts & Pinto in Woody's Next Film, Derek Leaving "Grey's," and more

• Although Tyler Perry's lucky streak is still going strong, since Madea Goes to Jail debuted at #1 with $41 mil, critics still aren't as impressed with him as his fans are. Fired Up, however, predictably opened with a mediocre $6 mil at #9. With the lack of new films in theaters, surprise hit Taken jumped up one spot to #2 with $95 mil, animated masterpiece Coraline moved up two spots to #3 with $53 mil, and the Oscar-winning Slumdog Millionaire climbed up four spots to #5 with $98 mil. On the flipside of things, conspiracy thriller The International freefell after its second week to #10 with an embarrassing $17 mil. Friday the 13th may have opened big in its first week, but it dropped dramatically to #6 with $55 mil. Rom-coms He's Just Not That Into You and Confessions of a Shopaholic came in at #4 with a healthy $70 mil and at #7 with $28 mil. While Paul Blart: Mall Cop is on its way out at #8 after 6 weeks with $121 mil, The Pink Panther 2 exited the top 10 with a disappointing $29 mil and Push was shoved out with a meager $25 mil.

• Rumored Shrek 4 Plot: "Longing for the days when he felt like a "real ogre," Shrek is duped into signing a pact with the smooth-talking dealmaker, Rumplestiltskin. Shrek suddenly finds himself in a in a twisted, alternate version of Far Far Away, where ogres are hunted, Rumplestiltskin is king and Shrek and Fiona have never met. Now, it's up to Shrek to undo all he's done in the hopes of saving his friends, restoring his world and reclaiming his one True Love."

• Since Woody Allen managed to get the much-deserving Penenlope Cruz her first Oscar, ladies are gunning for a role in his next picture. The International's Naomi Watts and Slumdog Millionaire's Freida Pinto are rumored to be in his next untitled film with Josh Brolin and Anthony Hopkins.

• Emily Blunt is officially not starring in Iron Man 2, opting for the comedy Gulliver's Travels instead.

• Chiwetel Ejiofor is rumored to be joining Angelina Jolie in her Salt spy thriller.

• There's a wild rumor going around that a Superman Returns sequel--not reboot--is in the works and its called Superman Unleashed. Doesn't that sound like a horror movie?

• Megatron is rumored to be in the Transformers sequel even though Michael Bay said he wasn't.

• "Grey's Anatomy": After Derek is informed in a deposition--no doubt concerning the recent death of his latest pregnant patient--that more of his patients have died than survived, he decides to quit. But don't worry, he's not leaving the series. In other news, Richard's wife will try to mend his relationship with Bailey, and Izzie's interns will unknowingly diagnose her illness.

FILM: New in Theaters - 2/20/09 & AMC Oscar Freebie

If you're a fan of Tyler Perry's antics and men in drag, then go watch Madea Goes to Jail.

If you like dumb teen comedies with plenty of T&A, cute boys, and familiar C-list actors (like 90210's Naomi), then you might enjoy Fired Up! It's the story of two jocks (Eric Christian Olsen from Dumb and Dumberer: When Harry Met Lloyd and Nicholas D'Agosto from "Heroes") who are so girl-hungry, they ditch football training for cheerleading camp. Naturally, they assume it'll be easy, until they're introduced to the cutthroat cattiness of cheerleading competitions. If it were properly written, the film could've been an examination of female relationships through a male perspective, but it's just a teen comedy, so expect sight gags, unrealistic romantic situations, and gay jokes.

If you're gearing up for this Sunday's Oscar night and you're interested in seeing all 5 Best Picture nominees, you can get an all-day pass at select AMC Theaters Saturday Feb. 21st for $30 (complete with unlimited free refills of a large popcorn). Check out the schedule:
Milk – 10:30 a.m.
The Reader – 1:05 p.m.
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button - 3:45 p.m.
Slumdog Millionaire - 7:15 p.m.
Frost/Nixon – 9:45 p.m.

