News

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Around the World Roundup: 'Hitch,' 'Constantine,' 'Aviator' Join $100M Club

Hitch flew past the century mark on an $18.4 million weekend haul from 51 countries for a $127.1 million overall total. Business was helped by the Easter holiday as well as several solid debuts. The movie opened at No. 1 in New Zealand with a $427,496 weekend from 61 screens. It also opened in Greece to $354,791 from 48 screens. Will SmithClint EastwoodMartin ScorseseNicolas Cage

Problematic 'Apollo 13' Compelling as Docudrama

Director Ron Howard's Apollo 13 is like a big, historical reenactment with an all-star cast. Best viewed as a documentary-style chapter of America's manned space program, it even starts like a documentary, with CBS anchorman Walter Cronkite covering Apollo 11 astronaut Neil Armstrong's first step on the moon on July 20, 1969. After introducing its astronaut characters at a party for the moon landing, the ill-fated 13th Apollo flight takes shape.

Martyred Motherhood Stalls Abortion Drama

To borrow the movie's tag line, Mike Leigh's Vera Drake offers Imelda Staunton as a wife, mother and criminal. She also happens to be the friendliest lady in the neighborhood and perfectly willing to break the law and terminate unwanted pregnancies. She does so at a steady clip for much of the movie.

Monday Nights with Oscar® Presents 'The Pride of the Yankees'

New York, NY—The Academy Award®-winning film, The Pride of the Yankees, will be screened on Monday, April 18, at 7:30 p.m. in the Academy Theater at Lighthouse International in Manhattan. This next installment in the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences' monthly screening series, "Monday Nights with Oscar," chronicles the life and career of the New York Yankees' legendary first baseman and Hall of Famer, Lou Gehrig. Film historian and author Robert Osborne will host the evening.

'Guess Who' Dines at Top Spot

Two television sitcom stars from the same network won the box office race on Easter weekend with a big screen situational comedy, while an unlikely beauty queen's encore was a runner-up. Bernie MacAshton KutcherJackie ChanChris TuckerSandra BullockMichael CaineBenjamin Bratt

Never Mind Bullock's Congeniality Sequel

Over four years ago, Sandra Bullock starred in a pleasant movie called Miss Congeniality, which neatly packaged light romance, cops-and-robbers and a pre-Queer Eye for the Straight Guy makeover. It was the perfect showcase for nice, funny Miss Bullock, who produced it and Miss Congeniality 2: Armed and Fabulous. But the sequel turns the original's benevolence into something malicious.

Kutcher Gets Cute in Light Comic Remake

With zero expectations that Hollywood's umpteenth remake would be anything but another wreck, Sony's Guess Who surprises with good acts and a story that is not sacrilege to its source. It's not original and it is mildly offensive in spots, but it features an appealing Ashton Kutcher.

SPC Acquires '2046'

Sony Pictures Classics Acquires 2046 for Distribution in the United States and English Canada Christopher Doyle

Around the World Round Up: 'Hitch,' 'Constantine' to Top $100M

Constantine and Hitch are vying to become the first picture of 2005 to gross $100 million at the international box office. As it stands now, Constantine has conjured $98.7 million after a $9.3 million weekend from 44 territories, and Hitch has snared $97.9 million after a $22.5 million weekend from 44 territories. So far, their track records are similar with comparable totals and territory counts, and they may each cross the century mark on the same day. One thing is for certain, however, Hitch will handily outgross Constantine in the end. Keanu ReevesWill SmithNicolas Cage

Pixar Announces Two-for-One Stock Split

EMERYVILLE, CA - (March 23, 2005) Pixar Animation Studios (Nasdaq: PIXR) today announced that its Board of Directors has approved a two-for-one split of the company's common stock and a proportional increase in the number of Pixar common shares authorized from 100 million to 200 million.

When 'Kojak' Was King

On the day that Kojak—available for the first time on DVD—premiered on CBS, the nation was losing a war in Vietnam and the President of the United States was on the verge of impeachment. The date was October 24, 1973. America was in turmoil. The tension was reflected in Hollywood, where bell-bottomed hippies, not neat policemen, were in favor. Though there were exceptions, cops were not cool. Cops were pigs. Sean Penn

Kojak - Season One

The first season of Universal's Kojak on DVD—even if it is pegged to the remake series on Universal's USA Network, which apparently bears no resemblance—is a welcome blast of television's better days. When it premiered in 1973, it was a good, stylish cop show with a charismatic star—actor Telly Savalas—milking the part right on cue.

Murders Remade for Television

Kojak's original movie, The Marcus-Nelson Murders, aired on March 8, 1973. Directed by Joseph Sargent (who recently directed HBO's Something the Lord Made), the movie was based on the criminal investigation that followed the heinous sexual assault and murders of Janice Wylie and Emily Hoffert, two young, white career women, whose deaths were dubbed the Career Girl Murders. Denzel Washington

Sandra Bullock to Receive Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame

'Ring Two' Opens Well

Moviegoers may have held a grudge against "the one that started it all." Joan AllenKevin CostnerDanny BoyleWoody Allen

'Superman Returns' Begins Production

PRINCIPAL PHOTOGRAPHY HAS BEGUN ON 'SUPERMAN RETURNS' STARRING BRANDON ROUTH, KATE BOSWORTH AND KEVIN SPACEY James MarsdenParker PoseyBryan Singer

Disney's Teen Ice Pic Beats Expectations

Dream big, Walt Disney Pictures' Ice Princess urges, and big things will happen. Though what happens in this girly picture is too big—figure skating championships, Harvard, boys and fights with mother and coach—for one movie, it is better than it sounds.

Woody Allen's Latest Offers More of the Same

Writer and director Woody Allen presents another example of New Yorker neuroticism with Melinda and Melinda, a two-track abstract with no particular purpose. Featuring Vilmos Zsigmond's photography, a couple of good performances and a mercifully brisk pace, this movie, like Mr. Allen's previous works, depicts the white, Anglo-Saxon Protestant (WASP) and Jewish east coast intellectuals next door.

Joss Whedon to Write and Direct 'Wonder Woman'

SILVER PICTURES AND WARNER BROS. PICTURES SIGN JOSS WHEDON TO WRITE & DIRECT DC COMICS' 'WONDER WOMAN'

Around the World Round Up: 'Hitch' Enriches Overseas

Hitch lead a soft international box office for the second weekend in a row, thanks to a blockbuster run in Germany and an excellent premiere in the United Kingdom. Overall business will continue to be quiet until Kingdom of Heaven debuts in early May as the holiday movies dwindle and the modest spring pictures arrive—although next weekend's massive release of The Ring Two could perk things up. Will SmithWesley Snipes
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