Weekend Movies: 'Bourne' and 'Catwoman' Square Off
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Two action movies with vastly different approaches hit theaters nationwide on Friday as Matt Damon in "The Bourne Supremacy" battled Halle Berry in "Catwoman" for box office dominance.
"Bourne Supremacy," like its 2002 predecessor, "The Bourne Identity," relies on old Hollywood action -- car chases and hand-to-hand combat -- compared to the slick special effects, costumes and futuristic sets of comic-book-inspired "Catwoman."
Audiences will get a nearly equal crack at seeing the films as Universal Pictures lined up 3,162 theaters for "Bourne" and Warner Bros. put "Catwoman" in 3,117 theaters, according to box office tracker Exhibitor Relations.
The pair face their strongest competition from last week's No. 1 movie, science-fiction thriller "I, Robot" which took in $52 million in the United States and Canada.
The first "Bourne" proved to be a solid success for Universal and Damon. It earned more than $210 million worldwide for the studio, making the sequel -- in a year when sequels have performed well in theaters -- a relatively safe bet.
Moreover, the first movie earned strong reviews for Damon, who shed his good-boy image and clean-cut looks to take the role of stone-cold killer and trained assassin, Jason Bourne.
"He's got a dark past, and people don't look at me and necessarily think that," Damon told reporters in a recent interview.
As audiences learned in the first "Bourne" film, the assassin Bourne suffers from amnesia and after nearly suffering the fate of his victims has escaped to never be bothered again.
LOOKING FOR REVENGE
Or so he thought. In the second movie, Bourne is living peacefully in a remote beach town in India when the film begins.
He starts to go after his former adversaries, and when he learns they are stationed in Berlin, he seeks revenge.
But as Bourne is starting to act, his memory begins to come back to him in flashes and as the movie progresses, he learns more about who he once was and what he did.
As he seeks vengeance for a murder that affected him, he also must consider his own past.
"(When) something terribly wrong happens to you, your first instinct is to go to get revenge, but ... if you start to look at your own life and take responsibility for your own actions, the most important thing you do to rejoin the human race is start by atoning for the things that you've done," Damon said.
Berry, too, seeks a little revenge as the comic book heroine and feline fatale in "Catwoman."
She has proved she can kick butt with the best of the men as Jinx in the James Bond movie "Die Another Day" and Storm in the "X-Men" films, but comic book movies have been aimed primarily at young men. As a result, putting a woman behind the mask represents a sizable risk for Warner Bros.
The movie has earned generally poor reviews, with the New York Times, for one, saying Berry is "doing her utmost to persuade the Academy to take back her Oscar."
Goldman Sachs financial analyst Anthony Noto estimated the movie's production budget was around $100 million and in written research on Friday said that, given the competitive weekend and early, poor reviews, "'Catwoman"' likely carries a negative financial implication" for Warner Bros.
In the movie, Berry is a meek graphic designer for a cosmetics company who learns that a new anti-aging product isn't all it's cracked up to be, and she pays for that knowledge with her life.
But she is resurrected as Catwoman, with mysterious powers and sets out to settle the score with the people who thought they had killed her.
In the end, you won't care.
Springsteen, Dylan, Pixies Salute Zevon
Live recordings by Bruce Springsteen and Bob Dylan, as well as newly recorded cuts by Jackson Browne, the Pixies and Ry Cooder will be featured on an upcoming tribute to the late Warren Zevon. Planned for a fall release by Artemis, the collection is being produced by Jorge Calderone, who worked closely with Zevon on his final album, "The Wind."
The title, release date and track list for the album is still being finalized, according to a label spokesperson.
Springsteen, who was among the guests on "The Wind," has contributed a version of Zevon's "My Ride's Here" recorded in Toronto last year. Dylan, who took to performing several Zevon songs on the road in 2003, has offered his take on "Mutineer" to the collection.
In a move that the notoriously sardonic Zevon would probably have appreciated, comedian Adam Sandler has recorded the artist's best-known song, "Werewolves of London," for the compilation.
Jackson Browne donates version of "Poor Poor Pitiful Me," a 1978 top 40 hit for Linda Ronstadt, while the Pixies take on "Ain't That Pretty At All" and Cooder teams with David Lindley for "Monkey Wash/Donkey Rinse."
Singer/songwriter Jill Sobule adds a previously released cover of "Don't Let Us Get Sick," while her Artemis labelmate Steve Earle's "Reconsider Me" and Don Henley's "Searching for a Heart" are both tabbed for inclusion. Among several other tracks that will round out the set will be a cut from actor-turned-recording artist Billy Bob Thornton, who also appeared on "The Wind."
Calderone is planning to add his own touch to the tribute with his rendition of the heartbreaking "Keep Me In Your Heart," one of the songs he co-wrote with Zevon for "The Wind."