FILM: New in Theaters - 2/13/09

If you love clothes and boys, then you should gather your girlfriends and watch Shopaholic. Isla Fisher plays an aspiring fashion journalist with a severe shopping problem who uses a finance magazine as a stepping stone to a position at the most famous fashion publication in America. She finds an unlikely mentor in her new boss (Hugh Dancy) and an even more unlikely love interest. Read my review.

If you aren't tired of hearing that banks are run by thieves, than strap yourself in for the thrilling conspiracy drama The International. Clive Owen plays an Interpol agent who teams up with an Assistant DA (Naomi Watts) to stop an international arms dealing ring that's fully funded by an infamous bank.

If you are under 18 and/or don't mind watch horror remakes, then brace yourself for Friday the 13th. Teenagers in woods + masked Jason = blood and guts.

If you want to see Joaquin Phoenix sober and sane, then watch Two Lovers. It's an indie romantic drama about a guy (Phoenix) who falls in love with two very different women: "the family friend his parents wish he would marry (Vinessa Shaw) and his beautiful but volatile new neighbor (Gwyneth Paltrow)." Wow! Paltrow playing against type? Love it--never too late to reinvent yourself. I guess she learned that from Madonna.

FILM: Box Office Results - 1/30/09

Taken took the #1 spot from Paul Blart this weekend, grossing $25 mil. No worries for Kevin James though. Since the movie managed to gross $83 mil in 3 weeks, the studio has already greenlit a sequel. I saw it and it was pretty damn funny, but I don't exactly see the sequel potential. I'd rather watch a sequel to Hitch. Think about it. He could take Will Smith's character out of retirement and un-dorkify his chubby son. Meanwhile, horror flick The Uninvited opened at #3 with a pitiful $11 mil. Critics were not loving it. But at least it opened higher than Renee Zellweger's rom-com New in Town, which debuted at #8 with nearly $7 mil. It isn't really a big screen splurge I'd recommend--more of Lifetime channel weekend gem.

Last week's entries, Underworld: Rise of the Lycans and Inkheart slid down the top 10 substantially. Underworld dropped from #2 to #7 with $32 mil, and Inkheart dropped from #7 to #10 with $13 mil. I think people are starting to notice how bizarre Brendan Fraser is behaving lately, and they're steering clear so they don't become enablers. Unfortunately, the film won't be clearing that $60 mil budget it forked over to create what I'm sure would've been a magical journey for children if parents would take them to see it. And exiting the top 10 are The Curious Case of Benjamin Button ($117 mil), Bride Wars ($54 mil), and Notorious ($35 mil).

FILM: New in Theaters - 1/30/09

If you like suspense thrillers with proactive victims, then you'll get a kick out of Taken. Liam Neeson plays a former spy who has to save his daughter (Maggie Grace from Live Free or Die Hard), who's been kidnapped by slave traders in Paris. Ironically, this isn't the first time Grace has played the damsel in distress, desperate for her father to save her from enterprising men. But I have a feeling Neeson won't have a problem topping Bruce Willis's psycho quotient, since he's not playing by anyone's rules but his own.

If you are a fan of haunted houses and/or are tired of Elizabeth Banks making you laugh, you should go see The Uninvited. The horror flick is about a girl (Emily Browning from Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events) who has to stop her mother's murderous ex-nurse (Banks from Zack and Miri Make a Porno) from marrying her father. Naturally, she and her sister (Arielle Kebbel from Grudge 2 and John Tucker Must Die) will have trouble convincing anyone that the bubbly blonde could harm a soul, but unless they do, she'll kill them all.

If you're desperate for a romantic comedy with heart, then I'd suggest snuggling up for New in Town. My soft spot for Harry Connick Jr. (P.S. I Love You) resulted in me sneaking in to see this after watching the endearingly funny Paul Blart: Mall Cop. It had a slow start, but the story of a city girl having to transport her life to Minnesota in order to evaluate, and ultimately terminate, several factory empoloyees definitely had its moments. If you're from the city, you'll feel just as agitated by the hometown vibe as she is, and if you are bogged down by the current job climate, you'll get depressed mighty quick. But Connick's charm and Renee Zellweger's (Bridget Jones Diary) knack for comic timing will lift your spirits right back up.

