ITV

Category: International

  • The Vow, Safe House take spot spot at box-office

    The Vow, Safe House take spot spot at box-office

    MUMBAI: Rachel McAdams and Channing Tatum Valentine‘s Day romantic drama The Vow opened to a sizable $41.7 million followed closely by the Denzel Washington-Ryan Reynolds action-thriller Safe House with $39.3 million.

    The Vow, directed by Michael Stucsy and costing $30 million to produce, opened in 20 markets overseas, grossing $9.7 million for a worldwide opening take of $52.4 million.

    One advantage Safe House had was an A- CinemaScore, versus a B CinemaScore for The Vow. Safe House played far better than expected among females, who made up 50 percent of the audience.

    The films vastly over-performed, driving the weekend up more than 30 per cent from the same period last year. In the best showing for a non-holiday weekend in February, the overall revenue hit a staggering $190 million.

    The superb opening of The Vow and Universal‘s Safe House wasn‘t the only surprise. Warner Bros. and New Line‘s Journey 2: The Mysterious Island raced past 20th Century Fox’s 3D rerelease of George Lucas’ Star Wars: Episode 1 — The Phantom Menace to gross $27.6 million while Phantom Menace opened to $23 million.

    This is the first time four films, outside of a holiday weekend, have crossed $20 million. In 2011, domestic box-office revenue tumbled and attendance slipped. On the same day last year, revenue went north by more than 11 per cent compared to last year while attendance has increased by 11 per cent.

    The revenue incurred by Journey 2 was evidenced by the fact that it was up an astonishing 94 percent on Saturday, compared to 9 per cent for The Vow and 19 per cent for Safe House.

    Journey 2 did big business in Imax theaters that generated $3.8 million of the film‘s gross, or 14 percent, according to IMAX senior vp worldwide distribution Phil Groves.

  • The Artist sweeps BAFTA Awards

    The Artist sweeps BAFTA Awards

    MUMBAI: Silent movie has won seven awards including Best Picture at the British Academy Film Awards. The film thus edged out the espionage thriller Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy.

    While The Artist was named best film, Jean Dujardin took the male acting award and its filmmaker Michel Hazanavicius won the best director award the original screenplay award.

    Meryl Streep was named best actress for her depiction of Margaret Thatcher, Britain‘s first female prime minister in The Iron Lady. The film also won a well-deserved award in the hair and makeup category.

    Martin Scorsese‘s Parisian fantasy Hugo lapped up awards in the sound and production design category.

    John le Carre adaptation Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, that had as many as 11 nominations compared to 12 for The Artist, won just two prizes, one for the British film and the other for adapted screenplay.

    The BAFTA award is considered to be a strong indicator of likely success at the Academy Awards to be held on 26 February.

    The trophies give more momentum to The Artist, which has already won three Golden Globes, and has 10 Oscar nominations.

    Dujardin, who plays a silent screen icon eclipsed by the talkies, said the appeal of The Artist lay in its accessibility.

    “It‘s a simple story,” he said. “It‘s a love story. It‘s universal. And there‘s a cute dog” — Jack Russell terrier Uggie, who almost steals the film from his two-legged co-stars.

    The supporting actor award went to Christopher Plummer for his role in Beginners, while Octavia Spencer was named best supporting actress for her role as a fiery maid in Deep South drama The Help.

  • Al Pacino to receive National Medal of Arts

    Al Pacino to receive National Medal of Arts

    MUMBAI: US President Barack Obama will present Al Pacino the 2011 National Medal of Arts at the White House on Monday.

    Pacino, who starred in Dog Day Afternoon, The Godfather trilogy and Scarface, will receive the medal for his contributions as an actor and director of American film and theatre.

    TOther honorees for the National Medal of Arts include names like Will Barnet (painter), Rita Dove (poet), Emily Rauh Pulitzer (curator/philanthropist), Martin Puryear (sculptor), Mel Tillis (music vet), Andre Watts (pianist) and the United Service Organization.

    Additionally, the 2011 National Humanities Medal will also be presented to Kwame Anthony Appiah, John Asbery, Robert Darnton, Andrew Delbanco, Charles Rosen, Teofilo Ruiz, Ramon Saldivar, Amartya Sen and National History Day.

  • Stallone to pair with Schwarzenegger again

    Stallone to pair with Schwarzenegger again

    MUMBAI: Sylvester Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger have been teamed by Summit Entertainment for a film titled The Tomb about a thrilling prison escape.

    The film, to be produced by Summit Entertainment, will be directed by Swdish filmmaker Mikael Hafstrom. While Stallone will play a structural security expert, Schwarzenegger will be an inmate. 

    Incidentally, Schwarzenegger had earlier teamed up with Stallone for a cameo in The Expendables and The Expendables 2, due to hit the silver screen in August.

    Recently, both Schwarzenegger and Stallone ran into each other for shoulder surgery at the same hospital.

