25 films added to the National Film Registry
The disco-boogie classic, “Saturday Night Fever,” (1977) is one of 25 films selected for the National Film registry of the Library of Congress. The announcement was made today. More than two thousand films were nominated by the public for the inclusion in this year’s group.
The films are selected not because they’re the best cinema, but “… as works of enduring significance to American culture,” according to a Library of Congress press release. This year’s selection brings the total number of films in the National Film Registry to 550.
Some of the other films on the 2010 list: “Airplane” (1980), “The Empire Strikes Back” (1980), “The Exorcist” (1973), “Malcolm X” (1992), “The Pink Panther” (1964), and “A Tree Grows in Brooklyn” (1945). For the complete list and some details on each film, go here.
Oscar Nomination ballots in the mail
- Photo: Greg Harbaugh/A.M.P.A.S. — Nomination ballots for the 83rd Academy Awards were given a final check before being mailed out in Beverly Hills December 27, 2010
Those Oscar nomination ballots for the 83rd Academy Awards should be arriving at the homes of the voting members of the academy very soon. The ballots were mailed out yesterday, after being sorted, counted, and numbered under the close scrutiny of reps from the accounting firm, Pricewaterhousecoopers.
The 5, 755 ballots must be returned to Pricewaterhousecoopers by 5 p.m. January 14, 2011. The Oscar ceremony is Sunday, February 27, 2011 at the Kodak Theater in Hollywood. The prestigious affair is always huge here and around the world. The awards extravaganza reportedly will be televised live in more than 200 countries.
A comedy sequel wins the Christmas weekend Box Office
Two new films top the weekend Box Office. Taking the number one spot, “Little Fockers,” with a respectable $30.8 million. This is the sequel to the family comedies “Meet the Parents” (2000) and “Meet the Fockers” (2004). Many of the players from the earlier films appear in “Little Fockers,” including Ben Stiller, Rober De Niro, Blythe Danner, Teri Polo, and Owen Wilson.
In “Little Fockers” Jack Byrnes (Robert De Niro) has a heart scare, appoints his son-in-law Greg Focker (Ben Stilles) as the new head of the family — and then has second thoughts about the decision.
Another new film with a familiar ring bagged second place. The new version of the western, “True Grit,” earned $24.8 million. The first “True Grit” in (1969) starred John Wayne who won an Academy Award for his performance as U.S. Marshal, Reuben “Rooster” J.Cogburn.
In the new version, directed by the Coen brothers, Jeff Bridges portrays the U.S. Marshal and Hailee Steinfeld is the 14-year-old girl who hires him to track down the hired hand (Josh Brolin) who killed her father. Both film adaptations are based on the book, “True Grit” (1968), by Charles Portis.
Last week’s top film, the sci-fi sequel, “Tron Legacy” slipped to third with a take of $19.1 million. Rounding out the top five, the fantasy flick, “The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader,” with $9.4 million and the animated film, “Yogi Bear” with $7.8 million.