FILM: SAG Awards, "The Last Templar," and Hader Horror

• Paul Blart: Mall Cop won the box office again this weekend, reaching $65 mil. Meanwhile, the prequel Underworld: Rise of the Lycans didn't fare as well. It may have come in at #2, but it only opened with $21 mil. Inkheart, however, debuted at #7 with nearly $8 mil. Maybe it's the frigid weather or maybe Brendan Fraser lost his Mummy-flare. A few shake-ups include Slumdog Millionaire getting a wider release and shooting up from #10 to #5 with $56 mil, Benjamin Button moving back into the top 10 at #9 with $111 mil, Hotel for Dogs moving up one spot with $37 mil, My Bloody Valentine 3D dropping after the 2nd week from #3 to #6 with $38 mil, and Notorious plummeting from #4 to #10 with $32 mil after several in-theater acts of violence reported. Films that departed the top 10 were Defiance ($18 mil), The Unborn ($39 mil), and Marley and Me ($138 mil). Next weekend there'll be a few options to occupy the non-Super Bowl obsessed, but the box office might still take a hit.

• Slumdog Millionaire won the best ensemble cast at the Screen Actors Guild Awards. Check out the rest of the winners.

• NBC's miniseries "The Last Templar" premiered Sunday night, and even though I didn't see The Davinci Code, it was pretty clear that it was practically a copycat. The religious treasure hunt starring Mira Sorvino and Scott Foley ("Felicity") will end its two-part adventure Monday night. But let's put aside the fact that I can never take Foley as an FBI agent seriously, and focus on the fact that the first two hours were kind of slow and...boring. Even with a few fight scenes, I was bored by half way through the first hour. However, I will say that Sorvino has a future in action films--not that we didn't already know that from her '98 film The Replacement Killers--and snarky comedy after hearing her say, "I'm the sequel to the prequel," in response to an Indiana Jones comparison.

• Judd Apatow may fund Bill Hader (Forgetting Sarah Marshall and Superbad) and "SNL" writer Simon Rich's comedic horror flick. Hader said he's a fan of true crime shows and wanted to do a film with the premise of: "What if that guy decided to come to your house? What would you and your dips--- friends do about it?" It's supposed to be "Straw Dogs meets Halloween meets Home Alone meets Monster Squad," which just sounds plain hilarious to me. Honestly, anything related to Monster Squad sounds down-right ridiculous.

FILM: New in Theaters - 1/23/09

If you've seen Underworld and don't mind watching a movie you already know the ending to, then go right ahead and see Underworld: Rise of the Lycans. The first film was about the war between wolves and vampires, the second was about one wolf taking down a legion of vampires, and this one is about the werewolf revolution that freed them from their servitude. Rhona Mitra takes on the role that Kate Beckinsale usually has, playing the badass, hopelessly in love vampire who will go against her father's (Bill Nighy) wishes to be with the werewolf (Michael Sheen from Frost/Nixon) she loves.

If you have a love for literature and fantasy films, then the adaptation of Cornelia Funke's novel Inkheart is your best bet. It's the story of a girl (Eliza Bennett from Nanny McPhee) who "rallies her friends -- both real and imaginary -- to rescue her father (Brendan Fraser), a bookbinder who can bring characters to life by reading aloud, from the clutches of an evil-doer" (Andy Serkis from Lord of the Rings).

If you...live in Phoenix, Arizona and you want to watch Mickey Rourke do what he does best--mutter threats in a baritone voice--then you HAVE to see Killshot. It's been backlogged for a very long time, but ever since Rourke's been on the Oscar train, he's garnered more pull to revive this adaptation of Elmore Leonard's novel. This dramatic thriller is about "a botched scam [that] sends an old-school hitman (Rourke) and a young stick-up kid (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) on a mission to find and kill an innocent couple (Thomas Jane from Punisher and Diane Lane) in order to protect their identities." Hopefully, it'll get a wide-release or at least a bi-costal release, so the rest of us can see it.