Talking to Billboard.com in the wake of a pair of Grammy wins for "The Wind" -- best contemporary folk album and best rock performance by a duo or group for the duet with Springsteen, "Disorder in the House" -- Zevon's son Jordan said there were a few unrecorded songs by late artist and Calderone that he believed would come to light at some point.
"There are songs that he and Jorge collaborated on and we're all gonna get behind Jorge and keep nudging him to record those," he said in February. "I know that Dad gave Jorge his blessing to take those songs and work with them and record them, so hopefully he will."
Jordan Zevon has taken one of those songs, "Studabaker," and recorded it for inclusion on the tribute, and tapped longtime friend/Wallflowers lead singer Jacob Dylan to add backing vocals.
Beck, Dust Brothers hook up again
Beck has some familiar faces working with him on his brand new album.
MTV reports Beck has reunited with veteran hip-hop producers the Dust Brothers on his latest effort, who were previously at the controls for 1996's "Odelay" and 1999's "Midnite Vultures."
The as-yet-untitled album, which has been recorded and is now in the mixing stage, is scheduled to hit stores in October.
Beck's last album, "Sea Change," was released in 2002.
Oscar winning composer Jerry Goldsmith Dies
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Academy Award-winning composer Jerry Goldsmith, who created the memorable music for scores of classic movies and television shows ranging from the Star Trek and Planet Of The Apes series to The Man from U.N.C.L.E. and Perry Mason, has died. He was 75.
Goldsmith died in his sleep Wednesday night at his Beverly Hills home after a long battle with cancer, said Lois Carruth, his personal assistant.
A classically trained composer and conductor who began musical studies at age six, Goldsmith's award-dappled Hollywood career — he was nominated for 17 Academy Awards, won one, and also took home five Emmys — spanned nearly half a century.
He crafted an astonishing number of TV and movie scores that have become classics in their own right. From the clarions of Patton to the syrupy theme for TV's The Waltons, Goldsmith sometimes seemed virtually synonymous with soundtracks.
He took on action hits such as Total Recall, which he considered one of his best scores, as well as the Star Trek movies and more lightweight fare, like his most recent movie theme for last year's Looney Tunes: Back in Action.
Goldsmith's output also spilled into television, with the themes for shows including Kildare, Barnaby Jones and Star Trek: The Next Generation.
Goldsmith also wrote a fanfare that is used in Academy Awards telecasts.
He won his Oscar for best original score in 1976 for The Omen. He also earned five Emmy Awards and was nominated for nine Golden Globe awards, though he never won one.
Some of his motion picture scores were adapted for ballets. Goldsmith also composed orchestral pieces and taught occasional music classes at local universities.
He is survived by his wife, Carol; children Aaron, Joel, Carrie, Ellen Edson and Jennifer Grossman, six grandchildren and a great-grandchild.
Live Aid On DVD
The most legendary rock spectacle of all time, Live Aid defined a decade, raised millions for famine relief and turned Bob Geldolf into saint. Now, on November 1st, almost twenty years after the historic live event in 1985, Warner Home Video has announced that they will release the entire concert on November 2nd.
The unforgettable global event, staged in London and Philadelphia on Saturday, 13 July 1985, was watched on television by over 1.5 billion people around the world. Featuring performances by U2, Sting, David Bowie, Madonna, Queen, Duran Duran, Neil Young, Sade, The Cars, Bryan Ferry, Simple Minds, The Pretenders, Elvis Costello and more, Warner has scoured the vaults and will remaster the event in its original 4:3 full screen and Dolby Digital 5.1 from the best-quality materials available. Also to be included on this four-disc set are additional performances from other parts of the globe, as well as the documentary "Food, Trucks & Rock 'n' Roll."
Glass Tiger take to the road to celebrate 20th anniversary, new songs
TORONTO (CP) - Remember the song Don't Forget Me (When I'm Gone)? How about Someday?
Glass Tiger hopes so. The popular '80s band is trying for a comeback with a 20th anniversary CD and DVD called No Turning Back. The quintet - original members Alan Frew on vocals, Sam Reid on keyboards, Al Connelly on guitar, Wayne Parker on bass and newcomer Chris McNeill on drums - will also embark on a national tour starting in September.
To be released August 24, the CD will include two new songs, No Turning Back and Give It Away.
"Our writing is as strong as ever, with the same spark and verve that we had back when Don't Forget Me (When I'm Gone) was crafted," said frontman Frew. "Our performances have never been tighter, and we are playing at the highest level."
The CD will also feature radio versions of the band's hits as well as some rarities and alternative versions. The DVD will include 13 of Glass Tiger's music videos and some behind the scenes footage.
Glass Tiger became a household name in the mid-1980s with the release of its debut record The Thin Red Line.
With Bryan Adams on backup vocals, the song Don't Forget Me (When I'm Gone) became a smash hit in Canada, as well as the U.S. where it reached No. 2 on the Billboard Chart. The album set a record for the fastest selling debut recording in Canadian history.
The band has five Juno awards and a Grammy nomination to its credit.
Jessica Simpson excited about Vancouver sushi, but says she doesn't eat fish
VANCOUVER (CP) - Seafood continues to mystify pop star Jessica Simpson, who plans to investigate Vancouver sushi when she's in town.
"I'm not a fish person," she said, before listing sushi consumption as one of the things she is looking forward to during her day off in Canada's raw fish mecca. "Oh yeah, but I eat shellfish," explained Simpson, as she prepares for a show in Vancouver on Friday, one of her first Canadian dates in years and the only one on her current tour.
Shrimp maki it is. Or maybe vegetable rolls would be safer for the diva who shocked even grade schoolers when she thought Chicken of the Sea brand tuna might be some sort of sea chicken and not tuna at all.
Her equally thoughtful husband, former boy band member Nick Lachey, tried to reason with Simpson as she ate the mystery meat from the can on her reality show, Newlyweds.
"I don't eat fish. Not a fish eater, that's why I was confused for a split second."
She said she also can't wait to go shopping in Vancouver, which should prove less of a challenge for the clothes-loving diva.
Certainly it won't be as difficult as selling tickets to her concert. A few days before her show at GM Place, some 2,500 seats were still available.
She said criticism doesn't faze her anymore, not after being ripped in the press for having an IQ deficit more glaring than her bleach blond hair. Exposing her flaws on a reality show actually boosted her self-esteem, she said.
"Honestly, I think it helped me. It helped my career and it helped my self esteem. Not having to look perfect in the public was the best thing that ever happened to me. Everything that was expected from me just wasn't there anymore," she said in her southern drawl, her new malti-poo puppy yipping in the background.
For the uninformed, a malti-poo, Simpson confided, is a maltese poodle.
She said people identify with her now that they've seen she's a real person who fights with her husband and says silly things sometimes.
"It made me more on their level. It was great for people to see a celebrity who walks the red carpet and is on the cover of a magazine not having the perfect life."
Simpson has evolved into quite the self-assured young woman in the past few years, which saw her make the jump from makeshift stages in mall parking lots to headlining stadium shows.
It wasn't easy to get up in front of people at first, she said, because she had a lot of zits.
She can now be seen gushing about the traumatic pimple plague during prime time in commercials for an acne cream.
"Skin is a huge part of your self-esteem. It's something you can't hide. If you're a bit overweight you can wear a baggy sweatshirt and feel bit better about yourself," she says.
Finding the topical solution that now makes up one of her many endorsement deals not only cleared up her skin, it also helped the diva "heal on the inside."
She says she can't wait to show off her glowing skin, all of it, when the cameras finally get shut off and the final cuts of Newlyweds are done.
"We need some time alone to run around naked. I'm really looking forward to it," she said.
Now that Simpson and Lachey aren't newlyweds anymore, life is just beginning for the couple, she said.
Simpson has to decide whether she will sacrifice her blond locks in the name of art and take on the role of Daisy in the Dukes of Hazzard.
"I don't love myself as a brunette, but I'll have to go darker," she said stoically.
Fox Back on 'CSI,' Eads' Fate Uncertain
LOS ANGELES - Jorja Fox, the "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" star who was fired for skipping work in a salary dispute, is returning to the hit CBS drama.
Fox reached an agreement with the network and will be back on the set next week, a source close to the production said Thursday, speaking on condition of anonymity.
Co-star George Eads also lost his job when he also failed to report last week for the start of production on the fifth season.
Eads' situation remained unchanged Thursday. But a public apology — in which the actor said he merely overslept and wasn't angling for more money — may have opened the door to talks, the source said.
"It's a big misunderstanding, straight up," Eads told the Television Critics Association on Wednesday. "I want all this to work out. 'CSI' is a part of who I am."
A CBS spokesman declined comment. Calls seeking comment from the actors' publicists were not immediately returned Thursday.
Fox and Eads, who play investigators Sara Sidle and Nick Stokes on the forensics drama set in Las Vegas, were being paid a reported $100,000 each per episode.
CBS chief Leslie Moonves said earlier this week that the firings were fair business decisions. "There comes a point where we feel a contract is a contract," he said.
Deals with Fox and Eads were renegotiated after two years and a raise was offered for this fifth season although there was no contractual obligation to do so, Moonves said.
Other actors in the "CSI" cast, including Marg Helgenberger and William Petersen, were not involved in the dispute. Petersen is also a producer on the series.
A salary holdout last year by another CBS star, Emmy-winning Brad Garrett of "Everybody Loves Raymond" paid off for the actor. But CBS' hard line on the "CSI" actors indicated the network didn't see them as crucial to the ensemble drama.
"CSI" was the top-rated drama last season and the No. 2 show in viewers just behind "American Idol." The show and its spinoffs "CSI: Miami" and the upcoming "CSI: NY" are key elements of CBS' schedule.