  • Eva Green in 300 sequel

    MUMBAI: Eva Green, last seen in the James Bond film Casino Royale, has been signed on to play the female lead in the sequel of 300.
     
    The 31-year-old Green will be paired opposite Australian actor Sullivan Stapleton in the follow-up to director Zack Snyder‘s 2006 film.
     
    The sequel will be directed by Noam Murro.
     
    Gerard Butler and Lena Headey lead 300.

  • Christopher Plummer to star in Muhammed Ali biopic

    Christopher Plummer to star in Muhammed Ali biopic

    MUMBAI: Christopher Plummer is set to star in HBO Films‘ Muhammad Ali‘s Greatest Fight to be directed by Stephen Frears.

    The veteran, in his first deal since being nominated for an Oscar for his work in Beginners, will portray Supreme Court Associate Justice John Marshall Harlan II.

    Also signed for the film is Frank Langella who received an Oscar nomination for his performance in Frost/Nixon. He also starred in Robot and Frank, one of the highlights of the recent Sundance Film Festival. Langella will play the role of Chief Justice Warren Burger.
     
    Ali was drafted into the Army in 1966 but declined to serve, citing his belief that the war was against the teachings of the Koran. When he appeared at an armed services induction in 1967 and refused to step forward when his name was called, he was arrested.

    Shawn Slovo wrote the script. Frank Doelger, Tracey Scoffield, Jonathan Cameron and Frears are exec producing the movie, which is still searching for its Ali.

    Plummer can currently be seen in The Girl with the Dragon Tatoo.

  • Berlinale opens with Farewell My Queen

    Berlinale opens with Farewell My Queen

    MUMBAI: The 62nd Berlin International Film Festival opens today with the world premiere of Benoît Jacquot’s film Farewell My Queen (Les adieux ? la Reine)

    While Mohan Kumar Valasala’s Panchabhuta will compete in Berlinale Shorts at the festival, Gattu, directed by Rajan Khosa and produced by the Children’s Film Society of India (CFSI) will compete in Generation KPlus section of the festival.

    Kutch, a project to be directed by Bobby Bedi will be the first Indian project to participate in Berlinale co-production market.

    Farhan Akhtar’s Don 2 which is a co-production between India and Germany will have a special screening at the festival.

    Indian film curator and journalist Meenakshi Shedde is on the FIRPRESCI jury of the festival. All members of the International Jury- Anton Corbijn, Asghar Farhadi, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Jake Gyllenhaal, Mike Leigh, François Ozon, Boualem Sansal and Barbara Sukowa – will be present. The 62nd Berlin International Film Festival will close on February 19, 2012.

  • Emma Watson to star in Your Voice in My Head

    Emma Watson to star in Your Voice in My Head

    MUMBAI: Harry Potter actress Emma Watson will possibly reunite with the film’s director David Yates in her next Your Voice in My Head, a film about a suicidal writer.

    Your Voice in My Head is based on a memoir by Emma Forrest who, incidentally, is also the film’s screenwriter. The film follows a self-destructive writer who struggles with her personal issues and embarks on the difficult road to recovery.

    Watson will play the female lead of a young woman who tries to commit suicide before being saved by a New York-based psychiatrist who is dying of cancer. Warner is eyeing some high-profile names like Tom Hanks and George Clooney to play the male lead.

    Watson last played a supporting role in My Week with Marilyn that marked her first acting stint post Harry Potter.

    Next, she will be seen starring opposite Logan Lerman and Nina Dobrev in The Perks of Being a Wallflower.

  • Lifetime achievement award to Sharon Stone

    Lifetime achievement award to Sharon Stone

    MUMBAI: Sharon Stone has been awarded the lifetime achievement prize at the 11th Annual Aarp Magazine Movies for Grownups Awards in Beverly Hills on Monday. She accepted the prize from Martin Scorsese.

    “I must‘ve died and gone to heaven. I‘ve gotten a lifetime achievement award from Martin Scorsese!

    “I am so grateful for this day. I‘m grateful I‘m here in this moment. I‘m grateful I‘m here, because it wasn‘t always a sure thing,” Stone repotedly exclaimed after receiving the award.

    Other big winners at the star-studded event included Glenn Close, who was named Best Actress for her role in Albert Nobbs and filmmaker Alexander Payne who received the Chaise d‘Or trophy for The Descendants.

  • Titanic set to sail on 4 April

    Titanic set to sail on 4 April

    MUMBAI: Good news for fans eagerly waiting for 6 April to see the new Titanic.

    The newly-converted 3D version of James Cameron’s Titanic will set sail a few days earlier than originally planned. Paramount has decided to release the film two days ahead on 4 April.

    The studio also has preponed the release of A Thousand Words, Brian Robbins’ comedy starring Eddie Murphy from 20 April to 9 March when it will compete with Disney’s sci-fi tale John Carter.

    It also slated a limited release on March 16 for the Duplass Brothers’ film Jeff, Who Lives at Home, starring Jason Segel. The film, which was originally scheduled for a 2 March release premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival.