Hollywood Highlights

Monday, January 20, 2014

“Ride Along” races to the top the box office

The new buddy/comedy, “Ride Along,” beat expectations and broke records over the long MLK holiday weekend. The four-day take for the “Ride Along” is  an estimated $48.1 million — easily  winning top spot at the box office  — making it the new #1 film in the U.S. This is one of the strongest debuts ever  for the MLK holiday weekend, […]
Sunday, January 19, 2014

“American Hustle” wins big at SAG Awards

  “American Hustle” has more of an Oscar edge today after winning the top honor at the 20th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards ceremony at the Los Angeles Shrine Exposition Center in L.A. last night. The ensemble film won the Outstanding Cast in a Motion Picture award — over “12 Years a Slave,” “August: Osage County,” “Dallas Buyers Club,” and […]
Thursday, January 16, 2014

“American Hustle” and “Gravity” got the most Oscar nominations today

                  “American Hustle” and “Gravity” were the 2013 movies mentioned the most today when the nominations for the 86th Academy Awards were revealed. Both got 10 nominations, including Best Picture and Best Director. The big winner at last Sunday’s Golden Globes for Best Movie Drama, “12 Years a Slave,” came in second […]
Wednesday, January 15, 2014

Around the Southland: Actor Robert Pattinson sells Los Feliz love nest

Actor Robert Pattinson has sold his Los Feliz hacienda-style home for $6.375 million. The deal closed yesterday, according to the Forbes website. The architecturally significant property reportedly sits on a terraced 1.5 acre lot with extensive gardens, lagoon pool, and spectacular city views. The home is one of the first to be built in the Los Feliz hills. Pattinson bought the […]
Monday, January 13, 2014

“Lone Survivor” leads box office as producers attempt damage control

“Lone Survivor” fought its way to the top of the box office over the weekend. The military action/drama debuted with $37.8 million  becoming the number one film in the U.S. That’s the second largest January opening ever. “Lone Survivor” is based on the real-life story of four Navy Seals on a covert mission in Afghanistan who must make some tough […]
Monday, January 13, 2014

71st Annual Golden Globe Awards scores for both comedy and drama

What a show! The 71st Annual Golden Globe Awards ceremony delivered a program packed with surprises, comedy, and yes, drama. “12 Years a Slave” the brutal drama of a free American black man’s ordeal of being kidnapped and forced into slavery, was shut out of every award — except the biggest of the night — Best Motion Picture Drama. “American […]
Saturday, January 11, 2014

Script Sales and Deals: “Endgame,” “Slingshot,” and “Maggie’s Plan”

  “Endgame” — In a heated bidding war, Fox has come out the victor in a $2 million dollar deal for James Fey’s book. This is a  “Hunger Games” type YA novel about young teen warriors battling in a future world. You might remember Fey’s reputation took a beating after it came out that his best-selling memories, “A Million Little […]
Friday, January 10, 2014

Who’s America’s favorite movie star?

Tom Hanks name was not called during the People’s Choice Awards ceremony last Wednesday night. However, in the latest Harris Poll Tom Hanks won the title of America’s Favorite Movie Star.  A position he held in 2002, 2004, and 2005 in similar Harris Polls. Despite being skipped over by the People’s Choice Awards, Hanks is getting a lot of award […]
Tuesday, January 7, 2014

DGA award nominations for 2013 feature films out today

 The nominations were released this morning for the DGA Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Feature Film for 2013. This is a major award — as these nominees are usually the front-runners in the race for the Best Director Oscar. “To be chosen by your peers in a year full of incredibly well-crafted films is the true marker of outstanding directorial […]